Hey guys I quickly made this account because ive been debating for a while now on a TL type s. Im just worried about any problems I might come across, the car is a 2007 with 139km on it....considerably quite low...It was listed for 11k (I live in Toronto) but I brought him down for 9250. The car is being sold as is, the owner openly told me to take a picture of the vin and check the car fax. (I havent done that yet) I was hoping TL owners can tell me what to check for or smell for. I drove the car and I was sort of distracted by 1 headlight out and a wiper rubber coming off. From what I felt I didnt like the power, I come from daily driving a s14 with a rb25det inside pushing close to 400hp. So when I drive a heavier, slower car i'm not sure how to feel about it. I smelled a bit of fuel when the car pulled up and the owner told me it has a small exhaust leak. To be honest it smelled like oil. not gas. But I could be wrong.. anyhow, when driving it I realized first gear is pretty damn long. I dont drive much manual cars, so again, Im not sure if thats just how it felt or if the clutch was slipping. The owner told me he has changed the clutch with a brand new flywheel. He said the clutch kit was 1200 and the new flywheel was 1300. When I had the car in first gear I had to balance it off and on to take off, it didnt just jump off. I believe when a clutch is new itll release quicker...? I would upload a picture of the car but Ill see if I can do it on my phone on a few minutes because im on my laptop. The car is pearl white, lowered on tien SS coils, almost no rust.. that I could find, no noises, the engine only smelled like hot air. Im just stuck, appreciate any help with letting me know common problems or what to check for. Thanks. P.s he said he put the original Acura clutch back in. Dont forget im getting this car for 9250....I was considering a 2006 IS350 for 10k. Oh and btw the car is an A-spec!!!

 

Forgot to mention that when I test drove the car it was on my dark as hell a street on a very rainy night. I listed the prices of the clutch parts because Im wondering if those prices seemed right... and another thing, the main thing im wondering is, if I did come across a common issue, would it be a pain and $$$ to fix it? or are they common easy fixes. Thanks again

 

[MODERATOR NOTE] - Thread moved to model-specific forum.

 

1.) Plenty of threads around that will walk through what to check for
2.) Exhaust leaks are not a common item on these cars
3.) A TL will feel like a turd if you are used to higher HP vehicles
4.) The TL clutch is an oddball and takes a while to get used to. Slipping clutches should be easy to see....do the RPMs go up without an increase in speed?
5.) Replacement clutch is not cheap in this car...really depends on where the parts were sourced from.

Take a closer look at the car during the day or better yet, take it somewhere for a pre-purchase inspection and see what they report back.

 

To add to the above, the parts for a clutch replacement can be had for under $500 (USD) from places like RockAuto, the expense is in the labor as the subframe needs to come down to drop the tranny.

 

OP the price is way too low for a manual type-s, especially with that low mileage.
Im not in the same market as you, im in Vancouver...but the markets are very similar.
For reference, I bought my 07 type-s with 160km on the clock for 12.500

do more research on the car and go see it at least one more time.
any maintenance records?
my bet is it has a rebuilt title or a major accident

 

+1 on damage to car. Check gaps and alignment of body panels. At that mileage that should run close to 13k cdn
IMO TL Type S suspension is low enough and OEM can probably take more of a beating so aftermarket suspension never increase value for me.
clutch engagement issues are fixed by doing the clutch slave cylinder valve delete.
oil leaks are common on this engine from oil pump & main seals.
Power steering may seep from pump, almost guaranteed.

 

 

+2 on this.

Check the Carfax.

 

seller is trying to dump that car

 

Im from Alberta but I did inquire about this car as well as it seemed like a sweet deal. The owner told me there was an minor front accident so maybe you can start checking there. Goodluck with the buy.