pgray007

I've been agonizing over a new car choice for about the last year. I drove a 2001 TT for a couple of years, then sold it off to pay off debt, and rolled in a top of the line 1991 Nissian Maxima (still going strong after 198K miles). During that time, I looked at everything, from the Subaru WRX STi, to the Volvo S60R, to the Subaru Legacy and obviously the TL. With money in the bank, the time came to choose a car, and my two finalists came down to the Subaru Legacy and the TL. I ruled out the S60R since it's big $$, and my father has had tons of problems with his S80. The WRX STi was also a little too "boy racer" for me.

The Legacy is really a sweet car. Interior was nice, and the car fit "like a glove" in that it was tight all around: seats, suspension, shifter, etc. For a relatively sedate looking sedan, it could really move. While the interior looked decent and seemed to have high quality components, the gadets that the TL has, as well as the overall quality of the controls just wasn't there. The nearest Subaru dealer was also seemingly unwilling to deal at invoice (even with Subaru's 3% holdback) and they did not offer Saturday service appointments.

I drove the TL immediately after the Legacy, and they really are two different cars. The TL's engine was quieter at regular speeds, and really didn't make itself known until you gave the throttle a good punch. The car felt a little heavier, and the steering not as quick, even though the cars are a couple hundred pounds different in weight. The seats were more comfortable, and offered more range of adjustment, combined with the tilt and telescoping steering wheel (Legacy only tilted). The TL really is appropriately described on Acura's website as a "Sport Touring-type of car". I do really love the TL's shifter, and haven't had any problems with the clutch in the two different tester cars I drove, despite all the complaints I hear about them.

I really was on the fence on the two cars. The Legacy is hands down a driver's car, and I had pictured of the turbo screaming as I tore up mountain roads banging through the gears. At the end of the day though, I spend about 1% of my driving on icy mountin roads, and the rest of my time on I-95 travelling up and down the east coast. The TL really was a sweet highway cruiser, that would get up and go when needed, and the handing was certainly no slouch either. The XM, navigation, and stereo (heads above the Legacy) sold me, based on the driving I actually do.

I do think if Subaru added just a bit more luxury-type features, XM, Nav, etc., they would have a powerhouse on their hands with that screaming turbo and AWD. For my needs, the TL won out in the end.

I went to Westchester Acura in NY this morning, and with little hassle got an invoice deal on a blue 6-spd. with Nav. There have been raves about their service on this board, and they also have a fleet of 04 TSX loaners instead of some lame SUV from Enterprise or something like that. They also had Saturday service, and the salesperson, Frank, was good to deal with. No BS and I'm getting a TL fresh off the truck. The 6-spd Nav that I tested at Devan Acura in Norwalk had lots of wind noise from the sunroof, and just felt like it had been "beat up" even with only 100-ish miles on the clock. I also didn't care for Silver since everyone in the Northeast has a silver car.

With a little luck, if you see a Blue TL on I-95 tomorrow heading north from Westchester, it will be me!!!

All the info on this board, and the very good Legacy board (www.legacysti.com) helped me make my decision. Thanks guys & gals!

svtmike

Congrats on your choice of car and color (ABP is absolutely beautiful when clean, both day and night). What color interior did you get?

Mike

e46m3

Congrats on the car and great deal, best time to buy a car

vp911

Congrats :-D

pgray007

I got Quartz interior. I origionally set out for Antracite, but no one seemed to have one on the lot, and I've always wanted a dark blue car, from when I started drooling over the 1998 Audi A4 in Blue (forget the name of it).

With a little luck, tomorrow at lunchtime I'll be rolling in style!

Mike_TX

You stated: "I went to Westchester Acura in NY this morning, and with little hassle got an invoice deal on a blue 6-spd. with Nav."

Everyone here seems to be saying $1200-1300 over invoice is about the best anyone has been able to do on a TL.

You don't actually mean you got the car for invoice, do you?

Mike

92NSX

Good luck with the purchase. The blue is a gorgeous color. I may have gone with that but I was trading in a blue car and didn't want to get another right now.

pgray007

I did in fact get the car for invoice, no particularly drawn out haggling. My only worry is that they'll try to add some BS "documentation" fees, etc. tomorrow when I sign the papers, although they seemed like a pretty honest bunch.

I walked in, told them I wanted a TL and had test drove it already, and was willing to make a deal if they'd do it at invoice. They checked their inventory (actually had 4 6MT with Nav, two white, one black and one blue). He said they could do invoice if I took a car from their inventory, and the blue was one of my top choices, so I signed the initial paperwork.

I'll let the board know how it goes tomorrow!

92NSX

I got mine at $200 over invoice. But you will have fees involved. I had forgotten about them but they are non-negotiable. Also, remember sales tax.

jjsC5

If you have "fee's", then you are not buying at $200 over invoice.

92NSX

I guess not then.
I work for a company that owns an Acura dealership and get new cars for $500 over invoice. I told them the price at a competitor had given me and they said they couldn't match the price because there wasn't enough room to do so. They went on to say that it didn't matter if I didn't buy the car because they could sell it to someone else and make more on it anyway!!! Way to treat a 14 yr employee.
Anyway, here in FL there ARE fees that are preprinted on the sales contract that are added to the selling price of the car. Don't think that the dealer is going to pay sales tax, title transfer, documentation fee, battery fee, tires fees and the such just to make a sale.

pgray007

I don't consider the DMV-type fees as part of invoice. A dealer can't/won't eat sales tax, etc. nor would I expect them to. I will however not pay for "documentation" or "paperwork" or other fees added by the dealer. Those are negotiable, sales tax obviously is not.

stroutman

Wow, so you actually went to the dealer and they had an ABP 6spd w/ Navi on the lot. You are very lucky if that is the case. There are many people who have been waiting for that exact car, including me, for months and months now.

VQ35DE

Nice review. I have to try the LGT out.

pgray007

I am now a TL owner!!! As mentioned, the initial transaction with Acura of Westchester was painless, as was the pickup process. They sold teh car to me at invoice, and it was ready to be picked up as promised. I financed through the dealer (rate was about .5% higher than I could have had elsewhere, but was through a major company rather than some internet deal). They also didn't press extended warranties or loads of accessories, except for the body side molding, which I went with. Their accessories were a little higher than the Acura website, but what the heck, it's Westchester Co. I guess. They do seem to move a lot of cars, since there was a lot of action when I went for pickup. PDI was quick, although the salesman asked several times if I had questions, and I was pretty familiar with the car and just wanted to get behind the wheel.

The car was clean and ready to go. Nothing wrong except for a few minor greasy hand prints that wiped right off, and they attached the front license plate frame, which I had asked not to have attached. All minor stuff compared to the hassle free experience. I would certainly recommend Acura of Westchester, and Frank, who sold me my car, could not have been more easy to deal with (unless he gave me the car for free). He also said he'd get me a few free oil changes and little stuff like that, which was great considering the excellent price of the car.

What really impressed me was the the folks at the dealer had actually read this thread! It's great to see a dealership that's concerned with how their customers think about them, etc.

Re: the Legacy, definitely worth a test drive. I was really torn, but for the type of diving I do in the real world (as opposed to my daydreams of tearing through the alps or something like that) the TL made a lot more sense. It really hit the sweet spot between performance and luxury. It's not a sportscar, but it's not a buick-esque luxo-boat either.