Debis14tl, I guess it's like colors, to each his own. No one is trying to turn a luxury car into a "boy racer." Besides it would take alot nmore than a non-functional spoiler to do so. What about all the Spec-A ground...18" wheels, etc If I wanted to have a complete "luxury" car, I guess I'd buy a Continental. I do consider the TL a sports sedan especially with 6-spd trans. The spoiler only serves to "break-up the smooth lines and short deck of the trunk. But then I also thought the G35 looked good with the spoiler. I don't have one and wouldn't put one on my EX V-6 Accord which has to much body roll to be anything but a luxury car.
You're probably right, debis04Tl, to have the dealer install. It wouldn't be to save money as much as making sure it got done properly.
I like the turn signals on my TSX, but I frankly don't see it as a big issue. I don't notice any differences from how other drivers respond to my TSX and how they responded to my last vehicle (an Accord Coupe).
My only real complaint about the TL is that I don't like the color selection. It would be nice if there were some interesting light colors besides silver and white. Like the Meteor Silver (the color of my TSX), a light teal color, or light shades of blue and red. I have personally owned my last dark colored car - tired of the upkeep.
I think the blinkers on the mirrors look cool but I don't know how effective they are. The good drivers will probably see you whether you have them or not, and the bad ones wouldn't see you even if your wife or girlfriend leaned out the window, naked, waving at them!
All else being equal, I would like the TL to have them, but it's no big deal if it doesn't. I would much rather Acura gave the TL an extra cubic foot of trunk space, or better yet, an AWD option!
"the bad [drivers]wouldn't see you even if your wife or girlfriend leaned out the window, naked, waving at them!"
LOL, send that suggestion to Acura as a suggested improvement for the 2005 model. It'd certainly work better than sideview mirror blinkers.
On a more serious note, I think it'd be great if Acura put in a Heads Up Display showing speed and tach on the 6MT.
Due to the sound deadening technology and the super smooth engine, it's difficult to shift based on just the engine noise and it's annoying to have to constantly look down at the dashboard.
Bought an 04 TL Satin Silver with Navi 6MT. LOVE everything about the car except for one thing; the placement of the tachometer. My old car had the Tach in the center and the speedometer on the left. Logical placement to me for a manual transmission car. TL has tach on the left and speedometer in the center. When I drive with my left hand on the wheel at ten o'clock and my right hand on the shifter I can't see the tach at all. And given the quiet engine noise its difficult to shift based on engine noise alone. Anyone else find this a problem and know why they chose this layout?
You know why? It's because the proper hand placement should be at the 9 & 3 positions. I think the 10 & 2 may be only a North American standard. But look at race car drivers anywhere in the world. They all use the 9 & 3.
Actually, the latest recommended hand placement is at 8 and 4. 10 and 2 is leftover thinking from the ancient days of NO power steering when you needed extra leverage to make a quick turn.
With today's power steering, you can turn the wheel from any position, and 8/4 lets you turn the wheel further before you have to move your hand.
Race cars have faster ratio steering, so they don't have to move their hands as far.
I am having a problem here seeing the difference between a normal TL and the TL with the side spoilers (ground effects)....it looks the same, right? Does anyone else notice a difference? is it just the car that is lowered??? I think the ground effects are in the A-Spec package, but I cannot tell the difference.... I can see the difference with the front spoiler and the rear ground effects, but not the sides...
Personally I think those are only for old people who always forget their blinker is on. That is the only use I see of having blinkers on the mirror, so the driver can see better that they are on or off. I think they look tacky and they are only for old people, kind of like those wires some have hanging off their tires for curb sensors. Those just make me laugh.
I am ecstatic that the TL does not have this feature.
"A major reason for 8/4 hand position is to avoid serious hand and arm injury, if you get in an accident..."
...as a deploying airbag is quite capable of breaking your arm, wrist, hand as well as many facial bones as said limb slams into your face. My understanding is that current drivers ed courses teach 8 and 4 and have replaced hand over hand turns with one hand pushing the wheel and the other stationary.
mdhauke - I believe folks are referring the ones that would be visible to oncoming vehicles - not the Ford/Muth LED type in the actual mirror glass.
I believe that most European nations require some sort of side marker directional. Blinkers on the mirror seems to be an alternative to the traditional ones mounted on the front fender. I thought the TL has a fender mounted directional.
Can someone explain to me how you are supposed to get your hands flat on the lower half of a circle ?
Seems to me 8/4 would put your arms flat against your side (leaving little room for quick small moves of the wheel) and would mean you are only holding the wheel with part of your hand.
You'd have to turn your wrists in more (ie. wrap your hands around the rim more) to get a comfortable fit. But I think 8/4 is more suited to the "one hand push" steering technique. Personally I'm still used to the hand over hand method. Seems to be quicker. But maybe it's because I'm mostly using 9/3 or 10/2, or even 12/12.
"I thought 8/4 was for your knees while you were eating lunch!" That's only on the highway with the cruise on. In th city it would be left leg at 6 and other leg on pedals.
I am negotiating a lease on a 04 Acura TL. In working up the price, I received a slight discount off the MSRP, but found that there was $800 added to the discounted MSRP to arrive at the sales price. When I questioned the math I was told that there is a $800 Honda Acquisition/Finance Lease Fee that is added to the CAP Cost. However, this $800 fee is not disclosed in any line item on the invoice or disclosed as a specific cost in the lease. It is said to cover the cost of gap ins and disposition at lease end. There is no security deposit or disposition fee, just this $800 acquisition fee. Has anyone encountered this invisible lease fee?
Are they running the lease through Honda Finance (AHFC)? If so, I'm pretty sure their base acquisition fee is $550. They are either marking it up for more profit, or possibly using a different bank.
Heard a lot about "Fax Attack method", what is actually that ? 1. Who should be a "receiver" Sale/fleet manager? or just to send a fax without mentioning "Attn:" 2. Should I give my offer or just ask for a quote for a car I want ?
On my 04 TL test drive I noticed the sound dampening lining in the wheel wells. It feels much like the short knapp molded carpet you find in car trunks.
I've never seen this approach before and it raised two questions:
-Was this an original design feature or a reactionary quick fix to lessen road noise?
-How will this material stand-up exposed to winter driving? Covered with snow, ice, salt, etc. will it degrade quickly and simply fall off? (time will tell, I guess)
Got my Silver/ebony today non-nav with pro-pack (trunk tray, wheel locks, mud guards). I saw a couple looking an optional side molding on a car that had it. I think it looks OK. What is your take? Where is the best (price) to get this?
I took the Abyss Blue 6MT out for a second test drive without the sales person today.
While there the dealer brought out a WDP TL with the full ground effects, 18" wheels, and small trunklid spoiler. The side ground effect pieces do "stick out" more than the stock sides which seem to just roll under. There are subtle differences. The rear ground effect pieces fit over the "ridge" in the stock bumper. You pretty much have to see both cars next to each other to see all the differences. They didn't put the prices on the sticker yet although the salesman said the whole package was around $4000.
1) Go to the Acura website. 2) Locate the link that says "Find A Dealer". 3) Put in your zip code and click "Go". 4) Go through the pages of the dealers found and copy dealers name and fax number. 5) Type out you Request for Proposal describing the exact car you want: exterior/interior, nav, etc. 6) State your purchase terms: cash, lowest dealer financing, etc. 7) State date you intend to buy (within 72 hours for best response). 8) Be sure to include your FAX number, only.
Blast 'em out. You should begin getting responses within a couple of hours.
You can call the dealer that gave the best overall offer, and negotiate for things some other dealer might have included...like pro-package, etc. Settle on the deal and have them fax you the buyers order to sign. Take your checkbook and pick up your car.
I used this process to buy a Nissan Quest 2 months ago, and bought the van at 500 under invoice, when they were sitting on dealers lots with window stickers reflecting $2,000 in additional dealer markup ("market adjustment"). No "deposit", no "4-square", no BS. Just the best buying experience I've ever had.
Noticed that as well and was wondering how it may hold up in the snow and ice that is starting to become a reality at this time of the year. Anyone have any feedback? Is there enough room in the wheel well for snow and slush to go somewhere or will the wheel well's get clogged up?
There are a lot of posts on Edmunds and on other car sites regarding vibrations in the steering wheel and other places on the 04 TL.
Anyone know the cause? Some have speculated that it's due to upshifting too early in order to get the 20 to 30 mpg and ultra low emissions, but it seems to affect the 6MT as well.
Anyone have any idea of what percentage of 04 TL's affected by this issue?
I'm in agreement with dulnev on the moulding issue. The indentation in the side where the doorhandles and side marker lights are takes a gradual arc across the side of the car. They don't match with the straight line the mouldings take. If they don't protect they aren't worth the money for false peace of mind. Park out in the middle of the lot.
I drove the 6MT Sat. and the only thing I could feel in the steering wheel was a resonance from all the mechanical things going on in the car. There was no tire vibration which would cause a wheel shake. The car should not eliminate road feel which is what some of us are trying to get from a sports sedan. I didn't notice anything that would require me to get service for the car.
I did notice a slight anti-freeze smell which the salesman discounted as "burning off" the engine coatings.
Questions about the DVD nav system. Is it worth the extra money and does it play DVD movies?
Just for curiosity sake, wanted to find out if the new TL auto rides any better than the old TL-S, or if the ride is worse due to being designed more for sports driving?
Glad that you enjoyed the test drive. I have driving 5 or 6 TLs before I bought mine, and never experienced anything but a smooth, quick ride. Please remember that any of these forums will carry more complaints than praise.
The smell is normal. There are a lot of coatings, etc. that burn off as the engine gets hot the first few times.
The value of the NAV system is really up to you. Do you travel a lot and go to strange areas? If not, you may want to really consider if the $2000 is worth it or not. If you need it only part of the time, there is a new Palm-sized PDA/GPS unit from Garmin at $599 that does the same thing, voice prompts and all, that you can take with you.
NO - It does not play movies. It is solely a NAV system.
I have not seen much discussion about the red exterior color. I think it looks very good. My top three exterior choices are white, red and gray.
Anyone own a red one? Does the red show much dirt?
The dealer in Huntsville AL has only had 2 red ones (I think) and both have sold quickly. Have not seen one with the black interior, which is what I would want.
Also the dealer had 16 TLs on the lot Sunday, no red exterior and only one with the NAV. Guess I will be waiting a while to get one.
Just measured my side moldings and the groove. They both slant upward from front to back. The groove measures 29" at the front and about 33" at the rear door handle, all measurements are from the concrete floor to the underside of the groove and the molding. The molding measures 19" at the front and about 22" at the rear door handle. Soo.... that is a difference of 4" for the groove and 3" for the molding. Yes, they were installed by the dealer. Don't know what the specs are but is it possible they are installed this way to help contribute to the wedge look of the car? By the way both sides are the same. Just spoke to my sales rep. and as I suspected the ins taller has a template to make sure they are installed properly. I do like them for two reasons, one they will protect your door in some instances and two, they visually lower the height of the car
Just my two cents...I'm considering the TL in the coming months. Redondo Red is the color I would get...with Parchment or Camel interior. I don't think it shows dirt like some of the darker colors and when it's clean it's beautiful. There's one in the parking lot where I work and the only Acura dealer in my town just got one on the lot last week. Very sweet. My pick would be R Red, Parchment, w/Navi. Vrooom, vrooom....
I can answer your question: I greatly prefer the ride of the 04 TL. I just traded in my 2003 TL-S for 2004 TL Auto with NAVI and I think the car is better than TL-S in EVERY SINGLE RESPECT! As far as the ride is concerned, here are some observations:
1. The new car soaks up bumps a lot better than the old one. All-in-all the ride feels more comfortable. I can't really be more specific.
2. Handling is WAY superior. I took couple fast curves and noticed a hude difference.
3. Power delivery is a lot smoother. Most importantly: the transmission shifts (auto) are almost imperceptible.
As far as questions about vibrations: my car doesn't have them.
I've always found the old Type-S not always easy to drive smoothly around town. It's got kind of a hair-trigger throttle tip-in, and (mine anyway) has little random sags and surges in the power delivery when negotiating around town.
I have a red TL with a parchment interior and am very pleased with the color combination. I looked at the camel interior but found it too orange for my taste. But, it all comes down to your taste. The red shows the dirt some but not nearly as much as something darker, eg., black. And, red looks marvelous when clean.
when my 2002 TL-S has a new tranny, the shifts are almost imperceptible too.
They also got almost imperceptible after 30K mile service that included tranny fluid flush. But that only lasted a couple of weeks. The bucking is back.
I have a Redondo Red 6-spd with Parchment. Love it, love it, love it. Regarding the ride differences compared to the previous generation, the '04 body structure is so much more solid that bumps, though you feel them, are accompanied with almost no body creaking or rattling. So the ride just feels a lot plusher.
How do you mean by "bucking"? Are you referring to the little surges, jerks and dips in the power delivery as you're driving? I get that in my CL. Nothing major, but annoying because it feels like the car needs a tune-up. But I can't pinpoint whether it's the tranny acting up or just the throttle linkage setup or even something mundane like fouled plugs.
one example would be cruising at 70mph and having a need to accelerate fast (highway opens up, no cops, that kind of need) - when I push the gas pedal, the car produces some kind of wobbly kick but no immediate acceleration. Then it finally downshifts and gets going.
Another example is probably related to the first one - I am decelerating in front of a red light, then light turns green and I push the gas pedal - it usually is not a very smooth event.
One more example - I back out of my driveway, put it in D5 and start driving forward. Everything OK so far, then 20 yards down the road it feels like I drove over a dog or something. I guess the tranny is doing a 1-2 shift, but it is too rough.
All of the above went away for a couple of weeks after 30K mile service. Then they all came back.
Another example (never goes away, service or not) would be the hickups that usually happen when I cruise at 40 or 50mph. It is cruising along then sud-sud-suddenly it feels like engine lost power, then everything goes back to normal. This once happened at 80mph - it was scary.
Comments
You're probably right, debis04Tl, to have the dealer install. It wouldn't be to save money as much as making sure it got done properly.
My only real complaint about the TL is that I don't like the color selection. It would be nice if there were some interesting light colors besides silver and white. Like the Meteor Silver (the color of my TSX), a light teal color, or light shades of blue and red. I have personally owned my last dark colored car - tired of the upkeep.
Any info on price paid and experience...
Thanks...
All else being equal, I would like the TL to have them, but it's no big deal if it doesn't. I would much rather Acura gave the TL an extra cubic foot of trunk space, or better yet, an AWD option!
LOL, send that suggestion to Acura as a suggested improvement for the 2005 model. It'd certainly work better than sideview mirror blinkers.
On a more serious note, I think it'd be great if Acura put in a Heads Up Display showing speed and tach on the 6MT.
Due to the sound deadening technology and the super smooth engine, it's difficult to shift based on just the engine noise and it's annoying to have to constantly look down at the dashboard.
I'd bet the brochures then would be in very high demand
With today's power steering, you can turn the wheel from any position, and 8/4 lets you turn the wheel further before you have to move your hand.
Race cars have faster ratio steering, so they don't have to move their hands as far.
I can see the difference with the front spoiler and the rear ground effects, but not the sides...
I am ecstatic that the TL does not have this feature.
...as a deploying airbag is quite capable of breaking your arm, wrist, hand as well as many facial bones as said limb slams into your face. My understanding is that current drivers ed courses teach 8 and 4 and have replaced hand over hand turns with one hand pushing the wheel and the other stationary.
I believe that most European nations require some sort of side marker directional. Blinkers on the mirror seems to be an alternative to the traditional ones mounted on the front fender. I thought the TL has a fender mounted directional.
Seems to me 8/4 would put your arms flat against your side (leaving little room for quick small moves of the wheel) and would mean you are only holding the wheel with part of your hand.
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avitelli - you also might want to ask Car_man that question in the discussion at this link: Lease Questions - Ask Here
regards,
kyfdx
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what is actually that ?
1. Who should be a "receiver" Sale/fleet manager?
or just to send a fax without mentioning "Attn:"
2. Should I give my offer or just ask for a
quote for a car I want ?
I've never seen this approach before and it raised two questions:
-Was this an original design feature or a reactionary quick fix to lessen road noise?
-How will this material stand-up exposed to winter driving? Covered with snow, ice, salt, etc. will it degrade quickly and simply fall off? (time will tell, I guess)
While there the dealer brought out a WDP TL with the full ground effects, 18" wheels, and small trunklid spoiler. The side ground effect pieces do "stick out" more than the stock sides which seem to just roll under. There are subtle differences. The rear ground effect pieces fit over the "ridge" in the stock bumper. You pretty much have to see both cars next to each other to see all the differences. They didn't put the prices on the sticker yet although the salesman said the whole package was around $4000.
2) Locate the link that says "Find A Dealer".
3) Put in your zip code and click "Go".
4) Go through the pages of the dealers found and copy dealers name and fax number.
5) Type out you Request for Proposal describing the exact car you want: exterior/interior, nav, etc.
6) State your purchase terms: cash, lowest dealer financing, etc.
7) State date you intend to buy (within 72 hours for best response).
8) Be sure to include your FAX number, only.
Blast 'em out. You should begin getting responses within a couple of hours.
You can call the dealer that gave the best overall offer, and negotiate for things some other dealer might have included...like pro-package, etc. Settle on the deal and have them fax you the buyers order to sign. Take your checkbook and pick up your car.
I used this process to buy a Nissan Quest 2 months ago, and bought the van at 500 under invoice, when they were sitting on dealers lots with window stickers reflecting $2,000 in additional dealer markup ("market adjustment"). No "deposit", no "4-square", no BS. Just the best buying experience I've ever had.
2. It doesn't do anything to protect the doors from dings. NOTHING! Most dings occur just below the handles level and moldings are WAY lower.
Anyone know the cause? Some have speculated that it's due to upshifting too early in order to get the 20 to 30 mpg and ultra low emissions, but it seems to affect the 6MT as well.
Anyone have any idea of what percentage of 04 TL's affected by this issue?
I did notice a slight anti-freeze smell which the salesman discounted as "burning off" the engine coatings.
Questions about the DVD nav system. Is it worth the extra money and does it play DVD movies?
The smell is normal. There are a lot of coatings, etc. that burn off as the engine gets hot the first few times.
The value of the NAV system is really up to you. Do you travel a lot and go to strange areas? If not, you may want to really consider if the $2000 is worth it or not. If you need it only part of the time, there is a new Palm-sized PDA/GPS unit from Garmin at $599 that does the same thing, voice prompts and all, that you can take with you.
NO - It does not play movies. It is solely a NAV system.
Anyone own a red one? Does the red show much dirt?
The dealer in Huntsville AL has only had 2 red ones (I think) and both have sold quickly. Have not seen one with the black interior, which is what I would want.
Also the dealer had 16 TLs on the lot Sunday, no red exterior and only one with the NAV. Guess I will be waiting a while to get one.
1. The new car soaks up bumps a lot better than the old one. All-in-all the ride feels more comfortable. I can't really be more specific.
2. Handling is WAY superior. I took couple fast curves and noticed a hude difference.
3. Power delivery is a lot smoother. Most importantly: the transmission shifts (auto) are almost imperceptible.
As far as questions about vibrations: my car doesn't have them.
I've always found the old Type-S not always easy to drive smoothly around town. It's got kind of a hair-trigger throttle tip-in, and (mine anyway) has little random sags and surges in the power delivery when negotiating around town.
Has the '04 engine been tamed in this regard?
Good luck.
They also got almost imperceptible after 30K mile service that included tranny fluid flush. But that only lasted a couple of weeks. The bucking is back.
Good Luck with your new TL, I will be joining you in a few years from now when bugs and whistles are all polished up.
For now- I am enjoying the 03.
How do you mean by "bucking"? Are you referring to the little surges, jerks and dips in the power delivery as you're driving? I get that in my CL. Nothing major, but annoying because it feels like the car needs a tune-up. But I can't pinpoint whether it's the tranny acting up or just the throttle linkage setup or even something mundane like fouled plugs.
Another example is probably related to the first one - I am decelerating in front of a red light, then light turns green and I push the gas pedal - it usually is not a very smooth event.
One more example - I back out of my driveway, put it in D5 and start driving forward. Everything OK so far, then 20 yards down the road it feels like I drove over a dog or something. I guess the tranny is doing a 1-2 shift, but it is too rough.
All of the above went away for a couple of weeks after 30K mile service. Then they all came back.
Another example (never goes away, service or not) would be the hickups that usually happen when I cruise at 40 or 50mph. It is cruising along then sud-sud-suddenly it feels like engine lost power, then everything goes back to normal. This once happened at 80mph - it was scary.