Acura TL 2006+

bodble2

"and I wasn't driving"

Or so you thought. You know one side-effect of heavy alcohol comsumption is short-term memory loss! :P

Kirstie_H

OK, intoxication aside, let's stick to the new TL.

taxesquire

When the TL is in first or second gear, input from gear position, speed and steering angle sensors is used by the ECU to reduce power during acceleration, thus reducing torque steer

THanks for that post! I now think that change is really worthless! What it does is take away your ability to slam on the gas!! For al thos considering '06s b/c of this feature, realize that you could accomplish the same thing int eh '05 by accellerating less quickly!!! Within only a little bit of time, you will know how hard you can push the car before the torque steer kicks in, but if your racing a G35, you can just grab the wheeel tightly instead of remembering to turn off the torque control.

taxesquire

Weighing in on the gold:

I used to think the gold was the prettiest TL ext, followed by the silver, considering the metallic reflections of the pictures and the genreal ability of light metallics to hide dirt, but I'm not so sure anymore. THe pictures I've seen of the TL in gold look great, but of the 3 on the road, 2 looked drab and 1 looked nice. I'm guessign the gold loses its luster more easily than I thought.

bodble2

I think the gold has to be kept really clean and shiny to look good. Once it gets dirty, then it looks drabby, as you said.

And I agree about the torque steer reduction feature. It is just a silly electronic nanny. Not only would I not pay extra for it, I wouldn't want it even if it was free!

frisconick

I agree, and this is true of the Silver, mine looks like a dull gray when it's dirty.

jadecarver

Another change for the 2006 TLs is that Acura seems more confident about their drive trains. The TLs had trany problems a couple years ago. The 2006 TLs now come with a 6 year / 70,000 mile drive train warranty. This makes waiting for the 2006 models even more attractive.

jinva

Although we have not driven one yet, we are very impressed with the TL overall. It might turn out that the decision not to get one is made on what some may think are insignificant points:

Exterior color: We're not too excited about any of them.
Fold-down rear seats: We assume all rumors that the '06 will have them are untrue. Our current car has them and we use them frequently.
Turning radius: We need to drive it to decide. Our recent experience with a wide-turning rental car makes us hesitant to deal with that everyday.

It could be that these will be the lesser of the evils when compared to the competition. There aren't many others in the $30-$40k range that we would consider. For the time being I guess you'd say we're picky. We want the new car to be perfect. My guess is we'll come around to the TL and focus on all that's good about it. And there's a lot of that.

bartalk3

I think it's worth waiting for the '06 if you can get that extended drivetrain warranty. Honda seems to be extending their warranties on other models as well. On the '06 Accord, e.g., the drivetrain warranty goes to 5/60,000 from 3/36,000.

delmar1

That is great to be picky as you should enjoy whatever car is selected.

Just so you know...I doubt you will ever see a folding rear seat in the TL. The reason is the TL is engineered not to have folding rear seats so that the frame is stiffer for improved performance. If you should open the trunk of a TL...you will see some hefty support bars which stiffen the 'rear box'. And if you open the hood...you will see a huge torsion bar by the firewall to stiffen the front (and also could be a great safety device in case of a frontal crash). Car was not designed to haul...but for performance.

Exterior color...personal tastes. Cannot help you on that. What color are you seeking? However in 2006 I hear that Carbon Grey will be available. I personally find all the colors to be appealing.

Turning radius....I get in and out of spaces fine...and the number of "U-Turns" I make is minimal and don't drive in circle. Also, I would prefer to assess the overall performance and not be too concerned about a maneuver I do not perform on a constant basis.

If you are in the $30-40k range...perhaps consider the RL then...which is about $43.

Good luck in your purchase decision.

taxesquire

You raise valid concerns. I love my TL, but I don't use it for major carrying. We have a minivan for that! Personally, I cannot see myself discounting a car from consideration on the basis of color. I can see color being a tiebreaker between to similar vehicles, but my thinking is I'm gonna find the best car out there for me, and then I'll find a color. For what it's worth, it took me a few months to get to like my Deep Green Pearl (discont'd for '06), but I love the car, and now I love the color.

If lack of a fold-down rear seat would complicate your life(i.e., you don't have another car you'd use for hauling and the current trunk space isn't enough), then that is not a minor point. I'd consider it a dealbreaker. There are plenty of cars that would give you the storage you need. Of course they might not corner as well, but that's the difference between "want" and "need." You may "need" the extra space b/c of your lifestyle. You probably don't "need" a sporty ride. I had folding seats in my Passat and rarely used them, so it wasn't an issue in my search.

The large turning radius is annoying. I don't notice it when parking. I notice it when I'm in the left lane and need to make a U-turn. If there aren't 2 lanes going the other way or a wide shoulder, I need to allow extra time and make a K turn. I don't know how the TL's radius compares with other cars in its class, but I would swear our Toyota Sienna has a smaller turning radius than the TL.

Anyway, if the TL doesn't suit you, you might want to try the Accord. It's built on the same platform, but isn't sport-oriented (except as compared to its competition), so it might have the folding seats. Also, I've heard that part of the TLs turning radus problem is due to its tire size. Undoubtedly the Accord will have smaller tires.

And I don't know about the redesigned Passat, but if you're willing to get an '05 and forgo the dramatic increase in HP, its turning radius was fine and had fold-down rear seats. Since folding seats and turning radius isn't something I focused on in my test-drives, I can't be more helpful.

Except to say that my TL is an absolut blast to drive!!! :shades:

priggly

We want the new car to be perfect.

Good luck on that, buddy, you ain't gonna get it in any car! Every car is a compromise of one sort or another.

I've been researching the TL for a good many months and have compared it to many, many cars. Overall, the TL continues to come out on the top and I'm waiting for the '06 iteration to work out a few more of the kinks such as rattles, vibrations, etc. before making the final decision to purchase. Even in the 2004 and 2005 models it is clear that not everyone has had problems and the '05 has generally been much more satisfactory than the '04. Acura/Honda remains near the top of owner satisfaction/reliability studies and something must be said for that. In my book, reliability ranks very highly on the list of desirable automobile traits and is a "must have" for me.

Following are some of my "comparative impressions" with respect to how other cars I have examined compare to the TL:

Audi A4 - commendable engine and drivetrain, ergonomics, interior quality and features but car is too cramped, overpriced and history of reliability is not up to Acura.

Audi A6 - ditto the above except for more spacious interior. Don't like the MMI.

BMW 3 series - great engines, handling, ergonomics, driving feel and presence but too cramped, overpriced, questionable reliability, and inferior audio system unless you spring for the LOGIC7 and this in my opinion is still inferior to the ELS.

BMW 5 series - ditto the above plus it has the horrendously awful i-Drive which if it had no other faults would by itself be a dealbreaker for me.

Chrysler 300C - outstanding engine and RWD performance, very good interior, superb audio comparable in sound quality to the ELS but does not play 5.1 DTS surround sound discs. Some wind noise at highway speeds in the car I drove. Reliability probably not as good as Acura. Priced higher than TL. Poorer fuel economy. Extremely limited choices in tires that fit the car.

Infiniti G35 - great engine and brakes but otherwise a rather unrefined car with too high noise levels, cheap interior and mediocre stereo.

Lexus ES 330 - cushy and comfortable, quiet and refined, so-so engine and drivetrain, inferior audio, "loaded" car grossly overpriced with many of its features only available in expensive option packages compared to the TL which has everything but Navigation standard.

Lexus IS 300 - great build, reliability and quality aura but car is too cramped and overpriced.

Lexus IS 350 - sounds like it has a superb drivetrain and creature comforts but still too cramped in respect to the back seat and again will be overpriced, I suspect. The value quotient for the TL is much higher.

Nissan Maxima SE/SL - overall, these are very commendable cars in virtually all respects and in particular the engines. The cars are appropriately priced. The interior, however, is not up to the TL standard in either the SE or SL and the Bose audio system is inferior to the ELS. The most serious flaw, however, is the less than stellar crash testing ratings.

M-B C series - ditto the above for BMW but fit and finish, particularly in the interior, are clearly in decline plus reliability is terrible.

M-B E series - ditto the above.

Toyota Avalon Touring - great engine, refinement, roominess, and Toyota reliability level but no traction control, stability control, poor ergonomics with problematic "little plastic doors" which are prone to malfunction, poor audio compared to TL, no Bluetooth, no Navigation availability and high relative price.

VW 2006 Passat - a seriously improved car compared to the 2005 model in virtually all respects but the 3.6 is very overpriced, particularly in Canada, has no Dynaudio which is a major oversight by VW in my opinion, and reliability for VW in the past several years has been at or near the very bottom of the pile.

jinva

Thanks for your response.

Just to be clear I'll say that this car will be my wife's and color is more her issue than mine.

As far as the folding seats go, we can do without it. We have a CR-V that can be used for carrying. She is used to the convenience of having the folding seats with her at all times and not having to go home to get the Honda.

I'm not going to mention the turning radius to her. I don't want to make it a bigger deal than it should be. We'll make sure to check it out on a test drive.

We like the RL. We thought it was closer to $50k than 40. We also didn't think the back seat was much, if any, bigger than the TL. My wife is in real estate, so carrying clients in the back is a consideration. Thanks for the suggestion. We'll be sure to check it out when we're looking at the TL.

bodble2

Wow, you have really done your homework, even though you may be a car salesman's worst nightmare! :P

jinva

Thanks for setting me straight on the unavailability of the perfect car. We're so naive sometimes.

Seriously, though, I agree with your assessment of the other cars. The only ones we've given serious consideration to are the A6, which we have now, and the 5-series. We probably need to, at least, look at the Passat.

I don't think we're going to spend the money for an A6, although our experience has been good. We'd need the 525xi, since it snows here, and that price will get up there too. Overall, we liked the Audi better, anyway.

The TL is looking like the one to beat. I'm hoping Acura might have a lease deal before the end of the year, but I know Honda/Acura doesn't do it very often.

taxesquire

Just to be clear I'll say that this car will be my wife's and color is more her issue than mine.

Way to throw your wife under the bus!!! (just kidding :P )

Saw your list of other cars to consider, and thought you might want to check out the Volvo S60. I test drove an S40T5 and it was a blast - great low-end torque, but too small. The S60 might be the right combo.

As an aside, my wife and I bought a house recently and we definitely judged realtors by the cars they drove. Stick to the premium brands. Guess that might knock the Volvo S60 off your list, but...

jinva

We haven't looked closely at the S60. With backseat passengers in mind I was thinking that the slope of the rear doors would be a drawback to getting in. We probably should at least go to the showroom and see if that's true. We test drove an S80 years ago and weren't impressed. That memory has stayed with us.

Our current A6 has been a good car for real estate. It's got lots of room and has a quality about it that even non-car people recognize. Even if, in some eyes, it falls short of Merc or BMW, we like that it's not the mainstream choice. That said, a new one with similar options will be $50k+. We're not sure we want to spend $150/mo beyond what we're paying now. It still could happen, but I think it's unlikely. The TL is a lot for the money.

BTW, I threw her under the bus as gently as I could.

delmar1

Here is a game plan since you find the TL to be worthy.

Get one...let your wife determine the color is unsuitable. Start driving the horrid TL instead of your wife. You would be such a hero for being such a great guy.

frisconick

I sat in the rear of my TL and felt I had ample room, however, I 6 ft, but only 160lbs. So a big person say 6 4, 280lbs, might have differing opinion.

frisconick

Get an avalon, and all worries are over regarding back seat size. :P

delmar1

I hear Buick has fine seating room....

bartalk3

It's official (according to the Acura 800 number): the '06 TL will be introduced on September 22. My local salesman said last week that it would be late October, early November. These guys are the last to know.

bodble2

"These guys are the last to know."

I think they deliberately hold back info from the salesmen, so that when they tell you inaccurate info, at least they look genuine, instead of looking like a sleazebag like most of them generally do. :P

inkyofok

I guess with greater warranty liability and small changes the increase will be to 34k and 36k Nav. Still good value and I imagine 2k off right away as these are far from rare cars the 05s on the lot are up to 84,xxx on VIN so that is a serious number of cars for this class. In fact with this kind of volume Acura may be able to keep price even less.

TL's still are not overly common but still a little special but with nearly 150,000 04 and 05 on the road now chances are you will see a few.....

I have to admit I own a 05 TL and drove a 06 EX accord manual 4 banger for fun Saturday and you know it was more enjoyable to row my own gears for $21,000 (sale price) than the $31,000 I paid in May. Anyhow, the TL is luxurious compared to Accord but no bigger.

ON a tangent, the TL amazes me with mpg, I got 32 mpg from OKC to Tulsa with AC on the entire way and this is a turnpike where 75 is legal and 76 was my speed. Truely amazing.

Oh since I actually went as far as having the dealer bid my 05 TL --$28,500. Nice to know they do not depreciate like American cars.

taxesquire

I have to admit I own a 05 TL and drove a 06 EX accord manual 4 banger for fun Saturday and you know it was more enjoyable to row my own gears for $21,000 (sale price) than the $31,000 I paid in May

Did you realize the TL can have a manual tranny, too? I didn't consider the accord b/c the v6 can't come with a 6MT and 4 doors

bartalk3

With 150,000 TL's sold since the redesign in '04, I hope they've gotten all the bugs out of the new ones by now. It's a little off-putting to see CR reliability ratings for the '04 as just "Average", highly unusual for a Honda/Acura product.

bartalk3

If anyone knows the MSRP of the '06, please post ASAP. I don't imagine there will be huge increases. $500-800 maybe?

wyman

XM is coming to Canada in the fall. Does anyone know if XM will finally be supported in the 2006 TL?

bplayer

Highly unlikely the decision on build requirement would have been made many months ago and XM was not yet confirmed. I was also hoping that it would be offered as I will place my order for an 06 later today.

Maybe it will be available for the following model year. The buttons on the audio unit are different between the US model with XM and the Canadian model, so it is not just a software upgrade.

agmperfect

May I ask what 800 # you called to find out this latest scoop? I went to 2 acura dealers on saturday. In regards to the 06 arrival, one dealer said late Oct the other dealer said mid Nov.

bartalk3

agmperfect:

Acura number: 800-382-2238.

Let me know what they say. I called twice. Both times I was told Sept. 22 for the '06.

agmperfect

bartalk3:

Cool, thanks for the reply. I'll give them a call on Monday and post whatever answer I get here. Thanks again.

ozzynyc

delmar1

No change in the msrp makes sense as there is no major modification in the 2006 from the 2005. However....the 2005 are discounted significantly from msrp. Effectively....there is little differentiation between the two years. However a BIG difference in car prices between the two years...which matters most....how much you pay.

ggesq

I would have to agree to a certain point.....

Some people might view the following as major modifications:

-Having a different color blue available- Abyss Blue gone; Royal Blue (like the Accord)
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
- New Torque Steer control mechanisms especially relevant for those 6MT enthusiasts out there
- Being able to have a parchment interior on some exterior color combinations which were not previously offered
- Taking the hit on depreciation on buying an 05 vs an 06 i.e. if you are planning on keeping the car 1-3 years

For me, price was huge and that is why I agree to what you say but for others, paying the premium might be worth it....just my .02

teereeves

I would agree with you ggesq, I am definitely not buying a 2005 TL, because of the direct TPMS. Before I buy a new car, it has to have Bluetooth and direct TPMS, the 2006 TL fits that bill, I just have to try to get the lowest purchase price possible. One other benefit for the 2006 TL for me, is being able to hook my iPod to it later on this year.

Tee

elvis4prez

No official word yet of course.
The link to find out:
http://www.hondanews.com/CatID3003?mid=2005080146888&mime=asc

My guess would be about the same as yours due to TPMS, better warranty and general cost increases.

acura_tl

I just called Acura's customer service number to inquire about the 2006 Acura TL and was told that the car is expected to be available on September 22.

vyruz

How much less would an 05 be once the 06 TLs come out? I wanted to buy an 05 TL this weekend, but if the 06's are coming out pretty soon (i read that it is supposed to come out in 2 days) i can wait....Depends how much money i save once the 06's come out. And if i dont save much i might even go for the 06 instead lol.

Also, is there anything negative about the TL that future TL owners should know about or is it really a very worth while car?

frisconick

No doubt the 05's will be cheaper when the 06 comes out, but by how much I don't know. The only downside of the TL, is when you have to stop driving it. :P

bartalk3

What will probably happen is that the price of the remaining '05s will go down slightly when the '06s appear, but as they become scarce and the supply begins to run out, the price will go up again. So timing is everything.

nightcrawler29

well it would be nice if the stereo system on the TL could play MP3 cd's.... you could fit about 300 songs on an MP3 cd and play it in your car and forget about XM radio.... and then since there's a 6 disk cd changer, that means you could have a choice of approximately 1800 songs at your fingertips....I would rather go for this capability rather than having an IPOD around.... but then, I can't even burn that many mp-3 songs on a cd!!... but well, some people out there probably can.

elvis4prez

I emailed some dealers back that I was changing my mind from '05 to '06.
Only one replied so far offering 1000 off MSRP for '06 (rather than 1000 over invoice like I had requested). That same dealer said he did not anticipate more than $500 price increase.
Most said no pricing info yet and they'd get with me later.

taxesquire

is there anything negative about the TL that future TL owners should know about

I absolutely love the car - it is fun to drive, is comfortable, luxurious and it is logical in that it is large enough and has the safety features required for a family sedan. That being said, here's some comments that I've experienced or read about on thee forums:

1. It is a balance between sporty ride and a luxury ride. Hard-core enthusiasts can't get past the FWD platform. Those who like the cushy rides of the Lexis ES and prior TLs generally find the ride to be harsh. To me, it's the perfect balance.

2. Car has a wide turning radius. For me, this only comes into play when making U-turns.

3. Manual transmission version has torque steer issues. That means, stomp on the gas and you better hold onto the steering wheel b/c it's going to jerk (generally to the right). It's only an issue if you're accellerating from a dead stop as fast as you can, and people have said the automatic doesn't have this problem. The '06 has a senser taht reduces the accelleration fo the car when it senses torque steer.

4. No iPod hookup.

5. Rear seats don't fold. To keep the sporty ride, the TLs seats are stationary to provide better body stiffness. Some people wish the seats folded down.

6. Some people have experienced vibrations or rattles at high speeds. This was mainly in the '04s, but when you test drive your car, test it at speeds over 40 mph for a little while with the raio off.

Speaking fo test drives, I think the best way to do it is to test the radio, seat adjustments and other controls while you're still in the parking lot. When I test drive, I don't bother with any switches or the radio - just like to listen to the car. I've even started asking salesman to not talk except for advising whether to go left or right. Out of the dozen or so tst drives I've taken, I believe I've only offended 1 person.

Anyway, that's about the size of it. Frankly, I think it is hands down the most appealing car in its class, considering money, size, features, sportiness and safety. You'll have to make your own decision.

yakuza

Others have mentioned the plusses and minuses of the TL. Here are mine:

I went from an '02 Nissan Maxima SE 6-speed to an '05 Acura TL 6-speed w/nav.

Plusses:
Very refined and well built. There are some minor rattles but I've never had a car without at least some.
The interior design is, IMHO, one of if not the best designs of any car on the market today. For me, that's one of the biggest factors in deciding on a car since that's where I'll be spending a lot of time driving.
Very smooth engine with good power. It's not a muscle car but it's still a lot of fun.

Minuses:
The turning radius, as mentioned before, is large (39.7 feet). It's something you have to adjust your driving to compensate - mostly u-turns and turning into non-angles parking stalls. This is pretty minor issue in my opinion unless you live/drive in areas where you have to make frequent tight turns.
There's no "auto headlights" which is a weird omission from a entry level luxury car.
Many complain of rattles. I have a few but nothing too bad.
TLs without navigation come with the much maligned Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires.

frisconick

Great post tax!!! Any test drive should be done with no radio, or chatty sales people. Plus you should try to test over a bad road, and of course freeway. I have at times purposely veered on to the shoulder of a road just to get a rough surface. Of course if it was safe and flat.

acura_tl

It is official - infomation about the 2006 Acura TL is now available on www.acura.com

Pricing:-
2006 TL 5-Speed Automatic Starts at $33,325
2006 TL 6-Speed Manual Starts at $33,325
2006 TL 5-Speed Automatic with Navigation System Starts at $35,325
2006 TL 6-Speed Manual with Navigation System Starts at $35,325
2006 TL 6-Speed Manual with High Performance Tires Starts at $33,525
2006 TL 6-Speed Manual with High Performance Tires and Navigation System Starts at $35,525

Destination: $615.00

bartalk3

Acura tl, thanks for posting these prices. Price increase over '05 is about $260 including the $40 increase in destination. Not bad, considering the powertrain warranty is extended to 70,000 miles.

delmar1

Althought the msrp prices are $300 above the 2005's...don't expect to receive the generous discounts when purchasing a 2006.

carfan3

Hey everyone. I am interested in buying the TL but with the Rear, Front and Side spoilers. The problem is, i am worried that they are so low that it might hit / scratch / dent on bumps and high driveways. For example, my driveway leading to the garage is higher than the street, and i usually have to drive up at an angle to avoid the exhaust pipe and bumpers from hitting the floor. Would spoilers make it even more difficult for me to get to my driveway? are they very low? Has anyone had problems witth their body spoilers hitting and smacking everywhere?