I'm new to this forum... excellent forum by the way. We're nearing the commitment to buy (our first!) Acura TL w/nav. We had a Honda for many years and it never let us down. We've looked at the usual gang of suspects (Infiniti g35, BMW 325, BabyMercy, VW Passat, Volvo, etc...). Hands down.. the TL wins. Anyway, some questions...

1) The dealership offers an interesting paint protection in addition to Touch of Class. It looks like a clear film that goes over the lower 1/4 of the hood, the side view mirrors, the doorhandle areas, etc... It's purpose is to protec the paint from rock chips, rings on your finger that scratch the doors when you open them, etc... Anyone have experience with this product? I wonder if it's worth the money...

2) Like I mentioned before, our Honda ran forever and never gave us a single problem. Is the Acura extended warranty worth it? Seems like these cars are made with quality (unlike BMW, etc...) and my impression is that they generally don't spend a lot of time in the shop. Is the rationale for purchasing extended warranty more along the lines of "peace of mind" as opposed to "this car's gonna be in the shop several times a year"?

3) Lastly, I plan on negotiating for the very best price I can. There are several dealerships in the general area where I live (Sacramento, CA). Anyone on this board have experience (good or bad) with a particular dealership (sales as well as service) in this area and can offer me some advice?

Thanks in advance for your help... I hope to post soon pictures of the new family addition.

Steve

 

Steve, good luck negotiating. You might want to read this first, I'm sure there are more up to date articles, but the idea remains the same.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/12/02/pf/a...nd_I_products/

 

regarding #1 that that clear film is usually referred to as a clear bra(do a search on the forum you'll find tons of info). it'll help minimize rock chips while driving.

 

1) clear bra; one of the vendors is a sponsor here.
2) You can buy the extended warranty later. I have had several Honda/Acura cars which required only regular maintenance. My 1988 Integra with 160,000+ miles had one recall item repair years after the original 4 year warranty ran out.
3) A Sacramento dealership serviced my Integra in 1988 and 1989 and was very good back then, but I can't recall name and time is too remote to be useful for you.
Do get the navigation system!

 

Just became a proud new owner of a TL just two days ago (06, w/ Navi, Nighthawk Black, Parchment Grey interior). This may be out of your way, but I got a good deal from Oakland Acura. The service was good too. 33k before tax/lic. The TL is a sweeeet car!!

 

Thanks everyone for the info... I really appreciate it. This is a very large purchase for us, so I want to do it right. Thanks for sharing!