Older Acura TLs

imoimo

I just took the TL in for the 6000Km oil change. I think I'll wait till the next oil change and talk to them about that. By the way, the first 2 oil change was free. To the people who decided on the TL , they shouldn't regret their decision, I'm still enjoying mine after 6 months.

aldo16

I've always been an avid fan of this board, and now that I'm actually serious about getting the TL (or maybe the CL), I thought I'd ask for some advice too!!

Basically, I'll be starting grad school this fall and since I'm approaching my mid-twenties, I think it's finally time to get rid of my old clunker.

The good news is that I've gotten the green light to use student loans toward the acquisition of a new car. There's really no cap on the amount, but as you know, the more you take out, the more you pay back.

Now what I can't decide is whether it would be better to lease the car to keep the monthly payments low (since this is loan money) or whether I should just go ahead and pay the extra $250/mo and buy the darn thing.

The leasing scenario's main advantage is that I'm taking out less money. On the other hand, since federal loans right now are charging super-low interest (they're also capped at 6.XX% by law), would it be smarter to buy?

Thanks in advance!!

cyranno99

you're still young.. get the RSX

varmit

LOL. I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to sound too pushy.

varmit

Not that I think you're too pushy... or pushy at all... hmmm, maybe I'd better just delete these posts.

daysailer

but are you suggesting that you are considering leasing a car (financed in the usual way) and borrowing money from a student loan to make the payments which you must then repay possibly (probably?) beyond the period of the lease? If so, that's the most "upside-down" payment schedule I can imagine. Unless you're GUARANTEED a job making great bunches o' money upon graduation, that's a very risky arrangement (I presume that you'll still need to buy/lease another car at that point) If you can get a student loan to buy the car directly you may be better off but if anything happens to the car before you've paid it off (or become wealthy), you're at risk (I'm assuming the student loan payments are deferred). More prudent would be to keep the "clunker" unless it's unreasonably expensive to maintain, otherwise consider something less expensive, whether new or used (a Civic perhaps?).
But again, perhaps I don't understand. (and I'm not trying to be "pushy")

cyranno99

that's ok.... I remember when I was young once and I just tried to give some wise advices It's always tempting to go for a really nice car though....

acura0419

Well...I think I got a great deal on the car, but considering I live in the San Francisco area, I'm sure I could have purchased the TL somewhere else (like Sacramento) and got it at an even "better" price.

laltoob

hi,

This is the second time, the Headlights from my 2001 3.2 TL got stolen from the parking lot at Hilton Hotel,MetroPark,NJ. It cost 3400$ to replace the first time, fortunately I had to pay only my 250$ deductable. Not sure this time.
The first time 11 cars got hit in the same area. 3.2TL that is the only model being hit, so obviously there is a PROBLEM.
I spoke to the Acura Technical services, but they have no clue(or don't care)!!!
Any idea how to avoid this, apart from selling my car? Also, can the Insurance company refuse to pay, in case it happens again?

Worried
Paresh

hunter001

I still did not get about the "PROBLEM" you spoke to Acura technical services about. That your lights got stolen by a thief and so they are to be blamed for it ?? Is that a technical problem ?? That is ridiculous to say the least. If you want to avoid being "hit", you should go for an un-popular car with un-popular options on it or move into an area that is a little less prone to thievery and/or never take your car into a thief-infested-area. Thieves can steal the lights from any car but they generally steal it from popular cars. That is not a "PROBLEM" for "Acura technical services" to deal with. That is a job for the cops.

Of course, your insurance company will have to pay for it and it will only cost you your deductible. But too many occurances of the same type, might result in your insurance rates going up.

Later...AH

fowler3

sounds fishy to me. The only cars they will fit are other TL's, right? Reminds me of something that happened years ago. A friend had a new Pontiac Grand Prix with a special carburator, the carb was stolen. That was in the days of the Hurst Shifters and big carbs. He asked his dealer to order a new one. The dealer said it would take a couple weeks.

My friend, afraid his carb would be stolen, engraved his Social Security number on it. When the dealer got the carburator and installed it, my friend checked it and saw that it was his original carb. He called the police, the dealer was arrested. The dealer was paying the theives to steal the carbs then selling them at the new price.

fowler3

varmit

Can the '02 headlights be retrofit into the '99-'01 models? Maybe the theives are making a profit selling them as an upgrade to the older models.

As for it being a problem... I agree. Theft is always a problem. But I don't think you can blame Acura or your dealer. Installing a more sensitive alarm is my best recommendation.

cyranno99

move away from NJ!!! I wouldn't want to live in an area where ONLY the TL is targeted for thefts. Anyhow, if the fascia of the 02 is different from the older models then it would be a little difficult to retrofit ( not a good fit probably) - it the thieves are good then they might as well take the whole car to a chop shop....

hunter001

From what I know, the 02 headlights have moved to the "clear" look from the earlier "cloudy" look in the 01/00/99 cars. The "cloudy" look (of the reflector) is present in Mercedes Benz cars.

Also, the "cloudy" look is supposed to be more effective as far as lighting is concerned, when compared to the "clear" look, even though the "clear" look, looks better. So basically, if someone were to fit the 02 headlights onto a 01 car, they would be impressed with the "looks" but be disappointed with the performance.

Later...AH

phlee70

anyone get a call about this yet?

inky

No, does it have to do with the auto up function?
Also, I had a 00 TL and got 31-32 mpg on the highway and 26 in my commute. My 02 non type s gets about 2 or 3 less than this. I notice this kind of thing. All cars are not made equal> wonder if anything can be adjusted but most likely not worth the effort.
INKY

duck15

Does anyone know if the MSRP will change on the 2003 TL or will be the same as 2002??
Thanks

rwclifton

I've heard that 2003 production starts pretty early on the TL. Does anyone know what the changes will be?

duck14

They start delivery of 2003 models the first of March. I have been told by a dealer that there is basically no change in the model. They are saying that the 2004 model will be changed. The MSRP is going up and could range from $150 to $500, per their best guess. That information is supposed to be available on Feb. 4th.

laithy_74

The 2003 3.2TL went on sale yesterday. Onstar is now available among few minor changes. Does anyone know why it is introduced so early in the model year? Does it mean the 2004 will be released in a year from now? I have also heard rumors that the next TL will share the RWD platform with the RL.

brentc1

Hi,
Does anyone know the recommended mileage for the first oil change on a new TL? Does Acura use a "break in oil"? A friend of mine just got a new Accord and he said that the dealer said that the car had this "break in oil" and it should be left in for 7500 miles. That seems a little long for me.
Thanks

jamiestockman

To All:

2003 pricing is exactly $100 more than 2002:
$29460 TL

$31,810 TL Type-S

The navigaiton system will now add $2,150 to either model, with the inclusion of On-Star being the reason.

The only other change is the addition of Anthracite to the Type-S color selection and two new colors that will not appear until the summer.

Hope this helps...

Jamie S.

cyranno99

that dealer is full of it.... just follow the manual's recommendation. I did my first oil change at about 3000 miles.

brentc1

I thought that dealer was full of it too! Thanks for the info. I usually do my oil changes at 3500 miles.

cyranno99

no problem.... my dealer actually recommends every 3750 miles, as in the manual for hard driving conditions. However, you could extend that if you are planning to use synthetics, but that's another story.

bcjacob1

My '00TL w/ nav just hit 51,000 miles. I'm noticing a slight slipping of the transmission when going into 2nd gear (on auto). Anyone know of any probs like this?

Jaime S., how good will Acura be at standing-by the transmission if I have a major problem just over the warranty period?

tgif888

Have the dealer check it right away. There are couple TL-S owner had the transmission replaced. Average wait time is around 4-8 weeks.

richard52

I drive a 2000 tl with 33000 miles. I have a persistent problem with a film on the windshield. It has become a real problem: very difficult to see especially at night. Anyone have the same problem? Also, I've been changing my oil every three thousand miles..to often??

cyranno99

under what condition is this film most obvious? I take it that the film is on the inside. It's possible that some kind of gas is still in your car... for example, I sprayed some leather cleaner on my seats and noticed a thin film when I drive at night. However, I can easily wipe that film off OR use defrost to temporarily make it clear.

I'd change my oil around 3700 miles as the manual says for severe conditions. You might be able to extend that a little if you drive mostly on the highway, but you should check the oil level often anyway.

richard52

Sorry I should have been more specific. The film is on the outside of the windshield. When I put the wipers on the windshield becomes a big blurr..very difficult to see...especially when the headlights of opposing traffic shine on the glass. Also, does anyone know of a web site that tracks the monthly sales of vehicles in the US? I need a useful way to spend my little free time!!

billsoter

www.autosite.com/

cyranno99

do you use Rain-X or something like that on your windshield? Maybe you need to replace your wipers...

smorganwnc

Can anyone recommend a good car cover, other than a garage, for the 3.2TL besides the one that the dealer sells?
How is the quality of the one at the dealer?

Also, what is the best method for keeping the exterior clean and for maintaining the fine quality of the exterior painted surface? A mild liquid soap and liquid polish? I have been reading various postings about paint problems and want to keep our first new car in 14 years in great looking condition.

cyranno99

I'd get anything that use 3M materials. They are usually cheaper than the ones from Honda.

keeping a car for 14 years???? I've never done that. My last car was over 8 years and it still looked great when I trade it in.

safemd

My 2000 TL also had the problem of a dirty film covering the windshield after I used the washer. Actually I would describe it more like a thick crud covering the windshield. I finally took it in to the dealer and they recognized it immediately as a known issue and replaced the washer reservoir, lines and wiper blades. That seemed to do the trick. I remember seeing many postings about this issue when the 2000 model was current.

maxzoey

REPLY TO POST 1126

bc I feel for you. I had the same problem on my 2000 TL . It was very frustrating dealing with Acura Canada. They never admitted there was a problem. They missed 3 promised delivey dates for a rebuilt transmissions. after 9 weeks I finally phoned the owner of the dealership asking for his help in getting my car fixed. I told him I wanted to trade the car for a Lincoln Ls seeing the salesman quoted me $12000 difference to trade my 2000 TL for a 2002 TL. To make a long story short the owner of the dealership gave me top book for my car, and sold me any vechicle on his lot for his cost. The difference ended up being $6500 .

The problem with the transmissions is that 2000 was the first year of the 5 speed transmission. In Canada I found out I was number 16 on the list waiting,but the big problem was that at the time there were 163 people in the United States waiting for transmissions. It seems as soon as a transmission was rebuilt in the US it would be shipped to US dealers. Like I say Acura Canada did not know when a transmission would come available. Turns out the transmission arrived 2 weeks after I picked up my new car in September.

Good luck in getting your car fixed.

abrecher

I am having a hard time finding the invoice price of the 2003 TL. Anyone have that info? Jamie S' posting above was for MSRP.

dannych

machiavelli

I just got a new 3.2TL for 26,000 (plus tax, etc..)

The 2003 model is $100 more, $29,460, but the dealers are willing to negotiate much more on the 2002. I saw absolutely no reason to get the 2003 over the 2002, especially with the great deal I got on the 2002.

machiavelli

That was for a "base" TL, not the Type-S

dannych

Hi I'm looking at the new Acura 3.2tl type S. The only thing is I'm not sure if the dealers are giving me a fair price. I know the 2003 are out. So when I told the dealer about the edmund tmv price they pretty much discredited the web site. So if anyone knows where does the tmv price come from and is it reasonable to purchase a car at MSRP???

inky

Hey did acura delete the Ivory interior from the A. Blue color? I was interested ub that combo. Black is so...Black.
Paying 26000 is great deal. Where at?
If you keep for over 5 years 2002 or 2003 does not matter. Now if you buy a 2002 and trade or sell in 2 or 3 years you will get about $1500 less all things being equal. book values will not give ample credit for low miles on your 2002 vs same miles on a 2003.
INKY

machiavelli

Baierl Acura in Wexford PA

tgif888

It really rely on the market. The demand of the vehicle is high, and the fair price of each segment of the US is different.

You can go to the acura-tl.com board and see what other people are paying.

machiavelli

I'd say in my case, it was just good timing. The dealer had a few "leftover" 2002s to sell before the 2003s hit the lot. From what I could tell there is no difference between the 02 and 03, other than the 2003 is $100 more on the sticker, and the dealer would basically want full sticker.

ck72

Are you sure the price you mention is not a typo. With an invoice of 26.8 (including destination) I am having a hard time hitting the 27K mark in the Chicagoland market.

Of course, if you did manage to get 26 on a new TL, more power to you.
thanks.

jwacura

Looking over the 2003 TL brochure, the changes are small, as previously noted on the website. On-Star is now included with the navigation option.

Other changes include exterior colors. Anthracite is now available for both premium and type S models. In August 2002, Firepepper Red will be replaced by Redondo Red Pearl (looks darker) and Naples Gold Metallic will be replaced with Desert Mist Metallic.

Inky: Aegean Blue is still offered only in Type S with Eboney (black) interior.

Of course, the CL Type S will have a 6 speed and Torsen-like limited slip differential.

Hope that helps.

machiavelli

Well, here's the deal. I traded a car with a KBB value of $15,600, wrote a check for $11,000, and drove home in a new TL. So, depending on how you look at it, I either paid full sticker and got $19,000 for my trade, or I got KBB and paid $26,000. Either way, its the same bottom line to me.

machiavelli

Anyway - Love the car! I've had it a few days now, and enjoying it very much! It's the perfect blend of sportiness and luxury for me. I thought it was clearly the best value in that segment. A comparable Lexus ES300 would have been about $7000 more. I've owned 2 other Acuras in the past and have been nothing but pleased with their reliability and quality.

godeacs

You got a great deal on a great car! I liked the TL too but it was just a tad more than I wanted to spend, plus a few months back the deals were not nearly as good. Def a better deal than an ES....

Happy driving!