Older Acura TLs

akirby

Try paint cleaner or cleaner/wax. If that doesn't work a clay bar should. If not then a detailer should be able to polish it off. Don't just grab a buffer and do it yourself - you could rub the regular paint right off.

billyperks

What is the bad news?

danny1878

Its not exclusive anymore, but well, for $33k it's quite impossible right.

Jrock, turn signal blinks whether its in the front or back of the car. The only one that doesnt blink is the one on the side of the car just near the door. I think it functions as to show the whole body of the car while crossing.

G35/ES330 doesn't have that side marker light. So I guess it's better than not having one. BMW330 have one at the front but not the rear(near the rear door) while TL has 2 side marker light, yellow and red.

igiban

TL has two on each side, one below side mirrors and one next to gas door. Which one blinks and which one is to just reflect of light from others.
BTW, ES does have side lights on the side of front bumper. It lights up when turning on light half or full, but they don't serve as signal light. They are right below headlights in front of tires.

pat

Consumers' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2004 Survey is posted and ready for your input!

gcruzsmith

Pretty lame on the some of the things the '04 TL lacks. I am so sure the '05 model will have the new bells and whistles and I am sure it will include an A-Spec model as well.

As far as the blinking light issue - I was afraid of that - side lights not blinking and are basically there for "looks". Why did they even put them on to begin with??? I guess they can be helpful for night driving for others to see you on the road - but personnally "blinking" serves a better safety purpose.

automophile: I read some last posts about the TSX and its mirror lights blinking - good concept, but you would think the TL would have the same idea. Dunno - maybe the engineers and designers were taking a snooze that day.

03oddity: don't let the light factor discourage you in purchasing a new TL. Overall it is an awesome car and I am so in love with it. It has its flaws and what nots - but overall it is realiable and you get a lot for your money (remember the stuff the other cars don't have yet - DVD audio and wireless phone capability). I am so sure other car owners are complaining that their cars don't have the special things the TL has. I guess we have to keep in mind - we can't please everybody - good luck in your car buying decision - TL, TL, TL

G

95gt

FYI they already have an A-spec car for the 04 TL. Also for the blinking lights, an interesting error when the car came out was that the brochure indicated that the TL had blinking side mirrors? Maybe an 05 enhancement?

danny1878

Those dealer that I went to dont offer A-spec and so far I dont know whether they sell it as an option or what. There were certainly no TL with A-spec at their lot.

cjs2002

down to the wire and want to ask some advice... I like the 04 TL and I like the G, I'm down to these two cars now... they both have there tiny issues like TL reminding me of a honda with the badge flipped upside down and the G interior isn't as good as the TLs but I had one question I didn;t know about I know the 03TL had tranny problems... anyone here if the 04TL has any of these... I've had my share of tranny problems and don't care to go through it any more... I love both cars and right now I'm thinking that the TLs gonna win.. .but that will depend on how well I can negotiate a price too.. any advice?

automophile

Well - - - They DO light up! They're not a total waste!

automophile

Only a very small % of the TLs had tranny problems. It made news because Acura has one of the BEST reliability reputations of any car. So -far, no reports of any such problems with the '04 TL. Besides, the tranny is new and different.

danny1878

Igiban they do light up like automophile said but not blinking.

Automophile, its a miracle they do light up :-) lol. you are funny :-)

Cjs, please read prices paid and buying experience if you want to know about it cuz everybody experiences is different.

Buy the car that you like according to your needs, you dont have to buy TL just bcuz of reading something good about it. Test drive it, carefully compare them, do some research of your own, its your money and its your decision. Good luck.

jrock65

When do the little yellow markers near the door light up?

Do the little red markers near the gas tank door light up as well?

cjs2002

I've test drove both... and plan to go back and compare side by side one more time... nice thing is that the dealorships are both next to each other so I can look at the side by side... I've lookd at the other boards and the prices paid as well thank you all... I went to the auto show again last night and I'm really thinking I like the TL better than the G... I spend most of my time inside the car and so thats what should count right... hehehe... oh another question while I'm thinking of it, the 5.1 surround sound.. if your musics not on dvd formatted dvd it sounds just like any other cd player right... I noticed the differnce when he put in the dvd cd ( i'm a music major) and since I do my driving listening to music the radio\cd player\ sound really mean a lot to me. how would one go about making there own dvd cd with music do I need a dvd burner or will my regular burner burn the music onto the dvd?

gcruzsmith

I had the same experience too when I was getting ready to purchase my new car. Here were some decision factors for me on comparisons with the G and TL.

I was not too crazy about the G35 sedan - had my eye on the coupe...

G35:
- seats were so comfortable, they hugged your back. Seats in the TL are a little too big - I wish they were "snuggier"
- handling was good, did not seem too "airy" or "boxy" when turning
- navigation system was cool, as it is a pop up and can be hidden when not in use

TL:
- the soft colors of blue in the dashboard, didn't like the "orange" color of lights in the G35.
- DVD Audio and Wireless phone capabilities - need as I am always on the road with my job
- owned three Hondas and very happy with them (one even reached 450K only replacements were transmission "once" and an engine rebuilt). I was too afraid to try something new (an upgraded Nissan more less). Never liked Nissans never will...
- husband and kids played a big factor (3 kids - I need the four doors, and a 6'.4" tall husband who can also enjoy the car)

So it really is up to your preferences, family (if you have kids), and car options that are needed.

Believe me - everytime I see a G35 Coupe on the road, my head still turns. Looking forward to the '05 model as they may be planning to make it into a convertible and with extra more options - perhaps a DVD audio??

Good luck hope this helps!

G

gcruzsmith

You are right about the A-Spec model. They do not offer them on the lot. You actually have to purchase the "plain jane" and then add the 18" rims, underbody spoiler and back spoiler.

As for the '03 TL models you had the option to purchase the regular 3.2 TL or S-Type.

Yes, I think they may offer both for '05. I think there will be an A-Spec available or the regular type.

I saw an '04 TL the other day with ALL the options you can think of. It had everything - A-Spec package, the wind visors, sunroof visor, mouldings, rear sensors, full bra. It was too much and it really took away from the styling. It was tooooo GAUDY for words.....

habitat1

No disrespect to automophole, but saying that only a few of the 2003 and earlier TLs had tranny porblems is about like saying that only a few Pinto's blew up. I have a friend who is likely to be on his third transmission on a 2002 TL with under 20,000 miles and he will NEVER go back to Acura. He'd dump the one he has if it wouldn't cost him about $10k in depreciation (more than the 530i that he had been considering).

Fortunately, the new TL does indeed have a new transmission and, better yet, has a 6-speed option that takes the automatic transmission issues right out of the equation. I've driven it and it get's my nod of approval as about the best FWD sporty sedan out there.

In your debate between the G35 and TL, you haven't mentioned the RWD vs. FWD difference. I confess I haven't driven the G35 sedan, but I have driven the G35 coupe. The handling of the G35 sedan, while probably not quite the level of the coupe, is likely to be 2-3 rungs up the ladder from the TL (or any FWD sedan, for that metter). If that isn't important to you, the TL would be my recommendation. It isn't a BMW beater sports sedan, but it's versitlity, aesthetics and overall build quality is top notch. Of course, I would also recommend going with the 6-speed and eliminating any possible transmission worries, but either way, you should be fine.

jrock65

There are no reports that there will be a G35 convertible, at least as a 2005 model.

kph

Looks like you and I ran through some of the same tradeoffs in making a selection. I really liked the look of the G35 Coupe - and if it came in AWD like the sedan, I would have been even more tempted (MN winters). The kicker for us on that one was sitting in the back seat and having my head hit the window (I am only 5'7"!) I have two daughters (17 and 14) who are both taller than me who would have justifiably cursed me for making them sit back there.

So the coupe wasn't practical - maybe in 4 or 5 years when the girls are both away on their own.

With the G35 Sedan it came down to interior features versus slight difference in performance. I liked the TL Nav integration, voice recognition and handsfree phone options.

I am still chomping at the bit to get mine -- it is supposed to be built the week of March 22 and I should have it by the first week of April.

cjs2002

well I went up to the dealor again today and compared them side by side and I must say my heart and mind tells me to get the TL so thats what I believe I'm going to do... now I'm just worried about price and well the TL leases out... any ideas

hoyahenry

Comparing a 4 year lease (1800 at inception) to a 5 year buy (nothing down, incl TTL):

For an extra ~$150/month ($1800/year), you can own it and it will still be worth 45-50% of its original value.

pat

Cjs2002, if you are seriously thinking about leasing be sure to check out the "Leasing Tips" section under the blue TIPS & ADVICE tab at the top of the page. Also the Finance, Warranty & Insurance board has many discussions that you will find very useful.

Keep us posted!

cjs2002

I thought of buying it but I don't believe I can afford it that way.. yes I'd like to buy (mainly because I can own it for myself then) but due to things beyond my controll and which I don't wish to go into here I would have bought it, but now leasing is my better option.. though ive given thought to buying it when the lease is done but that will depend on how the car holds up... meybe I'll get into another lease... meh... these are my next issues...need to figure out what is the best way to go about it

raher

I am getting ready to change service providers from Verizon to T Mobile so my wife can use the HandsFreeLink. She looked at Samsung and Motorola phones at T Mobile office the other day.
I went to the Acura.com website but couldn't find the compatibility matrix. Can anyone direct me to it ?
Thanks

hoyahenry

Nokia or Sony Ericsson. I think a Motorola is coming out, but not yet.

kahunah

Motorola's new V300 & V600 are Bluetooth enabled.

soljc

I've got the Motorola v525 and it works great with HFL. I know the Moto v500, v525 and v600 all work.

hoyahenry

Neither Motorola nor T-mobile list any of those phones for purchase except for the v300. The word blue and/or bluetooth are not mentioned in the v300 user manual.

soljc

The v525 was released in Europe, but the v600 is the US version that offers more bells and whistles. The v600 was just released though, so it's priced at the high end currently (~$600). I'd expect in another few months you'll see the v600 being offered by more local shops. In the meantime, you can get the v525 and others like it through a number of reputable websites.

automophile

Leasing works out very well if you like or need to have a new car and no repair costs. You can also write off most of the lease payment in certain circumstances. Leasing is NOT good for people that drive a lot, such as for sales work.

hoyahenry - the extra $1800/year over 5 years PLUS the higher interest paid to buy, is considerable, about $10,000 or more. and NOW, you have to start paying for repairs, tires, etc. This is not a small difference.

IMHO - The only reasons to buy are if you drive a LOT or like to keep a car for 10 years before getting a new one.

billyperks

Fill in the blanks for me.

When you say write off, do you mean a tax write off? if so, please explain.

I am an accountant and I never tell my clients about writing off lease expenses-unless the car was leased for a business.

bodble2

I read it to mean tax write-off (is there another kind? )

As billy said, you can only write-off if the car is used for business. And I never understand why people seem to cite write-off as an advantage of leasing because you can claim (write-off) capital cost allowance (CCA) if the car was purchased. Of course, CCA is on a declining balance basis, so your write-off will decline to next to nothing if you keep your car for a long time. So I generally turn my cars over every 3 - 4 years to keep the CCA meaningful.

kyfdx

In the U.S., there is a limit on the amount of vehicle value you can write off. Not sure of the exact numbers now, but it used to be $25K. So, even if you bought a $50K car, you could only write it off at the rate of a $25K car. (If 25% was the first-year depreciation, then $6250 was max deduction, even if car cost $50K).

However, you could claim the entire amount of a lease used for business purposes... So, if car leased for $1200/mo., the entire amount would be deductible... Ergo, the reasoning behind leasing expensive vehicles..

bodble2

Actually our tax laws here regarding claiming automobile expenses are similar in principle. On a purchase, there is a limit of $30K that you can capitalize regardless if the actual cost exceeds that. However, I'm surprised the tax laws where you are do not include a equivalent limit on lease costs.
Here there is a corresponding and equivalent limit placed on the deductible lease payments.

hoyahenry

hoyahenry - the extra $1800/year over 5 years PLUS the higher interest paid to buy, is considerable, about $10,000 or more. and NOW, you have to start paying for repairs, tires, etc. This is not a small difference.

...when you consider who possesses the residual value at the end of the payment period.

This is a discussion for another forum, so I'll refrain....

mikety

I decided to go with the TL, but after a little more than a week am already regreting it. The car has 2 rattles I have identified so far. Its headlights often cause passing drivers to flash me and today the Check Engine light came on. Seriously consider other models before buying this car.

kahunah

"Seriously consider other models before buying this car."

You're being way too harsh and unfair. Most of these issues are fixable. Have you taken the car in for service? Where exactly are the rattles coming from? As for the headlights, they're high-intensity discharge Xenon lamps...so what did you expect?

mikety

I hope they can be fixed. From just what I have seen on this site some rattles are and some are not correctable. As far as the Check Engine light goes, it could very well be corrected easily, but with less than 50 miles on the car its very disheartening. Further, I did not pay this much for a car to have it back in the shop after only a week.

kahunah

The 2004 TL is a first year production car. As with most cars in this class, it's a very complicated piece of machinery and it will have some glitches. So, you can do one of two things:

1) Whine and complain or 2) Work with your dealer to resolve these issues which is exactly what I did. In fact, I came up with a couple of solutions to some of my TL issues and believe me, my dealer is very grateful. Now when I go in for service, I get the red carpet treatment.

BTW, my TL is free of any issues and drives rock solid. Be patient. It does get better.

danny1878

I think you should be appointed by Acura as their advisor :-)

These are problems from G35 (I tried to get some only, no time), they do speak louder but G35 owners that have no problem with their car seldom say anything. Its hard to find a brand of car with 100% free of problems. G35 has been out longer than TL.

cleon21 : The ride is extremely harsh, I know this must be the "feel of the road"
mreloc : Hard shifting from 1st to 2nd, I can feel the grin through the shifter
carnaught :the G's seats, interior in general, and exterior paint ARE wearing poorly, my 03 has had at least 10 recalls since I bought it.
msiseng : I second what carnaught writes
Fng : The engine is more noisy than I expected too
cdixon253 : I just finished washing my car, first in three weeks due to the weather, and was amazed at the amount of paint chipping
s530 : G35 sedan (silver) paint chipping!
ryoken : Passenger seatbelt inoperable in 2 weeks
kdlee: gas pedal vibration
infinityfan : squeaky brakes
froze : strut noise coming from driver's side

I wanted to say "My car is also free of issues and drives rock solid" then people might say "So...."

laurasdada

In many cars, the Check Engine light will come on if the gas cap is not securely tightened. Check it out (owner's manual), might be a simple solution...

kahunah

...could also be an indication of a faulty sensor somewhere. In any case, the car is doing its job in telling you there's a problem.

Thanks Danny :-)

sdhouse9

I've had my new TL for about 3 weeks. 6 speed, navi, white diamond pearl with quartz interior. So far it is a fantastic car. Absolutely no problems. It is extremely fun to drive. The 270 horses and front wheel drive will give you some torque steer if you get too agressive. I am enjoying the XM satellite. Have not purchased any new CDs for the car yet. I'll keep you posted.......

smithdrgs

i've seen mud g on a gold and red car. the former did not look real good and the later was ok. they seem big. any opinions on the look with a silver or anthracite(my choices).
also, how effective are they?
also thinking about the front spoiler. my dealer did not hve any good pictures, but i thought it would look like the RSX.?

dtate99

I got the mudguards on my Silver TL and I think they look great. Some have said that on lighter colored cars they stand out too much. But to me, it just finishes the car off without going overboard with underbody spoilers, etc. Plus, like somebody else had mentioned previously on the message boards, the tires are dark and nobody states that they wished they had lighter colored tires.

automophile

Agreed - they don't help the looks, but I will never have a car without them.

My dealer agreed to install them as part of the free "add-ons" of our deal (mats, mudguards, nose mask, wheel locks, gold trim). I drove the car about 10 days before they got all the parts in. During that time, the sides of the car were constantly sprayed with water, dirt, grease, etc, by the wide tires. NOW, the sides stay relatively clean. It is well worth it to protect the paint.

Just do it!

billherrmann

About how much will Dealer charge to install mudguards? Thank you.

jusuni

Your dealer should install them for free if you bought the mudguards from them.

bodble2

There is a labour component to the listed price.

jmaxe

If they're anything like the Accord you can install them yourself in about 10 minutes per side.