Hello Acura community!!! This is my 1st post here. I am currently a member at my350z.com. Tempted to sell my 350Z and get something with 4 doors. I really love the TL and am really thinking of getting one soon. Here are my 2 main questions...

1.) Auto or Manual? I have always had manuals and my Z is a 6 speed. Thing is, If im going to be getting what I would consider a luxury car, do i really want to have to be shifting all the time? Can you feel a real big difference in acceleration in the auto and manual?

2.) What color to get? So far, Ive seen and liked the black, silver, and white. Im leaning towards black, but I know how hard that will be to keep clean. Is it worth it? Paint quality ok? Swirl marks show easier? Reason I bring this up is coming from a nissan, the paint quality sucks, and if you have black, the swirls really shine through.

Sorry for the long post, any comments guys and gals?

ps- other cars I have considered- Volvo S60R, Toyota Avalon

BEN

 

Hey bstansbu

Welcome to the site. oh man the possiblities are endless....lol!

I have an 05 Anthracite 6MT and I love it. I was going to get black but when I saw the Anthracite I couldnt resist

 

Welcome! Have to say, those 2 questions are 2 big cans of worms...well the AT/MT one is, at least. Not that it's going to stop anyone from chiming in, but by the end of this thread, the concensus will be black MT (not my choice, but I know how this place is). The only other sure bet is that Acura's paint sucks, too, no matter what color you get.

 

Black MT (like mine ) .. You were right Chill_dog! I figured we'd get right to the end and avoid all the thread jousting

Bstansbu - It all comes down to your personal preference. We all bought different colors/configurations because it was what we wanted. Everyone thinks they're right, so you should really come up with a color based on your liking and the MT vs. AT is something only you can decide. That being said, may I repeat my vote for NBP/6MT?

 

^ oh, and welcome to the forum. Hope you become one of us.

 

welcome

 

1. MT.
2. White Diamond Pearl (WDP) with Ebony Interior.

G'luck with the decision.

 

Thank you guys for the replies thus far. Let me rephrase my questions...

Basically I want a black car that is as easy to keep clean as a silver or white car and I want a auto transmision that is fun and quick. lol I was hoping you guys could talk me in to that. Thanks again, BEN

PS- whats the anthracite color?

 

The gray is anthracite. Click my sig if you want to see pics.

 

I'd get the manual (i drive an auto now and love it but i just miss shifting) and I would get white. It looks awesome especially with the body kit, and it's very easy to keep looking clean!

 

Well, I wasn't going to say which is the best, but since you really want to know...WDP with AT...a lot of people go on and on about a MT, but I prefer to floor it and go (and this car goes quite well)...and not having to pay attention to changing gears all the time. But as was said earlier, it's all personal preference...if you want an AT, get one (it's still fast).

Anthracite - dark gray...someone will probably post a pic for you.

 

Linky no worky!! Could just be my firewall at work though.... Thanks guys for your insights and for making my dicision more difficult. Anyone want to buy a 350Z Track edition in Chrome Silver with suspension kit, Volks GT7 gunmetal 19x8.5 and 19x9.5. Once its sold, TL here I come. link to my Z.

http://www.zmodified.com/gallery/dis...at=5&pos=-1123

BEN

 

Must be your firewall...his linked worked fine for me...nice Z

 

Welcome!
I'm somewhat a newbie here myself...

Your questions are what I debated for two months before just purchasing my TL one week and a day ago. I have ALWAYS driven a manual transmission and I had an 04 Accord Coupe V6 6MT and LOVED that car....as far as performance...the Accord puts my TL to shame. My TL is an automatic and is still fun to drive, maybe just less exciting because I'm not shifting. I've been easy on the engine until the break-in period expires, but I can already tell it has some pep. I can't wait until it's broken in and I can start playing again!

All in all - all it took was for me to spontaneously go to the Acura dealer on my lunch break and test drove the TL...it was ALL over. I no longer just wanted the car...I needed it!

Best of luck to you and I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed if you go with the TL!

 

Nice car!

 

Ben, Welcome to the AZ. Your first question about the MT or AT. That particular topic has been discussed so many times. I will say this, go with your gut and don't look back. As a lot of the other members, I'm biased towards the MT. In your case, test drive both and I honestly believe there is a difference, like night and day, between both cars. I'll leave it at that.

Your second question about the paint quality and color. I don't think the paint quality is all that great. To really keep it pristine and chip free, I would invest in Paint Protection Film (PPF) commonly referred to as clearbra. I'm sure you've heard about it. A good number of folks will attest it is one of the best investments they made for their vehicle. As far as the color, all I can say is go with your first choice and there will be no regrets later. I think NBP is gorgeuous especially when it is clean. It is just a bear to maintain. Swirls are pretty much inevitable but you can minimize them by using the proper washing techniques and the correct tools.

There are loads of info available about what you asked, just use the search feature. Again, welcome.

 

my car is the anthracite metalic with the ebony interior. i feel thats the best color. i guess im just biased. I also have the 6sp. i love it. my last was was a 98 accord coupe auto and the car before that was a VW Corrado VR6 5sp. i felt that when i bought the accord that i wouldnt mind missing the stick. i was wrong, and for 4 years i had this accord in which i found was extremely boring to drive maybe that is because i was going from a fast car, with lots of go fast parts to a 4 banger. i hated it so much. i got the TL stick and peoople keep asking me "are you tired of shifting yet" the answer is HELLLL NNOOOOO. i love it. but go with your gut. your nissan is hot and it sounds like you like the stick. i would stick with it... good luck . keep us posted on what you do

 

yeah i would second this combo. i have an 04 and ebony was not available with white. i think from the exterior the WDP looks the best. however the tan interior with wood trim didn't strike my fancy. i ended up getting SSM with ebony cause its really easy to keep "clean"(looks clean even when somewhat dirty). NBP looks awesome when all detailed and then 15 minutes later you see the dirt/dust on it.

 

1) Whichever you like better. I went from a manual transmission Integra to an auto on the TL (wife requested auto). I don't miss the manual as the TL has sufficient power and responsiveness to work well with its auto, and I am in Los Angeles and drive in traffic most of the time.
2) Get silver like me if you are lazy about washing and skip it a week or two. Silver also may permit you more latitude with traffic officers/highway patrol-- they seem to go after darker vehicles despite the fact that a silver car may be moving at the same speed.

 

 

I also was a long time member at my350z.com who traded in for an 05 TL. I love the TL but it feels worlds different than the Z. With that said though, I think you should get the 6 Speed. First of all, its just cooler. Secondly, you get the bigger rear sway, the Limited Slip differential, and the brembos with the cool painted calipers.

I got a silver TL but would have rathered an Anthracite. I like the white a lot though. Black looks great but who can keep it clean? Who has the time to always be maintaining it...

Finally: an Avalon?! Its nice and all but I dont think I've seen anyone under 60 driving one...seriously. Thats a funny car to be on the list.

 

 

MT is overrated...get the Automatic. Yeah it's not as 'fun' to drive, but a luxury sedan should be automatic.

The color is your own preference. I had the Antracite (gray). I like it. But I heard that if you get the black, you never go back. haha

 

HAHA!! You gave me a laugh with that Avalon comment. lol I know I know, its an old persons car, but the 05 is much better than the previous years. 280+hp, better suspension, rear seats that recline, laser guided cruise control, largest interior in its class. Still want the TL though. As for auto vs. manual, Auto sounds nice for a luxo car but I think I would end up bored after a few months with the auto. I find when I drive my girl friends auto, I have my right hand on the auto stick anyways, might as well be doing some shifting since its already there. Ive never owned a black car, and I here it is so hard to keep clean, but I find even with my silver Z, I still wash it at least once a week, as well as California dust it before every drive, Quick detail it 3 times a week with Zainos Z6 spray. 1 coat of Zainos Z2 once a month also. Would that be enough to keep a black car nice looking? Im thinking it will but not sure. BEN

 

Welcome...

 

I have one of each: an '04 manual (mine) and an '05 automatic (the wife's). Now I have a VERY strong bias in favor of a manual transmission, however, I can say without reservation that if you have an inclination towards a manual, most definitely get the manual. It's a joy to operate and fits the car and its personality very nicely.

 

Thanks Southern Boy, Thats the type of comments I wanted to hear. I do like manuals but was hesitant to owning a manual on a front wheel drive car. I have only driven manuals on rear wheel drive. Looks like I will be getting a manual. Now the search for my TL. Im looking for a 2004-2005 with 5-20k miles, Nav, Manual, White, Black, or Grey, maybe silver. BEN

 

you have two?????

all hail SouthernBoy....

 

BTW, my '04 is Anthracite/Ebony/6MT/Nav and my wife's '05 (jointly owned) is Satin Silver/Quartz/5AT/Nav.

I mentioned a VERY strong bias towards manual transmissions in my other post. Admittely some manuals are better than others. The one in the TL is what I would consider a very good manual transmission; and the shifter is decent as well. You'll find the clutch action a little tricky to get used to at first. The clutch pedal travel is relatively short with an even shorter takeup, and engagement tends to start close to the floor (within the first 1.5 inches). These factors lend themselves to stalling and bucking when the operator first drives the car. So be aware of this. Once you get used to it, you'll actually like the setup. Most serious machines have shorter clutch pedal travels and takeups anyway. It's just that you don't expect this in a car like the TL.

Once you are good to go, you'll find driving the manual TL is a real joy. I mentioned that it fits the car's personality and someone else on this thread mentioned that a luxury car shouldn't come with a manual. I couldn't disagree with him more. First off, the TL is not a luxury car.. it's a luxury performance sedan.. the operative word there being "performance". And the manual lets you feel and stretch that performance more than does the automatic. The TL is, at best, and entry level luxury sedan and I would guess that the designers of the current version put "luxury" at or close to the bottom of their list of attributes, preferring instead to pop performance to the top of the heap.

With me, a personal driving machine MUST continue to entertain me, otherwise it soon becomes just a point A to point B transportation thing. Ergo my strong preference for manual trannies and interesting cars.

Anyway, good luck in your search and enjoy!

 

I struggled w/ the same prob. My wife can’t drive stick so I spent about an hour test driving the AT, and almost had my self convinced. Then I tested the MT. Not as much play in the steering, tighter ride and basically for me a different driving experience. For me the choice was obvious after 5 min of driving. I was also conflicted about putting on the A-spec springs, but I'm glad I did. I went w/ anthracite also, and I use the Zaino wax system exactly as recommended. Not a swirl mark on the car.

 

Thanks! Yeah, I know.. crazy, eh? Let me tell you how this came about.

Last March, my wife was on her way to church when her '96 BMW 328i decided it was time to send the water pump to lunch. So I got a call from a rather flustered wife who was in a strip mall parking lot in Nokesville, with an overheating engine and a small amount of car-fear in her voice. I drove to her and quickly determined that the problem was in the cooling system, but it looked like it was a stuck thermostat at first. We had the car towed the next day to a shop the Bimmer has visited many times in the past and it turned out to be the water pump impeller - plastic!!

This was the last straw.. Bimmers are not all they're cracked up to be. Some very poor designs with them. And in the 5 1/4 years we owned the car (bought used at a premium/speciality Bimmer lot with 15215 miles on her), we in over $8300 in repair work OUTSIDE of the normal things. Like I said, Bimmers are not all they're cracked up to be.

So off we went to an Acura dealer to checkout the TSX. On the way, she asked me if she could drive my '04 TL a bit (she oeprates a manual transmission better than most people because I taught her the right way to do it). As soon as she pulled out of the parking lot where we switched drivers, she said, "Wow"! She loved the way the car handled, felt, and the way she sat in it. We did test drive a TSX, but she couldn't get over the TL. So a week later, we went back to the same dealer and she test drove a new '05 TL that had just arrived and was being prepared for the show lot. Two hours later, that same TL was home in our garage and the Bimmer was history.

Now for my own feelings about her Bimmer. Let's just say there are two sets of keys sitting in a tray: one is a 3-series BMW and one is for a manual TL. No question, no decision needed. I'll take the TL every time. During some of the time we owned her BMW, I had a 2000 SVT Contour; perhaps the finest handling front drive sedan ever offered to the public. While the BMW would beat the SVT in a drag race (though marginally), there was no way the 3-series could ever hope to match an SVT Contour in the twisties. That SVT was a cornering machine. I don't have a clue how Ford managed that. Were it not for the throttle hang problems (a feature to keep EPA off their backs), I would have kept that SVT for a lot longer.

Oh well, I digress. With two TL's I am in a position to be able to make some interesting comparisons. The automatic would bore me to tears and as fine a car as it is, it's still an automatic. We did take it on our spring vacation in May and it WAS the nicest automatic I've ever taken on an extended trip. Also, quite capable of some decent acceleration when needed.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and please take a moment and remember why we celebrate this time. Being an American and living in America is still the best life has to offer.

 

Just wanted to give an update to my first thread!! I am the proud owner of an 06 Black 6sp Navi Blackinterior TL. Picture of my car is in my Avator. BEN

 

Congrats on the car!

 

I recently received an early inheritance...a 2000 Avalon XLS with 31K miles, spotless. A week after I transferred the title over, I went out and got a brand new 2005 TL silver/ebony. I already hurt my moms feelings by getting the TL...so I'm keeping the Avalon as a second car. The Avalon is a nice car...but just not as fun. I love my TL!!!!

Congrats BStansbu!!!!

 

Ben,

Congrats on the purchase. We have the same Combo, except I have the AT. Maybe one of these days I will learn how to drive MT, and see what I have been missing.

We kind of had similar routes to our TLs, as I traded in a 04 G35 Coupe for my TL.

Congrats again, you'll love it.

Vince