Good evening everyone!

I picked up my early-build 2004 TL exactly two years ago tonight. For those of you not familiar with my regular series , I post updates at regular intervals in order to give owners and potential owners an idea of the reliability of my car, whether good or bad. Stole the idea shamelessly from Edmunds. I think this is relevant even though the 2005 and 2006 TLs may be better built and have fewer issues. Sorry I haven't been around as much as usual lately, my workload has increased dramatically the last few months.

The bottom line: I love the car still, but my head is increasingly turned by the Infiniti M35x (aka Nissan Fuga), and the Dodge Magnum R/T (I know, I know, a step down in refinement, but c'mon....that Hemi V8 ROCKS!). DROOL! I'm even casting sideways glances at the RL, even it simply doesn't have enough power for my taste. Realistically, though, I find myself staying with this car another couple of years, and it's finally time for me to buy an extended warranty. At least the extended warranty is cheaper than another car down payment....

My previous posts:

One month
Three months
Six months
Nine months
One year
Fifteen months
Eighteen months

On to the meat of the matter.....

I have 38582 miles on the odo as of tonight. My mileage hasn't changed substantively as it remains 22-23 mpg in my usual 60-40 freeway-city driving.

RELIABILITY In the last six months, I have visited the dealer twice. I had an alignment and tire rebalancing in June ($130.62), and A3 service at the end of July($144.80), had some extras at that service). Because I have 30% oil life remaining, according to the MID, I expect to require another service within a few weeks.

In May, I had two flats within two weeks, and since I believe in replacing tires in pairs, I ended up with four new Falken ZIEX ZE 512s. Immediately after I let NTB put them on, they began vibrating at freeway speed. It took three visits to NTB, then ultimately Hunter Roadforce balancing at the dealer along with an alignment, to partially solve the problem. After a 3000 mile trip to Colorado and back in August, the vibration seems to be limited to high speed (80+ mph), so I guess the tires have settled in. Before the tires settled, I even had the infamous 59-60 mph vibration! It's totally gone now....I now understand how others on this board could have the vibration. I now believe that part of the issue was the tires.

My brake rotors are warped and added to the vibrations at high speed. At first, the steering wheel shook and the brake pedal pulsed with high-speed braking. Now, only the pedal pulses. I suspect it was worse while I was breaking the new tires in. I'm trying to hold out until the next service because my time is very limited and I'd rather get all these issues resolved at once. Of note: I am still on my original pads and rotors. Time for better pads.....any suggestions?

Last, I have a rattle coming from the engine compartment on hard acceleration. I plan to have this addressed at the next dealer visit.

INTERIOR. I have some electronic gremlins. The driver's side window, halfway through an auto-up sequence, stops suddenly and goes back down. It is intermittent and I never know when it's going to happen. Of course, the dealer couldn't duplicate it and wouldn't fix it. UUUURRRRGH. HFL is screwy as well. Whenever I start the car, then try to use HFL to call, the system replaces the first number with an "8", no matter how many times I try. I usually end up dialing one of my presets, then hanging up. The second call always works flawlessly. Because I use my phone so much in the car, this is a MAJOR hassle. This is a consistent problem and I will be taking this up with the dealer at the next service. The light level of the temperature guage sometimes fluctuates, but it's not a frequent enough problem to have the dealer's techs tear my dashboard apart.

The car is quiet as a tomb except for tire noise from the Falkens. No rattles anywhere except the subwoofer, and then only with heavy bass. Ahhhhh heaven!

Buttprints are unchanged from last year, believe it or not. Here's a pic....



.....and a comparison with the rear seats, rarely occupied.....



A professional detailing removed all the salt from the carpet in the front. I took the advice of a forum mate and spent $20 on Rubbermaid floormats. I'll report on them after the first significant snow around here.

No issues with the carbon fiber trim. Fragile it may be, but even my wife hasn't managed to put a dent in it yet.

I do have the dash fade. However, the guy who did my professional detailing totally got rid of it! I'll have to ask him how he did it, but it looks great! Here's a pic taken a little too soon as the cleaning stuff is still drying...



HANDLING. No new comments. The A-Spec suspension's handling is fun, fun, fun! Or at least as much as you can have in a FWD car.

EXTERIOR. No new news here, either, other than that I plan to get the rear bumper repainted after the winter.

Long story short, this early-build car is no longer a brand-new car and is showing its age. All things considered, I really don't have many problems with it, and most merely require being persistent with the dealer. I love the car and still look forward to driving it. I certainly see myself keeping it a while longer.

EDITED FOR PICS

Front of car


Rear of car with dings on bumper


Side of car

 

good stuff, thanks. you are one of the only ones with an "old" 3rd gen if you think about it. You're blazing the trail.

 

great post neuron that was an excellent read!!!

 

You say "Showing its age" but isn't the car aging gracefully? 38k miles really isn't old.

 

I think it is aging gracefully, surprising as I drive it like I stole it.

 

Bob,

Glad to hear that you still love it.

Sorry for the few gremlins.

Your front seats still look better than mine at 3k miles

Too bad yours wasn't delivered to me, I would still have it.

I still love the look of the TL on the road, it still turns my head.

All the best,

N4S

 

I'm coming up on my two year anniversary in December, thanks for the post neuronbob !

 

Nice write up!

 

I have too many toys. My car is 19 months old with only 16,600 miles. At this rate, my car should easily make it to 12 years.

 

Thanks for all the comments so far.

It's also nice to see some of the old-timers post here (n4s, Lokius)....

 

Great write up as usual . Hope I can fare as well as you when I hit 38k. Mine will be 2 years old in March but since I bought my motorcycle the TL is often parked. I have to drive it today because of rain and will probably just pass 11k! I thought about buying it at lease end but there are so many other great cars now out there (as you said) that it's going to be hard not to want something new.

 

Thanks for that write up! helps many of us out. Is the a-spec suspension on in that picture??

 

Same here. 15th December will be my 2nd too. Nice reviews Bob I've liked all your reviews.

 

Thanks for the awesome write-up, Bob. You are one of the few people on this board who give an honest, thorough review on the TL instead of complaining incessantly b/c of a rattle making the car look no better than a Kia (as some seem to do). I should be picking one of my own (a TL, not Kia) hopefully in the spring as I just landed my first "real world" job today. And I am confident that between the TL and the G35 coupe, I'm making the right decision by going with the TL in the Northeast.

I'm rambling, but the goal of my post was to say thank you for the time and effort you put into your posts to help the rest of us out.

 

Thanks for the update Bob and as usual, your post is always a great read. Give us a heads up when you find out what your detailer uses for the dash.

 

Esxcellent post, thanks.

When your detailer shares the product he used on the dash could you share with us?

 

Odd, I was just thinkin, "I haven't seen one of Bob's updates in a while" Good writeup

 

Thanks for the update Bob. Since I've been on this site, your consistent reviews have always proved to be interesting, and objective.

 

Great write up.

You wrote that you plan to get the rear bumper repainted after the winter and plan on getting X-Pel Kit. Do you plan on getting the rear bumper covered as well? I thought about this on my TL when I had the clear bra installed, but didn't pull the trigger. The installer said this will prevent other cars front license plate bolt heads from digging into your bumper during parallel parking. Seems to make sense.

Again, great write up.

 

BTW, have you looked into the all weather floor mats at the Costco stores (not available on their website)? I have them in my 91 4Runner and they are pretty nice. You get front and rear mats and I know they come in camel color and either black or dark gray (don't remember which one).

 

Great post. I only have 53 miles on the ODO so I have a long way to go.

 

[QUOTE=neuronbob]Good evening everyone!



The bottom line: I love the car still, but my head is increasingly turned by the Infiniti M35x (aka Nissan Fuga), and the Dodge Magnum R/T (

Thanks Bob, I always enjoy reading your informative posts, and really enjoy the timeline on your vehicle.
I have posted here before, that I have been looking at other options, especially the m35x.
I have now taken it for three test drives(at three different dealers), to get some time behind the wheel. While I am far , from in love on its looks, I am in love with the ergonomics, and the way the car rides, plus the x factor, being in a snow area.
I am a tall guy, and the m35 definately has the headroom I need. I contemplated the price difference, but basically, the stock m35x has everything I really need and use, and probably wouldnt pay for any optional equiptment, which makes it about 10, 000 more then the tl.
The ride is secure and accurate, the engine is responsive, and the suspension (at least for me) is a delight. Somehow they were able to adapt the suspension, to completely flat out the bumps and ruts in the road, while maintaing the feel on the road. I feel it has at the minimum the same or better road feel for handling then a stock tl, with the comfort level, of a plush mobile.
Take it for a ride, if you havent yet, I think you will be absolutely pleased.
And if you have some money to spend, there are some options available that can make it really intense.
Much regards flatfoot

 

Good review Bob... it'll be 2 years for me in Dec.

 

Nice review Bob! But you still didn't get the Comptech rear sway bar to go with your A-Spec???

 

I have the Xpel kit on the front already. I thought about getting it on the rear but didn't feel it was worth the effort or cost at the time. Some people do this to protect the rear bumper from items being placed in or removed from the trunk. I may consider it. As far as the mats, the advantage to the Rubbermaid carpets from Target is that they have extra rubber so they can be cut to shape. If I'd known about this two years ago, I would've saved $100 (the Acura mats are $120 list).

Drool.....M35......drool......but my wife will kill me if I buy another car.....drool....likely to test drive soon....but I'll still end up keeping the TL unless I get an incredible deal.

No, not yet. I want to, though! I keep meaning to do it, but never get around to it.

Thanks for the posts!

 

Do you have any alignment issues or tire wear after you put on the a-spec suspension?

 

Terrific write up neuronbob! I recently drove my TL to Atlanta and the TL peformed flawlessly. The wife and I are already trying to decide where we want to go next!

 

I did, even though I had an alignment at the same time as the original install. There was a debate on the site a couple years ago about whether to do an alignment at the time of suspension lowering, or to do it a couple of weeks later, allowing the new suspension to "settle in". I am now a believer in the latter because of my experience. I had an alignment done during the summer and it was WAY off. Of course, I drive in pothole-laden Cleveland, and that may have had something to do with it too.

 

Bob, thanks for the update. Always interesting to see that, aside from a few standard rattles and fades, everyone seems to experience different quirks, not unlike any other from (A-Z) car.

 

Aerospace 303.... Great stuff!

Valgirl :-)