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Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G37, Acura TL, Lexus IS 350, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac CTS, Volvo S60, Audi A4, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 1230 of 1609

#12288 of 16087 Re: Tires within the ALL Season class (UHP) [billyperksii] by markcincinnati

Oct 14, 2011 (12:20 pm)

Replying to: billyperksii (Oct 14, 2011 9:26 am)
My TL has 245 x 40 x 19"'s which seem adequate -- or, better said, would be adequate if the tires were at least UHP's.
 
I assume Acura chose the RS-A's for two reasons:
 
#1 They got a deal from Goodyear, and
#2 Customers didn't care for the Summer Only rubber that Acura had chosen previously.
 
Too many folks here and on all the other "purpose" sites bitch and moan about the dearth (and death) of manual transmissions. Yet manufacturers, like Acura, in this case, offer them up and 1-3% of their customers acutally buy them. If I were the manufacturer, I would seriously consider dropping something THAT unpopular unless there was virtually no cost to keep them at least in the brochure (since very few dealers will ever stock one of them.)
 
Likewise, other good deeds don't go unpunished -- my 2009 Audi A4 with the 19" sport package came with Max Performance Dunlops -- SUMMER only tires. My dealer claims they never stocked the A4 with that sport package because the customers kept the summer tires on year 'round and had drivability issues or tire damage issues, etc. So, no mo' UPH or higher rated tires, typically -- because of customer disatisfaction. And, for the most part it is hard to find a car in this price range that doesn't come with A/S shoes.
 
The list of other options or combination of options that manufacturers try to bring to the buying public that no one buys keeps on comin' -- so to combat this, the manufacturers bundle as much content as they can (or as they dare) into base, plus and max packages and pretty much disallow a la carte selection.
 
Those that do allow you to add individual options often require that you first pony up for plus or max packages before they let you add your individual choices of extras. Case in point, to get the 19" wheel/tire sport package on an Audi A4, I first had to agree to buy the A4 configured as a Prestige model. No 19" wheels for the proletariat.
 
Acura pissed me off -- a bit -- by not allowing me to select the blind spot warning system unless I went with the Advance designation; now that I have the Advance, I am glad, since I also got the 19" wheels (albeit with crappy tires) and ventilated (heated AND cooled) seats along with the BSW system.
 
Of course every manufacturer here in ELLPS land seems to want you to buy off the lot, rather than order the car and wait for it to be made exactly to your specifications. Hence, we get essentially only two or three "package" choices.
 
I'd like to see more than one tire choice offered to those willing to wait for their cars to be built; I'd also like to have a greater choice of interior and exterior color choices. Why is it that I couldn't get pearl white paint and the umber leather interior, but I could get crystal black with umber? Who's dumbass rule is that anyway?
 
The list of incomprehensible rules regarding how we can configure a $45,000+ car never ceases to amaze. I guess there would have to be some rules -- especially since most of these cars are leased (the residual value of a purple car with a white leather interior would be, after all, low, lower, lowest) -- but if the customer is willing to pay for something (not a one off, mind you) that you are already offering -- just not in that combination -- TAKE THE CUSTOMER's MONEY for pity's sake!
 
Why are back-up sensors NOT a factory option on an Acura TL? My dealer broke the rear bumper (which is, essentially, plastic) trying to install them (since the bumber has to be drilled), then after the bumper was repaired, the bumper had to be specially repainted since I had to be so lucky as to have pearl-effect paint (137 coats or some such thing).
 
The dealer didn't make any money on THAT transaction -- and even they wonder why such a popular option on this class of car is not standard equipment (within the technology or advance packages) or at least a FACTORY installed option.
 
Where was I? What time is it? Oh yeah -- who in the wide, wide world of sports decided to put RS-A's on the top o' the line TL?
 
Drive it like YOU live!
 
 

#12289 of 16087 press request by kirstie_h HOST

Oct 14, 2011 (1:45 pm)

If you focused on telematics (Sync, OnStar, etc) or ignored it completely in your 2011 car-shopping experience, email predmunds.com by Monday, October 17, 2011 and include your daytime contact information.

#12290 of 16087 Re: Tires within the ALL Season class (UHP) [markcincinnati] by billyperksii

Oct 14, 2011 (2:05 pm)

Replying to: markcincinnati (Oct 14, 2011 12:20 pm)
Mark, I had the same problem back in 2009.
I wanted the pearl white with the umber and 19" wheels but it was a rear combination. I stalked every dealer in CT and could not find the car.
Finally this dealer in AVON CT located one and trucked it in (5 miles on the odometer).
I was actually the first customer there that Saturday morning.
Sales person brought the car around (it had factory tints on???)- real NICE.
Here was the problem, they did want to budge off MSRP (according to them, this was a rare find), I told them thank you very much and walked- MAN THAT CAR WAS PRETTY.

#12291 of 16087 BMW 328i with Nav....rearview camera? by me0000

Oct 16, 2011 (6:32 am)

Looking at the 328i with Nav, I didnt notice whether there is a backup camera? Searching the BMW website, I dont see mention of it. I assume that there is not one but does anyone know definitively? thanks!

#12292 of 16087 Re: BMW 328i with Nav....rearview camera? [me0000] by carnaught

Oct 16, 2011 (7:31 am)

Replying to: me0000 (Oct 16, 2011 6:32 am)
None on this current generation of 3-Series.

#12293 of 16087 BMW 3 Parking Distance Control by me0000

Oct 16, 2011 (8:04 am)

can the Parking Distance Control be added at the dealer or is that only a factory option? thanks!

#12294 of 16087 Re: Tires within the ALL Season class (UHP) [markcincinnati] by graphicguy

Oct 17, 2011 (6:44 am)

Replying to: markcincinnati (Oct 14, 2011 12:20 pm)
mark....billy....I have a dealer who I buy my Acura products from (if I'm in the market for an Acura). Any year, any color combo, any equipment level, any model. If they have to find one for me, they will. The deal is a skinny one.
 
Then again, I've bought 3 Acuras from the same dealership, same sales person. It's really simple dealing with them and I always get a good deal.
 
Same way with BMWs. I go to the same dealership, deal with the same salesperson (who's been there for 24 years). If they don't have what I want, they'll do their best to find it (a little bit harder with BMWs, it seems). Again, they always do a skinny deal with no hassle. And, I've also bought multiple BMWs from them.
 
I've never been able to deal with either the local Infiniti dealer, nor the local Audi dealer. Neither likes to do skinny deals...no matter how easy the deal would be.
 
However, driving 50-75 miles in either direction of me, and the Infiniti dealers and the Audi dealers are more than happy to make skinny deals.
 
Go figure.
 
Mark...you know the dealerships (Audi Connection, Infiniti of Cincinnati) I'm talking about. I don't even bother shopping the local Audi dealership anymore when I'm in the market. They don't have a good selection, and all they want to do is order what you might want (or seek it out from another dealer). Then, they make you wait to get it, all the while offering little in the way of a discount for your trouble.
 
The Infiniti dealer usually has good stock, but doesn't seem to like to get skinny on a purchase (Audi and Infiniti dealerships owned by the same principal). Maybe their focus is on leasing. But, I'm a purchase customer, not a lease customer.
 
That diamond white paint on the TL is super expensive. I had to have body work done on my diamond white TL and the shop that did the work said it was a multi-step process, and hard to get right. Hand it to Acura to pull off such a feat on a production car. It is stunning looking, however.
 
billy...I liked that umber interior. I almost bought one with that color. My Acura dealer mentioned that whenever they have those cars with that interior color, they were hard to sell. So, I figured (rightfully or wrongfully) that the umber might ding it come resell time.
 
Mine had "stone" interior, which I liked quite a bit, too.

#12295 of 16087 Re: BMW 3 Parking Distance Control [me0000] by graphicguy

Oct 17, 2011 (6:47 am)

Replying to: me0000 (Oct 16, 2011 8:04 am)
me...I have "park distance control" (PDC)on my 3. I like it....more than I liked the back-up camera on my TL. I can get within 12-18 inches of another car or garage wall just by watching the park distance control in the NAV screen.
 
It was harder to judge distance with the back up camera.
 
I'm certain you have to have BMW's iDrive to get PDC. But, I've never seen an option to add it as a dealer accessory. Call your dealer and ask them.

#12296 of 16087 Re: Tires within the ALL Season class (UHP) [graphicguy] by billyperksii

Oct 17, 2011 (9:15 am)

Replying to: graphicguy (Oct 17, 2011 6:44 am)
I actaully wanted parchment but the AWD Tech did not offered it in2009.
My little ones would have scuffed up the stone, I am in the act of ordering the rear seat covers probably this week.

#12297 of 16087 Re: Tires within the ALL Season class (UHP) [billyperksii] by graphicguy

Oct 18, 2011 (5:58 am)

Replying to: billyperksii (Oct 17, 2011 9:15 am)
Billy....if i still had small children, i probably wouldn't have gone for stone interior. I do like that umber, regardless of its impact on trade-in. It can't be that bad given Acura has offered it for several years.

Messages Page 1230 of 1609

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