stevemk07

So my 07 TL base w/o nav was written off a few days ago and they are sending me a cheque in the mail. After looking around at all the options I want my car back but now I can pick another one and maybe change the color, get the nav, and reduce my kms (mileage).

What I want to know is are there any other benefits of having the type s other than a little more power? They seem to go for a few thousand more than the base models and I don't think I would really notice the difference. The type s badge would be nice and the quad tips would be cool but those things alone don't equal 3-4k to me. Am I missing anything?

One other thing.... which color should I get? Mine was dark grey whatever that is called and it looked great. My 3 choices would be grey, white, or black. What do you guys think?

DeathMetal

iTrader: (2)

Kinetic blue pearl or White Diamond Pearl. Nicer interior, thicker RSB. IMHO, worth the opinion. Knowing what I know now, I'd have paid the premium then.

stevemk07

Good point about the sway bar.... are both the front and rear thicker or just the rear? Know how much? I don't really want a firmer ride because the streets are pretty lousy around here but less roll on turns would be nice for sure.

You say the interior is nicer as well? Hmm..... I'll have to look for some pics.

truonghthe

buying a used car doesn't have the luxury of choosing color, you have to set at least 3-4 color and stick with one that has clean history and taken good care by previous owner.

mc1114

There are a bunch of things I like about the TL-S. Pretty much everything different inside, outside, and under the hood compared to a regular TL (a lot more than the badge and the quad tips). To me, its worth the higher price. The difference in power is also very noticeable

My 2008 grey TL is in almost showroom condition, but I wasnt completely happy with it, and I purchased the S

When it comes to colors, I like black, grey, and silver

stevemk07

When you are willing to fly anywhere in the country to pick it up, you do have SOME "luxury" to choose the colour, don't you?

What specifically...I saw some difference in pedals.... those were nice. The red lighting I'd probably change back to blue. What else is there?

96SC4

I personally don't like the 2 tone S interior. Always looks dingy and weird to me. Can't beat all black.
You'll find the better "deal" on a base, for sure.
And your 2007 color was carbon grey pearl.

6MTSSR

07-08 Type S..you will be VERY happy.Honestly if something happened to mine it would be replaced ASAP.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

the type-s is a firmer ride.
the suspension was tuned 20% stiffer
the front sway bar is like 5mm thicker than the base
the rear sway bar is like 5mm thicker than the base.


as it should be, because it's the Type-S (sport trim)

mvp2765

iTrader: (1)

I'm glad I did it right and went with the type S. To me, it looks and feels like a different car versus the base. It's the little details that make it feel superior.

mc1114

Pedals, lighting, logos on the seats and steering wheel lol, black interior, badges, headlights, taillights, quad tips, bumpers, wheels, calipers, suspension, engine. The MPG indicator on my S also seems to be more accurate than the one on my TL. lol

Like it was said above, everything combined make it a more appealing car. To me, its all worth the higher price

truonghthe

Believe me, if the price is right and the condition is decent then your chance get a hold of them is slim. When I shop for my TL (back in late 2011 early 2012) I missed out on 5 TL. The breaks down was one KBP with Taupe, two NBP with Ebony/silver and two ASM with Ebony/silver before I got a hold on mine, every where I called for availability and receive a same response "sorry sir there is already deposit on it". I manage to snatch my MRP because when I call the dealer they said the car just got bought from auction and need inspection so interior is kinda dirty, I told sale man its ok with me. We test drove the car with writing still in the on the window and windshield. I immediately put down deposit in it. I came back couple days to pick the car up and the sale man say "after you left the phone starting to blow up people just keep asking for that car"

BTW when I told every sale person back then UNLESS its a 07-08 Type S don't bother to call me no mater how low or mint condition is.

TacoBello

I'm always particular on color when buying my cars. And I always buy used. I will wait for the right color and condition to come up before jumping on it. Why would I settle? Gotta have cash in hand or financing good to go if you're going to consider a good shape Type S.

As Justnspace said, yes, the Type S has a more sporty suspension, however, it is still comfortable for daily use purposes (unless you're 60+ years old, or have existing back problems). It's not a race car suspension by any stretch. Also, the swaybars don't increase suspension stiffness. They reduce body roll when cornering, giving the car a more planted feel. The shocks are a bit stiffer, giving that slightly stiffer feel.

I too feel the two tone interior in the Type S is a bit cheesy, but it works (I have a love/hate relationship regarding it). And the interior is a nice place to be.

Either way, the Type S is highly desired for a reason. Yes, you pay more, but the car holds it's value pretty good these days. It's already gone through a lot of depreciation. You get what you pay for. If you're willing to pay more, you'll likely have a smile on your face whenever you get behind the wheel.

MonkeyTrucker

At this rate, there should be a sticky where members can post their totaled TLs.

You guys are going to drive the price of the TL back up.

paperboy42190

iTrader: (7)

Front sway bar is 1.8mm thicker(25.4-27.2), but it's also solid instead of hollow, which helps a lot.
Rear is 3mm thicker (17-20)

Sounds like such a small difference, but rigidity increases exponentially with increasing diameter. Result is a noticeably better handling ride.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

That's not true. I used to think solid bars were better than hollow too but than after doing some reading i learned it was the opposite.

Solid vs Tubular Bar Construction

Most swaybars supplied on vehicles today and available in the aftermarket are made from heavy solid steel bar stock. To the novice, the thought of a solid bar has the implication of strength and superior construction due to it’s sheer mass, however there are many misconceptions and major disadvantages to solid bar stock that you need to be aware of before you consider a bar of this type. One of the primary deficiencies of solid bar construction is the overall weight of the bar and the effect it has on your cars un-sprung mass. Suspension designers and racers alike, all strive to reduce the un-sprung mass as much as possible so that maximum performance can be obtained.

I have Hotchkis front & rear swaybars on my G37 and they are hollow. Still beefy and heavy as hell. I can't imagine what they would weigh if they were solid.

TacoBello

You are waaaay oversimplifying this topic and cramming all hollow vs solid bars in the same basket

A solid bar will be stiffer than a hollow one of the same thickness (assuming same metal composition). A hollow one can be stiffer, if it is thicker than the solid one. In the case of the Type S one, Honda slightly upped the thickness and made it solid. It is overall stiffer in every way.

As far as unsprung weight is concerned, the stiffer bar, although heavier, does more good than bad (as long as it is properly balanced, front and back). However, dealing with stuff such as tire/wheel weight- that kind of unsprung mass can have a big impact on performance. Every additional pound the engine has to turn makes a huuuuge impact and hence partially why forged wheels exist and are extensively used in racing. Easier to accelerate and easier to brake, with less weight at the wheels.

Race cars sometimes have the beefiest swaybars you can imagine. Unsprung weight is unavoidable, but there's places where keeping it in place makes sense, and places where shaving it down makes sense.

Shiiiiet, I'm even oversimplifying this topic

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Lol

Stevemk07 I'm curious how much did your insurance cut you a check for? How many miles is on your TL?

If you don't feel comfortable publicly posting this information would you kindly send me a private message?

I'm trying to sell my 08 TL and it would help knowing what the going value is according to your insurance company.

stevemk07

Heh, thanks everyone for your thoughts.

I am still debating but will definitely consider all your opinions and information when I make a decision.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

TL-S looks better that's about it, but I vote 07-08 G35 w/ nav (for back-up camera) over the TL-S

truonghthe

when come to straight line performance TL is the weakest out of all three Japanese 3.5 motor. But styling is better, and the value is holding better in the TL vs G35.

stevemk07

Well I have been seriously seriously looking at G35X models and they seem like a lot of fun but then I look at the expected gas mileage and all the reviews which complain about it. So then I looked at a Lexus GS450 Hybrid.... then checked the available head room which was a no go at under 38". This brings my sights back squarely on the TL. I looked up the mileage estimates on the Base and Type S models and the Type S is actually supposed to have better highway mileage by one mpg and identical city mileage. Interesting.

Unfortunately, there is not one Type S within my budget at the moment although there are lots of options for the base.... one with dvd screens in the headrests and clean clean clean looking. White too, which is my first choice. Except its the American version... which I guess could work to my advantage.... "What? I was only going 90!"

Any other vehicles to consider in this price range?

TacoBello

Wait... This shows the g35 hits 0-60mph in under five seconds. Is that right? No way...

Edit: never mind. I see it's a simulation. I can draw lines on graph paper too

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

5.2 seconds roughly

nist7

My condolences. And yet again the TL gods has struck down another comrade...

Now for my 2cents for what its worth. I myself upgraded from a 1995 Accord to a 2006 base TL. So it was a HUGE jump relatively in terms of performance/sportiness.

So I felt, personally, that my $7500 that I paid for my TL is well worth the dollar/value ratio. And if I had wanted the right color/condition for a 07/08 TL-S I could've easily paid DOUBLE that amount (15k).

Obviously everything is subjective...but you have to ask yourself...is the TL-S worth double the price of a base TL? (of course mine was the 06 TL and not the 07/08 base so that helps in the lower price as well)

And to me, personally, it was the right car at the right price and being a frugal guy that was my decision and I'm loving the car. Even though there are a few minor imperfections that's a 9yr old car driven by a older lady that has no car enthusiasm except to take it to the dealer religiously for service.

I myself am debating if I should get a TL-S or a G37s in this time if I had to replace my base TL soon. And the performance/power of the G37 is very enticing...but the looks of the TL wins out easily...so hard to choose.

Anyway those are my thoughts. I think if you truly have plenty of funds (as in easily can shell out 20k) then TL-S can be consideration....but don't over look a base TL that is what...maybe 80% of the car for almost 50-60% of the cost of a TL-S?

TacoBello

???

0-60mph = 0-96km/h. There's a seperate line for the 0-96km/h time, between 90 and 100 (well, yeah...)

the orange line for the G35 falls short of the 5 second mark.

nist7

Slow day at work this morning so I looked through the first 2 pages of the Member Cars for sale section and put together a quick list of prices for the various 3G TL models below. I plugged these into a excel sheet and calculated the simple average and median average prices.

07 TL-S - $11500
07 TL-S - $13000
07 TL-S - $13500
07 TL-S - $13999
07 TL-S - $15000
07 TL-S - $15800
07 TL-S - $15500
07 TL-S - $17500
08 TL-S - $13000
08 TL-S - $14000
08 TL-S - $14000
08 TL-S - $14500
08 TL-S - $14500
08 TL-S - $17499
08 TL-S - $18000
08 TL-S - $19000
08 TL-S - $19995
08 TL-S - $34900
(FYI I did NOT include the $35k TL-S in the calculation as that is wildly outlier...the guy decided to keep his car anyway...)

Simple average of the 3G TL-S: $15311
Median average of the 3G TL-S: $14500

04 TL - $6000
04 TL - $6500
04 TL - $9500
04 TL - $9850
05 TL - $7375
05 TL - $7500
05 TL - $9850
05 TL - $10990
05 TL - $7700
05 TL - $3200
06 TL - $8500
06 TL - $8500
06 TL - $10000
07 TL - $12500
07 TL - $14500
08 TL - $10500

Simple average of the 3G TL: $8900
Median average of the 3G TL: $9000

So roughly a TL-S is about $15k avg vs a $9000 avg for a base TL. That is a whopping ~$6000 premium for a TL-S car...and it truly shows what a great car the TL-S is...as acura made it because it does command very good pricing and the market obviously is still willing to pay that much. It's almost 70% more than what you would pay for a comparable base TL.

Of course caveat here is that not all these are the true final sale price, which we will never know...but it is still useful for a simple illustration purposes as a small look at this little market on acurazine...because as people list prices they tend to be more rational (aside from that dude who was trying to sell his TL-S for $35k lol) and comparing advertised prices is still useful to see trends.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Hm I see what you're saying now. It does appear to be under 5 seconds which is hard to believe but than again the graph is only a simulation.

Tests and other reviews shows it hitting 60mph in 5.5 secs which is more believable.

Either way stock for stock and dollar for dollar when it comes to performance mods the G will be quicker despite the graph being a simulation.

But OP ruled out the G due to poor gas mileage so it's out of the question.

I only drive my G on the weekends and do mixed driving and average 19-20mpg.

However since the car is still new to me and my weekend toy I drive it spiritedly. So 19-20 mpg with only spirited driving is pretty good to me. I've seen the mid display 24-26mpg on a highway cruise but after doing a lot of WOT runs by the end of the tank its down to 20.

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

Nice work nist, but I would remove the 04 - 06 TLs from your non Type-S metric. 4 years of age has quite an impact on resale, and the oldest type is 07, while the base is 04.

truonghthe

Road and track did a test back in 08 between TL-S MT, G35 MT and IS350. The result 0-60 was 5.7s 14.1s 1/4 mile for the TL, 5.5s 13.8 1/4 mile for the G and 5.2s 13.6s for the IS350.

mtiaz

$35k for a TL-S..... lol

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

I did a similar check, but used Autotrader to remove the 'enthusiast factor' as the Members cars for sale is going to skew to enthusiasts that take better care of their car, know their worth better, and have mods.

Using Auto trader - the Average price for an 07/08 Type-S with under 100K miles (to remove super high mileage outliers) was $16,148.

For an 07/08 base with the same mileage limit - it's $12,903.

So, in actuality, the Type-S premium is about $3200. Not bad for everything you get, especially the potential for a manual transmission with Brembo brakes, and an LSD.

You still get the 3.5 with an auto, but none of the good things.

mtiaz

You still get brembo's on 5AT Type-S'. Only difference is no limited slip differential. Haven't drive a TL-S with a slushbox but the 6MT is just plain awesome

truonghthe

Yup OP what he said, TL-S with slushbox isn't too bad until you shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (tall ass 4th gear) fron red line it drop to 4.5k RPM where in MT only drop 1.5k RPM from red line. No limit diff isn't noticeable since AT rob more power than MT therefore some what cure the torque steer. BTW in MT if the clutch goes dealer price for replacement is $2500. AT you will have to deal with 3x3 ATF and 3rd & 4th pressure switches.

stevemk07

Okay, found some interesting information to me. I decided to compare the 07 and 08 base TLs and saw that the 07 has better fuel economy ratings than the 08. Anyone know why that is? My guess is the 08 rating is more accurate but can anyone verify or care to offer their opinion?

Here is where I found this info.

Compare 2008 Acura TL 3.2 4dr Sedan Specs and Equipment With 2007 Acura TL 3.2 4dr Sedan

20/29 mpg for the 07
18/26 mpg for the 08

csmeance

EPA changed how the measurements were done. The 3.2L TL will get around 32MPG on the highway doing 72-74MPH and around 18-20 in the city.

The TL-S with the 3.5 will max out at 29MPG on the highway (best you can ever get, more like 27-29 regularly) and around 15-17 in the city.

The TL-S is the "sport" version of the TL. It has the red lighting, metal pedals, firmer suspension, thicker sway bars, slightly different interior, slightly different front and rear bumpers, slightly different headlamps and the rear lip spoiler standard. Also the TL-S Came in Kinetic Blue Pearl and Moroccan Red which are both incredible colors. Last, but most important of all is the TL-S came with the 6spd Manual transmission as an option!!!!

If you care about comfort, MPG and don't want the headache of changing lights, go with the 3.2 TL. The TL-S is a great car, but if you aren't going to be getting use out of the extra stuff, why pay the 4-5K?

stevemk07

Thanks for that. I just found a great deal on an 05 TL in mint condition and low kms with navi. Any major difference between the 05 and 07? I can see the tail lights, steering wheel, and gauges are different but anything major?

mc1114

I can definitely see MPG being crappy on the TL-S if lots of city stop and go driving is done. My drive to work and back consists of roads without many traffic lights and 45-50mph speed limits. It puts me in the low 20s

On the highway I usually do 80mph or close to it, and am in the high 20s. Dont know why here it said 74mph average, when I reset everything on the on-ramp and did 79 the entire 1-hour drive

nist7

Good idea. Yeah would be bit unfair to compare 04-06 cars to the TL-S. Though again to me they were in fair play...but yeah if someone was looking for the 07/08 TL vs the TL-S then it's less of a difference as you said...about 3200 bucks...and as you said also...definitely not bad for what the TL-S offers...which is well worth 3200 imo.

This is a post by I Hate Cars way back in 2010. Looks like nothing major major. Same engine but trans may be bit better...as many will say on here. 07/08 trans likely more reliable than 04-06 trans. But if you take good care and do the 3/4 gear switches and run synthetic ATF and don't abuse trans then you should be good to go.


https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g.../#post12515584
Base 04-06 TL not bad:



But base 07/08 TL not bad either from our own acurazine photo album treasure find:


source: Acura TL Picture by Camillionaire | 3894963 | AcuraZine.com

csmeance

2007 is much more improved over the 2005 model and I would certainly get the 2007 over the 2005. Better radio, slightly softer suspension than 2004-2006 for 2007-2008 3.2 TL's. Also it doesn't look as dated and all the parts are going to be 2 years newer.

Also the transmission was changed with the 2007 model year to be WAY MORE RELIABLE! I would honestly get the 2007-2008 3.2L model.