JimmyTLS

Background: After the release of the 3rd Gen TL, I started to feel a sense of regret. Should I have waited another year and purchased that TL instead? With its more agressive and wide bodystyle? 6 Speed Transmission option? And 10 extra hp? I began comtemplating these questions and found myself just staring at my 03 TL-S with an odd and hesitant look. Maybe I should have waited.

Information: I purchased my 03 TL-S (my baby) in November of 03. And since then, I have added AEM CAI, Comptech Headers, custom HKS Hiper Titanium Exhuast, Unorthodox SS Pulleys, Tein SS coilovers, Cusco strut bar, and an OE Tuning CF hood. I have had many races in my time, and time and time again I pulled out some amazing victories against some tough cars. Such cars include a modified SRT-4, a c4 corvette, 03 G35 stick, 02 WRX, Grand Prix GTP supercharged, and a plethora of other vehicles. Lately, I lost to a new stock 05' RSX-S. And I began debating again, whether I made the right decision in purchasing my 03 TL-S. I began doubting my car. It made me disgusted that I could lose so easily. Maybe I should of waited a little while longer, and got myself a 3rd Gen.

Tonight: About an hour ago, I was on my home from visiting my neices and nephews. Lovely, yet rambunxious(sp?) little group of kids. My family and I had just finished a family dinner in Philly. So, after a little while of shootin the shit, we went on our seperate ways to our homes.

It was dark and the roads are still a little damp from the morning rain. I can feel it now, "Oh man, there's gonna be traffic across the bridge back into Jersey". So I hop in my car and pop in the Jedi Mind Tricks CD I just purchased earlier today to embrace for the long commute. To my suprise, as I make my way towards the bridge, NO TRAFFIC!!

I still want to enjoy the drive so I cruise at a nice 60mph and make my way across the bridge. I merge onto 295N and heads towards Cherry Hill. After a few minutes of driving and zoning out to the music, I look up in my rearview. "Who da hell is this prick thats tailgating me!?", I think to myself. Then I notice the sleek HIDs and those agressive looking corner lights. "It's a 3rd Gen!! And he looks like he wants to play".

For a better understanding, let me describe the highway. Its a semi-smooth stretch with 3 lanes. Traffic is light and I am in the far left, with the 3rd Gen tailgaiting me. Roads are still slightly damp, but mostly dry.

A clear half mile stretch opens in front of us as he merges into the middle lane. He starts to speed up as he merges and I immediately push the throttle (not flooring it) to prevent a fly-by. He notices what I'm doing and immediately floors it. About a split second later, I notice his dramatic in acceleration. My foot turns to lead and I find the gas pedal mashed into the floor. 3rd Gear, he pulls out slightly until I make it to 6000rpms. I begin to reel him in, fast. Then a car merges in front of him and he brakes. I slow down and wait for him to catch up.

He's still riding my ass at this point. And I keep it at around 60mph because we are now in some traffic and I do not want to do anything reckless around others. We somehow make our way to the front of the pack of cars and to my pleasant surprise, not a single car in front of this pack. I speed up and allow him to get to the front of the pack as well.

He merges across to the far right lane. I am still in the far left. He goes for it and I am after him. He hits it about a second before I did, and so he is in the lead, about a 2 car lengths. Then I look down at the tach and find myself at 5500rpms. Another second later, his car isn't pulling on my anymore. I begin catching up and reel him in, quick. As the seconds pass, his car slowly disappears from my line of vision. First his trunk, then the doors, then his hood, then the glow from his HIDs. I see my exit coming up and I shut her down, about 1.5 car lengths in front of the 3rd Gen.

I make my way to the right to exit. And I look in my rearview, and he follows me. "Maybe he wants to talk?" No, as we exit, he goes right and I go left. Too bad, I really would like to know whether or not it was a 6-speed or not. Oh well, no matter, I won. And the regret I once felt has disappeared. I tuck my baby into the garage and turn her off. I here the CAI whistle and I sit there. I then get out and take a step back, just staring at her. My mind was focused and my eyes concentrated on the black beast in front of me. I touch my face and find it shaped like . No more regrets, I definately made the right decision and I love it.

P.S: I understand street racing is bad and I don't condone it. But I just had to find out and he provoked me anyways. And I know we are all guilty of opening it up on the highway. And if the driver of the 3rd Gen is reading this, nice race, is it a 6-speed or auto?

moahdriven

sounds fun. Wish my tl was a type s.

and btw, our 2nd gens still look alot sportier, and soo much sexier with a body kit

2K2SilverTL-S

As much as I love my 04 TL, I still LOVE driving my TL-S. Yea, the 04 is better than the TL-S in some ways, but the TL-S still has its advantages. The sound of the TL-S motor + AEM CAI is just too sweet. The TL-S is an amazing car....keep enjoying it!

REDLINEN

nice kill ! and im glad ya have no regrets!

big mike 13

lol... sounds like you went out fishing.
anyways, with all those mods a stock RSX-s took you?? i dont know everything about cars but that seems a bit odd..
i have a type-s as well and feel like i made the right choice over the 3rd gen, but the more i look at it, the A-Spec 3rd gen is looking mighty fine.

whatwasthat

nice, it's hard between the 2nd gen and the 3rd gen. 2nd gen w/ it's sportier look, which makes it look so sexy externally, but 3rd gen w/ it's interior.... but it's stories like these that make me love the 2nd gen more. glad everything was cool. trust me, i would have a TL-S anyday over my 00 TL-P. just be glad you do'nt have the early 2nd gen TL w/o the type S engine.

subtledreamer

great story bro, it was a good read.
im glad you lost the doubts you had!

keepingitclean

I beat an s2k with cai in my stock tl-s by a car length to 70. But the s2k only launched at 4 or 5 thousand i believe. Ran twice and same result. Still though, I hate worrying about the tranny issue. I think Ive read TOO much into tranny issues and its really making me paranoid and wanna get a new car

keepingitclean

Before you guys call BS, the one that i raced was an 03. I also lost to an 00 by two cars lengths i believe. It prob wouldnt be that bad if I launched but thats when i first got my car.

samkws

your mods are faster than a 3rd gen TL

nice run thou

and i think the 2nd gen looks better than a 3rd gen

TommiGSR

iTrader: (1)

goooooooo 2nd gen! i love my tl-s

JimmyTLS

I beat one too, don't know which year but yep, I got him by about a good car length. And the 05' RSX-S are fast. Maybe it was the cold asphalt giving me traction issues or something but he beat me by about 1.5 car lengths. Oh well, thats why the supercharger was ordered last night!!!

samkws

supercharger = GOD

LiQiCE

You and JimmyTLS beat the S2K driver not the car. S2000s are pretty quick when they're driven properly... (~13.9s in the 1/4 mile, 5.5s 0-60) compared to a stock TL-S (~14.8s in the 1/4 mile, 6.2s 0-60) ... Almost a second faster.

As for JimmyTLS, I'm surprised with all your mods that you lost to a stock '05 RSX-S. They're quick, but they're not any quicker than the '02-04 RSX-S's because of the extra weight ... A stock TL-S 5AT should be about even with an RSX-S ... with mods, its no contest. However a well driven and modded NA bolt-on RSX-S would beat a bolt-on modded TL-S though... I've seen them hit low 14s easily with just I/H/E and Hondata.

Nice kill on the 3rd Gen TL tho! You should be faster than a stock 3rd Gen TL 5AT with your mods and about even with a stock 6spd (maybe a little bit faster since driver error is a big factor on the 6spd).

JimmyTLS

Like I said before, I blame it on traction issues and cold weather. What happened was I couldn't get grip and peeled all of first and the car shift into second for me. It was still spinning in second and when the tires finally grabbed, RPMS dropped to 3500 and thats when the RSX pulled. Gear selection and throttle control is vital for traction in this type of scenario.

And yes, I admit, I beat the S2000 driver, but in my defense, a car is only as fast as the person behind the wheel.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

Third gen's got nothing on the second gen.