After reading many threads on this forum where people complain about the quality of the American built TL and compare it to the Japanese built Legend I feel that I'm qualified to make a comment. I've owned 3 TL's, a 2001 TL, a 2002 TL-S, and now a 2004 TL, and a Legend. There is really not much on the Legend that was of better quality except the paint. The TL has the new EPA paint with all the lead removed and is definately not as durable. The Legend had thicker leather on the seats, but it was very stiff and not as comfortable as the TL. The TL has a much nicer interior overall. The cupholder on the Legend was useless, and rattled when pulled out for use. I can't count the number of times that I bumped a drink and spilled it with the Legend, not so in the TL which has a great cup holder system. Besides, the Legend cupholder was flimsy and prone to break when pulled out...and expensive to repair. The dashboard wasn't built as well in the Legend, and the plastic was harder and cheaper looking than the soft compliant material used in the TL. The stereo system in the Legend is not in the same class as the new TL DVD-A system. When you close the door on the new TL, you get a nice solid "thunk" and this was not the case on the Legend. It had a typical Japanese door sound when closed, not bad, but certainly not as nice as the TL. The transmission in the Legend was rough especially in the first to second gear shift. The TL while not perfect, and has had it's problems, shifts very smooth, and was the first thing I noticed when I got my first TL. I now have a 6 speed in the '04, so I can't comment on the new automatic, but both TL's previously had very smooth automatic transmissions, and I never had any trouble with either one.

Now, I loved that Legend, and still think that the 2door Legend was one of the nicest looking cars around. I just loved the styling then, and still do. It was a very nice car in it's day, but it just doesn't compare to the '04 TL, which I think is the nicest car money can buy for $35,000.

 

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You are absolutely right everything is better in hindsight. If you look at reliability trends you will see that all cars including hondas have improved in the last 20 years. Improvements in japanese auto makers have been smaller because they were so much better than american cars of the 80'. Domestic cars have improved to the point that some are as good as japanese cars of the 80's But japanese cars have also improved significantly so there is still a significant reliability "gap" although not near as bad as it used to be. But getting back on point Yes the TL is probably as "good" if not better as a legend, performancewise, obviously there is no comparison.

 

Just looking to increase your post count?

 

:lol1: :lol1:

 

JetJock,

Excellent post, I liked the Legend also, not sure why I never test drove one. Hmmmmmmm,.

 

 

I always loved the legend (both sedan and coupe). I looked at a couple of used one about 2 years ago. The coupe was a little too small for me (I'm 6' 4"). I liked the sedan with the manual transmission but didn't care for the automatic (my general conclusion with most cars). The automatic just felt too much like a luxury car with no sport. The manual transmission helped quite a bit. While I believe they were GREAT cars, I think the new TL is far superior in almost every way. This is of course a very subjective topic and this is only my $0.02 worth.

 

What an unfair comparison. A car that was designed in about 1990 will not have the features or capabilities of today’s vehicles. In its day the Legend coupe was very superior to the 1st generation CL (its closest Acura competitor), and most other cars on the road.

My 1995 Legend 6-speed coupe was my dream car, and I planned on keeping it forever when I purchased it new in Jan. 1996 (for $8,000 under MSRP). It had over 140,000 miles on the car when I sold it and the only problems I had during the 8 years I owned it were the standard motor mount failure and leaking radiator. I loved the “big car” ride and the 6-speed quickness.

But even dream cars don’t last forever and, although I really miss my Legend, I love the high-tech features on my TL. If I thought Acura would have ever produced a RL coupe with a 6-speed, I would have definitely waited for it.

 

I agree with Jime, your comparing a 14 year old car, to a 6 month old car. Of course, your brand new TL will be better. 14 years is a like forever in car years. But since you are still seeing people compare a legend to a TL, that tells you something doesnt it =D

 

Another 94Legend owner here. I agree with you. The compaison above was kind of unfair.

JetJock seemed to talk more about the functions of features instead of the quality of cars.

IMHO, those features failure or flaw are true and hard to compete with new design 04TL, which should be better after another 10 years' improvement works.

Paint: I agree with you.

Leather: yes, 04TL is better, softer and easier to contain the body heat, hip print.

Interior: Legend will win if you compare it to any other cars 5-10 years earlier than Legend Dynasty.

Cupholder: 04TL has to be better.

Dashboard: the new materials would improve 04TL's look/touch-feeling/quality.

Stereo System: 04TL has to be better.

Sound of close-the-door: 04TL's sound has been tuned to match the standard of the current era.

Transmission: 04TL has to be better.

I always remember the moment I saw the Legend and purchased it. It's the sensational/wonderful vehicle at that time. Even now, it's still so beautiful.

I'm glad that vtechbrain addressed more quality issues.

 

No if i wanna do that, i can do that in off-topic, cuz post counts are back.... yeah soo
but I had reply so then i deleted it....

 

You guys are missing the point of my post. I was responding to other people complaining about the TL, and saying that the Legend was better in every respect because it was made in Japan and therefore somehow superior in every aspect. I disagree, and think that the TL is a better car, not because it's new, but that it's got better quality except for the paint. My Legend was an awesome car, and I probably would still have it except for an unfortunate accident.

 

I understand what you are saying, but Legend in its day was a very well built car. I own a 94 GS which was top of the line back then. The car even today after 115K miles feels solid as a rock! Build quality is just awesome!
You have to remember that car technology of 1990 when Legend was designed was quite primitive - i.e., computer use was virtually non existent!
I love the shape of my Legend and I think the new TL is the second good looking car from Acura after Legend in all these years. That said, comparing the TL to Legend is just not fair IMHO.
Legend will always be a Legend!

 

Well said. I second this. That's why I still keep my 94 Legend. I don't know why I still love it, inside/outside, after ten years.


Yes, if you compare 04TL with Legend specifically, 04TL is apparently good enough to beat Legend in each aspect. But, if you try to weight their value in their own generations, it's hard to beat Legend. And, it's not quite fair to compete btwn the brand new car adapted the current tech and the legendary vehicle a decade ago. IMHO.

 

JetJock

Yes, perhaps missing the meaning of your post, but have to chime in as well that the Legend is one well-built, nice driving car. Mine is '92 and I didn't expect to have it this long, just haven't found anything that tickled my fancy to trade through the years. Only problems have been cracking interior vinyl (would it be so expensive to make an ALL leather seat?) and rusting of the rear fenders behind the tires (seems universal). And cheap to keep, once I found an independent mechanic who specializes in honda/acura and a paint guy to fix the rust. Back then, I remember driving the TL predecessor Vigor and then the Legend and going "Oh, I've got to get the Legend!". Funny thing is, the car writers at the time complained the steering and ride were soft (I thought was just fine especially considering 114" wheelbase!!) so then the demand was a little "soft" too. I got mine for almost $5000 off list:wow:

No doubt the TL is awesome but, as pointed out before, is some 14 years after this generation Legend came out. The TSX and TL are definitely a good move in the stying department (only others I like as well are the Audi's) and I hope to like the RL's looks this fall. Then I will decide TL or RL (hopefully in budgetary range) and retire with honor this legend.

 

THE LEGEND WILL ALWAYS LOOK GOOD!! I remember when I got it when I was 16. I am now am 21 and have a type S. Even though the type S is great and all. The legend beats any car in its league starting with the 1991 model. Once I have money I will buy a legend like my first one and keep it and never drive it. Just like Ludracris said on MTV's crib the legend will always be the ride to pimp in.

 

Yes the Legend was a well built car, and beautifull IMHO especially the 2dr. coupe...that car in red with a light brown leather interior ROCKS!!!...I still think it's nicer looking than the current TL. But, what I was saying is that despite the Legend being very well built, and for it's day, probably one of the best, the current TL fit and finish quality beats it. I'm not talking about the new features that were not available back then, just the way everything was put together as a whole. If you leave out computer's, DVD-A, bluetooth etc., and just look at the basic construction and quality, while the Legend was nice, I think that the TL quality is a bit better except for the paint. My Legend had over 120K miles on it when it was involved in an accident, and I got my first TL to replace it. At the first test drive, I noticed the quality of the car. There may be cars around that have better plastic, better leather, RWD, and real wood, but Acura builds a pretty nice car, no matter if it's built in Japan or the USA. I doubt if the TL were built in Japan with exactly the same materials, it would be any better...and if the Japanese used the same EPA paint as required in the US, the paint job would probably be the same. It would make an interesting comparison.

 

Miss my '95 Legend LS Coupe 6-speed. Sweet car.

 

I'll keep my Legend.

 

I will always miss my '04 Legend Coupe. The spaciousness inside, the memory steering wheel, the beautiful dark green paint, the brake light built into the deck lid, and the way the doors automatically closed themselves. Plus the substantial weight and feel of the car. Those are the things that are lacking in the TL.

What I miss most about that car is what it represents in terms of that time in my life. I was in my early 30's, lots of money, lots of hot LA women in and out of my car, lots of road trips to Vegas stoned as hell and tearing through the desert on Interstate 15. I had upgraded the stereo with a big fat six channel PPI amplifier, MBQuart and Boston Acousics speakers, and an Alpine CD changer in the trunk and man did that stereo rock! Women loved that car, and my buddies loved the stereo.

The car was perfect at the time, and I never had a single problem with it. But, life moves forward, we grow up and our needs change. So I traded in that coupe for an '01TL and then an '02 TL Type S, and now I've got my '04 TL (and my wife's loaded MDX of course).

I'd have to say, made in Japan has a definite advantage over Ohio from what I've experienced.

 

acuraddict, sounds like your experience with the Legend was similar to mine. I also got a 01TL, then a 02TL-S, and the 04 TL. Funny how similar our experiences were with Acura's. I also loved my Legend and had similar experiences with it. I just didn't find that it being made in Japan made it any better IMHO.

 

Jetjock, yeah that is funny about us having the same cars all the way through. In regards to the "made in Japan" thing, I don't know if I over-stated it, but my experience and the comments people have made about the TSX (made in Japan) vs. the TL build quality, fit and finish, and body panel spacing all lead me to that conclusion.

 

Can I say that more ppl think/experience cars Made In Japan having better quality?

 

Yes rets, you can say it. :p

 

That is one beautifull Legend you've got. It was my dream car and dream color..thanks for the picture. jj

 

i see that you brought this up fromt he dead ahha.. but who cares .

It's a very nice car..looks real clean.

Which reminds me..in the milpitas, ca (Bay Area), I saw a Legends exact color as the red legend with a M3 front conversion with a SKyline back conversion. At first I didn't know what kind of car it was..but i looked inside and it was a complete stock looking legend. on the license plate frame, it said ACURA..and it had dual exhausts that looks like TL form. For a riceey conversion..it looked pretty decent mainly because I'm a fan of any cars with halos..but it was hella weiirrd ahha.

 

I had a 91 Legend LS Sedan that lasted 185,000 miles and turned it in for a 04 TL/AT. I intended to buy a G35 sedan but the TL reminded me so much of my Legend I had to buy it!

Both are great cars but my legend had more personality. Also, my early production Legend had less squeaks than my 04 TL with 185K on the odometer...

 

My '94 LS Sedan was with me until 165K. Compared to my '05 TL it felt like a more substantial car that would last forever.

I have had no problems with the TL but that Legend gave me a good feeling. Time will tell.

JetJock, was that you that rebuilt your Legend engine and wrote about the experience?

 

The legend was more expensive relative to the TL. They were very solid cars. Acura decided to try to make a less expensive car that they could see more of.

The original legend was the flagship of acura and sold for about 40-44K 10 years back...

 

I was a 1992 Acura Legend 4DR Sedan owner for about 3 years. It was the first used machine I owned. Recently gave it to my cousin to get the new 05' TL after my Legend developed some suspension noise issue that drove me bonkers. I decided it was time to get something new again to keep up with the latest car trends. He was so estatic and decided to go for repairs on the suspension to fix it. I really liked the body styling because I felt that it had classic look that seems to transcend time. It looks as appealing as the first day it was put into the market. Even today when I see one pass by, I still give pause and stare.

We'll have to see if this 3rd generation TL will reach such a status after the model name is retired some day. Actually the new 05' RL is the Legend in Japan at this time.

As they say, all good things someday will come to an end....

Be courteous to other drivers and we will all benefit.

 

Keep in mind that the Legend was replaced by the RL not the TL. My 94 was great, a tank for quality and very solid. The TL is a little smaller and a lot nicer in most respects though. You really can't compare cars 10 years apart, both are very nice for their time and relative position.

 

Beautiful.

 

Agreed, we had a 89 Legend that was donated last year running fine at 220K miles. It too was a great car (with the exception of some rust and leather problems), extremely reliable.

 

I've owned four Japanese cars:

'85 Toyota Celica made in Japan
'93 Toyota Camry made in Kentucky
'99 Toyota Solara made in Canada
'04 Acura TL made in Ohio.

I bought the '85 used and it gave me a few problems in the end, but an overall solid car.

The three made in North America cars have all been equally solid and reliable. I sold the '93 with 103K miles when I bought the TL, and it was as solid and reliable as when I bought it in January '94.

Simply put, MY experiences with North American built Japanese cars has been excellent. Other North American Toyota Camrys and an Accord in my family have been equally reliable. I can't imagine a Japanese built car being any MORE reliable than I've experienced over the past fifteen years.

Regards,

 

well just to throw my two cents in, the legends design is one of the few cars that was ahead of its time, it still looks like a great car, the only other ones i can say the same for which were built around the same time are the 300z and the gs300, i cant help but feel that the 3rd generation TL will have the same impact on the automotive industry, but never should it be compared to the legend

 

Heres my 94 legend GS sedan...



I had a 91 coupe LS before that

The styling of the coupe was far ahead of its competitors at the time.

 

There was something magical about the Legend, it had a feel that the TL has never matched. Even the new RL, it's just not the same. I don't own, and wouldn't buy now, a Legend - but I have the utmost respect for the car that lives up to its name.

Edit: How many HP does that Type S badge on the the white Legend add?

 

That's right...and the first TL replaced the Vigor in Acura's lineup back then, not the Legend.

 

I had an '91 Legend Sedan and it ran up to 200K in 10 years before I started to have problems but never heard any rattles like I have in my 1 month old '05 TL. I didn't even have as much rattles in my '04 Accord and they are built in the same factory so I think it is more the design then anything else.