holografique

i've got a loaner 08 TL AMT w/Navi over the weekend while my baby is in the shop getting the 3rd gear issue fixed.

I don't know if it's just me or what, but it seems the 08 TL sits much lower to the ground than my 06. I've tried all different chair positions, etc. so it's not that. I noticed it based on thee visibility I have out the front when comparing the height of the hood to the road, I just seem to have better visibility of the immediate road in front of me, versus when im sitting in my 06....

was the height profile of the 07-08 models changed from the 04-06 models? this 08 has the same tire size as my 06, and they are both base trim.

just curious as I actually like the lower profile, and may consider having my 06 lowered just a tad bit to get more of this feeling. otherwise, I don't care for the 08 model at all.

RC51Ryder

Just curious, what about the '08 you don't like? I'm in love with my '05 but I really like the dual exhaust from the 07-08 Type-S. I would be happy with round single exhaust from the second gen but that is a different post all together.

holografique

well, mind you, it's all personal preference, so take it with a grain of salt. I also think a major contributing factor is that this loaner is an AMT, and I can't stand driving an AMT...anyways, for what it's worth, here's what I don't like so far....

1. the overall feel and build of the car seems sterile and cold. I'm not sure what's causing that feeling, but something about the car feels cheaper and smaller...

2. the steering wheel feels thin and cheap, versus the 04-06 steering wheel, which is a bit bigger, more solid grip and a more elegant layout.

3. The overall dashboard and instrument design is too futuristic/techy for me. It starts too look cheap, and as if the designers are trying too hard to get "awe" factor in the interior, versus finding that nice balance between elegance, style, and functionality. To me, the Lesux IS350 interior is the pinnacle of that balance, and I personally think Acura has screwed up with their next gen cars interior design. I originally looked at an 09 TSX, and just couldn't stand how ridiculously busy the interior dashboard layout was. the 09 TL interior isn't any better...

4. steering seems more rigid and tighter than my 06.

5. suspension seems to feels sorta cheap, doesn't have that smooth luxury feel that my 06 has. I want to say I recall reading somewhere that the AMT's had a different suspension than the MT, so it might not be a difference in year, but just a difference in which transmission type it is. I'm sure someone here more knowledegable than me can chime in with the facts.


overall, the 08 feels like a "generic" luxury sports sedan, versus the "unique" feeling I get with the 06. by no means am I trying to justify the fact that I bought a 2 year old car versus a new one, im just going by what I feel when i've driven both. And had I had the money to buy an 08 I still would have gone for the 06 as it just feels like a car that still had passion left in the designers, versus designers who were done perfecting the series, and had nothing better to do than to just add all sorts of bling to keep the line going....

as for the Type-S, I don't like the ANY year Type-S at all....just looks clumsy and bulky and trying to be all tough and mean when it's still just a japanese luxury sports sedan underneath. It reminds of the guys in miami who love replacing their Honda emblems on their Accords with a Beamer emblem....(who the hell you trying to fool??? lol). The car loses it's elegant and smooth design with the lip and all the A-Spec stuff. and the rims are horrible looking on the Type-S, they are way too angular and contrast very badly against the wheel and the rest of the smooth angles of the car....


now, what I DO like about the 08 is...

1. relocation of the HID to the center display. Much better placement!

2. higher-resolution text resolution for the HID.

3. relocation of the HID buttons down to the steering wheel. Great placement design, you don't feel distracted moving through the menu's and information while you drive.

4. the turn signals on the side-view mirrors (I saw a thread where you can change mod an 04-06 to have these)

5. relocation of the fog-lights to the bottom.

6. daytime lights

7. navigation system (my 06 is non/navi). it's a pretty slick system and I like having all the extra audio information in one place. (But what the hell were they thinking trying to cram all that info into the top LCD display??). I plan on putting a carPC into my 06 anyways, so im not too heartbroken over this, as I'll have more functionality with the carPC than the standard navi system.

8. backup camera! kick-ass, but again looks like can be modded to any year/model.


again, just my preference. honestly I see my 06 as being my first and last TL. I don't like the 4th gen at all, and don't feel confident in Acura's future design directions after seeing the TL destroyed with the 09. I think the 09 TSX design is more of what the evolution of the TL should have been (minus the interior). I will likely go for the IS250 when it's time to pass on the TL...that car's interior and exterior is just hot as f****.

cheers

pffpffpass

iTrader: (2)

IS 250 is also my next car.. Just a little outta my price range as of now.. :-(

backofmyac

isn't a tighter more rigid steering preferable to a looser one? It sorta feels more responsive that way. I guess to each his own...

type-S clumsy and bulky? take away the rims, quad exhausts and turn the front bumper vents upside down and it looks like a base TL.

holografique

yes, your right, tighter = better response, when your taking tight turns at 70+ mph. But during most normal driving conditions, it seems like more effort, and im finding myself constantly making slight corrections when driving straight at high-speeds. It's probably more or less just me not being used to it and use to the lighter steering on the 06. Personally I prefer the lighter steering since I'm not out to race my TL on a day to day basis.



that's my point exactly. I said it LOOKS clumsy and bulky. I was not referring to the performance of the Type-S. So, if you take off all that extra stuff, you get the base TL, which IMHO is much more cleaner, sexier, and more elegant, while still retaining the modern sport look to it. I'm just one of the guys that can easily pick out add-on type stuff to cars, and it just always looks like it doesn't belong to the original design. I prefer admiring the time and passion put in by the designers on the original design of the car.

btw...can anyone answer my original question? lol. I actually know for a fact now this 08 is lower than my 06. because when I wash my 06 I have to stretch a good bit to reach the middle of the top of the car. with this 08, I can reach the middle with absolutely no effort what-so-ever. I highly doubt the dealer would have taken any effort to "lower" a loaner car. (this 08 is a dedicated loaner at the dealership).

cheers.

TeknoKing

^

TeknoKing

So you want to downgrade?

csmeance

The 08 BASE TL was softened over the 04-06 TL to appeal more to older folks who wanted somthing that was comfy, simple and not to in your face. The TL-S took the spot for those of us who want something better and faster. the 04-06 was a combination of both that suited almost everyone, personally I think that there should have been 3 TL models:

TL- Base -> Non-Navi/Navi
TL - (04-06 04-06 style)-> Navi ONLY
TL-S -> Navi or Navi/HPT

holografique

no, just want something in the future that continues to satisfy what I was looking for originally in the 3rd gen TL.

I realize the IS250 is not as fast as the TL, but I didn't buy a TL to be a race-car driver. I bought it for the overall experience.

holografique

thanks AJ! that totally explains what im experiencing with the 08 base model. it just feel like I was driving a "suburban dad" type car, versus the more sexier/sportier feel I get with my 06. The 04-06 models represent that perfect "balance" between luxury and sport that I tried to explain previously. the 07-08 base lost it.

cheers.

RC51Ryder

My girl has an IS250 and I know exactly what you mean. It is a real nice car but to me (and I'm being biased) it does not have character like my TL. Hard to explain really.

TeknoKing

holog, sorry, but you are making no sense...

You are talking about the SAME car, the 08 has a more refined aesthetics with fog lights, side mirrors, rims and tails... base=base. And to most folks a TL (04-08) is the same car.

04-06


07-08

holografique

right, and im NOT most folks. I can tell the minor and major differences between the 2 revisions, and I don't like what they revised with the 07-08 models.

If you go back and read my post and AJ's comments, they are NOT the same car for a variety of reasons. You posted pictures of the exterior, yet my comments have nothing do with the exterior of the 2 revisions. The exterior is the same, no doubt.

My reasons for not liking the 07-08 all comes down to the changes made to the interior design and the differences in the suspension/handling. I think the biggest differences are in the interior, the steering wheel, and the entire instrumentation design and layout was changed completely, and I don't like it. too busy, too futuristic, not enough elegance, simplicity, or style, hence my comments about the IS 350/250 interior being far better (IMHO).

When I drive a car, im not experiencing the exterior, im experiencing the interior and the performance of the car. So those things matter more to me than the exterior of a car when it comes time to make a buying decision.

Again, AJ's (csmeance) comments about the changes made to the 08 pretty much sums about my experience with the 08. It just "feels" more generic, less character....

On the flip side, another thing I do like about the 08, it seems to be more nimble and has a slightly better turning radius than the 06. One thing I don't like about my 06 is I have a hard time judging the distance on the front of the car when trying to dart in and out of inner-city traffic, parallel parking, general parking, etc. In the 08, I feel as if im almost driving my old 89 Integra again, small, nimble, I have no problem getting in and out of small places.

I've been searching online for some schematics/blue-prints of the exterior of both revisions to see what (if any) differences there are in the dimensions.

smsTL

iTrader: (1)

I agree with OP, 2 weeks ago I saw a TL-S parking on street. I was like "ohhhh, thats a type-s" then i was thinking why does it looks a bit smaller and lower and I thought is was a the same car? I was thinking maybe something wrong with me. Now I know I am not the only who noticed it.

holografique

I hear ya man. it is hard to explain, I think it boils down to the overall "experience" you get with a car when you combine all the design factors: interior design, layout, color, performance, handling, etc. etc. it all adds up to the experience the designers were trying to achieve. and when you drive a certain car for a good bit, you can easily tell when even the slightest things change, altering that experience you were used to...

aight, it's saturday afternoon, time to hit the local watering hole....

csmeance

I have an 08 TL right now with my 04 and the difference is quite apparent. The suspension def. is much more softened on the 08, but on the 08 the steering is much more tighter and more touchy than my 04 where it is nice, loose and relaxed, but still dead precise. I do notice that the 08 TL seems a lot more cheaper than the 04-06, the steering wheel buttons are smaller and feel cheaper, and as well the wood trim looks very fake vs. the orange wood/CF trim that was used before.

marshall28

IS 250 is total crap IMO... go for the 350, it is just engineered far better... the 250 was meant to be toyota's cost leader... everything from bumper to bumper is built better in the 350.

holografique

yea, I actually just read a couple of articles, with the same
general opinion.

I'm going to test drive both at some point next year...for now I'm
waiting to get my 06 back on Tuesday and get back to enjoying
her for sometime to come...

holografique

figured out the mystery. the loaner 08 im driving has the A-Spec suspension kit, which apparently has the stiffer handling and lowers the car by about 3/4"...

now the question is whether I really like this and want to get the A-Spec suspension on my 06....hmmm.......time to go for a drive...