I went to the dealership in Peabody, MA yesterday and found they had a slew of reduced price stickers on a ton of '04 TLs. (All non-NAVs) It's a real shame the NAV can't be retrofitted into these cars.

 

Yep, upwards to $1,500 off of MSRP is what I'm discovering.

 

One of the Dealers I went to, said that Acura had canceled over 800 orders for Navi systems. I would not have bought one without it, but it is still a fine vehicle without the Navi.

RB

 

Maybe if they would "deal" a bit on the Navi cars they wouldn't be cancelling so many orders. Frankly, the Nav isn't worth $3,000+ once you factor in the price of the Nav at $2K and then the discount for the non-Navi cars of at least $1K.

If they would drop a Navi car $1K from sticker, I would most certainly order a Navi car.

 

tripp11: My husband has been using a Magellan NAV system (like in many Hertz vehicles) for a couple years. He's become so dependent on it, I doubt he could even make his way home from work without it. Needless to say, I think he'd feel $10K would be a reasonable price for a NAV system. And I know he'll never get another car without one.

 

Plus, I'm guessing you personally could program the NAV system so that he can ONLY come home...don't pass go...don't collect $200.....that way he's always under your watchful eye.

Perhaps, I don't know what I'm missing; although, I was impressed with the Nav showing ATM's and all sorts of things when I test drove a TL with the Nav.

Et tu? Are you dependent on a Nav system as well or think it is needed? Or just merely a high-priced toy?

 

Why would they be canceling orders for cars w/navi? From my experience and others on this forum, there are not enough navs available while the non-navs are being discounted across the country. I tried to like the car without nav to save $$$, but gotta to have the nav. I have to wait until the end of February for my red/ebony/navi/18's/deck spoiler/35% tint. Hopefully Acura recognizes that the cars w/navi are in higher demand.

 

tripp11: Had to laugh at your message. He's a lot more curious about my travels than I am about his. I was given the Magellan as a gift, but somehow once he got his hot little hands on it, that was the last I saw of it. I have to say, it's a wonderful tool. Think of how many times you might be stuck on a highway unsure of an alternate route. With the NAV system, you can get right off and reset it to direct you to the next best route or even a route without highways. You never have to struggle with maps or directions. The downside is, just like with a calculator, you stop using your brain.

 

The Dealer told me that they could not produce enough Navi so they cancel them.

RB

 

I get that a lot....people laughing at me. Well, surely if he is curious about your travels, he's not going to such extremes as following you around in a white panel van or something.

As for being stuck on a highway or not sure which direction to head, Starbie, I'm a male - we always know which direction we're heading and we always know an alternate direction...just ask any of us on this board. <mucho sarcasm added>

I think I'm going to check it out one more time prior to placing a deposit on a TL.

 

My guess is they are cancelling orders because they don't have the Nav parts available.

I traded in an MDX with Nav for a TL w/o NAV. I don't miss it. I typically print out paper maps, and if I'm really lost, I pull out a small portable GPS.

 

According to several dealer sources, this is what I've learned.....

Acura first estimated demand of '04 TL/Navi based on previous model TL/Navi sales. That estimate placed total Navi sales at approximately 27% of total production.

Dealers had already been observing a reduction in delivery of TLs fitted w/ navi since mid-November. Rumor had it that there was a "supply problem". It didn't help matters that initial sales had percentages closer to 60/40 (non nav vs. nav). I've heard that given availability, the split would be closer to 50/50 or higher. It seems as though Acura underestimated the number of consumers that would be attracted to the TL because of DVD-A and Bluetooth and saw navigation as an automatic add-on.

Within the past week, a memo went out to dealers indicating that the GPS supplier couldn't fulfill even their committed volumes, much less increase production to meet demand. Acura has alerted dealers that this shortage should be resolved next month (Jan '04). In the interim, dealers' orders for cars w/ navi are simply being filled at the factory with cars w/o navi - hence the non-navi glut. One dealer I spoke to had an order of 17 w/ navi filled with only 3 - the rest w/out (that may be why an earlier post mentioned dealers cancelling orders). Some orders scheduled for production last have been pushed into January (as Acura "batches" production in color/interior combos).

So, for those of you contemplating a purchase, wait until February or March if you want navi AND a discount, because the word is out among dealers on supply/demand for the next few weeks. They simply WILL NOT swap cars between themselves. If you don't need navi, shop around, particularly at larger dealers who are sitting on inventory they surely thought would be gone, because you'll be rewarded. Those dealers are under increased pressure to move what's there before inventory with navigation can be back-filled.

Hope this helps everyone.

 

Thanks for the super-informative post.

Add to this the fact that they're closing the factory down in Mid-late December for about 10 days and then you got the build dates pushed back even more!

 

Deals can be made on Navi versions, but they will be harder to come by since there is such a long line of buyers waiting for them to arrive. I managed to get around $1000 off msrp, but it wasn't easy.

Honda is allocating the navi units for other cars as well as the TL (like the Accord), so they must have realized they needed more than they thought, and pulled back on production in the TL. Very unfortunate.

 

I have previously posted this however i will restate that i was able to get $1300 off a 6MT navi + all-season mats, wheel locks, splash guards & trunk tray for free. The car was going to be ordered as the dealer said they could not find one, but when i hesitated on the order, they called back a day later and said they found one that they would dealer-trade and still hold their numbers with me. It seemed odd but now reading the above it makes a little more sense.

 

I would bet big $$$$ that no one can beat that deal, AirDog. Good for you, man....I wish I could work such a deal on a 6MT and a Navi......best I can get is $1,500 off on a 6MT w/out Navi

 

Airdog - When did you buy?

 

Airdog - I thought your $1300 deal off was for a car that was on order? Are you saying that you already got the new one @ that price? If so, was there a trade involved? In the case of trades it can be difficult to identify that actual discount (if they have a buyer for your trade already maybe they are making up the $1,300 difference on your trade)? Either way, that's a great discount. Best I could do (with/without trade) was $400 off a NAVI.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the "voice activation" a function of NAVI? If that's the case, then the built in NAVI has it all over the handheld GPS systems. I've always wanted to talk to a car and actually have it respond. Seems like this is now the case with the new TL (with NAVI). Sure hope it doesn't give me the finger (on the screen) when I inadvertantly curse that first 16-year old pulling out in front of me on my way home one day...

 

Yes, you're right. I heard the same thing. Too many demends for Navi model and the supply problems from its source have resulted in the whole mess. Acura did the wrong math. And, the plant has to produce the similar amount of cars everyday, that's why Non-Navi will be more and more when Navi is lacking in parts.

I won't be suprised if many of Acura production/assembly lines will temporarily halt for a short period of time. Otherwise, if the lines keep working, the new Non-Navi vehicles they're building now can exist until the middle of 2005, and this would make Non-Navi have more discount.

 

What I'm hearing here is that if you wait a few months, there will be deals had on the navi. I have a deposit on a navi with a build date of Feb 3. Should I get my deposit back and wait until March or April or is it likely that the navi supply problem won't truly be fixed until later in the year? Help!!!!!!

 

I'm here in Los Angeles and it is still hard to bargain for a Navi TL here but very very possible. I've been able to get $1,000 off MSRP and the Aero kit with deck lid spoiler & bsm for $2,100 installed. I'm about to put a deposit down on a Anthracite TL with Navi. So deals are available....don't settle. If you have to wait then be paitent and you'll get what you want for a good price. BE PAITENT....LoL.

 

Bartman:

Don't know what to tell you, but....I had a car with a build date of 12/4 that was postponed until 1/3. I wasn't confident that the date would hold, so tomorrow I'm flying to Atlanta to pick up what I was looking for, giving up a discount as well. My original car COULD run as scheduled, but I'm too anxious to take the chance.

Ultimately, it comes down to how quickly you want a TL in your garage!

 

I will be buying a lux car in January for sure. If Acura can't produce what I want there is always Lexus, Infiniti, etc. Why should I wait for them?

 

The reason why someone would wait on the TL would be that they've test driven all the "lux cars" and really think the TL is the one for them. If someone thought the Lexus or the Infiniti was a better car, they wouldn't wait for a TL.

I've test driven heck of a lot of cars and I prefer the TL over anything else in it's price range, give or take $10K.

 

Guess you guys should come to Texas. Gunn Acura in San Antonio has a "one simple price" policy. They are currently at MSRP - $1200 on Navi and Non-Navi with no negotiation. I have had one offer from Dallas of MSRP - $2000 for a Navi. No extras thrown in and most of the accessories are pretty pricey. The downside is that they have already ordered the February allocation so I will probably have to wait until March to get my TL.

 

I live in TX, Huskerfan. I had $1,000 off in Dallas w/ navi. Problem was that I wanted a specific color that had to be ordered. It wasn't produced as scheduled and was delayed until at least January.

The negotiating strategy you reference works, as long as you're willing to purchase what's in stock or on the way and not yet spoken for, or you're willing to wait. Other posts today indicate build dates of February.

Until the GPS supply problems are worked out, I'll go to Atlanta, where the closest WDP/AT/Navi awaits. :p

 

huskerfan:

if you don't mind me asking, where were you quoted $2000 below MSRP in Dallas? I am speaking to a dealer who desperately wants me to come in and put an order in. He says, "I will PROMISE you a great deal on the car and the accessories also."

 

Goodson Acura's Internet Sales Consultant Steve Levi. I don't think the accessories were discounted but he did offer me MSRP - $2000. This was all done via e-mail and I am waiting for a signed quote via fax. I still have a few questions about the deal and am trying to decide if I want to take the offer from a dealer almost 300 miles from my home. I have the local offer of MSRP -$1200. Since the price will probably continue to go down, Gunn's "one simple price" may be even lower when my car comes in. Also Gillman and Sterlin McCall in Houston have promised me they will make me a good deal although I haven't got back to them since I got the other two offers.

 

I think you may be able to do better with bigger or higher volume dealers. I put down a $1000 deposit on NBP over Quartz 6 SP w/Navi about 2 weeks ago and they initially gave me a delivery timeframe of 12/20 - 1/31. Today I got a call and they said they searched the entire country to find this combo and couldn't, but had a build date of 1/14. I'm not in a big rush and can wait, but if I wanted a different color combo (was considering Anthracite/Ebony), they could have that before year end. My deal went like this : MSRP - $1395 and they through in wheel locks and a trunk tray. When I made the deal I felt pretty good, but got to thinking that as time goes on the prices will soften. Based on what I am reading here, maybe not.
It's kind of a mixed bag as typically dealers get bigger or better allocations based on the number of cars they move. Anyway it's interesting to watch and see how this plays out. I'm sure some of the Purchasing folks are in hot water at Acura Corp.

Rob

 

Anyone whose interested - mines on order at Acura of Boston.

 

Having driven the Lexus GS430 and Infiniti G35, damn right I'll wait for a deal on a TL.

 

NBP04TL4ME,
I'm in RI, what kind of a deal are they offering in Boston? I spoke with the 2 dealers we have in RI, one is willing to work with me and the other is still being cocky. Meanwhile the cars seem to be piling up on the lot. I'm not settling for any less than $2k off MSRP. I can wait and I don't think it'll be long. This car is still VERY new.

 

I have not been to Sterling McCall, but have made a deal with Gillman. Got the offer from the Dallas in writing of $1600 off and they are matching. They tell me it should be here next week.

 

As I mentioned I have my 6SP with Nav on order at Acura of Boston. They took $1395 off the MSRP and threw in the wheel locks and trunk tray. I originally had a deposit at Clair (In Walpole), but they weren't willing to take anything off MSRP. When I went to Acura of Boston and told them I had a deposit at Clair, then knocked $1K off immediately. I talked them down the other $395. My salesman is Joel Fanjoy - tell him Rob sent you.

Good luck

 

Anyone have any luck with Acura of Auburn (Massachusetts)?

 

Tl-Rocket,

I didn't try. As this post implies, prices seeming are falling off a bit. So you should have a rough idea of what you can do pricewise. Good luck and pls let the rest of us know how you made out.

 

I can understand the G35, but what's wrong with the GS430? :hitit:

 

Word I'm hearing prices for NAV may go up because of yen vs dollar. Don't know if it's true but you all should take that in consideration while waiting. I know the car is built in the U.S. but there are parts shipped over from Japan that may escalate costs. So it may be true what I'm hearing.