Older Acura TLs

ptrekker

Can you please post all the page numbers and photos too? And also the index. Thanks.

chas083

Your attention please: 2004 Acura TL named autospies.com car of the year

automophile

Agree with gregory 28 - FM is very good on the TL. BUT - unless you are listening to PBS, the audio quality of broadcast FM in the USA is dreadful, and the XM is far superior. XM can't approach the CD or DVD audio, but is is sure better than broadcast!

I did find it to drop out once when I was under trees, and also tunnels and freeway overpasses. However, it goes to silence instead of noise, and I feel it is a small price to pay for good, mostly commercial-free audio.

debis04tl

If you want to lower your TL.. install a door visor kit as shown in the TL accessories booklet. I picked up my WDP yesterday after 6 weeks of waiting, had the aero kit installed including that cheeze spoiler,along with the moon roof wind deflector and it LOOKS lower and sharp with two coats of Zaino. Today my garage door spring broke so am going to have to leave it out in the SNOW!!! The visor kit does make the car look lower and it is a lot cheaper than an A-spec kit if looks is what your after. By the way I am an "older guy" too but I am not dead yet!!

uncledavid

I think the issue with C&D is exactly the one that sunilb identified. C&D felt that a car in that price range shouldn't be "limited" by FWD.

I honestly don't know if torque steer is an issue on the TL because I haven't driven it yet. My TSX has no torque steer, but then it doesn't have much torque! Either way, I trust the objectivity of C&D.

Let me be clear that there concerns will have no impact on me. Sooner or later, I will own a TL. But, I appreciate their criticisms and suspect there is a kernal of truth there.

sunilb

I think the approach Lexus took was a bit smarter: FWD and cush = ES300; RWD and sport = IS300. Captures more market share via segmentation.

Audi seems to do okay in this arena, *but* they offer both FWD and the option of AWD.

Of course, Acura could (I hope) offer a hybrid-AWD version of the TL! There were rumors about this for a while, but nothing has materialized (though, it may be on the '05 RL).

archerlane

What is the typical dealer markups being charged? I live in Hawaii and the only Acura dealer here is charging $3,995 above and beyond the MSRP which brings the total to about $38K with tax and license.

I really like this car but I'm not sure it's worth $38K when I can get a G35 under MSRP which would be about $7,000 less than the TL.

Maybe the TL is still new so the dealer isn't willing to negotiate price.

dulnev

You answered all of your own questions. You live on an isolated island with a single dealer who has an effective monopoly. They can charge whatever the market will bear, period! The typical prices elsewhere do not apply to you, but if you really want to feel some pain, go ahead and read the Prices Paid discussion.

Personally, I would not pay more than $2,000 over the price of similarly equiped G35. Right now I can get a fully loaded G35 AWD for the same price as I'm buying the TL with NAVI. If this G25 was $2,000 cheaper, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. TL is a better car, but it's not worth $7,000 difference.

bodble2

Don't leave your baby out in the cold! You can operate the garage door manually. It'll be a bit of a pain (literally) but it's worth it.

automophile

I really LOVE my new TL, but this car is so close to perfect, I find it very frustrating that they left out some important things.

I stirred it up on another forum about this, but I'd like to see what you think, and also perhaps Acura is watching and there will be some impact on future TLs. Please forgive the long post.

FIRST - Things that are on our lower priced TSX, but NOT on the TL! (Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?)
1. Turn Signals on the Side Mirrors - This is the GREATEST thing, it should be on ALL cars. The lights are right at driver's eye level, and they can be seen even to the rear of the car. We quickly saw faster response from other drivers after we got the TSX. Why were they left off the TL? Even in the brochure, they are listed under "Safety Features". Did Acura feel we didn't deserve them at the last minute?

2. Manual Trunk Release - Our TSX has a little button above the license plate to allow you to open the trunk when the car is unlocked, but this is missing from the higher-priced TL. So - we have to go find our keys (hope the remote battery is not dead) or go in the car to find the poorly placed trunk release button. Hmmm.

3. REAL Fog Lights - The fog clears along the road, so why are our fog lights up at headlight level where they do little good? D'Oh! I would happily paid extra for REAL fog lights below the bumper, as on the TSX.

OTHER THINGS THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD -
4. DRLs - Oh, I see - they left out the DRL feature that all Canada TLs get, and instead hooked them to the headlights and called them our "Fog Lights"! Double D'Oh! Some people don't like DRLs. I didn't at first with my Solara, but after having them for a while, I see this as a very valuable addition. I KNOW they had prevented a LOT of other drivers from pulling out in front of me when I had the Solara.

5. Auto On Headlights - Again, I got used to them with my Solara, and found this a valuable feature. As you drive during the day, you never have to think about turning your lights on or off. This may seem rudimentary, but once you have it, you miss it. It is NOT the same as using the Auto OFF feature on the TL. With all the sensors in the TL, it should be just a small change to the computer programming.

6. Keyless Control in Key - The much lower priced Accord from the same parent has the wireless remote built into the key, but Acura still has a remote AND a key - What gives with that?

There are other small things, but these are most important to me, and most should be REALLY EASY to change to make this fantastic car even better. ACURA - Wake up!

archerlane

The website says "the doors are made of dent resistent high-strength steel." How dent-resistent?

Has anyone opted to install the body-side moldings? I saw them on a few cars at the dealer and altough the car looks better without it, I'm sure it's somewhat functional and will save you a few dents on the doors thoughout the life of the car.

My current car I was able to keep dent free on the doors for over 5 years, then in the last year I got 3 dents on the doors.

carguy58

If customers complain enough Honda will fix it. There is drawbacks to every car and no car is perfect.

On a different note as far as the RWD vs FWD debate goes I was in the snowstorm yesterday and I saw one Cadillac CTS trying stuck in the ice(eventually he got out of the ice. I went around him.) I saw another guy in his Lincoln trying get stuck in the ice trying to make a turn. He was spinning the tires heavily. I saw a couple people in their 99-01 TL's have no problem with FWD in the snow. I didn't have a problem with my 02 CL in the snow.

Lastly, If I had a new TL I would be happy with it. I saw some pic's on the Acura website. The interior looks very very good.

UncleDavid: tired of your TSX already and you are already thinking about a new TL? That was pretty fast.

Finally, how does the last generation of TL's compare with the 04 model? Does the 04 model have a sportier ride driving style wise than the 99-03's. I would appreciate an answer if somebody could answer my question about the way the 04 TL drives as compared to the 03's. Thank You. Also if not too much trouble is the interior in the 04 TL more functional(easier) to use than the 03 model in regards to controls and buttons on the steering wheel and the center stack?

debis04tl

bodble when I say if I could get that sucker up I would. If it was the power that was off, no problem. But it is a spring so I have lost my lifting power. Oh I suppose it would help for you to know that it is a steel door, 16X8 feet.. too heavy for me, too much pain! automophile.. I am with you on the fog lights, I like them for looks down in the bumper where they belong. Maybe they will come out with a kit for the bumper... and I would like to see some of your other suggestions on my TL too but I think Acura knew what they were doing. Can't put all the good stuff on one vehicle now can they? and the DRL's, their great. How many times have we all pulled out to pass a car and not see that car (the same color as the road)off in the distance. For some it may take a little getting used to but so did seat belts. they both save lives, that should be worth something, especially if it is yours !!

debis04tl

Archerlane if you were to get a new TL and a rubber hammer... let us know how you make out. On my car I have the body side moldings, they look good with all the other stuff and they should save some dents. I had a 98 CL that acquired some dents in the doors, I called a local company "Dent Wizard". The rep came out,shoved a heavy wire down the door on the outside of the glass, ( the wire had a curve in it ) tapped it with a hammer on the outside and worked it with the wire on the inside, five minutes and $50.00 later the dent was GONE. I like my TL too, but then so do the RCMP. To quote the nice police man " nothing like the smell of a new car is there" ? That was after he handed me the ticket. First one in 47 years. I suppose I should be proud of that but for some reason I am not.

raytl

I have been taking note of the trip computer on my '04 TL, seeing in town mileage as low as 17 and highway mileage as high as 33, each over about 25 miles. Does anyone know what instrumentation Acura has in place on the vehicle to calculate these numbers and the level of accuracy?

paulg54

Car and Driver says Acura is using the Accord chassis because it is cheaper than designing a RWD set-up for the TL. How much was involved when Acura changed the transverse engine in the Legend to a longitudinal design in '91? Is Acura trying to save money from design or do they feel they may lose some buyers from changing to RWD?

When I drove the 6-spd, normal driving didn't seem to bother me. How often will my driving take me from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds?

bodble2

Is this feature really that desireable? If you're driving around, doors unlocked, wouldn't you be vulnerable to someone running up to your car when you're stopped, say, at a light, and open your trunk and grab something?

carguy58

Now if Acura made their cars RWD I would not buy one. I would have been forced to buy a Honda Accord Coupe instead of a CL. Where I live in NJ slot of people drive TL's. It just wouldn't be good in the snow up in the Northeastern United States.

If Acura went AWD I wouldn't have a problem with it but who knows because the President of Honda said the next RL will not be front wheel drive.

kfhmail

I have just read on autospies that ACURA is only producing 10% of the TLs with the NAV. Can anyone else confirm this?

Also, on the manual trunk release...I do not like being able to open the trunk when the car is unlocked...but what about the "old" style...a key hole/lock for the trunk.

pg48477

I agree that FWD is better in snow than RWD, saw G35 truing it get out of paring, took him 30min. I have no problems driving my TLS, but do you really buy those cars for snow driving , no!!! On the other had I think new TL did well in C&D test, they did not even had performance tires and got 5.7 0-60. If you buy performance package it's should be much better. I would never buy G35 or over priced 330 over TL, I think Acure did a grate job , if they will come up with AWD, god for us, I would buy it.

mdhauke

raytl,

I asked the same question on here about a month ago and got a cryptic answer at best. Seems like nobody knows the answer. The best I could decipher from the response is that the TL actually does not have an instrument that measures actual gas intake by the engine and the gas mileage statistics on the trip computer are nothing but vague estimates at best.

I also think that assessment is confirmed by the wide range of mileage values that are posted on here. It just doesn’t make sense.

rwalker07

I am glad I bought my TL before I had a chance to read the car and driver review.

I don't notice any torque steer, maybe because I have been breaking it in. I have tried to keep the RPM's to around 3000 or less. I have 600 miles on it as of today.

My last car, a 2002 Saab 9-5 was also front wheel drive.

I consider this car to be the best I have owned yet. It is a luxury sports car. I never would drive a BMW because I don't want to be a BMW guy
(maybe that puts me in the same category as a BMW guy).

I like the fact that the Acura TL is subtle. However, I think it looks much nicer than either the 3 or 5 series. I probably should've test drove the G35, but the interior reviews turned me off.

I am very happy with the car despite the CD article.

aciampi

From what I have heard from the sales managers at 3 dealers, 2 in Mass and 1 in NH, the percentage of TL's with Nav is closer to 22%. The reason I was told for this was because last year Acura couldn't give away the navigational systems, and they didn't figure such a high demand for them this year even though everything is now voice activated.

Also I just wanted to say to those who rather FWD over RWD, I find RWD safer in the winter as long as you have good snow tires. And I would also reccomend snow tires on FWD as well. And to give you an example, this morning I woke up to over 5 inches of snow and I live on a very steep hill. I had no problems getting up the hill in my fathers RWD 740iL BMW with four Bridgeston Blizzaks with the traction controll disabled.

dulnev

AMEN! I would never consider buying TL either, if it were RWD. I don't want to spend extra $1,500 on a set of winter tires/wheels. I've had only FWD cars and have had no problems driving in the snow in Washington, D.C. area.

I don't want to sacrifice my safety by buying an RWD vehicle for that extra little bit of performance. I would bet that more than 80% of Acura TL buyers feel the same way.

thewife

What color do you think the TL looks best in? we are deciding BETWEEN SILVER/EBONY OR BLACK/EBONY. The camel interior is a bit too orangey for my taste.
Will I benefit from a zaino finish even with a silver finish?

gcruzsmith

Any CHP or California police around to help with this question?

I personally do not want to put California License plates in front of my new TL - I think it looks much better without it. If anyone has noticed the word "Acura" is embosed in front of the car and I think it looks sharp.

Problem is my husband has 50th anniversay corvette and he refuses to put front license plates on that baby.

We were pulled over the other day by a San Diego Police officer for a stupid "fix it" ticket. My husband placed the license plates on, drove to the police station and got it cleared off. After that, we drove home and he took them off again.

Any thoughts? What happens if you get numerous "fix it" tickets?

Thanks everyone!

gregory28

Color selection is a popular topic here.

It's interesting that you're considering polar opposites regarding exterior maintenance. Black is by far the most difficult to keep clean and the silver is one of the the easiest. I think that the black is the nicest exterior of all, but I'm not willing to expend the weekly time that is necessary to keep it clean. If you are I say go for it. I think the silver/ebony is a very sharp combo.

The experts here will tell you that Zaino will benefit all car exteriors. There's actually a Zaino forum you can get more info. about the products.

brew99

My tires were essentially done and not worth anything substantial so it made it easier. You can purchase from tirerack online and specify a shipping address which is different from your own. I sent them straight to my mechanic's garage. It was a relatively simple process all in all. Total shipping time approx 4 days. I purchased the Continental ContiExtreme Contact tires for my A4. Had them since Friday and so far so good.

kfhmail

I have not ever bought a Acura or Honda before so I have not ever really researched how they do things.

Does Acura/Honda ever change/add color choices during the model year?

I really like the white exterior but not with any of the available interiors...the black interior would look GREAT IMO. Also, I would like to see what the red ext. would look like with the gray interior...but again this is not an option.

Also, do any of you agree that the gray interior would look better if only the seats and carpet was gray (and maybe overhead) and everything else was black like on the black interior. I think it would look sharp with the dash and the door panels black with gray seats.

I do not care for the "two tone" affect on the gray interior.

Any comments?

kfhmail

I was hoping to buy a TL around Christmas, but not sure if I will be able to because I want the NAV but do not want to pay MSRP.

My first choice would be the white exterior, but I do not like any of the interior colors (black if available would be my choice)

Second Choice would be the red ext. with black int.

Third choice would be gray ext. and gray int.

Since I cannot get black int with white ext. I will probably be getting my second choice which is the red ext. with black interior.

automophile

Front Plate - I haven't had one for 20 years. I try to NOT drive like an idiot or to get parking tickets, and have never been cited for this. Personally, I would pay the tickets multiple times before I put an incredibly ugly plate on the front of my car. I don't understand WHY the car makers don't build a REAL place for the plate into the bumper, as they did in the "old days". If the plate looked like it belonged, THEN it wouldn't be so bad. You have to be careful in certain areas like West L.A. where they have a lot of the "red-light cameras" to catch the scofflaws that speed through red lights. THERE the cops will stop you for this.

COLOR Unless you are willing to devote yourself to multiple coats of Zaino, DAILY attendance to the finish and accepting the HEAT during the summer, get the silver. Z will make it look fabulous. Not as great as the black, but I feel that the negatives of black outweigh the positives.

Trip Computer I believe that it is taking the REAL gas consumption and figuring it with the speed/distance. Because the car has computer-controlled fuel injection, the car knows exactly how much gas is being delivered, as well as the other measurements.

habitat1

I respect those who make the choice of FWD over RWD if they feel more comfortable driving in rain & snow with FWD. However, a few comments / observations:

(1) RWD, with stability control, LSD, etc. has significantly improved in recent years. It's still adviseable to get snow tires and rims, but the cost should be reasonable compared to the price of a premium car and the wear and tear saved on the summer tires partially offsets the cost.

(2) The new TL, with its high performance low profile tires isn't exactly a snow beater just because it is FWD. I suspect it would be highly advisable to get snow tires and rims if you are going to go far in snow.

(3) The FWD TL is clearly banging up against the ceiling of a luxury/performance sedan. Acura loyalists might prefer FWD, but they are kidding themselves if they think FWD is consistent with either performance or a true luxury ride. You won't find a single FWD BMW, Mercedes or upper end Lexus or Infiniti that is FWD.

I myself bought a Nissan Maxima in 1995 because it was the best compromise of performance and practicality at the time. I am impressed with many of the features of the new TL and I am a Honda/Acura fan. But a $34k+/- 270hp TL is NEVER going to compete with a 3 series or even a G35 in terms of overall performance and balanced handling. And it won't compete with Audi or others that offer AWD options for foul weather. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a very attractive set of attributes, but it's clearly a compromise when it comes to performance - as is the new Maxima with 265 hp and considerably more torque.

mdhauke

lol, sorry, but nobody is ever going to convince me that RWD drives better in snow then FWD. They may have made improvements to make handling better is adverse conditions, but you still don’t have near the stability you have with FWD.

You just have to look as far as a post made here a couple days ago by a TL driver during the snowstorms of the NE. He said that he passed several RWD Lexus’s, BMW’s, and Infinities stuck in the snow as he zipped passed them in his FWD 04 TL.

Auto – Thanks for the info on the trip computer. That is a lot better than the answer I got last time. Is this your assumption though or do they state this in the Driver’s manual.

eg424

If your car is registered in California, it is the law to have a front plate. I agree that the look isn't as 'clean'. However, why would one want to aggravate themselves with getting multiple tickets. There are so many aggravating things you can't control. Why add one that is unnecessary.

bodble2

I actually never understood why there seem to be an unwritten rule that luxury cars should be RWD. I understand why RWD is preferred for performance cars. But for cars that have very little "sport" to them (ie. almost any Lexus), I think FWD or RWD would make no difference. The only reason I can think of is that FWD was first introduced on small economy cars and thus carries the stigma of being a cheap setup.

billyperks

stick with the front axle.

I saw several rear axle car stuck on the I95 during last Firday's Blizzard.

I was laughing all the way to bank in my TLS.

I saw this elderly man in a Jaguar (XJ) at the Westport exit just sitting back and smoking a cigar- I guess he was waiting on a tow truck.

Surprisingly, I saw a G35 mowing through the snow as if the car was a Front Trak or AWD Trak.

I did not get close enough to see if it was the AWD.

automophile

I have used the trip conmputer on the highway, resetting it to see the current mileage, and the response was very quick. Also, where else could the gas usage information come from? There is no way to "guess" at it.

golfgod2

Okay, I have a dilema here - I'm probably going to pull the trigger on a new TL w/ nav fairly soon. I think the car looks stunning in black, however, I live in the SF Valley in LA where it gets super hot in the summer. My second favorite is silver, however, I do like black significantly more than silver (fyi, my current car is a silver tls w/ ebony interior). For those of you who've had a black car, does it really make the interior temperature of the car that much hotter and is black really that horrible to try and maintain? Any opinions would be appreciated.

dulnev

1. You're not going to see much difference in interior temperature between two cars with black interiors. The color of interior is going to drive it for the most part. I speak from experience. I have the same car as you right now.

2. Silver exterior is "no maintenance". That is why I got it. Black is horribly hard to maintain because the dirt shows up more and every single scratch and ding stand out.

Having said that, I like Anthracite's look so much more than Silver, that I'm opting to get Anthracite TL 04. I always regretted not getting Anthracite 2003.

pat

I'd like to invite those interested to join the Front Wheel Drive, Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive - what is best for a sedan? discussion. Seems like there are lots of thoughts on that subject that need to be examined.

See you there.

montreallou

Now that the car has been out a while and there are real life experiences, can anyone report on brake performance? Test reports apparently are not glowing. Does anyone have an opinion...concern...experience?

bodble2

When did you become an American citizen?!

montreallou

ever since they got satelite radio and we didn't! And now I can't fix it for some reason!

automophile

They seem pretty good to me, although I haven't made any panic stops. It seems that there are some great discrepancies between different tests. The results range from Porsche-like 115 ft to not-so-bad 140 feet.

mdhauke

"Also, where else could the gas usage information come from?"

Most trip computers are a simple estimate using RPMs and mileage together to come up with an estimated value. This can still give you an instant value if you reset it. I am trying to figure out if Acura's is the same or a more advanced and accurate method.

archerlane

Any opinions on these two color combinations? I think I would have preferred White/Ebony but that is not available. Given the two choices that are available, I think I prefer the Parchment interior. I was leaning towards Silver/Ebony orginally but the more I look at the White the more I like it.

kevd

I'm new here and have decided on an 04TL, problem is color! Every time I look at another combination I find something I like about it then I think of what I don't like. I really like NBP w/parchment for overall looks and interior but I dread the upkeep of black, I know, I been down that path before. The silver is very nice but there are alot of silver cars on the road. White looks better every time I see it, the pearl is pretty in the right light. Haven't seen green or blue yet. Does anyone here have NBP that regret it? How about the Zaino, if you've used it on your NBP, do you think it lowers your maintenance? I'm trying to justify it somehow..... haha! Thanks

dulnev

You really should try to find the perl green to look at. It's a great color, and quite unique. I still like Anthracite the best, but green would've been my second choice.

kevd

dulnev,
It comes with parchment interior too, as soon as one comes in I'll check it out. As long as the green isn't too green I'll like it. Did you look at the anthracite w/camel?

dulnev

Question for people who recently bought Acura and financed through American Honda Finance: what is the rate that you got? I was told several weeks ago that AHF's 60-months rate was 3.99%. I wonder if it's still the case.

I will be picking up my Anthracite/Ebony auto with NAVI this Friday.

kevd, Anthracite/Camel was my initial combo of choice, even though I have never seen it. It seems to be a very rare combination. I really liked Camel with other colors and I love Anthracite, but couple sales people told me that they thought that the combination of the two was bad. Since I never seen it myself, I decided not to risk it.

The perl green is not too green, it's a bit greyish and gun-metallish (I'm inventing words here ;-)).

I thought Acura really botched the Quartz interior. Some of the elements, like leather on arm-rests, look really cheap in that light-grey color. They should've made it a grey/black combination, not grey-only, in my opinion.