gtgrad95

I took my TL to the Acura dealer for the first time yesterday. The car makes a loud grinding sound (like 2 pieces of medal rubbing) when first started up in the morning. This continues on for about 10 minutes and then stops.

I went in with high expectations, excited that I would be going to a "luxury" car dealer for service. I have heard all the good things from my friends who have Lexus' and BMWs, who basically get the royal carpet treatment everytime they take their car in.

I drove up to the dealer and got out of my car. I stood there for a least 5 minutes before someone even acknowledged me! Then somebody finally said, something like we'll be with you in a minute. Well, it was another 5-10 minutes before anybody even started taking down my info. I then asked if I could speak with Mark, as he was the guy that my salesman had recommended to do all my service work. The guy taking my info said Mark was busy. I was like, ok, but Mark knows about the problems I've been having, I hate to have to explain it again. Well, somebody else then walks up and basically says "What are you in for?". I had never met Mark before, so I asked him, "Are you Mark?". He says, "yeah". Then he says "so what problems are you having?". No "how's it going", no "Hi, I'm Mark, and I'll be taking care of you", none of that. Just, what's the problem? I did not get any warm fuzzies at all. I felt like I was driving my Odyssey in at the Honda dealer for service.

I had called a week ago to let them know I'd be bringing my car in and to make sure they would have a loaner ready. They reassured me that they have plenty of loaners and it shouldn't be a problem. Well, guess what? They were out of loaners and offered me a rental car from Enterprise (I would have to wait at least an hour for them to show up) or basically wait to see if someone returns one. I was really mad at this point. After waiting for 30 minutes, someone did return a TL and I was able to get that. I was irritated because I gave them a week notice that I was coming in and needed a loaner and they still botched it up. After about 30 seconds of sitting in the loaner, another guy motions for me to move my car. I didn't even have time to adjust the mirrors, seats, etc. I just left shaking my head. The loaner had all sorts of dents and dings all over it, some of them big on the hood. The guy didn't even walk the car with me! I had to get out and show up the dents and he just said, yeah we already know about those. I was like, don't you need to give me that in writing. He said, no, we already know. What kind of a business are they running there where they don't even document these for the customer?

Sorry for the long post. To make a long story short, I was expecting "Lexus" like treatment and I got Honda (or less) treatment. When are Acura dealers going to realize that if they want to be like Lexus, they are going to have to start ACTING like Lexus. They the luxury line for Honda, but they certainly don't do a good job of distinguishing themselves. I know a few people who have bought an ES, even though they knew that the TL was the better product, simply because of the service. Acura needs to learn a trick or two from other luxury dealers.

Novice

Go to another dealer next time. I had a bad experience with Chevy Chase Acura in Maryland (they caused numerous damages to my car, treated me disrespectfully, did not call me back over one month after I requested replacement parts, etc. So, I looked for a dealer that won many "Precision Team Awards" given my Acura and went there (Rosenthal Acura in MD) for the next service. Rosenthal treated me really well+good service+reasonable price+Acura loaner cars!

I really think it all depends on where you go as each dealer is owned and operated independently.

gtgrad95

Oh, forgot to add...what kind of first time experiences have you guys had? Do you get the red carpet treatment or any warm fuzzies? Is it just my dealer?

Nodoze2004

Welcome to the world of expensive Honda ownership....because that's all it is. I have had so many issues with the service (or lack there of) that I have received that I am almost speechless. It is bad enough that a 'new' car even needs to go in at all, let alone getting to the dealership and being treated like a number. I will go on record and say that this will be the first and LAST Acura that I will EVER own. The sad part is that I have been a loyal Honda customer since I started driving (15+ years ago) and I find the Acura dealership to be the least courteous, knowledgable, and overall accomodating (be advised I am comparing the Acura service center to that of the lower end Honda dealership). My previous car was a Honda Civic (clocking it at a whopping 17grand), this car is an Acura which clocks in at 37grand and overall the Civic experience was more enjoyable (i.e service). To top it all off I have taken in the Acura more in the first 6 months, than the entire 5 YEARS I owned the Civic. Minor issues such as:

1. Complete VSA system failure (had to tell the service center how to fix this one)
2. Dead battery
3. Clutch master cylinder replacement
4. 5 trips for serious alignment issues (I called this the lane change feature)


Even better still, is that each time I take the car in the service center CREATES a new problem!! That is a helluva way to keep themselves in business. Thank god they don't provide healthcare,

"Yeah doc I have a sore throat"
Acura health care "We fixed the sore throat, but I noticed that your arm is broken"

Acura has ALOT to learn about how 'luxury' clientelle need to be served. They should take field trips to Lexus, Infiniti, BMW, and Mercedes......but that would assume they even care. The cars are selling so well that in my opinion they don't!!!

TampaMike

Although I have been pleased with my Acura dealership's Service Department, I would have to agree with you that Acura is missing the mark on the luxury experience they project in their marketing. If they had just acknowledged you and made you FEEL special, the operational issues with the loaner etc, might be more tolerable.

Even after making an appointment for my service call and being the 2nd person to arrive in the morning (30 mins prior to officially opening for business), I wound up with a rental. Now, honestly, I cannot complain about that, as the Service Manager apologised profusely. But the rental was a wreck, filty and literally sticky inside. It was beat, worn and an embarrasment. No only did the rental rep take a very long time indicating my responsibility for this wreck, and used EVERY opportunity upsell me on insurance waivers and fuel surcharges (I think he even tried to sell me a time share & Amway). Ulimately I drove the wreck for 8 miles (my office is close to the Acura dealer, and my TL was readied same day). The rental company charged my credit card for 2 gallons of gas (at $5.99 a gallon). Why didn't the lizzard just give me a Hummer? An Alero gets 4 miles per gallon? Maybe because it was so sticky?

So when Acura did the follow up customer service call I explained my experience. The CS Rep apologized and acknowledged it was a very sleazy way to do business. She agreed with me that the rental company was preying on Acura customers to squeeze extra charges out of me. The money was not the issue, but the treatment by the rental rep and the charge for fuel. Just plain bad business.

I thanked the CS rep for allowing me to offer my viewpoint and she requested I contact her directly before my next service call to assure an Acura Loaner would be reserved for me. (Yeah, I also got the standard Acura story that new Acura Loaners were due in as well. Seems to be a default excuse from most Acura dealerships.)

Well a few days later I got another call asking me to make an appointment with the service center for a complimentary full detail with loaner service (or they would come get my TL and return it afterwards). My TL got the treatment...and so did I, a brand new RL to drive for the day. Good Job!

Having Lexus & Infiniti owners in my family I have to say Acura is not as consistent in CS or promoting a 'luxury' experience. The Infiniti dealer has been hit or miss, but a step above Acura. The Lexus dealer consistently a positive experience. And frankly I summize that more from the attitude, professionalism and follow up they make more than operational, mechanical or schedule issues. Lexus really does kiss butt, and does it in a way that feels genuine. Acura needs to study that, and be consistent with it.

Give you Dealership CS rep a call and a fair, emotion free chat about your experience. If they are a good shop, they will make good, or at least make note your future visits should be favorable. If that does not happen, let em have it on the CS survey (soon to come) and consider trying another dealership. It's just a shame that most Customer Service models are based on letting the Customer get irate before they kick into gear.

Enjoy the TL, with or without the Acura "Experience"!

gtgrad95

I agree completely. I think the product does so well, they don't really care. But there has to come a point when a good product is just not enough and they start losing sales to these other luxury car dealers. It's probably happening already. Perception is everything in this business.

On another note, the dealer just called back and said that my problem is a leak in the power steering rack that is causing the noise and the entire unit will have to be replaced! It will take 2-3 days to order the part. Ouch! Anybody else have this issue? I only have 5100 miles on the car.

gtgrad95

In addition to the problem above, I have all sorts of squeaks and rattles on the car. I have 2005 with a VIN in the 6500 range. One of the squeaks is continuous and very annoying while driving down the highway, which is not all that bumpy. However, when I try to show it to the dealer, it magically disappears.

Like many other here, I am just not impressed with the build quality. Note to self: next time buy a car that is manufactured in Japan. I've heard the TSXs and the Lexus' have minimal build quality issues.

consultauto

I had a similar experience at RICK CASE ACURA, their service department has a long way to go if they want to compete with Lexus etc. Needless to say that i will not purchase another vehicle from them if they can't service what they sell.

gtgrad95

Could someone please point me to the thread discussing the fix for the driver door rattle? I think that is the source of one of the rattles I'm having.

chill_dog

I've been pretty pleased with Rick Hendrick in Charlotte. Only two complaints, one of which is minor: 1) got a TSX as a loaner one time, 2) the last TL they gave me was dirty inside and had trash in the door cubbyholes. I wasn't too keen on stepping down a notch on my car, but it was clean...and even though I already knew it, driving one really let me know that the TL was unquestionably better. Now, the dirty interior I find inexcusable. I should've gotten out the second I noticed it, but I was in a hurry. The apologies flowed when I returned it, though, and I know it won't happen again.

elsensei

gtgrad, do you mind sharing what dealer it was? I am also in Alpharetta and I need to take my 05 in for a check engine light which is staying on, and my selling dealer (Nalley in Marietta) won't even give me a rental OR a loaner! They said they should be able to fix it in 2-3 hours so they said I can just wait.

scrb09

Mention your Dealership name in the story and if I were you I would put the name of the dealership in the thread title, for e.g. "xxx Acura WORST SERVICE" if someone sensible from ACS or maybe even from the dealership or the Acura region rep is monitoring this board they would take notice.

Also If I were you I would call up ACS and the Manager of the dealership to lodge a complain...if Acura owners dont start bitching and standing up to this BS then I dont see how it would be solved...

Nodoze2004

All I can say is that competition is a WONDERFUL thing. With new competitor cars from Lexus, Infiniti etc the market is becoming a market of choice. When the TL arrived there weren't many cars that offered what it did in terms of style, value, performance etc. That is all changing.

The question you really need to ask, is that if there were a similar car from a competitor available to you now, at a similar price with similar features knowing what you know now about the Acura 'experience' would you buy the Acura again......in my case not a snowballs chance in hell!!

rets

I didn't like my first dealer, either. If you complain to ACS, they will even tell you the same thing "do you consider to get the service done from another dealer?".

Nodoze2004

HAHAHA! What a concept from Acura! I will file that one in the 'Let's not fix the REAL problem, but instead inconvenience the customer and make it appear as if we care' column!

GET REAL ACURA!

I think personally that until there is a change in top level management, nothing will be done to address any of these issues! If top level management gives a rat's ass about the customer complaining won't do a bit of good!!

ACURA
Value priced Luxury! We had to cut costs somewhere, we cut service!

mickey3c

If you want lexus-like service then get a lexus... The only luxury car acura makes is the RL The NSX is a sports car. Everyone forgets this... yeah might be the most cake to date that you shelled out for the car, but it is still not luxury. I think this is typical of the service you get no matter where you go. Someone did not do their job with the loaner. The rest is what you get. You talk to the service writer and at times they cannot tell their ass from a tire. They pass this on to the tech. I used to get a call after to see if everything was done to my satisfaction. The one time I said no it was not and I want to talk to the service manager because they scratched the leather on my steering wheel, I never heard from them. The other thing is acura (the company) wants to hear that everyone is happy and there are no problems so they probably toss all the bad issues out and just report the good stuff to corporate.

I'd put up with that crap if they fixed the car correctly.

Or maybe the service is symptomatic of the car itself. Tls are notorious for all kinds of rattles, vibrations, and the dog ate my knock sensor complaints (lol) so maybe they are sick and tired of working on dumb problems created by poor assembly and cheap materials.

I know when I go to work I want something interesting to work on and no here is another rattle for you to find...

You olny realize how good service really is if you have issues with the car. I have never seen a lexus dealer really tested on a new car. Meaning the lexus 5 models that my family have had were never in for anything serious during the warranty period. They say they get great service. No it is great quality..

you get what you pay for...

MR1

I agree that Acura service and attitude can be very lacking. That said, realize that a dealership is a franchise just like McDonalds or 7-11 or Holiday Inn. The franchise agreement dictates haw the outlet will perform. There are, however limits on what the company can enforce because the franchise is a semi independent business.

At one time all McDonalds charged the same thing, served the same menu items and were open the same hours with their uniformly clean stores. This is no longer the case if you look around. The franchisee has in some cases taken the company to court and won the right to be different. Same thing has happened to some extent in the auto industry.

For whatever reason Acura does not seem to be able to control their dealers to the extent that Lexus can. Might be because they don't have the product mix historically or the deep pockets of Toyota behind them. Realize that you aren't going to be able to convince dealers to tie up millions to do your bidding and dictate to them when your hand is not that strong. It is, after all a contract that must benefit both parties. Acura needs a certain number of dealers, dealers need to make a profit. Then they have to end up building a customer base which is us.

So now that they have contracts with all these (semi) independent dealers and limited control, market factors take over. I suspect that it is very difficult to cancel a contract so they have to kinda get along. We get stuck in the middle.

Good, smart dealers take care of their customers in sales and service. Bad dealers try to get away with everything they can. Acuras' main job is to supply product that we want to purchase at a somewhat reasonable price. Also, they have to back-up the dealer on warranty repairs. The dealer is, in most instances, the Acura we individuals must deal with.

If we make a bad decision about which brand car to buy and which dealer to buy it from, that's on us. Due to free choice, we can take buy from any dealer and have the car repaired at any dealer of the same brand. If there are no other dealers in the area, perhaps we are stuck for the short term.

My point is, the dealer can be considered almost our only point of contact with Acura. That is unless there are unresolved warranty issues. All Acura can do is suggest we try a different dealer or have one of their people look at larger problems. In extreme cases, they will buy a car back.

The individual dealer sets policy above whatever Acura minimum standards (contract) says. Right now, my dealer seems to be getting better with this. My car is in the shop and they offered me a loaner (05 TL non-navi). Sometimes they have loaners, sometime rentals, sometime nothing. They are not required to provide them, we are not required to buy their cars. I guess we should find out about service policies before we buy and not assume that service will love us more than sales did. Let the buyer beware. My Audi dealer service department loved me, but I was going broke from all the non-warranty attention.

Prolanman

The dealerships are not owned by Acura, but should be policed more by them. If you are not happy with the service at one dealership then you should try another. When it comes to loaners, it's nice to get the same car or better, but I don't remember ever seeing anywhere on paper that you will get the same model, better, or even their brand as a loaner. Some loaner is better than no loaner at all. I never got a loaner from Nissan when I brought my Maxima in for service. Different manufacturers are know for different service. I get excellent service when I bring my wife's 530i in to BMW. I get another BMW to drive as a loaner.

I see people complain every day here about their TL's (usually the same group of people). If you are really unhappy with the car then sell it and get something else. I understand if you will never buy another Acura again. I've had my problems with Saab and would never buy another Saab again.

I have 11k miles on my 05 and will see how it holds up over the next few years. If I don't have any problems I might buy another Acura or I might not. It all depends reliability and style of other vehicles at that time.

As for a lot of other Luxury brands, look at how they nickle and dime you on the extras, many of which are standard on the TL. It is IMO a good entry level luxury car that gives you a lot of bang for the buck. It's not perfect. No car is. They will all rattle and make noises from time to time. For now the TL is a good everyday driver for me.

05TLTony

No warm fuzzies since my ES300. All I get are scratches and even a cracked windsheild. The car is nice but the service blows. This is my first and last Acura! I'm getting a lexus next time!

TheTriads

Pretty simple point from me. I bought my car at Sussman Acura of Maple Shade NJ. The service department has 2 girls taking care of you, just 2, no more , no less. Everytime I go there, I have to wait at least 10 minutes and most of the time I do not get a loaner car. When I had my 2002 Honda, the service from Burns Honda of Marlton NJ treats me and customers like it's a mecedes dealership. Before purchasing the TL, I thought to myself "wow, if Honda service is this good, I can't imagine how great the Acura will be" but

Honda
Acura

this will be my last Acura. I'll either go back to Burns Honda or buy a different luxury brand.

Acura of Sussman is rediculous

Prolanman

I preferred the old design of the ES300. The ES330 looks too much like a Camry. Did the dealership you took the car to for service scratch the car and crack the windsheild? How about other aspects of the car? Have you had many problems with it?

gtgrad95

I have heard that Lexus actually places sanctions on their dealerships that log a certain number of customer complaints. It really keeps them on their toes. Acura should really look into this. Lexus may have Toyota's deep pockets, but doesn't Acura have Honda's deep pockets behind them as well?

tandl

GTgrad, Can you tell me what they say about your car? I have the exact same noise when I first start up, and it's kind of alarming. Goes away in about five minutes, and when I start it up again later in the day, it doesn't make the noise. Seems like it only happens after I haven't driven the car for a few days.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Tischer Acura is better than Rosenthal

gtgrad95

tandl, My problem occurs when the car is not driven for a period of time either overnight or after work. Basically, it is a loud, grinding type noise. Mine is kind of alarming as well, and I was afraid to drive it. It continues for about 5-10 minutes while driving, then disappears. The word I got from the dealer is that there is a leak in the power steering rack unit and that it will need to be replaced. They don't carry the part in stock, so it will be another 2-3 days. Hope that helps....if not, PM me.

05TLTony

Yes, the dealership cracked my winshield and said it was a stress crack. They've managed to put a new scratch on my car every freakin time I've been there. I only go there because it's the closest one to my home. I think I'll try somewhere else next time. As far as the car goes, everything is fine except for the ticking engine noise I broght up on a thread. I got that checked out on monday and was told that everything is fine and that the noise is normal. The service rep says it's just the fuel injectors and that some are louder than others. I guess I'm the unfortunate fool with the loud one.

Prolanman

Unfortunately the dealership you went to in a word sucks. To damage your car and then try to BS you about it is not right. You should report them. Definately take the car to another dealership and bring up the ticking noise. I don't have any ticking noise on my 05. Hopefully you will get satisfaction at another dealership.

Parker75

I took my TL for its first service call last week. At 3100 miles, I decided to ignore the MID's 60% oil and to get the oil change early due to posts about break-in period wear metals being excessive for Honda/Acura engines.

My treatment by Troy Acura in Michigan was very different from yours. They were professional and I was greeted as soon as I exited the car. Besides the oil change I advised the CS rep that my front driver side brake squeal and asked that it be investigated. The CS rep estimated 45 minutes for the oil change and asked if I had time to wait, and if I also had time for letting them give the car a complimentary wash. I chose to wait.

The waiting room area was clean and supplementing the chairs in front of the TV were two cubicles that had working table and phone. Three different blends of complimentary Starbucks coffee were provided, along with cookies and muffins in several varieties. There also was a large bucket containing iced soft drinks and bottled water.

30 minutes into the wait the CS rep advises me that the brake squeal has a engineering bulletin written on it, specifically for the 6MT. She asked if I could wait another hour so they can take care of it. I agreed.

Overall, a positive experience. I was in and out in the time promised. Yes, I will take my TL back to Troy Acura. I think your experience reflects more on your dealer so I suggest you take your car elsewhere.

BTW, I bought my car at Jeffrey Acura in Roseville, MI and they have the option where they will pick up the car for servicing, bringing a loaner in the process. I didn't chose that because I don't want them to drive the car for the 30 miles round-trip. Troy Acura is on my way in to work.

PiP

Just got my first service taken care of today. This was at Ramsey Acura in NJ. I called and asked how long the A1 svc takes, and they estimated an hour & change. I asked if I could get a loaner for the time being, but was told none were available. No bother because I was already willing to wait.
Because of numerous horror stories here, I expected the worst..but the process was surprisingly painless. I was tended to immediately, the car was pulled into the service bay on time (probably because it wasn't very busy). I got a complimentary wash, as well as my plate mount plugs that I asked for. I was in and out in a little over an hour - all in all, a pleasant trip. I hope my subsequent trips are as painless. Thankfully, I haven't had any electrical or mechanical issues with my ride yet ('05 - approx. 6k miles).

tandl

thanks gtgrad, do you know if it's bad to drive with this problem? Also, I've had one service experience with Acura of Boston - the service was pretty good.

gtgrad95

tandl, no problem. You should get it checked out as soon as you can. If it is the same problem, the worst would be your power steering going out while driving. You can still steer the car, but it will require some muscle.

funk101

After reading what some of you have gone through, getting a Kia as a loaner was not such a bad thing after all.

TheRussianConcussion

The service manager should be able to please you, make you happy so that you go back for future car purchases. Approach them that way and they should be able to help you.

Nodoze2004

I find it interesting that some on this thread are simply content to allow bad dealerships to continue operating in the same manner. Ever hear the mantra that the squeaky wheel gets the grease?

If you allow them to continue operating poorly and accept it as the status quoue NOTHING will be done. I don't care if I am ordering a pizza, or as in this case an automobile, I EXPECT service. Those that do not provide it are advised of my dissatisfaction. If nothing is done to resolve the issue, my business it taken elsewhere.

The solution to go to another dealer is not valid in many cases (distance challenges) and as such should be reserved as an absolute LAST RESORT!! Why would I want to drive 2 hours out of my way due to a the fact that a specified dealership is unable to provide the service they are required to? Consistency is something that the parent company enforces, not the consumer.

If they cannot provide consistency, they should display service level ratings within the dealership. Perhaps that would cause some to rethink the way they do business and get them to take care of the customer!? If I go to said dealership to make a purchase and see that they are the lowest in overall customer/service satisfaction why would I give them the time of day let alone my business?

Complacency solves nothing, in fact it makes matters worse for the rest of us!!

MR1

In theory I agree 100%. Real world, it does not appear as though Acura's contracts with the dealers gives them that much control. Yes you can yell and complain to whomever you think will get it done for you. My comments were more for people that have already done that and are still not happy. I maintain that the DEALER has a lot of power and this is the place to direct most of your attention. If going to another dealer is an option, this is worth considering.

Threatening to contact Acura and even doing that will give mixed results in lots of instances. I would certainly let Acura know what has happened after exhausting all options at the dealer and Area Rep. level including talking to the general manager or owner first. As a practical matter, we should all choose our battles.