I tried and tried and tried to work out a fair deal with my local Acura dealer on a 6MT TL, but they were very unreasonable.

Ironically, they have had a NBP-Parchment 6MT-Navi on the lot for more than a week now. The brakes look great, but not discounting, then charging for accessories and charging a $300 doc fee, while offering $23,800 for my 03 TLS-Navi with 15k miles is a joke.

I miss navigation and dual exhaust, but this car is a blast and the exhaust sounds awesome!

The gear shift knob if the best I've ever felt. Leather on the palm side, wood on the finger side. Real wood inside, too.

Also love the auto leveling xenons.

Here is a picture of the new ride.

 

Congrats on the new ride.

I felt like I was raped by my dealer as well due to no discounting of MSRP and a low-ball trade-in value for my '01 CL Type S. I had to eat $4k+ on my trade-in just to get in the new car. I feel like an "enabler" of the dealership since they will continue to behave like they do as long as there is a reasonable market that is willing to suck it up.

Again, congrats on the new ride. Definitely nothing wrong with the Mercedes.

 

Congrats on your new ride! Very nice car.

A bit surprised you cross-shopped a SLK 320 with the TL though.

-r

 

Well, I question people who would buy new models that are in high demand, as simple economics dictate that if demand exceeds supply you will pay through the nose. Be patient and wait. But car manufacurers know us car freaks cannot help ourselves. BTW, you must have paid more for the Mercedes, likely more than the TL, so I cannot understand your rational in this case or did you really want the Mercedes??

 

Say it isn't so, Emu! I thought for sure we were going to help you redesign the TL's trip computer! j/k

Oh well, you picked a nice ride. For me, that car would make a nice weekend ride rather than a beater. I'm sorry you couldn't work out a better deal with your dealer.

BLEX, the car has an MSRP of $45k.

 

HOLY SH!T EMU! what happend....

you were one of those guys that was crazy about the 04TL just like me..

SLK is not my tastes, but still a good pick.

 

why not an s2k and save yourself a bundle =D

 

Really nice car, especially the 320. You gotta like the retractable top.

 

Thanks for holding the flames. The S2k didn't work out.

It was a weird cross-shop. I really wanted the TL-6MT-Navi, but I could not stand the way the dealership was treating me during the negotiation.

Neuron, this will definitely not be my beater. I have a 97 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 for that. My TLS was not even the every day driver.

2004, it was a hard decision, but I have really wanted a convertible and was set, several months ago, on the 350Z roadster, then I found out the ventilated seats Nissan was advertising, were not true ventilated seats, but ones with a mesh coating.

BLEXV6, I just figured out your name, my wife has an 03 NBP EX-V6-Navi. Anyway, it was not the cost of the TL, but the principal of being someone that has owned two previous TL's and treated like some stranger off the street. No discount, when there are 20 TL's on the lot and by the way, the 6MT has been on the lot for more than a week, was just not acceptable.

Here is another photo, just before pick-up. I really like the profile, especially with the AMG Sport package. No AMG engine, though. That only comes with an automatic.

 

BTW, summer tires all around, too.

 

I can relate to what Emu is saying about dealership treatment. I bought my 04TL in Albuquerque, 400 miles from Colorado Springs, where I bought the very first '99 3.2TL off of the lot.

Pikes Peak Acura wouldn't honor a $1,000 loyalty coupon they issued me. They said it didn't apply to "hot" new cars, although there was no such contingency stated on the coupon.

You ought to drive to the Acura dealership to show them your new MB.

 

How does the auto-levelling thing work? Nice car! But I just traded in 2 doors in favour of four.

 

Sparky, I was there tonight with the new car. It was 72 degrees, low humidity, top down and I was talking to my old service manager and the sales manager saw me, looked and turned around. Guess I was no longer a prospect.

SlntSam, when I turn on the headlights, they move down, up, then settle into a neutral, centered position. Not sure how much value it adds, but awesome to watch.

 

As much as I like my 04TL, an SLK320 6-speed is really in a different class. Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

 

Cute isn't it. Congrats, BTW I hope you like the TL's rear view, you'll be seeing it a lot. :tflamer:

 

Thanks Sparky.

Here is a shot of the gear shift.

A little blurry, but you should be able to get the picture with the wood and leather.

 

I know it's too late for this go-round, but next time you don't have to get raped by the dealer on your trade. Two weekends ago, when I was negotiating to buy a TL at one dealership and they lowballed me on my trade, I ended up walking out and selling the car outright to another dealer who offered me a fair price. I shopped the car to several different car dealers and took the best offer (which was $2000 higher than what the Acura dealer would give me).

 

Very possible, but here is what Road and Track has to say... Road and Track says 6.7 0-60 for the auto, so figure a little lower for the 6MT. Not that much of a difference.

Anyway, the car is for fun, not racing.

 

I did look into that, but I lose the tax break, so I am told, if the entire transaction is not at the same dealer.

 

Let's examine this statement a bit more closely:

If I buy today, I will pay between $300 and $800 below MSRP (this is the range of deals currently available here in SoCal). If I buy in 6 months, if I negotiate really hard and I catch the dealer in a weak moment, I might pay invoice + $400. By waiting 6 months, I save roughly $2000. In other words, I will pay $333/month, or $11/day, extra for those first 6 months for the privilege of being one of the first people to own a TL.

Let's see: I can go out to lunch every day, or, for the same money, I can brown bag it and drive a new TL to work 6 months earlier. Gee, tough choice.

But please, feel free to wait and/or buy a different car because you can't get a "good deal" on a new TL - that will just leave more TLs available for me to choose from.

 

No tax break in CA, so that doesn't factor in for me. For you, it amounts to an extra Pepsi per day.

 

I'm really disapponted. None of you guys flamed the sucker. Dammit, flame him.

 

I'll flame him. You coulda bought the dang Chrysler Crossfire and had the same car!

Just kidding. That sucks that you went the way of the MB. Especially after all the posting I saw you do on the TL. Oh well, maybe you'll come back one day when you realize your mistake.

Enjoy your ride!

 

:lol1:

 

I have not written off Acura. I still one day hope to have another TL. Who knows, maybe in 05 it will have a trip computer with instant MPG and decimal points. Maybe even heated seats.

This car is fun, but probably not a lifetime commitment. I miss navi. I had it in both my 99 and 03 TL's.

You never forget your first love.

 

That thing is ugly....sorry but the TL looks way better.

I was going to buy a german spec 2001 CLK 430 with many options including xenons, but decide not to. It was only $35k with 20k miles. Is $47k in the states KBB.

I like mercedes a lot more than BMW's but I don't like the one you got. Sorry. Enjoy anyhow.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by EmuMessenger
[B]I tried and tried and tried to work out a fair deal with my local Acura dealer on a 6MT TL, but they were very unreasonable.

Ironically, they have had a NBP-Parchment 6MT-Navi on the lot for more than a week now. The brakes look great, but not discounting, then charging for accessories and charging a $300 doc fee, while offering $23,800 for my 03 TLS-Navi with 15k miles is a joke.



WOW! I am shocked that you did not buy the TL after all of your input on these "TL" forums, but can understand why.


FYI - I received the same treatment here from 2 dealerships regarding making my "deal". In both cases i had to walk away - and I have dealt with one of the dealerships for many years.

I too am now looking in other avenues for a new ride.

Congrats on your new ride.:wow:

 

Nice car, I like those little Mercedes roadsters.

Now see thats the right way to say you bought another car over the Acura. Unlike the BMW guy who posted EmuMessenger never bashed the Acura or bad mouthed it or made any stupid comments about getting more girls with it cuz its a Mercedes. And as you can see nobody flammed him.


Nice car and good luck with it!

 

Just come back before your warranty expires! Otherwise, you'll be sooooooorrrrrrry!

I like MB designs and cars, but the ol' black circle for reliability means I personally wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole (since the car would probably break and cost me $500 to repair)

 

Car looks sweet dude! Good Luck and enjoy it.

 

SWEEEET!

Enjoy the ride, we will miss your posts!

come around when you can and give us a sneak post!

 

What am I missing? The tl has heated seats in 04

 

It is fun to try something different!

 

Oops, meant ventilated seats.

Thanks for all the nice remarks.

----
GalantT3 Nice car, I like those little Mercedes roadsters.

Now see thats the right way to say you bought another car over the Acura. Unlike the BMW guy who posted EmuMessenger never bashed the Acura or bad mouthed it or made any stupid comments about getting more girls with it cuz its a Mercedes. And as you can see nobody flammed him.


Nice car and good luck with it!
-----

I have nothing against the new TL. My dealer was repeatedly unreasonable and I walked. Nothing more, nothing less.




-----
need4spd SWEEEET!

Enjoy the ride, we will miss your posts!

come around when you can and give us a sneak post!

-----

I still plan to post, if you guys will let me.

 

Actually, let's examine YOUR statement a little more closely.

If you're willing to "brown bag" it to work for a year in order to be among the first "guinea pigs" to find all the problems with a first year production model, then congratulations on "keeping up with the Joneses."

It makes much more sense to wait a year, let the price fall, and get a car that's had the bugs ironed out, IMHO.

 

If you want to take it to an extreme, you shouldn't even be buying a new TL at all. You should buy one that's two years old so that the first owner will take the big depreciation hit.

Better still, don't buy a TL at all. A Civic is much cheaper and will get you from point A to point B just as well.

Best of all, just take the bus and/or taxicabs.

Bottom line, life is short - I'm not going to waste time needlessly waiting to enjoy it.

 

Next year may bring something different. I'll be following the changes.

 

Congratulations on your SLK320.

Like you said, its not your daily driver so I think you made the right choice by getting a sporty two door. That sure is a big jump in price range between a TL and SLK. I would have also thought Crossfire just to stay roughly in the same price range.

I did something similar when I got my non-beater car a few years back. Also ended up with a yellow sporty two door but stayed in the Acura family.

I can also relate about missing your first car. I had a Acura Integra LS Special as my first car back in 91. There are times where I still browse the papers even now to see if there are any low mileage models around. Wasn't the fastest car, but it was fun to drive.

Let us know how it holds up. I like the new 04 TL a lot and have thought about trading in my RL for it.

 

I cant believe just because of a Bad experience, u crossed the 04TL off your list..

You should of went to a different dealer, maybe even outta state..

Knowing how obsessed you were with the 04TL, its sad to see you just leave it in a instant cuz of dealer treatment.

Anyways, why would it matter if you got a discount? You paid like So much more for your benz

Anyways Be Happy with the Benz.

 

I called a few other dealers, they all offered more, but with the caveat... We'll put a final number on the car when we see it.

Although I am absolutely loving the drop-top, never say never. Let's see what changes are made for the '05.