kc1953

I was curious about the new RLX, so this morning (Sat, 3/30) I dropped by my local northern cali Acura dealership. Same dealership from which I bought (and still have) a 2008 MDX and a 2009 Acural TL Tech sh-awd (which I no longer have). I pull up in my current daily driver (2012 BMW 535i),and start walking around the RLX in front of the showroom. I open the door, and sit in the drivers seat, close the door. Spend some time looking over the interior. Get back out, stroll around looking at the outside of the car. Open the trunk and inspect it. Close trunk and walk around the car, critially eyeing the lines. The I go into the showroom, grab a cup of coffee, and go back outside and look at the RLX again. All this time, at least 5 sales people walked by, or were chatting with each other. Very few other customers. Not one single sales person came by to ask if I needed help, had any questions, or was interested in test driving the RLX.

I am 60 yrs old, was dressed weekend casual (nice pair of sweats, a nice sweatshirt and aviator sunglasses). If I am not the target market for the RLX, who is?

If someone would have asked if I was interested in a test drive, I would have taken them up on it. But no one paid me a bit of attention, so I left.

Maybe they figured a guy with a relatively new BMW was not a likely buyer, but again, if they don't ask they don't get. I'm not even sure any of them saw me drive up in the BMW.

It was just very curious to me that someone in my demographic that is ogling their newest entrant to the luxury car market was essentially ignored.

Megatron

Were there any other RLX's on the lot? Maybe they weren't really in a rush to sell their only one?

But I know what you mean... Sometimes they are vultures and sometimes, you can't get any help if you were holding a briefcase of cash! LOL

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

in some ways....it's kind of good that they don't vulture about. i know my dealer has a pretty non-aggressive (more or less) approach in their sales dept. no pressure sales type thing. it's actually nice. if you were really interested, you could have actually just asked the receptionist person for some help.

i had a weird experience when i bought my MDX. we went in to test drive and look at a couple of MDXs that fit my criteria. after the test drive, i mentioned i was very interested in one of them, the sales guy just kind of looked at me after i had reviewed the history of the car. we were waiting for him ask us about numbers, i think he was waiting for the same thing. we left kind of puzzled that he didn't pressure us about the car AT ALL. in the end, we did buy the MDX after negotiating over email and phone calls (we initiated). it was just odd.

ctsport

I think you are over thinking it. That dealership probably just didn't have very good service.

KeithL

I have been to several high end dealerships that are low key and let you browse vs. jump on you, although at some point some one should have just aske did you needed help or to grab them if you needed help.

ostrich

I think that many Acura dealerships really need to learn how to be a luxury car dealer. It's one thing to be non-aggressive and non-pressurizing, but it's another thing to be just ignoring the potential clients.

The Audi dealerships that I have been to (in both the States and Canada) are even WORSE. They think that they have a few hot cars and they are plain rude to you! I kid you not.

MB was pretty nice. BMW was decent too. Lexus was excellent - if I ever get a Lexus, it's largely because of their excellent service.

I am very curious to see how Acura would turn their dealerships around - I see that it's one of the main strategies this year to make the client experience much better. Unless they really change their staff in some of these dealerships, I don't know how they can teach these old dogs new tricks to treat their clients better....

jhr3uva90

Unfortunately, car manufacturers can't own their own dealerships in the USA. i think it would be nice to see what would happen if a car maker could take an "Apple Store" approach to retail.

getakey

to the OP: Is this a NorCal Bay area dealership?
My dealer had idiot sales people. I refuse to talk to them after having mulitple conversations to confimr they are idiots.
Years ago I had similar experience at Lexus. I drive up in a Jaguar S Type that was ending lease. Went into showroowm and looked at multiple cars. No one said a word to me. That was the year I bought my RL. Did the transaction totally over the phone after test driving at a Dealer.

plastikman

I had the same exact experience at two different BMW dealers here in the Seattle area, I was in shorts and flip flops, nobody even looked at me and I was there for a while looking around. So I went to the Audi dealer and bought a S4 instead, guess they should have payed me a little attention, because I was seriously interested in a couple of BMW's.

KES

It is always hit or miss when you walk into a high end dealer. Sometimes you get attention but most times you don't. I have found the best way is to make an appointment, tell them what you want to do....1/2 hour test drive in a xxx with the premium package etc, get a brochure and leave with numbers.... Be very specific and tell them how much time you have. You will be surprised how much better your experience will be. I usually will request the visit to be at 9 or 10 on a weekday morning and I will tell them that I only have 1 hour.

Ken1997TL

I've found most northern Cali and Oregon dealerships to be like this. Not sure if its the weather or the drugs..

noobie

I think you can get this behavior from all makes, it just depends on the individual dealer and staff at the time. I have been equally ignored and harassed by many different brands. It was equal opportunity! Interestingly enough I got service at Carmax, when I went to sell them my car. They greet you at the door and depending on what you want, assign you a salesperson, let you just browse around or take your number and call you if all staff are occupied. They do more foot traffic that most dealers though.

hotshotta02

Thats funny, about two weeks a go I took my 2008 RL for an Oil Change in Avon, CT They had one RLX outside and I was out there for a good 10 Min looking it over and no one bothered to approch me They also had a nice White 2013 TL (Manual) that caught my eye, As soon as I looked at it they were all over me.

gbriank

Don't think there is any incentives from Acura on the RLX, but there are a lot on the outgoing TL. Dealer cash, marketing incentive, lowered interest rates and subsidized leasing. Oh yeah, dealers have quite a few TLs on hand.

06RL/NBP

I got a letter today from my local dealer offering me $15,500.00 trade in value for my 2006 RL with 93000 miles on it for a 2013 TL with 44,000 miles on it. Unless the TL mileage was a typo that is an unbelievable amount of miles for a 2013. Also you know by the time they adjust the final price that I will be paying there is no way they will give me that much for my 2006. They try to pull the wool right over your eyes.

db22

I went to the dealer and a salesman casually approached me and told me that the RLX on the forecourt and the one in the showroom was open for me to look around and inspect. He then stated that if I would like a test drive then just come find him inside the showroom. No pressure from him but I think that I knew more about the RLX than he did although he was fairly good.
I did ask for a test drive and he prepped the car and told me to get in and go wherever I wanted for as long as I wanted. After the drive he took my E Mail address and by the time I got home a mail had arrived giving the details of the car, himself and the dealer. Altogether a very professional and pleasant experience from the dealership with the offer of as many test drives as I wanted with a "please don't hesitate to call me" if I had any questions.

miner

Now, that is how to introduce a new model and make the customer feel at ease.

GoHawks

THAT is how you sell cars!

Ken1997TL

Exactly.

Offer information.

Ask the basic question, 'Are you interested in the vehicle?'

Let the customer decide.

Make a lifelong customer based upon trust and respect.

GoHawks

That is how my dealership treated me for each of the three Acuras I purchased from them. They were awesome and I pushed my sister to buy her RDX from them and she raved about how she was treated.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

^^my dealer is the same way. let the customer decide. i've referred people to my dealer before and they were really impressed by how well they were treated.