When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi all. Been a member on this forum for a while now. First joined when we bought a 2007 TL for my wife. A few years ago I traded in my 1998 Honda Prelude Type-SH for a 2006 RL Tech. I was a very active member in the 2G RL forum over the last few years. The RL was a great car but it was hit by an 18-wheeler, (parked with nobody in the car), and ended up being totaled.
Yesterday I picked up a 2012 TL SH-AWD with tech package from Courtesy Acura. I'm not going to go into lengthy comparisons between the RL and TL. I know many members here previously owned a 2G RL and already know that the RL to TL switch is a give and take. Overall, I'm happy with the car. It's 6 years new than my outgoing RL and is actually costing me $30/month less in car payments. I really wanted a 6-speed manual but they are pretty hard to find and I had a small window with a paid for rental car to get another vehicle.
I haven't really mapped out a plan for modding yet. I will be doing a lot more to this vehicle than I did to the RL since mods cost about half the price. I did manage to salvage all of my V-LED interior LED bulbs as well as the 3000LM LED DRL kit from the RL that I will install on the TL. I also kept the 20" TSW Jerez wheels from the RL and will be installing them next spring. 20% window tint will be coming in the next couple of weeks as well as new set of winter tires, (probably Hankook W-310's). Other than that, future plans include: roof wing, 5k HID foglight kit, Comptech Icebox, J-Pipe, exhaust and Tein coilovers. I'm undecided on whether or not the OEM lip kit is worth the money.
This build will be somewhat slow as I don't have money growing on a tree in my backyard and I tend to spend a little extra to get higher quality components. I'm just getting into researching on this forum. If there are any absolutely must-have mods, please feel free to let me know.
Anyway, here are a couple iPhone pictures I took of the new car:
Here's the RL I'm coming from and what it looked like after getting crushed by an 18-wheeler:
You had an RL with CMBS? Very nice Did you end up keeping it (crashed one and trying to get it fixed) or get the TL in place of it? Damage didn't look that bad on it from the photo you posted, it still looks like a beauty when it's hurt!
You new ride looks great and I'm sure we will enjoy the journey to modding without money growing in the back yard!
Very interested to see how the 3000LM DRL's will look on the TL and the wheels as well.
You had an RL with CMBS? Very nice Did you end up keeping it (crashed one and trying to get it fixed) or get the TL in place of it? Damage didn't look that bad on it from the photo you posted, it still looks like a beauty when it's hurt!
You new ride looks great and I'm sure we will enjoy the journey to modding without money growing in the back yard!
Very interested to see how the 3000LM DRL's will look on the TL and the wheels as well.
Thank you. Yes, it was the CMBS model. It was a nice car. Unfortunately, the car was only worth about $15k and the damages were estimated over $13k so the trucking company's insurance company totaled it. I could either take a check for $14.9k and surrender the car or take a check for $13.6k, keep the car and pay to have it fixed. With 2 years left on the loan, I didn't want to risk being upside down on a car with a salvage title so I took the totaled payout. I contemplated looking for another RL but it wouldn't have been the same without the CMBS package and those are hard to find. I also don't like the 09+ RL styling and did not want to get into another 5 year car loan on a car that was already 7+ years old. The TL I just picked up was the responsible decision.
While the damages don't look so bad, you have to keep in mind how expensive parts for the RL are. The CMBS shield emblem alone is a $450 part. The headlights list at over $1k each. The nail in the coffin was the possible damage to the CMBS unit. The car needed to be towed to the Acura dealer to have the system tested for damage and then towed back to the body shop for repairs. If the radar unit was damaged, it would have added another $3500+ to the repair bill and resulted in a total loss. Having already paid two weeks worth of rental car coverage along with the high probability of the extra cost of the radar unit, they cut their losses and wrote the car off.
I'm over it. We've had 4G TL's as loaner cars before and were always fond of the way they drive. I'm going to enjoy having a car I can actually mod again. The RL was just too expensive to mod. An exhaust was $2k. Coilover kit $2k. Comparable mods for the TL are half the price. There are also a lot more options out there and more things you can do in general. The RL has virtually zero aftermarket support since it is such a limited production vehicle and the people that do own them are not typically the modifying types.
I'm enjoying the TL so far. I ordered my winter tires for it today and will be installing them next week. I also ordered a second set of TPMS sensors for the summer wheels but I'm probably going to wait until next spring to do anything with them since I'll putting new tires on them at that point in time anyway. I'm hoping to get the windows tinted next week too. The LED DRL's will be going in this weekend as well as however many of the LED bulbs I pulled from the RL that can be swapped into the TL, (puddle, license plate, trunk and glove box lights).
My daughter was super proud of herself for helping wash the bugs off the front of the car tonight. Yes, that's a Super Woman costume. I guess that's what happens when she spends a day at Grandma's house. Lol.
First mods, small ones, are on the car. Color matched bumper plugs, V-LED MT-G2 3000LM DRL/high-beam LED kit and V-LED 6k bulbs in puddle, tag, glovebox and center console.
Picture I took tonight with the new LED DRL's:
Installing the DRL's:
Bumper plugs:
Glove box:
Center console:
Puddle lights:
Tag lights:
Window tint is in the VERY near future. Just have to find time away from work.
congrats on your purchase and great pics ?I have the same color what is your color called mine is borealis blue is it called the same ? when I bought mine a while back the dealer told me they discontinue my color and do not make that color anymore so im curious if it is called the same. Ive only seen one other owner here in jersey with that color.
Ordered some OEM all weather mats from an online vendor and installed them today. I was going back and forth between the OEM mats and the WeatherTech DigiFit. I know they cover a lot more area and go up the sides to keep stuff from spilling over but I just couldn't find it in me to spend double the cost of the OEM mats on them. The reviews in this forum were pretty mixed. I've seen them in plenty of customers' cars and I've noticed they look really nice when they're newer but they don't age as well as the OEM mats. It seems like as they get older they get looser and the sides don't stay up as well. If they were closer in price to the OEM mats I might have given them a try.
Also, while I was swapping my wife's TL to the winter wheels and tires today I decided to slap the TSW Jerez wheels from my RL onto the TL to see how they look. I think, in some ways, they actually look better on the TL than they did on the RL. Wheels are 20x9 +35 TSW Jerez with 255/35R20 Continental Extreme Contact DW tires. The tires are smoked and will be replaced with Michelin Pilot Super Sport's next year. Drove around on them a bit to make sure they weren't rubbing or anything, took some pictures and then swapped the winter setup back onto the car.
I like it but thnk 20x10 would look better little more concave. Any plan to go low
Personally, I wouldn't go 10" wide because I wouldn't be able to run a wide enough tire on them without rubbing. Not looking to stretch tires at all. A 255/35 on a 9" wheel is already too much wheel and not enough tire for my liking. My first major purchase for this car will be the OEM lip kit. I want to get one before I can't find it in my color anymore. After that, a Tein coilover kit will be next on the list.
Finally got my car over to the tint guy and did 20% 3M ColorStable all the way around on it. I checked out some gloss/metallic black vinyl wrap while I was there. I almost had him wrap the roof while he was at it but he didn't have enough time and I'm still a little undecided on whether or not I'm going to do it.
Also have HFPC's arriving from RV6 on Friday but I don't know when I'm going to be able to install them.
Personally, I wouldn't go 10" wide because I wouldn't be able to run a wide enough tire on them without rubbing. Not looking to stretch tires at all. A 255/35 on a 9" wheel is already too much wheel and not enough tire for my liking. My first major purchase for this car will be the OEM lip kit. I want to get one before I can't find it in my color anymore. After that, a Tein coilover kit will be next on the list.
255/35/20 is recommended for a 9" wheel by a lot of tire manufacturers. Even the 245/35 is ok on the 9" wheels.
Thanks. I sell wheels and tires for a living. I know what is and is not recommended. I was speaking more of personal preference.
Given your line of work, what is your professional opinion on tire stretching? I'll be honest, I'm already assuming what your answer is, but it's such an ongoing debate, and I really enjoy hearing from tire professionals specifically.
For context, I ran my first stretched setup this summer, and have a pretty neutral outlook on it. I LOVED how low I could go on my coils with the stretch, but also felt a big difference in how the car handled. I don't think I would ever put "proper" sized tires on simply because the drop sells it for me, but I'm always curious about other people's opinions. Picture for reference:
(running 225/35 on 20x9 and 255/30 on 20x10)
Thanks in advance! I've enjoyed your thread so far
Given your line of work, what is your professional opinion on tire stretching? I'll be honest, I'm already assuming what your answer is, but it's such an ongoing debate, and I really enjoy hearing from tire professionals specifically.
For context, I ran my first stretched setup this summer, and have a pretty neutral outlook on it. I LOVED how low I could go on my coils with the stretch, but also felt a big difference in how the car handled. I don't think I would ever put "proper" sized tires on simply because the drop sells it for me, but I'm always curious about other people's opinions. Picture for reference:
(running 225/35 on 20x9 and 255/30 on 20x10)
Thanks in advance! I've enjoyed your thread so far
hey do you have a gallery or thread somewhere here with more pics of your car? looks amazing man.
hey do you have a gallery or thread somewhere here with more pics of your car? looks amazing man.
Thanks a lot man! Really appreciate it.
I don't actually have a progress thread or anything...I was pretty new to modding when I got my TL and have been learning as I go. Was always hesitant to post photos since I wasn't sure how my setup stacked against the rest here. That and I have zero skills with a camera haha.
Your comment is encouraging though - I'll post some more in the next day or two!
Given your line of work, what is your professional opinion on tire stretching?...
My professional opinion is that tire manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year to research and develop tires. They design the sidewalls of tires to perform certain duties. When you take a sidewall that is supposed to be relatively perpendicular to the ground in order to absorb force in a certain way and change the angle in a fashion that limits its ability to properly absorb that force, you are creating an unsafe condition. Is there a chance that nothing is going to happen at all? Yes. Is it worth risking your own personal safety as well as the safety of other people on the road for a certain "look?" No.
First real snow of the year in Colorado today and I couldn't resist. Doing donuts in a 2012+ A/T is actually kind of a pain in the ass with the car constantly shifting out of 1st gear.
Given your line of work, what is your professional opinion on tire stretching? I'll be honest, I'm already assuming what your answer is, but it's such an ongoing debate, and I really enjoy hearing from tire professionals specifically.
For context, I ran my first stretched setup this summer, and have a pretty neutral outlook on it. I LOVED how low I could go on my coils with the stretch, but also felt a big difference in how the car handled. I don't think I would ever put "proper" sized tires on simply because the drop sells it for me, but I'm always curious about other people's opinions. Picture for reference:
(running 225/35 on 20x9 and 255/30 on 20x10)
Thanks in advance! I've enjoyed your thread so far
I believe that's the first time I saw your car on here. It looks good, I wasn't even sure what color you had. For some reason I thought you had a white TL. You should post more pics, some from the side as well.
Got some more stuff. Like I said, slow progress. Got my plates transferred from the RL to the TL today. Exchanged my never installed RV-6 HFPC's from the RL for shiny silver ceramic coated HFPC's for the new TL. Also, I took advantage of V-LED's Cyber Monday sale to take care of all of my lighting wants for the car. Trunk light, reverse lights, Morimoto Type-S LED fogs, V3 Triton switchbacks for the front and V3 Triton amber bulbs for the rear turn signals. Unfortunately, I probably won't get time to install all of this stuff until the end of the month.
Got all of the lights installed. I'm really happy with the results. Unfortunately, it's been snowing in Denver for basically the last week and I haven't had a chance to wash the car, take some decent non-iPhone pictures and do a walk-around video of the entire setup. For now, here's a snowy picture of the front V3 Triton switchbacks and Morimoto LED fogs.
10-08-2014, 07:07 PM
Did you end up keeping it (crashed one and trying to get it fixed) or get the TL in place of it? Damage didn't look that bad on it from the photo you posted, it still looks like a beauty when it's hurt!
