Maybe buying my first Acura - low mileage 3G TL
02-23-2017, 07:30 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Maybe buying my first Acura - low mileage 3G TL
Hey everyone, Acura and TL noob here.
I've recently acquired a long commute for a new job (120 mi roundtrip x4 days/week mostly hwy) and my 96 EJ hatch isn't doing it for me anymore. Long story short, I drove a rental car when I was visiting family out of town last month and the comfort disparity difference between the leather-equipped 2017 model I was driving and my lowered 96 Civic was so incredibly enormous that I've abandoned my need to stay frugal for student debt sake and have decided to buy a used vehicle to improve my quality of life. Basically, I'm in the market for a comfortable (1), good mpg (2), cruise controlling (3), quiet (4), manual shifting (mandatory) sedan (preferred) that's still fun and looks easy on the eyes. My search has been narrowed down to only a few as most cars now days look terrible!
3G Acura TL - Always a sleek stunner in my eyes, if not one of the best looking sedans in the wurld
7G Accord sedan - Bullet proof K24 goodness, easy to work on, and paid off in less than 1 year
9G Accord sedan - Sport model is not bad, just extremely common and $$
7G VW GTI - Fun, but a little floaty on handling, and not as comfortable as I'd like plus $$$ with meh plaid seats
So I've found a few of every model listed above, but there's always some negative outweighing the positive- namely price and finding something in decent condition with a moderate amount of miles. Anyways, I've just recently found an 04 Acura TL base model in anthracite with Navi and 67k miles in great condition. Apparently the single owner who bought the car new in 2004 drove it into this luxury car dealership and traded it in for one of their new cars. This makes me think he was older, drove well, babied the car, and just wanted something newer after ~13 years. I've since secured financing, put a hold on the vehicle until I can see it this weekend, and have contacted the local Acura dealership he was getting the car serviced at (viewable on Carfax report). I was told the car checks out for any major recalls, but there is a large gap in serving done at their stealership from 2009-2014. The Carfax shows the car was getting the title renewed etc. during that time so maybe he just took it elsewhere for a while? In any case, my reservations are now this: the highly recommended timing belt, etc etc routine maintenance that's to be done at 105k miles or 7 years old does not appear to be done.
This brings me to question a few things and since I consider you all to be relatively familiar or maybe even some level of experts with these cars, here we go:
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
A little long winded, but thanks guys. I plan to stick around if this deal ends up going through.
Thanks!
I've recently acquired a long commute for a new job (120 mi roundtrip x4 days/week mostly hwy) and my 96 EJ hatch isn't doing it for me anymore. Long story short, I drove a rental car when I was visiting family out of town last month and the comfort disparity difference between the leather-equipped 2017 model I was driving and my lowered 96 Civic was so incredibly enormous that I've abandoned my need to stay frugal for student debt sake and have decided to buy a used vehicle to improve my quality of life. Basically, I'm in the market for a comfortable (1), good mpg (2), cruise controlling (3), quiet (4), manual shifting (mandatory) sedan (preferred) that's still fun and looks easy on the eyes. My search has been narrowed down to only a few as most cars now days look terrible!
3G Acura TL - Always a sleek stunner in my eyes, if not one of the best looking sedans in the wurld
7G Accord sedan - Bullet proof K24 goodness, easy to work on, and paid off in less than 1 year
9G Accord sedan - Sport model is not bad, just extremely common and $$
7G VW GTI - Fun, but a little floaty on handling, and not as comfortable as I'd like plus $$$ with meh plaid seats
So I've found a few of every model listed above, but there's always some negative outweighing the positive- namely price and finding something in decent condition with a moderate amount of miles. Anyways, I've just recently found an 04 Acura TL base model in anthracite with Navi and 67k miles in great condition. Apparently the single owner who bought the car new in 2004 drove it into this luxury car dealership and traded it in for one of their new cars. This makes me think he was older, drove well, babied the car, and just wanted something newer after ~13 years. I've since secured financing, put a hold on the vehicle until I can see it this weekend, and have contacted the local Acura dealership he was getting the car serviced at (viewable on Carfax report). I was told the car checks out for any major recalls, but there is a large gap in serving done at their stealership from 2009-2014. The Carfax shows the car was getting the title renewed etc. during that time so maybe he just took it elsewhere for a while? In any case, my reservations are now this: the highly recommended timing belt, etc etc routine maintenance that's to be done at 105k miles or 7 years old does not appear to be done.
This brings me to question a few things and since I consider you all to be relatively familiar or maybe even some level of experts with these cars, here we go:
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
A little long winded, but thanks guys. I plan to stick around if this deal ends up going through.
Thanks!
02-23-2017, 08:20 PM
#2
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
This is up to you and has been discussed numerous times. My 08 has 39k on it and I changed it cuz I found a great deal at a Honda dealer to have it changed and water pump etc. Call around maybe some Honda dealers are running promo's.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
Pass...some of the techie senior guys here can chime in on this one
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
SAVE YOUR MONEY...very few warranties are worth it honestly and for what you hope to pay here for a warranty you wont get very long coverage given your long commute
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
Gonna let other folks chime here on this one too as Im not sure what issues the 04 had
This is up to you and has been discussed numerous times. My 08 has 39k on it and I changed it cuz I found a great deal at a Honda dealer to have it changed and water pump etc. Call around maybe some Honda dealers are running promo's.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
Pass...some of the techie senior guys here can chime in on this one
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
SAVE YOUR MONEY...very few warranties are worth it honestly and for what you hope to pay here for a warranty you wont get very long coverage given your long commute
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
Gonna let other folks chime here on this one too as Im not sure what issues the 04 had
02-23-2017, 08:56 PM
#3
The 3g looks the best of all those cars and imo has the best interior. 3g takes corners amazingly after having driven a few rentals lately. Reliable, just as easy to work on, and easy to source parts. I don't know about fuel efficiency as I am WOT all day long on all my cars.
The following users liked this post:
treal512 (02-26-2017)
02-23-2017, 09:39 PM
#4
I like some of your options. I'd pick the 3G TL out of all of them. I have a commute similar yours, when I drive my TL-S, it makes it a lot more fun. Any pictures of the car?
1: I would do the belt if there is no record of it being done. Even though its no where near on the miles, its cheap insurance. You can hold off on doing it immediately, keep your eye out on timing belt specials and take advantage of it when one pops up.
2: Driving it is the only way. When I bought my 08 TL-S, i felt 3rd was notchy immediately the first time I drove it. I did a drain and fill with GM Syncromesh and has shifted like brand new ever since.
3: I'd pass on an aftermarket warranty. These cars are pretty bulletproof. Even some of the bigger things that go wrong are fairly cheap to fix. Save your money
4: Check for leaks, rattles, funny noises, prior accidents, etc. With only 67k on the miles, should be a fairly clean car
1: I would do the belt if there is no record of it being done. Even though its no where near on the miles, its cheap insurance. You can hold off on doing it immediately, keep your eye out on timing belt specials and take advantage of it when one pops up.
2: Driving it is the only way. When I bought my 08 TL-S, i felt 3rd was notchy immediately the first time I drove it. I did a drain and fill with GM Syncromesh and has shifted like brand new ever since.
3: I'd pass on an aftermarket warranty. These cars are pretty bulletproof. Even some of the bigger things that go wrong are fairly cheap to fix. Save your money
4: Check for leaks, rattles, funny noises, prior accidents, etc. With only 67k on the miles, should be a fairly clean car
02-23-2017, 10:46 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
This is up to you and has been discussed numerous times. My 08 has 39k on it and I changed it cuz I found a great deal at a Honda dealer to have it changed and water pump etc. Call around maybe some Honda dealers are running promo's.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
Pass...some of the techie senior guys here can chime in on this one
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
SAVE YOUR MONEY...very few warranties are worth it honestly and for what you hope to pay here for a warranty you wont get very long coverage given your long commute
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
Gonna let other folks chime here on this one too as Im not sure what issues the 04 had
This is up to you and has been discussed numerous times. My 08 has 39k on it and I changed it cuz I found a great deal at a Honda dealer to have it changed and water pump etc. Call around maybe some Honda dealers are running promo's.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
Pass...some of the techie senior guys here can chime in on this one
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
SAVE YOUR MONEY...very few warranties are worth it honestly and for what you hope to pay here for a warranty you wont get very long coverage given your long commute
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
Gonna let other folks chime here on this one too as Im not sure what issues the 04 had
I will definitely contact Honda to see what they quote prior to even seeing the TL this weekend though. Great idea, thanks. As for what the full job or at least the critical job entails, what parts does that include?
Timing belt (TB)
TB idler pulley
TB tensioner pulley
TB hydraulic auto-tensioner
and water pump?
Is it in my best interest to buy a kit for these? Gates?
The 3g looks the best of all those cars and imo has the best interior. 3g takes corners amazingly after having driven a few rentals lately. Reliable, just as easy to work on, and easy to source parts. I don't know about fuel efficiency as I am WOT all day long on all my cars.
I like some of your options. I'd pick the 3G TL out of all of them. I have a commute similar yours, when I drive my TL-S, it makes it a lot more fun. Any pictures of the car?
1: I would do the belt if there is no record of it being done. Even though its no where near on the miles, its cheap insurance. You can hold off on doing it immediately, keep your eye out on timing belt specials and take advantage of it when one pops up.
2: Driving it is the only way. When I bought my 08 TL-S, i felt 3rd was notchy immediately the first time I drove it. I did a drain and fill with GM Syncromesh and has shifted like brand new ever since.
3: I'd pass on an aftermarket warranty. These cars are pretty bulletproof. Even some of the bigger things that go wrong are fairly cheap to fix. Save your money
4: Check for leaks, rattles, funny noises, prior accidents, etc. With only 67k on the miles, should be a fairly clean car
1: I would do the belt if there is no record of it being done. Even though its no where near on the miles, its cheap insurance. You can hold off on doing it immediately, keep your eye out on timing belt specials and take advantage of it when one pops up.
2: Driving it is the only way. When I bought my 08 TL-S, i felt 3rd was notchy immediately the first time I drove it. I did a drain and fill with GM Syncromesh and has shifted like brand new ever since.
3: I'd pass on an aftermarket warranty. These cars are pretty bulletproof. Even some of the bigger things that go wrong are fairly cheap to fix. Save your money
4: Check for leaks, rattles, funny noises, prior accidents, etc. With only 67k on the miles, should be a fairly clean car
02-24-2017, 08:56 AM
#6
Drifting
I have purchased an extended warranty on two cars over the past 20 years. One car was brand new and I bought a 5yr/100k $0 deduct bumper-to-bumper warranty....it has been a long time (1998'ish) and I think it was about $1100 maybe? Over the course of those 5 years, it may have saved me about $500 in repairs...but it did give me access to free rentals which was nice. The last one was in 2011'ish on a 2008 vehicle, cost us $1400 and I think we got close to $8000 worth of service/savings out of it. That one was completely worth it.
When I bought my TL in 2008, they weren't budging off of the cost (over $2000) so I told them no thanks. So far that was for sure the right call considering that outside of standard maintenance (brakes, tires, TB, etc), I have spent less than $1000 on repairs over the past 8 years. We bought my wife a brand new car in 2014 and again the dealer wasn't budging off of the warranty costs which were over $3000 so we passed. I think it really comes down to the price, deductible, and overall terms of the warranty to determine if it is worthwhile. Sometimes the dealers get aggressive in the discounts to get you to buy...and then it may be worth it. But for me...once it crosses the $1500 mark, I would rather pass and just make sure I keep money set aside in savings to deal with it.
When I bought my TL in 2008, they weren't budging off of the cost (over $2000) so I told them no thanks. So far that was for sure the right call considering that outside of standard maintenance (brakes, tires, TB, etc), I have spent less than $1000 on repairs over the past 8 years. We bought my wife a brand new car in 2014 and again the dealer wasn't budging off of the warranty costs which were over $3000 so we passed. I think it really comes down to the price, deductible, and overall terms of the warranty to determine if it is worthwhile. Sometimes the dealers get aggressive in the discounts to get you to buy...and then it may be worth it. But for me...once it crosses the $1500 mark, I would rather pass and just make sure I keep money set aside in savings to deal with it.
02-24-2017, 09:08 AM
#7
Suzuka Master
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
TB/WP service which costly between $1k - $1.5k, You can buy your own TB kit my Acura dealer actually charge me $750 for labor and other item.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
There is no way of telling the car has this issue unless you actual drove it, this is a problem plague Honda product from civic to Acura TL MT.
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
Save your money there are very few (if not none of them ) will honor your warranty claim since they mostly use the "pre existing condition" since you bought the car used without any certified by manufacture or their inspection.
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
HFL (Bluetooth module) going bad which lead to draining your battery. There are two way fixing this first unplug the unit which also disable the voice command in the Navi model, second is to buy the new unit and replace. check the unit working stats by scrolling the MID to Hand free link and press select if the module is bad or being unplug it will say "booting up".
TB/WP service which costly between $1k - $1.5k, You can buy your own TB kit my Acura dealer actually charge me $750 for labor and other item.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
There is no way of telling the car has this issue unless you actual drove it, this is a problem plague Honda product from civic to Acura TL MT.
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
Save your money there are very few (if not none of them ) will honor your warranty claim since they mostly use the "pre existing condition" since you bought the car used without any certified by manufacture or their inspection.
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
HFL (Bluetooth module) going bad which lead to draining your battery. There are two way fixing this first unplug the unit which also disable the voice command in the Navi model, second is to buy the new unit and replace. check the unit working stats by scrolling the MID to Hand free link and press select if the module is bad or being unplug it will say "booting up".
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02-24-2017, 09:46 AM
#8
Safety Car
iTrader: (5)
summary:
- i would skip on the warranty, no need for it and it's not going to be worth it.
- do the TB job
- no way to tell about 3rd gear until you drive it
- check for the HFL like someone mentioned
- check the compliance bushings condition (there's a huge thread in the forum on it)
- check tires for uneven wear
you can get the aisin kit and have pretty much most of the parts you need. you can get the entire job done for under 1k and i highly recommend it. it's not only a mileage recommendation but a time one as well. no matter if it's been used much or not, materials and components degrade over time so i wouldn't skip on the TB job. may also want to get your valves adjusted (about 250-300 dollars), depends how car runs. there's a huge thread on the forum about the TB job
the 6mt is so much fun. here are the 6mt mods to get maximum enjoyment and feel with the car:
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
put up some pics!
- i would skip on the warranty, no need for it and it's not going to be worth it.
- do the TB job
- no way to tell about 3rd gear until you drive it
- check for the HFL like someone mentioned
- check the compliance bushings condition (there's a huge thread in the forum on it)
- check tires for uneven wear
you can get the aisin kit and have pretty much most of the parts you need. you can get the entire job done for under 1k and i highly recommend it. it's not only a mileage recommendation but a time one as well. no matter if it's been used much or not, materials and components degrade over time so i wouldn't skip on the TB job. may also want to get your valves adjusted (about 250-300 dollars), depends how car runs. there's a huge thread on the forum about the TB job
My favorite driving is curvy-windy downhill/uphill roads, doubleclutch down shifting, adrenaline, etc. so your post and this car, tbh, makes me happy. If I pull the trigger on the TL, I will def upgrade the RSB mm, add a solid front strut bar, and play with bushings for the shifter and suspension. Anyone know if the 6MT shifter responds well to aftermarket parts like a short shifter and stiffer bushings?
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
put up some pics!
The following users liked this post:
treal512 (02-26-2017)
02-24-2017, 11:45 AM
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
I have purchased an extended warranty on two cars over the past 20 years. One car was brand new and I bought a 5yr/100k $0 deduct bumper-to-bumper warranty....it has been a long time (1998'ish) and I think it was about $1100 maybe? Over the course of those 5 years, it may have saved me about $500 in repairs...but it did give me access to free rentals which was nice. The last one was in 2011'ish on a 2008 vehicle, cost us $1400 and I think we got close to $8000 worth of service/savings out of it. That one was completely worth it.
When I bought my TL in 2008, they weren't budging off of the cost (over $2000) so I told them no thanks. So far that was for sure the right call considering that outside of standard maintenance (brakes, tires, TB, etc), I have spent less than $1000 on repairs over the past 8 years. We bought my wife a brand new car in 2014 and again the dealer wasn't budging off of the warranty costs which were over $3000 so we passed. I think it really comes down to the price, deductible, and overall terms of the warranty to determine if it is worthwhile. Sometimes the dealers get aggressive in the discounts to get you to buy...and then it may be worth it. But for me...once it crosses the $1500 mark, I would rather pass and just make sure I keep money set aside in savings to deal with it.
When I bought my TL in 2008, they weren't budging off of the cost (over $2000) so I told them no thanks. So far that was for sure the right call considering that outside of standard maintenance (brakes, tires, TB, etc), I have spent less than $1000 on repairs over the past 8 years. We bought my wife a brand new car in 2014 and again the dealer wasn't budging off of the warranty costs which were over $3000 so we passed. I think it really comes down to the price, deductible, and overall terms of the warranty to determine if it is worthwhile. Sometimes the dealers get aggressive in the discounts to get you to buy...and then it may be worth it. But for me...once it crosses the $1500 mark, I would rather pass and just make sure I keep money set aside in savings to deal with it.
1) If I buy the car, do I need to spend the roughly estimated $1k to get the serving done ASAP? I know it comes with the territory of owning a interference engine, but this scenario is a little off-putting
TB/WP service which costly between $1k - $1.5k, You can buy your own TB kit my Acura dealer actually charge me $750 for labor and other item.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
There is no way of telling the car has this issue unless you actual drove it, this is a problem plague Honda product from civic to Acura TL MT.
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
Save your money there are very few (if not none of them ) will honor your warranty claim since they mostly use the "pre existing condition" since you bought the car used without any certified by manufacture or their inspection.
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
HFL (Bluetooth module) going bad which lead to draining your battery. There are two way fixing this first unplug the unit which also disable the voice command in the Navi model, second is to buy the new unit and replace. check the unit working stats by scrolling the MID to Hand free link and press select if the module is bad or being unplug it will say "booting up".
TB/WP service which costly between $1k - $1.5k, You can buy your own TB kit my Acura dealer actually charge me $750 for labor and other item.
2) How can I determine other than simply driving the car whether or not the 6MT will have any 3rd gear model-specific tranny issues? Any insight?
There is no way of telling the car has this issue unless you actual drove it, this is a problem plague Honda product from civic to Acura TL MT.
3) Any input on worthwhile warranties? I'm actually planning to pocket the average price of a warranty ($1.5-2k) into my savings for when that day comes vs buying a limited warranty
Save your money there are very few (if not none of them ) will honor your warranty claim since they mostly use the "pre existing condition" since you bought the car used without any certified by manufacture or their inspection.
4) What else should I look for when I check out the vehicle?
HFL (Bluetooth module) going bad which lead to draining your battery. There are two way fixing this first unplug the unit which also disable the voice command in the Navi model, second is to buy the new unit and replace. check the unit working stats by scrolling the MID to Hand free link and press select if the module is bad or being unplug it will say "booting up".
summary:
- i would skip on the warranty, no need for it and it's not going to be worth it.
- do the TB job
- no way to tell about 3rd gear until you drive it
- check for the HFL like someone mentioned
- check the compliance bushings condition (there's a huge thread in the forum on it)
- check tires for uneven wear
you can get the aisin kit and have pretty much most of the parts you need. you can get the entire job done for under 1k and i highly recommend it. it's not only a mileage recommendation but a time one as well. no matter if it's been used much or not, materials and components degrade over time so i wouldn't skip on the TB job. may also want to get your valves adjusted (about 250-300 dollars), depends how car runs. there's a huge thread on the forum about the TB job
the 6mt is so much fun. here are the 6mt mods to get maximum enjoyment and feel with the car:
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
put up some pics!
- i would skip on the warranty, no need for it and it's not going to be worth it.
- do the TB job
- no way to tell about 3rd gear until you drive it
- check for the HFL like someone mentioned
- check the compliance bushings condition (there's a huge thread in the forum on it)
- check tires for uneven wear
you can get the aisin kit and have pretty much most of the parts you need. you can get the entire job done for under 1k and i highly recommend it. it's not only a mileage recommendation but a time one as well. no matter if it's been used much or not, materials and components degrade over time so i wouldn't skip on the TB job. may also want to get your valves adjusted (about 250-300 dollars), depends how car runs. there's a huge thread on the forum about the TB job
the 6mt is so much fun. here are the 6mt mods to get maximum enjoyment and feel with the car:
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
put up some pics!
02-26-2017, 02:37 AM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
the 6mt is so much fun. here are the 6mt mods to get maximum enjoyment and feel with the car:
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
CT short shifter
hybrid racing shifter bushings
GM friction modified mtf (this stuff is like magic, solves 3rd gear issues but should be done on any 6mt TL)
slave cylinder check valve delete
heavy weight shift knob (i currently run raceseng's slammer and i believe they are the best shift knobs out there for any car)
the RSB upgrade makes a huge difference, no need to upgrade the front strut bar. for suspension bushings, check out the PCI compliance bearings...my review is here: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-t...cement-954321/
I will, soon
02-26-2017, 12:51 PM
#12
Instructor
Thread Starter
On second thought, I'm not so sure of the Type-S FSB and Progress RSB combination w/stock suspension/spring rates on the base 04 MT. I'm reading that while the 04 MT has the stiffest OEM suspension aside from the Type-S and A-spec, I don't want to induce too much oversteer. Do I plan on upgrading the suspension? Maybe a year+ from now, but a large reason I've purchased this car (my current hatchback is lowww) to begin with was for ride quality. So maybe the A-spec suspension at most to go slightly lower and to stiffen things up a bit, but I don't see myself going coils on this DD. Any input on just going Type-S FSB and RSB w/stock 04 MT suspension? Is that my best bet for balance and handling?
02-26-2017, 01:03 PM
#13
Safety Car
iTrader: (5)
On second thought, I'm not so sure of the Type-S FSB and Progress RSB combination w/stock suspension/spring rates on the base 04 MT. I'm reading that while the 04 MT has the stiffest OEM suspension aside from the Type-S and A-spec, I don't want to induce too much oversteer. Do I plan on upgrading the suspension? Maybe a year+ from now, but a large reason I've purchased this car (my current hatchback is lowww) to begin with was for ride quality. So maybe the A-spec suspension at most to go slightly lower and to stiffen things up a bit, but I don't see myself going coils on this DD. Any input on just going Type-S FSB and RSB w/stock 04 MT suspension? Is that my best bet for balance and handling?
you mention the aspec suspension but just a heads up that has been discontinued and they are very hard to find now, if at all. i don't think you'll have much luck. but on that same note i would recommend the tein street advance z. it will give you a better solid ride without compromising ride quality and its recommended drop specs are 1.4" to 2.2", so at 1.4" you would be perfectly fine. they are even cheaper than the aspec suspension so to me it would make sense to go SAZ right off the bat. your car will perform amazing (6mt) and handle amazing (sway bars and suspension).
02-26-2017, 02:11 PM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
if i remember reading correctly, the fsb is extremely hard to install but i never really looked into it for details because i have the type s. i do remember that that was the best setup for non-type s cars though, so definitely look into it more. i would go with the type s front and the progress rear set to soft.
you mention the aspec suspension but just a heads up that has been discontinued and they are very hard to find now, if at all. i don't think you'll have much luck. but on that same note i would recommend the tein street advance z. it will give you a better solid ride without compromising ride quality and its recommended drop specs are 1.4" to 2.2", so at 1.4" you would be perfectly fine. they are even cheaper than the aspec suspension so to me it would make sense to go SAZ right off the bat. your car will perform amazing (6mt) and handle amazing (sway bars and suspension).
you mention the aspec suspension but just a heads up that has been discontinued and they are very hard to find now, if at all. i don't think you'll have much luck. but on that same note i would recommend the tein street advance z. it will give you a better solid ride without compromising ride quality and its recommended drop specs are 1.4" to 2.2", so at 1.4" you would be perfectly fine. they are even cheaper than the aspec suspension so to me it would make sense to go SAZ right off the bat. your car will perform amazing (6mt) and handle amazing (sway bars and suspension).
And thanks for the heads up on the Tein coils. They're cheaper than I would expect for good ride quality. Does the TL not have a Koni yellow and adjustable ground control combo that works/rides well?Hmm, I read that the subframe bit was a little difficult for the FSB, but that still doesn't seem like something I wouldn't be willing to try. Seeing as how I'd need to get an alignment afterwards though I'm going to put a hold on that for now. So would getting a Type-S RSB then be a waste of time? Would a Progress rear with the hollow MT FSB be too much? I think I need to slow my roll here, lol.
02-26-2017, 02:27 PM
#16
Safety Car
iTrader: (5)
Good to know on the A-spec suspension. Sounds about right And thanks for the heads up on the Tein coils. They're cheaper than I would expect for good ride quality. Does the TL not have a Koni yellow and adjustable ground control combo that works/rides well?
Hmm, I read that the subframe bit was a little difficult for the FSB, but that still doesn't seem like something I wouldn't be willing to try. Seeing as how I'd need to get an alignment afterwards though I'm going to put a hold on that for now. So would getting a Type-S RSB then be a waste of time? Would a Progress rear with the hollow MT FSB be too much? I think I need to slow my roll here, lol.
And thanks for the heads up on the Tein coils. They're cheaper than I would expect for good ride quality. Does the TL not have a Koni yellow and adjustable ground control combo that works/rides well?Hmm, I read that the subframe bit was a little difficult for the FSB, but that still doesn't seem like something I wouldn't be willing to try. Seeing as how I'd need to get an alignment afterwards though I'm going to put a hold on that for now. So would getting a Type-S RSB then be a waste of time? Would a Progress rear with the hollow MT FSB be too much? I think I need to slow my roll here, lol.
regarding sway bars, if i were you i'd get the progress one for sure. install that one and see how the car responds on turns. if you see too much oversteer, spring for the solid FSB and even things out. i would do it in steps and see what you think. you might be ok with the progress set on street with the base mt front sway bar.
thanks! i've been around a while so feel free to ask anything you want haha
The following users liked this post:
treal512 (02-26-2017)
02-26-2017, 02:48 PM
#17
Instructor
Thread Starter
regarding sway bars, if i were you i'd get the progress one for sure. install that one and see how the car responds on turns. if you see too much oversteer, spring for the solid FSB and even things out. i would do it in steps and see what you think. you might be ok with the progress set on street with the base mt front sway bar.
I'm gonna go Progress RSB and a set of Dropstops!!
02-26-2017, 03:36 PM
#18
Safety Car
iTrader: (5)
nice man! does that mean your TL purchase is complete? you should make a progress thread too when you get it since it sounds like you have some planned mods haha. those dropstops have saved me a ton of times lol, i didn't have them for the first week we had our mdx and i'd lose my phone under the seat every time!
02-26-2017, 04:02 PM
#19
Instructor
Thread Starter
yea i believe they are the same size in the rear.
nice man! does that mean your TL purchase is complete? you should make a progress thread too when you get it since it sounds like you have some planned mods haha. those dropstops have saved me a ton of times lol, i didn't have them for the first week we had our mdx and i'd lose my phone under the seat every time!
nice man! does that mean your TL purchase is complete? you should make a progress thread too when you get it since it sounds like you have some planned mods haha. those dropstops have saved me a ton of times lol, i didn't have them for the first week we had our mdx and i'd lose my phone under the seat every time!
Haha, that's too funny about the dropstops! I'm definitely ordering them. Did you see the picture of the dog using one? Make sure you're not eating before you click this:
