ericlsailor

Hello to the forum. This is my first post to the forum. I hope I am posting in the right place. I have some questions about the TL. I am very much interested in purchasing perhaps a used TL. 2005 or 2006. I wanted to learn some more about the car from owners who have them. I am located in the Chicago area.

1. I see that Acura recommends premium gas. Will it run on mid grade or regular as well or does that cause problems with the engine later on?

2. I wondered how the repair costs are say after 5 or 6 years. Any trends in needed repairs that people have experienced?
a. I saw on a forum that some owners reported premature tire wear problems.
b. I also saw some reports of manual transmission problems on some 2004 models
c. Any other things a first time owner should know about or look for in a used car?

3. How do people like the car after owning it for a while?

I did do a test drive and found it a wonderful car (2007 TL). Also test drove the TSX.

Thank you for your help, any suggestions are appreciated. And any other web sites to take a look at.

Eric

blazinginder

1) You should really use premium fuel, definitely NOT regular
2) dont believe there are many issues with the 05-06 model year cars, so can't expect that much of a cost
a. No tire wear problems that I know of
b. if there were problems on the 04, they should be tweaked and fixed for 05-06
c. try to get a certified used acura so you get the protection of the extended warranty etc

3. Have only had mine for 2 weeks but my cousin has had his 04 TL since new (3 years now) and he still likes the car a lot and hasn't had any issues

You should definitely be able to get a really good deal on an 05-06 since the 07 is a minor facelift, just search and you'll find the right car

ericlsailor

Thanks for the info

kennyc

You really should run the car with premium, as blazinginder pointed out. TL will take regular gas if premium is not available. But my dealership does not recommend using regular gas on a regular basis.

hmm.. don't know that one... get an alignment after you get the car.

yes... the infamous hard 3rd gear shift in cold weather issue. Acura came out with an updated tranmission oil for the manual tranny to fix that problem. I just recently got it replaced and the hard shifting is gone.
check out for rust - acura paint is very thin so make sure you don't see any visible rust.
check out for rattles - if you are one of them who is sensitive to rattles this car might not be good for you. Some people say their cars are rattle cans while other say the car runs dead quiet. (I belongs to the first group.)
there is also an recall out for some 05 TL's - some minor issue but make sure you get the dealer to check and see if the TL is in that recall.

Still love it after 1.5 years - the car does not handle as well as the Audi but it has been trouble free and requires very low maintenance. Love the way it looks and love the features even more.

IMO TSX handles better than the TL. But I just love the power of the TL.

You can't go wrong buying an Acura. All cars have flaws - you just have to find one that fit with you.

geekybiker

1) like any modern car it can run on lower grade fuel just fine. You will lose some power as the ECU will retard timing to avoid knock. Its not something I would suggest.
2)Nothing big. Mostly minor stuff like rattles that people complain about.
a) IIRC that was rear tires on earlier cars and there is a fix for it. Not sure if its a recall or TSB though. I dont think it affects 05 or 06 models
b) all model years experience the same 3rd gear issues. Generally fixed by going to GM tranny fluid.
c) sure, but just search google for used car checklist, etc. It'll give you the stuff to check

3) I really like mine. nice combo of luxury and sport I think.

Will Y.

1. The TL will run on lower grades, but gas mileage and performance are better with premium.
2. Needed repairs- none appear on these boards consistently. TL is rated highly in Consumer Reports, which has a bigger sample than here, too. Mine has not had any repairs or warranty work since new in 4/2005.
a) There was a TSB for the Bridgestone Turanza EL-42 tires that came with the non-navigation system TL. There are many complaints about that tire, including excessive wear; it was supposedly reformulated at some point. The Navigation system cars come with Michelin MXMs; few complaints about them.
b) Switch in tranny fluids cured those whose cars had difficulty with a "hard to engage" 3d gear.
c) Same as any other used car.
3) Still love the car and look forward to driving it even during rush hours. Get the Navi TL- it's a fun toy and probably has higher resale (and doesn't come with the EL-42 tires). For a TSX, get the manual; the auto is much less responsive and feels slower than our Odyssey minivan.
G/L!

ericlsailor

Thank you all for the information. One of my other considerations is the Toyota Camry I drive one now it's a 93, however, I have never owned a sporty type car and would like to at least once. Has anyone else had a Camry and gone to the TL on the forum or that you know of?

My considerations for a new car are reliability, safety, and one that is not a money pit to operate and get repaired. I am now thinking that a 2006 TL may be a good one to look for. I suppose the certified used cars are fairly good to look into from the Acura dealer.

Eric

Will Y.

I had a '91 Camry V-6 with 68K miles on it immediately before the TL. I bought the Camry in '91 for my dad, who quit driving in 2001 and gave it to me to use with about 48K on it-- I didn't like the Camry's appliance-like character and soft steering/suspension response. There are other TL owners on this forum who have had newer Camrys, including one who went through two 2006 Camrys that had tranny problems and went back to the TL.
The TL has a stiffer ride and much more immediate response to steering inputs than Camrys, and the manual TL accelerates faster than all Camrys; the new V-6 Camry might be close to the auto TL in a straight line. Drive the TL and see if you like it. Otherwise, check out the Accord coupe, which may have a slightly softer suspension than the TL but is sporty and can be had with a V-6.

MR1

One other suggestion, also look at new cars. The high resale value sometimes make newer used cars cost very close to the same as new.