Hey i've been looking up TL-S and i was wondering if getting the auto version is a bad idea.....i like the feel of downshifting from 5th into 4th and having the clutch and i am wondering if you still get the same feeling with the "manual" Autmatic.

 

the auto puts down less power than the manual.


6MT or DIE.

 

I would totally agree but i can't find any.

 

When i bought mine, there were no manual's to be found anywhere near me. So i took a WDP auto. Works fine for me.

 

Way to settle...

manual > auto any day of the week. Even days with heavy traffic.

 

It depends if you want to DRIVE the car or RIDE the car

 

why bother with an auto, you will always be lusting for that stick


but seriously if you are even thinking about wanting the 6-speed i would say wait it out till you find one

 

well said !!

 

Downshifting from 5th to 4rd or even 5th to 3rd in my 5 A/T TL-S works just fine for me. But, just like the others are saying, if you truly want a 6-speed, then hold out til you find the right one.

 

Do a nationwide search on Autotrader.com and then save your search to your bookmarks. Search every day until you find the right car from the right seller, then use your new car as an excuse to take an extended weekend vacation with a nice road trip. The TL is an outstanding freeway cruiser. Trust me, the 6MT is worth it.

 

Amen to that. I have never owned an automatic and I probably never will.

I was looking for a 6MT TL for about a month and I finally found one and since 3/17 I am a proud owner of a 06 TL. Had to take a 8 hr bus ride and then 450 mile trip back but it was worth it and like you said its an "outstanding freeway cruiser" fell in love with it after about 5 miles of driving

 

It really depends on your situation and what you are looking for. I have never owned a manual car so I knew that my TL had to be one. It took me a few months to find mine because I wanted it Acura CPO, with the right interior/exterior color.

If you have owned a manual before, an auto might be a good change for you.

If you are "thinking" about wanting to have the clutch, then find a manual, otherwise you will regret.

But regardless, TL is a good car either way.

 

Though the automatic could do just fine, just don't test drive both back-to-back otherwise you'll end up wanting the 6MT. There is a noticeable difference in responsiveness. If you really want a 6MT you'll have to be willing to drive/fly a few miles to get the one you want. NBP is probably the most available color on the market and the inventory at any given time for 6MT TL-Ss < 50k miles lingers around ~60 in the US. Good luck.

 

Drive both and make the decision yourself. Everyone has different opinions on this.

 

This topic never dies. Having said that, how can one say that the TL A/T would feel like the 6M/T? If you want to shift all the time, get the M/T, if not A/T. I personally wouldn't want a M/T in the TL, but one of our other cars has a manual as an A/T wasn't even an option.

Here's a few:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/auto-manual-645126/
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/trying-decide-635623/
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/acceleration-6spd-manual-transmission-vs-5-speed-auto-559155/

 

I have an auto and its pretty quick for what it is. But don't get it twisted the 6MT is probably way more fun to drive and its quicker in a straight line and also has a limited slip differential. I've never driven one, actually when I was shopping for a TL I specifically wanted an automatic. But now that I think about it, I should have gotten a manual. Oh well, I'm still very happy and content.

If you want a manual, GET IT because the auto just isn't the same.

 

I have one of each ('04 manual and an '05 automatic) and I can tell you the manual is what this car was intended to have. Don't believe me? Get your hands on the sales brochures for those two years. Not one TL is highlighted with an automatic.

 

..........

With a manual, YOU drive the car.
With an automatic, the car drives YOU.

'Nuff said!
.
.

 

If you can't find a 6MT Type-S, there's always a 2004-2006 6MT. It is not as powerful (258 to 286HP), and the sway bars are slightly different but does have the Brembo's and the sway bars are stiffer than than the 5AT 2004-2006.

I have a 2005 6MT and with the GM FM MTF, it shifts great.
6MT FTW

 

Its a matter of preference. For me, as much as I'd like the thought of driving a stick and knowing how much fun it'd be, I don't know if I could bring myself to have a 6MT in my daily driver. I'd be afraid of getting tired of it every day. But maybe it isn't so bad, as many members LOVE their 6MTs.

 

I'm just the opposite. I know I would become bored rather quickly if, when work ended for the day, I had an automatic to look forward to on my way home. I know this because it has happened to me. The one automatic I owned for my own use was an '83 Toyota Cressida and the only reason I bought it with an automatic was because I thought I was going to be towing a boat with it. As it turned out, we used my wife's car.

I would quickly tire of driving an automatic for my work commute every day. Of course, I no longer need to do this as I no longer have to go to work.

 

Here is my input on the matter. I previously owned a 07 automatic Type S and remember all of the posts of people saying the 6mt Type S is significantly faster than the auto yada yada. I kind of thought whatever cant be that big of a difference if any at all. Holy crap was I wrong!! So im looking at Type S's again and now I am for sure set on the 6mt and after test driving a few it is like a completely different car!! The acceleration felt significantly stronger than my 07 auto Type S. I didnt believe it either until I drove one. And its not like I dont know what fast is as I also owned a 505hp C6 Z06 vette.

So now the problem as mentioned above is if you are set on a 6mt you are almost for sure going to have to travel to get it. And if your set on a specific combo it can take travelling and a lot of time. Thats exactly what im doing I finally found the one I wanted and its out in Kansas City MO. I fly out tuesday morning to get it :-)

I was set on 07/08 6mt Type S MUST have black interior and be CBP, NBP, or MRP.

 

i currently own a type s automatic ... and my biggest regret is not getting in manual ... i would def say wait around til you can find a manual. i would trade mine for a manual, but it doesn't make financial sense, so my next car will def be manual

 

^agreed.

i like my A/T type-s...and it is pretty quick with the bolt-ons i have...but yes, i'd prefer a manual. i just couldn't find one in decent condition in my area and got tired of waiting around. sport shift is fun tho...that's how i drive 95% of the time.

but in the end, i don't really regret not getting a 6spd...i'm honestly just happy to have a nice car to drive around.

 

for me it is a way to release after work, being able to tear it up (instead of having to be gentle with customer's cars during the day (maybe not totally...., but nowhere close to how i drive my car sometimes )

 

what makes me regret it the most, was i bought my car new and they had a whole lot full of type s's in 6spd and auto ... and my dumbass bought the auto because i thought the paddle shifters were cool ... that wore of in like 2 mins after i took delivery

 

This subject never dies. Why not search the other 100 transmission/flamewar threads instead of starting another.

Lol at the way some people romanticize the 6mt. It's a FWD 258hp car for God's sake. It's slow in 5at form and slow as a 6mt. If you like shifting, get the 6mt. If you don't, get the auto. Rowing your own gears does not make it a driver's car. Get something with balls that you really have to "drive" and you'll see the difference. 258hp, FWD, 3,600lbs, and all of the electronic nannies does not make a driver's car no matter what trans you have.

 

I waited for a manual with the right price and mileage to pop up. It can literally take months--one or two 6MTs pop up a month from me on autotrader vs. over 2 hundred automatics. Then there are the few other higher mileage ridiculously priced TLs.

If you want a manual wait for it.

Fast or not, the 6MT is just cool to have since it's hard to find. 9 6MTs within 75 miles, the lower mile ones <60k going for near 20k.

To put it in perspective, you can find over 3x more manual E46 M3s.

 

That's because a manual M3 is a sports car. I would only get one in manual.

 

I almost always 100% agree with you and for the most part I do here as well. I can only speak for the Type S and yes even though its a FWD big sedan I was actually pleasantly surprised at how quick and nimble the 6mt Type S's were that I test drove. Believe it or not I was so impressed that im going to buy one tuesday morning lol, and this is coming from a person who had a C6 Z06....you wanna talk about a handful...that car scared the shit out of me everytime I drove it..it was unreal

But yeah I see what your saying a 3500lb car with less than 300hp is not by any means going to be shockingly fast, but for whats its worth I was very surprised when I test drove a few 6mt Type S's. I loved it!!

James

 

I would never buy a type S unless its a manual, but everyone is different. No question this car was MADE to be a manual IMO. I was looking for almost a year before I found one in the color combo I wanted in the condition I wanted at a good price.
I had a CL typs S manual ago. I was bored by the car within a month. I just dont enjoy AT cars.

 

i would 6MT is the way to go! i drove 12 hours when i bought my 04 TL 6MT. My buddy has a 07 type s auto with the peddle shifters and i can beat his type s on a roll. haven't tried it from a dead stop. his car is stock and all i got is a CAI. so look hard and get a 6MT. but then it really depends what you want! good luck!

 

Yeah its weird the Honda V6 cars with manuals are quick...surprisingly quick! Even the 6spd V6 accords move right along. My friend ran his 04 Accord Coupe V6 6mt at the track for fun and ran a 14.01 @ 97mph stock even to the paper filter. I think thats about what the TL-S 6mt runs but the S gets around 100mph or so from what I have read.

 

What kind of bs is this . So whats a drivers car

 

...even though I love my TL-S 6mt, I have to wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

However, I may add that when I test drove an auto '08 TL-S, I couldn't feel the Type-S moniker. I kept wanting to engage a clutch and shift. Fate stepped in and delivered a fresh lease return. Engine still ticking warm from previous lessee, I took it for a drive, felt the 'excitement factor' and made my deposit. Time-n-place situation fated me toward the purchase that night. Finding a six speed was becoming tiresome though!

 

 

Power or sub 3,000lbs would be a start. Something that requires skill to control, something that will get you into trouble if you aren't on top of your game. Shifting gears is basic. You'll learn one day if you're lucky.

 

Im very insulted . Ive been driving manual since i was 14 im pretty sure i have a good hang of it. You probably dont, so enjoy RIDING your auto buddy. Not everyone can afford a supercar, and i bet most would agree the TL does have balls, type s or not.

 

I definitely respect your opinion, especially having owned a Z06. I've driven one and it was a handful with the traction control off but lots of fun.

I wouldn't mind the fun factor once in a while but mine is more a point a to b car with a great stereo so I can relax on the way home from work. I drove a stick for a bunch of years and I don't hate it at all.

I just can't get used to most foreign car's shifters and clutches. They feel too fragile to me, I can't even feel the clutch pedal. I have an old pair of worn out shoes that I used to wear to the track so I can feel the pedals better. I wore those when I did my test driving and I'm glad I did. I test drove a manual base, auto and manual TL-S and I could just barely tell a difference from my 5at base. The difference was there but I really had to pay attention to feel it. I don't street race this car except for the random once a year encounter so a few tenths doesn't make a difference to me. If I get serious I'll take the TL home and bring out the GN.

I have to ask though, why did you get rid of the Z06? That's one of my all time favorite cars. One of my friends is looking at used C6 Z06s so hopefully he gets one soon. I never got a chance to run a Z06 but I did get a casual encounter with a ZR1 right before my GN broke. Lots of respect for those cars.

 

Again, when you grow up you will understand these things. I've driven a manual for more years than you have had your driver's license and I used to race several of them regularly at the strip and Willow Springs so don't bother with your poor assumptions.

The TL is fast..... if you've never been in a fast car before. The fastest car you've been in always seems fast until you ride in a faster car. Same can be said about your driving ability, you're the best in the world...to yourself. I have numbers to back up that I'm not too bad at it.