Just signed up here after reading a couple dozen of posts. Read many debates and opinions and wanted to get a feel for some concerns and questions I have.

I drive A LOT for my job (30k+) covering 8 southern states for McGard (the wheel lock people) and I'm looking to get my next ride in 6 months or so. I have driven and tested several cars including:

05 TL Nav Auto
07 Camry SE V6
06 Accord EXL V6 Auto
08 Accord EXL V6 Nav Auto
07 Legacy GT Auto

My goal is to stay under $25K so that pretty much rules out anything new. I could find a V6 Camry but the 07 tranny issues have not been resolved with the 3 TSB's so that has probably been knocked off the list now too.

I guess what it really comes down to is a battle between an 06 Accord V6 (auto) and an 05 TL (auto). I know how much better the TL is but my concern is the cost for bigger service items when they come due. After getting rid of my wife's 00 Passat V6 with the insane costs for repairs (water pump / timing belt), I'd like to get an idea up front what might be coming down the road.

Accord vs. TL, are the costs for major service repairs going to be close? (I have a local service guy and will not be going to a dealership unless it's mandantory).

Any comments or response would be appreciated.

(OK, the reason for my name (hipowernut) is because of my disease for hot rods.
My current toys=
68 Camaro - pro-touring suspension, 427ci small block, 5sp, AC, 540hp
69 Camaro - insane - 638ci big block, Fuel Injected, Viper T56 6sp, AC, 1000hp
97 Viper GTS - Stop Tech brakes, Corsa 3" exhaust, 19" Forgelines, 3:55 gears

 

Accord vs. TL, the Accord repair costs will be cheaper.

 

You're driving 30k miles/ year in your personal vehicle for your job? Do they pay you for gas? If not, why not consider a Civic or something w/ a 4-banger for better fuel economy?

 

I own an Accord and a Tl. Buy the 06 Accord drive it for 2 to 3 years, and maintain it well for resale. By then the new body style for the TL will have been out and you can trade up If you think you want a TL.
Note: I make it a point to never buy the 1st year of any Honda body change, also if you buy a Toyota product you will pay Lexus repair prices.

 

i agree with darksky that you should get a 4-banger such as civic where you can save $$ on some gas and save $$ on your purchase...good luck

 

Welcome to the forums~!
I am part owner in a Manufacturers Rep. for Industrial boilers, pumps, and fans.
I drive about 40k a year throughout Ohio. I bit the bullet for the '07 TL-S because it gives me a great handling ride, comfortable, and good mpg/hp ratio. As we get older, the need for a smooth ride becomes important. On the other side, I'll never grow up. So the TL-S fits me perfectly

 

princelybug - I pretty much assumed that but was wondering about specifics, like would a water pump on a V6 TL be twice as much as a water pump on a V6 accord.

darksky - My wife has a civic and the road noise is a little more than I care for especially with the amount of phone work I do when driving (which gives the TL's bluetooth an advantage). My company compensates very well with our auto allowance and the plan is based upon a 20mpg vehicle.

chas22 - I'm with ya on 1st year models, that's why the 07 Camry V6 is having so many tranny problems. I really like the 06 Accord, but after driving the 05 TL there is a big difference, much more comfortable and much quieter inside, plus it looks better too.

TL1999 - My problem is self described in my name. I test drove a 07 civic si sedan thinking I could get some power and a 4 banger at the same time but I really can't handle a stick on the road. I'm already multi-tasking with my blackberry and my passenger seat desk. Besides there was still the road noise and . . . well that TL is quite a comfy place to reside.

TL1999 - BINGO! You get where I am, at 50 I'm still in great shape but if I want raw power, I got a bunch of toys when I get back home, still I can't handle driving a 160hp buzz bomb, it just doesn't fit me - I'm a hot rodder at heart. If you wanna see one of my rides, my 69 Camaro will be listed on EBAY this next week through my broker AmericanStreetMachines.com. It's Prowler orange (copperish) and is super bad. It'll light up the tires in 5th at 80mph just by hittin the gas, pretty scary.

THANKS ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS, HOPEFULLY I'LL BE OFFICIAL AND HAVE A TL ADDED TO MY STABLE SOON.

 

Get the new Accord and drive the crap out of it. I use to drive 35-45k a year. I wouldn't do it to a TL. I did it to two Civics and two Alitma's and a GTI.

 

I owned a 1999 honda accord before I bought my 06 TL last year. Honda repairs are pretty cheap compared to other cars. But, for TL, if you want to go to local non dealer shops, maintenance costs should not be significantly higher than hondas.

I used to bring my honda to a local shop, which can also repair Acuras, for probably about the same range of prices. Only for waranty issue, I prefer to bring my TL to my dealer now (for easier maintenance records).

Oil change every 12,000 miles or so costs $24.95 at my dealer.

But, if you drive 30K a year, depreciation on TL will probably be much more than the honda's. As far as quality, Acura is a much better option for sure.

CONCLUSION: Your heart seems to be going to the TL directions, but you're only concerned about maintenance costs / depreciation costs. If you bring your TL to local shop, maintenance costs should not be that much higher than hondas. GO GET A TL.

 

Man after my heart. I'm also a gearhead of the mid 60's American supercar era. I owned one of the real deals, too. An SS396/360HP L34 Chevelle. I used to live at the local drag strips in my youth. Had a ball. And just like a few on this thread, I will never outgrow it, either. Cars and guns and boats.

I have an '04 manual Navi TL and love it. I also have an '05 automatic Navi TL (the wife's) and it's a fine machine as well. The manual is better, but I understand your situation completely.

Have you ever considered a different manufacturer whose engines use timing chains and are not of the interference variety? Ford, Nissan, and Infiniti come to mind right away. If that is not a big concern, my personal choice between the Honda and the TL would, of course, be the TL.

BTW. My next door neighbor spent three years building a Factory Five replica of the '66 427 AC Cobra. Of course, it is a replica so it is not quite the size of the original and it has the small block Ford for power. His is a crate engine from a builder in Pennsylvania. A 331CID beauty with a Comp cam AFR heads, 1.7 rockers, a serious intake and plenum, and a few other little goodies. It's only putting out just over 400 HP but in a 2300 pound car, that makes for some interesting movement.

Take care.

 

SouthernBoy - Now you're talkin my language too, AFR, Comp Cams, etc. I restored (via retro mod style, only thing factory is the body) my 68 and the crate motor is a world products model from Bill Mitchell. How'd you choose SouthernBoy? VA isn't too far south, unless you're from Maine! I'm an Ohio transplant in the greater Atlanta area.

Here's the link to my 69 on my brokers web page -

http://www.americanstreetmachines.co...-Pro-Tour.html

I guess the real answer to my question is to go to my local service shop and have him quote me the costs on actual repairs for items on both the Acura TL and Accord V6. When we had to replace the water pump on the 00 Passat it was $2800. Yikes!!! That's what I want to avoid if it is lurking down the road.

 

Well, you don't ever want to suggest to a native Virginian (long family lineage) that Virginia is not in the South. I bleed grey. Hell, my wife's father's side of the family has been in the Chancellorsville/Wilderness area since 1636! We are most after I retire, most likely we'll pull up stakes and head to South Carolina.. not sure exactly where but most likely somewhere in the low country.

As for Miami and Florida, there is a saying with the natives down there. "If you want to go South, go North". I do hope you've adopted the Southern culture now that you're in Georgia. We do things a little different down here, but I dearly love the South (especially the deep South). Nice genteel people with a smile and a hello for you. And we do love our cars and our guns. Hey, Atlanta does get snow.. can you imagine?? (Canadian trough)

Your Camaro is smokin'. I'll have to read the entire text to see what she's got.

Your final paragraph about going to a local shop makes sense to me. I have the Service Manual for my '04 TL and replacing the timing belt doesn't look like too much trouble. I do most of the work on my car myself, but for that, I'll take my car to a shop I trust simply because it's such a critical job.

 

Oh, BTW... welcome aboard and please do continue to contribute. You'll love the forums. There are a few auto-bigots and a few members who might be called loose cannons, but they're easy to get around. Everyone else contributes and makes the site both informative and interesting.. we all learn from one another.

Enjoy!

 

Whatever you choose, stay away from the Camry V6. Toyota's been buying those cars back in droves and it's the 1st Camry in history Consumer Reports refuses to give a 'Buy Recommendation' to.

 

I've been in Georgia almost 20 years now and my wife is an original Georgia peach so I have adapted quite well. In fact I really don't go too far north unless it's to see family in Ohio or for trade shows and meetings at headquarters (Orchard Park, NY . . brrrr, gotta go their Tue-Fri) My territory is from NC to LA and most everyone is of the southern hospitality mindset (except for some areas of FL . . . like Miami and others, but they're all really pretty good too).

I like reading what people do to mod their rides and I have been active on many other sites, but mostly to do with older cars with modern amenities and drivetrains (pro-touring.com, musclerides.com). It's funny, on those sites it's what motor are you puttin in or which trans (5sp, 6sp, 4L80E), whose chassis or sub-frame are you runnin. Whereas on lots of late model sites you'll read the list of mod's; HID's, headlight upgrades, LED interior lights, audio systems and then there's the select few that may do a cat-back or SC/TC their motor. Never much talk about portin/polishin, cam specs, forged components or single plane vs. dual plane, but still I like the enthusiam for all arenas, old school and late model.

You had mentioned some options like Ford (sorry, I'm a hardcore Chevy man), Nissan (never really got into the look of their stuff as far as sedans go) and then Infiniti. I actually forgot to mention that the G35 had been a strong contender and it may come back into the line up, it's certainly a top performer and it's RWD.

DMZ - I'm up on the Camry reports too. They're takin a big hit. Too bad they didn't do a little more testing on the 6sp auto and how it mated to the new 3.5 V6. I'd a probably got one of them, but as I was watchin and talking on the Camry forum, seeing some guys scheduling their 2nd trans replacement, I quickly dropped it from my list like a hot potato. Maybe they'll fix it by 09.

 

If I knew I'd be putting major mileage on a car, it would have been a mid-size vehicle with a 4 banger in it....Camry, Accord are the top winners. After test driving a 4 banger last-gen Accord, it really seemed like that 160hp buzzer does pull the car, and there is not that much noise.

Also, I would not have been too much concerned with cost of timing belt replacement, because you may only get to do it twice in the car's lifetime, which will pay for itself in a car with no other major problems.

This is strictly a financial decision you gotta make here.

 

The Accord and the TL have similar engines (J-series) and both will required the same services at the same time/mileage. So in 3 years you will need to do the first "big"service which is the timing belt/water pump/ plugs service. It will run you anywhere from $600-$800 depending on the shop.

I would suggest going to an acura/honda speciliast if you don't want to make trips to the dealer. They are usually ex dealer mechanics that use OEM parts. They know what they are doing, yet they don't rape you on prices.

So with that said if you have the money go for the TL. It offers more. If you don't need the gadgets then save some cash and get the Accord. You can also find one with Navi if that is what you want. Both cars are great, perform well, smooth, quiet, comfy, and quick.

IMO the TL looks and handles better. You will be spending a lot of time in the car so make your decision wisely. Like I said above both cars a similar powertrain/maintence wise. You are only looking at a couple hundred bucks difference.

Acura dealers tend to charge more for repairs/maintence then Honda dealers. But you can also bring your Acura to a Honda dealer. My opinion is to go with the TL, but you won't be making a mistake if you chose the Accord. Just stay away from the other choices. lol

 

Yes, I've seen that as well. I was really happy to see Ford pull ahead of Camry in the quality department (J.D. Powers and Consumer Reports). Competition is a good thing and I like to see American iron kicking some butt.

 

I'm not especially a Ford man or an Acura man or anything else man when it comes to my personal driving machines. I tend to buy when appeals to me at the time I'm in the market. I do prefer to buy American simply because I am one. But the final decision is taken based solely upon what satisfies me overall when I'm ready to spend my money.

In my youth, I was totally Chevy. Then in the 80's, I preferred Ford (had an '88 Mustang LX 302CID that was a perfect little pocket rocket and a super reliable machine).

Mods. I ordered my '66 396/360 L34 Chevelle and waited 4 weeks 2 days for it to be delivered. The 360 HP version of the L34 engine was only offered one year and that was 1966 and only in the Chevelle. I came with 4-bolt mains, 2.09 intake valves, the 427/390 hydraulic cam with a .4615" lift on intake (I think it had 280 degrees duration but don't quote me), a medium rise cast iron intake manifold, a single feed Holley 660 carburetor, and the fully exposed chrome air cleaner. This engine was never again offered in this state of tune. I still have the original carbon copy of the order form. Before I sold it, I had installed Hooker Headers, various glasspack mufflers, an R3310 dual feed 780 Holley, LS6 valve springs and retainers, Monroe LoadLevelers out back, 10" Mickey Thompsons, a reworked distributor, and a 7 blade Corvette fan. I ordered it with 3.73's and the Muncie close ratio M21 trans. An unusual option I ordered was sintered metallic brake linings. I had more fun with that car. Oh, it was Maroon with a black vinyl top and black interior. I had the factory instrumentation option which included the famous "knee knocker" tach. And a simulated wood 2-spoke steering wheel (factory).