Hello, wishing to join the 3rd Gen TL Family. Would like some advice!
 

Hello everyone! I'm new and thought I'd come to you folks for advice because I'm hoping to buy a 3rd Generation Acura TL sometime in the near future! I wasn't sure what to look out for when checking these cars out, other than the pre-purchase inspection and asking about maintenance history, especially the big things like the timing belt!

I'm from Canada (Alberta), and have included two Kijiji links of cars that I am interested in! Please let me know if there is another forum I should post on, thank you so much!

2006 Acura TL | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

2005 Acura TL Sedan | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

Thanks!

When you test drive make sure the car shifts smoothly. Transmissions on those years are prone to failure.

Thanks for the help! I'm now looking into these two: one has higher KMs but $1000 CDN cheaper: 2005 Acura TL Premium V6 for $7,950 in Calgary | autoTRADER.ca

This one has significantly less KMs, but is around the time when timing belt needs to be changed, and the car itself is $1000 CDN more expensive:

2005 Acura TL Front-wheel Drive | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji


What do you guys think? Thank you!

When you test drive make sure the car shifts smoothly. Transmissions on those years are prone to failure.

Check with the seller about it, pretty sure the timing belt needs to be changed at every 100,000 miles so it should have been changed around that 101,000 mark.

Also that second one looks like it's front bumper is in much better condition than the 2005 Acura TL Premium V6 going for $7,950. As well as the seats don't look as cracked.

I'd only look for a manual transmission on the earlier gen3's...

I'll definitely ask the dealer if they've done the timing belt and other big stuff!

Are manual TLs rare or something? I've actually had a very hard time finding a manual TL! This is the only one close to my budget, and it's still quite a bit above my budget haha:

2006 Acura TL Sedan- LOW KMs | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

The auto transmission isn't that big of a problem if it wasn't neglected. Check the fluid, the dipstick is somewhere under the airbox if I remember correctly. If it's brownish/red it's good, if it's cloudy/grey I think that's when you have a problem. Autos aren't as reliable as manuals so you have to take good care of them if you want them to last. If the fluid looks OK and the shifts are smooth, you should be good. Of course if you start launching the car every chance you get you'll run into problems..

The manuals are super rare here, when I was looking for mine, the only manual in my province was 5k more expensive. You can try to wait for your unicorn to pop up, but you better jump on it quick when it does.

I'm not in a rush to buy right now so I can definitely wait! But for an automatic car are those two pretty reasonable in pricing? They're at a dealer so they're a bit more expensive than the ones sold through private sales, but the private sales ones have over 170k kilometers and condition is mediocre.

Haha, I definitely don't plan on launching it, especially an automatic.. how would you even launch an auto, foot on brake and rev up? Sounds more damaging than in a MT :/. And to tell if an auto transmission shifts smoothly it's just the "feel" of the car when it goes into gears right?

Thank you everyone!

Not sure how to edit posts on here! But the $9000 Acura TL at the dealership's gone :(

Should I pull the trigger on this one with 180,000 kilometers, $8000: 2005 Acura TL Premium V6 for $7,950 in Calgary | autoTRADER.ca

Or just wait for a better deal?

Thanks!

If enough funds are available to afford an 07-08, I would wait. A few cosmetic improvements, and the transmissions are more reliable

Funds don't allow it right now haha, but then again I'm also not rushing at all so I can wait it out until my current beater dies or I need to finally fix it up and dump money in haha.

That being said, what's a "fair" price for an 07-08 Acura TL? I see them for around the $10-12000 CDN mark.


This one's at $9700, if I can get it down to $9000 that's right at the upper limit of my budget, but it'd have to be like immaculate (my current budget is around $8000 with $1000 as emergency funds for the car itself): 2007 Acura TL Sedan | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

Thanks!

Sorry for a double post, if someone can point out the edit button for me that'd be greatly appreciated! Right now I can only see "Quote", "Multi quote", "Quick Reply" and the "report Post" button!

Anyways, I was wondering about the Accord or even the Accord Coupes. Quite similar cars, but maybe because it's "Honda" I can find a lot more of them on Kijiji that are cheaper! I also really like how the Coupe looks.

If you can't afford an 07-08 TL get an 06, its tranny is about as reliable. Reason is that the 04 and 05 models have problems, "the automatic with irregular shifts and not engaging gears, while the six-speed manual has been plagued with third gear issues." -autoguide.com

Should I Buy a Used Acura TL? » AutoGuide.com News

That would be another good option if you are not dead set on a TL. I've owned five 03-07 coupes. All V6's. The 6-speed is a lot of fun to drive. Avoid the 03-04 automatics

Hi, thanks again for your help! I'll pay attention to the 06-08 Acura TLs, I think there's quite a few 06's that are within my budget!

I'll keep an eye on the Accord Coupes! Currently looking at the models after 2008, and will continue monitoring the prices of the TLs in case a great deal comes up.

2008 honda accord exl v6 | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

Under 100k km, EX-L V6 Accord Coupe, and only $9500, seems a little bit low I wonder if anything's wrong with it haha

Watch me end up with an RSX-s after all this...

Best of luck on your impending purchase.

At the age 21, RSX Type-S is definitely not a bad choice.

Ugh, I don't know if it's just some sort of bias, but whenever I am looking for a car, I don't find anything, but when I don't need a car, everything's on sale and at super great prices haha!

Anyways, with the RSX-s, I absolutely love them and actually spent a fair bit of time looking for one in the past week or two, but the sellers are kind of..off-putting. I emailed a bunch of them at least a week ago and a few the past few days since I was keeping RSX-s in the back of my mind, and I had one seller who didn't reply after I asked about maintenance records/history, one that assured me that I didn't need to take it to a mechanic for an inspection, and the rest don't even reply. A lot of them are quite modded too, and the clean ones are very expensive; a 2002 completely stock RSX-s with 160,000 kilometers was selling for $8500 if I'm not mistaken. At that price point might as well buy something else.

Agree - it's totally hard to find a RSX that hasn't been molested.

At $8500, you can find a pretty clean 2005-2006 RSX-S with decent mileage.

Around Alberta/Calgary right now at least, I think this silver one seems to be the most promising: 06 Rsx type s | used cars & trucks | Red Deer | Kijiji

Has a fuel rail mod though, not a car person so don't know if this mod is "excessive" or like something bad?

I'm still going to keep my eyes peeled for TLs and Accord Coupes though, they both seem like very good options, might come down to the test drive itself. The TL I get the impression of being more refined, luxurious and comfortable, and the Accord Coupe being cheaper to maintain and buy in general, and more "sporty".

Thanks once again!

My previous car was a blaze orange metallic type S RSX. I still miss it sometimes.
If you don't need 4 doors, go that route! Although there's no going wrong with the TL.

I do like having the creature comforts of a TL and how it's more comfortable than an RSX-s though haha, but certainly if I find an RSX-s for a good deal that's not modded by 18 year olds I'll probably pull the trigger. At this point I think whichever deal comes first, a TL or a RSX-s, will be the one I buy!

However, the Accord Coupe is still in the back of my mind, and they're cheaper than a TL on average as well while still having a good interior, etc. Is there anything I can use to rule in an Accord Coupe or rule them out?

Thank you so much once again!

If you can find a 6 speed 2010 and up V6 Coupe...jump on it. Feels fun to drive and great looking car!

No such like so far on the hunt! Did send out two more emails to TL owners though!

2002 Acura Rsx Type-S 6000$ OBO | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

What do people think about a 2002 RSX-s? $6000 and can probably negotiate that down as well, but 180k kilometers.

I don't know if I'll regret an RSX-s over a TL though haha!

Thank you!

Only at first you won't. Longer term, you will. DON'T SETTLE.

I mean I've always wanted an RSX-s haha, but the TL's just so awesome. Maybe a bit too awesome aka out of my price range haha! Plus I guess my line of thinking is I'll never drive an RSX-s in the future when I grow older, but I'll have plenty of chances to drive a TL or TLX haha!

lmao I'm the most indecisive person ever....

2008 Honda Civic SI Sedan | used cars & trucks | Calgary | Kijiji

What are the opinions on a Civic SI?


I swear that's the last link haha!

They're all great options though...you just need to really think about WHAT you want.
A guy posted on here his type s...carbon bronze pearl...automatic...has a torn leather seat and is asking $12500 for it...to me, get the loan on that and call it a day...still a sub $300 payment and you'll be in an awesome TL...figure out repairing the leather and you're golden.
https://acurazine.com/forums/member-...urg-va-939129/

I have another close friend selling his for $17000 OBO...which is a REAL gem...on air suspension, gorgeous wheels...well maintained. Close friend that I'd vouch for, seen the car in person and got major wood in my pants. The hard kind.
https://acurazine.com/forums/member-...ies-ny-939715/

Depends on how much you CAN spend...don't go cheap and then have to take a loss when you're not happy later. Also, I would NOT settle for an older than 2005-2006 RSX-S...I only loved the car after the model refresh.

Hey, thanks for that! Yea I think right now what I'm doing is settling. My budget doesn't allow me to get a sick TL and there aren't any clean RSX-s on the market at this point, and that's why I'm looking at the Accord Coupes and Civic SIs, when in reality now that I think about it the RSX-s and the TL are the only two cars I really want (and maybe an E46 3-series, but those maintenance costs...haha). I'm not even in a rush to buy so I can afford to wait, but I guess I'm just impatient haha!

Thanks for your advice and the links! The Aspec one is absolutely beautiful!

fuck that's a clean TL

:toocool:
Good man...fighting that urge to be 21 and act now and think later...I dig it, man...
Yeah, life is short...but life is also long. I believe in YOLO while also realizing you want to be able to YOLO 40 years from now. :tomato:

I think you should set your sights and you'll find what you need. Are you trying to buy cash?

They both ARE!!!
I'd buy John's car all day long if I didn't already own one...his TL and mine had the satin lagoon calipers and now both have Advan RS in same specs...I'm on coils he's on air...we're like Good VS Evil. He's also like a bro to me...so there's that.

too funny :thumbsup:

LOL...thanks, man...kinda true though, right?

fuckin right

:blush:
I said something smart! :woot:

that quote is signature worthy dawg lol

Or I could just YOLO now, finance/lease a Lambo or whatever and be able to pay for like what, a month of driving it :DD

jkjk haha, and yea I'm thinking of buying cash just outright. Leaning more towards the RSX-s though over the TL...

Your impatience will only be repaid with regret. You can quote me for posterity.

Do what you gotta do man, just choose the car you want and like the most. Just don't jump on a car. It took me about 2 months to find the right car and 100+ miles of driving to look at different TL's.

:pofl:
OMG 100 miles!?!?!

Shoot, I think I had to drive over 400 miles JUST to go test drive and "hopefully" buy my 1st S2000...