NJRonbo

New to this forum. Nice to be here.

Let me start by saying that I am looking to buy my
first $30k+ car with the choice leaning towards the
Acura TL

I need to give you guys some background so you will
understand my needs here. In the end, I am hoping
you could steer me towards the perfect automobile.

First, let me say I am 42 years old and for the duration
of my adult years to date I have owned American cars
that cost around $20K. I have owned sporty Chrysler
and Ford automobiles.

Right now I own a very pretty yellow 2001 Mercury
Cougar. It's only 4 years old and has just under 24,000
miles. It is completely paid off.

So why would I want car payments again when I can
run this baby to the ground? Because the car I own is
still young and I am hoping if I can get a $10K
trade-in (the blue book says $8K), I can bring the price
of a $30-40K car down considerably.

For once in my life I am looking to own a car of value
with a bit of luxery attached.

I started looking at the Toyota Camry Solara Covertable
because I wanted a convertable. It costs about $30K and
it's a rather attractive car.

My friend told me, "Why not look at a BMW convertable
instead?" He said that though they sell for $10K more, there
is nothing like the ride of a BMW. I went online and researched
the BMW 325Ci convertable and I must say, it looks sweet.
I am afraid once I test drive this baby next week, nothing will
compare.

Another friend seemed to make even more sense by suggesting
a car that was luxerious, had a good ride, and came loaded with
enough gadgets and extras to give the best bang for the buck.
That car was the 2005 Acura TL , a car which he is a proud
owner of.

I must say, for a base price of $35K (with navigation) this looks
like the car to own.

....but I want to be certain. After all, this is my first expensive
car and I want the choice to be perfect.

From the research I have done on the Acura TL , it stands
as the best car in its class. People love it! There are a few consistent
complaints that range from a rather unsmooth ride, to a less than
spectacular sound system, to seats that can be uncomfortable, to
leather seats that wrinkle and constant rattling inside the car.

Me? I don't want this car just to look like a $35K luxery
car, but I want it to ride like it as well. I would sort of prefer
a cushioned ride, and I am afraid that is something I may have to
give up here. Additionally, I hate noisy cars. I would love to have
as much protection from outside noise as possible, and I am uncertain
that this car can do that.

Another car I am looking at is the Infinity G35 which may
be a better, smoother drive than the Acura TL , but without
all the cool extras that come standard.

So, basically, I'm down to three cars: The Toyota Camry Solara
Convertable (which I am ready to dismiss); BMW C325i
Convertable; Infinity G35 and of course, the Acura TL .

What do you guys think? I know all of you are TL owners and
that you will be very bias towards your car -- but that's fine. I am
looking for arguments mostly FOR the car, but would like to hear
the downsides as well. Perhaps many of you have owned some
of the other automobiles I have mentioned here.

In advance, thanks for the help!

REDLINEN

For the all around package go with the Tl. It has power,luxury and just about everything else . Now if ya want a convertable get the beamer you will love it but hope ya live somewhere where it never snows because the beamer is very clumsey in winter unless ya get the all wheel drive . And last and if ya own a acura least the g35 all I can say the exterior is nice and the power is awesome but thats all ya can say about this car in my opinion they suck in the snow unless ya get the all wheel drive and the interior is horible its all a matter of what ya looking for.

mg7726

if i lived in NJ and this is my only car, i would not get a convertible. between the g35 and tl, i'd only get the g35 if it's a coupe. imo, the sedan looks ugly.

if you're not in a rush, wait until august - then you'll know what's extra for the '06 MY. decide from there.

neuronbob

Your first decision has to be whether you want a convertible or sedan. If convertible, go with the BMW, even if it is only a 325.

If sedan, your choices are both good. The G35 is a good-looking car on the exterior and has had some interior improvements for this year, more HP, and an AWD option. However, the TL is simply "the most bang for the buck" as it offers useful gadgets (XM, xenon headlights, etc), a sporty look, and great interior with sufficient luxury for the price. That's why I bought it. You have to be willing to be aware of and to accept that the TL is a "jack of all trades", but a master of none. It's not the best luxo cruiser, or the most sporty-driving car (though MUCH better in A-Spec form), but the best combination of the two for the price.

Hope this helps a little.

SouthernBoy

To NJronbo;

First off, welcome aboard! I (we all) hope you enjoy your time here on this site and learn from it as most all of us have.

Your questions and concerns were delivered in a most succinct and lucid manner.. good for you. And this is not patronization.

The Solara convertible does not rate very high according to MotorWeek. Too much flex in the chassis.. loss of solidity. You'd be better served with a Mustang convertible or even the Bimmer.

Now for BMW's, my wife had a 1996 328i which seemed to have a proclivity for frequent and expensive visits to the shop.. to the tune of over $8300 up to March of this year (we bought her Bimmer used from a high-end specialty dealer of only used (leased) BMWs in 1999). In March, after the water pump impeller (plastic at that) blow out and left her stranded, she had had enough. So we started looking and she asked to drive my '04 manual TL. That was it. Within a week, she had her new '05 TL automatic and had never looked back.. she absolutely loves the car, as do I with mine. As for her former BMW, let me put it this way. If the BMW keys were sitting next to my TL keys, I'd take my TL keys everytime without even giving it a thought.. it's that much more fun to drive. Of course, her's was a '96. But you'l find that BMW's do have some strange and weird engineering and like visits to the shop.

The G35. A fine car.. nothing wrong with this one. I would say that if you are in a colder state (NJ = New Jersey in your sig?), you'd probably be better served with the TL. In the interior department, the TL has it over the G35. Also, finding a G35 optioned just like you want may be a problem, whereas, there are really only two choices with the TL: transmission type and Navigation. But the G35 is a nice car. I have a neighbor who just bought one used (17000 miles on it) in March. It's an '04 I think. He let me drive it (it's really his wife's and it's an automatic). The automatic in the TL has more throttle response and therefore, more "felt" torque at low speeds. Also, the steering on my wife's TL feels better than his wife's G35 as does the solidness of the chassis. But his wife's is used, so these may not be fair assessments.

What does it boil down to? Well on this site, there is quite obviously a strong bias. The fun factor with my car (2004 Anthracite/Ebony/6MT/Nav) is huge. I have to be entertained by my personal driving machine or I'll soon lose interest and be looking to replace it. I like cars that are more on the raged edge than finese and luxury, so Mustangs and Corvettes and SVT Contours and the like are my preferences. However, the TL seems to satisfy those desires and along with the package comes a measure of luxury and class to boot. So I can have my cake AND my icing. The TL offers SO much that you see and even SO much more that you don't see. I have to say, for the upper-end mid-sized sedan market, this is pretty darned close to the perfect car.

You are starting your search the way you should. Good luck and please do keep us posted as to your progress and final decision.

SouthernBoy

I wish to add one more thing. You never mentioned which transmission you were considering. If a manual is part of the decision, by all means give it VERY serious consideration. I have one of each: my '04 manual and my wife's '05 automatic. While the automatic is very nice with this car and engine package, the manual brings alive the driving experience and makes it all that much more enjoyable. Besides, since costs are a part of your decision taking process, manuals cost far less to own and operate than do automatics.

Just a thought.

crazymjb

The Bimmer convertables are awsome, but in NJ you will be looking at RWD, which can be a problem. The TL feels very connected to the road, so it is not the softest ride out there, that would probably be the Lexus ES330(which you aren't looking at, and is incredably ugly in my opinion. As for the TL having a sub par sound system that is a load of crap, you will not be dissapointed by the system(ask for the demo at the dealer). As far as sedans go the G35 sedan looks ugly, but it has the option of AWD, and a few extra ponies, which is good for NJ. If you had the money for the 330Ci I would say go for it, I feel the 325 is under powered(but still much better than a solara). You really have to test drive all of the cars to know what you really want. As far as saying you want your car to drive like a 35k luxery car, 35k is entry level luxery, so don't expect too much as far as a completly isolated ride. If you wan't manual, go with the G35 Coupe, that looks pretty nice, but is RWD, and has a nice amount of power.

levyfresh

Welcome to the board!! I recently tackled this same dilemna regarding the purchase of my first NEW expensive car(I have owned a used 5.25 BMW).

The first car I drove a couple months ago was the 3 and 5 Series BMW's obviously because I had owned one and loved it. My finding where as follows...first and foremost the 3 series and 5 should not even be under the same BMW name...totally different entities(reflected in the price tag). The 3 was a great drive and truly for someone who wants a driving machine...I found the interior appointments and exterior styling left me wanting and decided the 5 series was way more then I wanted to spend.

Second I drove the g35 sedan and coupe...Being 6'2 and 245 I almost immediately had to rule out the coupe(the seat is not made for a football player!) I loved the drive of the coupe and of course the speed but most importantly to you, I thought the ride was mediocre at best...The g35 does not have the cushy ride you are looking IMO. As far as interiors go I thought it was nice(except for the titling dash) and the leather quality seemed up to par...I took one look at the sedan and laughed at the dealer ...I found it to be pretty ugly with poor lines and stance...Overall the coupe was gorgeous...just not built for me

Lexus was next...In short the IS wasnt enough of a "luxury" car for me and lacked simple amneties I like...GS was gorgeous but was also out of my league...side note- salesmen and experience at lexus where top tier(being in sales myself I appreciated this)

Last stop was Acura...I saved it till last because I wasn't sure if they where up to par with the aforementioned companies until I began to research...Sales experience was very good...Car was gorgeous and had amazing looks and the drive was great...ride is very cushy(I upgraded to A-spec b/c it was too cushy)...Amneties and gadgets are first rate...The other concerns I understand(rattles, Leather etc) but in truth every car has its problems...My father has a new S 500 and you wouldnt believe the problems he has had with it(and that goes for BMW as well)

So in short I decided Acura and I made the right choice...Go with what you really want tho...dont settle for something

elsensei

wait a minute. You said you wanted as an important feature a cushy ride and quiet. Why are you not looking at the Lexus ES330?

Sure it does not have the sport of the TL, but you said you wanted cush and luxury. At about $34k, it is hard to beat the ES if that's what you want. You also get the Lexus name and long, long Lexus warranty.

Forget the G35, which is louder and less cush than even the TL, and test drive the ES. For your demographic, 40 ish and wanting quite and luxury, it's perfect.

2thguy

You mentioned that you wanted a cushioned ride............well none of the cars mentioned will give you much of that.....they are more on the sporty side for handling etc.....especially the beemer....... but the TL will give you the most isolated ride of the group.........like someone mentioned if you want the cushy type of ride try the Lexus ES330......under horsepowered and ugly in my opinion but it would give more of the type of ride you may be looking for.

The leather wrinkling you speak of was mostly an issue with the 04 TLs and the 05's have been better. As far as a substandard stereo.....I think that you would find most TL owners feel its more than fine. Listen to your friend's or at the dealer.....pop in a DVD-A and be impressed my friend

prashants17

I dont know how to compare acura with convertables, but amongest the sedans u mentioned, TL with Navi will the hands down choice in favour of an extremely smart car with excellent features and gr8 value.

crazymjb

He never actually mentioned the lexus, but it is in the same class, and of that class would be the last one I would buy. The ride is not sporty enough and looks too old manish.

NJRonbo

Hey guys....

Looking to lease so I can afford the RL.

A worthy upgrade you think?

SouthernBoy

Not if you want a manual transmission since the RL can't be had that way. Besides, while beauty is most certainly in the eyes of the beholder, for this beholder, the TL is WAY better looking than the RL.. but of couse, my eyes.

DocTL

The only way for you to figure out which car is best for you is to test drive each one multiple times. I usually do one test drive during the day, and another at night. I happened to get a new TL as loaner when I had my MDX in for service and I loved the way it drove and the features that it had. If I hadn't been given one as a loaner I probably wouldn't have test driven one. Furthermore, a week earlier I was given a G35 Coupe for a weekend to test drive and I fell in love with it and was ready to make the purchase, but ultimately I didn't and I'm glad. You're probably asking why I didn't buy the car I really wanted? Well, it came down to a few reasons.

First, I would only get the G35 with the 6MT but since my wife doesn't like to drive a manual transmission, and since I already have two manual weekend cars for myself, a third one would be selfish. Second, I really like the styling of the TL. Third, I like the standard options such as Bluetooth & XM. Fourth, for the price nothing compares to the TL. And the final reason is that my wife said she'll take the TL when her lease ends on her car. This way I'll be able to buy the G35 Coupe in 1.5 years from now, and we'll have two cars that each of us really like. Actually, make that three cars! She won't let me sell my NSX for the prancing horse that I really want.

Ultimately no one here can, or should presuade you buy a TL. You have to decide what you want and then go pull the trigger.

-Cood luck in your search.

elsensei

Now you are talking about jumping to the $45K+ class from the $30-35k class--a big jump.

If you are looking at $40k+ you need to also take a hard look at the GS300, cushy ride and extremely quiet. Not as much power tough. Also check the Infiniti M.

You are all over the map: convertible, $30k cars, $45k cars, etc. You need to figure the convertbile thing out first then the budget.

Also, check out the new Avalon. It gets good reveiws, rides cushy, and has decent power and lots of toys. Not much sport though.

MichiganRich

Getting 25% over book value for a Mercury Cougar is a pipe dream.

Bitium

Now we are talking. If you are looking at the RL, remember they are selling for around$44k-$47k so be wise. The RL is awesome in every way, but I would probably wait for the 06. Just a few more months, if you don't like the 06, then buy the RL or TL even cheaper.

I love the TL for one reason that is 6-speed. No matter what is either RL or TL, maybe test drive the G35 or M35, no BMW for me.

Be patience drive your cougar for just a few more months. We already know they are coming changes to the TL and the RL is getting a technology package that consists of the Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking system and the advanced Michelin -developed PAX run flat tire system, for a smoother ride, better handling, and superior fuel effeciency over conventional run-flat tires.

california-usa

My opinion on the four car choices you have left: I cant give you any input on the Solora as I never test drove or been in one because I just dont like that car period. I test drove a new BMW 325 which is not the Ci convertible so those comments would be useless. Now...I did put over 2500 miles on a 05 Infinity G35 sedan that I rented from Hertz Rent A Car and as much as I hate to say this...that 3.5 litter engines torque made the TL's torque seem like a 4 cylinder. I was simply ASTONISHED by the amount of torque that engine had at EVERY speed. Braking was another area I felt that the G35 had over the TL. That infamous"stop on a dime" phrase has G35 written all over it. One of the main reasons why I decided to drop the G35 off my list was because of the horrible looking front end of the sedan. I absolutely hate those huge headlights that overlap the hood. They might illuminate well but that would be something I would put on a Greyhound Bus. Not my taste at all. The interior of the car ( although "improved" over last years model ) is still not that appealing. And last but not least the abundance of standard features on the TL for around $35K blows away the G35 semi-striped similarly priced sedan.

gcjin2007

since u dont seem like one that is into the "ultimate sports car" u should get the TL, let me explain. everyone is saying the engine and brakes are amazig on the G35 but honestly unless u are goin 80mph on a onramp off the turnpike your not going to notice a difference. so it all basically comes down to the convinence looks and luxury; the TL has them all, its got fancy gadgets so that will never get u bored of the car(i.e. bluetooth) the interior(sound is AMAZING, dont let anyone fool u) is amazing in comparison to any car in its class and the TL just looks better then the G35. In addition since u live in NJ u DONT want a RWD car. wit the TL's fwd platform u can do anything wit ur driving style, and ets just say so u do want a lil more sport, just get the A-Spec package and ull be toe to toe with the 3-series and past the G35 in handleing and ull not only have a little bit more $$$$ in ur pocket after buying the A-Spec but ull shed a tear knowing how amazing ur car looks after A-Spec.

P.S. get the TL Period.

Actuary

Two months ago when I bought my TL, I had six options - Cadillac CTS, Avalon, 325i, A4, G35 and TL.

Any of those 325i, A4, C class or even tsx didn't have room I wanted. I drive alone 99% of time but I still wanted room in the back knowing I will be on highway with two passenger on long weekends. Also I wanted to be seen as 530i driver than 330i driver.

325i handled awesome but came short of power. It doesn't come with sunroof and everything is option. In the end, I was looking at bigger number than TL Auto Navi.

CTS has awesome goodies for money. GM throws in free maintenence and stuff in Canada. Interior looks cheap and still couldn't beat dollar to dollar value compared to TL.

By a week before my purchase, I came down to G35 and TL

G35 was the only direct competition to TL I had in mind. I didn't like the exterior and bug eyed headlamp. I found interior is less attractive than TL. TL has nice connection curve from door to door. To me, it was like choice between GTO(400+HP but ultimately bigger cavaliar looking) and TL.

crazymjb

Buying beats leasing IMO. When you lease, the car never truly feels like yours, also, you end up left with nothing, ultimatly. Buying a TL beats Leasing an RL. for that price, Look at a loaded 330Ci, or low end 5 and A loaded C320 4matic, loaded A4 or low end A6 or TT covertable(the one with the biggest engine.

Juronimo

I test drove several cars so I think i can give some feedback.

At first I had my heart set on a Chrsyler 300C or a used Audi A6. I test drove a used A6 and I wasn't impressed. The next car I test drove was the TL as I had considered it and I remember wanting a type S 3 years ago and as soon as I got in the car, I was blown away. The next car was what I thought was my dream car, the 300C. It had tons of power but poor handling.

I also test drove a honda accord, nissan maxima, 6 speed MT altima SE-R, volvo s60, and a pontiac G6. The last car I test drove was the G35 and that car had the same wow factor that the TL had, tons of power, it stops on a dime and ridiculous amount of torque from the RWD. When it comes to luxury, I think it falls a little short, plus it's smaller.

It was a tough choice between the G35 and the TL but the tipping factor to me was the wealth of standard features that TL comes with. The TL is better looking inside and out. A G35 with as many features would be pushing $40,000.

To me the TL is the best of both worlds, great performance, enough luxury to allow long drives in comfort and it's a definite head turner.

I can't tell you anything about the solara, to me it's hideous and the 3 series are way too small for someone 6'3". If you're under 6', I guess that's not an issue.

mickey3c

lexus has he best name for quality... which is something that acura does not have...

If you want just toys and can put up with all the annoying problems acura has, then by all means get an acura. But if you want to have a more trouble free experience, go with another brand. You do not get something for nothing in this world. Do you really need all the toys? I also belive that if you like to keep your car past the 50K mark then get something more reliable. I have had 3 acuras and I would suggest that you get rid of them by 48K miles. Just before the warranty runs out so they can certify the car.

crazymjb

You could also look at the X-type, ahh, you aren't quite that old. I think the Lexus screams UGLY, but thats me. I would duke it out between the G35 and TL. All the cars offer there strong points, the TL, its looks, the G35, its AWD, the Lexus, its AC seats.

wilsel

Go drive the BMW, and then drive the TL. No comparison to me. The 3 series just doesn't do anything for me (except the M3). I just picked up my TL last week (05 Auto w/ Navi). I absolutely love it. It's hard to drive my other cars after driving this one. The seats/ride is the most comfortable I've experienced. It has plenty of power, and for its size it still gives you the feeling of being in complete control. Not to mention it's just plain sexy. It should be extremely reliable. All this and I still average 27 MPG with a even mix of city/highway driving. For $35K you can't get a better package. The difference between a A $25-$30K car and this $35K car is A LOT! and worth every penny IMO.

WdnUlik2no

Welcome to the forum. When I was doing my search, I narrowed it down to the Infiniti G35, BMW 330i and Acura TL.

The BMW330. was the first to go because I just think they are overpriced, and underpowered (only 225 HP for the one I was looking at). The 325i was even more underpowered than that (184HP I believe). BMWs are not worth the price in my opinion. In fact a 330i that is similaraly equipped as a TL-Navi is in the low to mid 40's. A similarily equipped 325 is in the high 30's. Still thousands more than the TL. One thing BMW does have going for it is that it does ride nice and has superb handling. But still not worth the money and don't forget about all the pricey options. (like real leather seats). The new 330's are going to have 255HP and the 325's 215HP and its about time, but even on the 2006's you would still be in the high 30's for a 325i with everything the TL-Navi has. Don't even ask about the 330i.

The Infiniti G35 was almost my choice and in fact I went back and forth between that and the TL for nearly a year before finally eliminating it. In the end it came down to looks because the G35 seemed to perform a bit better than my TL, as far and handling and cornering goes. Plus I liked the fact that the G35 was a RWD. The things that turned me off from the G35 was the cheap interior and exterior. A major thing I dind't like about the G35 was that ugly piece of black plastic going around the bottom of the car. The G35's Navi is no where near as good as the TL's either, also no bluetooth, no voice guidance, or voice activated commands, no touchscreen, no dual exhaust. Plus to me the car looks a little weird (and cheap) from certain angles and I didn't like looking at those those two humps on the hood when driving it. The G35 is no doubt a fun car to drive, but I feared that after that fun wore off, i would be stuck in another car that I will start to get tired of, like my past three cars (99 Mustang, 01 Mustang GT, 04 Maxima).

The TL was my choice, its not the best in every category, but it was definetely near the top in all of them, and certainly the best looking out of the 3 I narrowed my choices down to, exterior and interior wise. It may not handle as good as the G35 and 330, but it handles VERY well for a FWD car, and besides how often would I need to take a curve going 80+ MPH? Its functionality leaves Infiniti and BMW in the dust as well, this was the deciding factor for me, because I know that even well after the "fun" wears off, i would still have a dependable car that would be something more than just another "fun-to-drive" sports sedan.

Based on this, I ordered my Antracite 05 TL-Navi 6-speed before while it was still being built, and got it right off the truck about 3 weeks later, the Saturday after last Thanksgiving, and I still don't regret my decision. Its about this time that I usually start getting tired of a new car that I bought, but that is just not the case with the TL. I still enjoy it just like the first day I bought it, and honestly I don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon.

Brettg

Yes, I would test drive the cars you are interested in, many times, and be sure
to go out on the interstate and check out the hiway noise levels, at speed
handling and response.

The wife and I took the new TL for a 300 mile drive yesterday to hawk mountan
in PA.
The car was very nice, and fun to drive, but not as nice as my old Passat GLX.

The ride (with manual transmission) seems a bit stiff, great for going around corners, but very anoying on bad roads.
Little things piss me off about the car, changing the radio stations is impossable
on anything but a smooth road, for each small amount of turn of the knob, you go past about 10 stations, I would say each station is about 1/16 a degree turn
of the knob....pull over and change stations!

The displays suck, why must I scroll through options and so on to get to the trip computer, and why can I not look at outside temps, and mpg at the same time?

To top it off, the buttons are hidden behind the steering wheel, where I can not
see them!

The seat heater switches are easy to bump by mistake, great having the heat on
in 90F weather after hiking up mountans!

The seats in the TL seem to get hot even with no seat heater on, like they
were insulated under the leather, the Passat did not do that.
The Passat seats were also a bit more comfortable, with 8 way
power adjustment on the passengers seat also.


The switches on the steering wheel do not fall to fingers you have to
work at them (radio, cruise control).

I did like the 30 mpg I got (average) on a 300 mile trip, 1/2 a tank of gas!
I also like the smooth power on the hiway, and the wide range of rpm's
the power is avalable at, yes, you get much lower power output at low
rpm's, but there is plenty for brisk acceleration even down low.

Unfortunetly, everything VW/Audi makes is prone to constant failures, best
to do a 2 year lease on those cars, after 2 years, they tend to have
many problems.
Most VW/Audi dealers suck big time for service.

Most reviews give top pick to the TL, although they give going around corners
real fast to much importance for me, ride quality is important also...

They also dog the TL for being front wheel drive, but you dont see many BMW's
out in the snow....

I think most other cars in the TL's class look silly, inside and/or outside, or
have cheap parts inside.

The Jaguars (S and X types) have more road noise then I like, poor
motors really (based on the ford duratech V6?), the X type is very small, forget
about the back seat, reliability is poor, but dealer service is typicly top notch.
Repairs YOU have to pay for will be VERY expensive at the dealers.

I doubt gas is going to go down in price, so a car that gets 30 mpg
on the typical road trip is very nice, especialy when you get so much
power out of the engine to go with it!

Acura could learn a lot from the Germans about control layout though.
The are paying attention, they stole the LED lights in the overhead console,
the two tone soft touch meterials inside the car, etc....

Brett

Minarets

to be honest, the "black plastic" is on the 04's and previous models, not the 05's

i have this difficult decision to make as well and it always comes back to the TL and G35 for me....

i looooooooooove the goodies that come with the TL--and that makes me want it. however, i looooooooooove trhe feeling i get when driving a G35--feels/sounds like a real sports car.

i find the TL's exteriror kind of bland. kike somthing that could get lost amongst the wolves if you will. i actually love the G35 exterior. there is no mistaking it. it is a one-of-a-kind vehickle. i do not care for the interior or NAV nearly as much nor the sound system in the G

i do however get employee pricing on the G, which always kinda puts it back on top....


i have been doing the flip flop on these 2 cars alone for roughly 6 month

WdnUlik2no

I stand corrected then

For the record, I was looking at a 2004 G35 because the 6-speed 2005's were not out last November. Its good they got rid of it though! really took alot from the exterior.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the exterior of the G35, its just certain angles that look weird. At least to me. :-) You are right about the sports car sound of the G35, it was a real rush driving it!!

6 months huh? It took me a year to decide! good luck!!!

DocTL

Really? My NSX is eleven years old with 55,000 on the clock and I've had not one problem with it that wasn't expected or easy to fix in my garage. My guess is that my TL will last just as long albeit with many more miles.

Minarets

i would agree with you 100% i have no cared one bit for the G until the 05 models. that "back strip" has been enough to turn me off for several years.

i love the looks of it now and the circle break LED's. and i love the sound. it just sounds powerful. it isnt for the person wanting a quiet ride. it purrrrrs so nice imo. but gain the TL interior smokes the G.

it may come down to price....right now it is a wash. obviously a fully loaded G costs more at least at MSRP then a TL....which is like 35k. a G i think gets up to just under 38k fully loaded, but with my employee disount, im sure that it is prolly better then the TL price. however, i love my car stero, and want a good-great one. the TL has it. the G does not

elsensei

You can't really compare the NSX to any other car. They are hand built in very low volume in Japan and it is/was Acura's flagship, especially 11 years ago. Many agree the engineering and assembly was among the best in the world, especially in its day. As a side note, it's a shame they have not updated it over the years.

No comparison to a TL mass produced in Ohio. Not that the TL is bad but the care during assembly is no where near the NSX, as expected given the huge price difference.

crazymjb

My uncles CL has lasted 80k miles with only a damaged caliper, other than that its in perfect condition. My friends brothers legend is in the 200s without a hitch, and he drives it hard. I wouldnt expect any major problems with this car. If you don't have any mass mechanical failure in the first 70k miles you dont have much to look forward to in an acura. I would, however, expect electrical quirks.

Doctored5

You seem to be interested in a number of different combos of luxury & quality.

TL is a quality car, but it doesn't have the smooth ride of a Lexus or an RL. It's a quiet car.
How much do you drive in a year? I notice from the Tl MID that I spend about 10+ hours a week in my car & appreciate the quality interior, especially sound system, bluetooth & NAVI. I like the connection to the road you get with the TL.

I would not consider a G35 in your area because of the snow.

Cars are expenses, not investments. If you haven't had a luxury car before & have to lease to afford an RL, you might want to think about how much you will enjoy spending on a car. take a look at a site like Edmunds to see what you will spend over 4 years & what you will have left.

You should be able to get a 2005 with Navi for under $33K this time of year.

WdnUlik2no

Damn you sound just like my dad!! LOL If your age and location wasn't in your profile, I would have swore you were him!!

mickey3c

But you are talking about older acuras... not the ones from y2k and beyond.
The idea of not worrying since it is under warranty is what people want you to believe. If there is a design flaw, it does not matter if there is a warranty, they fix it so it is good enough... Not exactly what you want since you will wait for the same problem to happen again and again.

styling
performance
reliability and service

Those people who tout how many miles they got from a car seem to want reliability. If you plan on getting rid of the car at 50K then get an acura. If you plan to keep it.. I would consider the other brands and not be taken back so much from performance... performance costs in tires, brakes, etc.

But then a 42 year old man should know how to spend his money. If you are going through midlife, get the acura. If not, get something else.

crazymjb

If you want a car for 50k miles get a BMW or Benz(not diesel). Bottom line is Acuras last very long under normal use(not constant track), regardless of where they are built. We are getting this car and plan on putting a lot of milage on it, and I do not anticipate many problems, especially not mechanical problems. I will keep people updated after we breach 100k miles.

shodog

If you want a car gadgets of questionable usefullness and so so performance with tons of torque steer, then buy the TL. If you want a drivers car that out accelerates, out brakes and and flat out performs the TL then buy a G35.

With a set of wheels, the G35 looks like a totally different ride. the '05's are even nicer with more HP and better exterior appearance

Brettg

That is an UGLY car!

Brett