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let's not bash the guy so much...
jrct9454 is probably an old guy with a big as(s) pride...afterall we should be respectful of our elders...^^
anyways,getting back to the point
if TL's comming back with no changes, and it's getting a face lift next year....maybe i should consider other options---like I30t or something...
regardless all of these bad transmission news are starting to worry me a little..
P.S. Surprising about the lack of changes (CD, seats) in 2001 if true.
As to my age, I'm 55...if that means anything....
And yes, I have heard that the 2002 intro will be pushed up to spring next year, so that may explain the baffling lack of updates to the 2001. The higher hp engine should be part of the 2002 "facelift", which may include some very minor sheet metal fiddlings, like the 2001 Accords.
I don't believe you will find the Nav useful unless you fit into a very small category: either you recently moved to a new city and aren't very familiar with your surroundings, or you often travel out of town with your car.
Many people who have bought it insist that they use it much more than they thought; my feeling is that they are -- at least in part -- trying to justify their buyer's remorse for spending that money. (They may counter and say that I regret not getting it and I'm trying to justify that. They're right. I've had countless passengers in the car that might have been really impressed if I had the nav system. They probably would have liked me a lot more if I had one.)
I recently had extended access to my sister's 2000 Honda Odyssey, which has the exact same Nav system as the TL. I did not use the system once while I was in my home town. Even out of town I found it less than useful, because it didn't have very detailed information on many smaller cities (Lawrence, Kansas, for example).
Our state BMV gives out maps for free. You can join AAA for about $60 and get all the maps your heart desires (plus all the other benefits). My advice: take the $2000, and buy a cool-[non-permissible content removed] home theater system. Or invest it in your kid's college fund. Or buy a new computer. Or new kitchen appliances. Something that you might actually get some use out of.
I also asked the dealer the fix the moonroof rattles. They lubricate the seal and it took care of the problem for good.
Acura 3.2TL - Four
The above link is to posts # 340-381, which cover everything that could ever possibly need to be said about the sportshift, and then some.
Make sure you read my post # 356. It's the only important one!
I have had my 00TL/Nav since 30-Nov-99 and the car still brings a smile to my face, metaphorically speaking, every time I get behind the wheel. I bought the NAV as a toy and did not think I would use it that often. However, I find I use it constantly. Yes, it does have its failings, e.g., it does not have every street, every restaurant, etc. in its database. However, I have used it to get me out of traffic jams (used the joystick to scroll through the map), and to get me to unfamiliar locations. I even used it on a business trip to Pittsburg (I live in N. VA - could have taken a plane, but wanted a road trip). Yes, I could use a map, however, it is much more convenient for me to quickly glance over to the screen than to pick up and look at a map.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I use the NAV every day and I love the car. IMHO, the TL is the best combination of Performance/Luxury/Quality/Value in its price range.
[Thought I'd use the SportsShifter more than the NAV - hardly ever use the SportsShifter]
T
And just to comment on some earlier posts:
Get the leather. I didn't on my last car (bmw) and am still sorry. I have the leather on my tl and it is not a hot, sticky problem (and I'm in Phoenix, a hot, sticky place).
Get the nav. It is way cool and I haven't even read the manual yet so I don't know all the things it will do. And the passengers love it, or at least love to comment on it.
I am not having problems with the windshield, the wiper fluid or the wipers (except for the annoyance of not being able to clean under the passenger side wiper).
I still love my car...
Are they directional or non-directional? The manual doesn't seem to state what they are. I wouldn't want to put the tires on the wrong side of the car.
If by some chance they haven't been rotated earlier, then the best thing to do is stick with just a back-to-front rotation on the same side.
Nothing insures a long life, free of vibrations and the need for re-balancing, like frequent rotations. I'm very sensitive to the shakes, and find this is easy to handle myself without having to resort to the dealer's service dept. And, I always know the torque values are consistent and correct - no warped rotors from some mistake at the dealer, innocent or otherwise.
Do not buy this car without the navigation system unless you live in an area that is not covered.
To see the areas that are covered:
http://web.valuenet.net/tlarson/tl/coverage.htm
If this is wrong, boy, am I in the wrong ballpark!
I don't know if that is normal, or something is wrong with the car, or the rest of the car is simply so quiet that the wind noise standout.
Does anyone have the same experience? I appreciate any comment and feedback.
The 15k maintenance seems pretty minor. It really comes down to: change oil, rotate tires, change air filter, inspect everything else. I'm also going to change the auto trans fluid, since it's so easy to do.
I too was contemplating the purchase of an Infiniti I30T as an alternative, but after driving a 2001 last weekend found the car sluggish off the line and somewhat soft in ride.
The I30T has some neat features like memory seats and rear sun shade but lacks details like tinted moonroof glass. This would tend to annoy me over time not to mention heat up the interior of the car.
In my opinion, the TL wins hands down over the I30T. It outperforms the I30T in 0-60 times, and has a 5 speed automatic with sport shift.
In the end, performance, overall content, and value of the TL wins out over the I30.
As far as wind, the only VERY annoying wind noise I get from our TL is when the rear of the moonroof is popped up. I have had 3 other cars with pop-up/slide-back sun/moon roofs and none have had an annoying resonance as with the TL.
1. The accelerator pedal seems to transmit some engine and/or road feel roughness to your foot. I wouldn't call it a vibration, just a general "roughness".
2. Sometimes the transmission seems a little unsure of itself, or is it the torque converter kicking in? Not as silky smooth as I had expected.
Are these typical TL traits? Any comments/suggestions?
Thanks!
In terms of the trans, the car shifts much better know (at 7,000 miles) versus when we first got the car. The worst shift initially was the 1-2 which seemed like more of a "slide" than a shift. The transmission learns over time based on your driving habits.
Other than that problem - I love the car..got 29.5 mpg between Chicago & St Louis last weekend.
Unless of course you are using sport shift, and going along in 2nd, where you will fell all kinds of tugs over 20 mph when you change the pressure on the pedal...
with bulbs, you can take a bulb in and out of the assembly. These headlights are not completely sealed.
But I ask the same question again, why is the low beam a *lamp* and not a *bulb* like the high beam? TL owners, go have a closer look. Pop open the hood, and you'll see what I mean. The high beam is a bulb that mounts into the lens. The low beam is a lamp which contains the entire lens and assembly in one piece. Both of these are behind the solid protective clear plastic seen from the outside. I don't see any advantage for having a sealed assembly LAMP for the low beam headlight. It is more costly for labour to replace, and also less luminous. That is why the TL lights look different than other HID lights found on other cars.
In my previous post I didn't mean it was a 1988 lamp, since I realize it is a xenon lamp, and those did not exist in 1988. But why LAMP technology, and not modern BULB technology? I thought we were done with lamps since about 10 years ago or more.
But the good news is the lamp on the TL NOT more expensive to purchase than the low beam xenon bulb found on the CL. I just called to verify, and a low beam xenon bulb for the CL cost $195. The low beam xenon LAMP for the TL costs $195. The only difference, is its more trouble to change the LAMP yourself on the TL, and its also is less bright than the bulb used on the CL. Also the xenon bulbs are more common place, and are easier to find in after market stores. The xenon lamps are used a lot less in todays cars, especially xenon lamps, so you'll probably need to hurry to your local Acura dealer just to change the low beam head light lamp in the future, instead of going to your local car parts store like Pep Boys, Discount Auto Parts, or Canadian Tire.
Why did Acura decide to use a lamp?
Just called the dealer. Both the high and low
beams are HID. High beam is a bulb, Low beam is a
lamp."
You really ARE confused. You've LOOKED at the difference between high and low beam on the car, can tell the difference in the color light they output, yet you believe the dealer when they tell you they're BOTH HID? Give it a rest! Not to mention the whole lamp/bulb discussion.
The lens on the TL HID lights can be removed, however the pattern thrown by the bulb is adversely affected, therefore a) it's not advisable to remove, and b) it accounts for the
difference in appearance of the HIDs on the Acura vs. the other luxo cars. I don't intend to be mean, but you're really going to confuse someone in here if you don't get your info straight.