jazzpicker

After going through the hundreds of beak haters that posted here for a couple of years and reading all the critical posts, I thought that trading in my 2010 TL Tech may cost me some money. I talked to my salesman a few days ago and he told me that he would love to have a 2010 TL in his inventory and would do everything possible to make me a good deal on a trade in.

This morning I drove to the Acura dealership and found out that the guy was true to his word. I got the best trade in ever on a used car. My 2010 was low mileage and mint. There was only one more beaked car at the dealership and it sold near midday today and I'm sure my trade in will sell soon. I left the dealership early afternoon for a dental appt while they were prepping my new car.

Now I am a proud owner of a 2012 TL tech with less chrome on the front but think maybe I misjudged the beak a bit. It made no difference at the dealership today. When I left in my new TL this afternoon there were seven 2012's on the lot and my trade in was nowhere in sight.

speedmaster

congrats on the upgrade. did you consider getting the SHAWD?

erick3

NICE! A friend of mine just traded in another car (Honda), and got A THOUSAND more than what HE PAID FOR IT! WTH!!! lol

JAB00

Congrats. Used cars, especially those known for having good reliability are more expensive. They think it's because of the economy and people readjusting their spending habits. People would rather spend less on a used car than a new one. This drives up the price of the use car market.

types1fan

Hey jazzpicker, good to hear that news. If you don't mind me asking how much did you get for your trade.

NwTSXmt

crickets

types1fan

^^ if the OP has a problem with me asking he should let me know. The reason I ask is because I'm thinking about trading my TL. Again I used the word if you dont mind me asking.

omaralt

lol theres nothing wrong with you asking... IMO, when you write a post like that you need to give details or what the hell was the point?? you say you got a great deal on the trade in.. could have been a horrible deal; let us know the number and we'll let you know how good of a deal it really was

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

Def true statements. Because i went to trade my 2011 in and at infiniti i was only offered 23,500 and the car had 3K miles on it & BMW offered me 25,000 . I am pretty sure an acura dealer would offer more because the dealer i purchased my TL from gave me more for my 06 TL than competition dealers & even more than the original Acura Dealer i went to . They gave me 15,000 as opposed to the 11K every one else was trying to offer.

So inquiring minds would like to know.

acura_TL2010

Same here my friend got fed up with the beak talk and sold to a private party with 12800 miles on it

2010 TL FWD TECH/18 INCH WHEELS Bought for 34350.00+TTL

BMW DEALER------------------------------------------28,000.00

ACURA DEALER----------------------------------------30,500.00

SOLD PRIVATE PARTY--------------------------------32,500.00

In spite of negative auto media and people hating the new TL design surprisingly it has one of the best resale value

speedmaster

nice going

SNJTL

Not surprised at the good trade in value, that's one of the main reasons most of us bought the car.

types1fan

I have a FWD tech and I have read in other forums that my car could sell for about 32,000. I leased my car so my payoff right now is 26,500, if I can sell it privately I can make some money and this time I will be purchasing the car not leasing. One question, will Acura allow for any one who lease to sell privately. OP sorry for jacking your thread.

NwTSXmt

He sold because of other people talking?...wow

acurator99

Couple of questions ...
How much did you lose on the tradein?
Are you planning to trade in your 2012 tech for the new 5G TL super car in the future?

Glashub

^^^^^

As far as I know nobody talks about the beak when they look at the car. Last night a young man was going on about how dynamic and beautiful the 2010 is. And thanks to Acurazine my first response is..."Really? You mean that? You like it?"

The only people beak talking are the 20-30 people posting here I guess.

Stew4HD

If you look at the thread about liking the 4G exterior, there is much more than 20-30 responses... The beak talk was quite heavy when the 4G came out

cobra611

I'm in NY and looking for a used '09-'10 TL SH-AWD, and it's good to hear some people mentioning what dealers were offering for their TL trade ins. Even though I'm in a different market, it helps me with what I may offer against what they are asking. Thanks!

compewterbleu

Good to know that the trade in value is relatively strong....and Stew4HD is correct the "beak" talk was like bananas for a spell. But I love it! Opens industrial size cans, long neck beers, and wards off evil spirits too!

speedmaster

I beg to differ. If you read reviews of the 4th gen from major publications, they practically all start off by talking about the controversial styling of the car. Then when you read reviews of the 2012 TL, they all seem to start out by talking about how Acura did a great job of plastic surgery, improved the looks, etc. etc.

I wouldn't have gotten the 09-11 TL, and many Acura enthusiasts seem to agree with me, but the reviews often point out that the changes in 2012 may not have been enough to catch the eye of the average buyer.

One web comparison that comes to mind was from a guy who said that when an overweight woman loses enough weight to go from a size 12 to a size 10, no man other than her husband would know the difference...ouch!

It amazes me how many people bash the 4th generation TL on the internet. Such passion from non-fans!

P1zzaman

iTrader: (1)

It's amazing how people's opinion on forums that you've never met have influenced you to trade in a car... wow

algoriddim

Not to detract from the thread or pour salt in anyones wound... But I'm curious to know if anyone has ever had the "beak" of their vehicle criticized outside of car reviews and internet forums. My real world encounters (family, friends, neighbors, and randoms) regarding this vehicle have always been positive.

Am I an exception?

types1fan

Your not alone, when I go the car wash
All i get are compliments on the whole car

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

no i have'nt heard any criticism on the TL until i joined the zine. All my friends and famly love it . Not to mention the strangers i run into at the car wash and various other places i have been.

My take is some really don't like it and that's okay but i also think there's a good percentage that want it and can't afford it right now so they rag on it and you will see them in a year or 2 when more become used and become cheaper with one criticizing what ever the newest TL is .

Glashub

My point being that if I lived only on the web I would think that I bought the ugliest car ever made. But in the 3 demensional world I only get positive responses. And because of the bashing here, I'm shocked when people like but I shouldn't be. People here are not normal.

As far as the auto mags...let me put it this way...when my company was buying lots of ads and comp mag execs we were regularly picked company of the year. When we stopped...we stopped being company of the year.

If those reviewers had to pony up money out of their pockets...what do you think they would buy?

Finally, I just can't respect reviewers. Look at the Sonanta. Really look at it sometimes. It is too big for its tires. Top heavy. And has more swirls than a drag queens wig.

JM2010 SH-AWD

Same here. Not one criticism and, in fact, an unusual number of compliments from complete strangers.

The criticism seems mainly to come from the internet haters and the lemming-like journalists. (When you have extra time to kill some time, look at the early mag "peeks" at the 4G - they were mostly very favorable on the styling. Then, some (maybe one) mag said it was ugly, and the reviews then all fell into place and it became journalistic malpractice not to mention the 4G's ugliness in the first paragraph. Conventional wisdom, as it were.

All that said, I was not a fan of the 4G's exterior styling when I saw the first few pictures. But, the car clearly looks better in person. Once I drove it, I quickly overcame whatever reservations I had about the styling. Now that I've owned it for a year, the styling does not seem polarizing to me at all, and in fact, from many angles the car has some amazing styling lines and cues.

jjsC5

That's just human nature. Why would a perfect stranger come up to you and tell you your car is ugly? But in magazines or on the internet people will open up and say what is on their mind.

About a year ago I had lunch with a group of friends who all met through the Corvette forum about nine years ago. About eight of us got to be very good friends and have had lunch literally hundreds of times. All we talk about is cars and all of us are very knowledgeable. One day the topic of the new TL came up.

None of us owned a 4G TL, but several of us owned cars that would be considered "cross-shopped" cars to the TL. To a man, everyone at the table said they would never even go look at a TL because of the beak. BTW, in the group four of us either owned, or had owned G35 Infiniti's, three "3" series BMW's, two 3G TL's and I'm sure I'm missing a few. So this is a group who should have been prime targets for the TL.

Glashub

^^^^
It's also true that people on the internet feel free hidden as tey are to be extremely negative. It brings them joy to disturb because they feel powerless in the 3 dimensional world.

My friends look frown at the thought of BMW because as smart money people they realize that just about anybody can get into a BMW. Easy leasing. There's no cachet to the brand in LA. The 1st thing every wanna be power broker does is pick up a BMW. The real money and power people here drive MB, Porsche, Rolls, Bentley, etc. BMW's are truly a dime a dozen here. Like Subarus in Portland.

JM2010 SH-AWD

The main point is the number of unsolicited, positive comments I've received. I've owned a number of cars in the past that were near universally acclaimed for their styling. (E.g., 2G Legend Coupe). I'll hazard a guess that I've had more people compliment me on the looks of the TL than those cars combined. (And I've been driving for awhile).

I'll grant you the look is not for everyone. Acura determined that and toned down the styling some. But I like something that is a little different from the generic sedan.

shakedown

i have an 2009 tl awd drive mint has 22k on it would sell it to you

shakedown

does anyone have information on the ride for the 2012 i may be trading my 2009 in

saturno_v

You are right, however why a stranger should spontaneously come to you and tell you how sleek your car look if he doesn't mean it?? Well that is what happened to me often with the TL...again almost never happened before with other cars

It seems that Road & Track run into the same phenomenon

"it's evocative of Cadillac's Art and Science treatment yet with a distinctly Japanese twist, and a significant departure from the quasi-Alfa 159 styling that characterized the previous TL. People on the street do react to it, some even going out of their way to pay a compliment. "

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/ca...cura-tl-sh-awd

And the magazine's opinion were actually overall very positive on the look, especially at the car introduction....seems that later somehow "they got religion"...

Car & Driver

Highs: Hey-lookit-me visuals, plush leather lining, comfy in back (for two), hushed at high speeds.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/..._sh-awd_page_2

Car & Driver

Highs: Heads swivel when you arrive, Velcro traction, plush-to-the-touch cockpit, g-defying embrace of the seats

The Verdict: An all-weather interceptor with looks to match.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...-awd-road_test


Car & Driver

Let’s just get this out of the way. Yes, the beaky nose on the new Acura TL looks odd. Maybe it’s just the shock of a new look; maybe it really is weird-looking. We’ll need more time to gaze critically upon it before we decide. We can, however, testify that it looks better in the flesh than in photographs and that the rest of the TL’s angular, modern shape is assuredly handsome, especially in the pointed shape of the trunk

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t_drive_review

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Getting back on topic, Jazz-congrats on your upgrade. I'm anxious to see the pictures.

Glashub

"Finally, an Acura sculpted front to back with a single theme in mind, rakish, ominous, one step short of menacing. If ever there was a car meant to look sinister in the images transmitted from a Predator drone circling overhead, it’s the 2009 Acura TL. This is brave, and the more we look, the more we see a breakthrough design"

What changed?

saturno_v

Exactly right...I forgot that one....C&D definitely changed its mind...I wonder why....

jazzpicker

Thanks for the replies to the thread.

As far as considering a shawd, there weren't any to consider. Only 7 2012's on the lot, 4 standards and 3 FWD techs. The choice of colors was wonderful (the Eastern European selection) black and graphite. Slim pickings but both colors suited me. I chose graphite.

I bought my 2010 during the time of lots of promotional savings and only paid near 35K (and maybe a little less) for the FWD Tech, it was like buying a loaded Accord. The dealership offered me $29,500 trade in on a discounted 2012 Tech model graphite/taupe. I think the discount was around $3,500. There was no-add on junk, just the straight sticker price of $40,220.00 I paid 4K cash and financed 13K something for 36 months at a very low promotional rate, less than 1%. For me, it was a painless deal as I didn't owe much on the 2010.

The beak hysteria just got out of control. The person that came up with name "beak" really did a disservice to Acura and to a very fine car, the name just stuck. The only people that were really noticing the grill were people on the forums, mostly were complaining younger drivers and some of people at the dealerships. All of the 4th gen cars sold and are in service. I think low sales numbers were a fault of the economy and gas prices rather than the styling of the car, sales will continue to suffer until things improve in the country.

I had more compliments on my 2010 than any other TL that I've owned and I have traded every 2-3 years for many years. The real proof of 2010's value came at the dealership when they snapped up my trade-in. I had no real itch to get rid of the 2010 but the deal was too good to pass up. It's a good time to trade if you can find something to buy.

Little Gator

I have been thinking of selling my TL because I don't use it much with only 6000 miles on it after 2 years. And a few weeks ago, I got a flyer in the mail from my local dealer in north Fort Worth, Texas which very specificly stated that because of the tsuami damage in Japan, they can't get all the cars they want. Because of that, they need 5 more cars like mine, and depending on the car's condition, they would we willing to pay "up to 120% of black book value" to me whether I trade it in or sell it to them. I was secptical of this, but interested so I went in to visit them. My car is perfect without a mark, low mileage, and loaded with tech, 6 sp/mt, and HPT options. If any car would be at the highest end of the appraisel, it would be this car. But with their flyer in my hand which stated they will also write me a check for my car (no trading involved), they proceeded to tell me that the flyer does not say that. I opened the flyer and pointed to the big bold type line stating it, and they continued to deny it. And then, they offered me less than KBB, NADA, or Edmunds book values for an average wear/tear car. I am so amazed I was able not to blow my cool and shout what a insult it was to waste my time to go there and get this treatment of as if I can't even read english. I quietly walked out knowing they will never get one more penny of my money ever.

Stew4HD

^ The dealer you got the flyer from told you that? I would call the GM of the dealer out on that. Isn't there a truth in advertising law?

omaralt

i see those flyers all the time; they're a bunch of promotional BS.. they just want to get you in the door and then they'll lowball you on your car...

congrats on the new car jazz; that was the exact color i initially wanted (graphite on taupe); looks great. congrats

Brew0360

Back on the topic of why people are getting good trade-in values for their cars. The current car market has temporarily shifted to the point the dealerships make more margin on reselling used vehicles than they do on selling brand new ones. The resale value of used vehicles has spiked due to the current economic conditions. Also keep in mind that dealerships receive additional bonuses based on the volume of new car sales for a given period of time. It's a "win-win" for them to put you in a new car and resale your trade-in at a resonable profit.

On your end, you have a brand new car with the leasing/financing clock starting over again. Which brings us back to preference. If you like the 2012 enough to trade in your current TL, there is no better time to do it than right now, especially before the cost of borroworing money increases, which is going to be very soon.