Just took my RL in to have the NavTraffic fixed...the traffic info disappeared a few days ago and no amount of re-sending the XM radio signal could resurrect it. There is a TSB on this. The dealer promises to fix it with a software reinstall.

They sent me out this evening in a 2009 TL. I commented that it looked like it had been hit repeatedly with an ugly stick and the dealership guy had to agree. Apparently they all think the new TL is butt-ugly, and it is a crappy seller. Not a surprise to me. Whew, is it ugly.

Too bad...it handles very smartly for FWD and has lots of whup-ass under the hood. Nice nav and sound system too. Brakes are killer. It is really quiet inside--perhaps even quieter than the RL. The chassis and drivetrain are refined, markedly improved from my beloved 2004 TL. If not for the hideous external styling (rear especially), lack of CMBS and, ah, tight-fitting seats, I might consider one.

 

The new TL is definitely a great car under all of that ugliness. I'm surprised Acura has not yet made some styling changes to the new RL and TL to soften edges.

 

I drove a loaner one to a couple weeks ago...

I can look pass how ugly it is I see more of the 09-10 TSX then the TL's out here

but the TL has its Pros: Like the engine start and how the trunk opens with the push of the button and how it unlocks and locks the doors.. The sound system it has, the rear view camera is amazing its super quite while driving in the cabin pretty quick too the hardrive throw a CD in there and it will recored to that hard drive..

 

Not to go off topic, but when your NavTraffic disappears, I'm assuming you loose all your XM channels too? I also experienced that, but was only told by the dealer to call XM and have them resend the signal. So I have been resending the signal each times it was lost through XM's website. However, about a half a year ago, I couldn't send it signal through XM's website, it always gave me an error message about their database or something. So I just gave up on it. If the dealer can pinpoint the problem and fix it, it would be great if you can let us know!

 

Early Rls did have issues with signal loss and a few here have had their center stack replaced under warranty to remedy this.

 

Any dealers to recommend for the job? I live in Socal too.

Then again, I can live without XM anyway. Maybe I wouldn't want to risk them taking apart the center stack...

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ight=packaging


I had an issue where I was not receiving Acuralink messages to the car. With some trial and error investigation, my NAVI drive was replaced (twice) and it has been fine since. I think they still have difficulty diagnosing software version issues and sometimes default to replacing hardware.

As apparent with the DVD upgrades to the NAVI, I do not believe Acura / Alpine has thoroughly mapped all the flash memory versions and DVD software versions and sometimes a conflict is created.

And should the center stack be need be replaced...it is not that awkward to remove. It is one piece that comes out easily once the trim pieces are removed.

 

They're starting to grow on me

 

One of my colleagues has a dark red TL (forget the name of the color). Sorry, but it's (especially the front end) is still ugly a year later. It's too bad, because it is truly an awesome car otherwise.

I see far more 2009 TSXs on the road than TLs. I'm also wondering when Acura will start to look again at the TL.

 

The XM audio worked OK as did the GPS map, only the NavTraffic disappeared. Apparently it is a software fix that is described in a TSB--no need to replace the center stack. Acura of Glendale did the work under my AcuraCare extended warranty. Will pick it up this afternoon.

Agree that the TSX is waaaay better looking than the TL (although it does have the Tow Mater "toof" in front)--just too small for me.

 

ever since the new models came out for acura....this is all i been hearing....

just tell yourself....this is your last acura haha

 

I also had a loaner 09 TL, red no less.

Maybe it was the fact it "wasn't really my car" but it DID in fact start to grow on me. I drove it everywhere as I had the car a couple days. The seats I could deal without, I found the set-up a little too much (nav audio buttons etc), in the sense it wasn't as refined and CLASSY as the RL. But yea after returning it and seeing my RL off to the side waiting for me... I fell in love all over again! I immediately ran to my RL and felt as if I had just won the lottery after driving the TL.

Acura's current line-up- FAIL

Acura DOWNGRADED to STRONG SELL

2011 OR BUST

 

I also had a new TL as a loaner. I am less disgusted by it's looks than I originally was, but I still feel it is not that good looking of a car.

I have see some with and some w/out the rear spoiler...the spoiler helps the rear end lines...the front end is what it is. the one I had was pearl white, and I think it looked better in that color than some of the others.

as far as performance, the one I had, a fWD model, felt plenty quick, and it actually ahndled really well for how large it was. i felt it was more stiffly sprung than my RL and felt more tossable? it felt longer and had more rear legroom, perhaps a bit wider as well.

i think it felt faster...not tons faster, but i thin it had more oomph. the nav screen was super crisp... like a computer monitor, and the backup camera, with the little grid lines was cool. the stereo was nice.

i like hte steering wheel - and the interior overall , I liked.

to me, the new TL feels more like it is trying to be a sporty sedan while the RL still feels like it is a more classy refined car. the RL, to me, seems quieter, smoother.

the TL lacks certain things that the RL has. the swiveling headlights, the LEDs in the door handles, the quality of the leather and fit/finish seemed much nicer on the RL.

Overall, I think the new TL is still not the best looking car on the road, but it is growing on me. in the right color, with the righ taccessories..it can look nice. it is a very nice car inside, it drives nice, and it is a great car.

compared to an RL....they are still really different. I think the new TL is closer to the RL than the older TL, but to me, I still think the 2nd gen RL is a more classy/luxury/nicer car than the TL.

i haven't driven an RL with aspec, but would think that if you took an 2nd gen RL, added 18s, nice tires, and aspec, it would likely handle as well or better than the FWD TL.

but again, different kind of cars. I have had quite a few loaners, TSX, 3rd gen TLs, new TLs, and I also own an 07 MDX. None of the other Acuras feel as "nice" to me as my RL. the RL feels like an overall better made, higher quality car than even my MDX or the new TL. that's just my subjective opinion.

when you factor in price - I'd pass on the new TL. they are new, still command a high price, and when you look at what you could pickup a sweet nice CPO 06/07 RL - I'd buy THAT instead of a new TL. if money is an issue.

if price was of no concern, and I wanted a new Acura, I'd give the AWD TL-SH a LONG HARD look. WDP on black (can you get it on black??? havne't seen one!) and then I'd put the rear spoiler, tint it...maybe lower it and upgrade wheels. that would be a slick car! i saw one in a dealership, wtih the upgraded 19s, the body kit, tint...it did look nice. when i saw the window sticker and what they wanted....

 

If you got the new TL in Black and then painted everything on it, that wasn't black, black and then only drove it at night then you would only have to put up with the inferior quality of the interior because the exterior would be stealth.

 

I had one as a loaner as well. Although I liked the interior, I hated the steering and driving feel of it. Also the looks are still . Also it just 'feels' so bulky. I'm glad I got it as a loaner because I wanted to test it out, but next time I will ask for a TSX lol

 

I got my RL back after just a day. The reprogramming of the nav system restored NavTraffic info to the GPS map. [Driving anywhere on the freeway without traffic-speed info is a big problem in Los Angeles. ]

I was glad to give the spirited, though amazingly ugly, '09 TL back and resume normal operations. Next time I'll ask for a TSX too.

P.S. I noticed the TL's higher-resolution screen as one other member mentioned--although it is harder to read the NavTraffic graphics on the TL. Also, the voice of the TL is obnoxiously cutesy...she softly rrrrolls herrr RRRs in that Valley-Girrrl way. It would drive me NUTS!!! I'll take my RL's schoolmarm intonation any day.

 

I like a lot of others of you think the inside of the TL has come a long way since the last model, but the outside is just to much. I though after a year or so I would have gotten used to it . . . . . . yeah, no that didn't happen. It really is to bad that Acura is doing this to the company and making most of its loyal customers look elsewhere.

 

ATTENTION, ACURA:

The emperor has no clothes. Your designers are incompetent morons. Get a clue.

 

exactly.

if i wanted a "sporty, hip, cool" sedan i'd go look at some stupid ass mazda

ACURA- GET BACK TO LUXURY!! ENOUGH "HIP"... It's a recession. I don't want to be "hip" just CLASSY!!!!

<------- So nervous about the 2011 RL.....

 

I knew it!!! Last year around this time a similar thing started happening to me. I'd start the car in the morning and it would be on the XM preview channel. I'd still have the presets and XM would work fine, but Navtraffic was gone. After two or three days I took it to the dealer. They said they went out to a couple of new RLs on the lot and they weren't getting Navtraffic either so they concluded that Navtraffic was down. I couldn't believe that rationale.

I told them that of course it doesn't work on the cars sitting in the lot as it hasn't been activated yet. After they continued to insist, I called my boss who has an '08 MDX and asked him if Navtraffic was working. After he assured me he wasn't having any problems, they reset the system by disconnecting the battery (their machine was down). Lo and behold it worked again.

Unfortunately since then once every 2-3 weeks or so the same thing would occur. I would disconnect the battery and all was well, although it was a pain as I had to redo all my MID settings, but I knew the dealer would only tell me that they couldn't find anything wrong, or would just simply reset it. On occasion I would get the "XM Loading" message and it would reset the radio to the preview channel. It would only stop doing that if I shut the car off, but you still had to disconnect the battery to get Navtraffic back again.

A couple of months ago I took my car in for regular service. Upon getting the car back I noticed the radio was on the preview channel, which typically means that they probably reset or reflashed the ECU.

Since then the problem has not reoccurred which I hope means that my car received the software update.

 

^ CGP RL, with 35% sides and 15% rear...