Hello all,

I've been looking to buy an used 04~05 TL for about a month and found great one owner (old gentleman) 04 TL and test drove it today.

Exterior and interior are overall great condition with just a few minor items, but when I looked at the engine bay there were some parts that look rusted, but being a non-car expert I'm not sure if it's just normal for a 5 year old used car or not. Other than this specific area, everywhere else in the engine bay looked clean with just some dusts.

Please see pictures below (last two) and I'd appreciate if you guys can let me know if there's anything I need to be concerned.

I also heard a quite loud hmmmm noise when I turned on AC (sounds like AC fan noise or something) and am wondering if it's normal. It seems to disappear after a while.

This car is an one owner 04 TL automatic with NAV with 49k miles located in westsouth VA. No accident history (according to the owner/CarFax verified). The owner had done oil changes at Merchant Tires, and other local shops and nothing special was done other than oil change, tires, and alignment. I checked the color of transmission fluid and it looked light brown.

The car drove nicely overall but found the suspension a bit stiff and the leather seat is kinda firm without enough cushion (compared to leather seat in my wife's Odyssey). I noticed rattle from somewhere a few times when going over bumps.

I'm buying this for $14k. Is this a decent deal?

All advices will be appreciated. I may become a 3rd Gen TL owner very soon!

 

looks like normal rust on exhaust manifold, minor surface corrosion on aluminum parts. i have a 04 that looks the same.
cant tell about your blower but the price and the looks of the car are great.
id buy esp with the nav. good luck. snooze you loose !

 

car seems to be in good shape ... i would buy it

 

the rattles and firm leather come standard in these cars
i never really recommend 1st yr of any models but perhaps the 2004 guys here can help. id look out for dashboard (any cracks) cuz i know that maybe possible

 

looks good to me. I'd get a mechanic to check it tho. Pay attention to the trans especially since some 04's have a bad history

 

You will need to have the acura recall done for the wipers and Power steering pump. As well an Engine and Cabin Air filter change will be needed, new brake fluid, and maybe some other brake parts replaced since the fluid should be changed once a year (it starts to get moisture and rusts the rest of the brake components = BAD) and probably a 3x3 of the transmission fluid.


Has the owner had any work done at the dealer? If not, I'd serious haggle 2-3K off the car since it will cost a bit if the above work is needed, esp the brake stuff!

 

Actually the brake fluid does not need to be changed until the car is 4 years old, then once a year after that. A brake fluid flush cost me $80 at the dealer.

 

My 07 hums when the A/C is on. I just assumed it was normal.

 

it is, and a correction on the brake fluid, its 3 years after the car is made, and then once a year after that.

 

smart people dont wait until year 3 to change the brake fluid!!
wiki HYGROSCOPIC to understand

Its bad after a year- why do you think its once a year after the first time?
Acura wanted to cut down on appearent maitenance --so the book says `as needed` on many things (valve adjustment),
and brake fluid starting at the beginning of year 3
Book calls for new fluids at 60
At 50k miles it due for all the oil fluids all ~flushed~
Trans drain and fill not machine flushed- other parts simple drain and refill is considered flush by acura- see owner book

May need front rotors and and pads all around

Have a private shop look it over for you- 50 bucks well spent!

Trans fluid is all important on these cars- 04 has gen2s problems for sure!!!
brownish--not good
Get a warranty for the trans to 100k from acura or aftermarket company to be safe
(info from gen2 owner with multi trans failures)

 

ac hum can be dirty cabin air filter- simple 20 minute DIY the dealer gets 150 for that job!!! very few used cars had it done
Will be dirty like you cant believe- filter flow restriction causes fan to make noise and run harder and longer than needed
All the cabin air was passing thru it for you to breathe!
Suggest aftermarket brand with charcoal added for cleanest air

 

Thank you all for your replies. I have a few questions.

1. Will any Acura dealers perform repair of the recall items (windshield wipers and power steering pump) on out-of-warranty TL's or second owner TL's?
2. Could you provide me a list of fluid items that need to be flushed at 50k service?

I was very happy and thought I made a great deal, but I'm seriously thinking about it again with all the potential issues I might encounter in the future.

Would it be smart to have it inspected at Acura dealership or independent mechanic? The car is located 2 hours from me so I do not know any mechanics in that area.

I already made an offer of $14k after the test drive yesterday and the owner accpeted it after some negotiation (his asking price was $15,999) and I am supposed to pay it in full and take ownership this evening. Is it still ok to renegotiate with the owner or ask him more time for the inspection?

 

You made an offer and he accepted. It wouldn't be ethical to try and renegotiate at this point. Plus, it's a great price for a car like that. If I were to sell my 2004 TL with Navi and 16,000 miles, I would be looking for $18-19,000.

The maintenance items mentioned are very conservative. I changed my brake fluid at 3 years and it looked a little discolored. I have drained and flushed radiator, drained and filled auto tranny. I am meticulous about maintenance even though the car is very low mileage.

Maintenance recommendations have to cover a full range of driving conditions in the market, including severe winters, dust, salt water, etc. The conditions in NC and VA are pretty easy on most cars.

IOW, don't be scared by the maintenance recommendations. If the first owner didn't do them, it's not a big deal to do them yourself or have them done. The recalls are not dependent on warranty limits or ownership. They are to fix a "fault" on the car and the dealer will do it regardless. He gets paid for it from Acura. Any dealer can look it up on the computer to see if your car has had the recall done. It almost certainly has been since the original owner receives a letter from Acura telling him to take it to the dealer for the fix.

Of all these maintenance items, the most important is the transmission drain and fill. It's not really called for yet, but I did mine early since there were some issues on early 2004s. If you have the VIN number, check the thread on here which tells the point at which a modification was done to the '04 transmission 2nd gear lube line was made. If the last six numbers of your VIN are 014224 or less your '04 TL is affected. There is a Technical Service Bulletin and a recall on these early '04s so, again, if it is an early one, chances are it has already been corrected. The dealer will know. Also, ask the seller. He should have the paper work.

FLUIDS TO BE CHANGED at 5 years or 50,000 (IMO)

Transmission (drain and fill three times) approx. $50
Cooling sytem approx. $50
Brake fluid approx. $50

Acura dealers (most) will perform a thorough inspection for free. Just have them make clear which things are optional and which are definitely needed. The purpose of the inspection is to sell you service work so keep that in mind.

If it hasn't had the battery replaced yet, it is about due. That's $75-$100. WalMart has a top rated battery for $75 installed. The dealer is more.

 

Thanks for your input.

Would it be ok to do some regular maintenances (oil changes, fluid changes, transmission fluid drain and fill, brake fluids, etc) through Honda dealership rather than Acura assuming the price at Honda dealership is cheaper?

 

FIRST: Re-read my previous post as I made some additions.

Yes, definitely. I don't know if the Honda dealer is cheaper... but, when you get them up in the air, they pretty much look the same anyway. Engines, trannies, cooling systems, brakes are often identical. I like to do all the work myself but if I were taking it to a dealer, I wouldn't hesitate to go to a good Honda dealer. As a matter of fact, in my town, the same guy owns both dealerships: Rick Case.

 

you can do regular maitenance yourself- keep receipts
or private shop or honda or acura-
Never assume recalls were taken care of- I bet there are members here still didnt take care of the wiper motor or ps hose--get the notice and forget about it
The dealer can run the vin or you can call acura 1-800-382-2238x5

I would not go further until its been inspected by a mechanic- your test drive wont reveal all the hidden or normal wearout things

All negotiations are open until the paperwork is signed- both parties are free to walk away..he can sell it to someone else this morning for higher price if he wants
If there is undisclosed damage or repairs, you are certainly able to walk with no issue- verbal agreements are not binding on this type deal
Ask a car salesman- they promise you a price you agree to- then come back saying- the sales manager wont go for it- he wants xxx more
Was there a contract? not in their opinion

Any purchase offer should be contingent on passing tech inspection for sure
If there are 500 dollars of brake work needing immediate attention- thats an item you can work with in the price

 

I've never heard that a coolant change needs to be done this early...

 

while acura says you can go 7 years on the original coolant- IF you are in the `normal service` not the `severe` section (many of us in severe without knowing)
then it cuts it down to 60 for the timing belt- you do the water pump then so it gets new coolant as a result

If you read coolant bottles- most last 5 years max, then the additives go bad and the mix turns acidic--anyone remember science class and acids in aluminum environment?
Not a good match
It certainly wont hurt to change coolant at 5 years- and brake fluid starting after the first year- then every year- It doesnt have to look bad to be absorbing moisture from the air every day
Is it humid or salty where you live-based on the surface corrosion I would say yes- even more moisture for the fluid to snatch up

I flush the brake fluid before and after a track day, or mountain fun run days with 200 miles of pushing it very hard..
fresh brake fluid is cheap- and keeps you from breaking the car~

back on topic- reading the OP again- it appears to be a good deal, clean body, oil changed regularly, thats the main thing on a TL maitenance- oil changes

I would seafoam it to get the `old man driving` out of the engine- then reset the ECU so it learns how you drive
Good luck on the tech inspection- check the tire tread depth and wear pattern
Probably ok since alignment was kept up with, but as a former tech I advise on all possibles just in case

 

I'd like to know how xpiditor is getting 9 or 12 qts of honda ZR fluid for 50 bucks AND labor?? Its 7 bucks or more around here- per Quart

 

01tl4tl: I think you are OVERLY cautious!

I didn't change my brake fluid until my car was 4 and a half years old and everything has been fine so far.

 

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all the advices. When I made him the final offer I actually told him I'll not get it inspected to get the sale closed early (he needs cash ASAP for his daughter's wedding). I'll just proceed with the final price and will try to get the below works done.

1. Recall works (he said the windshield wiper recall has not been done. not sure about the PS pump.
2. Tranny fluid drain and fill 3x3
3. Brake fluid change (The car is over 5 years old and no brake jobs were done)
4. Cabin air filter (He did say the air filter was changed)
5. Coolant?

How much would the above items cost? I'll try to have Acura dealer take care of it if it's not too expensive and ask them to throughly check the car to see if there's any repair needs.

By the way, the last six digits of VIN is higher than 014224. Does it mean it's less prone to the tranny failure on 04 TL's? How many 04-TL owners here have tranny issues?

Also, how do I reset ECU for it to learn how I drive?

Thanks again!

 

I didn't include labor as I do all that myself; most anyone can as step-by-step instructions are given right here with photos.

I just checked my receipt for the AT-Z and it was $54 for 9 quarts. I could only fit about 3 qts in after each drain.

 

Modifications were made at the factory on your vehicle so I wouldn't worry about the tranny lube defect.

Recall, IIRC, is just to put a heat shield on the hose which is close to exhaust to prevent it from being damaged by heat.

Again... whatever has not been done on recalls, any Acura dealer can check and will do it at no charge.

I think you will need to have a tech reset the ECU as it requires special tools/computer connection.

It will probably "learn" your way of driving eventually anyway. Mine changes all the time depending on my driving style: long trips or short, lead-foot hops around town. It's subtle. You probably wouldn't notice.

I'm not sold on Sea Foam so I'll reserve comment on that. In general, I mistrust add-ons and additives.

 

My recommendation to you is to do the following:

- Brake fluid flush (I remember paying $120 at the dealer for this.)
- Transmission fluid drain and fill (Do this once, then again the next day then once more the day after. The reason for the drain and fill three times is so that you get all the dirty fluid out of there. Since you arent flushing the system you aren't getting all the fluid that sits within the Torque Converter/Transmission, therefore as a precaution do the drain and fill method three times to ensure fluid is clean).
- Cabin air filter (Not to be mistaken for the Air filter for the motor, the cabin air filter cleans the air within the car. This is necessary because if it is left unchanged it will result in a musty smell every time the A/C is used, and it could release mold into the cabin, its more for personal comfort rather than vehicle performance).
- Engine Air filter (If it's dirty it should be replaced).


Generally when I went to get my oil changed at a local oil change shop they always filled my coolant free of charge, so it was always maintained, although a coolant flush isn't a bad idea, but I'd recommend doing it before the winter comes if its in bad shape.

 

I finally picked it up last night and paid the previous owner the full price that was agreed. Drove an hour back home and the car felt tight and drove very well. Sound system was excellent and GPS navigation was great. I'll have to buy a update map disk sometime later though.

Few things that I noticed. I had to keep the steering wheel little bit to right to keep the car driving straight. Is the alignment off? Steering wheel also felt light even at high speed. Also, when AC is on, I could feel a little vibration on a steering wheel which may be from the AC blower/fan. I'll try to change cabin filter to see if it makes any difference.

What do you guys recommend for the cabin filter replacement? I was going to buy one from local NAPA or Autozone.

I'm very happy to finally become a TL owner and hope I can enjoy this car long time without problems.

Thanks again for all your help!