Acura TL Care and Maintenance

bvilla

i live in canada, and i don't think there is an owners' website that services this market. i've signed up for the honda america owners' site, which has some great features, but it doesn't help me here (with service, etc.).

i'm just curious if the site is as good as it looks. are people using it? what works, what doesn't?

signed,
jealous in toronto

ljwalters1

I don't find it that helpful. If your servicing dealership subscribes to it, they may e-mail you service deals or reminders, but I think many service dealerships do that anyway through the mail. I enterred my info & it's nice as a good way for me to quickly find the specs of my car, but that's about it.

As an aside, I'm in FL and bought my TL used from a private owner in CA. Ownerslink lists HIS dealer as the one of record and I can't change that. So I got e-mails from the service dept in Cali until I turned it off altogether. Their helpline was not helpful in this regard.

delmar1

It is ok to change the oil anytime....but this is something I found out from an Acura service department manager. I bought a 2005 TSX and the first oil change is scheduled at 10,000 miles. I asked shouldn't I change it sooner especially after the break-in period.

The response was that Acura adds an oil additive with the initial oil fill to aid the break-in process. For the TSX, you want to allow it to run in it for the full duration of 10,000. For the TL, the Owners Manual section relating to break-in specifically indicates to allow the car's service reminder indicatior to prompt you for an oil change.

I just bought my TL yesterday and this is my plan. I will change the oil at the first prompt by the car's service reminder. This to allow the oil additive to do its job and to follow the recommendation of Acura.

:confuse: Out of curiousity to others here. When does the first indicator arise and how many miles before each oil change indicator? :confuse:

aaargh

I think it depends on the type of driving you do. I do about 80% highway and the first reminder came up at about 7,500 miles. The second just over 15,500.

frisconick

I didn't know about the additive, thanks! I really need to read the owners manual :P

vickib2

We bought a beautiful black TL in 08/04. I warned hubby that black was not a good idea, since he is not conscientious about car care, but he just loved the way the car looked. Sure it looked good sitting in the lot, freshly washed --- but it looks dirty and dusty all the time now that we have it. What's the use of washing it, if within 24 hours it looks like it did before you washed it?

Anyway....griping is not the point of this post. I have two questions. I have read about the Zaino system, but hubby says he doesn't have time to do all that, and he's too cheap to pay anyone to do it. Would applying this Zaino "system" repel dirt and result in the car looking cleaner longer? Maybe he would do it if I could convince him that it would reduce the need for constant washing.

My other question is: what is the best way to remove dead bugs from the front of the car? A friend suggested a little "Goo gone" but I wanted to run that by this board, first.

Oh, I have another question -- is the use of chamois to dry your car a big NO-NO? I told my husband it was, but he says it all depends on how you use it.

It really bothers me that we are not taking care of the exterior (or the interior for that matter) of this car. We've never had such a nice car before (and we're in our early 50s!). The most we ever spent for a car prior to this was $13,000.

And speaking of the interior...we have gray interior, and the dashboard over the controls looks a little faded and ashy to me. Any suggestions for this? I assume Armour-All is a no-no. ??

Thanks for any help.
Vicki

frisconick

Vicki, you need a new husband. :P

delmar1

Regarding the additives added by the factory to the initial oil fill... It isn't in the manual. It was stated by the Acura representative...who I have to believe as they would normally want us in sooner for oil changes so they can generate fees.

What the manual does state in regards to the break-in period is that it states not to change the oil until the car indicates so.

frisconick

Thanks for the info.

ljwalters1

And speaking of the interior...we have gray interior, and the dashboard over the controls looks a little faded and ashy to me. Any suggestions for this? I assume Armour-All is a no-no. ??

All '04+ TLs have a black dashboard, even mine with the camel interior. My dash got to looking kinda grayed, and there were some rub marks on it. Armor All did the trick for me. Have you heard bad things about Armor ALL?

crvols

I have a 2004 TL with 24,000 miles and just had the oil changed and tires rotated at a local lube shop. The manual tells me that if I turn ignition to "on", move the display to show the remaining oil life and then hold the reset for 10 seconds I will be offered the choice of resetting the oil life display. I have tried this a few times and it doesn't seem to work. All it does is go back to "perform A1 service now". Any suggestions from someone that has done this? :mad:

aklbreeze

I have the '04 TL in Anthracite Metallic with a Quartz interior. It also has the black dashboard (as they all do, I believe). Anyway, I've been using the Armor All protectant wipes on only the dashboard. They've been working great and keep the dash looking new. Sometimes I use the Armor All leather wipes on the seats. I've not heard anything bad about Armor All, but I've been using the wipes since I got the car 10 months ago. My TL still looks (and smells) brand new.

bhelsdon

Once you get to the orange screen that says "perform a1 service now" Let go of the reset button and them press it again and hold until it until the screen changes again( I forget what is says but basically it asks if your sure, then press and let go and your oil life indicator should go to 100%.

evan5

Has anyone purchased seat covers for the 2005 TL? If so what types are compatible and where can they be purchased? Thanks.

Evan

frisconick

I am more convinced that a car cover is a good investment.

ljwalters1

go to "www.google.com" or your favorite search engine and plug in the following words: acura "extended warranty"

I got 130,000 hits. Here's a link to one of them: http://www.curryacuracare.com/#

brneydgrl

I was recently in an accident with my 2000 TL. It was all front end damage and both air bags went off. The car was not driveable and had to be towed away. Prior to the accident it was in excellent condition with 50,000 miles on it. Does anyone know if this car will be totaled or if it can be fixed?

taxesquire

The insurance company is going to do a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the car should be totaled. Basically, they'll look at the current value of your vehicle, and the cost of expected repairs. If the cost of repairs is a high enough percentage of the value of the vehicle, your car will be totalled.

I don't know how they determine current value or what the magic percentage is, but your insurance company and the car repair place shold be able to tell you that.

Hope everyone was OK.

frisconick

Yea, hope everyone is OK. BTW, did the airbags knock you silly, or did they adjust based on impact like I was told they would?

rtchin

hey, I'm going to buy an '05 tl. i test drove one yesterday. the "demo" car had significant wear on the seats (front drivers and passangers). stretch marks and discoloration. the seats looked as beat up as my 97 maxima. is this something that i should be concerned with or should i chalk it up to a poorly cared for demo car?

thanks!

brneydgrl

The air bags did adjust. Actually, my arms were a little burned from the driver's air bag because when the crash occurred both of my hands were on the steering wheel. But other than that it was fine - I don't even remember it touching my face.

delmar1

I have sat in a 2004 TL and the seats look just fine. Pristine. I would say that it depends on a few factors. Who sits in it....and whether it has been generally maintained.

I am on my 5th Acura...all seats have been work-horses and look fine.

I suggest you viewed a poorly maintained demo...which the dealer should be ashamed of.

taxesquire

I have an 18 mo old '04 TL and my seats are in pretty good shape. There are some stress marks on the sides of the drivers' side. I'd inquire when they put that demo into service. I haven't read any complaints about the Acura's seats, except for some folks claiming the leather was too thin.

frisconick

Wow, that's impressive, I am glad you were ok.

subba

I am wondering if anyone purchased the extended warrenty from the curryacuracare.com? I looked at the web page and looks attractive offer for 7year/75K for $955.00. I bought the 05 TL two months ago and I bought the extended warrenty from the dealer for $1399.00. I will appreciate if someone can help me find a reliable source for buying the extended warrenty

telco59

I am probably going to get a 2006 TL in November. I already own a 2005 TSX and love it. I know a few people who have a 2004 TL, and they said the gas mileage is not that great for local driving. One friend averaged about 16 miles per gallon. She took it to a shop, and the mechanic said that was normal for the TL.

Has anyone else had experience with poor gas mileage on the TL?

ed31cincy

There is an entire Acura TL thread devoted to gas mileage discussion. You will find 64 posts there, many of which show their real-world numbers and an explanation of driving habits.

link title

raharris1

Hi,
I replaced my stock old Turanzas with Yokohama AVS ES100s and I could be happier. The car rides better, is quieter, and handles much, much better! I was always a little disappointed with the handling, but these tires made a huge difference. And they have a very nice looking tread pattern, too! Just thought I'd pass that along....

billyperks

where did you buy these and how much did you pay?

laurasdada

Have you had the new Yoko Onos in the snow? How were they. Turanza's are poor...

frisconick

I heard the Mischilins (spelling?) are best.

delmar1

What you are referring to are the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. They are "Y" speed rated (versus the "W" rated with the OEM tires) and have a treadwear of 400...which means they should get about 35,000 miles. They might cost more...but they are supposed to be the best overall performers.

I previously heard all the bashing of the OEM tires. They aren't that bad so far to me. They don't squeak....and they don't feel square...so far.

I am so far away from considering tires. What are the recommendations around here???

laurasdada

My only complaint is the snow performance of the Bridgestones. And maybe that they do flatspot.

Try Tirerack.com, a great source of tire information. You can customize info for any car.

nightcrawler29

16 MPG??? wow that's really bad... I've had my TL for 2 weeks and I'm averaging 25 MPG on mixed city/highway driving with A/C on half the time.

laurasdada

Yeah, after about 6700 miles the worst mpg I've averaged on a tank has been 21mpg. Mix highway/local driving.

taxesquire

perhaps the person who got 16 mpg had some unusual occurence to bring that mileage down, such as idling while waiting for a partner in stores, or stop-and-go traffice. Idling kills mpg figures.

galacticgoat

From what I understand, premium gasoline is recommended (but not required) with the 2005 TL. From your experience, what octane is preferred. Is the extra $$$ you pay for premium worth it?

frisconick

With a 270hp engine, I got into the habit of gunning it all the time, and it really hurt mileage.

ed31cincy

Let's say you fill your TL up with 14 gallons of fuel. In my area, there is mid-grade of 89 octane and premium is 93 octane. The minimum octane for the TL is 91 octane. You could mix the two grades and achieve the 91 octane, to save yourself about 70 cents per tank.

You could just use the 89 octane, which is not recommended, and save about $1.40 per tank. If I'm already spending $33 to $35 per tank, I'm not going to risk harming the engine of a $33K car to save $1.40 per week.

When Acura tells me to use 91 octane in order to get the performance I paid for (270-HP), I'll do it. I don't think it was because they want the oil companies to have more profit.

frisconick

I agree 100%, this is not a Civic, put the recommended gas in the car. I must add, however, the Civic is a fine car

timny

The Michelin Pilots are awesome. I've a set of HX MXM 45R17s on a car that I drive quite aggressively; 49,000 miles later, there is still more than 50% tread on them. I did have to replace the right front tire twice, though, since I hit potholes that cause a weakening of the side-wall (low profile tires are a nuissance in NYC). The tires perform brilliantly on wet and dry pavement, and even dig into the snow with a surprising amount of bite!

I like the tires so much that it's one of the first things I am looking to see on the new cars I am considering.

timny

Perhaps the TL and the 330i aren't normally thrown into the same comparison group (although R&T included a sidebar about the TL in its recent glowing review of the 330i). That said, I am comparing them and need some advice. I've driven my wife and friends crazy going back and forth on which to buy. I believe the TL is a better buy and you certainly get a lot for the money: strong engine, plenty of bells and whistles, Acura reliability, etc. But the BMW has a higher residual and I rather miss driving a RWD (not sure I can wait until the Fall for the xi).

Show me the money:
So far the best deal I've struck for the TL is $32,500 with Nav, but I think I can get that down to $32,000. Acura's offering more $ on my trade-in, too. Meanwhile, a fully loaded (Premium, Sport, Cold weather, Nav, Sateliite, etc) 330 I've negotiated so far at $44,000 (can probably get down to $43,500 at most). Any one else care to share their buying experience? Also, is buying the new model year BMW a dumb move? :confuse: :confuse: :confuse:

taxesquire

Don't know if I saw this on other posts in these forums, or the news, or whatever, but it's my understanding that current engins that require premium will take regular gas, but you lose performance because the engine has to take some of that power and redirect it to protect itself (which is why you don't hear knowcking or pinging like you may have if you did the same with older cars), and you get worse gas mileage.

So on one hand, yousave a few bucks, but then you lose mileage and performance. Most people who seemed knowledgable on the subject agreed that it was cheaper to put premium in a car that requires it, as opposed to regular.

taxesquire

I believe the TL is a better buy and you certainly get a lot for the money: strong engine, plenty of bells and whistles, Acura reliability, etc. But the BMW has a higher residual and I rather miss driving a RWD (not sure I can wait until the Fall for the xi).

Can't comment on the residuals, but you hit the nail on the head, as far as the differences between the 2 cars. 1 other thing to note is that the Acura is a larger vehicle. It gets compared to the 3-series b/c of price, but if you were basing your comparison on size, the 5-series would be a more appropriate competitor. Do people sit in your back seat? They'll be more comfortable in a TL.

Also, if you're going to get a nav, regardless of which car you get, I believe the TLs is far superior to BMWs. It's voice-recognition softare and integration into the hvac/radio is fantastic. I'm not familiar with BMW's, but the TL and Infinit M have the best nav.s right now.

Also, is buying the new model year BMW a dumb move?

It is risky - more likely to have bugs, but I bought a new model year TL, and while some people have complained of rattles and vibrations, my car is trouble-free at 16k mi.

As an aside, if you don't mind paying in the mid-40s for a car, and intend to buy an automatic, the Infiniti M35/45 might be a nice compromise for you, between the TL and BMW. It's F-A-S-T, has great technical features, luxury is more on-par with the TL, and it's RWD. If it came with a 6MT, it'd probably be my dream car. :shades:

delmar1

I believe you are reminded of a post I made earlier this month. I provided a hyperlink to a USA Today article which quoted a Chevron engineer (who uses regular grade in his car which calls for premium). If interested...look at the forum regarding the TL Gas Mileage...that is where it resides. If you cannot find it...let me know and I will find the hyperlink for your review.

delmar1

Wow...Michelin Pilots with 49,000 miles? I heard from the tire dealers that I should easily expect 40,000 on the 45R17 (and that is why I was recommending it in my previous post)...but 50% remaining? Wow.

Could you share a bit more about your tires (speed and tread wear ratings) and what car model it is mounted on?

I am sold...Michelins for me in the future. Pay a little...get a lot.

timny

I believe the speed rating was (is) W. They are mounted on a Jetta GLI, which I am reluctantly about to return off of a lease for a BMW or Acura ... why reluctantly? Because 200hp in such a little car with a 6 speed is a lot of fun; driving a AT now that I am a married man is B-O-R-I-N-G!

I really drove those tire hard -- city driving, highway (Long Island Expressway, etc.). Not sure I ever obey speed limits, and I like taking corners hard. So in other words, those 49,000 miles weren't gentle!

My only beef with them is that the sidewalls can be fragile, so hitting potholes (unavoidable in NYC often) can do real damage. This is not unusual for low-profile tires, mind you. The tires never blew, but I did replace the right front tire twice because of a bulge in the sideway, My wife, meanwhile, has had Pirellis on her Saab -- after only 20,000 miles, they were bald; and after they were replaced, one simply exploded (tearing apart the $400 rim in the process).

The pilots aren't cheap -- expect to pay at least $225 each, unless you're a good shopper. When it comes time to replace tires on my next car, though, that's what I am buying.

What car are you mounting them on? You want to go at least 225, if not "fatter"!

timny

A friend of mine has the new M35 AWD. I agree: spectacular car. Almost too many gadgets. Sadly, I am giving up MT for AT, since my wife can't drive a manual and refuses to learn.

My rant: I think if we had more MTs on the road, there would be fewer accidents since you have to pay attention to what you're doing, and you can't be shifting while talking on your cell, slurping your coffee, and/or changing the DVD for junior!

Sigh ...

taxesquire

Because 200hp in such a little car with a 6 speed is a lot of fun; driving a AT now that I am a married man is B-O-R-I-N-G!

The TSX has about 200 HP (at least under the old rating system) and comes with a 6-spd. Of course, the TL comes in a 6MT that can blow the doors off the TSX and Jetta. I have a TL 6MT w/ the summer tire option, and love 'em!!!!

If your wife doesn't drive a stick, teach her - it can be a bonding experience!!!

taxesquire

I suggest you post this on the Zaino and general cleaning boards.