CraigMacDTA

If I sold a car to someone and they asked me to "throw in" a set of winter mats on the spot at the time of delivery, I might get a little annoyed too. It puts us in an uncomfortable spot, especially since WE aren't the ones who decides this, so either way, we look like the cheapskates meanwhile we look like idiots when/if we bring this up to our sales manager. It's not a fair request - make it part of the negotiation process and 99% of the time, it'll get done - what's signed is signed, anything extra after that has to be bought through parts separately.

cp3117

Obviously by the article, Acura Corporate and the dealers feel it needs to be done if they want to achieve Tier 1 status. If not then they will stay where there are at the same luxury level as Cadillac, Buick, Lincoln, Volvo, etc.

Whats funny is that even one dealer group in that article owns 4 Acura dealerships and even he doesnt consider Acura luxury yet.

You must of missed this... "Acura has formed a 25-person team of executives to define how it will achieve Tier 1 luxury status. John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile operations at American Honda, heads the team."

Maybe your right and i don't know "Jack", but if that is the case than Acura Management (by your judgement) must be really REALLY stupid then.

I have never sold Audi or any German brand for that matter. (Not sure where you got that from)

Thats what i have been trying to get across.....that its MY OPINION. Unfortunately when you dont like someones opinion here at Acurazine you get all defensive and start name calling and accusing people of things. Once again you may not like the articles i posted but the quotes where from actual dealer principles and Acura corporate officials that support my opinion.

Really i dont need to prove anything to you. If you want proof that i have said positive things about Acura, my previous posts are there to look at just like anyone else's. I have several times complimented people on their new purchases and even encouraged them to purchase an Acura model over another brand etc.

Sometimes you make some great posts Winstrol but as others have mentioned here at Acurazine you "carry the flag" or are a "die hard" Acura fan all of the time. While thats fine you should realize that some of here are generally enthusiasts and can see the good and bad in any brand. When someones opinion doesnt match yours you shouldnt resort to calling people names or falsely try to discredit them.........Your last word in your post again solidified what i mentioned in the last paragraph of my previous post.

winstrolvtec

Key words, "by the article". Tier 1 is not all about the dealership and there is nothing wrong with where they are. It's funny cause the dealer will say he doesn't think it is luxury cause he is the one who is disappointed by the lack of Tier 1 movement to that point having just opened an expensive brand new dealership and the article just so happens to date back to when the industry took it's first big hit ever. If the opposite were true we would have heard him singing a completely different tune. What do you expect him to say? Try to be more objective.

The article which is a form of the authors opinion voices one guys bitter, unobjective opinion and you try to base your opinion on those, while everything you need is right in front of you in the real world to form your own valid one.

BMW is as so called Tier 1 as it gets yet they can barely post a profit, what good does that do? We can argue all day about where Acura fits on a luxury level but luxury is luxury no matter how you slice it and they are the fourth best selling luxury brand whether you want to put them in a Tier 1 category or not. Tier 1 doesn't mean you get to sell more cars, make more money or be the best at anything, it's just a perception and Acura dropped it for those same reasons. For what it's worth so called Tier 1 Audi and the closer to Tier 1 Infiniti wish they sold as many cars as Acura. I bet they would trade the Tier 1 for more sales right about now.

They did that, as in past tense, over a year ago, check the date on the article. They had a Tier 1 goal in mind before they had all the details ironed out. They have pretty much dropped that for reasons I have already discussed. It is always a good idea to research and plan to see just how much time, effort and money is required to better yourself but if it puts all the chips on the table when you don't know how good a hand you have yet, it's called gambling. What would have been stupid is to fully chase a Tier 1 dream head on simply because of perception at this time in this market.

I accused you and called you names? Interesting. If I recall I questioned your opinion which was a pretty lame one to make with regards to the thread topic and OP's individual situation. It was you who questioned me, I have a right to defend myself.

No you don't but I will keep my eyes and ears open as I always do.

I make great posts all of the time, if you don't like what you are hearing then of course it won't be such a great post now will it? Naturally that is more of YOUR OPINION. Regardless of what you think I know the good and bad in Acura as well as every other brand, remember I actually buy and own them. I will be the first to tell you the bad about it if it is more than just an opinion and it is objective. Here's where you went wrong.

Honestly is that necessary? Everything else you put in that post is good but you had to add this, as if that never happens at any so called Tier 1 dealer. One dealer, one salesman and one sales experience does not speak for the whole brand and has nothing to do with defining automotive luxury, I don’t care what you read, what you think or what your opinion is, it’s still wrong.

cp3117

Wow, the arrogance is unbeilevable.

I love how you keep making yourself look around here.

As i said earlier, many people here see you as a Fanboy and that is fine as every forum has them and needs them to some degree.

I am glad for you that you think you make great posts all of the time and that everyones opinion here now is wrong and cant have one if it doesnt match your little world.

I wont even touch on the rest of your post as your so flustered you dont realize there are two different dealer principles in that article making comments and your not even talking about the right one. Once again spinning things around because you cant handle the facts of the article.

I dont think we need to continue this conversation as your lack of maturity is really starting to show now.

Kandiru

To be continued....

winstrolvtec

I tried to leave it alone but whatever, I'm bored. Kandiru practically begged me so here goes. It's not a matter of being flustered it is a matter of the article you reference being completely one sided. It is a representation of the author's views as well as concerned Acura dealer owners and management.

I am mistaken not because I don't like what it says or can't handle what is in it or because I am trying to twist anything around but because I got the point of the article basically from the intro and title alone. I don't hang on every word and if you didn't hang on every word I say in attempt to make me look bad you would have also gotten my point which in spite of me misconstruing one detail still remains. Whether it is one dealer owner or manager or another, the auto economy tanked it at the same time the article was written and the first thing the dealer people do, on all levels, is criticize the product.

This is no different than any other sales industry. Every dealer is already disappointed by sales in general due to the economy and now the TL, their bread and butter, is not that anymore. Does anyone expect them to say anything different when taking those things into consideration? I bet despite that there are some dealers out there still doing well from the brand and TL sales. I would like to hear what they have to say to along with that, maybe the author should have checked out the North Eastern side of the country too, Acura’s main market, I am sure he could have found at least one. It would have made a more balanced article.

Still makes for an interesting read to see how a "select few" people in the business of selling cars, specifically Acuras "feel" and just what their "opinions" are but I don't see many "facts" in the article that you mention. One that I did find was incorrect, the author calls the new TL a compact.

Just like with every other brand and those who own dealers for them, their guys are not official brand representatives or executives. They all want to reap the benefits of the product and are the first in line to pretend to know what's really going on but if sales and the brand start hurting they can't wait to jump ship.

A few that we often see here really seem to stand by the product they sell and I guarantee those few are successful at it no matter what. A really good salesman on any level knows how to sell with no excuses, period. Those in the article are typical and it's no wonder they are bitter towards Acura, they are too busy making excuses and pointing the finger to actually concentrate on how to adapt to the market and new product to actually sell anything. The dealers can complain, bitch, piss and moan all they want but the reality is the real Acura knows that they should be careful what they wish for and will be better suited with the devil they know than the devil they don't, especially right now.

On the other hand the article even suggested that a part of why Acura may not be following through as strongly with Tier 1 as they may have liked is because many dealers are not willing to invest the money in upgrading facilities in a down market, so while a few did (as far as we know really only one) and they are pissed they should try and remember where they got at least some of that money to invest in upgrading in the first place.

Love how you question my maturity but make a false comment about Acura as a brand, on Acurazine nonetheless, over one customer that didn't get extra floor mats, which started the whole thing anyway.

Gladly, I will admit that Acura is not what is so called Tier 1 and although IMO they are the best with all things considered for their price point and they excel in many areas outside of that too, they are not the best luxury brand on all accounts, such as when it comes to things like the best material quality, build, and prestige but that doesn't mean they don't make good competitive products in the segments in which they compete and doesn't mean they are not a luxury brand. If you can at least admit that much then I see no reason for further discussion.