awood

What would you buy today assuming you couldn't afford the TL-S?

The accord has more room and a bigger (and smarter) engine, while the TL is trimmed out just a hair nicer and has a trip computer and a backup camera. The accord is also $5000 cheaper.

This is a better question for a Honda forum, but I can't find a good one... Does anyone know if there any way to put the TL backup camera on the accord?

schill38

I have an 08 TL-S and my wife has an 08 Honda Accord EX-L 4 banger...it's not even close, the Accord is nice but it's no TL, even a base TL would bury the wife's accord, plus we almost get the same gas mileage, so the 4 banger isn't as gas friendly as Honda would like you to think...

o4Komodo

iTrader: (2)

I personally think you asked the wrong forum... You might get biased answers.
Should try the ramblings section...

Does the New-Accord have a Navi? If so I'm sure you can hack it--and install a back-up camera just like omega### did... well except he has a o4 3G TL with Navi.

I'm going to try to be unbiased and say...
Test drive both cars, if you can try to get agressive with the test drive--I know some places won't allow you to.
Find the best 'bang for the buck'.
There are also several used TL-S for sale that I'm sure you can find--that should be equal in price to the New Accord.

...But I'm just 18, what do I know?

awood

Thanks for the info.

I assume the TL-S has the same 3.5L engine as the Accord V6 (although I'm sure the Accord is detuned a bit). That means your TL-S has the engine that disables cylinders as crusing speed?

I don't think base TL does that. At least the 2006 version doesn't. The Accord V6 is quoted at about 10hp more than the base TL.

Does the Accord feel roomier to you, or can you really not tell the difference?

Bobzmcishl

I love my 04 TL but the new Honda Accord is an impressive automobile, both in looks and performance. I originally bought the TL because it was so much better looking than the Honda's at the time. Do yourself a favor and pocket the $ 5,000 difference and save it for the next time you look at cars. In this economy it's a nice thing to have extra cash. The only negative I see if the 3 year vs. 4 year warranty and Acura dealers treat you nicer when you come in for service (usually). Residual values should be similar, and your Honda will take less of a depreciation hit. Good luck in your decision. No matter which way you go, you will get a great car!

awood

The new accord with nav reminds me of the current MDX.

I'll search for the back-up camera post. Thanks.

o4Komodo

iTrader: (2)

I don't think he has a post about a DIY but I know he posted images of it in the photograph section.
Look for a title about something like, NBP and noob... hahah.
He's got a hacked Navi to play DVDs--with a hooked up back-up cam and ps2.

link here: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178554

I just noticed it's like one pic.

hoopz87

the accord supposedly has 268 HP, the base model 2004 has 270, and yes it has 10 more than the newer TL's
(obveously excluding the TL-S)

hoopz87

i am just wow'ed by this thread..... i dont even compare the accord to the TL, for the extra $ u will be much more satisfied with the TL, when people see an accord on the road... its just "oo" when people see TL's on the road "they want it" :wink:

platinum1

The 2004 3rd gen TL has 270 hp because it uses older emission standard. When the new emission standard is used (I think starting on the 2005 TL), the hp drops down to 258. These cars use 3.2L engine. The new V6 Accord has 3.5L engine which is essentially the same as 3rd gen TLS. But this engine is detuned and uses regular gas instead of premium. So if you use the old emission standard, this Accord can achieve 280hp with regular gas. The 3rd gen TLS get 286 hp (298 hp with old emission standard).

To answer awood's question about cylinder deactivation: new V6 Accord has this feature (except the coupe with 6MT) while the 3rd gen TLS doesn't have this feature.

MustBeTL

I was first shopping recertified TL's, and then decided to shop a Honda Accord, 2008, brand new. In my shopping for a Honda I just wasn't as impressed with it as I was with the TL. So I ended up buying the TL for the extra cash.

The Honda is definitely a nice ride, but I felt like I was talking myself into reasoning with the price and buying it only because I didn't want to spend the extra cash initially.

Drive both cars and you will realize the TL is a much nicer ride, even though the Honda was redesigned in 2008 and the TL is still riding on 2004 styling.

I wasn't a fan of the V6 accord how it shut down the cylinders to save gas. It definitely gave the car a delay in response times and I don't drive a lot so I didn't care about the extra gas mileage.

Forced to use premium at first seemed like a really crappy thing, and then after filling up a few times I realized it isn't THAT Much more, a few bucks tops.

I am very happy with my 2008 Base TL with Navi.

old coastie

So for $5k you definitely get more WOW. It comes down to practicality vs puttin' a little more zip in your ride. After all, buying a car IS an emotional experience. But on the practical side I'm not a big fan of driving the first model year of a car. As we used to say in aviation "Never fly the "A" model of anything."

scv76

Don't make the mistake of buying something you can't afford....no matter how much peer pressure you get.
If the Accord is in your budget, you really can't go wrong with the purchase.
You will get many good years of service out of it.

Frankie02

Personally I think TL looks better and sexier !!!!!!!

TLAdvanced

iTrader: (4)

ALL years (04-08) of the base TL's have exactly the SAME ENGINE!! The standard for measuring HP changed in the interim, however ALL of them make 258hp

alvon

Is the "$5000" difference based on actual negotiated prices or the MSRP? TL/TL-S can be purchased at sustantial discount right now, so the actual price difference may be smaller.

My wife and I test drove an 08' Accord EX V6 navi end of last year, but we were not impressed at all. The acceleration was slower, and noise level was higher than expected. We end up buying a TL-S at a *significant* discount. This was her car and she absolutely love it.!

3rdGenHybrid

OTD TL-S was around 36-38 for me....Now to compare the TL and Accord...you would have to take the Top of the line accord which is around 32-35....v6/navi/ex-l....now 3-4K difference isn't much on a monthly payment....for every 1K bucks, its only what...20/40 bucks a month???...the 2dr accord is sexy... and boast more power than the base TL....but the TL just has more features.....you pick...

jvinhj240

i think you save 7-9k if goin w/ accord. what type Accord you getting? EX-L ? msrp 28k. when TL-s 37k.

MustBeTL

This also bothered me that the Honda was a first year production. Also bothered me that the TL is 5 years going strong and that they will be changing the body style next year. For me, I've always loved the TL and Acura's so I figured I was ok with it being changed since they worked any bugs out after producing this car for so many years.


Depending on how much you are putting down, you may be able to put down the extra few thousand and have the same monthly payment. I personally put down a nice chunk of change and now my payment is reasonable.

Either car will be great, but I found the level of quality in the Acura to be a no brainer.

MR1

A lot goes into the decision. How big a car do you need, how long will you keep it? What is your buying motivation?

Accord should have more modern technology is larger and fresher. Limited discounting on new models. TL is mature style in last few months of production, nicer and better finished than an Accord. End of model life means very heavy discounts but faster depreciation.

I feel that the purchase price could be very close but higher overall cost for the TL. I'm very happy with my TL however sometimes Honda puts better stuff (Navi) in their less expensive but newer cars which really pisses me off. Tough decision today, depends what is important to you. Personally, I have no desire or need for a larger car, don't need the latest and greatest and don't want the variable engine management.

CrazyNurse

I think the Accord fell off after the 6th gen.

If ur goin' that way I'd wait till late this year or even next year to let Honda work out the kinks.

There will be deals to be made on '08 TLs especially as we get closer to the 4G.

Will Y.

One thing no one mentioned was the ride v. handling aspect- in prior years, the TL had a firmer, more controlled ride than the Accord.
Also, which interior do you prefer while driving? The Accord and TL have different dash and center stack layouts.
Finally, the Navi in the TL has a touch screen, while the Accord's does not, IIRC.
G/L!

KeithL

I have driven the 08 Accord and honestly, while not bad, the car actually seems too big. Also the lack of that sportier better handling ride. And honeslty it is a Honda YEAR 1 and they suck at fit and finish year one. The TL actually will retain slightly better resale value and well its an Acura! The interior oin the TL is far nicer and the leather quality of the TL (while not great) is better than the Accord.

BEAR-AvHistory

Size wise the new Accord is pretty much the equal of the RL not the TL.

awood

Thanks for all the information and advice. It sounds like its almost a coin toss when all is said and done, but there were some good points made on dealers willing to come down on the Acura.

The best price I found so far on the Honda V6 with leather and Nav is about $29K, but that's not much off sticker, and that price assumes some mandatory "options" that will add on a couple hundred more.

If I were to decide to wait and try to get a end of model year TL-S, I'd probably just end up waiting for the 2009's. I'm betting the 2009 base TL will comparable to today's TL-S in terms of engine performance. They have to beef it up some over the Accord.

TzarChasm

I only paid $29K for my base TL, I went with no Navi, but still, I wouldnt trade straight up for an Accord.

And regardless of HP dosn't the TL get much better 0-60 and 1/4 mile times than the Accord?

KeithL

09 TL will likely go up in price a bit and dealers will not likely discount them much first 6 months or so. This is the time to buy a TL at $2K under invoice, you can get a Navi TL for about $2-3K more than the comparable Accord. I found Honda dealers quoting similar prices, loaded EX-L V6 Accords for $29K +ttl

IntegraVT

iTrader: (1)

Check out the current AHFC lease and finance programs for the TL; they're really trying to push the 08 TL's out the door before the 09's arrive.

I briefly considered the Accord V6 EX-L w/ Navi, but the numbers wound up in the TL's favor. It is a buyer's market for non-hybrids right now and my local Honda dealer would not budge on the V6 EX models. Acura dealer was more than willing to play ball.

It is not that insane to cross-shop these vehicles, the higher-end Accords are an extremely competent package. Test drive them back to back and see.

Hopefully the '09 TL will improve upon it with more than just paddle shifters and NavTraffic.

hirsch014

exactly my opinion. I'm very familiar with the 2004 accord EX V6, have a 2005 TL, and just recently tested the new accord LX 4-cyl.

While I like the new accord exterior styling better than the last, i still like the current TL styling better.

The 4-cyl accord was definitely way underpowered, even for a 4-cyl, and i'm surprised to hear the V6 was unimpressive too; i guess the heavy weight killed the seemingly-impressive family sedan horsepower number. I didnt like the bulging styling of the new accord dash/console area, and was surprised how the road noise was not improved at all compared to the last model accord (even though one of the main complaints from Consumer Reports was the road noise, they still didnt improve it).

I really like the comfort/family-oriented suspension in the last model accord, and was surprised that this newer one felt stiffer and less comfortable. But the TL will give you a much sportier feel anyway, and less interior and trunk space. If you plan on long family trips, look closer at the accord, but from my test driving, it seemed the top-of-the-line accord is a must within the offered models. The rest just fall too short.

oh, and in my opinion, these "new models" arent exactly as new as they used to be (familiar engines, body frames, and technology that can be easily updated/re-flashed now), so I dont think getting the first-model-year car is as risky as it used to be.

I think a big aim of the new accord was to pull sales back from the camry. the camry's 2005 (i think) redesign killed sales for the accord which had just been redone in 2003 (i think). That also means the camry will probably be done again shortly. (although toyota might not be for you... personally, i'm a fan of both toyota and honda) But back to the accord, since getting the top model is almost necessary, the pricing is probably a big block.

anyway, good luck.

(ps, my 05 TL sounds like its a crappy car cause of all the rattles i cant find, and the 04 accord is still silent and has 20k more miles, so be prepared for that too)

MustBeTL

If you wait for the 2009TL, don't forget you'll be right back into the same boat of buying a 1st year production car. I debated hard with this exact same option. I went with the TL and am not looking back

awood

I know this is off topic, but same here. I went from a 2002 TL-S to a 2005 TL, and was shocked at the door rattles and the periodic buzzing from the speakers. I very much prefer the build quality of the gen 2 TL-S. (Although the electronic toys are improved in gen 3, and I'm still on my first transmission with my 2005.)

Plus back in Spring 2001, that 2002 TL-S was king of the hill. It beat any other sedan in its class for performance. Now Acura is pulling up the rear behind Lexus, Infinity, and even Honda in the case of the base Accord vs. the TL.

So now you know part of my hidden motivation for stepping down. I really think Acura has been caught resting on their heels over the last few years, and I'm not sure I want to plunk down the extra cash this time around.

6SpdTerror

I work for honda and i drive both cars everday. If u can't afford a TL-S get an accord exl-v6 navi. Same engine but detuned to 18 less HP and it gives you VCM (variable cylinder management) which slightly improves MPGs. If u get the 4 door accord with navi, the backup camera is an option for about $500. The camera option is not available on the coupes though. Also, if you're a manual 6-speed kinda guy....the accord 4 door doesnt offer it....only the coupe.
I couldve gotton anyone but i saw more value in the TL and i think it's better looking.

alvon

I thought the V6 Accord we test drove was slower than expected given it has a 3.5L engine. The engine is essentially the same as in a TL-S but detuned for better fuel economy (?).

I might be biasd because my daily car is a 04 TL 6-speed manual, so I am used to shift, REDLINE and zoom

MustBeTL

So this will be your 3rd TL if you buy it? If that is the case I would probably be shopping something else And it probably wouldn't be a Honda Accord. I really like the new accord, but I think it is much more of a car a person who isn't as into cars would buy. Seems like most people who buy TL's are "into" cars and if they switch to the accords they are going coupe's. I know tons of people who buy the accord since it is reliable, good enough on gas, and a great all around car.

On the flip side, money talks. Are you going to be trading in your 2005 TL?

Blazing GT

The accord is for the poor!!
Acura FTMFW

TLR-04

just ask yourself which one would you rather be driving on a daily basis. Close your eyes and think.............................. If your smiling while your thinking about the 5K in your pocket.... then your choice is the Accord. If you're smiling thinking about yourself cruising in a TL then the 5K doesn't matter at this point.

Good luck.....


I pray you make the right decision....!!!



























TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL.......(Accord?....NAW.....) TL TL TL TL TL TL TL
*******NON SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE*******

oneclu

yeah for 5k more you def. get more WOW for your buck.

awood

Yes, I will be trading the TL. I did look around a bit for more of an "enthusiast's" car, but the problem is that $30K to $35K is about my limit and all the alternatives to Acura that I like are pushing $40K or above (like the IS350 and G37).

eaglegreen48

I would buy a used TL before I bought a new Accord. The Accord is nice looking, but what's special about an Accord?