STeelTL

the older ones WERE...the NEWER ones were turbocharged

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Where do you get that information from?

My mom has a 1997 Dodge Intrepid that was bought brand new. The only thing we have ever replaced on that car have been tires and brake pads. It's not a looker but it's been more reliable than my 01 CL-S and my 04 TL have been.

D's Up

To the OP, keep your TL. You're about to go into college and you'll be pinching every penny you can soon enough. Trust me, I'm in the same position. I have <2.5years left on my payments for my TL, after that I might switch cars. Who knows. All I'm saying is that at our age, high insurance + bad mpg + tuition = fail. Idk about you but I make minimum wage and I barely make do with the TL. lol. Stick it out a little bit dude, the TL is still a really nice car. The 3rd gen's design to me is timeless. . Treat yourself to something real nice in a few years... CPO M3 perhaps? hahaha

OP, I don't want to hijack your thread, but the IS350 is a bullet haha. No offense dude, but I think you're crazy. lol

viciouzchi

A charger down here in MIA is a " ME TOO " car. I see them everywhere. I would def keep the TL and put a SS or TURBO if your looking for power. I prefer the sexiness of the TL over the torque of a charger. You cant compare the payless interior of a charger to a nike interior of the TL. BUT that camaro is a different breed...

And at 17. If you drive a TL to me thats more rank then the charger...

I hate cars

If I didn't already have a fast car, it would be a no brainer to get the Charger/Challenger.

Say what you want about the mpg and interior but the TL will never put a smile on your face like 6.1L can.

But while we're on the subject, let's not forget all of the complaints of interior rattles with our TLs. Lets not forget that the TL is lucky to knock down 16mpg around town. It shines on the freeway but it has just about the worst city mpg of any car I've owned including my GN.

Now at 17, I don't know if it's a good choice. The TL's lack of power and FWD can be a real life saver. I owned a 12 second car when I was 17 and it was an 11 second car by the time I was 19. But I had many, many close calls, some might call it luck that I'm still around.

NYC04TL

Timb227

iTrader: (3)

The nicest of all the SRT would be the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Sexy exterior as well as a very nice interior. However, they are much more expensive than a charger.

SpiderX1016

x2, I was going to mention it. I'd take it over the Charger any day of the week.

MRTaylor

If you take out the RX8,the Cobalt (even if they are fairly quick), and the lexus, this list seems pretty much perfect.

S PAW 1

Gee, I can't compare a 1997, but have you ever heard of Consumer Reports?
More reliable than your '04 TL?.......please

S PAW 1

Have you guys driven the SRT8? IHC , it sounds like you have.
I was shocked at the light steering, and the inability to keep it in a straight line.

Wouldn't want to do 100 + mph with it.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

You don't have to get a smart ass attitude about it dude.

The Intrepid has never had a dead battery, a tranny that had to be replaced, or a cracked dashboard, unlike my CL-S and my TL. I'm speaking from experience. You are speaking from reading shit online that you haven't experienced first hand.

RonJonTL757

lol easy guys ever car is different even if its the same model. Ever heard of those "Monday and Friday" produced cars 9/10 they were just AFU beccause the line worker cut corners to go home or hated work on Mondays so he didnt give a shit.

@ S Paw1- think your 1997 comment about not being able to compare to a 2004 was a bit childish.. for example because i OWNED a 1999 Integra and I beat the piss out of that car day in and out and IT NEVER SAW THE DEALER not even for a recall or a warranty issue but my 2005 has been in @ the dealer over 10 times for THIS AND THAT. Ill go into detail if needed :wink:

@ CLtotheTL32-- lol i know that battery has been changed a few times lol

its simple more inovations and electronics the more shit that messes up
:gheyhug:

carfreak55

OP, if i were you I would keep my TL. but if u really want an AMERICAN MUSCLE.. get the CAMARO SS!! they're really CLEAN!!

I hate cars

I got to take one on a 10 minute test. Straight line was pretty fun. But you're right, steering has the typical American car dead on center feel.

For the rest, the Lexus IS350 also has dead steering, no feedback at all and the worst understeer I've ever experienced.

The RX8 is slower than the TL.

A stock EVO vs a stock TL from a roll is a driver's race.

G35 is a driver's race.

Of all of the imports on that list, the only ones I would trade the TL for is the M3, IS350, or 370Z. The rest are just too close perfomance wise to the TL.

Toddy

iTrader: (5)

i don't know how you drive but I know I drive mine pretty hard(got to if I don't want to get rear ended by someone around here) but I crank out 23mpg religiously around the city(most are short trips under 15 miles) and have gotten a best of 34 when driving across I40 from Nashville to Phoenix.

I agree that at 17 you don't need a 12 sec car. I has a ZZ4 powered s10 when I was in high school and got my drivers liscense suspended twice. My insurance is high now because of it but it was hella fun. I wish I still had that truck. I think my next project is gonna be a LSX powered RX7. 450 hp in a 2500 pound car sounds like itll be fun....

Clean>Rice

Really? when my friend's EVO X was stock...it kicked my ass every time in ever way haha. but you can throw so much into an EVO and its honestly, really really fun to tune. when you turn the steering wheel, the car follows in every way you could possibly want.

but to the OP, i got my TL when i was 17 and even tho sometimes i wonder if i should have gotten a G, EVO, or IS, i honestly never thought of getting a muscle car. your insurance will be SO HIGH. might as well save the money from the insurance and the money for the car. wait a bit and years down the line, you can get yourself an M3 (and ur insurance will be lower since ur older and assuming that you keep ur record clean ).

but those are my two cents.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

I don't believe the people that say at 17 you will be getting a deadly car. Just drive carefully on it, and resist, at all costs, the idiotic showboating that you might be tempted with, especially around girls.

If you can handle the insurance and gas costs, I say go for it!

Bayam0n

+1, I personally think american cars suck... espicially when it comes to interior design of the car, I haven't seen an american car look as good inside as it does outside.

S PAW 1

I've owned 4 new Acuras, starting with my 1998 Integra GSR.
Put as much as 144K on my '01 CL-S, for a total of over 300K combined. I have yet to replace a lightbulb. Minimal warranty work, and everyday maintenance is all

You are correct, though. I can't comment on the Intrepid

S PAW 1

My '07 TL-S looks good on the inside and outside IMO.
It came out of Marysville, Ohio

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Damn I can't lie, that's impressive

Costco

A few years back our paid off 2003 TL-S was sitting in our garage with my name on it. My mom paid for the insurance so essentially all I'd have to do is pay to put gas in it, she probably wouldn't take my money for the insurance on the car anyway.

So instead of driving the pristine, garaged low-mileage TL I went out and got my own car, a 2002 Camaro Z28. The down payment was paid for entirely by me, so are the payments, so is the insurance every 6 months, which is no joke for a 19-21 year old, and so is the gas. In 2.5 years of ownership and daily driving (15k miles/year) I haven't needed to replace anything outside of regular maintenance... well, the 12-disc changer took a crap after I got the car, but I never used it anyway.

But would I do it all over again? Hell fucking yeah. I can drive the TL any day, any time I want, but eh, it stays in the garage. It is a lot more comfortable and quieter than my Camaro, but to each his own. Just don't kill yourself.... things got pretty hairy in my car at first. I bought it in late October, in the middle of rainy season. My car didn't have traction control as an option, and my only experience with a RWD car at the limit was in Gran Turismo

If your parents are buying it for you though, then do them a favor and work so you can pay for it yourself. I was much happier and more proud of myself. Don't go and beg them for a new car when you've got a perfectly good TL already. Especially if you still live at home and still are a burden on them.

S PAW 1

[Quote]
[I'm speaking from experience. You are speaking from reading shit online that you haven't experienced first hand.[Quote]

You make some false assumptions, though.

[Qoute]
I've owned 4 new Acuras, starting with my 1998 Integra GSR.
Put as much as 144K on my '01 CL-S, for a total of over 300K combined. I have yet to replace a lightbulb. Minimal warranty work, and everyday maintenance is all [Quote]

I had an engineer friend that had a new Intrepid. Had some electronics issues that caused him to stall a couple of times. He had to reset the computer each time. Rust showed up at less than a year. That doesn't mean the Intrepid was a bad car. I just didn't have any Consumer Reports that went back that far that I could refer to (paper), and didn't want to comment on just the one.

Nobody said you were a liar, but I do find it doubtful that the Intrepid was more reliable than the TL. I don't doubt that your family had a good experience with theirs.

killersrt

Didn't read through everything entirely, but if it wasn't posted, the SRT-8 takes 7 quarts of synthetic oil. Just something else to consider

vill0169

iTrader: (4)

I think the simple answer is the Audi S4. Yes, it makes less power than the SRT's but you'd never regret buying it. And they aren't that bad price wise either. I'm sorry but American cars are just that, American, which means you should pretty much run for the hills.

Costco

Wow... I don't even know what to say.

Yes, go and buy an S4, you'll never regret it. After all, if a turbo goes out on a 2.7T it's a piece of cake to remove it, right? And if you're talking about a newer model, I'm almost definitely sure that the adaptive suspension costs pennies to fix out of warranty.



the TL is more American than the SRT-8 is, a poster even hinted towards that earlier in the thread.

myron

iTrader: (4)

oh hell no I wouldn't do it. That car is so ugly compared to the TL, ewwww, SRT-8 or not, just plain ugly.

vill0169

iTrader: (4)

Right and going and buying even the 300 (which apparently is the luxury line of dodge) and getting the same shit ass interior as the rest of their cars have is so much better. And yes, I of course was talking about the V8 S4. I can't believe anyone would want to buy a car made by the big three.

killersrt

My first, and only car, my parents have ever paid for, was $1k piece of If your parents bought you this car, I'd be very thankful with what you have

bzyrice

iTrader: (10)

This is an Acura forum. Most people are going to choose the TL here. Go to a charger forum and ask there. I bet most of them will say the charger. The responses you get will depend on the audience. Go ask this same question on a general car forum and see what you get. I bet you will get more mixed answers.

KiNG07

Thanks for all the responses guys.. I've yet to drive an srt8, but I'll probably do that sometime this week.. The reason I'm thinking about it, is because the second I saw it, I was in love lol.. I found the tl, and it looked good, but I'm hooked on the charger.. The interior of them aren't as bad as people make them out to be, but maybe its just because im young and it doesn't bother me .. But to answer some of the questions, I'm not one of those cocky headed kids that end up in a ditch, I know how to control my cars and when enough is enough.. Also, I'd be paying for some of it, but my mom doesn't mind paying for it.. So that's not really a problem.. I just love how mean the charger looks and how mean you can make those things sound .. But thanks for the replies, I'll know soon (this week or next) if the charger will be in my garage or not!!

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

lucky kid.

I hate cars

I was a bit surprised myself. I had a guy in an EVO harassing me. He kept hitting the gas and blowing off next to me. I finally floored it just to get him to take off and leave me alone. To my surprise we held even so I stayed in the throttle. Around 80mph I put about 5 feet on him. Very surprising. From a dig, we all know what would've happened.

Throw $500 in mods to each car and the EVO would leave the TL like it's standing still.

S PAW 1

Let's hope so
His last post worries me

I hate cars

Just a little closed minded???

RonJonTL757

LOL its funny you say that because a member on here (TL2SLOW) sold his TL for a SRT-10 viper truck and he was surprised to know that it takes 9 quarts of Mobile 1 synthetic

Needless to say on top of the 9-13mpg's you get for gas you have to spend 120.00 (including filter) on a oil change.

Morale of the story: if you want a high performance car get ready to maintain that machine at a high performance rate

Toddy

iTrader: (5)

My truck takes 21 quarts of oil....

mcmguti

iTrader: (2)

I GOT TO RIDE IN THAT "BEAST" A COUPLE WEEKS AGO!
HE punches the gas and "forget about it".