Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum and currently own an '03 GS300 Sportdesign. I trade cars pretty frequently and I'm seriously interested in the new TL. I've been visiting here, and I've read the comments back and forth re: sound system, pickup, handling, etc, so I took a test drive today to draw my own conclusions.

IMHO, I found the pickup great, especially above 3000 RPM; the sound system was great for DVD-A and respectable for CD and XM radio (I have the Mark Levinson system in my GS); the handling was fine w/ no noticeable torque steer (compared to RWD w/ L-tuned suspension); and the interior was nice, high quality, and modern. Overall, I was really impressed... except for one thing.

I found the front of the seats to be really heavily bolstered and, as a result, I could never find a comfortable driving position. They felt high and like they were cutting into my legs. I'm 5'9", so not really an unusual height, but it still bothered me.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does it get better? I really like this car and don't want this to be a deterrent to buying it. Any input would be appreciated.

DSeag2

 

On my first test drive I was dissapointed in the seats too. However on my second drive I took a few minutes to adjust the seat and found it to be fine. 2 months later I am still happy with them.

 

adjust the tilt of the front and rear part of the seat a little more. i assume that you are testing a 6MT and your left leg is pushing against the seat constantly. i found a bucket type seating position works best for me. the back of my knees are a little off the seat and when its on the dead pedal. i use to have my leg resting completly on the seat when i was on the dead pedal and when i went to step on the cluch it would put pressure behind my knee. play with the seating adjustment it definitely makes a difference.

 

I have a bad back and normally use a small pillow on any seat I sit on. Playing around I got the TL seat to be comfortable without the pillow.

 

i also found that after driving for one day, the back kind of broke in a lot more and it felt sooo much more comfortable. on the first day of driving i kind of got a slight sore back but now it's the best seat ever. i keep the lumbar support on minimum because i don't like it that much.

 

The same here. I was unable to find a good seating position initially, and it took me almost 2 months to try almost all possible positions before I was able to find a comfortable one. Now I am happy!... Except if the foolish thing weren't losing the seat memory weekly...

 

When I test drove the G35 sedan I thought, "Wow, these seats are comfy!" But the longer I drove the less comfortable they seemed.

Conversely, my TL's seats didn't seem nearly as comfortable on the test drive or when mine was first delivered. But over time I find them more and more comfortable.

I think it's like a soft, plush couch you sit on that feels great for the first few minutes, then you realize there's not much support and you start to fatigue. The TL's seats seem designed more for support and to prevent fatigue rather than to feel "comfy" on first sitting.

I'm very happy with the TL's seats.

 

Just take some time and fiddle with the controls......there're so many ways to adjust the seat it would make sense that almost anyone could find a comfortable position......it just takes time to discover your exact "sweet spot."

 

I love the seats but it took me a little time to get the positioning right so that I didn't stretch my hamstrings. Having said that, make sure the seats are comfortable before pulling the trigger. My last two cars, a 00 Avalon and a 96 Maxima, gave me fits. The seats in the Avalon were too hard and I couldn't stop my knees from hitting the steering wheel in the Maxima. Both cars drove me crazy and I was determined not to repeat my earlier mistakes.

The main reason I bought the TL over the G35 coupe was my inability to find a comfortable seating position in the G35. I didn't buy the 00 TL because of the 4 cars I test drove two of them had crummy seats and I wasn't going to take a 50/50 chance on the seats (then I bought the Avalon and complained about the seats for 4 years).

So I would recommend test driving the TL until you know for sure that you can find a comfortable seating position.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, guys. I really love this car, so I'll take it for another test drive. Hopefully I can work out the seating position and join the ranks of satisfied TL owners soon. FYI, I owned a '99 TL and really enjoyed it. Got one of the first 2nd gen TL's in 10/98 and never had one problem, so I'm looking forward to returning Acura. If it doesn't work out, maybe the RL will be a good fit. Thanks again.

 

I understand from Honda R&D there's now a fix for the amnesia problem, the guy I spoke with said it takes about 5 minutes to pop a module out & replace it.

Kinda makes me wonder why Acura &/or my dealer didn't notify me when the fix became available, as I had it in for the problem in December, 2 weeks after taking delivery, at which time there was no fix.

 

I've got an issue where my left thigh is never comfortable as the 'lip' cushion of the seat goes under the thigh. I have to wiggle my arse to the right frequently. Far more bothersome than a droopy headliner.