My thoughts exactly. I love my base tl.

Also, I have an 04 and I've never had any of those problems that people are saying have been worked out in the 07-08. I'm just coming up on 100k miles tho.

 

When I purchased our '04 WDP, the TL-S wasn't out, but if it were I would have purchased the TL-S, but as the wife doesn't like the TL-S there may have been a battle. I find it better to just purchase the top model if pricing isn't too rediculous.

 

Very good thread ...I too have been debating whether to get the 07 base w/Navi or go with the Type S. I still got about a year of saving to do before I pull the trigger on one, Hopefully they'll go down a pinch more. In my area (Philly) they're not a whole lot of 07s for sale at the time. Most Type S go for around 25k, I did see maybe 1 or 2 with 40k miles under 24k. I'm willing to get one out of state (NOVA or NJ, NY area) if I can get a good deal

 

i got a base and regret not getting a type s. yea ppl will say the money you save from the price difference can get you a lot of mods but in the end i find everybody always wanna mirror the type s and besides i think the red interior theme of the type s is so sexy

 

I'm BIG on performance so when I was getting my 08 Accord in for service and was rolling aroung the lot (in my wheel chair) looking at TL's, I didn't even look at the Type-S because I'd Save a HELL of a lot of cash that i could use for mods as well as a 18in wheel i really like and be still under budget Compared to the Type-S's on the lot.

Now something you didn't mention is if you wanted auto or m/t. If you wanted m/t you'd really save a LOT if you got 04-06 6spd and only be a few tenths slower than a Type-S m/t.

04-06 6spd and Type-S 6spd 0-60 low 6sec 1/4 mile low 14's
04-08 auto and Type-S auto 0-60 mid to high 6sec 1/4 mile mid to high 14's.

I hope this data will help you. This is why after reading a lot myself I chose to go with a Non Type-S model and keep some money in my pocket during this time of hard ache. I LOVE my car. I enjoy driving it every chance i get. Those 258hp bring a smile to my face everytime the cams change at VTEC x-over.

I feel the soft blue and white LED's are great. Yes you save a lot of money buy buying the non type-S. You can easily make 28hp+ the typ-S makes with less money and buying the Type-S rear-sway bar ($42.00) all with less cash than the type-S. Either way you'll own one of the best sport luxury sedans built today.

Keep us posted!!!

 

Seems to be contradictory as if you are BIG on performance, why wouldn't one buy the TL-S? As far as making up the 28 extra HP, it's not going to be inexpensive and there are many more items on the TL-S then just a different rear sway bar and difference in HP, especially when we're talking base TL.

 

if you get a base model, dont ever drive a Type S. Once I drove a Type S and then a base, it was irresistible to deny the Type S regards to overall ride quality, sound, and speed. I picked up my 07 WDP Type S for $19K with 70K. Sure you can go with a base and convert everything to Type S aesthetically, obviously youre not gonna go and spend the money on a motor swap. Just get the Type S unless youre not gonna look back a couple weeks/months later and wish you didnt get the base. Just my two cents...

I dont know where you got your numbers, but I did some searching for 0-60 times for an 07 Type S, and not a single one of them said the 0-60 times were in the 6 seconds range. Neither auto or manual. All numbers were posted from tests were in the 5's...just thought I'd throw that in there.

 

I think his point was that he could increase the performance of a base TL using the money he saved instead of just buying a TL-s and being tapped out on cash. If you put ~$5k into a M/T base TL I'm pretty sure you'd be rolling quicker than a stock Type-S... I think that's what he's saying...

 

Agreed. If I was that BIG on performance, why not start off with a TL-S and then mod it some more. Yes, I understand the argument of buying a base and then pouring money into it and exceeding the TL-S in stock form.....

 

^ However, If I was that BIG on performance... I wouldn't get a TL... :twocents:

 

Kind of a weird statement. Im BIG into performance so im not even going to consider the higher end model that has more performance right from the factory lol. Like jsonkimz said above, if you were so into performance you wouldnt be driving a heavy 4 door FWD sedan with only 250 hp hehe. Like I said before I love all TL's, but I personally prefer driving the high end version of any car..I would imagine anyone would.

James

 

^ why didn't you get a ZR1

 

^ dahaha

 

Not to change the thread, but can't resist as this would be my ultimate choice, foreign or domestic. Better add that we're speaking of the new Vette, not the one from the from the 70's.

 

A/T or M/T doesnt really matter to me at this point, which ever I can find the best deal on. I obviously would rather have the type s but I wouldn't be able to afford modding for quite awhile. With the base I can mod right away and this sounds korny but I take pride in building my car to my personal liking.

For those who have the type s and hit the 80-100k mile mark have you had any big problems?

 

^no.

these are honda's.as long as you maintain the car, you wont have any major problems for 200-300k miles. (granted there are some problems that do occur, but not any major)

and so what if you cant mod. grow up and take responsibility. if that means paying off a car before you can mod it, then so be it

 

Because when I bought my Z06 there was no ZR1. Z06 was the top dawg But you got me on that one because theres no way I was going to spend $120,000 on a car lol. What I should have said was the high end model of reasonably priced cars :-)

James

 

I would agree!! I guess I am in the opposite boat though, I came from a Subaru Legacy, which has a LOT of modding potential. I went with the Acura because I wanted a nice looking, classy car, and DON"T plan on modding it. If I wanted to mod a car I wouldn't buy a fwd family cruiser! I am loving it so far though, nice to not worry about what you want to do next to a car.

 

I had a 05 Base TL... and I regretted not getting a Type-S after joining this forum. Then, that TL got totaled and now I own a KBP Type-S and there's no REGRET at all I LOVE THIS CAR!

 

Yeah, when I was car shopping I wasn't looking for a sports car to lay down a bunch of HP. I wanted a comfortable and drivable car that I would enjoy on my 100 mile round trip commute every day. The fact that the car puts out a decent amount of HP for what it is is simply a bonus. But a fast car it is not.

 

I got my 05 6 speed for $23.5k when the lowest priced type-s around me was $40k+. Do I regret not getting a type-s, hell no.

 

^ I agree... I picked up my 05 for $16k when the lowest Type-S I could find was $24k... never looked back.

 

Whats you're zip and price range? The 04-06 6spd will give you the performance at or near the Type-S for 4-8k less depending on miles of coarse. How far are you willing to travel too?

 

Well yeah if you are comparing an 05 to an 07-08 the price is going to be pretty significant. If that is the case, the 05 is a great deal. The gap would be much smaller I would think if you are comparing same model year TL vs TLS. I would think the real challenge with regard to the 05's is finding one without excess mileage.

 

with Parasurfer, I have the 04base tl modded out,and me and another aziner were messing around on the highway at around 60mph roll. he had a type-s and it was a sixspeed. he kept pulling from me My opinion is get the type-s m/t if you can afford it Best of both worldsThe only mod he had at the time was an exhaust. But look at my signature,i would have thought we would have been neck and neck,(not)

 

That would be the responsible thing to do but after reading this site everyday it would be hard lol.

01852 Lowell, MA prince range is $16k for the base $22k for the type s. I'm trying to find either one with under 80k miles preferably NBP.

That pretty much changed my opinion. Thanks for your input.

 

Get the type S! I drove a non type S loaner for about 1 week and immediately felt the difference. I couldn't wait to get back into my own car.

 

Get the Type-S. I look at it this way. If there's even a thought in your mind that you may regret getting a Base later on, spend the extra money and get the Type-S. In the long run, that extra money is just going to be a drop in the bucket anyway. Of course, that's assuming you can afford to spend the extra cash. You're going to spend a good chunk of change on a car, might as well get what you want.

 

08 WDP 6MT TL-S 27xxx $25k
If you don't have a type S you don't have a type S

 

I know this is a little off topic but does the type s have the same bass rattle problem as the 04-06 base?

 

If you're talking about the subwoofer, yes.

 

I originally got my base TL in NBP and it was Auto. IT was a great car. I got her up to 122K and then traded it in for my NBP 2007 TL-S Six speed. I had my base mod'd to look just like a Type S. And it still pulled very good. I found a Type S with 34K, and I had to get it. I dont regret trading in my base at all. Though I loved my base, it did what it did great. And to the people saying the Type S isnt really fast? I assure you it is. I'm surprised how much it pulls over 100MPH. It pulls so much more than my base that it's not funny. The 6MT definitely made itself obvious with different gear ratios. I love them both, just you gotta know which one is perfect for you. The TL is great Type S or not. Very reliable and decently easy to fix yourself.

 

Yeah, my bad... I should have specified that I was talking about the 3G TL in general... If I was trying to decide between an 07-08 base or a Type-S for just a few thousand more it would be a tougher decision. However, there are not enough differences between the 04/05/06 and 07/08 model years to make me want the newer models. I would rather have a low mileage 04/05/06 for much less. So when you compare those to the Type-S I would rather spend much, much less. That was what I meant...

What's your point?

Sorry, buddy... It's really NOT. It might be fast to YOU, or faster than your base TL was, but it's not fast... Fast must be becoming a relative term because I see more and more people talking about "fast" TL's... I agree with you that it's a GREAT all around car in either form, and it has a decent amount of pick-up for what it is (an entry level luxury sedan), but fast it is not.

People need to learn what fast is...

 

If you can find a low mileage 04-06, I'd say jump on it! I am not a fan of the absolute plain jane base ones, but just throw on the trunk spoiler and that side body molding and I love them. Saw a nice 05(I think) silver one yesterday and it looked sharp as hell with just those two little things on it.

 

A car that can beat 90% of other vehicles on the road is fast buddy. Especially when it can pull almost a 13.9 in the 1/4 stock. So fast it is. It can keep up with older styled M3's. And well... the M3 is considered fast, why not let the TL-S get some credit. It aint the fastest thing around by all means, but I can keep up with these so called... really really fast cars.

 

Let's break it down in regards to this "$7k" difference shall we?

**Type S - 3.5 vs 3.2**

Are you going to do a motor swap? How much would parts and labor set you back? Several grand?

**Type S - standard in dash Navi GPS**

Non type S Navi GPS option is about $500-750 more. You can buy a gps at the store for $200 but that's not in-dash and the screens are much smaller.

**Type S - sport tuned suspension**

Aspec suspension and coilovers are available at $1k or so.

**Type S rims vs non type s rims**

This is just matter of choice. Some people hate them some people like them. let's say you wanted to change the rims on your non type S but that would set you back at least 2k for okay wheels and tires. 3-4k for jdm stuff.

**Type S - quad exhaust**

ATLP is available and that's at least $1k

**Type S - more HP**

What mods are you going to do to match or exceed the HP of the type S? And how much would this cost?

**Type S bumpers, headlights, taillights logo + stitching, steering wheel, and whatever else I forgot...**

What about all of these? Don't want it? Don't need it? That's ok too.

With all of these things I could tell you in my opinion that the difference in $7k or so is definitely worth it to get the Type S.

 

Extremely well said! It's all about if you need that or not. To upgrade the base to a Type S level would be about that 7K difference.

 

^ the extra 27hp could be matched or close to it with ATLP quads, rv-6 jpipe, cai, and high flow cat or even pcd's for about $3,000 or less. The nav come standard in the base i've been looking at. Headlights and tail lights are just a couple hundred and the suspension isn't a big deal to me

 

^^^ dude i will be honest with you...if you are looking to mod or keeping it as is, I would go for the type-s....yes i know the gauges + aspec kit are not the best but here is what will make the difference....

as silver surfer said (read my comments in BOLD) :

 

Ya thats a good point I forgot about selling the stock parts if I upgrade to aftermarket one