Legend2TL

Wow, the IS numbers have really improved over the last few years. I thought Lexus would have dropped the IS when the 1G sales numbers were much lower than the ES.

I'm really surprised to see how low the CTS is, and how well the TL is doing in this segment. If they restyle the frotn-end I wonder how much it could improve?

Legend2TL

+2, and I don't even like the 4G styling!

BEAR-AvHistory

Interesting...I bought my BMW & two of my daughters bought theirs so I was not aware of the lease numbers.

It would be interesting to see the numbers, just how can you find this info out?

One other thought...I have never seen a purchase price add for a Acura, only lease numbers are published in the papers & on TV even back in 2006 when I bought mine. Why do you think that is?

SpicyMikey

I agree. Just got done car shopping between the 328i, G37, IS250, and TL. Fully loaded up versions of each were comparably priced except the 328. Best dealer I could do was $650/month on a $42k 328i. Money factor sucked. No dealer incentives in July. How the eff do they keep blowing those cars out the door? Wasn't even that fast. Handling was superior but that's about it. Do that many people just buy the badge?

SpicyMikey

Like I mentioned in my last post BEAR, I just got done shopping for a new car for my daughter to start college. The 328 was not a good deal right now. I was quoted $650/mth on a 15k 36m lease. I know the dealership manager and that was with him making around $1000 on the car. The MF is not that good and there's no dealer or consumer assistance right now. Actually ended up buying an IS250. Loaded up MSRP was $40k. Got it for $518/mth on a 15k 36m lease. The MF is ridiculous right now at 0.0004. The residual is dropping but still a respectable 50%

I suggested she get a TL because it's still the best car in that price range (IMO) but she didn't want it. Not cute enough I guess. The IS is definitely a chick car. I can't argue with her there.

PetesTL

Of course they buy it for the badge! BMW and Mercedes represent Status and Prestige the world over.....obtaining a BMW or Mercedes means you've made it.....and it doesn't matter if you're in the USA, Europe or China.....and it's been that way for decades. I'm sure a good deal of those leasing BMW's most likely can't afford to purchase the car so they end up leasing it. BMW and Mercedes are status symbols. Acura is not....and never will be. And people like status symbols.

Sonor Kid 2

Pete, I hate to pick on you but you are completely wrong here.
You're going to make an assumption about every buyer of these cars? That's the most ridiculous statement you could possibly make.
Mercedes and BMW make some of the best cars in the world, period, so it's not just the badge which may account for their sales to a degree.
It's also wrong that you make the assumption that the buyers can't really afford them so they lease them, where did you come up with that data?
Acura is a status symbol as well by your argument, otherwise you would have purchased an Accord.........I'll leave it at that.
Who cares who leased and who purchased anyway, my Acura TL is leased but there are psecific financial reasons why I chose that route.

SpicyMikey

Agree. leasing is generally no cheaper or expensive than purchasing. Just another way of financing the car. I do both. It depends on the deal. Sometimes a manufacturer will offer killer lease offers without doing the same on the finance/purchase side. Also, if you own a business (as I do) the tax benefits favor leasing since you can write off the entire years lease payments rather than just the sales tax and a predetermined depreciation schedule set by the IRS.

BMW's tend to be leased more often because BMW typically offers great lease programs with high residuals. That also happens to be true with Acura. Usually leasing is better than buying for Acura's. That is NOT the case with MB. Their lease deals stink.

SpicyMikey

I don't really see BMW or MB as a status symbol in itself. I see specific cars in those brands that way. When I see an SLR go by I say WOW there's a $500k car and I'm jealous! When I see a C300 go by I yawn and say, there goes another overpriced $32k shit box with vinyl seats.

Having said that, I agree many do see those badges as more of a status symbol. I was just surprised to the degree it may be true after seeing those July numbers and knowing the current finance and lease offers BMW had on the table.

Pitman

Wait, are we really comparing a 4G TL aka Grill with the G37. That's a laugh.

BTW, if the 3-series aren't separating their coupe sales from their sedans, why is Infiniti?

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I don't know about others but I think BMW should separate their coupe sales from their sedans. I think Infiniti is doing the right thing by separating the two. Kudos to Infiniti for that.

4G Express

How can cars with reliability as terrible as BMW and Merc be amongst the best cars in the world? I don't understand it. It's somehow okay for my pals 5 series to lose a fuel pump 3 months into its lease but my lowly Accord with 200,000 miles on never needed anything more than standard maintenance.

I dont see the difference between a (comprably optioned) C class a 3 or a G37 being any more or less a status symbol than my TL. Same ball park price range and ultimately status is determined by the sticker.

YetiTL

I'll throw my 2 cents here. I think it's mostly due to the fact that most well-to-do and richier ppl tend to be older and they gravitate toward the german brands and luxury american ones because they grew up with those brands being the luxury brands». I think a huge part is due to pure demographic so it's mainly generational.

My friends and co-workers who are around 20-40 years old know that Acura, Infiniti and Lexus are luxury brands and they are informed about the models, prices, performances because they love and grew with japanese cars as much as the german or american ones. As for the older folks, they didn't grew up with Acuras, Lexus or Infiniti.

I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years, the story repeats itself with newer brands...

This is only my 2 cents, not a sociological case study...
-YetiTL

winstrolvtec

Yep and the older still remember how Honda was just a simple econobox brand that slowly started cutting into the US automotive industry as did other Japanese automakers. No matter what these brands do they will always be viewed from that filter of econobox to many of these close minded individuals. Too bad for them.

Sonor Kid 2

You guys are still off base in my opinion, the reliability of a fuel pump isn't the basis for the discusion here. You can't compare the Acura line up as a whole to the BMW or Mercedes line up as a whole was my point, take a look at some of the cars the German's are making from top to bottom and compare.
I'm considering a BMW 3 series myself, I like my current TL but my lease is up in 12 months and don't care for the new TL personally to be honest.
So I'm sure there are others in the market thinking the same thing which may account for the higher numbers not to mention the 3 series is consistently rated the best car in it's class.

SpicyMikey

The 3 series is their best car for sure. It handles great. Get the turbo charged 335 and you're in for some fun. Unlike MB the reliability and build quality is very good. They're pricy for what you get, but in spite of that, they sell a ton of these cars and no one can touch them in sales numbers these days.