2007 Acura TL Type S

sicktls4me

what about Zaino products that you like over other car products? just curious? I've tried others and, honestly, they are fairly good. I've tried Zymol on our other cars. I am willing to try other car wax/polish products out there. :shades:

laurasdada

While I'm no expert/detailer, the Zaino gives a great shine and the gloss seems to last longer than other products I've used. The one caveat is that I've gone from light colored cars (white, silver) to a dark blue TL and Zaino is the only product I"ve used on the TL. The shine/depth is more apparent on the dark color, possibly other products might perform similarly? But, I'm happy.

Oh yeah, Zaino smells good too...

sicktls4me

Thanks for the info! I will give it a try! 1 more thing - when you had your car brand new, how long did you wait before you gave it the 1st wax job?

When I bought mine, the dealer waxed it and, I must say, the water beads very well and the car still have a VERY smooth feel to it. So, right now, I'm just using detailer products.

mine is Kinetic blue!

thanks again!! :shades:

laurasdada

I bought my '05 TL at the new year so due to the Boston winter, by necessity, I didn't Dawn/Z6/Z5/Z2 until probably May or June of '05. Zaino recommends 60 degree + weather to aid drying. Again the website tells all...

I last Zaino'd in probably October, 2006 and yet it still (when clean) was shiny 6 or 7 months later when I applied the first coat of Z5 in '07.

Mine is Abyss Blue, I guess we're related!

Enjoy it, I know I do so more when it's bright and shiny!

sicktls4me

anybody out there had the "invisible bra" installed on their type-s? i am trying to get an approx cost so i know what to expect from the dealer in chantilly, va (where i bought the car). if yes - how long did the installer have your car? any other insights would be appreciated! :shades:

sicktls4me

If you can not get an answer from this forum, try going to ACURAZINE.com. You should find something there!! Good luck!

sicktls4me

I have a Kinetic blue, but I can't figure out how to post the photos. Anyway, it's stock, NO upgrades or anything. it's the same thing you see on the brochure.

sicktls4me

with all the positive comments about Zaino products at this site and the testimonials from Zaino site, I'm definitely going to try it. with all that protection it claims to do, I hope it'll beat the summer heat over here in northern VA.

thanks again for responding!! :shades:

later abyss blue!!!

laurasdada

Good luck, enjoy. I started with just Z2, Z5, & Z6. But they now have so many new products, not sure what I'll order next! ZAIO, ZCS? There's also a Zaino Message Board here with tips...

For the evil wife's white car, I just bought Black Magic, #1 in the CR review. I want to compare to Zaino, but may be hard as her car is white, mine blue...

Put on first coat of Z2 a week ago, on top of 2 coats Z5. Lookin' good!

sicktls4me

I already put in the order for ZFX, Z2 & Z6 as my starter. I can't wait to get started! also need to get the recommended towels. alot of "wax on-wax off" going on soon!!

LOL...funny you mentioned using Black Magic, as, that's what I use for my wife's red Toy Yaris S and our silver '02 Odyssey.

hey-I never saw anything on the Zaino site about applying it under the sun. I could do it under the tree, but, tree stuff may fall on the car. Is it ok to apply under the sun??

scottm123

I love Black Magic!
You can use it pretty much anywhere on the car and for interior cleaning, it's far better than Armor-All.

Can you still buy it?

My evil wife dropped my bottle on the garage floor and it broke open, causing me to throw it away.
:mad: :sick:

laurasdada

Actually, you can apply Zaino in the sun. But, if possible, wash in the shade to avoid water spots. Z6 is supposed to take care of the water spots before you Z2/Z5 but I'm not sure it gets 'em all. Or maybe it's me...!

I believe that it is also recommended to apply Zaino to a cool surface, so shade might be better. But washing should be done in the shade. Which is tough for me, not a lot of trees around my driveway for sunny wash days. But I endure!

How long does the Black Magic last? 3 months?

laurasdada

I purchased two bottles of Black Magic Wax at AutoZone. They were having a buy one get one free sale, bought two tire shines too.

So it's not the all-purpose cleaner that I assume to which you are referring that I bought, rather just the wax.

laurasdada

Oh, yeah. When you're done, post your review of Zaino!

Hopefully you'll enjoy the results. Not hard to apply/buff, but time consuming. But it does seem to last... And, as you've probably already read, a little goes a long way!

And a Happy Birthday USA to all!

bodble2

Also Happy Birthday Canada to all!! (July 1st) :shades:

habitat1

I have heard great things about Zaino. But, as an alternative, I might suggest Maguire's Professional Wax (#26, I believe). I can do my 911 in under 60 minutes, start to finish, including the wash.

On another note, one thing I am dissapointed in is the quality of paint finish on our Acuras (2004 TL Anthracite and 2005 MDX Sage). The finish is not as rich, deep or consistent as my 13 year old 1995 Ruby Pearl Nissan Maxima, let alone my former S2000 Spa Yellow or current 911 Seal Grey. I do not think the current Acura finishes are on par with other premium brands (or even the Japanese built S2000 and older Maxima). Perhaps I will look into Zaino myself as a way to try to improve the luster, but Acura is disspointing in this regard, IMO. I was at the dealer recently and could spot imperfections in all of the showroom cars relatively easily.

sicktls4me

oh yeah...just reading the application instructions, i am anticipating approx 1/2 the day to complete the process. after this process, most likely another coat or 2 of Z2 in the following weeks. Then, on to our other 2 cars. :sick:

fortunately, there are plenty of shade from the trees in my 'hood. i just would have to move from shade to shade as the time goes by.

have a nice 4th of July!!!

billyperks1

Hab- you wont be disappointed, I have used the product for the past six years (On my Millennia and TL-S). I remembered when I gave back my TL to Mazda (lease) the inspector asked if I actually drove on the street,he said it was immaculatley kept.Also when I sold my TL, the buyer said the white on my car does not look like any other white he had seen.He also mentioned that the inside has that new car smell.Thanks to Zaino and for my pending purchase, I am going to plead with the dealer to not prep my car for delivery- I dont need their cheap wax or swirl marks on my car.

scottm123

I have an 06 Sage Brush Pearl MDX and I find the paint to be holding it's finish and clarity quite well.
Once cleaned, it looks better than the day I took delivery.

It chips easily, but that's not Acura's fault, just the new lousy paints everyone is stuck using.

I've got a few coats on Zaino on mine, but I didn't get that on until a year after purchasing it.
Today, it's 15 months old, and in the sun, the paint looks like liquid and appears to move as I walk around it.
The metallic flake in the paint is amazing and I think Acura did a fantastic job with this color.

autoboy16

I like that color almost as much as I like Deep Green pearl on the TSX and TL's. BUT the sage is the best color for the gen-1 MDX. Oh and give it the tailgate spoiler and :surprise: :P

-Cj :shades:

vivsethrr

Is it worth spending 300 bucks thru the dealership for the door visors or would it be betta to go to autozone order vent visors and put them on? i mean 300 bucks sounds very expensive for just puting tape on a door. any suggestions?

ggesq

$154.70 for door visors from hondaacuraworld:

http://www.hondacuraworld.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=ATL

scottm123

The WeatherTech brand visors are a VERY high quality and only $89.95.
They clip in, not double-sided tape necessary.

WeatherTech TL Visors

vivsethrr

What do you mean they clip on? is that easy or does that take time and disassembling parts?

vivsethrr

Are those taped on? or are they clipped on and is that easy? how long would it take?

ggesq

Your better off calling Tim fron HondaAcuraworld. He would be in a better position to answer your questions as I do not have them on my vehicle.

scottm123

The WeatherTech visors clip in to the existing weather gasket slot.
There is absolutely nothing on your car that needs to be disassembled.
All of the higher end visors clip in, and do NOT stick on.
If the surface is not properly prepared, the stick-ons peel off over time and quite honestly, look like crap.

There are no metal clips or anything... the visor just pops in.
Nothing leaks, and they take all of 4 seconds to install.

Since finding these... I'll never go back to Stick-Ons again.

vivsethrr

Thanks Scott,

Do you know if theis will affect the tint on the car at all?

also what could i do to the car without voiding my warranty?

Thanks.

scottm123

The window does not come in contact with the visor so I son't believe there are any tint concerns.

I'm not sure about your warranty question.
If you asking if a simple clip-in visor voids warranty... no, it doesn't.

willis3

">

nowakj66

Nice color. It is growing on me! I was hot for kinetic blue. Now I think the diamond white and Carbon Bronze are the nice on the TL-S.

pat

Nice - I like that color!

bodble2

Yeah, I'd bet you say that to all the guys! :P

willis3

Since I haven't driven the car much, decided to take it on a road trip to get through the break-in period.



Even better, the car returned 31.22 miles per gallon.



I wasn't expecting this high a reading just yet, figured it would take the engine sometime to break-in.

This car is great! Lots of power and also decent fuel economy.

habitat1

Not surprised at you decent mileage, but hope you didn't use the cruise control or just plod along at a steady 65-70 on that trip. No-no during break in.

willis3

No Cruise Control. Varied the RPM's and speed, also changing between 5th and 6th gears every few miles.

23109vc

I test drove a TL-S auto and manual..back to back.

the auto seemed faster...but it also seemed to have more torque steer.

what are the posted performance differences between the auto and manual? 0-60 and 1/4 mile? is it a huge difference or just a little.

I like manuals..but for some reason i felt like i liked the automatic better. it felt tighter... maybe it was just the cars.. the auto was an 08 and the stick was an 07..but i thought the 07s an d08s were identical... so i can't see how build date would make a huge difference in car feel..so i guess it's the tranny difference..

i felt like the stick really had more torque steer when i hit it in first an dsecond...and i hated it. the auto felt more relaxing to drive. the car is NOT a vette or 911....it's a luxury sedan...and the auto seemed to fit the car better... it's fast..but not blazing fast.... but i do think the stick was quicker. is it?

i also noticed it was much harder to find any sticks. is that b/c Acura makes less of them?

habitat1

You need to re-write your post, with a little less caffeine high. I can't figure out if you are indicating the automatic or manual is/felt faster, has more torque steer, etc. Several contradictory statements.

In any event, although I have not driven the TL-S auto and manual back to back, I did drive the 2004 TL 6-speed back to back with the auto before I bought and since (loaners). In the TL 6-speed, you also got a stiffer suspension and Brembo brakes. Both of which makes the 6 speed feel more responsive and "tighter" in terms of driving dynamics. As far as quickness, the 6-speed has no slushbox hesitation from a start and was definitely quicker off the line. However, when you pop the clutch or push it, you can induce more torque steer than the automatic - probably because the 6-speed transmits more power to the wheels and less is lost in the transmission.

A couple of suggestions. You might want to check as to whether the transmission choice on the 2007/2008 TL-S also results in different suspension settings as it did in the 2004 TL. I think all TL-S's use Brembo brakes, but double check that as well. There may be more differences than just the transmission - definitely the case in 2004.

Lastly, since I also own one of those, I would agree with you, the TL is not a 911. But I still find my 2004 6-speed to offer a far more sporty, enjoyable drive than the automatics I get for loaners. If driving dynamics are important to you, and you "like manuals" but "hate torque steer", then I think you should also consider looking at RWD alternatives, rather than dumbing down the transmission from a very crisp short throw 6-speed to a very average quality slushbox, IMO.

23109vc

anyone else here have any input of suggestions on whethe the TL-S auto or 6 speed are faster than the other or the same?

on my test drive, I felt the 6 speed seemed quicker, but had noticeably more torque steer.

i think i am leaning toward the auto. on my test drive, the shifting seemed to be a PITA.... maybe i'm just getting old... but i'm only 35...

ggesq

The TL-S w/ stick is faster than the auto. Then again, if your not that good at rowing your own boat then the speed differences between the two will be negligible.

Like habitat1 said- if torque steer is an issue then you might be better suited w/ a RWD vehicle. Your gonna get it regardless whether your WOT in the auto or 6MT.

Assuming a "perfect" dyno comparison was made between the two, there will be more hp loss in a slushbox vs. a manual.

IMHO- 6MT > slushbox. Different strokes for different folks. I'm 32.

willis3

I've never driven the Auto, as I was set on the MT. The MT should be quicker than the Auto, less power lost to the wheels.

Get what you enjoy. If you enjoy shifting, then manual all the way. If you want to put it in gear and forget about it, then go with the Auto. You do get the Sport Shift and paddle shifters, so you do have some control of your gear selection.

BTW, I'm only one year older than you.

bodble2

Yes, I think the key is your manual-shift skills. My experience is that with most manuals, second gear is where you make hay (1st gear launch is highly-dependent on skill, as well as your willingness to abuse your car), and then things even out as speed climbs in the higher gear. So definitely, if you're blasting from stoplight to stoplight, the manual will be quicker.

snork

I've had my Type S for almost 5 months, and have about 4500 miles on it. I'm getting only 17 MPG in what I call mixed driving, and if anything the mileage has gotten worse the last 1000 miles. My daily commute is about 5 miles city driving to the highway (10 minutes), then 5 miles on the highway (5 minutes), then just a few minutes city driving until I'm at work. Under the exact same conditions, I consistently got 22-23 MPG in my 2001 Infiniti I-30, and never below 20.

I'm pleased with the pure highway MPG on the longer trips I've taken (about 28), but am shocked that my daily commute is so low. I bought the Type S instead of the G in part because the mileage was supposed to be better. If anything, I'm driving the car MORE conservatively than my I-30 sedan, trying to coax a few more MPG out of the car. Of course, that makes the car less fun to drive.

What are the chances I got a lemon? During the break in period, I was careful to drive the car at least 15-20 minutes a trip, and I tried not to gun it (although I did a time or two). Any chance the engine isn't tuned right? I can change the oil, but after that I'm hopeless, so thanks in advance for any advice.

bodble2

I actually don't think your mpg is that far off the norm. You have a fairly short commute, and most of it is city driving. The TL is known for being a gas hog in the city, and I imagine the TL-S would be even worse.

habitat1

I agree with bodble - the TL is a gas hog in the city, O.K. on the highway, but the net effect for a commute like yours is likely to be in the 17 mpg range.

My 2004 6-speed consistently gets 28-30+ mpg on the highway, but in my particular "mixed" driving, I average about 17-18. Under the same conditions, my 1995 Maxima SE 5-speed got 30% better - around 23 mpg. Even my 2005 911S only gets about 10% worse - around 16 mpg.

The good news is you probably don't have a "lemon". The bad news is you are going to be spending more at the pump than you may have planned.

sbtatter

Just got the first rattle in my type s. It went in for an oil change at 8000 km, and now on the roof console at the top of the windshield we have a rattle at all engine speeds. Very, very annoying!! Another pet peeve is the windshield washer fluid does not come out very fast and the wipers don't seem to clean the windshield very well. Loving the power and looks of this car though!! Looking to buy winter tyres and rims, any tips on where to get a good deal in Canada?

laurasdada

I, too, had a rattle in that area. Turned out to be the drivers's side sun visor, replaced under warranty...

Does TireRack.com ship to Canada? Give 'em a look.

Loving the (relative) power and looks of my plain 'ol '05 TL. Didn't like the Bridgestone tires, though. Now replaced by much smoother and quieter (so far) Toyo Versados.

sbtatter

Thanks for the reply, I'll check out both your pieces of advice! As an aside, b/c of our winter conditions I'd like to see the SH-AWD in the next TL.

kgamarello1

Anyone know how the 07 TL-S performs in the snow? Just curious as I am unsure if I should purchase this or the RDX to commute to work.

Thanks!

laurasdada

My '05 TL was probably the least effective FWD car I've driven in the snow (I'm in the Boston area) due to, I hope, the OEM Bridgestone tires. I've just replaced them with much quieter and smoother Toyo Versados. I'm looking forward to the first snow to see how the Toyos perform.

I was never stranded, but the TC and ABS engaged much more often than I'm used to. It became a minor challenge getting out of my driveway with more than a couple of inches of the white stuff. But, I always made it. It was just more of a challenge driving the TL in the snow than my prior rides.

The AWD RDX would be better, I'm sure. But I also understand the RDX gets some failry poor MPG. Do you need the power of the RDX or would a CRV/RAV4/Tuscon etc. be a possibility?