mrdeeno

i hope that Acura is looking at what customers are doing and saying "Why are people jumping ship? We should do something!" rather than "We don't need those customers anyway, they don't know what is good for them! We have a gazillion Accord owners ready to move on up!"

my guess is they are unfortunately saying the latter.

dom

mltk53

imo, i believe that the TSX should remain as a 4cylinder. the base should have an upgrade like the hondata and if anything stronger, probably something like a type-s? with turbo w/ sh-awd. i do not wish to see a V6 tsx. i mean thats why theres a TL. I think that the TL is doing pretty darn well. and as for the RL, it juss needs to step up. it needs to step up like how the LS460 did. it needs something thatll stand out and make the RL special compared to its competitors. and the mdx and rdx, no major changes, just probably those little electrical things.

ps, the TSX needs a BUILT-In MP3 CD Player!!! thats all I personally for the tsx. =]

GreenMonster

What dom really means, is that he hopes Acura will come out with a RWD coupe to replace the discontinued CL

Garnet Canuck

Interesting thread. I really hope Acura smartens up a little in the next couple of years. I love the look of the TL and it's a fantastic car.......BUT Acura really needs to have the TL sitting on a RWD platform. I don't know why they are so reluctant to do so when all its competitors are rear drive based.

IMO, the TL is pretty much maxed out for power on a FWD platform. With the 335i, G35, and IS350 all putting out 300+ HP, Acura is going to need to get in the game as well........and I don't think they can if they stick with FWD. It's too bad too, because the TL is such a great car otherwise.

dom

Exactly!

mg7726

i'm with you bro. we don't need a stink'n V6 in this car, but a light 4-cyl and chipped turbo.

LOL! @ Dom

afici0nad0

+1

wishful thinking, but, tuned i4 with FR configuration.

Costco

I think they need to improve on the TSX the most, but that would prove to the most difficult. Putting the torquey K23A1 in the TSX and keeping it FWD... torque steer nightmare. More engineering and parts to tame the torque steer, but at the same time it would be kind of awkward since the K23 has more torque than even the RL, but it could be a radical change that could give them a boost. I think putting in SH-AWD in the TSX as a solution wouldn't be a good idea. More weight for the TSX is not where Acura should be going. Put the TSX on a diet, and bump the power somehow. I know that the TSX is actually a Euro Accord Type-S, but it was supposed to be the successor to the Integra sedan. It is a sporty car, but the fact still remains that it weighs a good 500 lbs. more than its predecessor and from the looks of it, it'll only weigh more for the next FMC. Make it a whole model on its own, or less derived from the Euro Accord. Have a base model and a Type-S maybe?

Then theres the whole thing about giving the TL SH-AWD. They'll be forced to give the RL a V8 then, because if the RL retains its SH-AWD and the 4G TL-S with SH-AWD comes out, it'll steal sales from the RL. Make the RL with SH-AWD standard, and give it a standard V8.

I'd also like to see a TSX-derived sport luxury coupe or something similar in dimensions, but with RWD. Maybe make that coupe a little more upmarket and sophisticated, with 4+ seats, and hopefully it can be a model that will fit nicely between the S2000 and the NSX, assuming that they'll don't radically stray from the original S2000 and NSX formula. Overall, they should start moving into the FR market to further distance themselves from Honda as to really establish Acura as a brand all its own. See Toyota and Lexus.... not comparing the two marques or comparing it to Honda/Acura, but just saying as an example. Some people considered the Integra to be a Honda, and there are even some who think the latest RL resembles a gussied up Accord. Not good. They need to stop with the rebadging... yes, they do it less than Toyota does, but its hurting the marque.

I still think that the TSX should stay FF, but it seriously needs to milk out some more power, yet still remain as light as it is now, or even better, lose some weight, maybe have a Type-S with LSD. But not too many Type-S models as to saturate the name like Chrysler did with their SRTs. Make the next TL a V6 and FR, with a little more power, and introduce the TL-S later as a V8. For the RL, stay SH-AWD, put a V8 in it, but this time, widen the gap in power between the TL-S and RL.

Mokos23

The moral of the story for Acura is better late than never huh?

They should've started doing this stuff back in the mid-1990s with FR and V8. At the time my uncle was going to be an Acura Legend in 1994, but when he heard that it wouldn't be offered in a V8 he looked elsewhere.

Texas

+1

SPUDMTN

Was recently visiting Acura's website to download a new desktop and noticed new commercials for each vehicle (save the TSX) in the lineup--they're pretty good. They caught my attention more than any of their previous TV commercials, and carry the "Advance" theme quite well.

Check out each model's "Photo & Video Gallery" and you are able to view the commercials.

Anyone else agree with me? Does anyone know if they have switched ad agencies?

As a sidenote, I think their website is great. Really blows away the competition, in my opinion.

TSX69

I saw 1 for the RDX last nite as I watched The Family Guy ; later on, there was a commercial for the Civic Si.

I am impressed that they are making commercials for 2 cars that are currently relatively weak sellers & hopefully this is a sign that Honda (especially Acura) is committed to turning things around.

deandorsey

si a weak seller?

F23A4

I do not know the sales number for the Si but I still see very few of them on the road (mostly coupes) than at my local dealership where they have quite a few on the lot (mostly sedans). ......considering picking up a sedan for my son.

laidback93

Do they have a TL-S commercial? I saw the one for the base TL last night.

aesir11

I saw a TL-S one recently.

SPUDMTN

Yup...there is a good TL-S commercial. Was Lexus like, IMO.

I'm a fan of the RL commercial--have not seen it on TV before.

All of them are pretty darned good, to be honest.

Type S Zero

MDX :
- first one : change the road, or change the SUV, i think is very good !
- second one : so-so (engine sound car be well heard though)

TL :
- i think it's good, but not very good

TL-S :
- i think it begins well, like something very nice is coming, but lacks a punch at the end (deception)

RL :
- nice/good, near very good

TSX :
- meh, lacks originality, no narrator makes it weird

RDX :
- 1st is good, simple
- 2nd (laptops) so-so
- 3rd is good
- 4th ain't bad, represents the feature.

Advance ad : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ernHGtKzCyQ
is a good concept (i find that song annoying though lol)

i personnally think, that this commercial :

(engineering is our art)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naPtNSN5r-o

is by far the best one Acura ever made. it's about 8 years old and i still love to watch it.
perfectly chosen music, great lines, images that follow the music.

manufacturers need to get out of the "car" theme a little just like acura did with this engineering is our art, and like that Lexus "Moments" ad (also a great concept, i think it deserves a prize).

Moments : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXmcpHgKqn4

we'll still be able to watch these ads in 10 years saying "wow i still think it's a very good ad !"

(added : this one i find it nice too : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCdCUc7Kwo8, not as good as the engineering or moments, but representative of the company's thought/direction)

subtledreamer

thanks for the links i enjoyed the 'engineering is our art' one as well.

einsatz

The thing I don't like about the MDX commercial they play a lot ("there were two options: change the road or change the SUV) is that in the commercial they show that they're changing the road with hydraulic lifts. So they're telling me they changed the road and not the SUV?

I know what they mean, I'm just saying it could be taken a different way by odd people like myself.

Ikko

Good point!!

Mokos23

I saw a few new MDX's, they're nice especially in black with the unique grill, but I'm not a fan of the rear styling of the new MDX. The new MDX's rear doesn't look as classy or expensive as the rear styling of the older MDX's (imo). One time during the day I mistook the rear of the RDX for the new MDX from about 3 car lengths ahead of me.

stangg172004

ive been noticing some new acura commercials, mainly the TL type s. Ive actually been impressed by Hyundai's commercials, the ones that end with "well you cant win everything"

einsatz

^I have the opposite opinion. I think the new Hyundai commercials border on the absurd.
They are clearly targeting people that can't afford or know about the cars they are comparing themselves to, but it's still silly. Why compare a Santa Fe to an X5 or a LR3? I'd be willing to bet that only 2% of the people considering an X5 or a LR3 are also considering a Santa Fe. Yet their commercials seem to make comparisons between their cars and others that are wildly above their league.

Sure an Accent may have a larger trunk than a F430 but that doesn't mean that I'll go "oh damn, I think I'll skip the Ferrari, save $150k and buy the Accent instead".

Motohip

They market to those that want the BMW, but can't afford one. Not to those that can afford an MB but want to save a few bucks.

Sclass88

I understand what you mean einsatz but like motochip stated, Hyundai is targeting towards those who desire a BMW but just can't afford one.

I've always liked Acura commercials. I think Kia makes some pretty comical ads and Lexus makes very professional and bold statements that speak volumes in theirs.

einsatz

Yeah Yeah, I know... this has all been covered in this thread:
https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/your-opinions-hyundai-commercials-368246/

Mokos23

i keep seeing this current TL commercial with this guy grinning before he steps into his beige TL. he has kind of gay looking shoes though.

TSX69

Acura Tops Dealership Experience Poll
Acura dealerships ranked at the top of a study that analyzed the new car shopping experience. The Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index studied anonymous, planted consumers who looked at cars in April, May and June and reported back on their experience with the salesperson.

Land Rover, Saturn, Jaguar and Volkswagen dealers rounded out the top-five, respectively. A total of 25 car brands finished above average, while 12 finished below average, according to The Detroit Free Press. Those finishing under par included: Kia, Ford, Mazda, Jeep, Chrysler, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Lincoln, Mitsubishi.

The study found that, overall, dealership salespeople don't necessarily fit in the stereotype of trying to oversell their product; rather, the salespeople tended not to give enough information about the vehicles they were selling. Land Rover salespeople were most likely to walk around the vehicle and point out the details for consumers.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Usually they sound like broken record players reading the brochure out loud. Being that I'm into cars, like everybody else on here, it was especially annoying.

However, when I got my TL, the sales lady actually pointed out a couple of things that I did not know about and were not in the brochure. Her stock went up a notch in my book and I bought from her.

Moog-Type-S

When I first read the thread title, I thought it was talking about Acura being #1 in Service (ie Service Dept.) There is no way that would ever be true.

LuvMyTSX

I've actually never had a problem with my current Acura dealer's service dept. I know others on here have, though. However, I did have a small issue with the service dept. from where I bought the car (didn't reconnect the turn signal wire after replacing a headlight and didn't try to resolve it after I brought it to their attention in the service survey).

I actually had more of a problem with my first visit to an Acura dealer back when I was test driving. It's the one closest to my house, unfortunately, but I won't go back. Being a young female, they completely ignored me for over 30 minutes while I walked around the showroom, and then when I finally got someone to talk to, he said they didn't have a car for me to test drive (riiiiiight....). Said they'd call when they got one in.....guess what, they never called and I never went back. I subsequently heard from others that the same dealership was nasty to women in general and even told one lady to come back with her husband. That's not exactly a good way to treat a customer/potential customer.

gocubsgo55

Not suprised to see Land Rover and VW at the top considering Land Rover's plethora of off-road courses to test your course on. My VW dealer has its own special lot seperate from everything else where you can pick which car you want to test drive out of the bunch, and it also helps that they include a fantastic road which incorporates tight turns and long straights into the test drive.

Mokos23

that's ironic i saw that Kia finish subpar considering that whenever they have commercials they're all perky and seem that they have wonderful dealers. kiamatch.com?? pathetic.

LuvMyTSX

I find those commercials incredibly annoying

VANDY

The Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index???WTF??? Yeah I'll be sure to let my potential customers know that we are tops according to this company!

phile

fsttyms1

well the acura dealer i go to has better service dept than the lexus dealer my friend goes to. There is nothing wrong with the one i go to and would recommend it to any one

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

100% back this up. I love my Acura dealer they have always treated me like gold even though I am only 18. I have been told more then once that people have loved taking there cars there for service.

I think the reason everyone here thinks Acura service sucks is becuase its an acura forum so people are going to complain about there Acura service not there service at another dealer. Someone awhile back posted the 10 best dealers for service and Acura was in that top 10.