Plan to test drive a 2005 LGT today

I just thought I'd share. I plan on taking a trip to test drive one. It's a manual transmission / 66K miles / Carfax shows it was a corporate car.

 

I'm concerned about the mileage and corporate ownership. Anything I should watch for?

 

(By the way, when I've gotten some time over the last couple of months, I checked out a Certified LGT and test drove two first generation Acura TSXs. Couldn't quite decide to take any home, although I'm still debating a TSX).

Hey I was recently in your situation.

 

I test drove an 06 Acura TL 6speed with 42k miles on it...loved it... then i test drove my mint condition 05 LGT Ltd 5mt and was SOO happy I didn't go with the TL. The TL had it's perks with the 6speed and a little fancier, but the LGT has the leather and the AWD is almost priceless being a daily commuter regardless of snow conditions.

 

I chose the LGT w/ 60k for 14,300 over the Acura TL with 42k for the same price.

Thanks. I'm not sure quite how a long, involved narrowing-down process wound up being between these two models--neither of which I care for as much in their current designs--but it has. The LGT is listed at $14K, by the way.

 

I'm mainly concerned about long term costs and care, especially with a turbo engine. I've never owned a turbo nor a Subaru. Finally I'm hoping to get a chance to take it around some curves to see how pronounced the body roll is and how the shifter feels. The Acura really shined in those areas.

 

 

Edit / update - I just called the dealer before heading out there to make sure it's still there. I was told that they're working a couple deals on it, but he doesn't think it's sold yet. I asked if the deals were their considering an offer or trying to get financing--to see if I should take the trip--but the salesman said he didn't know. Then he thought it may have been someone who is considering it.

 

I'm not sure if the guy's telling me this in the hopes that I'll rush over and pay whatever they ask or if someone's genuinely about to buy the car, but I don't think it's worth a three-hour roundtrip, at least for this car. I'm also not sure if it's the lighting in the photos, but the interior looks a little on the ragged side from some of the shots.

 

http://photos.xigroupauto.com/homenet/4S3BL676756211195_12.jpg

http://photos.xigroupauto.com/homenet/4S3BL676756211195_15.jpg

http://photos.xigroupauto.com/homenet/4S3BL676756211195_18.jpg

I'm also not sure if it's the lighting in the photos, but the interior looks a little on the ragged side from some of the shots..

It does look like it's had a few rough years under it's belt.

 

 

And where in the hell did that one guy find an '06 TL 6-spd with 42k miles for $14,300????? Salvage title?? lol. My dad just traded in his '05 TL with 100k miles and they gave him $9500 on a trade (he bought an '08 TL), and then they listed it for $12,500. An '06 TL 6-spd w/ 42k miles for $14 and change is INSANE. Should have jumped ALL over that.

Maybe he'll let us know. I know an area Acura dealer had a certified TL 6-spd MT for close to $30K. I can say I looked at two TSXs, a 2006 with 37K miles for $17K with paperwork fees on the high side (originally listed at $18K; it's gone now), and a 2007 with a little under 27K for $18.6. The 2007 desperately needs new tires, which may be why the test drive left me somewhat underwhelmed, but at least I could try it out more.

 

I could only take the 2006 TSX around a 25MPH-zoned block, but I did get the guy to let me take it into a vacant lot to try a little hard braking/quick turns. I also avoided a deer on one of the side streets.

 

Anyway, I'm passing on this LGT. Maybe someone's about to buy it and will show up here.

Maybe he'll let us know. I know an area Acura dealer had a certified TL 6-spd MT for close to $30K. I can say I looked at two TSXs, a 2006 with 37K miles for $17K with paperwork fees on the high side (originally listed at $18K; it's gone now), and a 2007 with a little under 27K for $18.6. The 2007 desperately needs new tires, which may be why the test drive left me somewhat underwhelmed, but at least I could try it out more.

 

I could only take the 2006 TSX around a 25MPH-zoned block, but I did get the guy to let me take it into a vacant lot to try a little hard braking/quick turns. I also avoided a deer on one of the side streets.

 

Anyway, I'm passing on this LGT. Maybe someone's about to buy it and will show up here.

What about the exterior of the car, or engine bay? The condition of the interior throws up a few red flags for me, but is nothing that a little elbow grease and some cleaning couldn't handle. It's really just the drivers seat and steering wheel that look a little rough. On the plus side, it's got the black interior.

It looks like there's a tear in the back, too. The exterior photos look ok, but it's tough to tell much. That's why I planned on checking it out and driving it today. I may be being too picky, but if a salesman can't give a straight answer on whether or not it's available and won't bother to find out, I'm not really interested in playing any games. I might if this were an excellent condition Spec B at a reasonable price, but it's not.

 

Also, the car is at a major brand dealer, and I thought these types of businesses typically do as much clean-up as they can, at least for anything over $10K. At any rate, it's not so much the condition of the interior that worries me as much as my interpreting that as being doubtful the driver bothered to put much care into it, particularly premium gas or regular oil/fluid changes.

 

http://photos.xigroupauto.com/homenet/4S3BL676756211195_2.jpg

hold out for 'the one'

 

it's worth the wait

^+1!

 

As for the TL I mentioned earlier in this post... i got some of the numbers wrong.

 

2004 TL - 47k miles. The link is below, but I went to test drive it and the interior was extremely beat. Leather worn, little "pen tip" dings in the aluminum trim, just not a well kept interior at all. When I test drove it, they dealer had a price of 14,700 and when we were there, we talked him down to 14,300 and he wouldn't budge below that, even when we walked right out the door. This was b4 I found the LGT I'm in now, but I'm SO glad I didn't go with the TL, I would've been sooooo pissed. It's funny now b/c the internet price on the car is 13,995 and that's what the guy said he "Definitely could not do"

 

I am not endorsing this dealer by posting the link, I am in fact doing the opposite. The guy was not a fun guy to deal with, and the fact that he now has the car listed for $300 below what we thought was the "price floor" just makes me even more pissed...

 

http://www.rt13cars.com/inventory.php?id=2638270

Thanks. I plan to, especially since I drive a lot and tend to keep cars for a long time. My current car is a 2000 with close to 157K miles, and I plan on keeping it.

 

I also just got an e-mail saying the car is available. I won't even have a day with enough time to make a trip out for another week. So, nah. He had the chance to give an answer yesterday when I could have gotten out there.

 

Black Rain - That makes sense with the TL. I've not been tempted by anything in the Acura line other than the RSX-S and 1st gen TSX--well, except for the older Integra and Legend--since I'm more interested in performance than luxury.

 

The TL photos remind me of this - am I the only one who recoils at opening a hood and seeing a collection of plastic covers? The one in the Legacy isn't bad and the yellow caps are especially nice still, but after seeing so many of covered engines it was especially nice to open the TSX's hood and see an engine, belts, fluid reservoirs, everything.

^+1!

 

As for the TL I mentioned earlier in this post... i got some of the numbers wrong.

 

2004 TL - 47k miles. The link is below, but I went to test drive it and the interior was extremely beat. Leather worn, little "pen tip" dings in the aluminum trim, just not a well kept interior at all. When I test drove it, they dealer had a price of 14,700 and when we were there, we talked him down to 14,300 and he wouldn't budge below that, even when we walked right out the door. This was b4 I found the LGT I'm in now, but I'm SO glad I didn't go with the TL, I would've been sooooo pissed. It's funny now b/c the internet price on the car is 13,995 and that's what the guy said he "Definitely could not do"

 

I am not endorsing this dealer by posting the link, I am in fact doing the opposite. The guy was not a fun guy to deal with, and the fact that he now has the car listed for $300 below what we thought was the "price floor" just makes me even more pissed...

 

http://www.rt13cars.com/inventory.php?id=2638270

thats car dealers for ya. They usually put a "floor" of $500 over what they have into it. As time goes on they need to get rid of it they chip into that until eventually they are just breaking even to get it off the lot. Depends on how long the car has been there. I went to buy a car at a dealer where it was on the lot for 270 days. They sold it to me at a $1000 loss just to ditch it. Figures, bc the turbo blew on my way home and I returned it. Then I went to look at one that was only on the lot for 20 days and they wouldnt budge $.01 from the listed price.