Older Acura TLs

ed31cincy · May 2005

Had my '04 TL been made with RWD, I would have been even happier with it. I would have gladly shelled out the extra dough for a matching set of winter tires/wheels as I have done for my '95 Camaro.

I am glad this car has traction control. Even with it, it can be a handful off the line and into curves. I have not been brave enough to try it with the VSA off!

liferules · May 2005

Yes, you are correct, it is just some gravel on an otherwise paved road. Traditionally, the FWD cars are more stable that RWD ones as far as tail-spin, etc... however, I doubt there have been many studies of these new FWD power-beasts. I suspect trying to pull 275 or 300 HP thru the front tires may be no more stable than were it RWD. It just hasn't been studied. Certainly, FWD is more stable than RWD for 100 HP cars...

I guess I just notice the FWD deficiencies more because I usually drive AWD and the difference is more apparent...

habitat1 · May 2005

I very much like my TL 6-speed, FWD and all.

However, my previous point was that the TL's performance is absolutely limited by it's FWD set-up. We split time between two homes, one in DC and one in the snowbelt where they had an "average" winter last year with 115" of snow. I would STILL prefer a RWD TL with traction control and VSA to a considerably heavier TL with SH-AWD. At least if the result would be anything like the unimpressive performance of the RL.

At the risk of repeating, AWD, SH and all, still adds weight to a car and generally does not result in a 50/50 weight balance. If I'm going through heavy snow, I'll be in our MDX, not any sedan, period. I'm yet to be convinced that SH-AWD is better than RWD when it comes to handling. "Weigh" the facts and you will likely agree. Even a 330ix doesn't have the balanced nimble feel of a 330i, so it's not a BMW vs. Acura issue.

hoyahenry · May 2005

Do you notice the VSA light on that often?

If the TL had been RWD, I would not have even considered it.

frisconick · May 2005

How much is body-side molding, mud flaps and other assessories?

frisconick · May 2005

Consumer Reports, in their test drive of the TL, said the TL was "deviod" of any pull due to FWD.

frisconick · May 2005

Is there a host that can point me to an accessories tallk?

pat · May 2005

Sure thing! Here is a discussion specific to the TL;

Acura TL Owners: Accessories & Modifications

and we also have a couple of entire boards that might interest you:

Aftermarket & Accessories Board and Speed Shop: Tuning & Modification Board

habitat1 · May 2005

Consumer Reports is not exactly a test driving authority. I can assure you that torque steer in my TL 6-speed is considerably more noticable than on my old 1995 Maxima SE 5-speed (due primarily to the increased horsepower, I suspect).

CU is a decent source of reliability information, but even there they appear to have missed the transmission problems Acura and Honda have had with automatic transmission failures. I would rely on my own test drives for how the car performs and handles for my preferences, and let CU be the judge of how it might feel in the hands of my 70 year old mother in law.

bhelsdon · May 2005

Its called an Air dam. Its purpose is to funnel air up to the radiator. Most cars get the air required to cool the radiator from the bottom of the car rather than thru the grill.

laurasdada · May 2005

As, I believe, that CU bases its reliability ratings on actual consumer (owner) feedback, maybe the tranny issue wasn't as widespread as believed here? Or the CU audience was very lucky with their trannys!

Great car (so far...), the TL.

armand · May 2005

First CU tested the automatic which will tend to have less torque steer than the manual. They also test for the average driver not someone who pushes the car for max acceleration. They are interested in how the car will perform for a famuly type. My '04 TL (auto) has some occasional and very modest torque steer. I would never tell anyone who was going to drive the car is a "reasonable" fashion that torque steer is a problem

xrunner2 · May 2005

let CU be the judge of how it might feel in the hands of my 70 year old mother in law.

Now wait a minute. All of us, with some luck, genes and healthy lifestyles, will get to the 70s. I know of one person, Paul Newman, who raced in SCCA very competently, until early 70s. When I drive around the rich suburbs in my area, I see many persons who appear to be over 70 driving Mercs, BMWs and Porsches. I would like to think that their selections were based on performance more so than on prestige.

armand · May 2005

I am a 71 year old driver of a "04 TL. I have always liked cars with some class. I also own a '05 BMW XiT. But in all honesty I don't drive them like I did 40 years a go.

habitat1 · May 2005

Note that I said MY 70 year old mother in law. She is not going to give Paul Newman a run for his money at the track. Although she does like his salad dressing.

Being that I'm pushing 50 and only reluctantly accepted our 2005 MDX as the first automatic transmission equiped car that either my wife or I have ever owned, I certainly don't think that age and driving enthusiasm are incompatible. Accept my apologies if my post suggested otherwise.

ljwalters1 · May 2005

"MY 70 year old mother in law. She is not going to give Paul Newman a run for his money at the track. Although she does like his salad dressing"

Without weighing in on the substance of this sub-discussion, I just want to say this made me laugh.

highender · May 2005

the second service done...and rotated the tires...

the car only has 12,000 miles...and the dealer said the car needs new tires and brakes...but we just drive it regular....use it to bring the kids to school and run errands...

is this normal ? I would think they would last at least 3 years...and its only been 10 months...

kennynmd · May 2005

Don't have a Tl but sounds like the dealer is trying to pull a quick on on you. 12K miles is not that much. Do you have a performance tires or the all seasons? If you have the performance tires and drive like a madman/madwoman..possibly you do. But if you have all seasons, I can't see how.

bhelsdon · May 2005

It is impossible for the car to need brakes after just 12000 miles, unless something is wrong w/ the car.

Is this the first tire rotation you have done. It is very important that the tires be rotated every 5 to 6 thousand miles. If you wait too long to rotate the tires it will cause cupping on the rear tires and shoulder wear on the front.

kyfdx · May 2005

Well.. I wouldn't say impossible... but highly unlikely on a TL, if it is driven as you say.. If you had the HPT tire option, maybe.. but, if you are on all-seasons, then something smells...

Not that I would let them do the work, but drop by your local Tire Discounters, Tire Kingdom, Costco, or whatever you have in your area.. Don't tell them what your dealer said..

Just tell them you are leaving on vacation soon, and want to make sure your tires and brakes are in good shape... Ask them if they can do a quick inspection.. Most places will do this for free, but even if they charge $30, it will be worth it for peace of mind...

regards,
kyfdx

bodble2 · May 2005

12,000 miles = 20,000 KM up here in metric land. I've seen cars needing new brakes with about 20,000 - 25,000 KM. Depends on how you drive and where you drive. Lots of short, urban trips (ie. driving kids around town) can wear out brakes pretty quickly. So it's not a slam-dunk that the dealer was trying to hose him. Dealers in general tend to recommend new brakes when there's about 15% - 20% life left in the pads. Probably a tad early, but not a total hose job.

ljwalters1 · May 2005

I've got an '04 TL with summer tires and >14k mi. My brakes are working great and no need for new tires. You can examine the tires yourself - check for even tread-wear, and use the penny test. The poster who mentioned the importance of rotating tires was dead on accurate! With your brakes, have you noticed anything?

bhelsdon · May 2005

I am an ASE certified technician and I work on cars for a living. In 15 years of working on cars I have never seen a set of brakes wear out in 12000 miles unless there is a serious problem.

kyfdx · May 2005

With an attitude like that, you'll never get a job with Hans at Porsches R Us....

mpj · May 2005

Does a black (ebony) interior show more dirt that gray (quartz) or tan (parchment)? I am concerned about the dust showing all over the dash and seats.

Is Quartz any better?

ed31cincy · May 2005

I have Ebony in my Redondo Red TL. I would recommend the black. I like gray, but I think it is too light, I prefer more of a charcoal-gray. The parchment or saddle color looks good, but it shows more road tar on the carpet, and heel scratches on the trim in the entry areas of the car. I also think the black or gray interior pieces match better than the saddle or parchment. (I have driven a loaner twice with parchment color, so that's the basis of my opinion).

As you pointed out, the downside of black is that it shows dust much more readily. However, I rather dust once a week versus trying to rub out tar and heel scratches. Just my opinion.

bodble2 · May 2005

Black, or any dark colour, is also very HOT in the summer. It also makes the interior more dreary. I love the camel interior on mine.

ed31cincy · May 2005

Yes, ebony is very hot in the summertime, but I just hit the power door lock button on the key fob and hold it down as I approach the car. The sunroof and all four windows open and it airs out before I get to the car. What a nice feature! Also, on sunny days in cool weather, my interior is just a bit warmer due to the dark color, which helps with my lower back pain.

ljwalters1 · May 2005

I prefer the camel, myself. Another item to consider is that with black and gray interiors, you get hte fake carbon fiber trim. I prefer the fake wood, which comes with the tan and camel interiors

igiban · May 2005

This is becoming annoying. My SE phone would have the headset setting auto on when it senses a BT device like my TL. Fine when I am in the car. But even when I leave my car the setting will stay on and then I can't use the phone unless I plug in a headset. Eventually the phone will sense that BT device is lost and require no headset but that'd take quite a few min. Anyone knows a way around it?

tawneycat · May 2005

A few notes, I like the look of black interior but not the heat and dust magnet.
I had parchment on my 04 TL and it was cool but showed every tar and scuff.
That said gray is dreary to me. My opinion.
to each his own. I had windows tinted and use a sun shade which is a help on the heat.
Oh on the tires. I am very pleased with the Michelin tires on my 05 TL. They are vast improvement over Bridgestones I had on my 04. I am glad the dealer agreed to switch them from a NAV unit.

bodble2 · May 2005

You traded an '04 for an '05? You must have taken a bath financially on the transaction.

tawneycat · May 2005

Did not trade. Here are numbers you be the judge. 04 Destert M Non Nav TL sold in Sep for $29k with 10k mi. Had the crappy EL 42 tires.

Bought 05 TL last week in Silver black for $31k with splash, tint and Michelin tires.

By waiting for the 05 to be heavily discounted and last Augusts short availability I did fine. IN OK tax is only 3% so not bad there.

In essense 2k to move up to the 05 but I paid $32k for the 04!!!!

highender · May 2005

we use the TL to ferry the kids around...and my wife never got a ticket and is fairly moderate driver in terms of speed.

the TL has the A-spec tires...which are the yokohamas that the dealer added on...not the HP set .

I brought it in yesterday to another dealer, and they said the brakes are OK but 2 of the tires are unevenly worn and need replacement. I mean, it is only 13K miles and 8 months !!!!

The dealer did not tell us that the tires needed to be rotated at 5 or 6K miles....

so we went according to the TL computer, which said the car needed the "B" service ( which includes the tire rotation) now.....instead of at the 5K mile mark.

also, the car did pull to the right since it had only 30 miles....

BTW, when we bought the car, it had only 7 miles on it.....and we signed all documents and paid...but did not take delivery right away, since they had to clean it up, and we had to drive the Hyundai in for a trade-in....but by the time I took delivery 3 days later, the new car had 30 miles on it....! Should the car have been mine after I paid and signed all paper work ? why all the extra miles ?

ljwalters1 · May 2005

"I brought it in yesterday to another dealer, and they said the brakes are OK but 2 of the tires are unevenly worn and need replacement. I mean, it is only 13K miles and 8 months !!!!"

1stly, some high performance tires might not last more than 13k mi - on ave that's a year's worth of mi. Uneven wear could mean an alignment problem, which'll wear tires down faster.

"The dealer did not tell us that the tires needed to be rotated at 5 or 6K miles....
so we went according to the TL computer, which said the car needed the "B" service ( which includes the tire rotation) now.....instead of at the 5K mile mark."

I don't think the salesman really go into maintenance. As a general rule, I rotate my tires every other oil change. WIth a fwd car, it's even more important. I'm really surprised your "B" light didn't come on before now.

"also, the car did pull to the right since it had only 30 miles...."

That's indicative of an alignment problem. It's a lot more $$$ to get your wheels "balanced" as opposed to just rotated, but it's worht doing once in awhile. It might be included i the suggested 10k or 15k mi service.

"BTW, when we bought the car, it had only 7 miles on it.....and we signed all documents and paid...but did not take delivery right away, since they had to clean it up, and we had to drive the Hyundai in for a trade-in....but by the time I took delivery 3 days later, the new car had 30 miles on it....! Should the car have been mine after I paid and signed all paper work ? why all the extra miles ?"

Sounds like something funny happened! All they had to do was wash the exterior and vacuum the interior? Why not wait while they do it right then & there?!? You should have been able to insist on taking the car, but I'm not sure how your trade-in affects that. Maybe they couldn't give you the car until you gave them your Hyundai b/c w/o it, you wouldn't have paid the full amt? Regardless, that extra 23 mi seems odd.

bodble2 · May 2005

"that extra 23 mi seems odd."

Yes, a little unusual. But on the whole, IMO, not a cause for concern. Maybe they did detect something and took it on a couple of long test drives. Now if it had 130 miles....

habitat1 · May 2005

Unless they could give you a highly plausable explanation of where the car was driven, I'm guessing that they gave the car out for a couple of test drives. Which would have been enough for me to ask for my money back. Extreme perhaps, but that has been my policy ever since I was handed the keys to a brand new Honda S2000 and being told to "let it rip" by the sales person. Any chance that car had of being properly broken in was lost within the first 23 miles. I suspect I was the only test driver that knew and respected not to rev it to redline in the first 1,000 miles. An automatic TL would worry me less, but if I'm writing the check, I'll do it on my terms.

Water under the bridge now, but in the future, I would not be as passive.

tawneycat · May 2005

Out for a tint or out for test drive. Once dealed on not right to allow others to drive.
I would walk

bodble2 · May 2005

Yup, that's the way it should be.

When we bought (leased actually) our Mini, while sitting there doing up the paperwork, and the car was sitting in the showroom waiting for us to drive home, the salesman wouldn't even let people look inside.

kyfdx · May 2005

Is the CVT smoothing out as you get more miles on it? We stopped by the dealer last Sunday, and my wife took a liking to a red MC convertible with CVT. They have them in-stock, ready for delivery..

regards,
kyfdx

bodble2 · May 2005

I agree with what you're saying. I feel the same way.

But, if you think about it, I wonder is there is anything anyone can do in 23 miles of test drive that could cause permanent damage. I say that because it is no secret the clowns that are hired to load and unload brand new cars to and from trains, boats, docks, etc. usually drive them like they stole them. :mad:

terryl · May 2005

Could anyone comment on this? My understanding is that the current model TL wouldn't accomodate but maybe I am wrong?

Thanks!
Terry

http://subscribers.wardsauto.com/microsites/newsarticle.asp?newsarticleid=2732484&siteid=2- 6&magazineid=1004&instanceid=5121&pageid=824&srid=10088

ljwalters1 · May 2005

There's a board in this forum specifically for '06 TL rumors and q.s. Most people expect an AWD TL to be available for the '07 or '08 model year, not '06, but it's all conjecture.

kevin0302 · May 2005

I'm new to the forum. Have heard some rumors that the 2006 TL will be available with 6 speed manual and AWD which would be exactly what I am looking for. Anyone have any info on this? thanks, Kevin

kevin0302 · May 2005

Thanks, got it...

bodble2 · May 2005

Well, let's just keep our fingers crossed that Acura surprises us with an AWD TL for '06. :surprise: Don't know about a 6-speed AWD though, since Infiniti doesn't offer a 6-speed AWD G35.

drcohen · May 2005

I'm curious, what are you all getting for gas mileage in what ever type of driving you do?
I'm going to assume around town 17-19 and highway, 25-30, both dependant on how nervous your right foot is.

I just my first tank filled, 17.2 in mostly town......

DRC

bodble2 · May 2005

That's pretty good in-town gas mileage. I average from 16.5 - 19.5 mpg for pure 100% city driving. But that's based on imperial gallons which are 20% more than US gallons. But because our city has no highway or expressway system, when I say "city" driving, I mean slow, stop and go, short-distance, frequent idling type of driving, which is murder on gas mileage.

laurasdada · May 2005

Today's project was to Zaino my almost 5 month old Abyss Blue TL. Seven hours and two tired arms later, I've completed a wash with Dawn, two rounds of drying and a buff with a chamois. Then (ZFX) Z5, Z6, Z5,Z6,Z2. I had to do the last Z2/buff in the garage as some serious thunder storms came through. It looks good, although it's hard to tell in the garage. I even Zaino'd the wheels! Can't wait to see it in the sunlight which the way it has been in Boston should be sometime in July?!!!

For my dailey 40 mile commute with a mix of local/highway driving, I've been averaging about 22 mpg. What's cool is that I worked very late Friday night so the roads were kinda empty on my way home. I was enjoying the TLs ample power, doing 80-85mph and my avg. mpg. went up from 22 to 23 by the time I got home! Cool! And boy, is it easy to get to 85 and the TL feels quite secure and comfy at that speed.

bhelsdon · May 2005

Do the canadian 04 and up TL's have daytime running lights, and what lights are used?

Older Acura TLs

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