My friend and I went out to the local Acura dealer's storage lot and found they have 11 brand-new RLs in stock! I was amazed. All of them were Tech Packages but none had CMBS/PAX. That sounds like a lot but never mind the 40 or so MDXs and 25 TLs sitting around.

 

that sounds about right .. here in mass when i went to look at the RL and MDX .. they had 9 new RLs and a good 25-30 MDX's ...

 

I was at the dealer a few days ago. There were 3 RLs on the lot and one in the showroom (it's been there for a while). Their online inventory lists 16. One CMBS/PAX, the rest tech.

LL

 

Don't forget overflow lots too....I work in Norwood, MA and the overflow lot for the Acura dealer next to the Norwood Airport always has plenty of MDXs and RDXs too, but few RLs.

 

Um.........don't want to sound naive, but what does that prove? When was the last time you went to a Lexus 'storage lot.' Or a Infiniti, M-B, BMW, Audi, etc.?
Just saying!

 

Not trying to prove anything. It just surprised me; I didn't think they would have that many.

 

Seems pretty normal. I think these are the first shipments of the new '08' models, so many dealers got a fresh allotment. I saw 5 or 6 08s at a local dealer too, and they ususally have no RLs on the lot.

 

I want some. I have one sport package available, 4 tech, 3 tech ent, and a small handful of base models and NO sport entertainment MDX's. How a dealer can't manage to not sell the MDX is absolutely beyond me.

The RL on the other hand....
Not enough people want a CMBS/PAX, it's a car that you order and it sits in your lot until some one wants one, but they don't want the color you have. Ordering the RL CMBS/PAX is a liability and a gamble that you will actually sell it.

 

Which one? Tonkin or Hannah?

 

Tonkin. Their storage lot is on Canyon at 91st Avenue.

 

That's because they can't sell them.

LL

 

Dealers are alloted (floor plan) a certain amount of vehicles by Acura based on sales and customer ratings, etc. If you want a vehicle configured a certain way and the dealer does not have it s/he has to make a trade with a dealer (usually no more than 350 miles away for next day delivery) that has one. Sometimes it is one for one; other times they have to sweeten the pot and trade two or three popular models. Since the RL comes from Japan there is not much they can do with it once it arrives on the lot. If you can't sell it they have to store it and that costs the dealership a lot in terms of monthly interest. Wouldn't it be nice if you could go the factory and just pick up your new car like you used to be able to do in the good old days? I think Corvette is the only US carmaker that does that now, but you still have to buy the car thru a dealership.

 

This isn't baseball, that's not how swaps work. If I need a TL type S 6MT and another dealer has it we swap. These cars are just metal waiting to be sold and they all have a value attached to them.

If I need the TL S and the dealer I'm swapping with wants a TSX, I give him a TSX and a check for the difference in value. You don't trade 2 or 3 cars to get a popular model, it's just a dollar amount that needs to be accounted for.

If it's that popular a model, the other dealer just tells you that its sold, or it's the GM's demo car and has 5000 miles on it.

I'll give you 2 TSX Navi's and a Wade Boggs rookie card for that RL tech package with CMBS!!

 

I'll back you up on that one (not that you need it) from my own experience. The dealers in the area help each other out, but, it just comes down to dollar value with the trade. When I got my RL earlier this year I wanted one with CMBS. It's rare. The first dealership they tried to get it from told them it was a demo (eventhough when I called secretly they said it was new ). The dealership they ended up getting it from was happy to swap for it because they had several CMBS RL's in inventory. In fact, they traded the RL for one of my dealers TSX's. That's what they could use at the time My dealer just sent him the TSX with a check for the difference. No big deal. Dollar wise it was an even swap.

 

^
Soooo...
we can trade car for car and I get to keep my Wade Boggs rookie card?

 

I wouldn't hold much hope in value for that Wade Boggs rookie card...now if it were Cal Ripkin, we are talking about value!

 

It's up to the dealer's discretion whether or not they want to trade so I can see the potential of a dealer asking for two cars in trade for one. Of course, there is a dollar difference that needs to be settled but the real trade "value" is in the supply/demand for the vehicle.