Was wondering if anyone has an idea of when the TL should arrive at the dealer if it is set to be built on Dec. 17th. Just wondering if the dealer is telling the truth when he says right before Christmas. Let me know.
How many TLs per annum is Acura producing for the US market? I've heard Canada is getting 5,000 per annum. So is the US, with 10x the population, getting 50,000, or more?
I have drawn the same conclusion on tires especially given the superior snow handling rating of the LS-Zs over the EL-42s. I have a quote in Canada from a high volume tire store to switch the tires for $220 CDN per corner. That gives me about half the installed price for the EL-42s which would have to be sold as used tires. The other replacement tires recommended by Tire Rack are the Pirelli PZero Nero M&S. They should be a bit cheaper than the LS-Zs with a rating almost as high. Let me know what you decide.
Alrighty guys, some of your comments have convinced me to buy the snake oil- LOL- that is called Zaino. I actually stopped today at the retailer in New Jersey that sells the products. I got the leather cleaner and conditioner, the stuff that keeps one's windows cleaner longer and many polishing products for the exterior.
The sales guy was quite helpful and even came out to my car to determine if the clay bar was needed- it was determined that "claying" would help me rid my car's exterior of some minor brake dust and other contaminents. The procedure must be performed after using blue "Dawn" dishwashing liquid to clean and remove the dealer's wax job. Ah yes, prior to the magic polishing elixir being applied, the surface must be a perfectly prepared canvass before the artistry that is Zaino, is applied.
Prior to applying the amazing polish one must dry the car with cotton towels, not any cotton towels though. 100% cotton bath towels that are made in the USA, but not bought from a discount chain store like K-Mart or Walmart. They need to be purchased from a department store because discount chain store towels aren't selling truly 100% cotton. The ends need to be sheered off as they have non-100% cotton ends that may scratch the car's surface. They need to be white, not off-white, ecru, near-white, WHITE! The dyes of a non-white towel might bleed onto the car's exterior. The towels need to be rinsed twice and dryed on low heat and air dryed for the final stage.
A Toro 210mph electric leaf blower may be substituted for drying the car! Sal Zaino's specificity is uncanny. I was expecting a suggested manufacturer of washer and dryer. Maybe a suggested meal and wine to be enjoyed prior to taking on the hallowed task. Sal, your towel guidelines are more extensive than major sections of owner's manuals.
I'm actually going to Macy's to buy some towels tomorrow. Yep, I've had a sip from the Kool-Aid and I'm considering joining the cult that is Zaino.
LOL. please update us on what you bought and how you did it and the results. if it works great, i'll probably cut and paste your post and do the same.
it's time and money to make your car look nice but if you ever want to trade it in, a little bit of elbow grease to make your car look sharp will net you a lot more cash.
Anyone know how available the 6-speeds are?? I'm interested in test driving the 2004 TL in comparison with the 2004 Maxima (and 330i performance) as a possible sedan repalcement. But so far, my Nissan dealer has only received 3 6-speed Maximas, all pre-sold. Hopefully the 6-speed TL isn't as rare.
I'm afraid you're pursuing the path of least resistance to finding your TL. Submitting requests through auto-buying programs is not the right way to do it. Go to www.acura.com and pull up the list of dealers within a 5 hour drive from where you are. The site lists names/numbers of Internet Sales managers for each dealership. Then CALL each one of them with a specific offer, say $1,500 off MSRP. You have nothing to loose and a bunch of money to save.
Congratulations! I now expect to see you regularly on the Zaino board here. It DOES seem that there are a lot of "rules" for using Zaino, but they are actually the same for anyone that wants the BEST appearance for their car, using ANY good car care product. The Zaino folks just try to give you all the information up front.
Polyester in towels scratches your paint, causing the "spiderwebbing" or "swirl marks" type of light scratches! This is a FACT. I have seen it myself, and separated out all my car towels with Poly in them to used only for the dog - he doesn't seem to mind. Cheap towels may still have poly in them even though they say 100% cotton! Towel bindings are sewn with poly thread, so must be cut off. If you care, you'll do it. The towel issue is yet another reason to AVOID car washes!
Once you see how great your car can look and how easy it is, you'll wonder why you did it the "old way" for so long!
For my 6-speed TL, I'm keeping the Potenza RE030 summer tires until they wear out (which I'm told won't take long). In the meantime, I put Dunlop SP Winter Sport M2 winter performance tires on all four corners. These tires are amazing, both in snow and dry pavement. Cheapest price I found was CDN$210 each (instl. & bal.) at National Tire in Toronto. Highest quoted price was CDN$270.
BTW, the Potenza RE750s would have been a much better choice as the OE summer tires.
I have the RE950s on my Maxima and they are spectacular in the dry or wet. In the snow, however, they turn the car into a tobbogan. As I don't have a set of snows I'm hoping to get my new TL before we have a serious blizzard.
From the research on Tire Rack the LS-Z's seem like a reasonable all weather compromise. I don't feel the need to get spectacular summer tires as I'm opting out of a manual tranny for the first time in 32 years of driving. I must be getting old as all the kids call me "sir". Pretty soon I'll have to get a white belt and shoes to go with the automatic transmission and just steer it down the Interstate to Florida at 55. Somebody shoot me.
I won't shoot you, but I will question your reason. I've also got 30 years of manuals under my belt. My "streak" will probably get broken for the first time when we replace our 5-speed Isuzu Trooper with a Pilot or MDX. If only the X5 3.0 6-spped were a little bigger.
But in the case of the TL, why not get the 6-speed? Especially given the TL's past automatic transmission problems and the excellent performance of the 6-speed. I doubt perpetual slushbox drivers would be inclined to switch to a manual, but why are you going the other way at this time?
Sure you don't want to reconsider before going belt and shoe shopping?
It's a tough decision to take, because I enjoy driving the manual so much when the road is open and the corners beckon. Unfortunately, living in Toronto most of my driving these days is stop and go either due to the horrible traffic or the stop signs and traffic lights spaced 30 feet apart. In that situation the manual is a pain as I rarely get out of second gear.
To compensate, I'm toying with the idea of looking for a little summer play car like a Prelude, Miata or even a TR6 for those clear days on the back roads. Just to keep my left foot in shape.
A quick note to fellow Cdns - I just purchased 4 new tires directly from tirerack and had them shipped directly to my repair shop and saved a good chunk of change vs. what the local toronto area retailers were offering. With the Cdn$ at $0.77 it is 15-17% cheaper to buy from US retailers vs. a year ago. Even with shipping charges, custom broker charge, PST & GST and tire installation and balancing ($15/tire) it turns out to be a very good deal. Have not done the comparison or research yet but wondering if an '04 TL bought in the US might also save some $'s??? Anybody checked it out??
Car and Driver tested the new TL in the new January issue, and blasted the 6 speed for excessive torque steer.
"If anything, the limited slip (differential) exacerbates the existing torque steer, pulling on the wheel as if each pound-foot were a G.I. Joe action figure in a tug of war."
They went on to say "We're usually not ones to say stuff like this, but the automatic is arguably the more fitting transmission for the TL's lofty power numbers."
While they did compliment the styling inside and outside styling, their 'final verdict' was "A rear drive shaft shy of getting our full recommendation."
I just looked at the most recent issue of Car & Driver (January) and the article on the 2004 TL confirmed two suspicions I had: the six speed easily overpowers front wheel drive and the stock tires provide less traction than desired. They found that the TL with an automatic is a better trade-off. Of course, the article praised rear wheel drive but they, as usual, conveniently forget about nature's gift of snow and ice which impacts many of us.
I have a red 04TL automatic with parchment interior and am very pleased (expect to attach 17" Michelin Pilot A/S tires tomorrow).
Read the C&D review and was more than a little disappointed with those guys. They're so hung up on RWD that they're blind to anything that isn't. Does my TL 6-spd have torque steer? Yes. Is it so bad that I can't enjoy driving the car? Not in the least. In fact, I enjoy a little torque steer from time to time. It's exciting and reminds you how much power you have at your fingertips. That's what I loved about my '88 Mazda 626 Turbo, the feeling of the steering wheel trying to rip itself from your hands. And if you're a good driver, you learn to adjust to it.
Sometimes, I think those C&D guys are a bunch of prima donna pansies.
Bottom line, they had two issues 1) FWD doesn't cut it for them on ANY car... but where I live there is no choice other than FWD or AWD and 2) braking distances. I am not familiar with other cars statistics, but it seems the TL is far behind the others, or is this just the way the graph is presented? Is 189 feet considered acceptable? Dangerous? I bought TL for the toys, the extra power, Acura quality reputation, the looks, the fun factor. I am not swayed by the Princes and the Peas.
I bought TL for the toys, the extra power, Acura quality reputation, the looks, the fun factor. I am not swayed by the Princes and the Peas.
Agreed. Also, you can't put a price tag on the feeling of self-esteem when you settle into the driver's seat. If I hear one more Accord-lover squawking about the extra money we TL owners have dished out, I'm gonna scream. How many looks have they gotten from passersby?
I have just recently purchased a blue TL with nav and should recieve it before the end of the month. I absolutly love this car. The power is awesome and the toys are impressive. I was going to order a red with parchment but I found out that it would take over two months until I could take possesion, so I opted for the blue with quartz because the dealer already ordered it for inventory. Also I wanted to say, and not to start an argument or anything, but I read the C&D review of the TL and I agree that it should be rear wheel drive. I love the handeling and the feel of a rear wheel vehicle, and if the TL was RWD I whould have had one of the first available. And to be honest, I live in Massachusetts and would much rather RWD than FWD in the snow and ice. All it takes is a good set of snow tires and there is no stopping you.
Thanks for the info. You can't tell from the website that tire rack will ship to Canada. Do you need to have an automotive business address? What did you do with the old tires? I have a decent (but not a great) conversion price from a local dealer. That takes care of both sets for me. By the way, which tires did you buy?
I also happen to read the Accord board even though I don't own an Accord or a TL, but I did cross shop an 03 TL before buying my 03 Maxima. My impression is that most Accord owners are of the opinion that the Accord has better "value" than the TL, self-esteem or admiration from other car owners notwithstanding. There seems to be some truth in that, particularly when you compare features vs. dollars. But value may not always be the determinative factor in choosing cars, as some buyers treasure the satisfaction of owning a luxury brand (and the perceived or actual better dealer service) instead of a "generic" nameplate that is shared by thousands.
aciampi, if you like rear wheel drive so much why did you buy the TL? Also, the one about RWD with snows out performing FWD with the same snow tires? Can you explain that one again?
I could not help to LOL after reading gregory28's posted message on Zaino. After reading many posts on Zaino - I was convinced to purchase the products. I couldn't help to by $95.00 worth of stuff! The car polish, gloss enhancer, car wash, leather spray and conditioner, glass cleaner, tire gloss and ZFX.
I purchased my WDP '04 TL on November 14th. Read a couple of posted messages on the TL. Ordered the products and didn't wash my car until the goodies came in.
I was also in a towel frenzy shopping around for the softest and purest 100% cotton towels. I shopped around at K-Mart, Sears, etc. and asked all sales associates for 100% cotton towels. I told them I need them for my car. One sales associate thought I was crazy and wondered if I owned a Ferrari or Lambo - I said nope, better - an Acura 04 TL. SHe said in that case you better go to Neimen Marcus, Nordstrom or Macy's and off I went. I bought special towels at Macy's (reserved only for the TL). I told my husband he was not allowed to use the towels (he-he)...
Got up early on Saturday morning, "dawned" the car out and performed the wax ceremony! I can tell you the job is well worth in! I waxed my car three times and the gloss is absolutely stunning - the white truly sparkles like a "pearl"!
After all that - my husband and kids slipped on gloves when they are anywhere near the car to avoid finger prints. (husband's wise crack joke)!
Dunlev, I agree with your argument for TL vs Accord. Prior to purchasing my 01 TL I briefly considered the V6 Accord -- certainly a fine car -- but decided on the TL. Life is short. I feel my 04 TL is still a great value, even priced not too far from MSRP. All is relative and it boils down to an individual's wants/needs.
Earlier, I think on this thread, someone was expressing concern over the lack of a single standardized high resolution surround sound format (DVD-Audio vs SACD), and that it might therefore render ones TL obsolete in the way VHS eventually won out over Betamax. I'm not too concerned with regard to my new TL, regardless how the format issue settles out. First, with the TL I get to enjoy exceptional, rich high resolution surround sound audio in the car I own now without significant additional player purchase cost (i.e. it's included standard with the TL). Second, the DVD-A's which I have bought will likely not be rendered useless for many years to come as the trend for new home DVD players seems to be universal players, units that play both DVD-A's and SACD's. Perhaps in a couple years an auto maker will include a universal player in their car, and by that time I'll be ready for a new car!
By the way, the "real carbon fiber" (which I prefer and have on my Silver/Quartz TL) is simulated, not real.
I'm pleased you found some humor in my comments. I enjoy this forum and my TL, but I do think we get a bit too serious at times discussing this subject matter. We're talking about cars here!
Did anyone see "Ferris Bueler's Day Off"? Great flick. I remember Ferris's friend's father owned a limited edition Ferrari. A car that was 15 years old and had a grand total of 900 miles on it. The boys realized how screwy the old man was to have this wonderful car, but hardly ever drove it. It was a museum piece that was only cleaned and polished and rarely came out of the garage.
I find it very interesting that in a recent road test of the 6-speed, MotorWeek made no mention of the TL having excessive torque steer.
On the subject of stopping distance, they quoted: "Braking performance is top-notch, too, with 60-to-0 stops averaging a short, neat 115 feet. Our drivers were very impressed with our 6-speed's all-disc ABS brakes with Brembo front calipers. Results are comparable to some recent Porsche's we've tested" -- MotorWeek, Program #2312
I've just ordered my tl silver/ebony w/nav and have about 3 weeks till delivery. I need something to keep me occupied until then. I know there are something like 300 voice commands and was just wondering if anyone has a full list of them they could post. It would be nice to know the commands by the time my car arrives. Let me know. Thanks
I don't know how anybody could argue that C & D is biased against FWD cars. They loved the FWD TSX to death. They wrote a glowing review of it months ago, and then named it one of their 10 best cars. In fact, there were several front wheel drive cars on their 10 top list (three that I can remember - Accord, TSX, and Ford Focus) and the Mazda6 was on the list last year.
C & D tend to be biased toward Honda/Acura products if anything.
I still like the TL and will eventually buy one, but I would not dismiss C & D's criticism so quickly. I haven't driven the 6MT TL yet, but I'm willing to bet that torque steer is an issue.
Congratulations on your order - I am sure you will be very pleased with your new car. I just purchased my WDP/Quartz '04 TL on 11/14 with navi. It is really fun talking to the car and having it repeat the commands to you (this is an option to keep on or turn off).
I am sure there are 300 commands (this includes your bluetooth handsfree commands as well). This I have too and it is also a blast!
I hope no one gets angry that I am about to post the commands from my owners' manual - so here it goes. Please inform me if I shouldn't do this in the future...
Global Commands • Help • Setup • Display man • Display menu • Repeat • Back
Navigation General Commands • Display menu • Display navigation • Display map • Display map guide • Display setup • Display information • Cancel • Backward • What time is it? • Repeat voice • Help • How long to destination? • How far to destination? • Register the current location
Navigation Display Commands • Display current location • Display north up • Display heading up • Display zoom in • Display zoom out • Display selected scale (there are 9) • Display icon on screen o ATM o Gas Station o Restaurant o Post Office o Grocery Store o Hotel/Motel • Hide icon on screen o Same as above • Max zoon in • Max zoom out • Go Home
Find place commands • Find nearest o Acura Dealer o Honda Dealer o Gas station o ATM o Bank o Post office o Hospital o Police station o Hotel o Tourist attraction o Restaurant o American restaurant o Chinese restaurant o Fast food o Italian restaurant o Japanese restaurant o Mexican restaurant o Seafood restaurant o Shopping o Parking garage o Parking lot
Climate Control Commands  Climate control automatic  Climate control off  Air conditioner (on or off)  Climate control defrost (on or off)  Rear defrost (on or off)  Climate control fresh air  Climate control recirculate  Climate control floor and defrost  Climate control floor  Climate control vent  Climate control bi-level  Fan speed (1-7)  Passenger Automatic  Passenger vent  Passenger dash and floor  Passenger floor
Temperature Voice Commands  Temperature # degrees  Temperature up  Temperature down  Temperature max hot  Temperature max cold  Temperature balance  Temperature dual mode  Passenger temperature # degrees
CD Voice Commands  CD Play  CD Play Disk # (1-6)  CD Play Track # (1-30)  CD Play disk #A track #B (A: 1-6 B:1-30)  CD Skip forward  CD Skip back  CD play next disk  CD play previous disk  CD track random  CD track repeat  CD disk repeat  CD normal play
DVD Voice Commands (similar to CD)
Radio Voice Commands  Radio on  Radio off  Radio select AM  Radio select FM1  Radio select FM2  Radio # FM (e.g. Radio 95.5 FM)  Radio #AM (Radio 1020)  Radio seek  Radio seek down  Radio next station  Radio preset (1-6)  Radio auto select  Radio Select XM1  Radio Select XM2  XM Channel #  XM Channel up  XM Channel down  XM preset (1-6)
Tape Commands  Tape play  Tape rewind  Tape fast forward  Tape change program  Tape dolby noise reduction  Tape skip forward  Tape skip back  Tape repeat
Information Screen Voice Commands  Trip computer  Voice command help  Calendar  Calculator
Set Up Screen 1 Commands  Brightness Up  Brightness Down  Brightness Minimum  Brightness Maximum  Volume up  Volume down  Volume Minimum  Volume Maximum  Volume off  Display off  Display nigh  Display auto  Show icon on map  Guidance mode
On Screen Commands  Next  Previous  Return  OK  Delete
Do you folks think the A-SPEC kit available on the 04 TL is worth the cost, about $1800? It gives 18 inch tires, lowers the car an inch, sport shocks, and a rear spoiler. ( I don't know how I feel about a spoiler) But, none the less, what are you comments?
Are you better off just buying 18 inch wheels to make it look sportier? Or, can you just buy 18 inch wheels and get the car lowered an inch for the look? Thanks
I learned that on these threads you talk to a wide cross sections of tastes and expertise, so you never know if the opinion you are getting, even though well meaning, is from some one with similar background to yours. For example, I am an older guy, probably not looking for the same thing out of the car as you might be. I think the spoiler ruins the look of the car, cheapens, makes it look less classy and and takes away from its style. The model that I test drove had an apron, and I must admit I had to go in and out of show room 2-3 times to compare against a car that DIDN'T have an apron...I couldn't see a huge difference (although my wife liked it) so I would say it doesn't have a huge impact. Bottom line... I wouldn't pay $1800, but then again I am an old fuddy duddy!
I agree with you 100% about the spoiler. I too think it looks cheezy, and brings down the classy, elegant look of any car. I do like 18 inch tires and the car lowered an inch, I think it gives a more sleek sport look. Is it possible to just buy 18 inch tires and have the car lowered an inch?
I'm interested in hearing any comments on the FM tuner. How sensitive is it and can it hold a station well? I realize the ultimate fidelity will be limited by the nature of FM but the antenna design and location and tuner sensitivity can really make a big difference in the final sound. As best as I can determine, the FM antenna is located in the rear window and is a single element vs a diversity type. I've listened to the CD and DVD and they are great. However, I still frequently listen to FM (PBS etc) and haven't found any posts on FM quality. Thanks for your observations.
The A-spec kits is actually $5200 + installation (see below):
Torrance, Calif. 11/20/2003 -- The TL A-SPEC package is the latest high-performance accessory offering from Acura and features a variety of components designed specifically for Acura's best-selling sedan. The Acura A-SPEC performance package for the 2004 TL will go on sale December 1, be priced at $5,200 plus dealer installation, and like all A-SPEC kits, be covered under a full factory warranty ...
That is a lot of money !! And personally, I don't think it is worth that much $.
You appear more concerned about looks than performance. I, for one, think aftermarket wheels and lowering the car is every bit as cheesy as slapping on an aftermarket spoiler. But that's your perogative.
On the other hand, I'd be concerned about the standard TL's suspension's ability to handle low profile 18" tires. Most "sport" packages - BMW's in partcular - provide suspension upgrades to match the wheels and tires. Simply putting 18" wheels on a softer suspension (especially FWD) is likely to have you wearing out tires much quicker than expected due to body lean, etc.
dscarman: I find the FM tuner to be superior to any other I've ever owned. Every aspect of the sound system is better. The antenna is actually both in the windshield and in the rear window which is a more efficient and effective way to improve reception.
You may choose to subscribe to XM radio if you purchase the car. I do, and many others here do. The reception is far surperior to FM and one never hears any static. One trait is that it's "on or off" because it's digital; i.e. one goes through a tunnel and it shuts down. One thing that probably happens to everyone is that once one gets used to a commmercial-limited format its difficult to tolerate the seemingly incessant commercials of FM or AM.
I have subscribed to C&D for years, and have enjoyed their car analyses, which I find more technically-minded than their competitors. However, I dutifully disagree with their assessment that the torque steer in the 6-spd is a fatal flaw, and not just because I bought one. The only times I've found torque steer to be a problem is if I accelerate wildly out of a sharp turn, and I do mean wildly. I can't speak for everyone who've bought a 6-spd, but I would hazard a guess that the majority of us are in our 40's, suffering some sort of mid-life crisis or another, and aren't going to abuse these machines in that sort of way. Don't get me wrong, I've tossed my TL around and have enjoyed every minute of it. But I'm not going to do a clutch drop anytime soon.
Thanks for posting the voice commands, but now I'm worried I'm going to have trouble remembering all that! Maybe I'd have to write it on a wrist band like quarterbacks write plays.
I believe that another point that they were trying to make is that in this class (4 door, sport-lux sedan, $30-$40K) you have to offer a RWD platform to stay competitive. FWD with torque steer won't cut it when there are so many other cars to choose from (G35, IS300, 3 series, etc.).
Comments
What did the Road and Track article say?
The sales guy was quite helpful and even came out to my car to determine if the clay bar was needed- it was determined that "claying" would help me rid my car's exterior of some minor brake dust and other contaminents. The procedure must be performed after using blue "Dawn" dishwashing liquid to clean and remove the dealer's wax job. Ah yes, prior to the magic polishing elixir being applied, the surface must be a perfectly prepared canvass before the artistry that is Zaino, is applied.
Prior to applying the amazing polish one must dry the car with cotton towels, not any cotton towels though. 100% cotton bath towels that are made in the USA, but not bought from a discount chain store like K-Mart or Walmart. They need to be purchased from a department store because discount chain store towels aren't selling truly 100% cotton. The ends need to be sheered off as they have non-100% cotton ends that may scratch the car's surface. They need to be white, not off-white, ecru, near-white, WHITE! The dyes of a non-white towel might bleed onto the car's exterior. The towels need to be rinsed twice and dryed on low heat and air dryed for the final stage.
A Toro 210mph electric leaf blower may be substituted for drying the car! Sal Zaino's specificity is uncanny. I was expecting a suggested manufacturer of washer and dryer. Maybe a suggested meal and wine to be enjoyed prior to taking on the hallowed task. Sal, your towel guidelines are more extensive than major sections of owner's manuals.
I'm actually going to Macy's to buy some towels tomorrow. Yep, I've had a sip from the Kool-Aid and I'm considering joining the cult that is Zaino.
I'll report back after I've tried the products.
it's time and money to make your car look nice but if you ever want to trade it in, a little bit of elbow grease to make your car look sharp will net you a lot more cash.
Polyester in towels scratches your paint, causing the "spiderwebbing" or "swirl marks" type of light scratches! This is a FACT. I have seen it myself, and separated out all my car towels with Poly in them to used only for the dog - he doesn't seem to mind. Cheap towels may still have poly in them even though they say 100% cotton! Towel bindings are sewn with poly thread, so must be cut off. If you care, you'll do it. The towel issue is yet another reason to AVOID car washes!
Once you see how great your car can look and how easy it is, you'll wonder why you did it the "old way" for so long!
BTW, the Potenza RE750s would have been a much better choice as the OE summer tires.
From the research on Tire Rack the LS-Z's seem like a reasonable all weather compromise. I don't feel the need to get spectacular summer tires as I'm opting out of a manual tranny for the first time in 32 years of driving. I must be getting old as all the kids call me "sir". Pretty soon I'll have to get a white belt and shoes to go with the automatic transmission and just steer it down the Interstate to Florida at 55. Somebody shoot me.
But in the case of the TL, why not get the 6-speed? Especially given the TL's past automatic transmission problems and the excellent performance of the 6-speed. I doubt perpetual slushbox drivers would be inclined to switch to a manual, but why are you going the other way at this time?
Sure you don't want to reconsider before going belt and shoe shopping?
To compensate, I'm toying with the idea of looking for a little summer play car like a Prelude, Miata or even a TR6 for those clear days on the back roads. Just to keep my left foot in shape.
"If anything, the limited slip (differential) exacerbates the existing torque steer, pulling on the wheel as if each pound-foot were a G.I. Joe action figure in a tug of war."
They went on to say "We're usually not ones to say stuff like this, but the automatic is arguably the more fitting transmission for the TL's lofty power numbers."
While they did compliment the styling inside and outside styling, their 'final verdict' was "A rear drive shaft shy of getting our full recommendation."
Same old argument...
I have a red 04TL automatic with parchment interior and am very pleased (expect to attach 17" Michelin Pilot A/S tires tomorrow).
Sometimes, I think those C&D guys are a bunch of prima donna pansies.
You must be a spin doctor for Pres. Bush
I bought TL for the toys, the extra power, Acura quality reputation, the looks, the fun factor. I am not swayed by the Princes and the Peas.
Agreed. Also, you can't put a price tag on the feeling of self-esteem when you settle into the driver's seat. If I hear one more Accord-lover squawking about the extra money we TL owners have dished out, I'm gonna scream. How many looks have they gotten from passersby?
I couldn't have said it better.
aciampi, if you like rear wheel drive so much why did you buy the TL? Also, the one about RWD with snows out performing FWD with the same snow tires? Can you explain that one again?
I purchased my WDP '04 TL on November 14th. Read a couple of posted messages on the TL. Ordered the products and didn't wash my car until the goodies came in.
I was also in a towel frenzy shopping around for the softest and purest 100% cotton towels. I shopped around at K-Mart, Sears, etc. and asked all sales associates for 100% cotton towels. I told them I need them for my car. One sales associate thought I was crazy and wondered if I owned a Ferrari or Lambo - I said nope, better - an Acura 04 TL. SHe said in that case you better go to Neimen Marcus, Nordstrom or Macy's and off I went. I bought special towels at Macy's (reserved only for the TL). I told my husband he was not allowed to use the towels (he-he)...
Got up early on Saturday morning, "dawned" the car out and performed the wax ceremony! I can tell you the job is well worth in! I waxed my car three times and the gloss is absolutely stunning - the white truly sparkles like a "pearl"!
After all that - my husband and kids slipped on gloves when they are anywhere near the car to avoid finger prints. (husband's wise crack joke)!
Enjoy your products gregory28...
Earlier, I think on this thread, someone was expressing concern over the lack of a single standardized high resolution surround sound format (DVD-Audio vs SACD), and that it might therefore render ones TL obsolete in the way VHS eventually won out over Betamax. I'm not too concerned with regard to my new TL, regardless how the format issue settles out. First, with the TL I get to enjoy exceptional, rich high resolution surround sound audio in the car I own now without significant additional player purchase cost (i.e. it's included standard with the TL). Second, the DVD-A's which I have bought will likely not be rendered useless for many years to come as the trend for new home DVD players seems to be universal players, units that play both DVD-A's and SACD's. Perhaps in a couple years an auto maker will include a universal player in their car, and by that time I'll be ready for a new car!
By the way, the "real carbon fiber" (which I prefer and have on my Silver/Quartz TL) is simulated, not real.
I have a white diamond pearl TLS and a grey grahipte pearl accord to perform the wax ceromony on.
I am going towel shopping friday night.
Bad thing is- I heard a Blizzard is going to hit the North East this weekend.
How long did it take for you to receive your order from Zaino?
Did anyone see "Ferris Bueler's Day Off"? Great flick. I remember Ferris's friend's father owned a limited edition Ferrari. A car that was 15 years old and had a grand total of 900 miles on it. The boys realized how screwy the old man was to have this wonderful car, but hardly ever drove it. It was a museum piece that was only cleaned and polished and rarely came out of the garage.
On the subject of stopping distance, they quoted:
"Braking performance is top-notch, too, with 60-to-0 stops averaging a short, neat 115 feet. Our drivers were very impressed with our 6-speed's all-disc ABS brakes with Brembo front calipers. Results are comparable to some recent Porsche's we've tested" -- MotorWeek, Program #2312
Here's MotorWeek's complete report: http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2312a.shtml
Canada customes will not allow brand new passenger vehicles designated for sale in the US, to be imported.
Thanks
C & D tend to be biased toward Honda/Acura products if anything.
I still like the TL and will eventually buy one, but I would not dismiss C & D's criticism so quickly. I haven't driven the 6MT TL yet, but I'm willing to bet that torque steer is an issue.
I am sure there are 300 commands (this includes your bluetooth handsfree commands as well). This I have too and it is also a blast!
I hope no one gets angry that I am about to post the commands from my owners' manual - so here it goes. Please inform me if I shouldn't do this in the future...
Global Commands
• Help
• Setup
• Display man
• Display menu
• Repeat
• Back
Navigation General Commands
• Display menu
• Display navigation
• Display map
• Display map guide
• Display setup
• Display information
• Cancel
• Backward
• What time is it?
• Repeat voice
• Help
• How long to destination?
• How far to destination?
• Register the current location
Navigation Display Commands
• Display current location
• Display north up
• Display heading up
• Display zoom in
• Display zoom out
• Display selected scale (there are 9)
• Display icon on screen
o ATM
o Gas Station
o Restaurant
o Post Office
o Grocery Store
o Hotel/Motel
• Hide icon on screen
o Same as above
• Max zoon in
• Max zoom out
• Go Home
Find place commands
• Find nearest
o Acura Dealer
o Honda Dealer
o Gas station
o ATM
o Bank
o Post office
o Hospital
o Police station
o Hotel
o Tourist attraction
o Restaurant
o American restaurant
o Chinese restaurant
o Fast food
o Italian restaurant
o Japanese restaurant
o Mexican restaurant
o Seafood restaurant
o Shopping
o Parking garage
o Parking lot
Climate Control Commands
 Climate control automatic
 Climate control off
 Air conditioner (on or off)
 Climate control defrost (on or off)
 Rear defrost (on or off)
 Climate control fresh air
 Climate control recirculate
 Climate control floor and defrost
 Climate control floor
 Climate control vent
 Climate control bi-level
 Fan speed (1-7)
 Passenger Automatic
 Passenger vent
 Passenger dash and floor
 Passenger floor
Temperature Voice Commands
 Temperature # degrees
 Temperature up
 Temperature down
 Temperature max hot
 Temperature max cold
 Temperature balance
 Temperature dual mode
 Passenger temperature # degrees
CD Voice Commands
 CD Play
 CD Play Disk # (1-6)
 CD Play Track # (1-30)
 CD Play disk #A track #B (A: 1-6 B:1-30)
 CD Skip forward
 CD Skip back
 CD play next disk
 CD play previous disk
 CD track random
 CD track repeat
 CD disk repeat
 CD normal play
DVD Voice Commands (similar to CD)
Radio Voice Commands
 Radio on
 Radio off
 Radio select AM
 Radio select FM1
 Radio select FM2
 Radio # FM (e.g. Radio 95.5 FM)
 Radio #AM (Radio 1020)
 Radio seek
 Radio seek down
 Radio next station
 Radio preset (1-6)
 Radio auto select
 Radio Select XM1
 Radio Select XM2
 XM Channel #
 XM Channel up
 XM Channel down
 XM preset (1-6)
Tape Commands
 Tape play
 Tape rewind
 Tape fast forward
 Tape change program
 Tape dolby noise reduction
 Tape skip forward
 Tape skip back
 Tape repeat
Information Screen Voice Commands
 Trip computer
 Voice command help
 Calendar
 Calculator
Set Up Screen 1 Commands
 Brightness Up
 Brightness Down
 Brightness Minimum
 Brightness Maximum
 Volume up
 Volume down
 Volume Minimum
 Volume Maximum
 Volume off
 Display off
 Display nigh
 Display auto
 Show icon on map
 Guidance mode
On Screen Commands
 Next
 Previous
 Return
 OK
 Delete
Are you better off just buying 18 inch wheels to make it look sportier? Or, can you just buy 18 inch wheels and get the car lowered an inch for the look? Thanks
For example, I am an older guy, probably not looking for the same thing out of the car as you might be. I think the spoiler ruins the look of the car, cheapens, makes it look less classy and and takes away from its style.
The model that I test drove had an apron, and I must admit I had to go in and out of show room 2-3 times to compare against a car that DIDN'T have an apron...I couldn't see a huge difference (although my wife liked it) so I would say it doesn't have a huge impact.
Bottom line... I wouldn't pay $1800, but then again I am an old fuddy duddy!
Torrance, Calif. 11/20/2003 -- The TL A-SPEC package is the latest high-performance accessory offering from Acura and features a variety of components designed specifically for Acura's best-selling sedan. The Acura A-SPEC performance package for the 2004 TL will go on sale December 1, be priced at $5,200 plus dealer installation, and like all A-SPEC kits, be covered under a full factory warranty ...
That is a lot of money !! And personally, I don't think it is worth that much $.
On the other hand, I'd be concerned about the standard TL's suspension's ability to handle low profile 18" tires. Most "sport" packages - BMW's in partcular - provide suspension upgrades to match the wheels and tires. Simply putting 18" wheels on a softer suspension (especially FWD) is likely to have you wearing out tires much quicker than expected due to body lean, etc.
You may choose to subscribe to XM radio if you purchase the car. I do, and many others here do. The reception is far surperior to FM and one never hears any static. One trait is that it's "on or off" because it's digital; i.e. one goes through a tunnel and it shuts down. One thing that probably happens to everyone is that once one gets used to a commmercial-limited format its difficult to tolerate the seemingly incessant commercials of FM or AM.