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Comments
I heard so many bad things about the Bridgestones Turanzas that came standard on Acura I bought new tires and put the Bridgestones in storage. I bought Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. This is an Ultra High Performance All Season tire which is designed to be driven like any other all season, BUT handles very, very well on drive pavement and in wet. They are not cheap, but I love them. Michelin claims these tires perform as well as any other all season they offer and provide excellent performance characteristics. I figure they will last most of my lease and if I have a few months to go I'll stick the Bridgestones back on them when I return to the Dealer.
I did take the car into the NC Mountains and did drive in snow, briefly. They handled fine. I grew up in North and lived in Midwest so I know how to drive in snow and know benefits of FWD.
Finally, someone once posted that us Southerners get the Bridgestones as the standard and the Northerners get the Michelin MXV. The Michelin's may perform better in the snow. I don't know.
Great car. I love it.
If Acura is reading this....I think a number of us would love to see the AWD option added to this car. The FWD platform keeps this from being a "perfect" car. Most competitors offer this - BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Infiniti G35 and the new Lexus IS. Car is slightly over powered for the FWD set up. Torque steer is a problem and the handling and is tiny notch below some competitors. I would be willing to pay a premium to get the SH-AWD which is on the RL.
However, new models are not likely to be available until September. If you can't wait. This is a great car, a lot of fun and the best value in the class.
While I tried to unglue the 5A with sudden turns left and right and the yellow light VSC flashing on the Tach, it was the Jetta hatchback that did a 360 at 20mph in a right turn that reminded me that it's the other cars you need to worry about when driving the TL.
Caution: Stay back 500'...
...Boston Driver relocated to DC...
Naturally, for the noncritical stuff, you plan for that and call well ahead. But will dealer have parts standing by? Or will diagnosis be required before parts are obtained? (Meaning the possiblity of multiple days sitting there?)
For the truly dead-in-the-water problems, dealer says (naturally) don't worry - car is reliable to begin with, and the roadside assistance will tow to the nearest dealer *and* deliver a loaner car to me.
Acura has a better situation than Audi or MB where scheduled maintenance is included - regular trips to the dealer are mandatory. Here, I can take it to a Honda dealer for oil changes etc.
Any experiences out there?
Went to an Acura dealer the other day and saw the TL ... needless to say I was VERY impressed... Great interior space -- far more than some of the competitors I was looking at... nice packaging. (Didn't drive yet b/c I had my kids with me and it was one of those days...)
Anyway, one thing holding me back from really getting excited about the TL is the fact that it's FWD... All of the other cars I'm looking at are AWD or have that option (e.g., Volvo s40 or s60, BMW 330xi when the new one comes out, Audi A4Q, probably the 3.2, MB 240/280? 4Matic and Infiniti G35x). (I can't afford the RL ;-)
I scanned this forum and several others and got plenty of info about AWD/FWD/RWD in general... I'd love to hear specific experiences of TL owners about their cars' handling in poor weather... I also appreciated comments about the stock tires...I'm not one to go for winter tires necessarily (our crummy weather here in SW PA is not limited to winter ;-) so I'd love to know what the traction is like with the regular all-seasons...
So, thoughts? Thanks!
Scott
LIved in N.E. all my life, skied (and driven in all kinds of ridiculous weather to get to the slopes. But always worth it!) the mountains of all N.E. states (save for R.I., not much to ski there...). I've always had FWD with all-seasons and gotten where I'm going with, knock wood, no incidents to report. I can probably count on less than two hands the number of times I wanted/needed AWD. Common sense and a little luck have probably helped too...!
Having said that, while I love my '05 TL non-nav, I must say thank goodness for the traction aids and ABS! The (and I and others have posted this before. Also check the reviews on tirerack.com) Bridgestone Turanza EL42 tires were NOT MADE FOR SNOW!!! For the first time ever I'm considering snows for next winter. I survived this winter (no ski trips in the TL this year) with the above mentioned snow-driving common sense, electronic aids and luck. I haven't noticed any problems (yet?) in plain wet weather. If you buy a Navi or 6 speed TL, I believe you get different tires which I would hope would be better than the EL42s. Unless they are summer performance tires, of course...
I, too, considered AWD (G35X, MB 4Matic) but I decided I just didn't want to carry around the extra weight and complexity of AWD 365 days/year. Of course, that's just my personal opinion. Nothing wrong with AWD and the advantages it offers.
Good luck, let us know which car you choose. Oh, yeah. If tires stink in the wet/snow, AWD/FWD/RWD won't matter much. If there's no traction anywhere, it doesn't matter how many wheels are being driven!
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Does anyone have any real information, not just the guesses I've given above?
We live in a snow-belt area and do get snow/ice from approx Thanksgiving to mid-March. The performance of these Dunlops has been excellent in snow/ice. The tires are also good in the dry. We have a long inclined driveway and never had a problem. The limiting factor on a couple of mornings was the depth of snow on driveway. It would have hung up the car with its short clearance, so did not attempt leaving the house till the driveway was plowed.
We have always put snow tires on all 4 wheels of our cars (FWD and RWD) over the years. If you live in a snow belt, the extra margin of control/safety is well worth the cost and hassle of storing/mounting 2 sets of wheels. I have been caught in mid Nov snow/ice with all-season, or worse yet summer tires, on the car and found the experience to be unerving. The extra traction provided by 4 snows could just be the margin of safety that will allow one to steer out of trouble and avoid a collision.
However, if you are looking for something that is more than "acceptable", I recommend an MDX over an AWD sedan. The additional traction you can get from an AWD sedan is helpful, but still doesn't match the additional ground clearance and serious all season tires on an SUV.
I would also say that winter performance and summer performance are contradictory. I've driven the BMW 330xi and the added weight and lack of a serious "sport package" would keep me form ever owning one. Great vehicle, just not what I'd buy a BMW for.
If you want a new car anyway, then yes, now is probably the time to do it. But it's almost always going to be cheaper to fix an old car than it is to buy a new one.
Hey I have 05 6spd w high performance tire (Bridgestone Potenza) I am having some vibrations. Have you ever had the same problem? Does your car have the same tires? I think they told me mine were summer tires as well, they charged me more for that option! Need help to fix this problem!
Thanks
thanks!
I leased a 2002 330i with 5 spd, luxury and sport packages. Returned after lease was up and leased 6 spd TL with Turanza tires. Took the Turanza's off and replaced them with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. This is important as I had the Pilot Sports A/S both cars. This is an Performance all season and not the same as a summer or performance tire. Still a lot better than the Turanza's and gives a better comparison.
BMW - Simply a great car to drive. Handles great, wonderful turning and very responsive. Can't say anything bad about this car. Does everything it intends to do and does it very well. In terms of pure driving - better than TL.
TL - Engine is as good if not better. Better transmission. I like the 6 spd and short throws better. Faster off the line. HOWEVER, it does have torque steer which diminishes driving experience. Doesn't feel as tight on the road or in making turns. A little more bounciness on regular driving. Great interior. Bigger than 330i, better seats, wonderful ergonomics. Stereo's are comparable. I like that TL has 6 cd in dash changer and love the XM. BMW maybe sounds a little better given it had 12 speakers.
Here's the kicker for me - TL is about $8000 less apples to apples where I live. For me, I love the TL and the $8000 in my pocket. I really feel the 330i is the "gold standard" in this class, but the TL makes a very compelling choice and one I'm very happy with. If price is no object, I'd say go with the BMW. For me, price is always a consideration and the TL is great. I really, really enjoy the car and there are some things I like better about it than the BMW.
In my mind, this exactly what Acura is shooting for. I think they are targeting what they do very well. Overall excellent cars at price points which make people consider them. Maybe not the "best" in the auto mags, but extremely close. Add in overall reliability and I think it is a winning idea. In news today, Honda reported extremely strong sales and excellent earnings. TL, RL and Oddessey lead this growth.
Playing hookey from work today so I may try to drive a new 2006 330i if local dealership has one. If I do, I'll post my thoughts. I'll need to do b/4 my tee time!!!
As for gas mileage, after break-in, I've been getting pretty solid 24-25 MPG in 80% Highway / 20% city driving.
When it's 100% highway (long trips), I get around 30.
100% city gets around 17-18.
A 50/50 mix gets about 21-22 or so.
The BMW is significantly more expensive. This is true for the 2005 330i with the $4,200 dealer incentive and even more true for the 2006 without it. (+$10,000 for so for the cars as I would configure them.)
I don't drive at 100% of either car's capabilities so the advantages offered by the BMW don't often arise.
I live in Southern California and I see BMW's everywhere. I see two of them parked on the street before I drive 1/2 mile to the major cross street as I leave my house. They are both 325i non-sport models. (Caution opinion: what a person buys who wants to be seen driving a BMW but really doesn't have the money or appreciation to get a sport package or preferably a 330i sport.)
I have owned my current car, an Acura, for 14 years with excellent reliability and low maintenance costs. I have spoken with numerous BMW owners and almost all of them have complained about maintenance costs. (After the warrantee period.) I will own my new car for a long time and I just can't be worried about hitting multiple thousand dollar repairs. One woman I spoke with said that her husband noted that they never took their BMW for repairs with getting at least a $500 to $1,000 bill - this was for minor items. Looking at the Consumer Reports repair histories, it appears the the recent 3 Series has lots of problems once you get past 3 or 4 years. That would be painful for me. I also hate nagging problems.
If I were a person who leased or traded cars every 3 or 4 years and didn't mind the added cost of the BMW I would go for it. Since this is a long-term purchase and since the cost difference does matter, although I can afford either car, I've gone with the TL.
So, in my opinion, the TL does not get high marks for in-town gas mileage, at least not the 6-speed version. I'm guessing that the nearly 3,500 lb curb weight and 270 horespower work against it. However, a friend with a 545i 6-speed (3,700 lbs and 325 horsepower V-8) gets about the same in town mileage as I do.
Re: 330i comparison. I think mathewstl makes excellent points and captures much of the essence of why I went with the TL over the 330i. However, with the new 2006 330i being larger and more powerful, I would seriously consider one if I were in the market today. The $10,000 price difference quoted by someone is well in excess of the actual difference I would pay. I can get any non-M BMW for about $1,200 to $1,500 over European Delivery invoice, whcih puts the final price at about $1,500 under the U.S. invoice for the 330i. That works out to about a $5,000 to $6,000 price difference, although it does require a trip to Germany.
I inherited a 1999 Buick LaSabre from my folks. It gets about 18 mpg city and 28-30 highway. Not very good when you consider the difference in performance to the TL,
European delivery seems like a great option if it works with your schedule. It would be great to drive the car around Europe. It would be great to drive at TL around Europe as well, but I suppose delivery would be a bit more expensive!
It is going to be interesting to see the experience owners of 2006 3 Series BMW's have with run flat tires (no spare, no regular tire option). I've seen reports that the tires cost $300 each, ride a bit rough and perhaps can't be repaired. If this is the case, hopefully the mileage on the tires will be good!
I currently have a 2004 TL ~13k miles. Drive is mix averaging 50 miles/day, average 22 mpg. For highway mileage, average 29 mpg. As for octane, I have experimented with both. Used only BP, 89 and 92 octane. First 5 mths used strictly 92, same 22 mpg. Moved to 89, same 22 mpg. I did not notice any difference in performance. Great car to drive.
How compatible is this size with my 2005 TL? I haven't decided whether to return them, if I can.
Thanks,
Ronaries
Does anyone have pics, or know of a link to pics of a 05 TL with and without all of the underbody spoilers? It's tough to judge from the pics on the Acura web page.
Thanks!
Aldwyn
the underbody spoiler looks good, IMO....but definitely just a personal taste thing..... I think the TL looks good without the spoiler also.... the design is that good....
Thanks all for help in this process. Back go the RL wheels to the supplier, BTI wheels of Salt Lake, which had misidentified the take-offs. NTB helped me avoid an expensive mistake by checking out the actual mount of the wheel.
To each his own ... :-)
If you're talking about a 1-hr commute to work, if the roads are good, you might like the stiffer ride - I think it's better for quick lane-changes, but if some roads are not well-made, pass on the TL.
Had the disappearing temp settings issue again today but didn't notice until I realized cold air was filling the cabin. The climate control temp setting had reset to 65 from my setting of 74! Still cool here in New England...
Other than the elecrical gremlin, great car. Gotta Zaino it, I guess...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)