Hello,

I recently purchased a 2002 TL type-S.

my 06 Mini cooper was flooded in Sept and declared a total loss. In the past 3 years, Ive sold my 01 Bmw M3 and 95 Jeep grand cherokee.

After having no car to drive for a few weeks, my luck changed when someone asked me if i were interested in an Acura TL.

The seller gave me a decent price given the maintenance work i pointed out with mileage at 96000. At this point I have changed the following:

Motor oil
Brake fluid
Rear brake rotors
Rear brake pads
air filter
incabin air filter
wiper blades
transmission fluid
rear caliper rubber brake boot (rear caliper was siezed and the boot was found damaged)
Tires rotated / balanced
front shock mounts
side engine mount

I have put about 400 miles and have to say this is quite a phenomenal car. Its fairly forgetable but that adds to the charm of the car. The car is driven effortlessly in comfort with power on tap. I suppose this is largely due in part to having the Type-S.

There is still a slight noise in teh front suspension. After my next paycheck, i think i may change out the upper control arms as they appeared to have very little resistance when the front shocks were off.

The TL is awesome value and I am repeatedly impressed with the car, more so for on reliability and the thoughtful design in and out. I had considered an A4 1.8 of the same year, honda accords and even the last generation MDX. The only things i foresee modifying is adding 50% tint, rubber trunk mat and 3000k HID fogs (which ive ordered already). I am fortunate to find a car with an adult owner who took reasonably good care of the car.

The TL is definitely a car worth considering if the used car market. This i can vouch for.

Good luck

 

Congrats on your purchase, the 2nd Type S is a smooth car, and very responsive on the gas, I had a SSM on ebony, was a great car. The noise in the suspension might just be the strut mount, from the list you have it seems like you had the car inspected or you know your stuff, but I had a noise in my front right, turned out to be just the strut mounts and one of the engine mounts. But good luck with your car!

 

Sweet car! Get a mild drop w/ some new springs and shocks. My only complaint is our car handles like a boat around turns...then you'll be all set.

 

i love my tl-s. Still amazes me how a car this heavy can go this fast. = )

 

handles like a boat undropped, but lowered, its great

only complaint...it's an auto ahhhhhhhhh

 

yeah the power kinda surprised me also.
coming from a 1991 accord i gave it gas to merge onto the hwy. when i looked down i was doing 170kph. it felt like 100

 

Phenomenal, yet fairly forgettable, but also charming? What in the world do you mean?

 

No other car out there in my price range could of steered me away from the TL-S. This car offers a little bit of everything and I love the power.

 

I mean its an comfortable and easy car to drive. so easy that you could fall asleep driving it on a long trip.

I get leg work out driving a clutch on a porsche, forearm strength from driving a notchy gearbox in an e46 m3 or a g35, or get a wake up call manuvering a mini cooper around potholes in the city.

the TL does fairly well to soak up the road imperfections, is fast going straight, not so great handling in turns and bends. Someone coined the phrase earlier as "handles like a boat".

What the car does not have is a strong transmission. This is one thing the japanese haven't done successfully yet. this is true for most hondas. Japanese cars are not built to get beat on. German cars hold up much better but carry a heftier price tag for the cars and parts. A real driver feels the road and the car. Most drivers in NY hardly can keep in theri lane, so i wouldnt expect them to feel the their transmission shifts or rev match, not to mention heal and toe driving.

typically cars are beaten on by inexperienced or bad drivers who use their one car as a multipurpose vehicle. I have had several types of cars at once to know how to each ought to be driven. refurbishment, maintenance and use is all experience that has made me not only a better driver, but a better car owner. These values are things that are hardly reflected on car forums these days.

The TL a great touring car but not a true sports car IMHO. At this stage in my life, i needed a 4 door sedan with room for a car seat and some extra oomph for some casual fun running up the onramp to the freeway... you cant beat the value on a second gen tl. this i certainly vouch for. If you are in the market for a TL, remember to qualify and the owner too and not just the condition of the car.

Good luck

 

The tranny may not be able to take much abuse but these engines can be beat pretty hard. I've had 1 Honda and 4 Acuras and all the engines have held up fantastically and I've been pretty rough on some of my cars. Congrats on the purchase of a great automobile and my favorite car to date.