I am going through a buyback on my car that I have owned for two months. I have (had) a Chrysler 300C (Hemi) and the quality bug bit it hard. LOT's of people are having quality problems already. See my story here:

http://jrcase0.tripod.com/my2005chrysler300cnightmare/

Anyway, I need a car and was looking at the TL. I test drove one but really didn't want to buy that one (it had nearly 200 miles on it). I want to order one. My question is this..... if I order one now (within 2 weeks) will the car be a 2004 or a 2005 model? My 300C was a 2005 model already. How long does it typically take to order and receive a car. One dealer said 6 weeks, another dealer said10 weeks. Did anyone order theirs? Did most buy them off the lot? Anyway, thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

I bought NAVI/NBP/Parchment. I wanted a Camel interior, but they had a Parchment on the lot and wait Camel was 6 weeks. That was too long of a time for such a minor thing. As far as wait time I have seen anywhere from 0-10 weeks. I also bought mine in Colorado Springs (I live towards Boulder) as the Boulder dealer didn't have the combo I wanted. As said I even went to the Springs for the Parchment as they had it on the lot and I got a matching deal with a much better trade in (+$2000). Definitely explore your options as each dealer is different you will find, even if it means taking a little drive!

 

If you order one now, it will definitely be a 2004. The 2005 TL's will probably be out late September or early October. Six-ten weeks sounds about right. It depends on the color combination you want, whether you want navi, and if you want a 6 speed manual transmission, that might affect it. Also, the factory builds certain colors all at once, so if they just built and shipped a bunch of your color, it could delay shipment.

 

Hey, you are one patient guy. I have to say after owning a Chrysler product that was basically rebuilt by the time it had 40,000 miles on it, to walk, no run away from any Chrysler product. I'm not sure who has the worst quality currently, Mercedes, its partner Chrysler or a 15 year old Yugo. Chrysler ruined a vacation for me and my family and it only got worse as I continually had to take the car back for all sorts of problems. Right now I only buy Honda and Toyota products. I have 3 Hondas and one Toyota currently and am going to pick up a 2005 TL in the fall. Even though I love Honda, I waited a year for them to work out any minor kinks in the new TL. by the way, I have owned expensive German stuff and they make cars for rich people who have nothing to do but spend time at the dealership. I guess Mercedes picked a real compatible partner.

 

Yesterday after my shift at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, I went to a local dealership to inquire about an automatic Anthracite with Navi (and either a quartz or camel interior) and I was told that this configuration would not be in until late August/Early September.

They also wanted a $1,500.00 deposit to "secure" my place in line.

Your wait may vary depending on your configuration and maybe your region.

The TL that you will order will probably still be a 2004 MY. The 2005 MY TL from what I've been gathering from the dealerships and users will probably not be released until October (although one salesman told me "sometime in November" which seemed like a pressure sales ploy).

Oh, and on the topic of pressure sales ploy here a new one I heard yesterday: the 2005 TL won't have any changes other than "some colour changes" and may in fact, "increase about $1,000.00 because the cost of steel has gone up!"

That's the down-side of trying to buy Acura's current best selling automobile: no one wants to budge on MSRP since they know unsuspecting persons will come in and pay MSRP!!!

 

I too am waiting for the 05's (I was told October), and the Vegas dealer mentioned the purported color option changes. I don't know if it was dealer BS, so I'm waiting to hear from Acura I suspect that the "get in line fee" was the salesguy trying it on - BUT as we get closer to the time that the 04's are out of production and before the 05's are delivered, demand may outstrip supply.

I once tried to test drive an SC430 and was told it would cost me $500!

How do you double the value of a Yugo? Fill the gas tank.
What do you call a Yugo convertible? A dumpster.

 

you guys in cali have it rough. with prices like that you should really consider buying one out here in the north east where they are much cheaper and have it shipped back to cali. navi version can be found for 33K and shipping will be around 5-7 hundred bucks.

 

[QUOTE=jrcase]

http://jrcase0.tripod.com/my2005chrysler300cnightmare/

QUOTE]

...and THAT is why I won't buy a new Chrysler product! I'm a MOPAR guy (see my sig), but my parents last American car was their 1983 Dodge Aries. It's been Honda, Toyota, and Nissan since.

You won't go wrong with any Honda or Toyota product, even with the minor glitches encountered with first-year models. I picked up my TL on Friday, and haven't seen any of the problems discussed by owners of the earlier cars.

Good luck!

 

I'm going to call BS on the dealer saying the price will go up $1000 on the '05.

The '05s will hit the dealers during the first week of October and the price increase will be in the $200-$350 range. It's what happens at Acura. I'll predict ONE new color, that is also the usual MO.

If you are getting quoted prices anywhere near MSRP on an '04, you need to think hard about waiting for the '05. It will be worth $2000+ more at resale unless you put a million miles on it.

 

Last I heard (from two different dealerships) there was a 2 month wait for navi models.

Other kinds can be bought on the lot of fairly easily traded for, assuming you have some flexibility in color.

And I wouldn't pay anything close to MSRP. I just paid $500 over invoice for mine and I could have done better because he accepted that offer too quickly.

 

The last Toyota I bought was in June and I was almost too late because if I had waited another week or two I would have had to order the new year's model to get the specific setup I wanted. If Honda is the same, shortly they won't be taking any more oders for 2004's and will start trying to sell what they have already manufactured or already have locked into the system to manufacture. I would guess the cars manufactured in August will be 2005s.

 

What a story, jrcase. I can't add anything to the excellent replies you've already received. I guess the Chrysler gremlins are at it again, ruining a hot-looking car....

 

I'm fully expecting to have to pay MSRP at the Acura dealer in Vegas - they're the only one. There's no way I could get close to $500 over invoice! I'll be shopping at dealers in LA and Scottsdale, tho. I've leased from Scottsdale Acura in the past and they were excellent. Worth the $100 in airfare and an afternoon's drive.

 

Buy it off the lot, especially at the end of the month. I learned from the past to not get your heart set on a color. Be open and you'll get the best deal, and may even suprise yourself with another color. Another point, the reason why Honda and Toyota's are the best is that they are the only auto companies are not merged with, owned buy or affiliated with a problem brand

 

If that works for you - great. But when I spend $30 some odd thousand, I'm getting what I want - not what they have that nobody else wants.