SlyTLS

I have finally finished installing all of the aftermarket equip. that I bought...what a difference it makes on the car!!! I get even more attention now than I did before and I haven't done anything drastic to the car.

Comptech Exhaust: Throaty rumble at idle but dies out as you accelerate. Makes the car sound so much better and looks great back there too.

AEM CAI: You feel the difference right away and it roars under VTEC acceleration.

Comptech Sway Bars: Nice and stiff, really lets the car hold the road under hard cornering...not even remotely close to as much body lean as stock.

Comptech Springs: Minor drop, yet noticable. Rides just like the stock ride but you do feel more of the road. Combined with the sway bars and the right set of tires (stock ones have to much sidewall flexing) the car will ride on rails.

Can't wait to get my hands on the headers!

SteVTEC

remember to reset your ECU b/c of the intake, though

If I'm not going to upgrade to the TL-S in a year, I'm going to put the Comptech Headers on my Accord V6, too.

thejavagod

I know many of you guys mod your cars but I find it rather cheapening... it spoils the original defining look that makes it that car. You wouldn't take a Van Gogh and add your own "touches" to it now would you???

When designing the Lexus LS430 researchers found that the more "upscale" audience does not want to "show off" or stand out in a crowd but maintain a reserved low-profile, assertive yet stylish look. Examples are the S-Class, 740iL and LS430.

Just my opinion and of course I would never modify my car with these so called "performance" parts.

SybariticOne

To each his own.

bh

not to be a punk or nothing, but thejavagod, you sound like a snooty prick in that post. Sounds like you have convinced yourself that the TLS is for the elite and exclusive or something comparing it to the 7 series and S class. making an analogy to a Van Gogh work of art is a bit much. the tls isnt a work of art worth millions, its a $30k car. it's 6 or 7k more than an accord (the ten you see at every intersection. theyre everywhere like kids with pokemon). Anyways Acura left room for improvement so it aint much of a deal people are trying to improve it to their liking.
maybe i'm interpretting the text funny but all those " " add to the condescending tone. I knew a guy who kept doing that with his fingers, and it bugged the crap outta me. He was a rich prick too. hehe.

well anyways, anybody thinking the TLS is gonna be the next Accord? I'm beginning to think it might get to the point of seeing one at every other intersection. man that would suck.

Mr.T

The S class? Then what's AMG? Y does a 30-40k e-class worth 60k when you get the AMG? Don't know about Low profile. Frekkin S-class amg is beyond 100k Y does BMW have the M class?
Mr.T

SimTypeS

..might as well make the cars all the same color, with the same interior. Anyone ever buy a house, take care of the lawn so it is green, plant some trees and flowers so it looks nice? And a house costs a lot more than our car.

So far, it sounds like SlyTLS has only done mods under the car. Nothing to stand out more, really. I hope/doubt that Comptech exhaust doesn't sounds like the kids Civic's next door. People are different, and like to have their car (or whatever) be a little different from Joe Jerkoff next door. Besides, all the aftermarket stuff makes more jobs, helps the economy, and forces manufacturers to keep improving their cars, because if a guy with a TL can get headers, intake, exhaust, upgrade tires/wheels and suspension and have it perform like a TLS, they need to improve, or sells will drop.

I love America... freedom of choice, and freedom of speach (to a point). Thanks for sharing your opinion, thejavagod. It sounds like we took what you said the wrong way, but we have to respect your opinion.

By the way, SlyTLS, sounds like you are doing great with your car. What do you have planned in the way of wheels/tires? (you made it sound like you are rolling on stocks) At least 18s, right? 18x8? 19x8? Oh, and have you ever ran at a track? I would like to know the "numbers" differences with a new suspension (I am very close to doing mine).

vandy786

Lay off of Javagod man. You sound very intolerant in your post. He was simply expressing his opinion, which everyone should be able to do in this forum. I kind of agree with Javagod because I see this nice silver Honda Passport that parks near me (I live in an apartment complex). Every morning, I (and everyone else that lives in these apartments) have to wake up to it's annoying sound (I think he put on some kind of aftermarket exhaust). I don't even need my alarm clock anymore because the thing is so loud.

As for the TL-S I think that it's actually quite an elegant car (at least for me) and I don't think I will ever mod mine. I should mention that one of the reasons I am not too excited about mods is I don' t have the money (I'm 19 and in college, and I just bought the TL-S with all my extra money), although I might get into it later on in life when I can actually afford it. Like someone already said, To Each His Own.

AC

Congrats! I think the CAI was the most noticeable for me. The headers I didin't notice any power gains until I raced my buddy's 540i 6spd.

Have Fun!!! Oh, hope you got fatter rubbers too.

DJ Iceman

And here I thought I was the only one on this board who likes the "stock" look, feel, and sound of my cars!

And now, speaking from a position of ignorance, when people try to sell their modded-out cars, do you find it improves the resale value (uniqueness, appeals to enthusiasts, etc.) or diminishes it (smaller market of interested buyers, worries about warranty/substandard parts, etc.)?

SC TL

With all due respect, I wouldn't exactly compare an Acura TL with "Sunflowers" or "Starry Night". Even the most hardcore TL backers would be hard-pressed to tell you that the TL is perfect off of the lot.

Nor would I compare a TL to a 740il or an S-Class, which need less improvement than a TL, but cost 2-3 times as much as one. Plus, as good as those cars are, there are certainly a few owners of those cars that "mod" them with an M-package on a Bimmer or an AMG package on a Benz. Lexus itself is developing aftermarket parts to mod the looks of the GS and IS lines. I agree that the LS430 audience would probably not be into mods. I suspect the target buyer for an LS is in the 50+ age range, listens to "easy listening" stations, etc.

While I agree that some cars, such as an M5, should not be touched, the TL does not fall into that category.

With respect to SlyTLS' mods, I don't see how he "cheapened" his car. It's not like he put a double wing on the back and a 2' racing stripe across the center of the hood.

The only "appearance" mods he made were the springs and exhaust. Arguably, even Acura Marketing believes slight lowering aesthetically improves the looks of the car because TLs in Acura ads all seem to have less wheel gap than the ones on the lot. I have no scientific proof of that, but they seem to be sleeker in commercials. Also, the Comptech exhaust definitely does not look cheap. I would say, appearance-wise, SlyTLS subtly improved upon the stock looks, and definitely did not cheapen the overall look of the car.

Performance-wise, JavaGod, you are obviously speaking from the point of view of a person who has never driven a TL with Comptech spring/sways because those mods absolutely transform the cars handling abilities. Granted, there is a slight trade-off, but IMO, the improvements in handling are much more drastic then the slight increase in ride harshness.

Re CAI and exhaust, personally I am staying away from them (for now) because I do not want to increase my noise. But, if SlyTLS likes them, and he feels an increase in performance, more power to him.

But, like someone else said, to each his own.

imax

Yeh, that's me alright :p

RedLined

Cheapening or not, I can't wait to get all that sh!t on my TLS. I would hardly call an M3 a cheapened 3 series. Same goes for the M5, E55, S55, etc.

Anyway, congrats Sly. I'm officially jealous as hell.

ACTUP

To each his F-in own. If you don't like Mods don't put them on your F-in car. If you like Mods put them on your F-in car. Express your opinions and then express your opinions on the opinions expressed in the original opinion.......blah blah blah

DJ Iceman

Comparing an aftermarket-modified TL to a factory-stock M3 or M5 is not valid. If Acura sold a TL Type-R that was all souped-up, then you could compare them. But there's a different mentality and dynamic involved with modifying cars with non-manufacturer parts.

bricot

I wonder if VanGough would have used such CHEAP A$$ paint?

edgalang

Im sure at one point he did. Maybe those are the ones that didnt last.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Well, it seems to slightly improve it if you ask me... I'm currently selling my car (which doesn't have many mods... but some) and the guy who's buying it is giving me close to $1k over the kbb "private party" value. That's probably due to the mods and left over warranty.....

jcrist

First, the TL-S IS a souped up version of the TL. Acura put millions of dollars into fine-tuning the engine and suspension. While I agree "to each his own" I think there is a fine line that you cross that would be considered going overboard and really diminishing all the tuning that the Acura engineers have spent countless hours computing.

The cars these days are pretty sophisticated with their computer engine management and lateral stability control systems that when you start significantly modifying the suspension and other components you run the risk of actually de-tuning certain performance aspects of the car.

This car is designed to be a sports sedan with a good compromise between performance and driveablility/ride/fue economy etc. This is a sports SEDAN not a sports car. I don't know, maybe a 4-dr is perceived more "cool" nowadays in the twenty-something wanna-stand out crowd but with the amount of mods I am hearing are being made on this car I would say some people bought the wrong car to begin with and should be driving an RSX Type-S, or a Honda S2000, not a 4-dr sedan.

I sit somewhere in the middle on this issue. A few well-balanced customizations can be nice but go too far and you are turning the car into something it wasn't intended to be and possibily hurting your resale value because the dealer isn't going to give you jack for all your mods on the trade-in, and when your TL-S is advertised right next to several others for hundreds if not a few thousand less, the more stock versions will be in higher demand because no one wants be pay for a bunch of mods that they didn't really want anyway.

I think most people in this country though are so concerned about standing out and looking like they have a bunch of material wealth when in fact they are driving a leased $30K car because the finance payments were to big while barely paying the rent for their apartment or sh*thole house. Then they put all their mods on their credit card and pay 15% interest on them for several years. But hey, they got a 4" exhaust tip, they must be moving up in the world.

My sarcastic two cents (and more) worth.

SC TL

In the context of this discussion, I think it is valid. Javagod said he thinks mods cheapen the car because they "spoil[] the original defining look that makes it that car."

So, assuming Javagod believes that to be true of BMWs, before the M3 came out, he would have thought a front air dam, lowering, bigger rims and tires, cheapened the look of a stock/original 330i. Does that mean that the M3 looks like a cheapened version of the 330i? Or does it mean that the 330i wasn't so perfect to start with, and that the M3 is the true masterpiece? Or does it mean that mods are okay only if they originate from the factory and are not aftermarket?

Personally, I think cheesy mods cheapen a car, but I disagree that the TL and TL-S aren't in need of a "brush stroke" or two. I don't think SlyTLS' mods cheapened his ride.

In terms of resale value, I think cheesy mods (double wing, racing stripe, purple paint) devalue the car, but subtle mods probably don't. On the other hand, I think mods little or no value to the car, and you can never hope to get your money back if you sell your car modded. I suspect that someone that dumps $10,000 into their TL probably won't get back much more than someone who kept theirs stock when they both sell in 4 years. I kept all of my stock parts so when I sell my car I can return it to stock and sell my mods here or on e-bay (or put them into my future TL-S )

bh

As to my initial comment. its no big deal, but it just sounded as if thejavagod was a little bit of an snooty prick in the way he put quotes around the "upscale" "show off" and "performance". Sounds as if he sees himself as being upscale, and he see's mods as cheap things to show off versus being mods that enhance the performance. Of course there are mods that get pretty bad, but i think most people are putting sensible mods in/on their cars, not like those crazy spoilers that look like they belong on an indy car. and like jcrist said there are guys who lease the car and put extravaggent mods for show off and end up thousands of dollars in debt just to look good? (wierd? whatever) for 3 years. In that case, its pretty disturbing.

Bitium

thejavagod Loser L

thejavagod

Bitium is obviously upset about the 24% APR loan for his mods

bh

seriously tho i dont want this to end up going to namecalling. had an interesting discussion with a friend about how text tends to be misinterpreted with people putting a voice to text. in my case i put a punk prick voice to it and it seemed to fit.

fd3s_r1

Yes, that's right, "upscale" guys like me maintain a "reserved low-profile", "assertive" yet "stylish" look. Yes, that's me, one look at "me" and you "instantly" think, wow, he's "upscale", with "reserved low-profile", "assertive" yet "stylish" look. And all these "quotes" everywhere are used only for "upscale" guys "like me" who find you "peasants" driving TL's "cheapening". You know, I "don't want" you people drving "TL's" anymore, it's reserved for "guys" who use "quotes" like "me". Yes, I'm "upscale" and "you're" not so "get out" of my "TL". These "so called" performance "parts" which produce actual, "proven" "horsepower" are still "only" "so called" performance "parts". Let me tell you "something", it is "not" a "performance" part, only a "so called" performance "part". Are these "quotes" distracting?

Anyway, HAHAHA... that was the snootiest, most condescending post i've ever read. Now I know why I didn't buy a TL Type S, so I wouldn't be mistaken for someone who is "upscale" with a "reserved low-profile", "assertive" yet "stylish" look. Yes, everyone loves to look at my yellow RX-7 in the parking lot and I love it because I love to show off, yup. So why did you buy your car? Oh nevermind, I know, I know, because you're "upscale". Oh, did I mention there were only 350 factory yellow RX-7 imported to the U.S.? That makes it a Van Gogh you know; I see one of those TL Type S Van Gogh Editions at every corner these days. VTEC... I scoff at your stock VTEC nonsense, why don't you run against my twin turbo rotary and we'll see how cheapening your car is... I will destroy YOU!!! Maybe you should invest in a Comptech exhaust or something. Besides, even Toyota's VVTi and Mitsubishi's MIVEC are much better than VTEC. VTEC... hahaha don't make me scoff at you some more.

P.S. That was rather childish of me, hahaha.

SoundSpeed

Now this is getting kind of stupid.
And about 95% of people on this forum have modded or want to mod their car. The administrator of these boards sells aftermarket parts. And if you don't want to mod your car, well thats cool, nothing wrong with that. Do your thang, just don't worry about that greater majority that is modding their car. Cool?

SlyTLS

Thank you to those that supported my decisions and to those who didn't support them that's fine, you're into your thing I'm into mine, no big deal.
I had a 300ZX prior to my Type S and it was pretty much soup to nuts modified so that it was driving to it's fullest potential...I loved the car but got tired of being a "target" for the police even if I wasn't doing anything wrong. Hence the purchase of the
Type S. It was more subtle yet maintained the power and most of the performance that I enjoyed in my sports car. I didn't buy the car to blend in with everyone else or to look more "upscale", I bought the car b/c I liked it. I modified the things I felt could be better on the car, (i.e. the suspension) after driving a 300ZX that sat on rails and getting into a car that corners well but not on a dime I decided to make it handle better. As for the performance (i.e. exhaust & intake) I modified those to allow the car to perform more to it's potential (which it still isn't at.) If you remember back to the good old days (prior to mine unfortunately) people were driving Chevelle SS's & Camaro SS, RS & Z28's, Hemi Cuda's, etc...point being...those cars died b/c of gas prices & insurance costs. Todays cars are intentionally underpowered (for the most part) to keep insurance costs down...that's why Nissan offered the 300ZX 2+2...realistically there was no way anyone was sitting in the back seat comfortably, yet the insurance was almost $2000 cheaper than the Twin Turbo.
I don't find anything wrong with modifying a car to allow it to perform better, I don't agree with making it look rediculous (that's why I never put an aftermarket skirt kit on my Z). I believe that subtlety is the key when it comes to the physical appearance of a car although I do like minor cosmetics like hyperwhite bulbs rather than the traditional orange...but again that's my opinion.

SimtypeS: As to your question about taking the car to the track...nah, I don't plan on it. I don't do the mods to race on the street or the track, I do them for personal gratification and like I said earlier to allow the car to drive at it's fullest potential. Now for your rim question...yes I am currently on the rolling stock. I do plan on getting 18's but I want to get the headers 1st. I have two sets of rims in mind but they are rather expensive (Momo's or Nippon Racing rims). Being that they are expensive that will probably be the last thing I do since the car comes with 17's.

silver-s

Some of these posts are so funny.

I guess I'll add to the nonsense. This message board is for people to share problems, experiences, improvements, meetings, buying tips and to just BS with other TL owners. So why do people argue with each other about the very nature of the board? I could easily post on every message and throw a nonsense message but I don't.

Many people including myself would like to improve the performance or looks of a car and when someone does it and tells about it then it benefits many people. I guess he could of went in the closet with his modifications and not told anyone but why? If you do not think cars need modifications then do not read post about them. Also if cars do not need to be modified then how come stock cars are not in all the car races and drag strips, sounds to me some cars need it to compete. I personally would not go wild with mods but I would consider the body kit, springs, sways, intake and maybe headers but its not like they have to be there. I like what SimTypeS said about a home. When you buy a house do you install extra lights, fence, deck, garden, window shades or a shed? The answer is yes homes need inprovement or mods to add value or comfort to the owner. For those who don't thats fine too.

As for the lower resale thats possible. I think a stock looking car will sell easier because it won't have that raced out look. For example if I wanted a used car and one was stock and another had mods both same miles and condition and price I would most likey buy the stock one because I would perceive the moded car was raced and/or abused. This may not be the case but people think that way. I keep everything that I remove from a car. when selling put the stock back on unless its like an alarm or something that does not make people think you raced all the time. Another thing when selling a car do not say how fast the car is or how high you took revs. Its funny when I see a car for sale and the driver is racing around.

Sorry for the long post. I like those who post what they have modified and the problems they have had. I'll be getting a TL-s soon and hope to share for those who care.

VG

/////|CCORD

Two blondes walk into a bar, you'd think of them would see it.
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh ohohohohoh oh!
U'd think they'd put the new VTEC-I or at least DOHC and old VTEC in the damn car, and ****ing pussies, make it RWD, with that much power and FWD, it's a damn shame, you suck Honda! TLS is a good car tho, but damn, would RWD be the right choice for this kind of car? come on! get ur head out yo asses, it was meant to compete against bmw, is300, a4 etc, yet it's a damn FWD...makes it seem more like a honda than a sport sedan competitor....****! GHEY

bh

Bitium,
damn 24% APR loans for the mods? Guess you dont have those "rare" "platinum" cards with "low" aprs that "upscale" people have. I dont know if I got one of those "rare" "platinum" cards if i could "touch" it, cuz it would be so "rare" i'd be afraid to scuff it in my wallet. Plus i'm not one to "show off" such a "rare" "platinum" card if i were to go shopping. Also, I usually pay off my card at the end of the month anyways so the "rare" "platinum" card has no real "performance" advantage over my plain card.

/////|CCORD

Mommy? Is that you?

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if any of you have gone head to head w/ a fully modified CL-S or TL-S in a 1/4-mile shootout, but I have come really close (I went head to head w/ a CL-S w/ V-AFC, Xephyr Air intake, headers, denso plugs, better tires).

To 100mph it was about a 2.5 car lead by the CL-S. He spent about .. let's see, $1.5K headers, $200 intake, $150 V-AFC, $500 tires, $90 plugs = $2440.00 if I did the math right in my head.

For a 2.5 car margin to 100 mph???

trippin555

Do you have any pictures of your car after all of the modifications? I'm starting to think more and more about modding mine now that I've had it for 2 1/2 months stock.

SlyTLS

trippin555 - not yet, I hope to have some soon. We're having a meet tomorrow and I hope to get some picture taken. As soon as I do I'll scan them in & post them.