Back at the end of 2010, Acura teamed up with W hotels to offer Starwood points for test driving a car.
It wasn’t as lucrative as the 10,000 British Airways points for test-driving a Jaguar back in 2003 — especially because BA offers family accounts, lots of people could test drive (or just get a form signed at teh dealership) and then pool their miles towards a single award. It was put most succinctly at the time by the world-famous Pudding Guy (who was memorialized in the Adam Sandler film Punch Drunk Love) as “Test Drive a Jaguar, Fly to Europe!”
But it was still pretty good!
This evening, Mike left a confusing comment on my post from 2010.
I just took it to a dealership acura in tustin, ca and was told they did not have all the stuff yet for the promotion and were not able to offer it yet. They are going to call me once they are ready so they say…
And I was about to write back something like, “Umm.. this post is two years old!”
But boy wouldn’t I have felt silly… so I clicked on the link from that post to the Acura Rewards website and found that the promotion was live again!
You get an Acura Rewards card at a W Hotel, and then bring it to an Acura dealer for a code (that you’re supposed to get after completing a test drive, though my hunch is that salesmen would be happy to just give you the code if you aren’t a serious buyer rather than waste their time taking you on the road… at least that was my experience with the 2003 Jaguar promotion).
Then you enter that code on the Acura Rewards page, and select your reward — 2000 Starwood Starpoints or a $50 American Express gift card — plus you’ll be entered to win a trip to the 2013 Sundance film festival.
The offer is open to US residents 21 years old and above only, and runs through October 15.
There’s a limit of one set of Starpoints or gift card per person and per household. They promise fulfillment within six weeks but I’d advise keeping copies of everything, two years ago there were complaints about having to follow up to get points.
Who can organize a few codes?
how does one get the rewards card at the hotel? Do you have to stay?
Gary,
The timely comment by Mike is extremely necessary to bring up the blog format….please for the love of god change the format of your blog posts in order to show the YEAR in which the post was made. Ideally, implementing this retroactively would be most beneficial. Right now, readers of your blog don’t know if a post you made on August 30 was from 2012 or from 2002 (or any other year for that matter).
@Scott for what it’s worth the year is in the URL of each post
I did this back in 2010 and a stay wasn’t required.
The stealership didn’t require me to drive. They simply gave me the dealer code.
Not sure if it was because I wasn’t a serious buyer or because we received 1.5 ft of snow that week in december.
Thanks.. Does it mean that you go up to the front desk and ask for an Acura Rewards card? We have one in Austin..
Back in 2010, the dealer used to give their dealer code (which I got after I did an actual test drive :-)) and that was a 6 digit code.
The current promo form asks for a “test drive” code and there is space for 8 characters. Per FAQ, we need to go with a physical card and the dealer will place a physical “sticker” on the card from sheets of stickers that the dealers have been provided. This makes me believe that there will be unique codes on each sticker.
Now the dealer may be willing to give you a sticker without a test drive 🙂
Hmmmm,
Need to pop down to Hoboken with the DW.
Anyone willing to send a card in a SASE?
If the USAir GS comes out this will get pulled early for sure!
I am a block away from the W Hotel in Scottsdale now and see what’s up!
Hi Angelina, any more insights?
I just came back on my bike. Rode up to the W Hotel Westwood (Los Angeles) and, even though I called earlier and the front desk told me I could pick one up one of the cards at the concierge’s desk, the concierge was clueless. But then she went to ask the lead front desk agent who gave her about 50 cards which she brought back to her desk and handed me one. I will go over to Acura in Santa Monica within the next week. Have done similar offers and the car salesmen prefer to not go on the test drives so I tell them ahead of time that, as far as I am concerned it is fine if they just authenticate my card.
Any idea for those of us not close to a W?
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/directory/hotels/all/detail.html
for W Hotel location..
nothing in Houston for us.
If anyone finds an answer to Sice’s question if you could share that answer it would be appreciated. Thank you.
So, what’s the deal if you live close to a W? I’m in NYC so have options nearby. Can I just walk up to the desk and ask for a card?
Just walked up to the desk at the downtown Chicago W and the woman happily gave me a card, no questions asked. 🙂 Now if there was just Acura dealer in the city…
Confirm, success. The concierge did not know anything, but front desk was helpful. Technically this is for hotel guests.
Harvey,
Very curious to find out if you got your miles posted.
If so, please post here or email me at mcarey63@outlook.com as I’m in LA and would do this as well.
I called the Acura desk at the W New York and was told that the offer was for hotel guests only. Apparently, you get a card when you check in. When I said that I would have to call Acura and check into the policy, the clerk suggested that I ask for a card at the desk anyway. I guess they may turn a blind eye to the rule. You are obviously likely to patronize a W hotel if you collect Starwood points. And I’m actually an Acura owner who would test-drive the car with a view to up-grading my vehicle, so I *do* hope they honor my card request.
Yesterday I headed to the W in Scottsdale, AZ and I was told that the cards are only given out in the keysleeves for guests. Each location only has a certain # of offer cards they give out and they contain a unique code. I was able to convince her to give me a card, but she wouldn’t give more than one. Next step – find Acura dealer for sticker.
I wonder if it is worth driving 26 miles to the W in Seattle for 2,000 Starwood points? At least the Accura is sort of on the way home. I love Starwood points, but it seems a little crazy spending so much time and gas money for 2,000 of them.
Sent an e-mail to the concierge at a W hotel.
They replied promptly, with good news. I am expecting two Acura Rewards cards to arrive in the mail soon!
That was easy… 🙂 Thanks Gary and Mike!
@ Jarred, Which W hotel did you email?
Thanks!
Just walked into W Hotel Washington, smiled to the young lady at the front desk and politely asked for the Acura redemption deals card. She was very nice and gave me one. Now off to Falls Church, VA Acura dealership in the next few days to ask for a dealership sticker.
Are you guys going for the 2,000 SPG points or the $50 AMEX card?
If you are going for the 2,000 SPG points, can you please enlighten me as to why that is better than $50?
Please check before you go to Acura dealership, as of week or so ago, the dealership had not yet received the promotional material. Also, the Promo material is not the same as Dealer code. I was given that initially and it did not work
@amusing, I agree. Went to my Acura dealership last night, and no one there knew what I was asking about. Said they need to talk to the “general sales manager” and that I should check back.
Success in Oakland, though the dealership had the nerve to actually make me go through with the test drive 🙂
Jarred, which W did you sent your e-mail request to. My nearest W is 200 miles away.
It would be better if the comments and original posts had dates on them.