The TL-S, as many know was a "sporty" model of the TL. This is my current ride and i dont want to loose anything in handling as I'm aready loosing some ponyies compared my 02TL-S w/some bolt-ons. The best one,headers arent advailable on the 04 TL and due to design probably wont be.
So my Q is this for those that have come from a TL-S and went to a 04TL(NON-ASPEC SHOCKS PLEASE)how does the suspension compair? I will be getting the ASPEC 18" w/40series tire so i know that will stiffen things up (no punn intended.....ShhhhhWing!!!!)

Thanks guy i know i can count on some good info here.

 

Yield,

I'm probably the PERFECT person to give you advice on this, you may already know my situation: I am coming from a 2002 TL Type S (w/ headers, intake, pullies, exhaust) that was running mid 14's in the quarter-mile (on crap tires .. probably low 14's w/ a good 60ft on better tires). Going from that 310hp (at the crank) bad boy to my '04 TL was very depressing -- my new TL is a dog. I have the A-spec kit MINUS the suspension. The ride is SIGNIFICANTLY softer compared to my stock TL-S suspension, and there is significant "boatiness" over highway dips and what not .. to the point that I've convinced myself to get the A-spec suspension. I'm sick of my 2004 stock suspension. I have the A-spec 18" rims and yes, it did stiffen the ride up a bit... but it did nothing about the super soft springs and the body lean and the boaty ride. It helped cut some turns a little tighter, and it looks damn nice, but that's about it. the 18" rims also bogged my low-end power just a tad b/c of the larger diameter and the greater weight (about 1-2lbs). However, if you want looks and a nice, smooth ride, keep the stock suspension w/ the 18" A-spec rims. I live in Chicago, and I drive this setup on very rough roads and the wheels are forged, so they stand up to big bumps and potholes, and they maintain a smooth ride. There is increased road noise however. PM me with any other q's if you want more details, I'm happy to help. Be prepared for a slower car coming from your modded TypeS... it takes some getting used to.

 

P.S. The 2004 TL doesn't have the off the line snap that the TypeS has... so I am praying real hard every night that Comptech comes out with a decent supercharger that'll give me 20-30lb-ft of torque across the powerband ...

 

Also .. the steering of the '04TL is too loose ... not tight like the Type S .. on the highway you'll notice it the most.. it's hard to keep the "darty" steering of the '04TL in the direction of travel w/o resorting to having a couple hands on the wheel. I never had that problem w/ the TYpeS b/c the steering would tighten down after 40mph and really give me control over direction of travel.

 

Oh man!!!! I really appreciate the 1st hand and sincere responce. I was really excited about the 04(mostly due to the 6spd) and the possibility of soon being in the market, so exited that I really didn't consider IF the 04 TL is what I want. I know I love my TypeS and the ONLY reason I went to a 4 door family sedan was because of the TypeS.
What to do!?!? If Honda offers me a true at cost deal on an 04 I'll really have to think about, it if not then It'll be real eazy.

 

Yield,

if you get the 6-spd ... it'll blow your TL-S outta the water w/ the A-spec rims, tires, and suspension.... the 6-spd is a serious machine... the 5AT is a nice family sedan w/ a little flair of sportiness....

You will NOT be disappointed w/t he full A-spec 6-spd TL , guaranteed...

the only thing that may disappoint you is the power being distributed to the two front wheels...

 

supercharger from comptech should deliver more than 20-30lbs of torque across the band. i would bet closer to 50+.

 

ya thats what I want a 3.2 V-6 that's already freeked and tweeked and add a 5-6k dollar F/I system to be my 100 mile per day commuter. Remember I've had a TL-S for almost 2 years I know the mod potential, but thanks anyway.

Ya Peter I think you know my position on the 5at so It would deff be the 6spd, and I believe it would put the same or more power to the ground then my S but I'm worried about the road feel compared to my S, I was really hoping not to read such a "boat like" review from you but it makes sence when you think about it. The TL's always been a 50/50 luxury/preformance, and it takes a special model to tip the scale(typeS/aspec)
Now do I really want to get a new car and start moding the suspention? Peter hurry up and get the shocks and give a report.

 

I had a 2002 TL-S, and now a '04 6MT...and there is NO way I'd go back to the TL-S. The '04 just blows it away in every aspect. The car is tighter, way better interior quality, the stereo..don't mention it....everything about the "04 is better. I had a Comptech exhaust on the TL-S, and I do miss the sound..but that's about it. As far as power and handleing goes, I like the '04 better too. I don't find the steering feel all that different, and I like shifting the 6mt better than that pussy sport shifter. All in all, it's just a much better car.

 

.

 

I test drove a TL-S last year, but I have to say that my TL w/ 18" A-Spec rims and Bridgestone RE750 tires makes the suspension pretty darn firm already. I'd be very interested to see what A-Spec suspension will do for the car... I know someone (I think it was neuronbob) installed the A-Spec suspension in their car and mentioned it made a world of difference, but unless that difference is handling related, I think my car rides hard enough as it is!

 

the A-Spec wheels aren't forged, i am 100% sure. They are low pressure cast.

 

Thanx for the great responces, I'm still excited about the new one so I guess it's only a matter of time and good luck.

 

My wife owns a TL-S and I drove it mostly until I got the 04. I do prefer the TL-S's steering over the dartiness steering of the 04 but that quick steering is good as well. On long sweeping curves, it's much harder to keep the 04 still throughout the curve. The TL-S just stays put. But on tight and twisty curves I like the 04 better. I can take a 360 off ramp much faster with the 04 without putting on my brakes or squeaking the tires. I find the TL-S much more forgiving when you don't enter the curve correctly. Entering a curve too fast on the 04 and it will start floating around on you. But enter it at the right speed and accelerating through the turn and it just sticks and boy does it feel great compared to the TL-S.

Overall, I love the 04 alot more than the TL-S, but each has their own great qualities. It's good to own them both, but if you must pick one... hands down the 04 is a much better car. Even the wife thinks so.

 

The TL-S was a great touring car, remember the commercials of the guy driving from NY to Maine for lunch, or the dude who went from LA to SF for a date. Well my TL-S was a great highway car, fast and comfortable, the power was very predictable.

My '04TL is hardly the same car, sure it is much stiffer and handles better, but it also is not as comfortable nor is the power as readily available. This car with an AT is an injustice, it is always in the wrong gear, and lugs whenever you need power.

The '04 is more refined though but the TL-S had some better qualities that I wish Acura had carried over to the '04 TL.

 

The TL-P is deff. a touring car that's great on the highway, but the expansions joints on our concrete freeways are murder on my TL-S, (I don't mind it because it takes Malibu Canyon like a dream) is the 04TL in non ASPEC really "much stiffer"? Thats hard to believe. I drove a 04 6spd on a really short test drive and it didnt seem to be stiff at all
Also you have the same exact engine/tranny as the TL-S, does it really preform That much differantly?
In the end ofcoarse I'll have to take a really good test drive just to see but it really sounds like if i want to match my current TL's handling i'll need the 40series on 18" and maybe the new shocks also.

 

I love that Maine commercial! I think I will always remember that one, along with the new one and the MDX commercial. Good advertising. Anyways, I think the "less comfortableness" you are referring to is because of the new sporty styling of the seats with the side bolstering and such. It makes it more supportive during fun driving, but compromises a little with stiffness. Try reclining it back slightly more than normal, works great for me. Also, I do feel the stall it takes to downshift and then put power down from D. I find that if you need to get power, if you keep it in gear in SS around 3K (1,2,3,)and then press the gas, power is instantaneous

 

Hey, Peter, was your old TL-S an auto as well?

 

TL-S never came in MT.

 

The '04 TL has significantly stiffer WR rated tires. The suspension needs to match the speed rating (168mph) of the tires, hence it is stiffer as well. It would be silly to put WR rated tires on a car that was not capable of using their performance. My '04 is very rough on the highway expansion joints, my '02 TL-S was far smoother

Engine/tranny wise I would hope there is a diff, my "02 TL-S was a real tranny eater. My '02 TL-S had a very usefull 4th gear position that kept the engine revs up just enough that riding around town was enjoyable. My '04 always wants to be in 5th gear. Unlike SS I simply put it in 4th and never shifted again

I really miss the 4th gear gate. But the seats are much more comfortable and supportive (w/air) in the "04

 

STOP!!!Hold the presses!!! The 04 has A/C ducts in the seats?

 

Noooo, it has an inflatable air bladder for back support

 

aaaahhhh...boooooooo

 

Jetstud -- you're comparing a 6-spd to a 5AT ... obviously your 6-spd is going to be more fun to drive ... jesus.

 

from www.hondanews.com:

"The A-SPEC kit also includes 18-inch alloy wheels. Designed using a new, advanced manufacturing process that provides forged strength and rolled manufacturing ease, the wheel rims are thinner yet stronger than a cast alloy wheel. Also, while they are one-inch larger in diameter, and half an inch wider than the production TL wheels, the

A-SPEC wheels are only slightly heavier. They are shod with high performance AVS ES100 235/40VR18 95W Yokohama tires designed specifically for the TL A-SPEC package. These tires provide excellent ride quality, especially for a 40 series aspect ratio, as well as optimum grip and predictable response under high performance conditions."

Point being -- they've held up to the roughest chicago roads I've seen ...

 

My friend, there's a difference b/w roughness from 18" wheels that's transmitted to the cabin vs. body lean and nose dive and squat under heavy acceration. shocks are what comfort you over the blips and bumps in the road... springs are what keep you tight in a turn and keep the car level under heavy acceleration/braking (a very simplified explanation).

You clearly didn't take th 18" TL into a tight turn to realize it's boaty characteristics.

 

I had only drive one Type-S, 2003 Aegean blue, and about wrapped it around a tree on the test drive, much to the seat-crapping of the salesman. I thought it would hold much better than my 2000 TL-P, but it didn't. Now that I'm in the 04TL, I sling turns that seriously should cause one's death. I think the 235/45's really show their worth with the improved contact patch and less sidewalls.

Sure the 2G TL was much nicer on the interstate, it was longer, had thinner but softer tires, and rode more comfortably, but the lower, shorter, stiffer 04 I think is quite fun, if not, yeah, it's bumpy.

And I too kinda question why some people say it's slower off the line, I don't doubt it if someone says it is, but like was said, it is the same tranny and same engine, but bumped 10 hp due to the CAI and a tad higher compression. Unless they changed the low end characteristics, or changed 1st gear, i would expect it to be almost identical. The car is about 150 lbs heavier, that could be the deciding factor.

 

Peter, there are definitely some boaty characteristics like when going over bumps or bumps in turns, but I drove a TL-S awhile ago and the handling on that car is slighty frightening. This car just has different dynamics to the handling. I feel that if you can use the "power slide" technique ala RWD when going thru the big turns, it handles awesome for FWD. Of course, every opinion is different! This car feels much more glued to the ground on all counts. Yes the highway ride isn't as Lexus-ish as the older, but it is still buttery smooth. Now if we can just get rid of those bumps in the roads, where ARE our taxes going?

 

what a bunch of BS I went from a stock TL type S to a stock 6 spd TL. The suspension on the 2004 is light years better than the typeS. There is less understeer, flatter and sharper cornering and its more comfortable to boot. As to power my 6 spd will run circles around my previous type S without breathing hard. Anyone that claims theat the previous car in stock form is even close to the new 6spd in ANY category is plainly having diarrhea of the mouth. :shit:

 

so many different opinion here, that it almost seems pointless to consider them, as its all just a matter of personal choice and therefore you just need to do what is right for you.

having said that , I think my '04 is better than my Type S was in practically every way possible. Ride, features, noise, handling, looks, ergonomics, comfort, legroom, seat positioning, audio, steering, style, and fit & finish.

The only thing I miss is the pass-through from the center console for my cell phone charger. That is it.