So since before I bought my TL Type S , my girl and I have always talked about how the TLs body line indention would look if it was filled in to be flush with the front and rear side markers. The more we talk about it the more I wonder if it would give it a cleaner smoother look.

What are your guyses thoughts on how that will look?

 

My It would look kinda boring without some sort of character line through it. My Accord doesn't have the indentation, and without any sort of prominent character line, it looks kinda boring. PS, anyone?

 

Thanks for your 2 cents. I can see what your saying.

 

the line is one of the best parts of the TL IMO if it were removed it would look less aggressive IMO

 

yeah the lines add a lot to the TL's appearance. one of my fav parts about the car actually. you don't see too many cars with it.

 

well, except the 8th gen Accord. every time I see one, I curse at it, and say to myself....Mine came first.


but yeah, you would have the an ugly ass car, if that line is filled in.

 

+1

Its one of the things that attracted me to the car first.

 

Its like a panty line ... err never mind ...

 

Agree it would look so boring without it. it adds to the look of the car! That and good lick shaving it as the door handles sit in it along with the side market lights

 

Just take a look at the TSX's that were being produced at the same time. The side panels are roughly the same overall shape, but without the indentation line:


Kind of bland if you ask me. The TL's line adds character as others have pointed out.

 

How about you do it and then we can judge after

I like the thought, but it should end there.

 

 

Didn't forum member xclusv do that to his TL?

 

nevermind. He removed only the sidemarkers.

 

I think the indent is one of the best visual features of our cars. I've seen others try and copy it and now someone wants to get rid of it.

 

leave the line - it fits the car tooo well!

 

The line looks good. IMO, I would take out the lights and fill the holes. Like o4komodo said, a member has done this and I like how it looks. I can't seem to find the thread though.

 

I like the way the line looks. Plus I like the way the front and rear side markers are integrated into the line also.

 

yea without the body line you just have a tsx

 

this

 

The picture(s) in his thread(s) seems to be broken.
I did a Google search with 'acurazine' 'xclusv' 'here i go again'.
Lead me here:
https://acurazine.com/forums/members/xsclusv-247539-albums-xsclusv-1217/
Member name: xsclusv

 

Fill the indent? Would look retarded.

 

Now that looks good!!

 

Indent line ftw.

Not as good without it.

 

Again, I find it funny that so many people go to the trouble of adding the side lights on cars that did not come with them and even adding the indents and some on here want to get rid of them.

It goes along with my theory that people just have to change things from factory even if it's not for the better.

The side lights really make the TL stand out at night. IMO it looks much more expensive than it is and looks more European. The 3g body is one of the few cars that I would not change a thing on. Everything just goes together and removing just one thing would make it look bad.

 

^Word. I actually get compliments on the side markers frequently. Odd, but appreciated.

 

+1 on this man, i think that we are simply naturally inclined to change things from stock because it makes our car different, exactly what i was thinking when i first saw the thread. and about the side marker lights too man, my exact thought i feel like it looks SSSSOOO good and does make the car look more expensive, or even sportier if you ask me. if i would change anything in my 3g would only be making look exactly like the 3g tl-s. that there is perfection.

and to the OP, i think what i understood from your post is that you wanted to fill the indentation to be flush with the side marker and handles, making it a long bump, so this would still be different than the tsx. it would simply be a long body molding instead of the indentation. i still think the feature is perfect as it is man.

 

I have been searching online for a while now to see if I can find someone that has done this to see if I like, just like the Lexus IS 250/350 it has a smooth panel and doors with No indentation or ridges and I think it would look great on our 3G's again I wouldn't dare to try it until I see one done, so if any can try and find one and upload the pictures on this thread would be GREAT!! Again this would be to get rid of the indentations itself not shaving the door handles just "No Lines" .

 

don't. The line is one of the unique features about the 3G TL, noted in almost every car review at the time of its release. I look at the accord of the same generation and it looks bland with its smooth sides. there's no definition.

 

Absolutely do not! that is a very intentional design item. a character line that is instantly recognizable. I would actually love to see it done just so you could see how that would completely alter your perception of the cars design.

I would prefer to ditch the door handles from that recess.

 

I think the character lines are attractive and set the TL apart from so many slab sided cars that exist now. You can identify a TL from a long distance by that feature and the marker lights.

Now even the newer 2008-12 Accords have that design element and the BMWs have had it for some time.

The only negative I see with those lines is that it makes it a 'tad' harder to dry the car after washing it. Not a huge deal and worth the extra bit of time- perhaps 30 seconds to sweep the line with a microfiber towel.

 

i like the line, and i like how they repeated the line in each door handle :-)

 

^^ dont you dare put a chrome strip in that handle groove!

 

What's next? Someone wanted to put pinstripe in the body crease? I totally agree the crease is part of the TL style. Remove it and you have generic rounded sides.

 

The "indentation" is known as a Hoffmiester Kink and helps break up the body lines and gives it a certain visual aspect. Filling it in would make the car look VERY bland.

 

I know I said the same thing over 2 years ago in this thread but I love the line. Back when the car was new, the body line was talked about a lot. Maybe it's more common today but when I bought the car in Dec of '05 there were very few out there with a body line like this.

 

If you fill it properly then your door handles will stick further out since they sit in the indention and that will look like butt.

 

I was driving on the 5 yesterday and noticed even a Nissan Sentra had a body line- not nearly as nice as the TL's but a line none the less. I wouldn't change the line. In fact the 4g TL side view is lacking something to me and that would be the body line of coarse.

 

No it isn't...

Curious why nobody has "shopped" a comparison yet?

 

^
Sorry Monkey- CsMeance only misspelled the name- he's correct otherwise. This is what the indent actually is. Here's a great link on BMW's lineage of this: http://www.newmediacampaigns.com/pag...-design-detail