Older Acura TLs

jebinc1 · November 2003

Does anyone know if the stock radio in the 2003 TL --

- has an AUX port in the head unit?
- Is XM ready?
- What XM units willintegrate will with the stock unit and are not the crappy RF modulator (uses radio ant. as input to the head unit)

Has anyone installed XM? If so, what radio did you use and where did you install it?

Thanks!!

marphylous · November 2003

1violinist:

I don't believe that it is a "review" since at the top, it states that the text is from Honda.

I believe you will find that this is from www.hondanews.com.

Just as an aside, I've been trying to buy a TL in the San Francisco area. I have had a very poor experience with the dealers. I cannot get a consistent story on availability and they want to play games with deposits. I'm giving it about another two weeks and then will shop for a different (non-Acura) car. So far, I'm unhappy with the dealer experience and thought that these kinds of games were a thing of the past.

crazybabydoc · November 2003

I think I asked for a quote by accident (although I currently own an Acura). My local dealer offered the '04 for $32.6 (before TT) plus they include all of the typical dealer crap (wheel locks, cargo tray, et al) for free.

Although it may not make a difference I would send all these dealerships a missive and cc: to American Honda. Considering the competition in this market segment only a fool would treat serious customers poorly.

uncledavid · November 2003

You're not hte only one I heard complain about the TL's NAV screen but, honestly, I don't see an issue. The system in my TSX is nearly identical and the graphics are EXCELLENT.

vinceb81 · November 2003

Sat down with salesman for 30 minutes today going over navigation system. Seem to work fine. I said, "hospital and schools" just like the US Today article but only with no problems. System and screen seems to work fine. Can be confusing if you don't know what screen you are on. I have decided to get Anthracite/Quartz/NAVI soon.

rgj777 · November 2003

I bought an AT without nav seven days ago in North Carolina. The dealer was only $250 under MSRP but gave me $16,900 for my Accord so I was satisfied. Two other Acura dealers would give me $16,000 for my Accord but they wanted full MSRP for the TL. Everybody was in coat and tie mode at the two dealerships that wouldn't deal but there were no ties where I ended up buying the TL. Took delivery today & they added the trunk tray, mud guards,& spare all-weather floor mats at "no cost" without me even asking for them. (The DVD-A is awesome!)

1violinist · November 2003

Congratulations!
What color combo did you get?

94supra · November 2003

While I still havent had the chance to personally look at the TL Navigation, which I want to check for the potential resolution issues, I think I understand the voice command issues. The voice commands for the Honda/Acura system are processed by Via-Voice technology that Honda licensed from IBM. While the technology is rather good at matching exact language patterns to exact commands, it has no natural language capability. The people that seem to be struggling with the NAVI seem to suffer under the illusion that it should understand what they mean when they say something similar to a required command. The licensed technology does not provide any capability of this type.

Such systems also frequently require some learning period to adapt to differing voices and speech patterns, but Honda may not have implemented this approach sense it might be difficult to let the system know when it has incorrectly interpreted a command. This may lead to the system arbitrarily choosing its interpretation of the nearest match on a command set that doesnt provide the option the driver is really trying to invoke. If they havent already done it, Honda may need to develop some added logic layers to help filter/confirm potentially illogical commands. Perhaps they can implement this approach in a switchable learning/training mode that will help the system learn the speech of the driver while the driver learns the proper command set. This mode would require confirmation of commands that were not exact matches and might offer up a few automatic options. Once the mutual learning curves are overcome, the mode could be turned off for maximum efficiency.

kahunah · November 2003

Just goes to show you that not all Acura dealers are created equal. I too had a positive experience with my dealer. I did pay MSRP for my new TL but got a decent buck for my trade-in and a bunch of accessories including body side molding, at no extra charge. Happy motoring!

marphylous · November 2003

I emailed these dealers and questioned how they can continue this poor service given that this purchase is strictly discretionary. I even questioned in what way this behavior could be beneficial to them. I'll spare you the details. I never get an answer to my direct questions about their behavior or their ability to get the car.

The only conclusion that I can draw is that since I want a car they don't have or would have to trade for, I don't represent an additional sale but only more work and cost.

By the way, I am a serious buyer and have told each of the dealers if they can convince me that they can get the car I want, I will buy it from them. None of them can provide me with any concrete assurance that they can get the car in a finite time.

One dealer says he ordered the car for me, but says that he doesn't get any confirmation from Acura of the order. I don't really believe that there is no paper or electronic record for the order of a $30+K car. Even if I order just some nuts and bolts at work, we get a confirmation from the vendor.

I'm not usually in such a rush to get a car, but my current car will require considerable investment to keep it running through the rainy season.

Well, please excuse the ranting and raving. It is just that I can't understand the irrational behavior. If it were just driven by greed or some other standard motivation, I would understand their behavior.

Right now, I'm in the wait and see mode. I figure that maybe the car is really on order or that one of the dealers will come to their senses and actually get me the car I want. If not, I'll go find another car to buy.

To me their behavior seems rather strange, since Honda has been losing market share (especially slow in Japan) and Acura has lost sales for the last two years. Based on the car, Honda engineering is first rate, but they have much to learn in sales and marketing and customer satisfaction.

mdhauke · November 2003

What kind of dealer interest rates is everybody getting with the 04 TL?

gregory28 · November 2003

Please go to "Prices Paid and Buying Experience" and you'll see some lease rates from me. As far as purchasing rates, I've been quoted 4.2% to 4.9%.

mjb20 · November 2003

Well, I checked out another 04 TL with Navi and the on screen display looked fine....?? Go figure...The fuzzyness I have witnessed must be either a set-up issue or maybe a QC problem with the displays...we'll have to see. I'm getting a silver/ebony with nav....Hopefully the Navi is a good one!

gregory28 · November 2003

I know people who won't buy a car the first year a new model is introduced. People on these boards have stated that they didn't want to buy a new model car in the first 5000-8000 that are built due to "bugs". What do the experts here think about this? Do some of you wait an entire year? Do you wait until 10000 units have been delivered? I'm curious what you folks think.

1violinist · November 2003

My idea is not to buy before at least 6 months into the car's production. By that time bugs would have surfaced, and hopefully fixed. Besides, it'd be a better time to make a deal pricewise!

drdarell1 · November 2003

Has anyone noticed the Felt pads in the Rear wheel wells?? A friend told me about it and I told him he was nuts. I checked it out today and sure enough they are there! My friend says they were having trouble eliminating the road noise from the back end... Why didn't they put it on the inside of the wheel well? How much water and mud are these things going to hold? I wasn't able to get a response from the dealer. Does anybody have more info on this?

markian · November 2003

I wasn't even considering purchasing a new car. I have a Lexus ES300 which I have had for 1.5 years.My son talked me into test driving the 2004TL. I could not believe the performance and handling of this vehicle. My ES300 is really boring to drive in comparison. I did some self analysis as to why I purchased the ES300 originally. I wanted the reliability of Lexus and I liked the fact that Lexus would pick up my car at my office and that I would not have to be inconvenienced by going to the dealership. My second reason for purchasing the Lexus Es300 was pure ego. I wanted to show the world that I am successful. I can't believe that I suckered myself in to an ego based Lexus purchase. I decided this time that I will buy a car for the right reasons and I ordered an 04 TL with the Navi package. When I test drove the TL it felt like I was alive again. Driving the ES300 feels like a dead experience. It is not a drivers car at all. It is either and ego based purchase or an old man's car. I could not believe the handling and power of the TL. My friends and relatives cannot understand why I would lower myself from a Lexus to an acura. I was going to tell everyone that they should test drive this car and that they would be amazed with the driving experience. I decided that I will not go down that road, because I do not have to justify to anyone what car I buy. One of my relatives purchased an ego Based BMW X5. He believes he purchased the car for the right reasons and not to show the world how successful he is. The BMW X5 will not handle an emergency at high speed and he too like most of us bought his car for the wrong reason. The Acura dealership where I ordered my TL will send a driver to pick up my car for service and I will not be inconvencied by driving to the dealership.

kahunah · November 2003

This sound deadening feature was pointed out to me by the salesperson on my first TL test drive. It really works! The new TL is more quiet than the G35 I tested, and a lot more quite than my '00 TL.

kahunah · November 2003

Congratulations on your new TL and for having the courage to stand by your convictions! There's nothing like driving a car that makes you feel totally alive. And on a side note: I personally believe that most people who buy luxury SUVs, buy them for the wrong reasons. In fact, that market segment depends on it. Ohh...the power of advertising...

torontotl · November 2003

Congratulations on your TL, welcome to the club. I wish my dealership would send a driver to pick up my car for regular service. At least they do give you a loaner car.

carguy58 · November 2003

Acura has lost sales in the past year because the TL was in its laat year of body style and on top of that Honda introduced a new Accord on a brand new platform last year so thats why Acura sales are down. It will be interesting once demand for the new TL dies down how it will sell. After all BMW is shooting itself in the foot with its overstyling of cars and Mercedes is shooting itself in the foot with quality issues and trying to keep Chrysler above water. Acura might benefit from BMW and Mercedes's miscues.

oriente · November 2003

I would not be too concerned about bugs, particularly on an Acura. Remember you are covered by a good warranty; the times I left my 2002 TL-S, the service has been excellent and I have been given a loaner for the asking.
If the damned thing was rear wheel drive, I would be trading in right now. To me, all future great cars will be RWD or AWD.
As for pricing, work from the Invoice (see Edmunds New Cars); I would order the car, add perhaps $600 to $800 and leave the offer with the dealer.

mdhauke · November 2003

Did you guys see what they did with the 04TL presentation? It's the best I have seen out of any Automobile manufacturer website.

http://www.acura.com/models/model_index.asp?module=tl

The best part is if you go to Specifications on the menu. It gives a list of all the specifications and on the side it gives you movie clips and presentations on each feature. The best is the interior and exterior showroom. I spent two hours looking at the specifications menu last night and didnt even get half way through!! I havent seen any of these cars in person since I have been in Iraq since July and will be here until March, but since I started my extensive research on entry level luxury sedans exclusively on the internet, in my mind the 04 TL 6MT is the right car for me and blows the rest away in features and performance combined with value. I just hope prices come off the MSRP a bit by April.

kahunah · November 2003

Have you downloaded the 2004 TL screen saver yet? Pretty cool.

cwarner20165 · November 2003

I have a 2001 Acura TL and am not happy with the Acura service department I am using. There is a Honda dealership right up the street from me that I have heard good things about. Any reason I shouldn't use a Honda dealership for service on my Acura? Will I void any warranties? Isn't the TL basically the same car as the Accord?

Thanks

vinceb81 · November 2003

I can relate to your story. I also bought a Lexus for the wrong reasons. Lexus is a great vehicle, just not for me. Trying to sell it right now. If I can't sell it, will take a bigger loss and trade it in. But either way, I am getting the 04 TL.

carguy58 · November 2003

Can somebody help me out what is the big deal about rear wheel drive? I see BMW's getting stuck in the snow. AWD is fine. I aready had RWD: never again.

kfhmail · November 2003

I signed the petition for Bluetooth at Verizon.

Which cell phone companies currently support Bluetooth?

fyi...In case you guys do not know...beginning sometime this month (Nov 03), all Cell phone companies are supposed to start allowing/supporting Number Portability. Which means we can now change between cell phone companies and keep our numbers. (This should make competition better since we will no longer have to change our numbers if we find a "Better Deal".)

Original message that brought about my comment -
1500 of 1566 Petition for Bluetooth Technology for Verizon by gregory28 Oct 31, 2003 (1:25 am)
For everyone who intends to purchase a 2004 TL, please go to the following link and sign this petition. Even if you don't use Verizon Wireless as your cell phone carrier. They are a major player and if they start purchasing blue tooth technology phones all the others will too. One of the highlights of the new TL is the hands free device built into the stereo, but you need a phone that's compatible.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?ver123&1

carguy58 · November 2003

well they share of the same parts and are based on the same platform. The TL drives a little different from the Accord. Maybe you can call the Honda dealer up near you and ask them if you can bring your Acura in. It doesn't hurt to ask. The worst they can say is no. The only minus is at the Honda dealer if you bring the Acura in you'll probably have to wait to get customer service because you didn't buy the Acura at the Honda dealer. Dealers customers always first and then all the other customers after those dealers customers. Oh yeah ask about the warranty's when or if you call the Honda dealer.

cwarner20165 · November 2003

Thanks for the response. I did get am email back from the honda dealership saying they could do the service, but not the warranty work which I somewhat expected. As for the customer service, I can't imagine it being much worse than the dealership I purchased the car from.

thanks again.

uncledavid · November 2003

Well, I have a TSX that has a build number < 5000. I haven't had a single problem. The car has been absolutely flawless in the five months I've had it. BUT, lots of TSX drivers complain about squeaks and rattles. So, there seem to be some issues that need to be resolved.

I think it pays to wait until after the first year if you can. But, if you need to buy now, I wouldn't worry about it. Acura's quality control is pretty high.

bartalk2 · November 2003

The downside of waiting till Acura gets the bugs out of the new model is that they may very well raise prices. Demand seems very high, they're advertising the car everywhere, and it's nearly $10,000 cheaper than a BMW330. They could easily raise the price a couple of thousand down the line without losing too many customers.

eandylee · November 2003

I read couple articles before 2004 TL came out that 2004 TL might get AWD option...

so any more news?

bodble2 · November 2003

they're leaving the AWD for the new RL. But then you'd never know what might happen a couple years from now...seeing how the G35 is getting an AWD option.

sampy111 · November 2003

Does anyone know the top speed of the 2004 tl?

uncledavid · November 2003

The TL is not the only car int the market. By the fall, there will be increased competition in that segment, with new versions of the IS300, GS330, and Passat. There will eventually be a new Infiniti FWD car in that segment as well, based on the current Maxima. In addition, new models are on tap from BMW, Audi, Saab, and Volvo.

The reasons why Acura will not be raising prices like you suggest is because their is far too much competition in that bracket. The only real chance of a raise in MSRP would be if there was some sort of upscale version introduced with extra features.

If anything, the TL will be CHEAPER next year. By that time, supply will have caught up with demand and their more discounting.

1violinist · November 2003

I agree with Uncledavid. The current demand is high because the car just came out. Demand will slowly decrease and supply would increase. My guess by early Summer 04 dealers would be cutting prices to move stock off their lots, in face of several competitions in the market.

ksoman · November 2003

its not which companies support bluetooth, its more about which phones are bluetooth enabled. Right now the only bluetooth enabled phones on the market are for GSM based services, and I believe Verizon is not even close to crossing over to GSM in any forseable future. AT&T, T-mobile come to mind as GSM based services... also most GSM multi band phones will work worldwide, whereas, Verizon phones wont work beyond north america and some scattered worthless markets. Anyway, phones such as SonyEriccson T68 have bluetooth. These are some of the phones on the market with bluetooth, but this list is not comprehensive...

http://www.circlebmw.com/parts/blue/blue.htm

ksso, a bluetooth fan for years...

bartalk2 · November 2003

The competition you mention for the TL, which you claim will keep TL prices steady, is mainly non-existent. The current Lexus GS300 is already about $10,000 more than the TL, and the next model will undoubtedly be higher. The BMW, as noted, is already thousands more, as is the Audi A4.. The new Maxima is a dud and getting dreadful reviews, as will any Infiniti based on it. The Passat competes with the Accord and the Camry, not with the TL. What else? Volvo is more expensive and sells few cars, as does Saab. So what's left is the Infiniti G35. In other words, the TL is a bargain now and next year, and they could raise prices and it would still be a good buy. Also, don't expect discounting next summer. How long did Acura dealers maintain sticker prices on the old version? At least a couple of years, I believe.

uncledavid · November 2003

ksoman - AT&T is TDMA based, not GSM. And, even for Verizon, it is possible to use bluetooth with some phones. I have a Verizon Kyocera 7135 and it does support bluetooth add ons.

bartalk2 - When was the last time a manufacturer raised prices thousands of dollars over the course of a model run? It just doesn't happen, particularly in a competitive market. You are suggesting that Acura is somehow going to raise the price on the TL to a fairly substantial degree without adding any features. But, to the best of my knowledge, Acura and Honda have never done this on any model in their history.

Anyway, as far as competitors are concerned: The new Passat, with a V6, will have about as many features as the TL and cost only a few thousand less. So, it is reasonable to portray it as a competitor.

Direct competitors for the TL include:
Saab 9-5 (which will shortly be revised)
BMW 3 series
IS330 (new version in the fall)
Audi A4 (new features coming in the fall)
Volvo T5
New Infiniti FWD sedan in the fall
Caddy
VW Passat

And, btw, I priced both 3-series and the Audi A4 V6 version and neither was "thousands more" than he TL. The MSRP on a well equiped 325i is in the same price range, same as an Audi A4 V6 frontrack. Both could be had cheaper than a TL right now.

And, Lexus' new version of the IS300 will be several thousand dollars cheaper, but offer comparable performance and features.

Acura did not maintain prices on the last TL for several years. Discounts were available after the first year. They just weren't big discounts.

1violinist · November 2003

"1cellist" -- that's a good one! I love the cello. You can say it's an SUV-violin! :-)

If what you're saying is true, then why are some Acura dealers already selling TL $500 under MSRP and throwing in a bunch of free accessories?

automophile · November 2003

Actually - AT&T is about 80% complete with converting their entire system to add the GSM format. You can now get AMPS, TDMA or GSM from AT&T.

I had tried the Sony/Ericsson T616 GSM phone from ATT and it worked well, at least as good as my TDAM phone here in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the color display SUCKED in bright light, so I returned it and will wait for the T630 coming out soon that has this problem fixed.

I do wish there were more BlueTooth phones available, as I prefer the operating system in the Nokia phones. It is the most intuitive and easiest to use.

automophile · November 2003

There have been many posts about this, and probably an entire forum. But - to recap -

FWD is a more compact drive train, with more weight on the driving wheels. The advantages are better traction, more interior and trunk room, and better fuel economy.

RWD offers better weight balance between front and rear, often approaching the ideal 50/50 balance. When the car is pushed hard, the RWD car will steer better and more precisely around turns.

Of course, TRUE All-Wheel Drive is best, such as in an Audi, where the wheels are pulling and pushing and the power is distributed as needed. This is not to be confused with 4 Wheel drive, where the power is distributed equally to all wheels, and should only be used off-road. The problem with AWD is added weight, cost and complexity. For myself, driving around So. Calif., and not racing through the mountains, FWD is just fine.

kfhmail · November 2003

Thanks for the info/correction on Bluetooth enabled phones...makes sense.

The BMW website shows that ATT Wireless, Cingular, & T-Mobile have phones that can be Bluetooth enabled. The cell phone makers are Sony Ericson, Nokia, and Siemans.

uncledavid · November 2003

Both posters are obviously more informed them myself. I guess my own understanding of wireless stuff is pretty limited.

I have a Kyocera 7135, which is a one of those Smartphones with a Palm Pilot built-in. My provider is Verizon. I have not tried it yet, but I understand that there are a number of bluetooth solutions available for the phone. In any case, three of the major providers in my area have bluetooth phones.

msf2 · November 2003

I love the TL, hope to buy the thing this Spring, however, I am totally unfamiliar with Bluetooth. Even though I signed the petition-I have no idea why. Someone fill me in briefly on how it works in the TL. Much obliged!!

qbrozen · November 2003

You are right that an equivalent Volvo S60 T5 has a higher sticker, but, as a matter of fact, you can get it cheaper than the TL right now.

And when the S40 T5 comes out in the spring, that, by all accounts, will even sticker for less than the TL (and will be much larger than the current S40, so the "its much smaller" argument is not quite effective).

1violinist · November 2003

msf2: Bluetooth is a technology that allows you to wirelessly integrate your cell phone with the TL sound system. You can dial numbers handsfree by pushing a button on the steering wheel, or by voice commands if you have NAVI. You hear the other party thru the car speakers. When you receive a call the system automatically mutes the sound system and shows the calling number on the dash screen. If you want to pick up the call, you just push a button and talk. It's that simple! When you search for a place on NAVI (like a restaurant), you can call it too thru bluetooth.

uncledavid · November 2003

BTW guys, I've been looking into support for Bluetooth with the 7135. It does seem to be pretty murky and at various places on the internet, I've seen complaints about not being able to get it to work with the TL. In other words, a Verizon solution is still not available.

waltercat · November 2003

GMANZX3,

You had asked if there were any high-mileage TLs without transmission problems. Let me present mine, a very early '99. It'll hit 106,000 miles this week and I've had no transmission problems. No other problems, either, for that matter. Dealers have told me that the key to transmission reliability is to change fluid at 15,000 miles, not the 30,000 miles that the factory recommends.

I've replaced the factory tires, brake pads, battery, and catalytic converter (which I think I damaged on a high curb). The rest is just maintenance by the book. It had some minor warranty attention years ago, but nothing that even resembles a problem lately.

My sister and several of my friends own TLs. I have never heard of any of them having problems, either. Not to say that there haven't been some failures, just as there are on any make of car; but my first-hand experience suggests that it's a highly reliable and well built car.

Good luck - enjoy yours.

Older Acura TLs

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