I'm very close to trading in for an '04 TL, M6 w/ Nav. Anything in particular I should be on the alert for? With everything I've read to date, the only nitpick the car mags had was with respect to torque steer in 1st and 2nd. I test drove one ~ 2 weeks ago and was very impressed.

Thanks!

 

I've had my 04TL since last September and have almost 8,000 miles. The torque steer "issue" IMO is over-rated, especially since I don't accelerate real fast (try to improve MPG). But -- I have an AT. Not sure what you're trading in, but I absolutely love this car! If you can afford it, get the clear bra on the front, up the hood and on the front of the outside mirrors. It really helps with road junk and cleans off like a dream. Plus -- You really don't notice it. The splash guards also help keep road junk off the lower body.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm trading in a Mercedes ML500, so the mpg difference will be noticeable! Where did you get the clear bra you mentioned? Is that a dealer installed item or somethign aftermarket?

 

I would stay away from anything used with very low mileage. This was the first year for the 3G. However, the 6MT should be better than the 5AT. Get the 05 if you can.

I was at an infiniti dealer this past saturday morning and out of the 16 used cars they had on their lot, 4 of them were 2G TL type S 5ATs which were notorious for tranny issues. Seems the people who traded these in had had their fill of the 5AT TL...

 

Do a search on clearbra and you'll find loads of info on it. You can also visit Rockblocker online (official vendor) for products. I believe some of the dealers offer Paint Protection Film (PPF) from a 3rd party and you may be able to swing a deal as part of the package. Majority of the the aftermarket installers use 3M film.

 

If the car is used, check the tires, my Turanza's lasted me about 15k.

Also look for scratched rims, the fitment of the tires on the stock alloy rims make it very easy to scrape them when parking.

Check out the seats for the infamous butt print, at 15k I have a mild case of it. Of greater concern is the leather showing signs of the beginnings of cracks.

Car and Driver did a long term test on the TL and after a year (and more than 15k miles) the driver side seat (right by your left thigh) was cracked pretty bad. In fact it was so bad, if it were my car I would demand to have the seat replaced.

Earlier models had an issue with the headliner coming loose. Open the sunroof and look at the area where the headliner connects to the roof.

Don't take my nit picking too seriously, these are all minor issues (except for the wheels and tires) I really love my TL and after a year the only car I would trade it for is the same model with a manual transmission.

Good luck!

 

Lot of posts from people who had bad vibrations in floor/seats/steering that Acura wouldn't/couldn't/didn't fix. Some lemon lawed/traded in/kept but hated. I'd be real careful not to get stuck with one of these, if you do Acura will leave you turning in the wind!

 

If you need any help with the clear bra let us know. Be glad to help

 

torque steer will be a problem when you accelerate hard especially through turns and uneven surfaces. i think this board tries to play down the issue a bit because it's obviously acura biased. i have a 6MT and its a lot of fun to drive but sometimes the torque steer makes it a little annoying. hey its a fwd car and that is just what happens, just plain physics of it. besides like 90% of the driving i do is regular normal driving so torque steer will not come into play that much at all.

 

I don't think it's a matter of playing it down - I think it's a matter of being accustomed to torque steer. For me, torque steer in a high-power FWD is an expected characteristic, and some cars have more than others. In the TL it's not at the level of a "problem", any more than rear ends kicking out and squirreling around on uneven surfaces are "problems" on RWD cars.

Mike