Long review of my TL - picked it up yesterday!
02-27-2004, 08:30 AM
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HMFIC
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Long review of my TL - picked it up yesterday!
I picked up my Abyss Blue/Camel 6MT TL yesterday and had a great day. I purchased from Apple Acura in York, PA and live in a Maryland suburb, halfway between Washington and Baltimore.
When I arrived at the dealership, the car was clean as a whistle and the tag was already on it. I snapped a couple of photos (coming later). Took a 15 minute test drive to make sure the car was perfect (it is) and spent 10 minutes in the finance office, wrote my check and was out of there. The offered a leather care package for $395 that guarantees against cracking, peeling and fading, a paint protection package for $795 and a 7yr/75k warranty for $995. Thanks to this forum I knew the ‘going’ rate is ~$1100 for the 7yr/100k warranty and I may go for it once my bank account recovers. No surprises and a wonderful experience all around. Kudos to Apple Acura and Bob Albright for first rate customer service! I can’t say enough good things about them.
Onto the car. I have no vibration issues whatsoever and I have the EL42s. My VIN is 27xxx so take that for what it’s worth. I stalled it three times yesterday. I have always driven cars with manual transmissions and have not stalled in about 15 years. I did much better today, but getting started and shifting in the lower gears requires a little more attention; I’m sure this will go away with practice. The motor is great, not quite as much torque down-low as the Nissan/Infiniti VQ35 but smoother and, amazingly, I’m averaging 24 MPG so far! I subscribe to the break-it-in-hard (http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm) theory and gave the car a hearty workout on the rural PA roads on the way home.
The Brembo brakes are very good. Lots of power and feel. Not as much initial bite as the 3-series or G35 brakes but very close. I expect the pad life to be significantly better so the trade-off seems excellent for a daily driven car – IMHO. I do have some low-speed, low-effort brake squeal. I expect this to go away once the pads fully be in.
I think the ride/handling equation is perfect for a daily driver. It’s nice and firm with great ride quality. There is a little extra suspension movement over bumps from reduced compression/rebound in the shocks, but the ride payoff is worth it for me. Body roll is minimal (I think the 6MT) has larger roll bars and the tires never squeal – I think these tires are fine and should last quite a while.
I’m knocked out by the stereo. After 20 minutes, I was hooked on XM SR. It’s amazing, I graduated from college in 1992 and channel 54 is all the songs I listened to back then. The sound quality is awesome and I’m just hooked.
The interior is quiet, comfortable, fastidiously assembled and just oozes quality. The heated seats are a nice touch. I’m glad to see that Acura added back warms to the bun warmers. I really like all the little touches. You can set a side-view mirror to tilt down when you shift into reverse, you can set the doors to lock once you reach 10 mph, the map pockets tilt out so you get the little things you put in there. I discover something new and cool each time I get in the car.
I’m love the car, but it’s already dirty. I give it a nice wash this weekend and take a few pics.
Cheers,
Don
When I arrived at the dealership, the car was clean as a whistle and the tag was already on it. I snapped a couple of photos (coming later). Took a 15 minute test drive to make sure the car was perfect (it is) and spent 10 minutes in the finance office, wrote my check and was out of there. The offered a leather care package for $395 that guarantees against cracking, peeling and fading, a paint protection package for $795 and a 7yr/75k warranty for $995. Thanks to this forum I knew the ‘going’ rate is ~$1100 for the 7yr/100k warranty and I may go for it once my bank account recovers. No surprises and a wonderful experience all around. Kudos to Apple Acura and Bob Albright for first rate customer service! I can’t say enough good things about them.
Onto the car. I have no vibration issues whatsoever and I have the EL42s. My VIN is 27xxx so take that for what it’s worth. I stalled it three times yesterday. I have always driven cars with manual transmissions and have not stalled in about 15 years. I did much better today, but getting started and shifting in the lower gears requires a little more attention; I’m sure this will go away with practice. The motor is great, not quite as much torque down-low as the Nissan/Infiniti VQ35 but smoother and, amazingly, I’m averaging 24 MPG so far! I subscribe to the break-it-in-hard (http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm) theory and gave the car a hearty workout on the rural PA roads on the way home.
The Brembo brakes are very good. Lots of power and feel. Not as much initial bite as the 3-series or G35 brakes but very close. I expect the pad life to be significantly better so the trade-off seems excellent for a daily driven car – IMHO. I do have some low-speed, low-effort brake squeal. I expect this to go away once the pads fully be in.
I think the ride/handling equation is perfect for a daily driver. It’s nice and firm with great ride quality. There is a little extra suspension movement over bumps from reduced compression/rebound in the shocks, but the ride payoff is worth it for me. Body roll is minimal (I think the 6MT) has larger roll bars and the tires never squeal – I think these tires are fine and should last quite a while.
I’m knocked out by the stereo. After 20 minutes, I was hooked on XM SR. It’s amazing, I graduated from college in 1992 and channel 54 is all the songs I listened to back then. The sound quality is awesome and I’m just hooked.
The interior is quiet, comfortable, fastidiously assembled and just oozes quality. The heated seats are a nice touch. I’m glad to see that Acura added back warms to the bun warmers. I really like all the little touches. You can set a side-view mirror to tilt down when you shift into reverse, you can set the doors to lock once you reach 10 mph, the map pockets tilt out so you get the little things you put in there. I discover something new and cool each time I get in the car.
I’m love the car, but it’s already dirty. I give it a nice wash this weekend and take a few pics.
Cheers,
Don
02-27-2004, 04:28 PM
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I subscribe to the break-it-in-hard (http://mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm) theory and gave the car a hearty workout on the rural PA roads on the way home.
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02-27-2004, 07:20 PM
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ok i read that once before elsewhere about breaking in the engine. how many people here live by that and have done it. my car is still on order and i am scared to run it hard when i first get it because it's new. i have never owned a new car before so this is new to me.
02-27-2004, 07:44 PM
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Hard Break-in with auto?
The hard break-in recommendation at the Power News Mag site seems to make sense.
However, would the TL's auto make this a little tricky to accomplish? Can you maintain high revs long enough in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th?
The site also recommends changing oil within the first 20 miles. Acura has some type of special oil from the factory that should be left in for at least 5k.
Hmm, whom to listen to?
However, would the TL's auto make this a little tricky to accomplish? Can you maintain high revs long enough in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th?
The site also recommends changing oil within the first 20 miles. Acura has some type of special oil from the factory that should be left in for at least 5k.
Hmm, whom to listen to?
02-27-2004, 07:51 PM
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i also read other articles that say not to run in hard. they say to keep it under what the manufacturer's max breakin rpm. but one thing that is consistent that i see is to cary engine load. not to keep it at a constant rate.
02-27-2004, 10:02 PM
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Congratulations on the car! Have fun this weekend....
02-28-2004, 11:47 AM
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Re: Hard Break-in with auto?
Originally posted by starbucks
The hard break-in recommendation at the Power News Mag site seems to make sense.
However, would the TL's auto make this a little tricky to accomplish? Can you maintain high revs long enough in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th?
The site also recommends changing oil within the first 20 miles. Acura has some type of special oil from the factory that should be left in for at least 5k.
Hmm, whom to listen to?
The hard break-in recommendation at the Power News Mag site seems to make sense.
However, would the TL's auto make this a little tricky to accomplish? Can you maintain high revs long enough in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th?
The site also recommends changing oil within the first 20 miles. Acura has some type of special oil from the factory that should be left in for at least 5k.
Hmm, whom to listen to?
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