Older Acura TLs

bodble2 · October 2004

I think you go by the maintenance schedule. I think the oil life meter is just an aid. It's just an ESTIMATE of oil life based on several measureable factors.

highender · October 2004

thanks.... I'll go by the schedule then..

also:

when do you guys think is a good time to switch to synthetic oil ?

I think some said after a few oil changes, some say after the engine breaks in, some say to stick with regular oil. I thought synthetic would protect the TL engine a lot more...since it does not break down as easily.

thoughts from all you TL fanatics ?

bodble2 · October 2004

I would switch after the 1st oil change.

courtney11 · October 2004

Why are the seats so hard? Took a test drive and was just not comfortable,,, sticking with my 01.

qwalls · October 2004

I think the seats are fine, and my last car was the epitome of comfort, a Lexus LS400. Maybe you just need to try the various adjustments again. It may take a while to get it just right.

igiban · October 2004

It's not Lexus seats all right but I think it's still softer than bimmer's or MB's. The whole new TL is sportier than 01's, including the seats. And no one says sporty seats are soft. I guess TL's look + Lexus interior can have some appeal, but that's just not there. Maybe try RL. Its seats are more comfy, if not the $$$.

habitat1 · October 2004

My complaint on the TL isn't that the seats are too hard, but in spite of looking sporty, they are not as supportive and comfortable as any of the premium European brands. I would rate Volvo, BMW (sport seat option) and Mercedes (multi-contour option) as at least 2-3 rungs up the ladder from Acura.

It's not just an Acura TL complaint: I have yet to sit in ANY Japanese sedan (or SUV) that has as good of an ergonomic design and seat support/comfort of the Europeans mentioned above. My 1995 Maxima SE was guilty. And Lexus seats aren't any better, IMO. Perhaps it's just that they are attached to such "un-sporty" cars that their excessive padding and mushiness blends in with the Lexus driving experience. At least the 2004 Acura TL has taken the driving dynamics and handling up a few notches.

The only Japanese vehicles that I have ever owned that had superior seats were my 1984 Toyota Supra and my 2002 Honda S2000. And, in the case of the S2000, I believe the seats were designed by (and possibly made by) Recarro.

This is a serious conundrum. I wish the engineers that came up with the superior Acura navigation system would focus their talents on the seats.

nkeen · October 2004

Re handling, etc of the 6-speed.

Great long distance car. If you want European style chuckability and aliveness you're better off with the more fidgety TSX, but the TL has great grip if you apply power progressively through the turn. It's a big, fast luxury tourer, not a sport sedan. If the TSX is European in concept, the TL is definitely more American. The engine is fabulous, the transmission great, the clutch fierce -- it'll catch you out with its abrupt uptake after driving something else. It's a big, bad front driver and handles like one. I've always been a FWD believer (space, snow, rain) but note it'll plow. Steering is sensitive to road camber changes -- doesn't have a lot of caster -- reminds me a bit of a Series 2 XJ6 in feel. I'll replace the poor Bridgestones with Michelins or Contis when the OEM tires expire. XM is worth it to me for the BBC World Service alone and my 1940s Furtwangler CDs sound good on the DVD player. The longer I have the car the more I like it.

habitat1 · October 2004

Interesting that you would describe the TL as a "luxury tourer" rather than a sport sedan. I guess it's all "relative", but when I had my TL in for a "B" service yesterday, they had a new RL on display and for a brief test drive. I didn't get a chance to test its full capabilities, but after driving it for only about 4 miles, hopping back into my TL 6-speed felt like I was going into a small sport sedan from a large luxury car. Mostly the visual affect of the interior, but also the insulated driving feel of the RL. I have no doubt the RL's capabilities at the limits are impressive, but I doubt it would get my $49,000 over another $5-7,000+ for a 545i 6-speed.

FWIW, my service manager also recommended replacing my HPT summer tires with 245/45 series tires when the time comes. Apparantly the TL rims were sized for 245's and the standard 235's leave the rim edge very susceptable to curb scrapes (which I've already had a couple of). Fortunately, at 7,700 miles, my tires are still in very good shape, compared to some of the Potenza tires which are in need of replacement after as little as 12,000 - 15,000 miles.

courtney11 · October 2004

Personally I use full synthetic. If you have read the articles comparing them it states that synthetic does not brake down nearly as fast and does protect the engine much better. I live in Florida and the heat warrants the extra protection. Personally I would use it wherever I lived. Make sure to use full synthetic and no blends. Mobil 1 or Castrol are my favorites.
Goor Luck...

patentparadise · October 2004

Neuronbob--

I saw that you recently drove from Cleveland to NYC. Is it safe to assume that you reside in C'town? If so, I'm curious to know how your TL handles during the wonderful wintertime here in Cleveland.

dsanders · October 2004

Hello, I am considering a TSX, TL, or Subaru WRX STi. I am looking for a car that is fun to drive, will last, and works as a daily driver. I am currently leaning towards the TL, but handling and driving fun are important to me, which is why the STi is in the mix. I know they are in different classes.

To those that own a 2004/2005 TL with 6 speed, how well does it handle? I know the fwd will hinder it, but I have been getting mixed reviews on how the 'sporty' the TL is.

highender · October 2004

thanks for your info on the synthetics...

I think I will change over....

highender · October 2004

I agree, the TL seats are not uncomfortable per se, but they are not the most comfortable and supportive that I have been in.

I have handmade custom leather seats in the suburban, but they are not as supportive as the TLs.

The most supportive and comfortable, without being over-stuffed, IMO, are the seats found in the sporty Volvo RS6 sedan....you feel completely soft yet supported in them.....better than any I have ever tried....better than even Porsche, BMW, or Mercedes, IMO.....

TL is not bad....I can live with them in a long trip....

sb55 · October 2004

I got my 05 TL with Nav and 6 speed LAST WEEK and already have 1500 miles on it. Paid 33,250. Took a 400 mile each way trip to visit my daughter at college. About 26 mpg at close to 75-80 the whole way.
I thought the seats were hard 1st couple of days but they have "broken in" and are more comfortable already. XM is great on long trip and I will surely pay when the time comes.
FWD is ok. I find the steering a little isolated and "light". I may change tires in the spring, even though it came with Michelins.
Just my $.02.

jjtuan · October 2004

acura uses 5w20 oil but mobil1 doesn't have that oil. what kind oil you use on mobil1. thanks

bodble2 · October 2004

Your assessment of the steering is dead-on. I too find it "isolated". Very little road feel. You really couldn't tell, by feel, that you're holding on to the steering wheel.

igiban · October 2004

Is that such a bad thing? I mean what do you really like to feel? Imperfect road? Try Lexus, if you close your eyes, you might not 'feel' it's moving. I guess TL is more sporty on the look than what it really is (a lux. touring sedan).

habitat1 · October 2004

I find the TL handling very good for the cars size, weight and FWD.

If I could get by with a vehicle the size of the TSX, I would have gotten a 330i or M3 (obviously at a higher cost, but budget wasn't my primary constraint). However, in order to achieve comfortable 4/5 passenger seating, you need to move up to the 5-series sedan. Obviously, the TL can't match the 545i 6-speed in performance or handling, but neither can the 545i match the TL in reliability and overall economic ownsership. Not to mention that the TL has several features lacking in the 545i - better navigation system, bluetooth phone (needed in DC), XM radio, etc.

The TL isn't a sports car. I do miss my Honda S2000. But the TL 6-speed is about as sporty as it gets for under $40k in a relaible car that you wouldn't be embarassed to cart around business associates in the rear seat. Again, if you can get away with the size of a TSX, I'd consider the 3-series. Even a 325i will outhandle any FWD car.

bodble2 · October 2004

It's not neccessarily a bad thing, but I prefer an "intuitive" driving feel. I always say a good driver's car should feel like it is an direct extension of your arms and legs.

sb55 · October 2004

I tested a BMW 530i with SP and 6mt. It was great, but a little low on power and true to German form, EVERYTHING is optional. In a "luxury" car, shouldn't they, at the least, throw in Xenon lights and leather?
The value of a loaded car sold it for me. I just didn't want to spend over 50K for my daily diver this time, since I do about 30K a year and always take a huge hit when I go to trade.

billyperks · October 2004

Are you seriuos?
BMW does not offer satellite radio?

Or is it an optional equipment?

habitat1 · October 2004

BMW offers Sirius as an option instead of XM. From my limited research, XM is the consumer preferred system and seems to have a stronger business model / subscriber base.

eqgo · November 2004

Which state are you located? I'm in San Francisco, CA. I've visited two dealers and none of them were willing to offer me 05 TL w/o Nav for lower than $34,000 out of the door.

salbaby1972 · November 2004

I live in the LA area, and was wondering if anyone bought a TL-auto/nav over the phone out
of state and had it shipped? They got some great deals in the Midwest.

igiban · November 2004

How does that work? Can you pick and choose from other pre-config. displays to show what you most want to see on one single display?

tribbles · November 2004

$34,000 out the door in the Bay Area is an excellent price.

$34,000 out the door in CA would be about $31000 more or less + TTL (usual estimate 10% of purchase price). Invoice on the non-NAVI is 30,552 including $570 destination charge. So that means the offer was around $500 over invoice.
If I had gotten an offer around $500 over invoice for an '05 with NAVI, I'd be driving one now.

igiban · November 2004

Which SF/BA dealer gave you $34K OOTD price for a 05 TL? Is that about $31K just on the car?

lmacmil · November 2004

I am think about a used, low mileage 2004 TL. My main hestitation is the lack of a local dealer. Closest one is 100 miles. I'm sure the Honda dealer can do the typical maintenance but I'd need to see the Acura dealer for warranty work. Wondering how many trips to the dealer you owners made in the first 20K miles.

danny1878 · November 2004

First trip was at 6.5k mile and my second trip was at 12k+. I dont know about the 3rd one but it seems everytime I put 6kmile on it.

Btw with the TL, 100 miles is a short trip, I'm sure you'll be wanting more

. I go from wisconsin to downtown Chicago almost everyweek(on sunny days only

), its more than 100 miles of fun.

lmacmil · November 2004

Thanks for the reply. It's not the drive itself I would mind, it's sitting at the dealer for a couple of hours, not to mention having to take off from work if they don't do service on Saturdays.

tribbles · November 2004

I'd like to know too. Tho I just got an '05 Accord, I would spring for a TL. Both of my '93 accords can stand to be replaced anyway

newtldriverct · November 2004

For those who have owned a TL through the winter in New England - how is the handling in bad weather? How about the rain? Trying to decide whether or not to purchase winter tires or not.

armand · November 2004

I live in NY and am definitely buying snow tires. Low profile tires do not provide good snow traction plus the OEM tires are not good in snow -I had mine in March and did experience one snow storm.

brew99 · November 2004

I purchased mine in February and encountered a few snowy days up here in Toronto. For me, the OEM's were ok in the snow - not outstanding but they did the job. We don't get a ton of snow here and when we do the traffic gets so jammed up that you are barely moving. An alternative to snows may be an ultra high performance all-season tire that has strong snow performance. I had Continental Conti Extreme Contacts on my previous vehicle and they were great in the snow, wet and dry.

buyer777 · November 2004

How is the TL in the snow...looking at this versus the G35x AWD...thanks!

dtate99 · November 2004

I've been away from the message boards for several months, but when I did a search I could not come up with any recent posts about the Motorola V710 with Verizon. Does anyone have any experience with this phone? It's the only one available at Verizon if I want to take advantage of the Bluetooth technology. Is the sound quality with the unit (not the Bluetooth) adequate? Is the camera decent? Are you happy with it?

jeffreylevin · November 2004

A few discussions in regards to Verizon Motorola V710 phone. Try searching for V710. Very happy with phone. Good Luck.

dtate99 · November 2004

Thanks for the reply. I did search the discussions and found just a few posts, none of which said anything significant. I thought I heard or read somewhere how poor the camera quality was on the V710 and without a need for a camera phone, I didn't really want to spend the extra money on something if the phone wasn't good to start with.

gogglespiasano · November 2004

I have done considerable research on the TL and the RL and have reached the conclusion that the RL has some important drawbacks. I don't want to pay $15,000 more for an RL if the 2006 TL is going to feature SH-AWD. Acceleration, braking, backseat and trunk room on the RL don't stack up well enough for the premium being paid. My question is does anyone know whether the 2006 TL is likely to have SH-AWD? Any help on this is greatly appreciated.

priggly · November 2004

Does the 2005 Acura TL still have harmonic distortion in the drivetrain, as amply complained about on multiple forums including those on ACURAZINE, like its preceding models or has this been eliminated in the 2005 model? To my mind, this would be the main reason to pass up buying this car. Is the 2006 likely to have it?

Thanks.

habitat1 · November 2004

Please enlighten me on what "harmonic distortion in the drivetrain" you ae talking about. I have a 2004 TL 6-speed w/ 10k miles and haven't noticed a thing other than a free revving engine and smooth operation at all speeds. Is this another automatic transmssion-only issue?

bodble2 · November 2004

IIRC, I think it has to do with the torque converter. If so, then yes, it would be automatic only. (But I've not experienced any such problem on my automatic TL)

danny1878 · November 2004

What is that? mine is also an auto.

habitat1 · November 2004

Thanks for the link. My own unscientific poll of two other TL owners that I know is "no probelm", including one who has an early build (bought 11/2003) TL automatic.

The one poster with a 6 speed manual claims that the vibration stays after he speeds up to 90 mph and puts the car in neutral and coasts down to 60 mph. He is sure it's not the tires/wheels, since he has two sets and experiences the same vibration with both. However, it doesn't sound like a "drive train" issue to me, because it still occurs when the engine is disengaged. Almost sounds like an axle or wheel bearing issue.

In any event, I don't have it so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

bodble2 · November 2004

I was referring to the vibration at a certain speed that some owners have experienced.

bodble2 · November 2004

That's it! But like I said, fortunately I have not experienced it on mine. Just a bit of a rough idle at times.

webby1 · November 2004

You are lucky....this would drive me nuts!
Local Acura dealers are still denying that there is a vibration problem....however they are admitting that they have changed to different tire for the 2005 model.

sb55 · November 2004

Re post #6491, I too have rough idle, only when cold, on my '05 with about 3500 miles on it. Is this normal? It is fine when warm, and I haven't had a chance to go back to the dealer.

bodble2 · November 2004

I think it's probably harmless. I just feel a bit of pulsing. Nothing major. Otherwise the car starts fine, no stalling or anything. I recall my 2001 CL-S also exhibited similar characteristics. Buttery smooth idle is one thing that the Nissan VQ engines have over the Honda V6's.

Older Acura TLs

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles