jkilla369

I was thinking of making some suspension modifications to my 2005 Acura TL at some point in the near future and I'm trying to decide between the a spec and the type s suspensions. Which one of the two do you guys think adds more fun to driving and is worth the money and how do both of these suspension setups handle in comparison to the 4th gen TL and TLX sh awd?

MyGuti

As far as I know, the a-spec suspension is no longer available.

jkilla369

Well what about the type s suspensions? If they are available how much do they cost and how well is its handling compared to sh awd?

DarkTower19

ASpec is better...if you can find it anywhere. HeelToe had some at one point, but that was awhile ago. They pop up in the BM sometimes if you keep your eyes peeled

jkilla369

I really don't unsderstand why they discontinued the sale of the aspec suspension. I'm pretty sure that there are many TL owners in the market for them.

csmeance

Acura probably produced a bunch of sets (1000+) a few years ago and then probably ended the contract with the company that made them.

jkilla369

Can somebody tell me how both of these suspensions handle in comparison to the sh awd?

GreenSpades

Why not just get a Tien set or another aftermarket coilover set. You get the ability to customize it to exactly the settings you want, they are readily available, and the pricing has really come down.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

you do know that you cannot compare a FWD vehicle to an AWD vehicle, right????



RIGHT?????




right?????

GreenSpades

I compared my TL to my bimmer with xdrive . The TL has ummmm more horsepower? Other than that yeah they cant compare. The TL is all torque steer and wheel spin to slight understeer. Our BMW is a 328 so it doesnt have power to break the wheels with the all wheel drive system. That beech hugs the road tho. It sits lower too but its auto so honestly the TL is more fun. The seats in the TL are a lot more comfy too.

NTP66

My 07 TL-S has the A-Spec suspension, and quite honestly, I now regret it. While it was the perfect drop for my car in terms of looks, I'm at the point now where I'd prefer a smoother ride, which the original suspension provided. The A-Spec kit does help with body roll and the like, though, if you drive aggressively.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^funny because the TYPE-S shocks have metal washers inside the top hat for more road feel.

the aspec has rubber washers.

VisualEchos

iTrader: (1)

They don't produce every little bit part anymore for sale separately because they are focused on the new cars.

By law, any manufacturer selling cars in the United States has to produce parts for that car for 10 years after the model year. I don't remember the last year of the A-Spec, but probably 2007/2008, so you're nearing that now. If someone wanted to spend the time and effort they could get a new A-Spec suspension from Acura for absolute sure, as long as it's not past the 10 year mark.

However, manufacturers have a way around producing every little bit part, and that's the "assembly". For example, when your car is 1 year old you can buy any screw in the door panel. At 5 years old you may need to buy the "assembly" the screw comes with, and at 10 years old you may have to buy the whole door to get that screw.

Welcome to getting old.

jkilla369

Yes I knew that from before but what drove me to make this comparison was seeing a poster on here on another thread mention that they have driven both the 4g tl sh awd and have a 3g tl with an aspec suspension and that the differences in handling are subtle, the reason being one is fwd and the other is awd of course.

jkilla369

Does anybody here know how to set the suspension to a position where I will have great stiff and responsive handling but at the same time not have to lower my car too low? I ask this because the city that I live has endless potholes.

csmeance

Get BC Coilovers and keep it at near factory height! IT's a bit expensive but one of the best routes and certainly one that I'm entertaining as they are fully rebuildable and offer custom spring rates and have a lot of adjustment for dampening and height.

DMZ

I've been all along sine I purchased the car 12½ years ago. The only reason I didn't was because it lowers the car at least 1½ inches. And here in the NYC/NJ area, the LAST THING I want to do is lower the car considering the condition of the roads and the # of pot holes. If I could get equivalent handling of A-Spec without the lowering, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
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