acuraguynj

This topic came to mind, since today I saw a modified Honda Accord (Riced out), that had everything from VTEC stickers all over, to Chinese/Japanese Characters. Like a moving billboard!

I say you can modify your Honda Accord all you want, but it's still a step below even the stock Acura 3.2TL. Just doesn't cut it in this Acura TL league.

There is something very cool about having a luxury brand car such as Acura, Lexus, BMW. Not everyone wants to admit it, but brand name does count.

Your car is your moving status symbol on the roads. As vain as it sounds, we like to display our status in this world as well off. No one wants to get by on just so-so.

Money isn't everything, but it sure is a hell of a lot too.

We are lucky to be owners of our Acura TLs, instead of your run of the mill Honda Accords.

My venting is complete ;-)

SLVR TL

I don't see why you are antagonizing our fellow Honda... Accords are great cars too... not as luxurious as TL's. But then there are so many cars that are far superior or more luxurious than our TL's.

but I do not what you mean about displaying one's status. And I do feel great to be driving my TL.

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Y2K SiLVeR TL, non-navi
Factory style full body kit + spoiler
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TL-S Tail light conversion
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PIAA 1700x w/ Inspire Foglight switch
Polarg M-12 Front turn signals
38% window tint all around
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acuraguynj

Status is key my friend. Always looking for something better, it's only human to want to impress friends, women, clients, etc..

TangoLima99

If I wanted someone to think that I thought my car was a status symbol I would have bought a Lexus. I think Acura is more of an enthusiast car - not necessarily a snob car.

acuraguynj

Tango, you maybe right, Acura doesn't have that appeal of a Lexus or BMW just yet, but you can't say that these other luxury brands are Snob cars. We all want one eventually. They still maybe overpriced though ;-)

It's only natural to upgrade BMW or Lexus. They have some hot cars out there that are also for enthusiasts. Lexus GS430 all the way.

You bought your TL for a reason, you could have bought a Accord EX V6, but it's just not the same.

slickTL17

Hmm, u must be azn. I am azn but I don't like to think that way like MANY people do. Thinking that car brings you status. Come on now. Car is a commodity in this country. If you like to ride in a nice car because u want to it's great. You want to hook it up because you want to stand out it's great too. However, STATUS is not everything. It's one thing, trying to climb up the ladder and push yourself to next level. Dissing on others who have cheaper car is lack of class in itself IMO.
Don't diss on other people who have cheaper cars. I have honda and Acura, does that mean when u see me in a honda u will think you are better than me? Maybe. But I hope that's not the case. You gotta be humble and respect other people. What if something happen to you and you lose everything you got? then what?
What goes around comes around.

carcaze

when, i begin to look into buying a car, i would be thinking first if whether the car is worth the amount of money that it price for. I was looking at bmw and lexus as well, but to me, lexus is way overprice for the amount of car you got in it. BMW is a great car but I don't want to be worrying about bringing it into the dealer every weekend.

I like the accord as well, but it doesn't have HID, NAV or SS which I like the TL. I finally settle on the TL because I , to me it was worth the amount of money it was asking for.

Throughout my car buying process I was not thinking of the status that the car would gave me.

Although, I do agreed that quite a few people out there will buy their car for symbol status, but then again quite a few don't car about it. I think this is a very touchy subject to discuss .. but since Honda and Acura are in the same family, let's try to get along

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2000 TL w/ Nav Monterey Blue Pearl, Burlwood Shift Knob, Spoiler and Inspire Tail light

grishulia

I could care less for the brand name of the car I am driving... to tell you the truth I'd rather drive a POS car and have people think that I am a loser but have a huge load of money in the bank... than to drive a MB S600 and have no money to put gas in the car...

I could care less about what you think about me as long as I am enjoying myself...

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Out on parole and on best behavior...

slickTL17

couldn't agree with you more grishulia...

BlackTL2K

I think the brand name does matter. A car with a luxury brand holds its value. If you have ever resold your cars, you probably have experienced this. BMW's, Lexus and Mercedes are tops at holding value. I have noticed that Acura's don't quite hold the value like those types, but still not bad. I have resold a Mazda, Toyota 4x4, BMW, Ford's etc and the BMW was a much better investment. I hope it's the same on my TL in a few years!

slickTL17

Brand of car does matter in terms its resale value but not for the reason the first guy said. status....

FlyingPig

Honda and Acura are the same as far as I'm concerned. I like the brand more than BMW and I like it less than Lexus. If status (aka what others think of you) is so important to you, you certainly are well within your rights to pick your own favorite brand.

slickTL17

I agree with u that this society is based on what u have. However, I truly don't like to believe that car represents class. I am only arguing with you on the point that luxury car represents class. I just find it unfortunate that people think car represents class and stretch themselves to get nicer car. Like AC said, don't buy s600 if you gotta live in it. If you can afford it and nice car really does it for you then by all means go for it.

The stock market really did it for some people. I saw a 2000 ml320 with like 1000 miles on toyota dealer. Why u ask? Someone bought the car and with the market condition, found out couldn't afford it.

Guest

How many expensive cars out there are truely owned by the driver (i.e., the car is not owned by the bank or the dealership)?

It's good to enjoy life. But it's my goal to achieve financial freedom when I retired.(Boy, I feel old.)

Fiddler

a riced out TL would look just as bad as a riced out Accord

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-Fiddler
ControlGenie Automation Systems
1998 Accord EX V6 Coupe (HomePage)

acuraguynj

LOL! I have to agree on that one! Once Riced always Riced. But people all have their own preferences, so whatever makes you happy.

Guest

Don't diss others for what they drive, for all you know they may still live better than you. Drive through some of the more affluent neighborhoods in your city, you may be suprised to see camrys and minivans.

Having a nice vehicle doesn't mean you have money, it just means you have bills.

I didn't buy my BMW for status I bought it because it handles like a sports car and I can still tow my motorcycle with it. I must admit that at times I do enjoy the attention I get with.

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Had a '99 TL w/Navigation system,factory chrome wheels,kit,deck spoiler, burlwood shift knob and V-1 radar detector before it was totalled due to flood damage.

Now I have a '01 BMW X5
Premium Package
Activity Package
Climate Package
Towing Package
Xenon auto-level headlamps
Alpine Mobile Multimedia Station (TV/VCR/NAVI)
19" Mille Miglia Evo 255/50 front 285/45 rear.

adamyankee

I can see people buying an Accord because the extra money to step into an Ack isn't worth it to them. However, our car is not a rebadging. It's in a style by itself. I would probably consider an Maxima or Pathfinder if I liked the I30 or the QX4, (of course I would miss out on some bells and whistles) but no way would I sub my TL for an Accord.

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Pimpin_TL

I wouldn't dog on Hondas like this at all... in fact, the best acura ever made proudly displays Powered by HOnda on its engine. My windows say Honda on them, everything about our car is HONDA. The difference between Lexus and Toyotas is a lot bigger than between Hondas and Acuras in my opinion. No one would say the S2000 is an inferior car.

On the other hand, the Acura is the least acceptable Japanese Luxury brand. It is lower than Infiniti and Lexus. I don't think it is a performance car either though. When I think of performance luxury, BMW and Mercedes come to mind. Rather, I think of our car as a cross between Hondas and Lexus, in the middle kinda. But then again if you are comparing an IS300 to an RL, the RL is more prestigious. If you compare an Integra to an Accord the Accord is more prestigious. Preludes are also more prestigious they cost more than Integras. But at the end of the day, we're all driving Hondas, and thats a great car to drive, under any badge.

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'99 3.2 TL

Black/Black
Burlwood Shift Knob
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Spoiler
Tint

Shoofin

Would you rather tell a chick you have a Honda Accord or Acura TL? Case closed.
Ed

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Acura-TL.com - Forum Moderator

'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech Springs and Sways, CL Type S wheels wrapped with 225/45/17 Dunlop SP9000's, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around, Comptech Axle Back Exhaust, Gutter Guard Grille, "Guy Smiley" doll on the dash as my Co-driver...

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

SL1200MK4

Well.... I rather say "I drive a HONDA s2000" instead of "I drive an ACURA TL"

Honestly... I don't think you are a better person just because you drive a more expensive car... I got friends driving Porshce 993 turbo, and I got friends drive a CRX. What really matters here is your prespective.

Now a person could be taking the subway because he works for XYZ bank downtown. Does that make you a better person? NOPE!!! He could be wearing his gold Rolex, and have a 360 parking in his garage...

acuraguynj

Be honest with yourselves now, you buy brand names from cars to electronics to computers to everything out there. Every brand has reputations and some are better than others. You know which one is better than the other and want to be known as a person that can afford to buy the good things in life too.

So why are you saying that this doesn't matter? That a higher brand name is not a status symbol? Whether you agree or not it is, in this material world we live in.

Acura is a great brand name, people would often buy up from a Honda to an Acura if they could do it.

Have it both ways, be happy and have lots of money to enjoy it all with. That is the ideal way.

acuraguynj

No Dissing over here, since the Accord is a great car too. There are also a hell of a lot of cars much better than my Acura TL and they could say the same thing about my TL. But the topic is to just invoke opinion on all the luxury brand names and how we live in a materialistic society that feeds off of brand name recognition. HA! Sounds like a term paper, but I'm too old for college!

AC

I agree I guess. I bought the TL cuz I didn't want the Accord. Plus, back then my wife had a 98 Accord V6 Coupe...what a POS that car was. We had so many problems.

We got the BMW cuz for most of the reasons you pointed out.

The fact is, you shouldn't buy an S600 if you have to live in it. You should buy it cuz you can afford to along with everything else. Most S600 buyers are 7 figure people anyways.

But consider this, John Marriott, of Marriott hotels, still drives a 93 Legend. I know he can bust out an S600 at will, but he still drives the Legend. I think some people are just content with what they have. Me, I always want an improvement.

Guest

Originally posted by Shoofin'TL:
Would you rather tell a chick you have a Honda Accord or Acura TL? Case closed.


I perfer a girl who still likes me when I
tell her that I drive an Accord.
(And, don't tell her that you have 30 TLs in the bank.)

hunter001

I would rather say I drive an Acura S2800 instead of a Honda S2000.....assuming that there was an Acura 2.8L V6 version of the Honda S2000....



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2000 Naples Gold 3.2TL/Navi - Factory Stock but with up-graded tires

bobatimez

when ur a kid, it's really cool to say that "I drive..."

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Some Said, "TL Type S," Soon They Will Say, "Wannabe TL-S." Laguna METALLIC, Navi, Side Cuts, Tint All Around, Interior Footwell Lighting, Eibach ProKit, PIAA 1700x Fogs custom cut into side holes, Akimoto Intake, Inspire Tails, 17" Type-S Rims with 215/45/17 Bridgestone Potenza RE730's, Visor, Wood Shifter, Comptech Sways making me ride on rails...

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Xtrema

Went to a party once. The host just bought an used 96 BMW 325i coupe and my other friend just bought a brand new 2000 Acura CL Type S. Both parked side by side outside the house.

A bunch of chicks arrive and the first thing out of their mouths is "Whose BMW is that out there?"

It's amazing that a 4 years old BMW holds more attention than a brand new Acura.

And of course it pissed my Acura friend off a bit.

FlyingPig

TL or Accord, I tell them I drive a Honda.

Shoofin

Hehe.... I made my car the way it is for me, nobody else!
Ed