so my buddy just picked up a '99tl. i've got an '02. i drove his on the street and highway and i have to say (unfortunately), i think his drives better than mine.
after driving his, i realized mine feels really heavy. by that i mean when i press the gas in his, the car goes with just a touch. with mine it feels like there is no power and the car is dragging or lagging.
also, the steering in his car is so easy. i could use one finger to turn the wheel at a stop. with mine i would probably break my finger if i tried to do that.
has anyone driven the two cars and if so did you find the differences that i found. or is there something wrong with my car? should i check for something in mine?
any help or comments would be much appreciated.
thanks.

 

your car is fine.

i have both 03tl and a 99tl. i actually love the way my 99 feels compared to the 03. the 99TL does feel alot lighter because of the steering and the way it reacts when you hit the gas it shoots out alot more responsively than the 03 would. the steering on the 99 is alot more loose so it requires you to spin it more to get hardder turns while the 03tl doesnt require as much to take a harder turn.

the 99 has 4gears compared to the 03's 5 which means less shifting for the tranny and a wider spread gear ratio. the 99's vtec point is lower than the 00-03TL's. but the 00-03 TL's are actually faster in numbers. it only feels slower. there;s nothing wrong with your car

 

thanks aaronnn, i was really beginning to get worried.
but for some reason i like the way his drive better. i like the ease of the wheel and the quick throttle response. is there something i could do to mine to get it like the '99?

 

umm, there's some sort of linkage behind the steering wheel that triggers the loose/tightness of the steering wheel column.. i think if you can find one that was from a 99tl it would make your car feel alot more loose..

i dont know why you want to do this.. since im actually trying to change my steering column from the 99 to the CL-S.. i want that stiff sporty feeling.

 

I'm not sure what you guys are talking about? I test drove a 99 TL before I got my 02 and it didn't feel nearly as good. I gunned it and it felt a lot more sluggish than my 02 does, and the 02's stiffer steering is more sporty, even though I didn't notice a "looseness" in the 99s at all.

03CoupeV6, who has respect for all TLs.

 

who said we dont have respect for all tl's? i drive both first and last of the second gen TL man. 99TLP and a 03TLP.

the 03's tightness of the steering wheel was meant for it to be more sporty and crisp on turns. the 99's steering is actually alot less sporty than the 00-03's. it spins like nothing and it actually has a really boaty feeling.

if you read previous threads from this board you'll read that the 99TL's 4speeds are actually alittle bit more peppier and quicker bbecause of it having one less gear but in reality it really isnt as fast as the 5speeds. the 5speeds have a more quiet and subtle acceleration to higher speeds which makes it feel slower when its actually alot faster than the 99 4speed TL.

 

I'm very familiar with TLs, I started to get a 1999 TL in 2003 as a car to supplement the 03 Accord V6 but decided, for economical purposes, to get a used 4 cylinder Accord. I spent the next year studying the TLs and then traded the Accord I4 for a 02 TL-P right after trading the 03 AV6 for an 05 one.

I didn't intend to sound like I thought you had no respect for some TL's, I was just saying that I've got respect for them all! I look at them with admiration regardless. But I do prefer the 00+ because it just feels better to me.