I live in SoCal and they are going for around 10.5k at around 100k miles at the dealers.

I've read about the tranny issue.

Is that the only issue with these cars?
If I get a warrentee...wouldn't I be ok?

This is about the only car I really want to drive...tell me I'll be ok....

Or...tell me to stay clear.

I need some help from people who have owned these cars...would you buy one today? for 10k with 100k miles?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Holy santa clause shit

$10.5k!!?!?

am i the only one who thinks that's weeeeee bit high?

 

Retail Kelly bb in my area is 12500, I $=! + you not

 

Failed tranny is the biggest ticket repair item for 2G TL's.

How long is the tranny warranty that the dealers are offering ?

 

For 10.5k I would not touch a TL with 100k miles. It is too much money and not enough car. I paid less than 1/2 of that for my 2003 TLS.

I am assuming that you are paying cash, for a few more grand you can squeeze an E39 M5, which is a godlike car compared to TL-S.

 

i bought my 02 TL-s 4 years ago with 129K for 12k

i think the asking price is a bit much.

mine was modded too. full lip kit, spoiler, rims, suspension, wood steering wheel, ect

as far as the car goes, the tranny is an issue, ive had it replaced and it felt like it needed to be replaced again 35k later. i was lowered and went through axles like crazy and the OEM brakes blow.

Since it is an older one, you may be running into HID problems soon and OEM replacement parts are a pretty penny unless you get an aftermarket retrofit kit.

the foglight lenses are glass and are prone to cracking from rocks. mine were pretty bad.

as far as upkeep and parts, i mustve spent +/- 5k in 3.5 years.

i had to draw the line somewhere and get rid of it.

so no, i wouldnt

 

Dude shop around. I just bought my 01 TL with 67k miles on it for 8999. Look a bit longer and you will find a better deal.

 

+1 on the price being too high. I bought mine (TL-S) back in 07 with 60k miles for $15K. I was fortunate that the trans was replaced shortly before I bought it, trans with the updated design.

Owner had records and it still drives great today. Has 132k miles now.

Would I get one today? Sure. But I would leave very little to chance. Extensive service records and well maintained. Post 2005 trans replacement. etc.

The thing is, those are hard to find these days. I would shop for a different car.

 

bought my 2003 TL-S for $8600 with 97k miles in Jan '10. so $10.5k for a base TL with 100k miles? hell no.

 

You'd be better off buyin one from outta state and transport it back or drive it yourself if you're willing to spend that much.

 

THanks for the input. I'm pretty distraught. I current own a BMW 5 wagon that is being totaled because of an ingine replacement. Since I'm coming from a "drivers car" I was hoping to get another one. I understand that the Acura won't be as nice, but I test drove one and it was fun to drive. This really is the only car I can find that I like the look of, and want to drive.

I am thinking if I can get one for the right price, get a warrantee, it would cover the tranny replacement we all know would come. This was my plan.

Wouldn't a warrantee cover a tranny replacement?

 

the warranty should but they are very costly. also warranty companies have a history of not following through with their covered items. you might as well spend the extra money on a newer, more reliable car.

 

we have a member cars for sale area if you must buy a TL
BUT
I dont care if its got a post 2005 trans--it will fail eventually to the tune of 2500 dollars
also at 100kmiles you are due for a `105 service`,,timing belt water pump etc,,thats well over a 1000-1500-1800$$$$ in your area!

brakes -stock suck,,giving the TL great brakes will run you 500-800$
foglights--lexan replaces broken lens

so even with a `warranty` on the trans, you are talking about an INSURANCE COMPANY that oversees that policy= they do everything to not pay out!!!
May require atf change at dealer every 7500 miles!! or warranty voided etc etc

there are other good looking and better transmision- cars in the honda family
or mazda makes some nice rides too

Would I buy another gen2 TL now?,,not a chance,,love mine but wouldnt risk another at this time

 

^^^^^ Agree.

Save the potential future headaches, stay away from 2G TL/CL's.

 

Hey you marry a woman knowing she's not perfect. If you like the 2G TL buy one just unf a better deal. There's a chance you may incur some costly repairs and maybe not. Some people have over 200k miles on stock trannies. I love mine, it's a great car and you can do a lot to it to make it greater. All cars gonna have something break on them so just buy what you like and if it breaks fix it. Just don't get ripped off.

 

hahahahahha 10.5K and a TL-P??? Run far far far AWAY....
10.5K Would be Reasonable with a TL-S Full of Stuff (Bolt-Ons) But STOCK? HELL NO!


Agreed I would not buy another TL-S if I had a chance but I wont get rid of Mine now that I know what the Conditions is In.

 

I too agree that all cars gonna have something break on them, but not all cars have a industry-known faulty-designed tranny and an abnormally high tranny failure rate, like the one on the 2G TL/CL's. When failed and without warranty, it will run between $3-4K to fix.

It's like play Russian Roulette and the odds are not on your side.

 

bought my '03 TL-S for 8500 with 94k miles back in july '09.

 

Too high, keep looking.

 

I agree with everyone, way too high. Got mine ('02) with 60k miles five and a half years ago for $13k.

 

The transmissions on these things are a ticking time bomb. The only thing that won't break on the 2G is the motor. The little parts add up over time.

You can get a 3G TL for a little more with similar mileage.

 

yea 10.5k is way high. but thats also because the dealership loves to tax. and I don't see if you mentioned if it was a TLS or not? but you're better off searching on here in the BM or somewhere else (craigslist) for a better deal at a lower price. I got mine for 5k with 180k in 2010 but mine is a 99 model and was a TL-P. Honestly if you really want the car then you'll find one and take care of it despite the tranny issues because for me, my tranny was replaced twice, one under warranty and the other out of pocket and I still loved the car. And I even went as far as to swap a 6MT motor and tranny cause I'd rather have it then get rid of it. To each their own though. I'm with MilwaukeeDave on this one.

 

you give me $10k and i give you my 02 TL-S. lolz with fresh tranny!

 

Thank you very much everybody for all your helpful comments. You really caused me to really think about this car.

I found a 2003 S-type for $6500 with 120k miles. I'll have a mechanic check it out...but it seems like a good deal.

It's at a small dealer so who knows...it's probably a hunk of crap and I'm wasting my time. But the blue book in my area on the Stype is almost 10k..seriously..

cross your fingers and say some prayers that this car checks out.

 

I've almost inked a deal

2003 TL S-Type
78k miles
Interior looks like it never left the showroom.
exterior shows normal wear.

1-owner : Carfax shows regular maintenance (every 4-5k) for the life of the car.

mechanic check revealed two problems:
1. two broken motor mounts
2. transmission was leaking "in the center seem where all the bolts are".

The dealer said he would fix both issues......price : $10k

I'm a little worried about a leaky transmission case.

Any advice?

 

If you really like the 2G TL so much, then get the dealer to throw in a tranny warranty (the longer the coverage period the better).

Make sure it's written into the agreement, not just by word of mouth.

At least this will give you some protection in the future on your wallet.

 

Motor mounts are easy. Not cheap, but easy fix.

#2 looks troubling. Sounds like it's coming from the transmission-to-engine seam. If that's the case, the oil is most likely engine oil... i.e. a rear main seal leak.

Its a $10 o-ring seal, but huge labor costs. If they do fix it, make sure they do it right.

 

I got mine for 3.9k
Keep looking you will find one.

 

I bought my 03 tl last october for 6.9 k with about 107000 miles on it. i did pay about 2300 extra for a 48000 mile warranty because i did a lot of research and there are many trans issues. I had the car for about two weeks and trans went out completely. got it replaced and i think im havin some more troubles with this other one already. so overall i wouldnt buy one if i didnt have a warranty with it. id much rather have and 05 or newer since they dnt seem to have trans problems. but i do love the 2gen body style.

 

Look in The Black Market - Members Cars For Sale

 

OK, they said the oil we were seeing was from the broken engine mount. The mechanic cleaned it...drove it around for 40-50 miles and saw no signs of a leak.

I called another mechanic friend of mine and he said that the front motor mount is hydrolic.

The dealership will offer a 1 month warrentee on any oil leaks on the motor.

So...I think I'm going to go down and pull the trigger. I looked in the Black market...I didn't find anything near me with the miles and price I'm looking for...

Thanks for all your help. I will be posting here in the future. Pictures will come soon.

 

What about the most important part - the tranny warranty ?

 

No tranny warranty

 

I wish you the best of luck !

 

I know...I know...lots of tranny fluid changes..