Last night, taking my friends out to a movie in our new TSX, they liked the car, but one asked an interesting question, why didn't you buy the TL? My basic answer was that for about $30k, it was the best car out there.

This morning, that question is starting to bother me. Why didn't I buy the 2003 TL-Type S!? When the current TL came out back in 1999, I really liked the styling (but now it seems a little dated). After reviewing all the car magazines and reading up anything I could find, it seemed like the TSX was coming up roses everywhere, the best damn new entry-level sports sedan you can buy for u$30k! I also just assumed the TL was a few thousand more. BUT, that does not diminish some basic advantages of the current 2003 TL or TL-S, more room, more power, and a little more luxury.

I have to admit, I love getting new things, like the latest car that hardly anyone has (ie - our new CG/Ebony/5AT/Navi-TSX). But my curiosity continues to bother me, so how much more is a 2003 TL-Type S?! The answer, not much!

Even though I beat Edmunds' (edmunds.com) TMV (True Market Value) price on the TSX by $500, it's a fair comparison of prices:

Edmunds' TMV as of 9/15/03 (includes the current incentives on the 2003 TLs:

2003 TL w/Navi: $27,697
2003 TL Type S w/ Navi: $29,804
2004 TSX w/ Navi: $28,844

Based on those prices, you can have a TL for $1,147 LESS or a Type-s for less than a grand more (only $960). I don't know about you, but that bums me out a little. :'( Did I rush too fast to the TSX because of all the press hoopla and excitement?

Help me out here guys/gals, so I can feel better about my TSX purchase. Did you consider the TL? What's better about the TSX than the 2003 TLs. What do you like more or less about either car?

We all know the new 2004 TL comes out next month, and it looks to kick ass, but that's also going to be about $5k more. We're talking equal money here, older 2003 TL/TL TypeS or 2004 TSX?

 

tl type-s blows away a tsx in every way.better built.just as nice looking.way better engine.

 

If you're only interested in size or power, then I'd say the TL is a better buy. But there's so much more to it than that. The TSX has more luxury, better handling and the option of a 6sp. And considering the TSX is built in Japan, I honestly think it has better build quality. The TSX may not be as fast in a straight line, but I think it's a better car over all.

 

The only thing the Tl Type-S has over the TSX is straight line acceleration and enterior room. If these things are important to you then fine. But the TSX is better built (in japan), looks nicer, much nicer interior, better handling, etc. Sit in a TL and then sit in a TSX...the TSX seems like it should cost alot more than the TL.

 

lol you guys are such fan boys.the tl is way better built, looks better, has a much better drive and is faster.also for about a grand more its a much better car.p.s. in your guys words...the tsx is a rattle box!

 

...when I bought my (Canadian) EL, I looked at the TL at the time, although my wife wasn't into paying what they wanted for the TL, I was still pondering it, my kids (15 and 18) said "Dad, you don't want one of those, thats an old man's car..." That did it for me, as for the TSX, the kids say it "rocks" and is "way kewl..."

Lorne Miller

 

I don't own either so I'm hoping my opinion is a little more subjective. I test drove a TL Type S about a year ago and my impression was "It's an Accord with more power." I test drove a TSX a couple months ago and my impression was "nice small luxury car."

You think the TL is built better and has a better drive? Then why is it, most reviewer didn't give the TL the time of day but are giving props to the TSX? The TL was a nice car, but it never produced the excitment that the TSX is getting. The current TL is old and passed it's prime...the TSX is Acura's sign of things to come and it makes me excited.

p.s. Some people on here have complaining about their car rattling...but doesn't the TL have some transmission issues? Every car has its problems..."let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

 

LOL, are you serious the TL has way more rattles. Get your facts straight. An american built honda will never be "better built" than a japanese built honda.

 

I own both the TL(2002) and the TSX, and both cars are great.

However one lacks what the other one doesn't, and vice versa.
Anyways, you shouldn't feel "bad" for not considering the type s when you were purchasing the TSX.

 

I concur.

 

 

fdl stop wasting your time. Remember, the TL is built off of the "Accord" platform so there's no convincing Adam.

Lorne said it, the TL is an olds man car and thats why I was trying to get my at the time 65 year old father to buy one. It just seems like more of an older person car as nice as it is. The new TL is a different story altogether.

 

The TL-S is derived from the last generation of Honda Accord. Before I would buy one, I'd get a Accord EX V6. It will be about as quick, get better gas milage, and handle better. The EX V6 will also have nearly every option the TL-S has, and even offer some features the TL does not (telescoping steering wheel, curtain air bags, to name two).

As for the TSX, it is smaller inside and out than the TL-S and won't have the same level of acceleration. However, it will be superior to the TL-S in virtually every other category, particularly in terms of interior refinement. For me, the choices came to:

1) Getting an Accord EX V6, probably the best buy in terms of value. But, the sedan is ugly and the coupe did not have enough head room for me and handles a bit like a buicky

2) Getting a TSX

3) Wait for the new TL.

I have some doubts about my purchase in the sense that I think maybe I should have waited for the new TL. But, I do not regret opting for the TSX over the old TL one bit.

 

lol The new Accord is an american built car and ill tell you there are way less complaints about problems with the new accord then the tsx.

 

Maybe I could lay claim to being the "expert" on this, since I had an '03 TL-S and now I have the TSX -- but I won't, because I'm not.

I agree with everything on here, except what Adam said, but, as it says on his posts, don't take him too seriously. I'll just add that my impression has been that the TSX is much the better car in terms of quality, and it seems to have better "fit and finish" (whatever that means). I was thrilled to trade in my TL-S for the TSX, even though I had to pay out quite a bit of extra money for the privilege of trading "down." Obviously I didn't feel I was trading "down" at all.

But none of this means the TSX is "better," just that it's clearly better FOR ME. I have a strong preference for a more nimble, better-handling car, and there's no doubt that the TSX has it over the TL-S in that department (to say nothing of the regular TL). The TL-S feels boaty by comparison with the TSX. And the ride of the TL-S, while better (i.e. cushier), isn't that much better.

Actually the MAIN reason I was so eager to make the switch is that I very much prefer the size of the TSX to that of the TL, but I realize that this factor wouldn't apply for most people. But you know, this has a lot to do with why the TSX is sportier, handles better, and is more fun.


And IMHO the bigger size of the new TL is going to be a major handicap in trying to compete with the TSX on these aspects. Although some very knowledgeable people, including Justin, are saying that the TL isn't that much bigger, I respectfully disagree. Of course it's subjective what we mean by "that much" bigger, but I would suggest that the criterion is: Is the size difference enough to make a significant difference in how the car feels and behaves? And it seems that the answer is a very clear YES. Even Justin seems to be saying that the new TL's handling won't match that of the TSX -- and why would that be, except for the size difference????????????

(I'd post this on Justin's thread too, except I've made my point and I'm trying mostly to stay out of it.)

 

Below is my summary I posted on the Edmund's board regarding my experience last Friday test driving the Acura TSX, '03 TL-S and Honda Accord EX-V6 back-to-back. Having spent some time over the weekend digesting the information, I'm almost certain that I will go with the '03 TL-S. It offers the best balance of features, power, comfort, and prestige that I'm looking for at a reasonable price.

I wanted luxury, and even though the Accord is a very nice car, it still lacks the overall feel that you are in a "luxury" car. There is also the vanity factor that you are driving a Honda.

Size does matter. I have a wife and nine month old son, and probably a second child in the next year. The TL-S offers the extra room that we need. Ths size of the TSX actually wasn't the deciding factor though.

I don't plan on driving my car like a rally car, and that is one of the TSX's strongest attributes. In everyday driving the suspension is a little too firm, for me, and the 4 cyl. engine, even with 200 HP, doesn't offer the smooth response of a V6. Of the three cars I tested, the Accord probably offered the most comfortable driving experience.

The biggest drawback of the '03 TL is that it is not as fresh as the Accord or TSX, which both offer some very fresh styling and the latest features. To get the same qualities of the '03 TL that I'm looking for, with the fresh styling and features comes at a price. That is the minimum $5000 premium that you will have to pay to step up to the '04 TL. The '03 TL-S gets you a lot of bang for the buck at only $27,150.

My Edmund's post:
About two months ago, I was ready to go with a 2004 Honda Accord EX V6 when they came out. During my research, I discovered the soon to be released 2004 TL, and thought that was the way to go. Although the new TL would be great, I'm not real keen on paying MSRP, which is probably going to be around $33,000, at best. I'm usually against purchasing a leftover, especially a body style that is getting replaced, but the $1500 Acura "marketing support" on the '03 TL made me think twice.

I went out today to check out the '03 TL, '04 TSX, and the '04 Accord. I hadn't driven any of them up until today, although I did drive an '03 CL Type-S last week. I requested a quote from Autobytel so that I could deal directly with their internet sales person. When I showed up, I explained my situation, that I was still up in the air on what I was going to do, wanted to check out the cars and I still planned on looking into the Accord before making a decision. My first surprise was when they came right out and told me about the $1500 "marketing support" on the TL. The second surprise was when they told me that the TSX is in great demand, and they were only discounting them $1000. From what I've been reading, a $1000 off on a TSX is a great price. The third surprise was after I drove the TL and the TSX, they came back with a price of $27,152 + tax and tags for the TL Type-S and $25,990 for the TSX. Both prices included destination.

Although the Accord was very nice, and I felt it had the best driving feel of the three (very smooth transmission), it didn't have the level of quality of the Acuras. The leather was not rich, and some of the trim just seemed considerably cheaper than the Acuras. The dash and the switches were definitely top quality, but the Accord woodgrain in person is much worse than I had expected. The woodgrain in the tan TL interior has the typical richness you expect in an upscale car.

The TSX is also a very nice car. It has a nice upscale look and feel, but the 4 cylinder with auto. didn't have the smoothness of the 6 cylinder cars and the suspension was noticeably tighter. I'm sure it would be a blast to drive hard, but I didn't think I would be happy with it on a daily basis.

I went back and drove the TL again, after having driven the Accord, and that confirmed to me that the TL had a much richer and quality feel. The TL was not as smooth as the Accord. The suspension is a little tighter, and the transmission was not as smooth. It's a great car for this price, but I don't know if I'll be making a mistake by buying the old body style.

 

Though the larger size of the TL-S would've been nice, we didn't need it, we have one 2 year old and a baby on the way, the MDX takes care of the family issue. The TSX feels just right, not too small, not too big.

As for the woodgrain looking nice in the TL, fake wood is fake wood. I have it in the MDX, it does look nice, but I still don't understand why Acura, the "luxury" brand of Honda is still using fake wood. As for the TSX, I don't know why everyone and the press is calling the silver accents "brushed aluminum", it's silver paint! I wish it was brushed aluminum because real aluminum looks very luxurious, look at the RL.

Some things I wish the TSX had that the TLs have:
1) Memory Seating (very useful if you and your significant other are always switching cars)
2) Fog Lights standard (then again, with the HID's who needs fogs?)
3) Driver's side door lock switch that is next to the door open lever
4) Onstar (how useful is that anyway?, I've heard you can check your email)

Things the TSX has the TL doesn't:
1) LED dash (I love this feature )
2) Better gas mileage
3) Fresh looks
4) Better Handling
5) Built in Japan (I still don't know if this matters that much, considering the little rattles/creaks/buzzes I have)
6) Dual Climate Control (my wife loves this feature, she's always whining how cold it is when I drive the MDX)
7) Larger Navi screen

That's all I can think of for now...

 

ill sum this whole post up in a few comments, i used to have a 2001 TL i traded in after 46,000 miles. i absolutly loved the car. i was not tired of it at all after 3 years of ownership. i loved the fact i could wax mustangs in it . the stock rubber on the car sucked ass, i swapped out the tires for some yokahama YK-420. made a huge difference in the handeling department. with aftermarket rubber i loved everything about the TL.
the big decision to trade in teh TL came after i experienced transmission problems. the horroe stories i have read about the transmission locking up at 70 MPH on the highway causing the driver to totally loose control do 360+ degree spins down the highway did not seem like a fun ride anymore. i simply dont trust the tranny anymore. the replacement transmission i got that was supposed to be fixed made noises my old transmission never made and if i recall my old transmission never caused the engine to stall upon comming to a stop 3 miles after i got it new. ( this happend with the new transmission)
also the fact that honda of america is in the middle of a class action lawsuit of i dont even remember how many plantiffs against AHMC for faulty transmissions. nor did the fact honda extended my warranty to 100 K for the transmission make me feel anymore comfortable knowing it could seize up on me at any moment.

sure i could have got the 03 TL-s for less than i paid for the TSX with the special low lease rates i could have saved about 50 bucks a month im sure. but to end up with the same transmission i had just got rid of madfe no sence to me.
i am personally aquainted with someone who will remain nameless that is actually heading up this class action lawsuit as he is one of the many who experienced either a total lock up or a sudden gear change to 2nd gear at highway speeds causing the loss of control of the car.
he has a list of people who recently biught a 03 TL r TL-s that in some cases with less than 80 miles on their new car experienced transmission failure.
i dont know about you and hopefully this post will convince you otherwise but my choice to get the TSX was easy. i got a 6 speed and no more worrys for me.
if you feel like a gambler buy the TL-S enjoy. i hope you dont have prooblems but if you do, dont say you werent warned about it. and dont ask the dealer, they will tell you any cock and bull story to make a sale. someone has to buy the defective cars.
at least untill the lawsuit gets overwith and honda admidts they need to make a recall and install properly fixed transmissions on over 300,000 cars.
i can tell you no matter what people will say , the replacemnt trannies arent any better than the ones they take out and neither are the 03 cars.

 

I appreciate your warning, but I think you are blowing it way out of proportion. I'm well aware of the transmission problem. If the problem was as bad as you described, it would be all over the media, and there would be a major recall taking the cars off of the road. I'm not doubting that you had problems, and maybe there was some unfortunate person that was involved in an accident.

My understanding is that the problem transmissions were mainly prior to '03 and that cars built later in the '03 model year do NOT have the problem. Being that you are so concerned with how Acura has handled this problem, I find it interesting that you trust them enough to purchase another one of their products. Who knows what gross engineering flaw that has yet to be discovered with the TSX. I wouldn't wish too hard for Honda to be hit with a major recall, taking the cars off of the road, unless you don't mind your resale value falling through the floor.

 

belive what you want, the only reason you havnt heard anything about it yet is only because the litigation has not yet taken place. it is being held quiet between AHMC and the prosecutors untill the case is over with.
i did not experience a lockup but this person did, i also know a good honda mechanic that on a test drive had an accord lock up. he described the experience similar to hitting a pole. i think that is a little hard to belive but he went on to say that when it locked up the front axel being on a differential causes the rear end of the car to want to walk around the front and having no way to release the locked trans makes it impossible to avoid.
why did i continue to buy honda products?
simple i dont blame honda for it. the defective transmissions were all manufacturered in the U.S. the problem lies with the fact that the U.S. built transmissions dont have a trans cooler. instead there is a short peice of pipe running from inlet to outlet bypassing the trans cooler.
it is the overheating of the transmission that causes the premature failure in most cases. also the lockups are occuring from defective bearings on the differential and the diff seizes up.
i like hondas too much to give them up all together. but i did buy a 6 speed TSX for obvious reasons.
if you think all the trans problems were mainly before 03 your a FOOL! belive what you want.
i just went to and on the 2nd page found this post http://www..com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30299 3rd transmission in 50 k miles on a 03 TL.
here is another with only 17K miles on a 03 TL http://www..com/forums/showthread.ph...ghlight=tranny

here is another thread about the fact that honda said the problem was fixed in 03 but in reality they just havnt admitted there is a problem so they arent extending the warranty for the most recent TL manufacturer dates http://www..com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29630

anyway these are just a few that i found with 5 minutes of looking. the evidence is clear, the 03 TL's are no better than the previous years. if you buy a TL and it has trans issues then there will be egg on your face. dont say i didnt tell you so! i know your already dead set on getting the TL and i know it is hard to belive the truth when its staring you in the face because you really want that car. but im telling you, don't buy it!

edit, apparently my links arent working go to (this board is censored) but go to acura world . com and search for the word transmission and im sure you will find more than enough information.

 

One word for you... transmission

 

That begs the question, does the TSX run off the same transmission as the TL? Anybody know? I would assume honda would have tried to fix the problem but who knows if they did or not.

 

it really depends what your looking for. Both cars have room for improvement. I think the tsx has better styling than the tl-s. but the tl-s has way more cargo room, which is appeciated at times...my tl-s had a-spec suspension, but i agree, the tsx is still more nimble and handles way better than a tl. the tsx can use thicker sway bars in the rear though. tsx rides firm, but not harsh to my standards. i guess it really comes to what your're looking for. the tl-s has definitely more power and it can throw you back in ur seat, but keep in mind its heavier. i just wished it has projector headlights. tsx has better styling..like led lights and all those fancy lights make it look better...even the tailights.

i would say if you dont gun it 0-60 all the time, tsx may be a better way to go, more ppl would look at ur car, more places to mods...and definitely cheaper on gas (if u care about gas consumption) and its way more fun to drive

if you drive on the highway and demand good acceleration (boht 0-60 or 40-80) a tl-s is better...but then you might slap yourself and you might as well get a 04.