thegabrielles

Well, I am about sick of the TL... well, sick of problems. I have had the car in the shop 6 times in the five months I've owned it and it needs to go back again. If I get past the vibration issue all the problems are minor. But they are problems. My dealership has been great in resolving or attemting to resolve the problems but I am just fed up. I Love this car, it looks great proforms great and the room is incredible. So given the price range the TL is in, tell me why you would not switch to that car. I knwo all the competitors just like everyone else on here but I am just looking for opinions. Without trashing other cars. I have only ever owned Fords before this TL and they have been incredible reliable so what do you guys/ girls think???

Road Rage

What is the question?

If you are asking if we should tell you if you should own a Ford, I guess if you must ask, you have your answer. The vast majority of TL owners do not have major problems, and if you do not like yours, dump it. But if the quesion is "Are Fords better than Acuras?", having owned 6 Acuras, 5 Hondas, and 1 S2000, the answer is obviously, No.

thegabrielles

Well, just want to be talked out of switching from the TL, I love the car but HATE the problems. There are a lot of people on here who have looked at other cars, so the question is:
What do you think the problems are with the competitors, or the advantages they have.

If I thought Acura would do it I might switch for a newer TL, but I this has not been the best new car experience.

thegabrielles

I am a Ford man, but I also know the faults Fords have. But I think we can all agree ALL manufacturers have thier good and bad points, Depriciation of course being a major problem with the American cars. But I am not ruling out other manufacturers. Ford really does not have a car in the TL class. The closest would be a Lincoln LS, but I did not buy one for several reasons, one being its kind of an older persons car. So real comparisons would be a sport sedan.

aw1

if you are really considering in trading in your TL, then consider the G35, bmw 330, mb c-class or the es330. good luck with your decision.

thegabrielles

I've looked a a couple of the competitors, and there is no doubt the TL is the class of the field in a lot of ways. I just hate the experiance I have had with it. I am going to contact Acura again this week and see what they be willing to do (trade for another TL) but something makes me say that wont happen. But I of course will try. There is a lot of great TLs out there with owners reporting no problems but it seems liek with the number of issues being raised Acura would have made changes to the 05 TL to settle some of the problems, but there is no indication they even think the vibration issue is a real problem to them. The many different rattles are no doubt attributed to the vibration and have been repaired from time to time. The leather in my seats is now starting to look very "worn" wrinkles bad especially on the outside of the drivers seat but also in the back, and its rarely used except by my 4 year old son who's in a car seat in the middle. The rear mirrors used to rotate down when I put it in Reverse, now they dont work. I actually did not liek them rotating, but they are supposed to so its one more thing that is not right. I have air leaks from the front drivers window, the vibration is still there, although it is noticible better. The 05 wheels and Michelen tires making the difference the last time it was in the shop. Liek I said most of these problems are minor, but annoyances that I dont feel I should have with a $35k car. The vibration I would not even expect from a Kia, the rattles and air leaks I would. Anyway, I know I am just rambling but hey gotta vent sometimes!!!

crazymjb

Well, I would not go near fords. We are waiting for my dads taurus to take its final crap so we can get the TL. He got it used with 40k miles on it. He had the tranny redone almost right after he got it, and now, 25k miles later its gone again. The car constantly rattles, makes funky noises, engine stalls if not warmed up, even in warmer weather, electrical problems... What are these "minor" problems. If you had to go with ford, the 500 is supposed to suck(according to car and driver). I would recomend the mustang GT fully loaded and then get a third party nav system for like 2 grand. It will still be cheaper then TL, and if you got tech upgrades would have some fun stuff, not as much, but it would be there.

thegabrielles

Already have two stangs, and a T-bird. All are 90's or older. Yes they rattle, I guess I have come to expect it from my Fords. Of course the 90 T-bird only has 98k on it and the 90 vert has 220k, and the 82 GT has 533hp so those old cars are supposed to rattle. I just expected more from everything I have heard from a new Acura By the way it has 18k on it now. I have heard some real bad issues with the 500 and would not buy one. Besudes a car that big needs a V-8. As far a the Taurus goes, trannies and head gaskets were major issues for a while but I thought most of those issues were resolved. Sorry to hear you are experiancing them. I think my wife would kill me if I traded her TL for a Taurus though..so that is not an option. Especially when a Taurus can price out near 28k loaded. Definitley not worth it.

SouthernBoy

The most reliable car I've ever owned was a ... Ford. My 1988 Mustang LX 302CID. Next in line (actually tied for first) is my 2001 Ford Ranger pickup which I still own. Third in line is a tie between a 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback, my 1966 SS 396/360 HP L34 Chevelle, my TL, and, you guessed it, a 1996 Ford Contour SE.

So my TL lags behind two Fords. Go figure.

thegabrielles

Bang for the buck and reliable...the 5.0L could not be beat for the $$. Funny the 66 chevelle rates above the TL though. Back then cars were not supposed to live past 100k miles. I love the old muscle cars...70 mustang Boss 302 will be in my garage one day. Thats realistic...I WANT a Boss 429( not realistic)

mickey3c

Hmm.. well you can go back to a v6 camry. I am sure it will last for many miles... Mine did.. I am not saying you should put up with the TLs problems. .. I did not. I got rid of the car and let my walled tell acura it is time to get your act together.

There are lots of people here who are willing to put up with problems just because they like one feature or another or compare it to a chevy or ford. But acura was suppose to represent a higher quality and now they seem to be no better than a ford and at a greater cost!!!

They provice more options at a cheaper price .. yeah cheaper which means there is a good chance that the car will not hold together too well.

Near luxury may also mean near quality for many cars and not just acura. You have to look at what you are getting and for acura fans it is peformance and a slightly better looking interior. I hear people using paper towels and cotton balls to get rid of rattles which is disgraceful.

If you want to buy a sporty car with a stiffer suspension you have to know that tires and brakes wear faster and cost more. Insurance also costs more.

Cars wear out and that is a fact of life. Those of you who get a loan for 5 or more years are crazy since the car will not be worth much by then...

crazymjb

The five hundred essentially has a taurus engine with 3 more horse power. I hate the Taurus, we have a rivelry. I WANT A NICE CAR. As soon as we get rid of that taurus, arg. BTW, its a used from 97, bought in 01, piece of shit from 97-now.

svtmike

You do have the mirror selector switch for the mirror adjustment on either L or R, right? If it's in the center, neither will rotate down when reverse is engaged.

Mike

svtmike

Hmmmmm. Without a Ford that's a contemporary of those cars in the list, I'd think the answer would be "I only know that Honda products are satisfactory to me".

Mike

A-TLvic882

Well. I have so many problems with my TL. But all main fixed now. I love and have a fun driving my TL.

thegabrielles

I am looking at another trip to the dealership. Figured its time to give...

crazymjb

Our dealer is three miles away so a few small problems, while i guess would become annoying, it would not be horrible. It would give me a chance to learn more about the car too.

MR1

Sorry to hear that your problems continue. The only issue that I have with my '05 is a very minor vibration, that's it. Still I fel your agony.

I would have to vote for Toyota though don't think I'd want to go there. How about find another Acura dealer and let them try to fix it or Lemon Law and start again?

J RIDE 81

LOL, I feel sorry for the people who are comparing Fords with my TL LOL!!!!!

Formula 350

I will never buy a Ford again.... you might have had good experience.. I had an '85 Cougar... it was in the shop 12 times in the first year... had the car 10 years and no battery lasted more than 12 months... the car would stall when it got hot when driving (usually coming to a stop)... they could never find the reason (more later)... kept changing parts etc... had to keep my foot on the gas to prevent it from stalling... tranny went out... except for all that it was a great car... now, this was not unusual as my friend had a T-Bird and had the same problems..

So, what was wrong... Ford designed the control module wrong... when it got hot the thing flexed and it lost contact with something... Ford found out about this when the car was a few years old but never told anybody, even their techs... finally got sued... the final outcome of the case (two or three years after getting rid of the car)... a $500 coupon for ANOTHER FORD!!!

Now, their trucks and SUVs are having spontaneous combustion!!! Sounds like a great car company to me!!

hendens

Did you get the dealer to replace your lousy and defective Bridgestone Touranza tires with Michelins? I have lost a lot of respect for Honda/Acura for not admitting they screwed up in putting these BS tires on an otherwise great car like the TL. I have had no luck in getting Acura to replace them with Michelins.

EleVatE

Even if ford and hona moters had the same score for reliability... which historically they haven't (even tho a few cars have scored higher than a few acuras)... generally speaking they dont add up to acuras. it really can come down to a case by case basis sometimes though.

However, even if they were right on par with each other, i'd still get an acura. I dont now a car that ford makes that i like the styling of... except the new stang is pretty rad... and I can understand why someone would get the new Lincoln LS even though I wouldn't.

But generally... most ford cars just LOOK cheap. So many giant plastic knobs and just cheap cheap cheap look.

We all know the reviews for the classy interior of the TL.

jl_forum

Hey guys, this is not looking good... as some of you might know, I'm planning to get a TL... and switching from a Ford Taurus. Honestly, this Ford Taurus is such a POS that I can't stand it. Seriously, I can't. The engine died a million times, has problems starting when its hot, has blown a gasket (the coolant didn't travel correctly from the tank to the engine), the power windows don't work, my power seats don't work anymore, the starter has just gotten replaced, etc.... As you can probably tell, I don't like the Taurus... POS car.... however, I will be switching to a TL fairly soon because its falling apart so quickly. Please don't tell me you guys have problems with the TL... do you guys really have that many issues? I hear a lot about vibration but how about mechanically?

RJANACONDA

iTrader: (1)

was your TL new or used the only problem i had with mine was the subwoofer went out and the little plastic strip in the drivers door. both of witch were easy no cost fixes. they did a poll on who all has problems with thier TL and most people didnt have any. maybe you should go for an RL I love my TL but if its giving you problems like that then I would first take it up with the dealer and maybe they will hook you up like you said with a 05 but they definatly should do something. just out of curiosity did you get yours from NALLEY ACURA I'm from ATL myself but I got mine and am living in FL now

mickey3c

Each Gen has had its share of problems. The first gen tl had a paint problem where you could power wash your paint off the car... It had a 4 speed automatic which for the 48K I owned the car was fine...

I bought a 2G Cl with the 3.2 S engine and a 5AT (which was all that was available at the time). Tranny issues with that car and some rattles as well. The car ran well for about 30,000 miles and I noticed that the tranny was not quite the same after that untill it died.

The 3g has had its share of rattles and brake issues and the earlier ones had to be recalled for an oil jet which is in the 5AT (installed at the factory). There have been other issues as well...

The car offers lots for the price point, but I would prefer better quality at a higher price. If you are going from a Taurus to something else, sure you can get the TL. You can also get the 05 avalon (redesigned this year). It has more HP and torque than the TL and has laser curise, etc. I am not sure about the performance numbers, but hell almost anything will feel better than the tired v6 in the taurus.

The TL is higher to insure as well. All a matter of your tastes and your pocket book. I drove a lot of cars before I made my purchase. I have an TL and G35 at home and I will not compare here, but I will say that the ES330 lexus was nice but not a very spirted driving experience. Since I was used to more power it was tough to go back. I am not sure if I would have decided to get an Avalon or not. Yeah most say older guys car, but I am in my upper 40s and I have a 1971 442 to play with on weekends....

The new toyota model at a 34K price offers a lot for the cake and I am sure will eat into the 330 sales.

Brewmaster

Like RJANACONDA said, there was a poll somewhere in here that asked who had problems and the vast majority did not. Take what you read with a grain of salt. The most vocal on this forum are those that have issues (because they're looking to see if others have had the same).

I, for one, have not had any issues with my TL except for a minimal vibration at ~50mph, which has been described as a "characteristic" of the car, or as an engine harmonic and is not really an issue. To be honest I don't even notice it anymore, it really isn't that bad.

Even the issues that everyone has had, with the exception of vibration (which many have tied to the OEM tires) are mostly relegated to rattles and butt prints on the seats. Go on another board and see what they're complaining about .. I can almost guarantee it's stuff worse than here.

Have some had serious probs with their cars?? Absolutely, and I'm not trying to make them out to be whiners, some of the issues were serious, but not prevalent and certainly not an epidemic throughout the entire 3G model.

jl_forum

Thanks for the replies. Avalon, eh? I never really thought of that....

<2 minutes later>
Err... I just went to the site... sorry, but it looks like a Beetle/Camry/strange car... The side view makes it look like it crashed into something because the front is short and cut very vertically. Sorry, but I have fallen for the TL. I just like the design of it. Interior is awesome too... if theres not too many probs with it, I think I'm sticking with the TL. Probably getting it within the month...

SouthernBoy

My wife had a 1990 Taurus and it was a serious POS. However, in all fairness, it was made in the Mexico plant, not Atlanta, GA.


To jl_forum;

The TL is a fine, satisfying machine and you will love it. While not the best in all areas (no car is), it does so many things so well. You will not be disappointed.

TLer

Dude if you are not happy with it, get rid of it and move on. You will miss that interior though. I have not seen anything come close to it and I love being in there. Everything else does not matter at that point. This is a great car if you don't knit pick on every detail. Remember no car is perfect. They may be close but not perfect.

thegabrielles

Well, in general TL owners are very happy, and for the most paret I am to. I expect a lot for my money. The TL definitley is a lot of car for the money. I just wnat to make a good educated decision on whethewr to really push Acura for another TL or look to other manufacturers. A Taurus is a nice car but not what I want. I want a "sport luxory" car. Their really is not that many cars to chose from especially in the TL price range.
For everybody out there that is thinking of a TL, I woiuld still recommend it, I just did not get the "pick of the litter". I do not slam any car and the quality of all cars is going up tremendously so getting a good car is not a problem, finding a great one is.

s54

I am. I have had mine in 11 times in < 1 year, all for vibration/rattles/tire issues etc. Not sure what to tell you to get, but I am out of the Acura/Honda camp for good. Maybe get a Lexus?

I feel your pain but life is too short. Perhaps you can take solace in trashing the company's reputation whenever possible.

S

thegabrielles

Not looing to trash anyone, seems like your having the exact same issues as me, just over a longer period. Acura makes a good car, there are enough people out there extremely happy with them. Why have you stuck with your TL for so long if it has been that much of a problem?? The Lexus is one car I am looking at. Time will tell though.

sftroy

thegabrielles: my 04 was a big POS and after trying to work with my dealer and ACS I got nowhere - so I took them to BBB Arbitration and won. BBB agreed that I had too many problems, including a whining tranny and vibrations that a reasonable person would consider a defect - although Acura didn't agree. Too flipping bad - the car is going home on Friday!! Enjoy.

That said, my friends and family think I'm crazy, but with the $$$ I won in the case, I purchased an 05TL. (Yes, I currently own two TLs . . .) There are lots of happy TL owners and quite a few with problems it appears, however, I felt that there was nothing else in its class that I wanted to drive. I was very close to buying the G35 but wanted to take my chances on another TL. I test drove many and spoke with lots of service managers about the 04 vs 05s - I got lots of different stories. Who knows if I made a big, big mistake - I'm taking my chances. So far, it seems OK. There are slight driveline vibrations - nothing to complain about yet. The fit and finish seems better than the 04 (I had a very early build - VIN # in the 000500's.

One thing I'd recommend if you are going to buy the TL. Go for a LONG test drive and select a car with an 05 build date. The date is listed on a white sticker located on the driver's door frame. I saw cars two weeks ago that had 9/04, 10/04, etc build dates on the lot - I demanded an 05 build and got it.

Good luck on your decision . . . . feel free to PM me if you want any additional info.

sftroy

thegabrielles

Thats actually my thoughts as well, I think I would like to take my chances on another TL, but just wanted to get other opinions on hte competition. I need a workable back seat, that seems to be the biggest drawback to the competion, at least in the 35k range. I cna not afford a 45k car or I would step up. Anyway, thanks for the input. Big question though, did you get a different color combo or is it the same as the old one?

FrenchCreole

I am new to the forum but have been reading it for months. Good information sftroy, I am in the same boat as you. I still have my 04 Tl and considering a trade for an 05 TL due to all of the gabrielles issues. The gabreilles, I have been keeping up with your posting from the beginning hoping you would have good luck in resolving your problems with the vibrations. We have looked too at other vehicles in the same class as the TL but none come close to all the options for the cost. I am holding on now to the 04 and will maybe wait until the 06 Tl come out this fall to trade out of it. But I do consider the money spent on the car and the rattles and vibration very poor quality. This is my first "japanese" car and thought it would be bulletproof b/c it is a top of the line honda. All of my previous vehicles and I have had many were all domestic and were much better quality. Sorry to say that but it is waht it is.

thegabrielles

FrenchCreole, My problems have gotten better, especially the vibration after the change of rims and tires. I still feel the vibration and like it was originally it is still intermittent. I am very sensative to the vibrations and there have been many times I have felt it and my wife has not. I still think the TL is a very high quality car and believe it to be very reliable, just tired of a bunch of little issues. I believe I am building way to many miles on it to wait to much longer. Good luck with yours as well.

sftroy

Too many bad memories associate with the Anthracite/Ebony - I love the color combo but just couldn't do it again. I got Silver/Ebony with Navi this time . . . I can't wait to drop off the 04 tomorrow!!! The number of squeaks and rattles in my 04 are amazing (and sad) - I hope my 05 remains solid . . .

thegabrielles

Good Luck with the New car, one thing I could not do is switch colors, nothing against the others, just Love the REdondo Red/ Parchmant Combo, and yes I to would add the Navi if I can.