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Older Acura TLs

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    notbrockyatesnotbrockyates Member Posts: 19
    Rick Case Acura in Sunrise, FL only charged me $4 for touch up. I thought that was pretty fair.
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    notbrockyatesnotbrockyates Member Posts: 19
    Looking for a good, trustworthy repair/maintenance shop in S. Florida (South Broward) for the Acura and/or Isuzu (Trooper.) Any feedback (good or bad) appreciated.
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    8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    the new Inspire...is a fancier version of the US Accord?

    http://www.honda.co.jp/newINSPIRE/
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    bklynguybklynguy Member Posts: 275
    I'm not sure but if the Accord has it, I would bet my money that the 04 TL will have it as well.
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    s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    Obviously not. Haven't you seen the photos of the TL concept?
    Even the current TL does not look that much like the old Accord.
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    daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    is an Accord, albeit tweaked and polished.
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    akal50akal50 Member Posts: 112
    I'm sure the new TL will offer everything the Accord and TSX offer. It would make no sense for Acura to offer something on the Accord and not on the TL. Expect dual climate zones, curtain airbags, voice Navi, tilt telescope steering wheel, and mirrors with turn-signal lights.
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    s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    It is not an Accord, but it is based on the chassis and shares some parts. It is more than just a "tweaked" Accord. It had a different body and interior, engine, transmission etc..
    The photo in the link looks exactly the same as the new Accord, so, obviously, that is not going to be the next US TL especially since photos have already been posted showing the styling of the new TL and it is not a carbon copy of the new Accord like that car is.
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    daysailerdaysailer Member Posts: 720
    but a 3mm change in bore does not a "different" engine make. Yes, the TL is a more desirable car than the Accord, that's why I spent the difference, but it is nonetheless an "upgraded" Accord. That's not a bad thing.
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    bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    How about AWD and a proper console-mounted parking brake?
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    s852s852 Member Posts: 1,051
    Implies there are only cosmetic differences such as trim or minor styling changes. The Inspire is a "tweaked" Accord.
    The TL is different mechanically and has a different body and even a different wheelbase.
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    Personally, I greatly prefer the TL's parking brake to the one between the seats. I've had two TLs with this feature over the last four years and I appreciate that no space at the center console is wasted. The foot operated brake is very easy to use, unlike the US models that have a hand release.

    Also, consider the advantage for females and senior citizens who lack arm strength to properly set hand brakes. Both my wife's and my Mom's cars have a hand brake and they never pull it high enough to actually make a difference. But ANYONE can properly set a foot brake.
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    bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    They could easily blend the parking brake into the console ala CR-V. That would be both aesthetically pleasing as well as space-saving. As for ease of use, it may be just me but I prefer the old-fashioned hand brake. The foot brake in the TL/CL requires a rather awkward leg-lift to engage. There's been many a times where I have ended up kicking the uderdash panel by mistake or not pushing down hard enough to engage. Also, I think as an "emergency" brake, it's quicker to yank on a hand brake then use the foot brake. And it's harder to do a 180 with a foot brake :)
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    jjjdddjjjddd Member Posts: 7
    Has anyone had a problem, when exiting the drivers side of the vehicle, hitting their arm on the center frame of the car? Also, when the car is in a parked position and your legs are bent in a sitting position, does anyone's knees hit the steering column? AND lastly, are there any negatives I should know now before I buy next week? I drove it yesterday and could not find any except the above problems. Thank you.
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    scottnhoustonscottnhouston Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2003 TL and absolutely love it. But I want to give everyone a heads up on an annoying rattle we had for quite some time, and the problem was just fixed. There are two a/c vents running between the front seats, these vents feed air to the rear seats. There are plastic clips that hold the floor carpeting in place. These clips are placed very close to both vents (1/4" as described to me by the dealership). These clips were rattling against the vents causing a rather loud and annoying rattle. After 3 trips to the dealer they finally located this as the cause of the rattle. They wrapped felt lined tape on both vents where the clips were touching and two weeks later I have heard no rattles. Hope this helps out others with the same problem.
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    The answers to your three questions are: No, No and No. I own a 2003 TL-S and had 2000 TL before that. Haven't encountered any such problems, but I am only an average height (5'10").
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    scott31scott31 Member Posts: 292
    I'm 6'3" and have no problems getting in or out of my 2003 TL-Type S.
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    jjjdddjjjddd Member Posts: 7
    Thanks to everyone who responded, I will be buying one next Sat. Hope I love it as you all seem to!
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    hclllhclll Member Posts: 35
    Note that the headroom of TL and TL-s are different because of the seats. regulare TL has thicker cushion than the S. I am 6'2 and I feel like the windshield is pressing on me when I sit in a regular TL. S headroom is slightly better.
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    cobbcorpcobbcorp Member Posts: 1
    Are the transmission problems in the TL history? were the tranny problems resolved in the 2003 model (after may 2002).
    Has anyone had any problems?
    And should this affect my decision to buy, because I love the car.
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    lakieslakies Member Posts: 3
    I bought my 2003 TL in June 2002 so I am rapidly coming up on one year of ownership. I plan to keep the car a long time.

    Any advice on buying an extended warranty? Best source? average price? Any tips/ key items to consider? Thanks for any help!
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    jjjdddjjjddd Member Posts: 7
    I bought my Acura Sat. as planned and LOVE it, but they tried to sell me the environmental package to put a protective coating on the outside and inside of the car for $395 extra. I didn't take it, was this a wise decision or not?
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    hunter001hunter001 Member Posts: 851
    In my opinion, you did the right thing by refusing to go for that "environmental protection" crap. It costs the dealers around $20 and is a big money spinner. Moreover, cars like the TL already have all the environmental protection that it needs, right out of the factory.

    Later...AH
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    maxappealmaxappeal Member Posts: 17
    rear of the 04 TL looks great, very clean & sporty... reminds me of the next gen c-class! actually, so does the front.

    http://www.imakenews.com/autospies/e_article000155097.cfm
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    ant_live01ant_live01 Member Posts: 11
    Has anyone experience the brake lamp indicator malfuntioning? Mine keeps comming on when I put my foot on the brake and put the car in gear then it stays on. Mind you none of the bulbs are out. I think the sensor in the brake has gone bad.
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    fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Thanks for writing concerning your TL. I am considering purchasing a new TL but I am still concerned about the transmission issue.
         Can you tell us a little bit about your year-long experience with the TL? Have you had any problems? How has the gas mileage been? Is there anything that you do not like about the car? If you had to do it over again, would you buy the TL again? Any insight into the TL would be appreciated.
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    jjjdddjjjddd Member Posts: 7
    I am thinking about having my windows tinted, does anyone know if this helps protect the leather?
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    lakieslakies Member Posts: 3
    I have been happy with the car. My mileage has been improving now that a couple of oil changes are behind me.

    I am getting 23-35 mi/gal with part highway, part city driving. I initially was getting 21-22. I have read a little about the transmission issues but have not had one so far.

    If I had to do it over again I would buy the TL--I like the style/value for the money.

    I wish the seat were more like the Acura Legend seats--I find it takes me awhile to find an adjustment I like after someone else has changed it.

    I really like how the car looks! I like the driving experience. It is a fun car to drive! The stereo is really nice--I like an open road and a good CD cranked up--you hardly know you are speeding along. :)

    I was recently in a new Mercedes convertible and while it is a nice car, I liked the dash of the Acura much better. It feels designed for the driver and not for the engineer.

    I am hoping someone can give me advice on buying an extended warranty!!
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    fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    You stated that you were getting 23-35 mi/gal with part highway/part city driving. Did you really mean 25-35?
         Usually extended warranties are not worth the extra money. Your Acura is one of the most reliable vehicles made. Some people, however, feel the peace-of-mind that an extended warranty gives them is worth the extra cost. Your transmission already has an extended warranty. I do not know what costs are for the TL extended warranty. I certainly would never get an extended warranty from anyone other than Honda/Acura. The others have too many exclusions and you never know whether they will be around in a few years.
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    lakieslakies Member Posts: 3
    Oops. I meant to say 23-25 mpg. That's week in, week out. If I am on a long highway trip I get 29 [and that's with a lead foot!].
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    merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    Thats because that picture of the so-called "future" C-Class is just a TSX in drag. That site is about as bogus as bogus can get.

    M
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    Yes, tint is supposed to protect leather by blocking the harmful radiation and heat. The standard TL windows probably do a good job of protecting from radiation, but extra protection is a plus. The reduction in heat is certainly very helpful.

    I've had windows tinted on my 2000 TL and will tint the new 2003 TL-S this month. Make sure you get a somewhat reflective tint. It looks better and offers more protection.
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    notbrockyatesnotbrockyates Member Posts: 19
    We recently aquired a '99 TL. Very nice. No real documentation of its history but it seems to be just fine and had a clean Carfax. Since I have no experience with the car from "new" I don't know if the following is proper or not.

    The car does have lots of power. When moving from a stop, we have to be very gentle in applying throttle at first (auto trans by the way) or else we have a VERY quick start off the line - kind of like, stop/GO with little transition. In other words, hard to achieve a "graceful" start. Is this normal for the car or would that be a cause to investigate the transmission. Otherwise, seems fine. NICE car.
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    calgarycalgary Member Posts: 1
    My parents have a 2003 TL Type S in automatic that's been a great car since they bought it last year. But does anybody know if there's a way to manually shift from 1st to 2nd gear when driving in the standard mode? I've driven an RSX that allowed you to do so, so I'm thinking there might to a way to override the system or something.

    Thanks!
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    fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    I see where you have two TLs. Have you been completely satisfied with the 2000 TL? Have you had any trouble? What kind of mpg are you getting?
         What do you think of the TSX vs. the TL(non TL-S)?
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    fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Does anyone think that there might be a manufacturer to dealer incentive on the TL soon?
         How long will they continue making the 2003 TL?
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    richard52richard52 Member Posts: 41
    I've been having problems playing burned CD's in my CD player. They take forever to play and change tracks. Has anyone had similar problems and if so is there a solution?
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    spudgalspudgal Member Posts: 35
    kinda like a person with no ears...something's missing.

    I do like the styling, but have to see it in person first. I love my 2000 TL - 43K miles with no major probs - but the lease is up next October. What a coincidence!

    Oh, on the handbrake (as we brits call it) - if they do a manual, they'll have to go back to that design. Or have four pedals!
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    m6owneronedaym6owneroneday Member Posts: 23
    I would like to get people's opinions on the TL-S brakes. I personally think they are pathetic. A car with this much weight and HP needs brakes that are more effective. Plus I hear on other forums ppl are having warped rotors. Has anyone upgraded to aftermarket rotors, pads? I am considering Comptech Cross Drilled Rotors, Pads and steel braided lines. If anyone had this setup plz post your comments. Would like to know if its a significant difference over stock.
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    carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    Is a big deal for Honda/Acura. The styling has to be sporty to deal with the germans. People did complain about bland styling on the TL in 99 thats why probably Honda gave it a sporty appearence for the 02 model year with the big grille. The 95-98 TL did ok but the 99-03 TL did extremely well sales wise. The TL has always been a good looking car so I am hoping for a real sporty appearence with this car. I just don't want it to look like the Accord. That is waaay to bland. I always loved the headlights on the 1st generation TL. Like the headlights on the current one too. Does anybody know when Honda is going to put the 04 TL on lots?
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    gkoffgkoff Member Posts: 36
    Can you convert HID lights on TL to daytime running light operation? I bought a add-on for my CR-V that converted headlights to daytime running light operation but those lights were halogen not HID type.
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    billyperksbillyperks Member Posts: 449
    A sales person at Devan Acura in Norwalk CT told me around September.
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    jdone1jdone1 Member Posts: 22
    The sensitive accel. pedal is not a malfunction. This is an engineering trick the boys at Honda and a few other companies use. They simply put 50% of the throttle opening in the first 30% of pedal travel-makes the cars seem more powerful. It takes a few weeks to get used to it.
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    Yes, I've been completely satisfied with my 2000 TL up until the time I traded it in with 36K miles. I simply wanted the extra power, sportiness and value-added features of the TL-S. I did have couple creaks and squeaks from the 2000 TL. One of them was fixed, the other never was.

    I love the TL-S, I think it's an awesome car. I'm getting about 21mpg mostly city driving. I've not yet had long highway trips.

    As far as the TSX, I still don't see the point of introducing that car. It's too underpowered, as far as I'm concerned, to be really sporty. By the way, there is an extensive review of it in the very latest copy of Car and Driver.

    On the issue of TL incentive: do NOT hold your breath for more than a $500 incentive. I'm speculating, of course, but it just wouldn't make any sense, when you compare the price of TL to any competing cars to offer more incentive. Instead, you'll see deeper discounting by dealers. Some already offer as much as $200 off invoice. You'll see more of this.
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    I also find the brakes on TL-S somewhat lacking, but I wouldn't go as far as calling them "pathetic". At least the brake pedal feel is great.

    As far as warping rotors, mine warped on the 2000 TL, but so they did also on my previous two cars: 1990 Accord and 1998 Accord. I believe it's the function of my driving: driving fast in the city where I often have to sharply decelerate from 50-65mph to stop at the traffic light.

    Warping rotors are annoying, but it's not anything I consider serious. Resurfacing them once or twice a year does the trick.

    As far as the sensitive accelerator pedal, I've noticed that the 2003 TL-S accelerator is a lot more sensitive than my old 2000 TL's was. I attributed it to the much more powerful engine and have adopted my style to deal with this. Still, quite often my starts are a lot harder than I wish they were.
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    bodble2bodble2 Member Posts: 4,514
    No, not that kind!

    The concept TL is supposed to be a few inches shorter than the current model. That would, for me, be a pleasant surprise since I find the current TL/CL too long (and heavy)for sporty handling, and for the amount of interior space they offer. Dose anyone know how closely the production car will follow the concept in this respect? In my opinion, Acura would be bucking the trend if they made the TL smaller since the Maxima, ES300, Altima, Camry, etc. all got bigger.
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    jjjdddjjjddd Member Posts: 7
    On my new TL, I am noticing that when I hit the brakes, there is a tapping noise coming from the dash somewhere on the passenger side (I think). Is this normal?
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    dulnevdulnev Member Posts: 652
    No, that's not normal. You sure you don't have something rolling around in the glove box or in the storage compartment in the passenger door?
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    m6owneronedaym6owneroneday Member Posts: 23
    Alrite, pathetic might be too strong a word. How about barely adequate. I have driven a 97 BMW 528i and those brakes are awesome. That car had a tighter pedal feel and shorter stopping distances. That car is about 300lbs lighter and stops quicker with shorter distances. Honda needs to learn a few things from BMW regarding brakes.

    After 1350 miles, here are my impressions. Brakes pedal feels mushy, there is hardly any bite when the pads hit the rotors. There is brakes fade a bit after some moderate use. I figure if these rotors warp like some ppl are saying they will then I will upgrade to cross-drilled and different pads with new steel lines. Other than the brakes I love the car.
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    7someday7someday Member Posts: 7
    I just bought a '03 TL, having "waited" for the '04 and have no regrets....

    As far as I have heard, the TL will not be out that soon - try to find any official Acura talk or pre-hype and you don't see the same as you do for most cars pre mid-year release. I would guess late Oct/early november, with no S type. ( A shame). If it comes out in the next 2 months, and I love the style (which the TL lacks next to a Bm'er or the G35) I will still have the pleasure of driving the most satisfying sedan under 50K for 2 full months.

    As far a trying to even put a C-Class Benz with a TL - Please don't insult me. Nice looking - Yes. Comparable - NO, In every possible way, a TL is 4x the car a C-Class is. The C-Class is for people who are class-conscience enough to want a Benz badge, and don't know squat about cars. Ever see Car and Driver or Road and Track put one up against a 330i, TL-S, A4, etc? No, they cant compete. The C-Class is a Honda Civic with a Benz badge. (Sorry for the Dennis Miller rant...) Maybe we need a new thread for the X-type Jag that can go in with that topic as well.

    (Sorry - that was a
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