Older Acura TLs

uncledavid · October 2003

they actually rank cars versus peers. The Accord EX is clearly superior to most of its' peers, but the competition in near-lux category is more fierce.

talon95 · October 2003

It would seem that the ratings in the reviews are pretty much within the class of car. That's the only way to explain how the Accord EX V6 got higher marks for Instruments/Controls/Interior Materials. The Accord interior is very nice for its class, but clearly the TL interior is superior.

jmichaelp · October 2003

It states so at the bottom where the total rating for the TL is compared against "All Near-Luxury Cars" vs the Accord "All Midsize Cars".

bodble2 · October 2003

It's comparison within each class. A 5-star "motel" is likely not nicer than a 4-star "motor inn", for example.

jchan2 · October 2003

A budget luxury branded car is a little bit higher up than a loaded up mainstream car.

varmint · October 2003

In short, each car is measured against the standard for the class. They determine what would be a perfect ten for an entry lux car, then they measure every vehicle against that standard.

I mentioned the high score of the Lexus (vs the BMW and Audi, for example) as it shows that the Consumer Guide places a higher value on refinement/luxury than sport. The fact that the TL scores nearly as high as the Lexus, and yet it has some sporting flava, makes this review a pretty good showing.

jchan2 · October 2003

kinda like Consumer Reports likes European Diswashers even though the Kenmore a little bit further down the ratings is a better value.....

danog · October 2003

I found my state's lemon law at this site,
http://www.123car.com/lemon/.
How can one find out if a certain vehicle was labeled a lemon because in Alabama a lemon cannot be resold in this state. I know that original owner basically got rid of this car, details unknown at this time, when the dealer told them it was to have another (3rd) transmission. I will be calling the dealer tomorrow and discuss this issue directly.

kahunah · October 2003

Give us a break!

The 2004 TL was just officially launched today in Canada and there's lots more to talk about. Particularly dealer experiences, Canadian pricing, lease rates, package details, etc. Let's go at least another week or two.

Thanks!

boiko · October 2003

No problem...here is a link for the Invoice Pricing of the 2004 Acura TL - http://www.cars.com

It is listed under "NEW Build a Car & Get Invoice Prices"

>Please provide a link, thanks!

>[Q]For those people hoping for a great deal on >the TL...here are the invoice prices. This was >posted on the web today....thanks Myrddin157

fdefulvio · October 2003

Edmunds has finally added the '04 TL. I think the review is also new, not just the earlier preview.

Kirstie_H · October 2003

The review looks to have expanded from the earlier preview:
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/acura/tl/100348410/review.html?ti- d=edmunds.n.reviewmmindex.content.num6.0.acura*

Kirstie_H · October 2003

and believe me, it's definitely not that I want to get rid of you folks, it's just that this vehicle is no longer "future." I like having members who are this enthusiastic about a car!

I'll hold off closing this discussion til I've had a reply to my e-mail on this topic.

courtney11 · October 2003

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2001 TL. WHILE IT HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR I AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW. I AM NOT PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH THE NEW TL, I AM LOOKING AT THE AUDI A4 OR A6. I AM LOOKING FOR MORE LUXURY AND FEEL THE NEW TL IS MUCH MORE SPORTY THEN THE OLD ONE. THUS, I AM LOOKING AT AUDI. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE BASIC DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THE A4 AND A6, BOTH WITH THE 3.0? IS THE BASIC DIFFERENCE IN SIZE? IS THE RIDE MUCH DIFFERENT IN THE A6 THAN THE A4? PERFORMANCE IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT SINCE I FEEL THAT BOTH THESE CARS ACCELLERATE WELL AND WILL PERFORM WELL. I AM MOST CONCERNED WITH OVERALL QUALITY, OPTIONS AND COMFORT. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

jiminthehills · October 2003

Just got back from Metro Acura in Montclair, CA after visiting the new TL and am thoroughly impressed with the car and the dealership. The staff is impeccably trtained and knowledgeable but I'm still not convinced that the leather is used "completely" throughout all surfaces as was posed, questioned, and discussed in earlier posts.

It certainly looks and feels the part - does anyone know for sure, and if so are they using the same premium supplier as Lexus?.

The dealership says it is leather throughout and the brochure (page 34) says "sport seats with perforated leather-trimmed interior". I thought to avoid legal matters, the automakers were disclosing "leather SEATING surfaces" if, in fact, full-leather all-around wasn't used. Acura is not making this disclosure in the brochure as though they ponied-up and installed an actual full-leather interior. Any thoughts?

stlgasman · October 2003

I examined the seats. I didnt' ask the salesman, but on the front seats they appear to be "all" leather. I didn't examine the back, especially the middle spot.

maldorf · October 2003

maldorf · October 2003

Back in July we turned in our 99 Acura TL, which had the transmission go out at 30k miles, and purchased an Audi A6 2.7T Quattro (all wheel drive). The car runs like a dream and makes driving a TL feel like you're driving a chevy cavalier. Although the sticker price was $46,000 , we bought it for only $39,000 as it was an 02 left on the lot. If you shop around you might still find a few 02's, and id not expect to pay sticker for an 03 either.
I do not trust honda now since they have had these transmission problems. They finally extended the warranty on the transmission to 75k miles and offered to pay back customers for expenses incurred when having their transmissions replaced. This new deal does not do anything to repair the ordeal you go through waiting a month to get a transmission, all the while you're driving a ford focus as a loaner when youre TL is sitting at acura.
The Audi has all maintenance included in the price, oil changes and all and only requires them every 10k miles. The Audi feels like a true luxury car, while the Acura really just feels like a Honda Accord. Everything about the car outclasses the Acura. That twin turbo model actually out accelerates the 8 cylinder that Audi has. As far as the 3.0 I hear that it accelerates well, especially if its a manual. The 3.0 A6 should accelerate about the same as the TL you now drive. My 2.7T A6 does the quarter mile in 15 seconds flat with its 5 speed auto (can shift the gears on the steering wheel with a button).I would expect the new TL with an auto to run about the same. The A4 is just too small, small inside when compared to your TL. I would def. look at Audi if I were you. When we bought out A6 for 9k under sticker we also got 2.9% financing for 5 years!! All maintenance is covered for 4 years 50k miles , so no expenses there except normal wear and tear like your tires.

varmint · October 2003

If it "looks and feels the part", does it matter if it's real? Save the cows! ;-)

That said, if the brochure claims leather-trimmed interior, then there's gotta be some fake leather in there somehwere. It might be on the doors, or back seats, or seat backs. Frankly, if I can't tell without using a chemistry set, I don't care.

kahunah · October 2003

Did you managed to get to the Canadian unveiling last night? I missed the intro in Toronto because of personal reasons. What were your initial impressions? What's the pricing like? Any leasing packages announced?

I'm hoping to make it to my Acura dealer this Friday.

kahunah · October 2003

It's just that this discussion board has gained quite a momentum, and to end it so soon after the Canadian introduction would be a mistake. There's a lot of enthusiasts out there who haven't had the opportunity to see the car up close and personal, so to them, this car is still a mystery. Even fewer have had the opportunity to discuss pricing with their dealer.

All I'm (we're) asking for is a little bit more time.

Thanks for understanding.

P.S. As you can see, I missed the Canadian unveiling, so I'd like to discuss the TL with those Canadians who managed to attend yesterday, and I'm sure I'm not only Canadian who missed the unveiling for one reason or another.

bodble2 · October 2003

I did go to the intro, but it was packed wall-to-wall with people! They must have been there for the free food and gift (a little chrome paper-weight shaped like a car)! They had a black on black and Abyss Blue w/camel, both auto with Nav. Surprisingly, no official prices released! I think perhaps the meteoric rise in the Canadian$ against the US$ may be causing Acura to reconsider Canadian prices. They should actually be able to price it more aggressively (lower) since they won't be absorbing as much of the exchange difference. But then knowing the greed of auto manufacturers...

Because of the huge crowd, I couldn't really examine the cars closely so I booked a test drive for this afternoon. My first impressions last night: the trunk looks bigger than what I thought 12.5 cu ft would be, although it is noticeably smaller than the one on the current car. The Abyss Blue under showroom lighting didn't look as impressive as I thought. I may consider the White w/parchment instead. The camel is a little more yellow than I thought. The parchment may look better. The cars on display looked well assembled, much better than the current TL/CL. But then again I'm sure Acura fussed over them for the intro.

I could probably offer more useful comments after my test drive.

rbr · October 2003

I took a look at the Alabama statute as well and it seems the manufacturer (not dealer) is responsible to advise any subsequent purchaser of an official lemon law vehicle of the nature of the defect and that it was returned under the lemon law statute. Also, it would appear the manufacturer must return the title to the State of Alabama for the inclusion of a warning that the vehicle was returned. IF (a big if) the vehicle was returned because it was a lemon and then resold to you without you receiveing any warning or notification, I think you have a very strong case to at least get your money back.
My guess is that the prior owner just wanted out and didn't go through a formal lemon law proceeding.
A couple possibilities -- you could do a title check to see if anything comes up (maybe you did that already), or you could try to find out the name of the last owner and contact them. Maybe the dealer would be willing to help, maybe not. I still think your next best bet is to hound Acura and ask them whether it is standard practice to allow their cars to go through this many transmissions before finding out something is wrong, and that all you want is full credit toward another car.

Kirstie_H · October 2003

Welcome to Town Hall, courtney11 -- we've got active discussions on the A4 & A6 all over Town Hall, like Audi A4 and Audi A6. That's the best place for you to get info on those vehicles.

You can also use the make/model drop-down menus to locate other Audi discussions where you'll find helpful info. Good luck!

kahunah · October 2003

Thanks for your feedback. I look forward to more comments, especially regarding pricing and the test drive.

kfhmail · October 2003

Hey Guys,

If they close this thread and move it to the sedan area you will not lose the capability to discuss whatever you need to.

When you go to town hall you would then click on Acura...and then click on TL.

You can add more specific threads there.

For an example go to Infiniti...then G35 or you can check out the other Acura TL sites now at Town Hall...Acura...TL.

So you will not miss anything...as the host said this is no longer a future car...IT IS HERE... and it looks great...looking forward to a test drive soon.

kfhmail · October 2003

To the HOST:

When this thread is closed and/or moved to the sedans area will it keep its name?

I could do without the question marks, but I would like to see the thread and its name 2004 TL remain, so discussions on the 2004 style could stay together and separate from the other TL discussions if possible. This is a completely different style TL so discussions should not be mingled with the previous style IMO.

bodble2 · October 2003

I didn't even notice this thread was under future vehicles. I normally just click directly via Acura...TL.

Instead of closing this thread, why couldn't they just move the whole thing, lock stock and barrel, over to sedan forum?

torontotl · October 2003

I went to Downtown Acura last night and yes the place was packed. They had a silver with black interior no navi and a white with parchment interior with navi. Man, both cars were gorgeous! The quality of the interiors and exteriors really seem to be a good step above that of the current car. Really looked as good as my friends 2003 BMW 330CI. I'm really impressed and now can't wait for a test drive.

There was a BMW owner who was there and dissing the car with the usual criticisms. You know, front wheel drive etc.... It's always the same stuff with BMW owners, they can never appreciate anything else. I can appreciate how nice Audi/BMW etc are, but I really prefer the new TL especially when you consider the low price. Only 40,800 for the base model, less than last years TL type s.

bodble2 · October 2003

They released the prices? They didn't have it at the Vancouver intro. What's the MSRP for the Nav model? How's the white colour look in the flesh?

bodble2 · October 2003

I've had to reschedule my test drive to this Saturday morning. Something came up at the office. And it has been absolutely pouring rain here all day which would have really hampered the test drive.

1violinist · October 2003

I liked the TL in black/black -- pretty elegant. I've never owned a black car before. The point is I live in Southern California. I'm told that black exterior is "high maintenance" and black interior is "high furnace" :-) Your input will be much appreciated!

king_george · October 2003

i used to have a black volvo.....gave me the hardest time keeping it clean & beautiful. I mean two hours after washing it i would see the dust on the finish. A while ago i bought a silver 2003 CL type-S with ebony interior and the exterior color is really beautiful and really low maintenance. And because the exterior is a light color it doesn't let the interior get too hot either. So black on black is gorgeous when it's clean but hard to maintain. ....I live in sunny southern cali too.

king_george · October 2003

has anyone seen in person the grey anthracite paint on the new 2004 Acura TL. Is the grey a draker or lighter shade of grey? Looks like a elegant color...just wanted to know if it was toward the darker shades of grey cause similarly in the post above i don't want high maint or heat aborbing colors...I was thinking about getting the anthracite exterior w/ ebony. What do u guys think?

cooldad24 · October 2003

That they said is true. Darker colors do reflect sum beam less than lighter color and the result is more thermal effect on the car thus cabin. In the summer, it will be unbearable especially in the sunny states like CA, AZ, NV, and other southern states. Plus black color leather, you will need to wear pant to sit in if you leave the car exposed to the sun. As maintainence, black or dark blue/green, tend to show scratches, wax swirl and dust even more than white. I know it looks elegant and cool but if I were you, I will choose lighter one. But if you don't mind the effort, what not? In fact lots of people having the same concern so that will make the black color less desireable. It may reflecting waiving the waiting and even possible more discount.

1violinist · October 2003

I saw the '04 anthracite/ebony TL at the dealership. It's gorgeous! The shade of grey is medium. Besides, it's "metalic". I don't think dust would show on it.

The white was beautiful, but the Parchment interior w/black dash, aluminum trim and light brown wood is not exactly blending IMO.

kahunah · October 2003

kirstie_h HOST - Let's move this board to sedans but call it 2004 TL, since it is a new model year. I'm not interested in reading about the previous model years. Let's keep those discussions on Acura TL board only.

cooldad24 · October 2003

Or it's from adjacent states so it's not categoried as re-sale. You may find out the history by some History search service like carfax. It may not include all the history as recent complains and dispution. But most of them are correct. If it's lemon and been correctly logged, you can find it in those services.

Kirstie_H · October 2003

OK, just to clarify... there is no Acura TL "board." It's a view you choose when you use the make/model drop-down menus. The boards here are divided into Sedans, Coupes, Hatchbacks, etc. Unfortunately, we can't just move this to the Sedans board as-is. The issue is that, if we start having a different discussion there for each re-design of each make/model, things will quickly get out of hand for the Sedans host, Pat.

I understand why you would like this discussion to remain open, and we're talking behind the scenes about the best way to do this. In the mean time, this board is staying open here. Thanks for your patience while we work things out!

(question mark gone, btw)

maxzoey · October 2003

Was at the 2004 TL launch last night, and I thought the new TL looked just great. All the pictures I had seen on the internet, did not do the car justice. I think Acura has a winner again !!

maxzoey · October 2003

Was at the launch in Winnipeg last nite. The car looks great. I have owned a 2000 TL and currently own a 2002 TL and I just think the 04 Tl will be a winner. Price in Winnipeg is $40990 for the base TL with mats, locking wheelnuts, and mudgaurds. Wish I was buying a new car this year, but will have to wait until next year. Acura has a winner again !

bodble2 · October 2003

So figure around $43K CAD for the Nav model?

pat · October 2003

Welcome to all of you who have been talking about the '04 TL on our Future Vehicles board.

Now that it has hit the streets, don't slow down - let us hear what you think!

chuckvair · October 2003

And it's already dirty, but still looks pretty good. I would have preferred Quartz over Ebony due to the lighter color. The black carpet really shows the dirt and lint.

danog · October 2003

Lucky for us the original owner info was in the car when we bought it. It was bought at the same dealership we bought it at and all services including oil changes were done by their service department. So we know for sure the car isn't from another state.

I talked with the dealer today and they said their records only show one transmission replacement. I told them that they gave me the records for the car and I show two replacements which means the current tranny is the third and is going to be replaced Monday making that one the fourth.

jmichaelp · October 2003

Just received an email from my dealer. He has received more 2004 TL's for sale in October than he thougt he would. As a result, he's offering 2 years of free maintenance for cars sold in October.

Could this indicate that incentives on this car will come sooner than we anticipate? As an example, Volvo is already offering big incentives on their 2004 S60's. Perhaps waiting a month or two to buy will be worth it...

1violinist · October 2003

I love to drive a stick-shift, but I'm concerned about the resale value. From my experience cars with manual tranies are in less demand, and consequently are priced less than automatics in the used market. Would the 04 TL be any different?

kahunah · October 2003

1violinist - Automatics generally have better resale value than manuals but not by much. It does depend on the type of car, and manuals are fewer in numbers, so it's usually not that difficult to find a buyer who really wants to drive standard.

Bottom line...if you love to drive stick...drive stick...and don't worry about the resale value. Just enjoy the car. Getting an extra few hundred bucks 4 years down the road is not worth giving up all that driving excitement. I'm getting the 2004 TL 6MT and not thinking twice about resale value.

mdhauke · October 2003

I agree that Black cars are definitely the best looking out there, the uphill battle of keeping them clean does not make them worth it. Throw in the unbearable heat in the summer, a black car is definitely not worth the looks. I own a black car now and it looks great, for about the ride home from the carwash until noticeable dust starts to build up.

fdefulvio · October 2003

It's not just the lower resale value that you have to worry about. There are a lot fewer buyers out there looking for a manual transmission, so you are selling to a considerably smaller market. If only 20 percent of of buyers are looking for a manual, then 8 out of 10 potential buyers are not even going to consider your car.

Older Acura TLs

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy