So I get a call from my dealership last evening telling me current promotions can get me out of my current 2010/Tech lease into a similar 2012 TL at a lesser payment. Obviously a phishing call but I thought I'd check and see if anyone has had similar calls and, if they were followed up upon, what the results were? Another obvious assumption here is Tech for Tech and not Tech for Base and I also would not put anything down. Thanks in advance for any insight. Only have 4300 miles on my "not a scratch" baby.

 

Oswald.....As you correctly pointed out, it is a way for the dealership to keep your business a while longer by signing a new lease. It does sound appealing if you don't have any money to put down and that your car payment goes down. The things you have to consider are the following:

1. Do you like your current TL enough to buy a a very similar car. Sure the 2012 has seen some updates but are they significant enough to make you want to jump into a new TL.

2. How much longer do you have on your current lease? The reason I ask is that you know that the brand new TL (5th generation) is likely coming out in the fall of 2013 and that may be a car you will want to have. Maybe your existing lease will end at about the same time as this will come out? Were you planning on purchasing your TL at the end of your lease?

3. Have you had anything you wished your current TL had that you didn't get...if so, this would be an opportunity.

4. Do you love the new car smell?

That should be a good way to start. I was 3 years into a lease with a TSX and they offered me an opportunity to get out of my lease and get into a new 2012 TL for very little extra monthly payment (~30$) - needless to say, I took the bait and loving it!

 

Acura dealerships were hurt badly by the tragedies in Japan that prevented the US plants from obtaining the amount of Japanese content required to finish the 2012 TL cars and get them out into the hands of purchasers.

So...at this point, it's "Some money is better than none."

Extra incentives are being provided to the dealers, and they are voluntarily reducing their profits themselves in an effort to get a little more money in the door than they'd otherwise get. They know the 2009-2011 cars can be sold for a very high retained value, so they're after everybody with a decent FICO score to try to turn over some inventory quickly now that they can finally get their hands on the cars.

It might actually work. I'm seeing more of the 2009-2011 4G cars than ever, and I'm seeing more of the 2012 4GA cars than I'd have expected at this point. We won't know for sure until we see the September sales figures come out in October, but it looks like it "might" be working.

 

???

 

The 2011 cars did not sell well at all and were sold at remarkable discounts when the 2012 cars finally began to arrive.

My impression is probably also the cumulative effect of seeing, at last, three model years of the 4G on the road at the same time, even though all three years sold badly and only a few 2009's ever made it to the streets.

It used to be that seeing a 4G TL in the Home Counties was rare, and I don't find it to be so rare any longer.

 

That's some of the oddest logic I've ever heard. They have less cars in stock so they are going to lower their margin to sell more cars? Makes no sense. They can only sell as many as they have right? If they have less cars, but can't sell them all - then they wouldn't be able to sell any more if they could get more right? So how does not having as many cars make it logical to lower their price?

I think the discounts and the number of cars they can get right now are unrelated issues. If the volume of cars truly was the limiting factor they would want to make higher margins on the fewer cars they sell. I think the reality is that sales of Acuras just still sucks, but the good news is that their inventories aren't bloated either. As a matter of reference the dealer near me appears to have about half the number of cars on the lot as they did when I bought mine in late May.

 

I don't know about this particular promotion, but I know from looking at the numbers and talking to my dealer that they have had very few new cars to sell. Normally my dealer has 50-70 TLs in stock - now they have about 15. They've really been slammed by the Japanese disaster-related production slow downs. Since they haven't had many new cars to sell they've been trying to get and sell more used cars. As George notes above, the used 4G TLs (like the 3Gs) have retained their value well, meaning that there is more room for the dealer to make some money on selling a used 4G. The two Acura dealers nearest me are both advertising seeking used cars to buy, and my dealer just sent me a letter asking if I wanted to sell my car to them (of course, I don't). Tough time to be a Honda/Acura dealer this summer.

 

Used cars make the dealerships way more money and used cars are in very high demand right now, so it actually does make sense for dealerships to unload new cars in exchange for more gently used cars. Add this into the inventory shortage due to the disasters in Japan, the world economy...

Also, the current TL model, while refreshed, is on its way out the door sooner than later. Same with the TSX (there is even talk of Acura completely discontinuing this model), etc.

 

I get your logic, but it doesn't change my point. The discounts on the new ones are because they don't have enough demand to sell them at higher prices - not because there is a shortage.

 

All good questions, weather. Here's my answers:

1) Yes, I love my 2010. Likes over 2012 - More aggressive styling, chrome door handles, WDP vs Bellanova White. Dislikes - 5 speed vs 6 speed tranny. Haven't pursued the 2012 info enough to know what else is different.

2) Still have 2 full years on my lease. And it is schedule to end about the time the 5g comes out. However, I wouldn't have a problem waiting a year longer (which a new lease would do) to get a 5g as I want to make sure they get any "bugs" worked out. Plus I could probably get a better deal a year into the new model year. Purchase at the end of lease is always a possibility depending on wear/tear/mileage.

3) Not really except the 6 speed tranny. The majority of my miles are highway so the extra gear will help gas mileage somewhat.

4) Who doesn't love the new car smell? However, my 2010 STILL smells like a new car on the inside for some reason so no big tradeoff here.

UPDATE - A salesperson called me to get some additional info on my current car but I've not heard back from him as of yet. After running some numbers on truecar and KBB it seems as if the best deal on a new and the best trade in value on the 2010 would still leave me about 4k short of getting it done. I really don't see it happening unless they have incentive money I don't know about.

 

ADDITIONAL INFO: Dealer's inventory shows about 11 2011 TL's and 28 2012's in stock with at least 2 in my preferred color combo so supply doesn't seem to be their problem.

 

OSWALD....You answered pretty much the same way I was expecting you to answer In other words, pro and cons to each scenario. Its not an easy decision but ultimately, one you will have to make if the dealership cals you back. Its all based on the things that matters more to you. As far as the Bellanova, I was extremely upset when I heard that the TL was not as pearly as the 2009-2011 until I saw my 2009 TSX side by side the 2012 TL and made me appreciate the color alot more. We have another true white SUV (Toyota) and side by side, I can see a pearly component to the Bellanova - no question If it was me, and the deal came back that financially you were the same or ahead, I would say GO FOR IT....but thats just me

 

Precisely. I do think that to get a 2-year newer car with the same equipment at the same payment is pretty much a "no brainer". However, it has been 2 days and I haven't heard back so I am assuming that as much as they crunched their own numbers they can't pull an "acceptable to me" deal off. And I'm not that "ga-ga" enough to pursue it any further on my end.

 

OSWALD...It wouldn't hurt for you to just do a quick follow up call. If they say they can't pull it off but at least you'll know for sure. My 2 cents...

 

I hadn't planned on calling them back but the dealer called me back this afternoon. They are absolutely insisting they can do such a deal but they need to see my car first. I have to travel through Miami on business next week so I guess I'll stop in and give them a shot. I'll pass on an update after the fact.

 

UPDATE - I stopped to see my dealer earlier this week and while he told me they could get me into a 2012 at my current payment, he also encouraged me to wait another month or two where he GUARANTEED a lower payment. Apparently Acura is going to be offering a $7500 loyalty fee to current lessee's in addition to other incentives if they re-lease. I'm going to wait and see what happens and provide updates as applicable.