Yoda117

Feel free to re-read the post... I chose to not get the ES330 since it reminded me of my mom's Camry (and drives like it as well... sorry, but true; and there is more in common with the platform than just the chassis; over 25% of the parts are interchangeable), not because I thought it was RWD. Kudos to them on the refit to the engine though. It may not have the 270 - 280 that Infiniti and Acura are boasting, but for what you get, it's not too shabby.

If the TL looked like the Accord (or drove like it... I came from a Honda), I would not have chosen it. It doesn't, and to be honest it drives frighteningly similarly to the nicest sedan I have ever been in... a '98 Camry with V6 (why Toyota took the step backwards is a mystery to me... the "detached feel" only works for so long with me).

I'm still trying to figure out that one.

That is why the 330 was excluded. The only other vehicles I was interested in from Lexus were the IS (and maybe the GS series), but both of those are RWD... an auto-elimination for my needs.

Now before we get off on the tomato vs. toMAto thing, yes I know that Infiniti, Lexus and Acura are mostly compiled of rebadged and nicer models that originate from their parent corporation (TSX with the European Civic, G35 with the Skyline, ES330 with the Camry). And I don't care how nice the RL is... it's just an upscale copy of the Accord in my eyes (if you are going to double the price of the car, at least make it a bit more snazzy please). I also come from the viewpoint that Toyota and Honda make the best cars, so you can't really go wrong with any decision made there... the ES330 just wasn't for me. It reminds me too much of the latest generation of Camry in it's appearance, and it's handling.

But that's my opinion... and we all know what I think about opinions (including my own )

I will tell you this though... if the ES330 is the type of car you are looking for (basically a reliable, not too sporty but rather comfy way to get from A to B), then for the money you can't go wrong, especially if you took advantage of the latest sales from Lexus.

While I'm on my barstool (and the boss is looking at me strangely), I do love the whole Toyota vs. Honda thing that seems to go around... wonder how many people realize that each company makes parts for the other?

And that's why they call it Japan, Inc.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

well, i dont think hes listening anymore but for the record.....

the clostest acura dealer near us in de is 45 minutes away. we were going for an lexus as our 2nd choice (ls430) but that was an hour away. infiniti g35 or i35 was our nxt choice abut was about 3 hours away in wilmington. lincoln dealership caddy dealership was 2 minutes away but wanted something i could truse so went with an acura. i dont no but i dont think 45 minutes is that much for a really good car. But enjor ur lexus..... how much did u get it if u dont bother my asking....

Nanda66

after reading all the post i am a little bit amused. U buy a car because of the styling ,driving experience and the dependability of the car. No doubt the lexus is more dependable but styling and driving experience, TL is a hands down winner, not mentioning the price u end up buying the lexus 330 with all the accesories that come standard with tl. I personally feel that the dealer service or acura service (even though is important)is only secondary. I for one will not settle for another car just because for the only reason their service sucks. After all acura service is not as bad as what has been portrayed. My dealer always gives me an acura loaner if u book in advance and in case of emergencies(which has not happened to me) i know they give enterprise rentals. They have a soda machine and have coffee and have a small lounge. They are courteous and dont make u wait long .

yzfrebel

Just to let you know that in New Mexico the Infiniti is right next to the Acura dealership and there service is worse than Acura's. Lexus service puts them both to shame.

PaulKCK

When I was shopping for my TL I strongly considered the ES 330. The sales lady was actually quite helpful and did a great presentation of the car and dealership.

I walked in before the sales lady after the test drive (she was getting dealer plate off car) and another salesman approaches. She pulls him aside and politely states he's my 'Up'. 'Up' is slang for the next customer thru the door, so all the sales people get turns on slower days.

I know she didn't think I heard her, but in the cublicle when she was asking my full name to work on a price sheet I said 'Up'. It was rather funny to see how red her face got. I said I understand it's slang, but is that how she refers to all customers?
I think I could have gotten a pretty sweet deal that day but preferred the TL.

ndabunka

Sorry to hear of your problems but car dealers are car dealers. All can have the same propensity for abrasion. I do agree that Lexus service is superior (I have a RX300 and a new GX470) but you DO pay for it. My local Acura dealer has been pretty good (for the most part). What EXACTLY do you mean by "went through three cars..."? Are you saying that they ORDERED three cars for you and you found something wrong with each one? If that is the case, then it's actually a mfg problem rather than a dealer problem. BTW What were these "cosmetic" defects? Enjoy your new ES!

Stewie

I have bought two Acuras from two different local dealerships have have been treated well at both of them. I'm sorry your dealer wasn't better.

As for the cars themselves, IMO they are two different things. The ES is a great car, but its more for my dad than me. And in fact, my dad does have one and he loves it but its not for me.

avs007

That's not true. I got my wife's 03' TL for a little over invoice way back in 2002, before the dealership could even tell me anything about the 3G TL, or before any of the pictures were even released. You just have to know where to go... (Local dealers in town wouldn't budge off MSRP, so I drove 130 miles to get it elsewhere)

Just to straighten a few things out... The TSX is a rebadged Euro Accord (not civic). The G35 is a rebadged Skyline. Even though the ES330 shares a platform with the Camry, it is actually a rebadged Toyota Windom.

Sadly, my wife complains all the time, that when she rides in co-workers accords, the interior looks exactly like the interior of her TL's. I even hear the same complaints between the 3G TL and 03/04 Accords. Oh well... I still prefer the drop dead sexy exterior of the TL, vs the somewhat ugly exterior of the accord anyways.

That's one thing I like about Infiniti. With the discontinuation of the I35, none of Infiniti's passenger car's are based on or share a platform with any Nissan vehicle available in the US.

(G35 = Nissan Skyline, M45 = Nissan Fuga, etc)

bgut1

No- I'm still here. To each his own. I didn't want to be more than a half an hour away from my dealer. I'm paying $34,900 for a fuly loaded ES. On an amusing note, the dealer wants $900 to install XM in the car. Makes you appreciate the TL.

bgut1

Styling, and driving experience are very subjective. These are two distinct cars. Don't get me wrong the TL is a very fine car and worthy of its many accolades. However, I did find things in it that I didn't like. For example, I found I couldn't get confortable in the driver's "cockpit" I go to work everyday in a suit and I found myself too constricted in the car. I couldn't rest my leg comfortably on the side of the door nor could I rest my arm on the window ledge (may sound funny but its how I drive). I found the seating to be a little low to the ground and the ride a bit bumpy. Again this is fine for most but maybe not for me on a day to day basis or with my family. Don't get me wrong, the car was a hoot to drive but maybe not what I wanted on an everyday commute. If some company could build a car combining both the es330 (luxury)and the TL (sportiness) for under $40K I would be first in line. The BMW 5 Series comes to mind (if you can handle the new styling) if if was a tad less expensive.

bgut1

Its a long story . I was delivered three cars and all had problems. I presume all problems involved the dealer and not the manufacturer. For example, the first car delivered was an AM with Ebony interior. This car had a multitude of scratches most of which were too deep in the paint to buff out. On top of that the car was poorly prepped (i.e dusty) and had oil stains on the leather seats. Not wishing to wait several weeks for a replacement I agreed to take a SSM on the lot which was a dealer swap with 64 miles on it. I would have preferred a car off the truck but I couldn't wait for another car as I had sold my old car the day before. Upon inspection of the second car I found overspray on the hood (indication that it was repainted) as well as bubbles under the clear coat on the drivers door. I finally advised the dealer that i would rent a car at my expense for the next several weeks while I waited for a new SSM off the truck. The dealer came back to me and advised that I was in luck, that they had a brand new SSM on the lot. Now I was pissed. They obvioulsy were trying to unload the old SSM on me. Signed all the papers for the third car and was told I could be in and out once the car was prepped. Before I came in to pick up the car, I was called by my salesman and was told the new car had a gouge on the drivers door handle and they would not replace it because of the job involved. Now my stomach was turning. Went in anyway to the see the car. Waited 20 minutes for my salesman to even acknowledge I was there (as he was with another customer). Went to look at the car and was not overly upset about the gouge since it could be easily touched up. However, I found numerous black and brown pinhead sized spots all over the bumper, hood and side pannel of the car. These spots did come off with my fingernail. Car obviously was not properly prepped. At that point I just left the dealership and went down the street to the Lexus dealership.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

First off, I had a terrible experience at the local Audi and Infiniti dealerships. I never went to the Lexus dealership because the ES330 was never even considered as a possible choice on my list. It was too boring for my taste. Local BMW dealership, from what I've heard, is a bunch of cocksuckers, too.

The buying experience at Acura of Troy was amazing. I was 20 at the time, walked in, and the sales staff greeted me and my younger brother right away. After telling this nice girl that we were looking at the TL-S, she had a brand new TL-S with 3 miles on the odometer pulled up outside right away.

Audi flat out refused to give a test drive, and Infiniti didn't even give us any of their time. But Acura was super-nice (everyone on the sales staff -- a bit of a drama during the purchase, and I got to meet and spend some time with most of the sales staff), and so was Cadillac (CTS for my brother, Escalade ESV for my dad, but deals fell through, unfortunately; I would've loved to deal with that dealership.)

Also, you should fire the Customer Relations Managers, not the President of American Honda.

So you see, it's more of a dealership-to-dealership basis. Audi, Infiniti, and BMW as you mentioned, perhaps really do understand the concept of buying luxury and making the transaction comfortable, but not all of their dealerships are good, as evident in my personal experience. On the other end of the spectrum, Acura may not understand buying luxury as you said, but apparently Acura of Troy does. So not all Acura dealerships are bad. I can't even compare my experiences at the Audi and Infiniti dealerships to that at Acura, simply because Audi and Infiniti REFUSED to GIVE service to me and my brother -- because we were young. I went in to all the dealerships armed with all the information I needed, offered identical opportunities to each dealership, and Acura of Troy came out on top by lightyears ahead.

I will recommend Acura of Troy's sales department to ANYONE interested in buying an Acura. (But their service department blows... buy there, but don't get your car serviced for Pete's sake).

aw1

congrats on your new ride. I also considered all the cars you looked at and the one you just purchased. I agree that the 3 series, audi a4 and the g35 are a bit small. that was the reason i went with the TL the es is a great car with many lux features, however, the sportiness and the goodies the TL comes with is what sold me. its unfortunate that 1 bad exp. at your local dealer ruined it for you. the good thing about living in NYC is that there are many Acura dealerships to chose from. good luck with your new car.

imax

I don't know what you mean by "I'm a big guy" is it weight-wise or height-wise? I have looked at three Lexus ES330s and none of the three had enough leg room for my taste; I am 6'1". I like to at least be able to put my seat all the way back and not have my legs scrunched up ( is scrunched a word?). I like to stretch my legs a bit and if I am on the road a while move them around a bit. To me the ES330 compared to the TL is like flying coach as compared to first class; more room and more comfort in the first class TL. Yes, the ES330 puts on more of "Luxury Face" but I live inside my car and the TLs internal comfort beats the ES330 hands down; imho.

bgut1

I don't doubt that there are good Acura dealerships out there however i think they are the exception and not the norm. Many of the repsonses on this board bear truth to that statement. I had visited several Acura dealerships over the years and none even came close to the uniform expereinces at Mercedes Benz and Lexus dealerships. In fact but for Acura mandating that its dealers "upgrade" their facilites to their uniform standard, many of my local Acura dealers wouldn't look any different from the local GM dealership. The problem here is with Honda corporate. They do not police their franchisees and mandate uniformity in customer service.

bgut1

I'm 5'8" and about 230 (last I checked ) I was given a TL loaner for a few days by my dealer and actually found my calves cramp up after about 30 mins of driving the car. This kind of scared me. After a little driving I like to spread my left leg and rest it with the knee on the door. My knee would come into conact with the plastic door handle and it wasn't comfortable. On the other hand the bench like seats of the ES was much more comfortable for me.

sufall96

Is there anyway we could link any of this stuff to Acura.com so they could see our concerns first hand? They also could read some the post to see what the people that are buying their cars really want.

bgut1

One more thing I want to add and please don't think I am bashing the TL (its a great car and I could spend the same amount of time bashing the ES). Due to the threads I have read and my observations of the car, I had serious reservations about the paint quality. OTOH, the paint on the ES looked like a sheet of glass.

jbtcole

Sorry to hear about your Acura dealer experience. I had a similar one when negotiating for my '05 TL NBP about a month ago. I simply walked out and then went to another Acura dealer in the city where they treated me like a "luxury car" customer. I have had no problems with the dealer through which I purchased the vehicle. In fact, the sales person and the service manager at Hubler Acura in Indianapolis (southside) have been excellent so far! Sounds like you did the right thing. If the second Acura dealer had been as arrogant as the first, I would have probably ended up at Lexus, Infiniti, Audi, or BMW also. Interestingly, I was trading an Audi in for the TL. I miss the AWD but I'm happy with my choice.

F23A4

Maybe in the PAC NW. Not the Northeast.



G35C = 350Z
QX56=Armada (though not technically a car)

hemants

ES is a great luxury sedan without a doubt.

But make no mistake, there is nothing sporty about it. It floats around like your dad's 70's buyick

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

I don't know. You're probably right to a certain point, but then again most of us here on this board don't spend as much time on other boards. I bet they complain about their share of dealerships as much as we do, whatever brand they may own.

Tommy

I considered an ES 330 before choosing the TL (for the third time, I had a 99 and 02 previously).

I copied these complaints from other ES 330 owners in another thread just to show that you can have lousy dealerships and services even on a Lexus. Also, what scared me away from the ES 330 is the hesitation problem mentioned in many of the posts. I hope yours is fine.

(1)
My ES300 has been in the shop for 3 weeks due to a "clunking noise" when
reversing the direction of the steering wheel. The dealer service people
say
a yoke in the steering column needs to be replaced but that Lexus does not
have any in stock. I asked if it was a common problem and he said it
wasn't
common but had been a repeating situation enough to exhaust the supply of
replacement parts. We have a loaner Lexus so it really isn't bothering me
that it is taking so long but it seems kinda strange.

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this situation or something
similiar with Lexus.

(2)
I have a 2004 ES330. There is a very definate hesitation when I hit the
gas if it is necessary for the transmission to downshift. For about 1-1.5
seconds, the motor accelerates only slightly, even if I've pressed the gas
pedal to the floor. Then, after the delay, the transmission downshifts
and the motor suddenly revs up. The net effect is that when I press the gas
pedal down either moderately far or all the way to the floor, if it is
necessary for the car to downshift, there's a 1-1.5 second pause during
which the car does nothing, and then it suddenly takes off like a rocket.
It's very disconcerting because I can never predict whether this will
occur, but it happens at least half of the time. I'm very nervous about changing
lanes with this car because of this transmission. As a comparison, I used
to have a 2002 V6 Camry, which had a similar engine but a 4 speed
transmission. That car had a very quick response to the gas pedal. This
car, although very luxurious and loaded with features like Navigation,
etc., has been a major disappointment. I will not buy another 5-speed
transmission car from Toyota, and I will not buy another Lexus again,
either. This car is supposed to be Toyota's top of the line product, and
it cost a lot, yet it has a design flaw that makes it substandard. I just
wish that Toyota would equip its 4 speed transmission Camry (I know it has a
smaller 4 cylinder motor, but it's quite capable) with amenities like
Navigation and VSC/TRAC. I would trade this Lexus in in a heartbeat just
to get the much better 4 speed transmission.

(3)
On MSN auto reviews, the es330 is being taken to shreds for this exact
problem. I hope Lexus notices soon. I have a 2004 es330, and have not
experianced the problem yet. Its around 500 miles, so I am not driving it
hard. I hope mine does not have that issue. Is there anyone here with a
es330 that doesnt have this issue?

(4)
Transmission is not very good; there is a hesitation when you press on the accelerator which can be dangerous when you're trying to pull out into traffic. It is jerky when you press the gas at low speeds. Lexus says this is just the way the new 5 speed transmission is, and they have had a lot of complaints, but they aren't doing anything about it right now.

(5)
The drivers seat was very uncomfortable, stering very vague, car was sluggish, TRANSMISSON DIDN'T RESPOND WHEN PUT INTO PASSING GEAR, 1ST GEAR OF TRANSMISSION WAS VERY SLUSHEY, WHEN IN SLOW TRAFFIC ON FREEWAY TRANSMISSON SHIFTS ERRACTICALLAY. WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THESE PROBLEMS. TEST DRIVE A CAR MORE THAN ONCE AND FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. TAKING CAR AROUND THE CORNER DOSN'T WORK.

(6)
The Transmission is a problem. Cannot decide what to shift into when traveling between 25 to 40 mph. Traded the vehicle in for an Acura because Lexus did not respond to my complaint in a timely manner.

(7)
Terrible transmission downshift delay, poor gas mileage, instrument panel gauges (speedo, tach, gauges) not as snazzy as those of Camry

(8)
Car Drifts. Dealer could not fix it. Had to use an outside shop. Car Rattles. Ever hear of a Lexus that rattles? Service Department has been awful. They sell the car of quality and service. I have not seen either.

(9)
The drive is good if you are driving straight. This car does not have the handling ability that Mercedes or BMW have and it does not corner well. The car separates the driver from the road more than American cars do. It is one thing to be comfortable, but this car feels like you are driving a bus. The drive is a constant challenge, which makes me feel there is something wrong with the overall design of this vehicle.

(10)
It has been a year that I have this car but I still can't get used to the front headlights, or the front beak. They are about 3 feet long each and I never understood the reason for such a horrible design. Whoever designed this car has no sense of proportion and should be fired. This car does not respond to the gas pedal. It takes time for this car to accelerate after you press the gas pedal and it is unpredictable. The drive is extremely Boring. The leather feels eecky. Also sometimes I can,t tell the difference between this car and a Toyota Camry without reading the model name.

F23A4

Interesting. Ironically, I have NONE of those complaints with my 2002 Maxima, which you would think has lower quality.

avs007

Yes, I was talking about passenger cars And for the record, the G35 is not based on the 350Z. The 350Z is based on the G35/Skyline. It was just released in the states before the G35 was. But if you look closer at the two offerings, the G35 is not available as a 2 seater or convertible, and the 350Z is not available as a 2+2, so there is no overlap anyways.

F23A4

your words:
to wit, they share the FM platform. But if what you meant was that there are no identical cars between both Nissan and Infiniti (i.e.: 5G Maxima/I30/I35) then you're correct.

LessisBestmakingendsmeet

Nissan Skyline=G35
Nissan Fuga-new M35/45
Nissan Cima=current M45
Nissan Armada=the god awful QX56
etc etc

I also considered an ES 300. I just couldn't like the looks. It is standout, even if ugly. But my dealership experiences were top notch. When I take my TL for service (sadly unscheduled) I get either no loaner, or if they have one, a car from the used car lot. No thanks. Its also 2 different worlds in dealerships. Acura is nice but like Marshalls. Lexus is like walking in Neiman Marcus.

I had thought dealership experience wasn't going to be a big issue/buying issue since I figured I would rarely see my dealer, since Acura is supposed to be reliable.
Looks like it will be next time around.
And if you want arrogance, go try to buy a BMW.

Yoda117

Lessis,

don't forget the recently retired I35 = last generation Maxima. Other than that, dead on...

actually almost all the parts in both cars are interchangable... so I was told (still having issues believing that one, as it wouldn't fit the modus operandi).

As for the issues with the transmission and hesitation with the ES330, this is not as big an issue as many people think, and it is more commonly found on the Solara (which also has the same engine, and transmission if I recall correctly). Anyway, the problem is an easily correctable one, but unless you ask for it, it seems that the techs won't really address it. They need to reset the controls for your transmission (it's computer controlled). A co-worker had this issue and when she inquired a friend who works at the dealership, that was the answer she received.

Whether it's true or not, I have no idea...

avs007

Heh heh, Touche I meant to say just "based on", but so many times, those terms are interchangable Seems simpler the way you said it

Not if you live in Portland, OR. The Lexus dealer here is like the Saks Fifth Ave we have here. They both suck. One time I went to the Saks here with the wife, and we actually got grabbed by security, and escorted out, and told to never come back, or we'll be charged with tresspassing. I was like :wtf: They said that they have evidence that we helped our "friends" shoplift a bunch of stuff. While I was outside of the front door, I called corporate (wife used to work for them) and told them I had no idea what just happened, and demanded an explanation They couldn't provide us with one. So we marched right back in the store, and they threatened to have us arrested, so I told them they can use my phone to call the police, but I want to see this "evidence" first, because otherwise I was pressing charges against them. After a while they admitted that "mistakes" had been made. At this point I was fuming Just talking about it again, makes me fume...

Now the Lexus dealer? A salesman at Lexus of Portland, told me to "step out of the vehicle", as they have customers that may actually want to "purchase" this vehicle. They even complained when I was looking closely at the paint for orange peel. They said I might scratch the paint. I asked if I could test drive the ES300 or IS300, and they REFUSED! They said they are "Not in the business of letting highschoolers come in and joyride in their vehicles" They even had the audacity to tell my wife and I, "come back with your parents, and we'll think about it"

Rasmussen BMW on the other hand. Before I even stepped into the showroom, I was greeted by a salesman, whom I told I was interested in the 330ci. He asked if I wanted to test drive it, and he got the keys, and told me to be back in 20 minutes.

mio

when driving ES, u will feel like driving a VAN...

bgut1

Okay ... lets not get carried away. I test drove the car twice and while I agree it doesn't handle like a sports car, its far from being as detached as a van. I thought the ride was fine. Coming from a Honda Accord I have no complaints. As I noted before, the ES and the TL are two completely different cars. If the car was so horrible as some of you make it out to be why is it Lexus' most sold car?

Yoda117

Because it is the cheapest FWD car they offer, and is the cheapest "luxury model" (depends on who you ask... some call it near-luxury, others call it luxury) that they have.

And, no... the car is not horrible. But it does appeal to a different kind of owner, and has a different set of problems that come along with it (just like every car does).

bgut1

I don't disagree with you, but the ES is not the cheapest car they offer. The ES has a base MSRP of $31,975 while the IS has a base MSRP of $29,435.

F23A4

AFAIK, the ES is the ONLY FWD car offered by Lexus (unless you count the FWD-biased RX330).

Yoda117

the IS is not considered to be luxury, hence the designation of IS, the ES (Executive Sedan) is considered to be the lowest rung of that ladder. Like I said, it is the cheapest luxury car that they offer.

and yeah, I was counting all of Lexus's vehicles, including the RX330 in that comment

Ken1997TL

Wow, thats crazy. Do you mind if I ask how old you are?

I had a similar thing happen to me there. They lost my business for good. All I wanted was a test drive of the IS300. They told me to "come back with my parents".

I pointed out that I was in the Navy for over 6 years and made nearly 6 figures and that they could go @$#%@# themselves. Idiots.

youngbuyer

If they decided to add around $1000 to the base price of the TL, don't you think you would get pampered just like the lexus and bmw owners? Treatment from Acura dealerships might be more consistant with the$e extra incentive$. The TL is alot of car for the money. Think back when Lexus started out, they also were alot of car for the money. As time went on, their prices went up but now they also are tops in dealership care. Until Acura bumps up the price of their cars and routes the extra profit to the dealers, there will still be Acura dealers that might not give you that "Nordstrom" service.

avs007

I'm 28 At the time, I was 25, that's why I was so confused. If I remember correctly, I think I went there right after work, so I think I was still dressed in slacks and button up shirt. I had a similar experience when we went to Ron Tonkin Acura, across the street. I was looking under the hood of the TL-S, and this lady came out, and shut the hood, almost hitting me in the back of the head, and said, "Ok kids, a customer that is interested in buying this car, wants to take this for a test drive."

I was irate, but I was going to let it go. My wife on the other hand was fuming, as she was still bothered by the Lexus experience. She actually went in, and demanded to talk to a manager because she didn't appreciate being referred to as a "kid", nor the disregard for my head, as the saleslady shut the hood. Apparently they fired the saleslady when she got back from the test-drive. This dealer also refused to patch a flat tire on my wife's TL. Said they don't patch tires, and that we would need to go to a tire store I went to Beaverton Honda, and got it patched for free. They wouldn't even perform the tranny recall on our TL, because they said we needed the recall letter in hand. (Even though our VIN number pops up as being part of the recall campaign on Honda/Acura's website). Acura of Portland (Dick Hannah) serviced our tranny. But they tried to void our warranty, because we didn't bring our car to an "Acura" dealer for routine maintenence. Then they tried to void our warranty because we didn't have our tranny fluid flushed, because they claim it was severely burnt. (Even though we only had like 30,000 miles on the car). I pointed out stuff in the manual about the maintenence schedule being "recommended" and not required, and how the manual states you can do the service yourself or by an Acura certified mechanic. They finally took it back when I pointed out the service interval recommended in the manual for tranny flushing was 60,000 miles. We had the TL towed there because the radiator burst. They had the car for a few days to fix the radiator, and do the tranny recall. But they didn't give us a loaner Turns out a rock busted the radiator, so we had to pay out of pocket Though I looked at the car, and I don't see how that's possible, because the A/C condensor is in front of the radiator. I suppose if the rock came in right through the front grill, just right I didn't think anything of it, because I asked a coworker, if they've ever busted a radiator from a flying rock. I didn't even tell them my story, and he said, "No... But my wife did, in her TL"

Stuff like this is why I'm glad we drove out of our way 130 miles south to Kendal Acura, to buy our TL. They gave me the best service of any dealer I've visited. I even drove down there for our free oil change, and to install our spoiler, etc. Everyime I go there, I get RL loaners.

thedream21479

As opposed to buying a rebuilt Accord??

Dropkick1

glad i found this thread!

I'm 23 and fresh out of college, but i have a degree in accounting and will be a CPA soon--I'm not just some slacker soc major =)

Anyways, my experience at Tustin Acura left a lot to be desired. they jerked me around on the price and financing terms, trying to screw me over on the lease and money factor. i brough in a print-out about car leases published by the AICPA that somewhat halted that practice when they realized i am somewhat learned on car leasing business.

But, the whole time, even after we were done negotiating, they had an arrogance about them like they were doing me a huge favor. when I asked if a trunk tray could be thrown in, the sales manager had the cajones to say "don't push it". even though i have a high credit rating, they made it sound like a miracle i was approved for a lease.

my car door was dented by someone's flying lugnut the first day of driving. i went in to try to get a courtesy fix. no dice since it was "an act of God". they kept bringing this fact up and i kept responding "I am absolutely not placing any blame on the dealership for the damage. I just wanted to see if you would help me fix it as a courtesy."
no dice again. they said they would get me a great price with their bodyshop contractors. i figured they would call and let them know i was coming in to give me a break. nope. they just gave me some flyer with directions.

after hard-shifting, window probs and a few minor things, i decided to bring my TL in for repairs/inspection. i also decided to try out south coast acura since i was pissed at tustin. their service department wouldnt answer the phone; i called about 10 times, left a voicemail and even scheduled a service appt via the net. No response to any of these methods of contact.

finally, i called their sales dept. and promptly got a salesman on the phone. i tried to explain my inability to contact service to him. after a few tries, i realized he doesn't understand English well! wtf, this IS the USA isn't it?
to their credit, when i finally just drove over there, the young service guy, sean i think, was really nice and tried to be very helpful. however, because of the lack of loaners due to the tranny recalls, there was no loaner avail for me.

so, i will try the service once more at Tustin and report back. I'm willing to give them a 2nd chance. if my experience goes well this time, i will forgive them for their previous lack of professionalism.