cali TL

I need to be honest here, every day i drive by an 04 TL on my commute to work, and i need to blow off some steam. First off, i will say that the 3rd generation is superior to the 2nd gen in every other catagory, drivetrain, suspension (im guessing), tech goodies, wheels, everything..... but does anyone else just hate the body style, it looks like a mix between a ford focus and a 98 civic, i mean i love everything else about the car but the design team dropped the ball big time IMO.




(awaiting the flame job )

poohlikeshunny

I agree...I won't say I HATE the new body style...but there's definitely something about it that just makes me wanna turn back around and stare at my 2000 TL...the 2nd gen I think looks classier...while the new one looks more "sporty", but not sporty as in sports car...sporty like...4 door accord vs. accord coupe....I give Acura mad props for beefing up everything else, but I seriously think they should go back to the drawing board with this body...especially since the TSX and the possible new RL all look the same plus or minus a few extra cubic feet of space...I definitely see the Ford Focus cues though....BLECCCCHHHHH!!!!:p

Aya

goldendragon576

I personally like the new styling. I dont' like the back at all but I think the overall of the car is very nice. I don't like the fact that it looks exactly like the TSX. I wish they made it a bit more different. If I buy a $35k car, I don't want people think it's a TSX.

NYDesi80

I must say that I use to think the same way as you before but Im starting to like that car more and more I see it. I think its growing on me.

poohlikeshunny

hahaha...seems like most people don't like it at first cuz it looks like a TSX, but everyone grows on it...one thing I notcied I thought was cool...(its kinda stupid...but...) I like the rear turn signals are like LED arrowheads...just kinda makes you look and think to yourself.."Yup...he's definitely making a LEFT turn....yup..." hehehe

Aya

wanker256

I agree with everything you said. In all regards except for looks, the 04 TL is a superior car as it must be.

When I was shopping for the 03, I discovered the new model year coming up. I took a look at the spy pics and made up my mind that minute to pick up an 03 without even considering the specs or anything. The 04 front is nice (needs bigger headlights and a little more agressiveness though), the side is so, so, but the tail looks like it got beat with an ugly stick. You gotta stick a spoiler on that to distract you from it.

Looks are subjective however. When I first looked at the new BMW 7 series, I thought WTF were they thinking. After a while though, it sorta grew on me.

The 04 TL needs a little more time though.

denmoses

grow on u it does. I agree that the 2nd gen is a classy design. The 3rd gen seems to be a lot bolder....and most ppl (including myself) debate on too much change. A friend of mine said "the car is deviating from the elegant look". I must say i disagree. Well it is not as pretty as a mercedes and not as sporty as a bmw, the design is definately refined and a balance between the two (leaning a little more towards the sport element). This, IMO goes with the theame of the car....it is not something that will burn the race track nor will it be suit and tie affair...its a compromise between the two. A pretty darn good one in my opinion.

Bottom line, i didnt like it at first glance, but the more i see it the more i admire it. I should mention the interior is by far superior to most vehicles out there...just beautiful.

ngcreese

Ok, I never thought someone would start this thread, but if one person starts it there are probably thousands of people thinking the same thing. I am leasing my '02 TLS right now. I have been torn between giving it back at the end of lease or keep it.

Then I saw the '04 TL. At first, I really didn't like the exterior, yet loved the interior. Over time, the extrior kinda grew on me too.

Then I brought my girlfriend to look at it... he hated it. It never grew on her over time. In fact she liked my '02, riding on a Comptech drop, a lot better.

So, I'm keeping the TL Type S for the long haul.

Thought about a 330i, but why pay more money to go slower?

Cars.... (sigh)

cali TL

see i dont agree with you in the fact that its refined, i see almost a retro refinement in it, the front is great looking, but from the side, its just so blahhh, you all say it grows on u, but ive been drivin by this car and trying hard to like it, and i just dont like it morre and more, the focus comparison drives me nuts, its even got the little ford focus speedline going across the middle haha, i dunno, obviously nobody jumping on a 04 TL is going for a racecar because you can get much faster more fun vehicles for what ur paying for one, i think they should be going more for elagance, and besides everybody loves a elegant vehicle pushing on 300 hp with a stick, i love the 2nd generation, its just a silky looking design, totally smooth, not one out of place line, the TSX thing has no bearing on my opinion because i dont care about the TSX its a car i would never buy, oh ya and it just me or does the new TL have the ground clearence of a wrangler haha

Monty's Acura

Like the body style of the new TLs...but the back really bothered me. Couldn't figure it out, until I saw the backside of a Volvo.

Just doesn't look that much like a sedan to be honest. But I like the design of the rest of the car.

benzo555

Funny how all u guys say no one likes it cause it looks like a TSX. Ironically my girl has the TSX and everyone loves it and they tell her nice TL :p

ngcreese

Ahhh.... I meant: she hated it....
That's what I get for doing this stuff and doing real work at the same time...

ngcreese

Ahhh.... I meant: she hated it....
That's what I get for doing this stuff and doing real work at the same time...

Tell you the truth, I like the 2nd Gen TL Type S, lowered, a lot better than the 3rd Gen TL myself too...

It definetly looks sleeker. I just wish it had some of the 3rd Gen mechanical improvements ( translation: bigger better brakes from the factory!, etc.) Oh well, good thing theres aftermarket stuff.

BlueXTC

love the look of 2002 TL-S lowered....heheh
sexy lil thang.

unlemming

I never cared for the rear of the new TL, but it did grow on me. Plus it looks about five times better in person. I don't see any problems with similar body styles though, just look at BMW. I have to get pretty close to know if it's a 3 or 5 I'm sure 5 owners hate people thinking they have a 3 though, especially since you buy BMW for the name.

`ill*tl

I must jump on the bandwagon and agree that even though it has all the new gadgets (..which I'm a sucker for. ) .. my '03 TL-S still brings a lot of attention. I get compliments from random people at least once a week. They should have made it look different from the TSX..why have 2 cars that look the same? I believe Acura messed up there..but I see a lot of 3rd gens around my house..and for some reason, it just doesn't stand out like the 2nd gens do.

P.S. If they come out with a Type-S model (hopefully) .. then its a different story.

njtls

i like everyhtng aobut teh new TL more then my TLS except for the exterior...i think the tsx looks better imo

Thai.95LCoupe

SatinSilverTypS

iTrader: (1)

form the side, i find the new TL looks like the side of a BMW 3 series. i dunno, i am half blind to begin with....

when i bought my 2002 about two months ago i checked out the 04 they had in the showroom. i thought it had a crappy interior. performance is there, reliability has yet to be seen but is promising so far, but i dont feel the new TL is "aggressive" or "sporty". i have pulled side by side with '04 TLs at gas stations and had people come up to me and tell me how much better mine looks.

i seriously agree, not enough thought put into the interior or exterior. kinda like they just threw it together to get it on an assembly line. for the money they're charging, the ONLY thing i thought was better on the interior were the gauges. the new honda/acura instrument gauges kick major azz! easy to read, day or night. aside from that i'll pass.

give me my '02 with the OEM bodykit. anytime i drive by a busy sidewalk i always get people admiring the car. i have yet to see that with the '04 driving by.

now it may be possible it will grow on me, but for now i just dont think so. the sad thing is this seems to be the trend with ALL car makers now. i mean cripes, the nissan maxima looks like a piece of garbage, i want to puke when i see it. i thought the last gen looked so much better. iknow alot of people like it, but i dunno, maybe it's just me.

SSTS

cma2180

Couldn't have said it better.

joseph_99tl

i like that the new tl is wider..

u can see the difference when u see one on the road..

VTEChump

The new TL looks like a dodge stratus to me
I don't really think it looks like the TSX either, I actually think the TSX with body kit looks tight...

Fleetwood

The new TL, to me, has a "faddish" look...like the current Maxima's in their own way, and those old curved Infiniti's of the 90's. So how do they look after 7 years? The 02 TLs I have attracted me at first glance...it didn't have to "grow on me" or my friends over time. I think there's something to be said for classic, efficient, sublime styling that can still evoke a "muscular" attitude. But it's all subjective...right?

Acuracy02

It's kinda wierd, but I only like the new TL's in silver. I think pretty much every other color ruins the car. Silver just brings out the lines better and shows the true figure of the car......