Kid Fresh

Good Day All,

New to forum, currently a BMW 335i 6MT E90 (sedan) owner and considering a 08 Acura TL. I've spend a little time looking at threads here concerning known issues or problems for TL's and haven't seen any "red flags" other than the normal wear & tear items. So pardon my long thread, but any help would be appreciated:

1. Are there any known issues or concerns I should be aware of? Since this is a Honda product I'm sold on the "reliability component" as it's quite solid.

2. I'm considering the Type S, and one could say the general consensus on this forum is to go with the S over the regular TL, but 2 things concern me: I can't get over the rims; not so much a fan, and the extra $$ for the minor upgraded hp and body / interior "upgrades" don't seem to be worth it.

3. I've found two 08 TL's, and one 07 Type S:
* First TL is at Carmax: 08 Black/Black with everything (nav), 24k miles - $27,097.
* Second TL is at a Acura dealer 08 Alabaster Silver/Black with everything (nav), 23,391 miles - $27,987 and is Acura Certified. With taxes, tags, and dealer fees the grand total would be around $30,376.
* Type S is at a VW dealer: 07 Black/Black Automatic loaded, 23,043miles - $27,977

I'm leaning towards the Silver Certified as this appears to be a great price, low mileage, car, it trumps the Carmax car as it's Certified and only $1,000 more. But the other option.....the Type S, same cost, same mileage, not Acura Certified......but it's a Type S.....what would you recommend?

Thanks again in advance for reading and any "newbie" advice

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

First off welcome to the forums!!!

As far as reliability they are excellent cars in every aspect so there is nothing to worry about there. Like any car, just make sure you find yourself a clean, well maintained car and you will be just fine. Good idea on looking at only 07-08 TL's and there were a lot of changes to those two years over the older 04-06 models. Much improved front end with a new bumper with foglights, much more attractive headlights, taillights, wheels, interior etc etc.

I dont know where you came up with the Type S isnt worth it because it most certainly is. Ask any Type S owner on this forum and they will say the same thing. Ask any base owner and ofcourse they will says its not because they dont have a Type S ;-)

Either one is a good pick, but the Type S does bring it up just a notch with a fancier interior and not to mention RED interior lighting (which you might like coming from BMW). The other thing I like about the S is its a lot more rare. For every drive you may see 10+ regular TL's (they are everywhere), and see no Type S's. Obviously as you can tell I like the Type S's more as I have owned both its simply more of an "enthusiasts" car. Ofcourse if you could careless about all that then yes the standard TL is an excellent car.
Keep in mind the Type S only comes with ALL options so they all have nav etc etc etc. I also recommend staying away from non-nav TL's it just doesnt look right and IMO kills the look of the interior.

As for the Type S wheels, well just like any car some people love em and some dont. I think they look bad ass.

Acura certified doesnt really mean much I dont think, they all have 5 year 50,000 mile warranties unless being certified adds on to that. If it doesnt then I dont see the point of it.

James

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

^^^ what he said....

the certified wouldnt matter much.....when i got my ride at 60K miles....i got it certified preowned which means they gave me a 12month/12K miles warranty....but all these cars are covered under original Acura warranty.....

I would definitely go with the type - s.....you will save some $$$ trying to look like a type - s if you got the regular TL !!!

if the car is not certified and from a VW dealer....you can always take it to the Acura dealer and get a preowned car check....its a 150 point check and i think they cost like $100....

All the best !!!

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

Welcome to the forums. Of the 3 choices you are looking at, I would choose the S. I own a base model and had the S been available in 05, I would have undoubtedly spend the extra money for it. However, I'm not going to go running in to trade it in for an S. That being said, the wheels were a hot topic back in 07 when the S was introduced. Many Acuraziners hated it and agree with you. The fix for that is obviously get new wheels e.g. Aspec wheels. Dont be misled by the "certified" tag. The main thing you are paying for in buying a certified vehicle is the additional warranty.

If it were me, I would look for a 6MT Type-S if I were in the market currently and looking at TL's. Obviously, this is my personal preference. The S is not going to be anyway as nimble or powerful as your E90, again my opinion but that discussion is for a different part of the forum.

LoveMyTL-S

Welcome to AZ

I'd also recommend the Type-S, after owning one myself. It has all the extras already. A lot of members her upgrade to the type-S tails lights, side markers, etc. to be like a type-S. The extra horse power is nice and the tight suspension handles nicely.

If your wondering, there is no difference between the 07 and 08 Type-S models.

There are no recalls on the type-S but I'm sure a few TSB's for minor things.

As far as rims go, I wasn't crazy about them either, but many members sell them in our Black Market section and there seems to be a demand for them.

Good luck with your TL hunt and deal. What I like about this model is that you get more bang for your buck over other comparable models.

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

I'd recommend the 6MT Type-S as well.

yooin14

If you had Regular TL already and wanted to upgrade to Type-s, I would say no.

If you are in market for eaither TL or Type-S, I would say Yes. Pick up Type-S

When my brother had 2004 TL back ago, I often drove his car a lot. I really liked it but I never look around his car after I parked.

However, after owning Type-s myself around 2 years, I always take a time and enjoy looking at my car whereever I park outside.

yooin14

Not to mention, I felt I got a new car and blown away after I recently put a-spec body kit(only rear), tint and carbon fiber acura letter on front with no license plate. Damn.. a lot of mods out there.

DeathMetal

iTrader: (2)

One other thing - make SURE you get one with navigation. The navigation system is the tops and there are a ton of things that you can Do with it…backup cam, dvd player add-on, nav hack and customized screens…and, to boot, IIRC, it comes standard on the Type-S

BradE

Drive both before you decide.

The Type S is more than just 28 extra horsepower and some different trim parts. The suspension is totally different than a base TL, the brakes are better (front Brembo), among other things. The engine is the 3.5L from the RL, and the 07-08 models used a motified version of the RL's tranny as well.

I was a BMW owner when I purchased my TL-S, and I was tired of the constant maintenance and problems. Mine had under 10k miles on it, and every few months was at the dealer for something else. It became a huge hassle. I shudder to think what it would have cost me to keep that car going if it wasn't under warranty. I have about 14k miles the Type S, and I've had only 1 issue. The hands free link unit broke, which was repaired under warranty quickly. No mechanical issues at all so far.

Babnik

Why are you looking for a TL if you have a 335? The 335 is a much superior car. I intend to trade my TL for a 335 within the next year.

LoveMyTL-S

Perhaps you guys can trade.......

TonemanTLS

Type S all the way its

Dymondawg

Go for the certified one - or find a certified type-s like I did!

Bender

I would have to tell you to go drive it first and see how you like the FWD( I have a feeling you won't). Other than that, there are hardly any problems other than a harsh ride over bumps, rear wheel well clunking, various rattles, a few recalls, and some minor TSB's. No major mechanical problems.

Kid Fresh

Thanks for all the feedback, it is appreciated.

I've yet to test drive either the TL or Type S; the change from RWD to FWD will be very diffferent, and I still need to sell my Bimmer. Hopefully I'll get into something soon.

Kid Fresh

I thoroughly enjoy my 335i, and would love to keep it for another 50k miles, but Like Brad E said, the potential for very costly repairs down the line is a risky gamble. Prime example: The Fuel Injectors (major component of the N54 engine) will need replacing at some point after 50K miles. Full retail is $550 each, parts (x6) plus labor could run $3500....and that's just one component that could go wrong (warranties....that's a whole nother can of worms).

Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way here to bash BMW, I know firsthand why they're the "Ultimate Driving Machine", but I'm deciding to go with my head (practical) and not my heart.

leedogg

Those voting for Type S are in the crowd that value performance over other factors. Most folks here are performance oriented so you're going to get a lot of votes for the S and a manual. Drive both, if the performance of the base is fine for you (as it is for most daily driving needs) then go with that. Wheels can be easily upgraded. Hell, you could even try to get the dealer to swap them out with something else. You could probably sell them easily as well.

We're a little spoiled around here, mostly we just complain about rattles...I'm sure bimmer owners would be ecstatic if that was the main thing they had to deal with...nevertheless, thats one of the few things you can listen for on your test drive, turn the music up fairly loud and see if you hear anything. Also, exam the paint carefully for chips. Get them to throw in freebies like paint touch up pen, mug, all weather mats...

Johnny_b

A 6 speed Type S will be a slight step down from the 6 speed 335. An auto base TL will be a huge step down. In terms of performance (steering feel, throttle response, handling and braking).

spinxt

Really???? I see TONS of base TL with aftermarket wheels, but rarely see a TL-S with them. The TL-S really make the car....especially if it's black or dark gray. IMHO the "chrome" ASPEC TL-S wheels are ugly...

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

yup i personally like the type-s rims too....i dont mind rocking them in the winter !!!

dred87

iTrader: (3)

type s dude. if it aint type s you'll be sad like me.

patel2050

i say go for it. i have a black/black TL which is perfectly fine with me. But other colors i like on Type S are Pearl white and Carbon bronze pearl. i get a lot of compliments on the type s rims at my college.

Project X

TL 6MT > TL-S auto

you could pick up a TL 6MT with navi and low miles and save a lot.

i got a great deal - TL 6MT Navi 28k miles for under 16k. Acura prepurchase check, clear title, etc etc so you can essentially save 8-10k

Babnik

If he drives a 335 he can afford any TL so I don't think cost is an issue.

Personally I would stick with the 335. My understanding from reading a few BMW forums is that the only problems with the 335 are a bad fuel pump and fuel injectors, and after people complained about them BMW extended warranty coverage on those parts to 10 years or 120k miles.

jungy4

I would highly recommend getting an Acura Certified used. You get an additional warranty after the original factory warranty expires.

JTS97Z28

iTrader: (4)

Yeah no. TL-S (no matter what tranny) > TL 6mt

spinxt

Yeah, I disagree with this statement as well. I've driven both. I'd still take my AT TL-S over a 6MT base. First, the 6MT base would be a older chassis. Second, the AT transmission on the TL-S is one of several upgrades over the base TL. The TL-S has a completely different tranny. Different nose and tail, tail-lights, head lights, seats, red vs. blue interior color, and oh yeah....a different engine.

There was a post recently on here from an AZ member that was skeptical to upgrade from his TL the TL-S. After the upgrade his mind changed completely.

The TL-S is a completely different car and the only reason I'm an Acura owner. If I had to sell it today and buy a new car I can say with 100% confidence it would not be an Acura. The only current Acura I would consider is the 6MT V6 TSX, however even that car is somehow slower than an 07-08 TL-S (check Car & Driver stats).

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

^ there is no such thing as a 6MT V6 TSX.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

I have to agree with the Type-S after seeing Mike's Type-S (LuvMyTLS). It was a beauty!

The Acura certified should not matter all that much. In fact, it would be better to pay a mechanic that you know to come to the dealer and look at the car himself. That is better in my opinion. The only thing "certified" does is to have a couple of extra inspections along with the maintenance records on hand.

Project X

obviously you must own a tl-s. i like the tl-s but personally for a perf car 9/10 ppl will go with manual over auto. i was stating the fact that a non tl-s 6mt are significantly lower in cost and he could get a great deal - who doesnt want to save money. these are minor things.. red leds, head lights etc.. wheels though and interior seats i guess someone could consider... anyways get what you want to the orginal thread starter cant go wrong with the tl (just get it inspected thoroughly).

TLNY04

Welcome to the forums and can i ask you why you want to leave a 335 and go to TL? big power loss in in my opinion... im very curious to this... and idk about money situation but did u look at the LCI 335 with the N55 engine or the new 335is with your current 335 engine in it... i personally think you should stick with your 335 if you have had a problem free experience besides there bad fuel pumps

arrogantbastard

Can't go wrong with any of the three you listed but my personal recommendation would be the Type-S, especially since you're coming from a 335. I wouldn't be too worried about the "Certified" tag either - you're looking at cars with low enough mileage that it's not going to matter.

kubr1ck

You can't go wrong either way. The "base" TL is a fantastic car, and if you get the Nav package, there is nothing "base" about it. It's loaded.

But you should definitely test drive both, as I feel the TL-S might be an easier adjustment coming from a 335i. Plus, if you're going to buy a used car that is no longer made, I'd personally always go for the absolute top iteration of that generation.

cbptls

I think you would probably prefer the Type-S over the base model since you are coming from a BMW. And since you are driving MT - you would probably enjoy rowing though the gears - so then you're only choice would be a Type-S for 07-08 model years.

You could always look into purchasing and AcuraCare extended warranty, I guess it's just piece of mind coverage. Might very well never use it, but I guess if something with all the electronics goes haywire, I won't have to sweat it.

ImagePree

I think OP should figure out if 6MT is a priority first because it is, then all points on the AT is moot. Personally, I would not settle for an AT TL-S regardless of price.

BigMiko

I dont know where you came up with the Type S isnt worth it because it most certainly is. Ask any Type S owner on this forum and they will say the same thing. Ask any base owner and ofcourse they will says its not because they dont have a Type S ;-)

Not quite true. I have a type-s but if you bought a 07-08 TL with manual and nav you are pretty close to a type-s. He doesn't like the rims so save some money on the type-s and get a base.

Really though he's coming from a 335. I don't think he will be happy with the tl.

spinxt

Sorry meant to say AT V6 TSX...too many acronyms!!

AM046SP

Exactly! IIRC they stopped making the base 6MT in 07. So if you're looking at 07-08's and a 6MT, your only option would be a Type-S. I would take a base 6MT over an AT Type-S even if they were the same price. And like someone previously mentioned, there's nothing "base" about these cars. The ONLY option is nav or no nav. Although it might be hard to adjust to FWD from a RWD M/T, these cars are a blast!

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

post #17.