bnl107

I just went back to school and sold my 2000 Audi S4 to cut back on bills, so I'm in the market for a car. I was looking around online at cars and a 1999 Acura 3.2TL with navigation caught my eyes. It looks like a great car, and from the research I've done they seem to be well built and reliable. Before I buy a car I always like to post a question on a forum like this and ask other owners of their opinions and experiences with the car.

I also have a few questions for you.

• How do the TL's handle in the snow?
• I've read that there are a lot of problems with the 5-speed tranny. How are the 4-speed ones in the 1999 TL's?
• What is different between the Hard Drive and DVD Navigation systems?
• And finally, would you recommend buying one?

Any advice, opinions, experiences, etc... would be great. Thanks in advance for your help.

BlackShadow

I hope you are not looking for speed comparable to the S4 in a 99 TL. But you made the right choice. I have a 99 TL and it is GREAT! Let me try to answer your questions:
[*]Since the TL is FWD, it is pretty good in snow. But if you want really good traction then all you need is to change the tires. Since you are coming from a RWD car, the FWD will be a relief in bad weather for you.
[*]Since the whole tranny issues, I have only heard like three 99 TL with problems (out of hundreds of thousands). That is a very minute percentage of people. Plus it wasn't clear if the person driving was abusing it or not. As for me, I WOT and race every chance I get and I have over 63,000 miles on my 99 TL and the tranny is just fine. So don't worry about the tranny on a 99 TL. The majority of the tranny problems are on the early 02 models and the 01 got some issues too since it got a 5-speed too.
[*]The hard drive navi is broken up into separate regions like the northeast, south, southeast, west, midwest, etc...). Meaning if you go out of your region, you will have to stop by a local Acura dealer to get a disk of that region and vice versa once you go back. The DVD navi has the whole US covered on 1 disk which is very convenient. Only the 99 TL has a hard disk navi. All 2000+ came with the DVD navi. As for me, I bought an oem DVD navi from a 2000 TL from a friend who was selling it and put it in my 99 TL. It was just plug and play. The DVD navi gets updated every year so you can buy it if you want to.
[*]YES, I would recommend the 99 TL to anyone who is looking for a used and very reliable car.

Hoped I help you out. If you need anything else, just let me know.

99LagunaTL

1. Handles fine in snow.
2. No tranny problems here.
3. N/A (no NAVI)
4. YES - very satisfied with the car

bnl107

Thanks for your replies. I actually have one more question for you. How is the navigation's coverage? I just noticed that Acura doesn't list my city on there coverage list, but I live in the 3rd largest city in PA (Allentown). I'd hate to buy the car and then not be able to use the navigation in my area. Is that a possiblility?

SilverUA5

Actually the S4 is a AWD not RWD.


You will get more room on the TL vs. the S4, but the S4 is much quicker and handles better in the snow (with all-season tires). I think you will like the TL, especially the Type-S.

bnl107

Other than the 5-sp tranny, dvd based nav, and side-impact airbags, what differences are there between the 1999 and 2000+ TL's? I think I read somewhere there were slight body changes. Is that true? Thanks.

FTM-1

The 1999 passenger side heated seat will heat bottom & back part. The 2000 & up models will only heat the bottom on the passenger side. This is do to the sensors in the seat for the airbags. The drivers seat on 2000 & up models is the same as the 1999. The back & butt bottom portion will each heat up on the drivers seat. The 2000 TL got a slight HWY mileage improvement of an extra MPG over the 1999. This was do to the newly redesign intake & 5 speed tranny. The 2000 & 2001 are about a half a second quicker stock over a 1999. The 1999 TL when put into the sport-shift tranny mode lets you shift from 1st gear to 4th gear.
The 2000 & all other models up from that year when put in the sport-shift will shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear automaticly. Then you can shift from 2nd up to 5th. The 2000 & 2001 are the exact same car. The 1999-2001 look the same with the exception of a few color changes from 1999.
Correct me if I am wrong guys but the 1999 door window switch lights stay on all the time with the Park or Headlights on. The 2000 & up models can be turned off when you use the window lock out feature for the other 3. The 2000 & up models NAV screen I think added somthing to prevent glare. Correct me guys if I am wrong its been awhile since I got my 2000 TL. I was going to get the 1999 so thats why I am kinda up to date on that model. I forgot guys & still correct me if I am wrong the 1999 & 2000 models front cupholder inserts are not as deep as the 2001. This is a cheap easy & inexspensive upgrade to do to a 1999 or 2000 model. The part cost less than $10 & can be done in less than a min. Again guys correct me if I am wrong does the 2001 model have the glow in the dark inside trunk release handel? I am not sure about that but the 1999 & 2000 sure don't.
They however do have a cable inside the trunk to unlock the trunk if the remote or inside release fail. The 2002 models got the 500 improvements this includes body changes as well as 260HP Type-S models.

850EX

Why not settle for a pre-2001 A4 1.8T Quatro?
Easy on gas & AWD. They are fairly priced arent they?

BlackShadow

You are correct. What the hell was I thinking?!!