Hey all,

Ive been looking at buying a TL-S for about 8 months or so. I finally got a new job and a raise so I can afford to go out and buy one. Ive been doing a lot of internet search and the car that I came across is a 2008 WDP Type-S. Its the only Type S that is even close to where I live. Its at a dealership and they have it priced at 22K w/60K miles. Its the AT and it has the Ebony interior. I guess heres my question(s).

1: I know its at a dealership, but I have been looking around and ive found some TL-S with that mileage for around 18-19K, that would also be private party so no tax.

2: What would this car be worth? Is saying 18K a reasonable estimate?

3: Ive got an appointment to drive the car this sunday, Ive never actually driven one yet. What things should I look for?

4: This will be my first major car purchase and my first deal at a dealership. Anything I should know?

Thanks all, I hope to be a more active member here if all goes well on sunday!

 

a car dealership open on Sunday!?
I think they'll laugh at you, if you offer $18k.

this is a used car. you're going to be looking for things that a used car might have problems with.
the TL is a great car with not to many troubles, but if the previous owner didnt treat her well, then you'll get a shitty car.

and by the way you sound, it sounds like they've already got you sold.
Dont ever fall in love with a car you see on the lot.

check out brakes, tires, oil, air filter.
Drive the car.
see if it tracks straight.
check the carfax.

If you're not comfortable checking out these components, pay a mechanic for a PPI. a pre-purchase inspection

 

I would just look for the normal used car things, walk around and glance at how much brake pad is left while paying attention to any sort of lip on the rotors. Glance at tires as far as tread depth/matching set. Get down and have a quick look at the bottom of the motor checking for any obvious leaks, etc. Be observant when the transmission is shifting to ensure it's healthy. Be sure there is a Navigation disc and that the system works, also it wouldn't hurt to pair your cell phone with the HFL to ensure that's in working order. Maybe have a glance from different far angles to check for ignorant swirls/scratches. Just a few thoughts for ya.

Just typical stuff really, you're going to look at a really young car that should be good to go as long as it's up to your standards cosmetically.

 

Price is about right for the year and milage. I highly doubt they would take less than $20k.

When you drive it, check for any cracks on the dashboard, listen for rattles, and look at the condition of the seats.

Good luck!

 

Wait it out and find a 6MT, you wont regret it, :-P.

 

1.....Wow, that's some low mileage. I'd check them out too.
2. 18K is probably too low (low balling).
3. Listen to the car with the stereo OFF. Anything sound unusual? Any rattles, clunks, etc. How does the car FEEL? Any pulling one way? Check out EVERYTHING, A/C, stereo, heater, seat heater, seat adjustment, etc. Check the body parts for VIN. Every major body part should have it. There may be a thread of two on this subject, try a search on here. Be educated BEFORE you go.
4. Normally the extended warranty is not worth it.

 

Thanks for all the info, and Im only sold on the Make/Model not the actual car. I havent seen it yet nor driven it But good advice.

All good advice guys, I really appreciate the responses. I just dont want to get caught up with dealership stuff because Ive heard so much bad stuff usually about them. Im actually fairly mechanically inclined so Ill feel ok, just wanted some insight on particulars.

I want to say thanks for the quick responses and the positive attitudes. I really hope to become a part of this forum

 

price is reasonable, just make sure the car is accident-free. also do not mess up with the tax, the gov't will make you pay eventually.

 

Pretty much everything everybody's already stated... My biggies are:
1. Check the Carfax (not a guarantee, but any major red flag would probably be present here)
2. check underneath the car for any abnormalities (rust, damage, leaks)
3. look under the hood and see if there are any red flags (leaks, cracks, signs of splashing of fluids)
4. drive the car HARD with radio off and listen for any strange noises
5. then with radio on to make sure that's working
6. Looks on the inside of each major body part (i.e door jams) and ensure that they're all original parts (OEM sticker)
7. Check that navi is working

Price is reasonable, but a dealership's listed price is always higher than what they're willing to take, so there's definitely room for negotiation.

As far as tax, you're still going to have to pay tax with a private sale unless they gift it to you, so keep that in mind.

 

Good Price IMO. And the BEST color

 

careful what you put on the receipt to show the dmv...they most likely will NOT believe you if you say you bought a 2008 acura tl for $200....but somewhere along the line of 6000 or 7000 they should believe you...you cant escape taxes man, you can just reduce them lol

 

I think price is about right. I don't have to say what to look for. Cause everyone's already said that. I went to Acura dealership to test drive 08 TL Type-s 6spd 2 weeks ago. I experienced 3rd gear pop out when i shift to 3rd whole time while i was driving. I knew GM fluid fixes that problem. And i also noticed steering wheel vibration whole time. I was thinking maybe it's been sitting for a long time. Anyway their listing price was $26,000. It had 70,000 miles. I personally thought that was overpriced. So i asked them $21,000. They laughed at me. So i just left there. And one week later i found 07 TL Type-s with 35,000 miles on it for $24,000. I went to dealer and drove it 2days ago. I finally wrote my check. Deal done! I'm really happy with purchase. It was certified car. They showed me 150 point inspection sheet they did. Only thing i don't like is clear coat on front brake calipers are peeling off. I really don't worry about that. I'll repaint them soon. I hope you get what you want. Good luck w/shopping.

 

1. Check Carfax
2. 60K is average miles for that year, KBB and NADA allow 15K/yr ow.
3. I bought an 08 TL w/ 47K 2 weeks ago in Colorado at a dealer for $21K, in very good condition and they are putting on $600 worth of tires and an alignment. Needed some paint touchup which I am getting done for $95.
4. Everything the other guys said, tires, brakes, look at tranny fluid, oil, and brake fluid...make sure they are clear.
5. Check interior components, radio, nav if equiped...heated seats, all lights interior and exterior...
6. Price at a dealer will be dependent on your location, but they are competeing nationwide on price plus shipping or what it will cost you to go get a car and drive it home.

Good Luck

 

Wow. Thanks guys. Ill keep all of this in mind.

 

Yeah, the no tax comment you said caught my attention. Im not sure what state your in, but here in IL you absolutely do have to pay taxes on a privately sold vehicle. Here in IL its called vehicle use tax. On newer vehicles which an 07 or 08 TL will fall into, its based off of sales tax in the county you live in. For example, if the taxes in your county were 7% then you would be paying $1,400 in taxes on a $20,000 car. Plus registration, and title and whatever other fees they want to charge if any. Again, this is in IL so I dont know what other states do, but I would imagine its something similar.


As far as what to look for, it seems like everyone covered the mechanical stuff pretty well. I always like to talk about the exterior because thats a great way to tell how the car was cared for as well. First off, I like to see if the car has had any repaint or body work. First you want to do is see if all the original VIN labels are on each panel. The hood, doors, rear quarters, trunk lid, rear bumper are all easily visible when opening everything. The front fenders are hidden away under the panels, and the front bumper is hidden under the black plastic cover when you pop the hood directly between the passenger side headlight and grill. Pry up the plastic with your finger. If the bumper is original it should be there.
Now look for paint consistancy. Looks to see if the paint all matches as far as color goes. Then look at each panel and see if the clear coat texture is the same from panel to panel. OEM clear coat texture should resemble something like an orange peel. It will be textured when you look at it.

I always like to look for curb rash on the wheels. Seems like 90% of TL owners love to drag their rims across curbs. If you find one without curb rash, it says a lot about the owner!!

Check oil.

Last but not least, you can call the dealership that you believe the car was serviced at and give them the VIN #. They will tell you everything the car has been in for from warranty repairs, to oil changes, to collision repairs (if it was done at the dealership). If the car was never taken to that dealership they do not show info on work that was performed at other dealers. Carfax or autocheck reports are great ways to find out where the car is from. Then you can call local dealers based on that.

Ok that was a lot of typing im done.

Hope this helps.

James

 

Its everywhere unless you have no sales tax in your state: Delaware, New Hampshire, Alaska, Montana, and Oregon. Don't go to jail for tax evasion . I think what is different is year-to-year taxes paid. Here in SC, we have to pay yearly car taxes to get an updated registration and plate stickers. This fee is directly relevant to the worth of the car (year, make, model, trim, mileage, condition, etc) for the most part. This is not to be confused with sales tax, which I STILL had to pay when I initially purchased the car, which was 3% of the cars selling price (I bought mine for $24,500). I think the yearly tax is a registration tax? Unsure on that one. Cheers!

 

You can just put $GIFT and then it's just a gift and who is to question who your friends are

 

Check the local state laws, but gifting a car isn't as simple as writing "gift" or $0 on the back of the title and sending the person on their way to the DMV/BMV/DPS. I know TX requires a notorized affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer form validating such a transaction. I recently gifted a vehicle to a family member from OH to TX and there were alot of hoops to jump through to make it happen. It would have been much easier selling the vehicle to them for $1 and just let them pay the tax on $1.

 

So yeah. Drove two hours to the dealership. Got there and they sold the car three days ago.... The guy goes, "Oh, Im really sorry, I thought they called you"
I looked at him and said that it took me 4 hours of driving to find out that you guys just forgot to call me? I told them that I cannot even begin to fathom how you can run a business like this and they will not be getting my, or anyone I know, moneys'....

Im so pissed.

 

Thats A Stealership for ya.. Sorry to hear that... Keep looking buddy, you didnt want a type S Auto anyways, get a manual..

 

So the lesson of the day: call before driving 2 hours to see if a car is there. You can't rely on salesmen. Follow up only happens when they think they have a chance of getting your business. If a car is sold, you can guarantee they won't do you the courtesy of letting you know.