tracerit

I'm under the impression that anything that comes from Japan will last longer than anywhere else. Correct me if I'm wrong on this

I'm still considering a TSX, but figured that a new TL will last me longer and satisfy my horsepower craving over a longer period of time (think +5 years). Just because the TL is made in the US, does that mean it may not be as reliable as say a Japanese made TSX?

The whole story is that I'm 21 and would like to get a nicer car (currently driving an 04 Accord 4cyl) after I finish my unpaid internship If I was smart, I would just keep the Accord and instead of buying a new car, use that money to increase my savings towards a house. But I know i'm going to hate myself for driving an underpowered car (imo) knowing that I can go up a notch. Who knows, maybe next year when I'm ready for my career, I'll have other things on my mind than buying a new car, but I'm going crazy thinking about this everyday Thought maybe I can get some additional insight

ErichTL

haha myth.. if i'm not mistaken, the transmission for the 2nd Gen TL's are sourced from Japan.. and everyone one here knows the reliability record of that..

psteng19

Aside from the V6/auto tranny fiasco, I think there's an ounce of truth to it.
My regular mechanic who's always up front with me tells me Japan-sourced parts are better quality than its counterparts.

mrdeeno

reliability is more dependent on the design and engineering, so I wouldn't worry too much about reliability even if it was built in the U.S. Look at the tranny fiasco...it's not an assembly problem, it's a design/engineering problem.

The reason a lot of older model Big-3 offerings sucked is because the design/engineering was not the greatest and/or the accountants "forced" the engineers to take shortcuts.

craftsmanship and fit/finish is dependent on design/engineering, but also heavily affected by assembly, so this is where you'd notice most problems (uneven gaps, squeaks and rattles, etc.)

jmbnova

It will all depend upon who you ask! This seems to be an opinionated subject. The truth of the matter is that wherever your car is built, there are parts of it built elsewhere, no matter what car you drive... Case in point, there are Fords built in Mexico and in Canada... I wouldnt let where the vehicle was built be the deciding factor in what car you buy.

If you want to keep a TL for a long time without too much hassle, buy the 100,000 mile warranty. Anything that is going to break from being built in the States vice in Japan will be fixed under the warranty.

gurneyeagle

I agree 100% with the argumant regarding the engineering of parts and reliability.

That being said, there is a big difference in quality based on where the car is assembled. I hate to trash the US, but the build quality of my CL, TL, and the wife's Ody pales in comparison to the build quality of the Hondas and Acura I've owned that were built in Japan.

Panel lines, paint, fit on interior panels, lack of rattles, etc.

Just my opinion.

gurney