Chas2

at 155 RL's sold when compared to last month's 150 RL's sold.

http://ww.hondanews.com/categories/804/releases/5255

TampaRLX-SH

There is some interesting stuff in those numbers. Specifically 10/09 compared to 10/08.

ONLY the MDX and RDX have gains. Could that be due to a drop in fuel prices this past summer? Are consumers that short sighted as gas is nearing $3 per gallon again. Or do we REALLY want CUVs? If so...maybe the ZDX will actually sell more than niche numbers?

The RLs performance is at least consistently bad. But it is a MMC in 2009, not a new model. The TL is a NEW model in 2009, and it performed nearly as bad as the TL. Economy or not, the RL is Acura's bread and butter model (or had been) and should be embarassed with that plummet. Could it be the ugly factor Acura is hiding behind? I expect the V6 TSX to be a surprisingly good seller if Acura is negotiable on the price.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm.

BigKat103

I like the uptick from the summer (130s-ish), heck that's 10+% growth in the past couple of months. I don't care what business your in, that is good (work with me people ).

TampaRLX-SH

Forgive my misconboobulation...I transposed TL and RL. It should have read....

But it is a MMC in 2009, not a new model. The TL is a NEW model in 2009, and it performed nearly as bad as the RL. Economy or not, the TL is Acura's bread and butter model (or had been) and should be embarrassed with that plummet.


Just ANOTHER reason why I HATE alphanumeric naming conventions!

neuronbob

Obviously, these 155 RL buyers have good taste and we hope they post here.

The TL is really not doing that well compared to last year, while TSX sales are way up. It looks like the market is speaking on the issue.

TSX69

I still ponder if it is a supply or demand issue w/ the RL. My dealer never has any on the lot -- so it makes me wonder: do they not have them bc they cannot sell them? Or are people not buying them bc they are not there? If Acura put more out there ... will sales increase? I hope that they get the 3rd generation right.

I wonder how much the v6 TSX is helping its sales ... I would think that the high price would deter people ...

neuronbob

It'd be interesting if Acura allowed access to intra-model numbers as you suggest with the TSX.

Chas2

I found this opinion on the TOV site, which may explain the sales rate for RL's, emphasis added is mine...

http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-messa...ad_style=fancy

"...for the Japan-made Fits and RLs, I think that it doesn't make any sense for Honda to sell them at the current exchange rate.

At the current rate (about 90JPY for 1USD), the base 1.5L Fit (without radio nor side/curtain airbags) starts in Japan at USD 16.5k all taxes free.

Now, that is in Japan where they sell them straight out of the factory. Consider your US MSRP for a base Fit is 14.9k and you will easily understand that Honda isn't really making a good deal selling Fits right now... I'm not surprised that they aren't pushing them...

By a similar reasoning, consider price for the RL was set quite a while back in time, when the ratio was about 110-120 JPY/USD... At today's exchange rate the cheapest RL you can get in Japan would cost USD 58k tax-free. Try to figure out how much money they lose when selling them at 46k in the US ...

People only complain about the prices not moving when the exchange rate goes in their favor, but it has to be very hard for companies when it goes the other way around..."

So is $46,830 is the price for a base model RL. I wonder what they are really going for on the open market? Edmunds TMV has no fidelity on the different models, and just lists the base model TMV for about $44K. Depending on the marketing support, I could see a CMBS/ACC model going for that price....