I bought one of the first 04TL's from my local dealership back in November 03... BLK/BLK 6MT -- Loved it... in spite of it's front wheel drive drawbacks...

So I had this beauty for three years and said oh what the hell I'll go check out the TL-S (I bet they don't even have a stick on the lot)...

Boy was I wrong... Painfull pocket book wrong... Damn them...







So the verdict so far...
- I love the new clutch/tranny, whatever they did to make me feel like i know how to drive a stick (20 years damn, that 04 made me feel like a noob sometimes...)
- The extra power is nice, not exorbitent but plentiful... (more torque is alway welcome in no bottom end japanese car heaven)
- Although the torque steer is less, it's still there - But I have learned to live with it...
- I like the interior, red is cool to me... + I went from a non/Nav to TL-S 6MT HPT (in other words - fully loaded) Nawwwwwwce...
Overall much more refined automobile IMHO...

 

 

Very nice, I love the pedals, they look straight out of the S2000.

 

love the exhaust, wheels, and whole treatment is very nice. congrats.

 

That is the sex, though you need to put some 303 on the front of the steering wheel, stat!

But again, the sex. Congrats!

 

Beautiful TL-S

Those rims are slowly starting to grow on me...

 

a drop and tint stat!


now you have something cool to drive to our meets. and we've missed you the last few.

 

Nice!

 

I had to look at this pic for 20 seconds... I was like.. what the....f????
You and your lazy butt not rotating the pics for us..
But great car for sure... enjoy!!

 

Sweet.

x2 on the rims growing on me
and *gasp* I'm slowly coming around on the tail lights as well

 

Congrats! Let the mods begin

 

tks guys...

Mods are going to be a while...
Will most likely not drop or get rims... I live in SoCal and the roads are horrid around here... Don't want to crack rims or the like... I do love those rims - don't need to go aftermarket - hehe ...
Most likely a tint and maybe some light mods... Let me start paying some of this badboy off first

Oh yeah sorry about the rotate did not realize til after I uploaded to imageshack and posted... haha

And as far as meets I've been crazy busy lately... Life happens (three kids under five - phewww)

 

Once you slap the tint on.. let the mods begin!

So what happened to the old '04? Trade in? Whats the price difference?

At any rate, congrats on the new ride!

 

nice choice =]

so wuh happened to the old TL ?

 

Suh-weet, I test drove a Black 6spd TL-s... it's a looker

The shifter was quick and precise and the clutch play was tons better then TL I test drove back in 05.

The power is definitely there.

I agree the wheels start to grow on you, looks tons better in person then from any of the pics.

 

wow, wish i could just go tot he dealership to just check it out and walk away with one....

GOOD CHOICE!
congrats and hope this one treats you better then the old one!

 

Very nice, I really like the new grille. It's a different finish now instead of the satin isn't it?

 

Very nice, congrats on your 2nd 3G TL!

Write a comparison review when you get a chance to make us 04-06 6MT feel even more envious

 

Traded in my 04... did not get a great price... WOW what a surprise!!!

But overall I walked away a winner... Same payment for a car worth 6G more... I'm most likely not gonna keep this one for the five or six years anyway... so it's all good...

Thank you all again for the good wishes...

 

You bastard!!! I wonder where you went. Congrats on the new car, I'm drooling. Thats the exact combo I would want if I traded mine in.

 

I'm officially jealous

 

Me too. And I bet they do a good job at hiding the brake dust - because of the darker color.

 

+1

 

 

not the smartest idea. they suggest you wait putting any products on the dash, so the chemicals have a chance to penetrate the leather/vinyl. This is whay so many 04-06's have problems with there dash, because they started covering the dash with products before it had a chance to properly breathe.

 

Salut, congrats dude!

 

I've been lurking everyonceinawhile but like I said busy as hell + since I hadn't modded anything in a while I hadn't been posting anything...

Yeah the top bottom and middle of the grille is now chromed...

No need to feel any envy we are all at different parts in our lives and my wife and I were able to indulge a bit with a new "mommy/daddy" car... ok maybe more daddy than mommy... hehe

As far as the write up... So far all I can say other than what I've previously mentioned is that is more refined than its predecessor... Not perfect yet but getting better.

If I have time I will try to elaborate in the future with time permitting...

 

beautiful car.....

 

Congrats on that sick ride

 

Sick, that rear end screams muscle car... Dont know why acura puts hideous rims on their cars, those look like their straight off a SRT-4..... Good luck with it and congrats!

 

Man, if TL-S was RWD... Infiniti would have a true performance run for it's money

 

nice car

 

Congrats, Salut, you stayed in the family....nice car!

 

very nice TL-S. Black is the best color! do you plan on tinting your windows? you can make it look even more sexy.

 

Amen to that brother...
To me this would be the perfect car if it had RWD... (ahhhhhhh a boy can hope - maybe SHAWD - but RWD would be perfection...)

Tks bob... I almost went to the darkside... I test drove the 335I... and it was nawwwwce... but the fact that they were not going to have the sedan for a while and the 10g premium compared to the TL -- I said fuck it the krauts can keep their shiate... heheh

Not planning to mod this one too much... I got it debaged yesterday (only the Acura symbol remains on the decklid...) Maybe some tints... but that will probably be the extent of the mods for a while... Just going to enjoy my beautiful car... hehe :P

Thanks again for all the warm wishes and good thoughts...
This has been a great community, and I plan to stick around for a while longer...

 

Ok Salut.. here's some questions I know everyone else wants answered - we have had some answers already from other new owners of the TL-S. We all probably know that Acura had made quite a few changes and alterations to the TL-S over the previous year's 3G versions. Changes in the steering feel, the clutch takeup, suspension, and of course, the engine. So I (we?) would like your input and impressions, please.


First off. Which transmisssion did you have in your former TL? Was it also a manual?

How much difference is there between the two TL's in terms of normal, everyday driving? Things such as throttle response, felt low-end torque, just the feeling you get from the throttle under normal, everyday conditions?

What about handling? Have you had the opportunity to compare any differences here?

And the same for the braking. It's feel, response, and general capabilities?

How would you rate the clutch feel? Does it still have that nice relatively short travel? I know that Acura has altered the takeup so that initial engagement is spread over a longer travel. What is your feeling and opinion here?

And finally, liveability. How does the new TL-S's overall driving experience compare with your former TL? Would you say it's fairly close, quite a bit different, or nothing like it (or anything in between).

Oh, I almost forgot. One darned beautiful car, my friend. I love your pics at the top of the thread.

 

Salut,
2003~2007, I guess 2011 is another trade in good choice and congrats!

 

That is a beautiful car, the black looks a lot better than the 04 black did. I want to go see them so bad, but I know I will probably get caught just like you did. The closest ive gotten to one is driving by the dealer lot and seeing one parked there.

 

To sum up and answer all your questions I have to say what one of my buddies here in Simi Valley said...
He drives an 04 TL ABP 6MT w/ASPEC and Nav. His car is about 90% of what the current TL-S is today (only big differences engine/clutch/exhaust)
My 04 was a NBP 6MT w/o Aspec or Nav.

So for me it was a big leap to the TL-S... I stayed with the Manual cuz for me if you're not driving a stick you're not driving a car...

If my buddy was at about 90% mine was at about 70%, so for me the jump to TL-S was a worthwhile one...

As far as everyday driving, it is a much more refined car. I loved my 04 but this TL-S is a dream (with the caveat as aforementioned of the FWD)

Handling: It feel's taughter yet responsive... (I had never driven an ASPEC - so I can't compare)

Clutch/Tranny: I don't know what the Acura Engs. did but whatever it was worked cuz this car is now a dream to start from a dead stop... (does'nt make you feel or look like a noob with a stick - hehe) This to me was the selling point for the car (or the proverbial straw... )

Braking: Feels about the same, I had the HPTs and brembo brakes on the 04. Overall the brakes could be better even with the Brembos the brakes feel a bit mushy, could be better.

To close and answer your last question: Liveability... It is a bit different.

If you have an 04 or 05 non nav and non aspec then as I did, go for it...
If you have an 04 or 05 nav and aspec, not as worthwhile...
If you have anything in between then sleep on it and avoid going to test drive one cuz you might just get bit... hehe

 

Who knows, by that time, maybe it'll be the Corvette I've been wanting ehehe ...