http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=2

read up and tell me what u think about the new tl

 

Pros: Beautiful interior, high power, nice shape, great stock features.

Cons: FWD, Low Power-to-Weight ratio, expensive.

Veredict: Winner in its category (where just the Nissan Maxima and the new TL compete).

 

It's a nice car but Acura needs to put out something to truely compete with BMW.

Bang for your buck they do, performance wise Acura/Honda is a few steps behind. Regardless of the output of their FWD.

Where's the beef?

err 4wd....

 

:sigh:
i still want it for some nutty reason.... looks good
i dunno....

 

Oh ya me too I just wish they'd really step up to the plate in handling/performance...

 

What happened to 280 horses?

 

Just wait until the new Type-S hits the streets. It is just a matter of time. My guess is '05. No matter what Acura does, someone will want more. Including me. It's human nature.

 

and compared to a 325i (the price equivalent), there's no match. Of course C&D will compare it to the 330 though.

 

Governed @ 140

So they've DOWNGRADED .....

 

honestly, i don't understand why you guys want this car...it weighs the same, if not, more than the CL depending on drivetrain...10 more hp and a few more pounds of torque big whoop...got a 6-speed with this car so what???...nice dash but will it perform better in straight-line and twisties??? FWD in 3 years of bitching about this, you want ANOTHER FWD car??

i'm sorry, i just can't see it...i think it's a mediocre at best effort to stack up against the 4-door luxo models

 

I hate it...so fucking ugly.

 

 

Seems pretty cool I guess.. but for that price, I'd pay a little more and get a Bimmer...

 

I agree... I'm just not feeling this car at all. I like my TL and will be glad to keep it. Once I drop the 3.5L upgrade in the car (hopefully next year) I'll smoke the 2004 TL with ease. Don't get me wrong.. the interior is sweet, but beyond that I'm not into this car at all....

Maybe after it's released and someone hooks one up I'll feel differently

 

Just got my first look at the TL from that article.

IMO I think the new exterior design is

 

True, but no match in what? Straight line performance? That's a given...most Japanese cars in the 325's price range make their sell based on horsepower numbers because they know the American public will eat it up. Most car buyers know nothing of wheel horsepower, gear ratios, curb weight, torque curves, VTEC or anything else.

Unless Acura has pulled some sort of electronic hack (a la Mercedes-Benz) for their suspensions, the 3500-3600 lb FWD 04 TL will be no match for the much lighter, 50/50 weighted RWD 3 series in terms of handling or road dynamics. Considering how much said Benzes cost, I seriously doubt Acura managed this in a $33,500 car. The new TL is even heavier than a 5 series. Still, 6 seconds to 60? That's pretty quick.

It's easy to say I'd be biased (seeing as I own a 3 series), but this isn't really the case. I like most of the other cars that it competes with (C-class, TSX, IS300, A4 etc), and I also like my brother's base 3.2 CL, even though I don't think it's in the same league as far as performance is concerned. That said, my 323 with about $3000 in suspension/handling mods (coils, sways, 18" race wheels and sticky rubber) manages to impress even the Porsche and M3 guys at autocross events. Doesn't really impress at the stoplight, though.

The current TL looks better than the new one, too. It looks like they're carrying styling traits from the TSX into the TL, and I'm not sure that's such a good thing for a car that's more into class and luxury than sport.

 

I really like the looks of the car and the stuff going on inside the cabin. The exterior has really grown on me in the last month and I love the interior. But I ask myself why would I trade?

The sticker is $33,500--$5k more than what I paid for my TL-S. My mods still make mine quicker and handle better, though I don't get a manual or the lastest interior gadgetry...But is that worth a trade? Worth $33,500 to get a car I'll certainly have to modify to make me happy so it'll at least be more on the level of performance of what I have now, or at least compete better with a stock G35?

Nope, in my opinion, it isn't worth the trade at all...

 

How can you compare the list price of the new car to the "deal" you got on your car? It is only 500 bucks more than the list price of an 03 Type S and is a step forward in every regard. Have seen it in person next to the 03 Tl and it makes the 03 look extremely outdated. The inside is amazing and from what all the magazines are saying the handling is great. No on an autocross it will not be as great as a bimmer but in the real world... faster/cheaper/nicer.

 

Why would you EVER pay list price on anything that depreciates as fast as a car??? That's just stupid.

I got the car November of 2001 so it was still a relatively new item (it's a 2002 TL-S). $500 over invoice is not a deal, it's smart shopping...

Most new models are a "step forward" in every regard. That's why they are new (unless you just roll it over for a new year). Further, I find the styling on almost every Acura except the new TL-S to be bland, but you know what, I like that understated blandness. Just kinda fits my personality. That being said, it doesn't look any more outdated than an Accord, Camry, ES300, etc...

 

Now you guys can relate to how us 2K2/3 Maxima owners feel about the 2K4 Maxima! Unlike the Maxima, at least the new TL is [i]slightly [i/] nicer than the previous model.

 

Dittos . . . just not there considering it's a complete redesign I was expecting more . . . maybe too much perhaps.

As for 1/4 mile times . . . if the CD estimates are close, then 14.7 is what I ran with just a wheel upgrade . . . actually slower than my best 2 times . .

Ruf