Acura of Peabody announced in early March that customers purchasing a 2009 TL through March 31st will be eligible for a special two payment program. Acura of Peabody will make the first 2 payments up to $500 per month totaling $1000 total contribution.

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Acura of Peabody announces today that customers purchasing a 2009 TL through March 31st will be eligible for a special two payment program. Acura of Peabody will make the first 2 payments up to $500 per month totaling $1000 total contribution.

An offer this good is hard to pass up. The dealership boasts over 65 new TL’s in stock. The all new TL has a brand new design and follows in the tradition of a performance vehicle with technological advancements that could only come from Acura.

Additionally, Acura of Peabody has substantially low financing available on the new TL. With rates starting at just 2.9% and lease prices starting at $399 per month, it’s no wonder the TL has become one of the most desirable vehicles to purchase in this unsteady economy. Acura of Peabody is dedicated to financing their customers and providing aggressive lease campaigns. The two payment program is unique to Acura of Peabody but will only last through the end of March.

For an even greater punch, the dealership is offering customers the opportunity to win a weekend getaway in Stowe, Vermont. There is no purchase necessary and all it takes is a visit to the Peabody area Acura dealership to register.

“We want to make dreams of owning a new 2009 Acura a reality. We hope Acura consumers will take advantage of the 2 payment program…it’s a great deal,” says Joel Avery, General Manager at Acura of Peabody.

Additional model specials are also available through March 31st. Contact the Acura sales department at sales@acurapeabody.com today for a quote.

Acura of Peabody on the North shore offers the largest selection of Acura cars at great prices. They also have an award winning service and parts department. Acura of Peabody has been serving the Massachusetts and New Hampshire community since 1994. To schedule an Acura test drive, call 978-532-9110 or visit http://www.acurapeabody.com

[Source: WebWire]

Acura National Headquarters announced that Crest Acura has earned the Precision Team Dealership of Distinction award for 2008. Dealership of Distinction is the highest honor awarded to Acura dealerships for achieving exceptional standards of excellence in client satisfaction, training and facility operation. This is the 3rd time Crest Acura has earned this prestigious award.

Dealership of Distinction status is based on achieving all objectives established for the Precision Team program. All criteria are established to enhance the client experience; most measures are based on actual client feedback and survey scores. To achieve success in the program, a total commitment to excellence by the entire dealership team is required. More than 260 Acura dealerships participated in the 2008 Precision Team program; Crest Acura is among the 60 to earn Dealership of Distinction status.

“The entire Crest team should be very proud of this outstanding achievement. Everyone at the dealership worked very hard this year with 2008 Precision Team in mind,” Crest’s GM Jim Barr said.

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced vehicles, including the RL luxury sedan, TL performance luxury sedan, and the TSX sports sedan. For more information about these vehicles and the rest of the Acura line, visit crestacura.com or stop in to 737 West Genesee St., Syracuse.

[Source: CNYLink]

Cleveland, OH – Visitors to the Auto Show will enter a new automotive era of innovation and technology. It’s the next generation of hybrids, advanced fuel cells, and electric plug-ins – a showcase of what’s new and what’s next. One vehicle featured in this year’s show, the Acura TL, has been named Official Car of the 2009 Cleveland Auto Show.

All show attendees can enter to win this award-winning car touted as the most powerful Acura ever built. It received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Top Pick for 2009,” and offers a combined EPA rating of 21 mpg. The retail value is approximately $35,000!

Auto Show 2009 Chairman and owner of Motorcars Acura-Volvo, Dick Marcellino says, “We are thrilled to be awarded Official Car of the 2009 Cleveland Auto Show. We are confident the 2009 Acura TL will impress show goers with this sixth-generation (ahem…fourth generation) TL that serves up performance in an audacious new look. And someone will win this fabulous car at the Cleveland Auto Show!”

Show attendees can enter to win the new 2009 Acura TL at the I-X Center, February 28 – March 8. Ten daily finalists will be chosen, but only one lucky winner will have the key that unlocks the door. The Grande Finale will be held on the final day of the Auto Show, Sunday, March 8th at 5:00pm.

Following the Official Car giveaway, the remaining nine finalists will have an opportunity to win one year of natural gas for their home or business, provided by IGS Energy – a $2,000 value.

Entrees can also be mailed to: Auto Show Official Car Giveaway, 10100 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, Ohio 44141. Mail-in entrees must include name, address, phone numbers, email address, and age. You must be at least 21 years of age to enter. Additional contest details are available at www.clevelandautoshow.com, or by
calling toll free 1-866-291-1415.

$2 Off Auto Show coupons are available at over 300 Northern Ohio new-vehicle dealerships (while supplies last). The discount coupons can be redeemed at the Auto Show Box Office toward all regular admissions during show hours. The list of Northern Ohio new-vehicle dealerships can be found online at www.clevelandautoshow.com.

Parking is free. And, all paid box office ticket holders receive a free souvenir program – a $5 value.

The Show is open to the public February 28 – March 8. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for Seniors and $10 for preteens.
Children 6 and under are free. Tickets are available online at www.clevelandautoshow.com. Hours of operation are Friday & Saturdays 11am to 11pm; Sundays 11:00am to 8:00pm and Monday through Thursday 12:00pm to 10pm.

The Auto Show’s toll free information hotline is 1-866-291-1415. General Show information is also available online at www.clevelandautoshow.com.
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[Source: Cleveland Auto Show (pdf)]

Bridgewater Acura of the Bill Vince Auto Group recently was named the No. 1 Certified Pre-Owned Acura Dealership in New Jersey for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year.

Bridgewater Acura earned the honor by selling 553 certified pre-owned Acuras in 2008, almost 100 more than in 2007 and about twice as many as the second-place CPO Acura dealer.

Those numbers were good enough to secure Bridgewater Acura a ranking of fourth in the entire country for CPO Acura sales in 2008, General Manager Mike Galietta said.

For more information, call 877-70-ACURA or visit www.bridgewateracura.com.

[Source: MyCentralJersey.com]

Recently, J.D. Power and Associates surveyed verified owners of three- to five-year-old vehicles to measure their satisfaction with dealer service. As part of the 2009 Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, consumers were asked to rate their dealer’s service department in five areas:
•    Service quality
•    Service initiation
•    Service advisor
•    Service facility
•    Vehicle pickup

Lexus propelled itself from 4th to 1st in a year, and they were followed by Jaguar, BMW, Cadillac and Acura respectively.

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Ron Tonkin Acura has earned the Precision Team Dealership of Distinction award for 2008, the 17th time the dealership has earned Acura’s highest award.

Criteria for the award include customer satisfaction, employee training and sales and service.

Some 260 Acura dealerships nationally took part in the competition, with 60 earning the Dealership of Distinction award.

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[Source: Oregon Live]

Even though AcuraBoard is a site dedicated to well….Acuras, when it came time for a new car, I test drove several before making a purchasing decision. I knew the car had to be a mid-size sport sedan, with some cool technology, good reliability, and something that would turn a few heads.

When it came time for the test drives, I spent some time behind the wheels of the following cars:

• Infiniti G37x AWD
• Hyundai Genesis 4.6
• Audi A4 3.2
• Cadillac CTS AWD
• Pontiac G8 GXP
• Acura TL SH-AWD
• BMW 528i

I know that these cars aren’t all fair comparisons as they fit into different categories and have varying price points; but each had something that appealed to my own desires that would suffice my daily needs. Without going into in-depth reviews for each of these cars, I can say that they were all very nice rides. If I had to prioritize from most favorite to least favorite, it would probably look something like this:

1.    Acura TL SH-AWD
•    Like- Loved the styling, both interior and yes…exterior. Though I admit when I first saw the ’09 TL pics on the web, I wasn’t thrilled with the grille. However, once I saw the TL in person, I was in awe of the exterior design. Great handling, great ride, SH-AWD is nothing less than amazing, almost all of the tech-gadgetry I “need”, phenomenal crash test ratings by the IIHS and Acura reliability
•    Dislike – MPG is less than I would like and with all the tech stuff, I found a lot of room for improved usability and functionality. While the paddle shifting is nice, it still shifts when it thinks you should. The back seat doesn’t fold down.
2.    Cadillac CTS
•    Like – I’ve always loved GM products and the CTS is no exception. The exterior styling is bold, sporty and classy and the interior is superb. The car handles exceptionally well and there are great incentives to be had now on the CTS
•    Dislike – It’s a “me too” car… when my 70 year old Aunt bought the new CTS, I had to pass
3.    Pontiac G8 GXP
•    Like – Probably one of the greatest bargains in recent automotive history. This is an amazing car with pure brute force, yet a very refined chassis and suspension….undoubtedly best bang for the buck in the performance department.
•    Dislike – since this car was adapted from GM’s Holden business unit, the positioning in the center stack doesn’t meet US requirements for positioning of GPS, therefore there is no GPS as an option. Additionally, while the interior is nice, the quality isn’t at the level that I wanted.
4.    Infiniti G37
•    Like – almost as nice looking on the outside as its 2-door sibling. Good performance and decent technology. Car & Driver 10 Best.
•    Dislike – a pure lift from the Maxima parts bin for the interior components – “me too car” whose price creeps up significantly as you try to comparably equip to the TL SH-AWD Tech…cramped back seat
5.    Hyundai Genesis
•     Like – a gorgeous bootleg of what the child of a BWM and Mercedes would look like. Every luxury amenity you can imagine and the brute force of one helluva V8….undoubtedly best bang for the buck in the luxury department.
•     Dislike – no road feel…the Genesis floats like an old Crown Victoria….couldn’t rationalize spending this kind of money on a Hyundai.
6.    Audi A4
•    Like – nice size, nice exterior styling and a nice handling car
•    Dislike – boring interior, too costly to service

The time between my first test drive and my purchase was about 3 months. Once I settled on the 2009 Acura TL SH-AWD, it was time to find the dealer that would treat me right. Living in the Philadelphia area and having to go to NJ frequently, I corresponded with the following Acura dealers as part of my “interview” process:

• Acura of Ocean
• Clinton Acura
• Metro Acura
• Piazza Acura of West Chester

All of the salesmen at each Acura dealer treated me acceptably; however, there were big differences in the approach each took to their selling process and their individual knowledge of the TL.

•    Acura of Ocean – This was the first dealership that I visited. While I can’t remember the gentleman’s name that helped me, he was extremely professional and acceptably knowledgeable about the new TL. He offered to take me on the test drive, didn’t pressure me for anything, and followed up with me a few weeks later when the SH-AWDs arrived on his lot.

•    Clinton Acura – The salesman that I spoke with was very nice, however, he lacked product knowledge. Nothing annoys me more than a sales person who knows less about the car he’s trying to sell than the customer. As I walked onto the showroom floor he approached me as I said, “great, you have a TL SH-AWD in here” as I motioned to the car in front of me. He replied with, “it’s impossible to tell the difference between the FWD and AWD TLs without seeing the badge on the trunk”. I had to point out to him that the front brake cooling ducts in the front fascia, the 18” wheels and the white stitching on the ebony leather were all characteristics that clearly distinguished this SH-AWD from the FWD flavors of the TL. After this exchange, I clearly expressed an interest in a test drive and he was reluctant, but finally obliged. After the test drive, we exchanged contact info and before leaving, I showed an interest in buying by asking about the price. Even though this dealership had about 2 dozen TLs on the lot, he insisted they were moving quickly and at sticker. I asked one last question before I left; “what is the rear crash test rating on the new TL?” Unfortunately, his reply was, “they don’t do rear crash test ratings anymore”….LAME

•    Metro Acura – This dealership was the least visually appealing (a little run down and dilapidated), but the salesman, Adam, was a stand up guy who knew the TL inside and out and wasted no time getting me into the driver’s seat of a Crystal Black Pearl, with Umber interior, SH-AWD tech. After the drive, I asked about price, and contrary to the previous dealer, Adam said we could be at invoice. Adam followed up with me as requested, however, we couldn’t get the OTD (out the door) pricing where I wanted.

•    Piazza Acura of West Chester – Let me start by saying that I was trading in a Honda and I had always received exceptional service from my Piazza Honda dealership.  I’ve dealt with the management, sales, services and parts departments and every interaction was pleasant, professional and they always went above & beyond my expectations. Because of this, I felt that I owed it to them to give their Acura dealership a shot…and I’m glad I did. My interaction with them started with an early Monday morning phone call where I had the pleasure of speaking with the sales manager, James. James gave me a fair price over the phone and I went to Piazza that afternoon and worked with James and my sales person Mark Hutchinson.

Watch for the next post as I explain the negotiating, purchase and delivery process of my 2009 Acura TL SH-AWD with the technology package.

Acura has often been referred to as the intro luxury brand.  As is evident from the 2009 redesigns of the TSX & TL, its clear that the brand is going in a new, albeit, controversial direction to make all Acuras more than just rebadged Hondas.  Acura is going to great lengths to assure dealers that its striving for tier 1 lux status to be considered as a viable alternative to the likes of audi, BMW and Lexus and Mercedes.

Its going to take a lot more than the new power-plenum grilles and chrome accents to elevate Acura’s luxury status.  Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. said, “the key to playing with the big boys isn’t limited to what’s on showroom floors.  “Being a premium luxury brand is not just about product. It’s the way dealers handle customers. You’ve got to earn your way into the segment. You don’t necessarily have to have a $90,000 sedan to get there.”

Aside from providing luxury service, Acura needs to revive its image car.  Colliver mentioned that work on the NSX replacement is “mostly done,” so even though Honda shelved the V10 supercar to cut costs and keep an even keel during the economic downturn, the NSX could be pulled out of the corporate garage, dusted off and brought to market once conditions improve.

Acura’s entry-level image could help the automaker weather the economic downturn better than its rivals from Germany and Japan, but when the market firms up, Acura will need products (with high-output engines and RWD) at the ready to compete with the stalwarts of the luxury set.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Acura is hoping to win back the pit crew crowd by introducing the “Accelerate” service program for owners.  Services within the Accelerate program will include an oil change, tire rotation, tread checks, brake-pad checks, air- and cabin-filter monitoring, full vacuuming and a car wash for $38.95, with the promise that the whole operation will take less than 47 minutes.  Not only does this sound like a bargain, but if you order a Dominos when you get there, you’ll have 17 minutes to enjoy your large pineapple & ham pizza.

According to Acura, roughly 50% of a dealership’s profits come from parts and services, so it makes sense that they want to give owners more reasons to pass up the quick-lube joint. The program will begin in select dealerships in Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Philadelphia and suburban Los Angeles, but will expand to every dealership by 2011.

[Source: Cars.com]