Hey all,


Got another need for an opinion here. I have my 07 TL Type-S and it's pretty much bone stock body kit wise. I considered looking at a full A-Spec kit but for my color (CBP) only the front and rear lips are available from Acura. The side skirts are discontinued.


I of course love the look of the A-Spec lip kit, but don't have a real issue looking at my Type-S stock as well. But man does that lip kit tempt me to no end! So my question is, before I dedicate any time, & a bunch of money & effort (I really debate drilling holes into the original bumpers), what opinions does anyone here have on my options:


-Stay stock with factory match mud guards?
-Buy A-Spec kit for front & rear bumper in CBP, buy side skirts in another color and repaint?
-Buy A-Spec kit for front bumper only in CBP, leave factory match mud guards on?


I think I may have seen a pic or 2 on here with just the A-Spec front lip but I can't find them now. I recall them not looking too bad. But I don't wanna do just the A-Spec front lip and have the entire thing look incomplete, like it's missing something. Really don't wanna look silly rollin' down the street where everyone will be asking themselves, "What happened to the rest of that cars body kit?"


Thanks for any helpful info!

 

It'll look odd without the side skirts, if you do get the front and back.

I think getting the side skirts in a different color and then painting them is a good way to go. If I were you, I'd buy the front and rear lips now from Acura, but as for the side skirts, I'd either keep contacting auto wreckers to see if they have any, or look through the black market here on AZ. That way you don't have to pay full retail AND pay for repainting. You can save a bit of coin.

 

I agree with Taco...my son has an 04 TL the he originally put just the front and back on, it didn't look right so he bought the sides too...

 

Anyone here have a Type-S with just the FRONT A-Spec lip installed on it?? I really am debating just doing the front lip if the lines on the sides and rear don't look incomplete.


If I have to scratch the A-Spec lip idea, I think I will try to find an A-Spec suspension kit & possibly upgrade to 18 inch A-Spec wheels. But...I do love me them waffle wheels on the Type-S. Probably the first thing I was attracted to on this car so long ago.

 

I am strongly considering just the front lip for my car, I think it will look ok, I hate how high the front is compared to the front edge of the side skirts, looks so incomplete.




Look at the space at the front of the side skirts behind the wheel compared to the front bumper

 

OP you are thinking to hard on this. No one on this form has been satisfied with an incomplete lip kit. Find any color, having painted to match, bolt it on, grab a chair, and pop open a cold one while you sit there and admire your A-Spec TL

 

Yep, this is what I kinda had a feeling it would amount to. I don't wanna start a monster though, wifey is already confused as to WHY I traded in an 08 Accord coupe with only 30k miles (I bought it brand new) for an 07 TL Type-S with 44k miles (although thankfully in near new condition).


If I bought the A-Spec lip kit and did install, I will probably want the A-Spec suspension soon along too. Then when I did that, I will want A-Spec wheels with new tires as well. And when I did that...I would somehow go digging to find a steering wheel with the 'A-Spec' badging on it LOL. Oh yeah not to mention an actual A-Spec badge for the car will set me back another $100 alone ha ha ha. So a little A-Spec front lip will start off at $250..then snowball into over a $4000 ($1000 for A-Spec lip kit with repaint, $700 A-Spec suspension, $1000 A-Spec wheels, $900 for 4 tires, $400 A-Spec leather steering wheel, $100 A-Spec badge) investment!


Oh the horror...oh the horror! And yet, I am somehow in my sick mind thinking of how I would be able to get away with this...

 

And to think...this all started out because I found a lightly used OEM carbon fiber trim set for the rear console for half off retail on eBay!

 

Yeah, wives rarely get car stuff. Most here would agree that the TLs is a step up from the Accord coupe...bigger for sure. You wouldn't need to spend a shit ton on the Aspec suspension and wheels...there are many suspension options to lower the car a bit and many sweet looking wheel tire combos that wouldn't cost you an arm and a leg, and a marriage. The are places that will do steering wheels custom that look sweet too. I did a cover for the console and ebrake boot in 2 tone that looked great. Also did a shift knob to match the other leather upgrades.

 

Too bad you didn't get in on the A-Spec wheel extravaganza. I was able to put mine together for less than $800, with new tires

 

Which A-Spec wheel extravaganza?

 

some secondary vendor was blowing out the A-Spec wheels for $399, shipped. A bunch of members bought up to 4 sets, with the intention to come back to the community that helps them out, and gouge the hell out of the same members that help them out. Because, you know, business.

 

Whoa damn! Was that even posted here somewhere about a sale?

 

yup, there was a whole thread about it. They're all sold out now.

 

OP,

I have the base TL A spec lip only on my car. I didn't have a lot of funds to spare on the car so I just picked up the front, and I actually don't mind it. I picked up some A spec wheels and refinished them and had them powder coated (even though the color came up lighter than expected).

Overall I am happy with the look of the car now, and just focused on doing maintenance on the car to keep it happy and running.

But since you have a Type-S the front only would probably look out of place since it is more aggressive looking than the base lip. Or you can always modify a base lip to fit a Type-S.

 

All or none on the kit for sure personally its more bang for the buck visually out of all your options but the longer you wait its gonna cost more on the kit as they are discontinuing those pieces pretty quickly. The suspension you can add later as average Joe wont notice the difference.

Now on the steering wheel whats the difference vs type s wheel, not sure Ive seen an a-spec wheel. Any pics?

 

A spec wheel hype is dumb, lots of nicer looking wheels for the same or cheaper IMO, also if you are gonna do suspension on the type S either get lowering springs or coilovers, Type S dampers are already good, springs are just way soft

 

Some people like OEM optional wheels over aftermarket options. Personally, I'm one of those people. It was a great deal and I'll be installing mine one this salt is off the roads.

 

A-Spec steering wheel doesn't come with a badge. You miss out months ago as one member had one for sale.


A-Spec wheels can be found in the BM.


A-Spec badge, well there is one member now selling one and some on ebay. They are running about $50 -80 now.


A-Spec suspension (iirc) are or almost discontinued. You better hope on it now.

 

all or nothing no doubt. 1000 for whole kit and repaint? damn man thats a great deal. in canada that shit would cost a lot more lol. I lucked out, the lady I got my TL from had it from factory, otherwise that would have been my first mod

 

IMO you gotta go full aspec kit. When people only do the front lip, it looks off from the rest of the car...similar to when somebody gets a body kit and leaves it primered. It just feels...unfinished. Some people can pull it off, but for the most part, the full lip kit.

Suspension you're better off getting aftermarket if you want to lower it. Coilovers will give you the most freedom to adjust ride height.

The badge imo is not needed. Some people have to have that badge, but I'm one of those people who would rather remove the badges except for the Acura logo. Looks cleaner to me, but to each his own

 

Having same debate and just got my TLS last fall and currently garaged. Can't wait for spring. And definitely the wife, kids, parents, and inlaws don't want to accept the new love in my life lol...

 

I may be in the minority, but i've seen some pictures of the Aspec front lip and Aspec rear lip with base sides on a CBP and I thought it looked great. Unless you're an Acura TL enthusiast, it is a really subtle difference. My opinion is that the CBP really works in your favor and really conseals those subtle differences

I have a CBP base model myself. I say go for it. I think I am..lol

 

I have an 07 TL Type S In ASM. It wouldn't look right without side skirts. It doesn't flare out as much. It wouldn't match and will look funny imo.

 

I saw a some photos on here one time that showed a TL-S with only the front and rear lips and not the side skirts. It looked decent IMO. The TL-S has much more pronounced side skirts than the base.


Because of this, I believe it would look "ok." That means that someone who doesn't know TL's couldn't tell the difference, but anyone who knows what the A-Spec looks like would plainly see that it was missing the side skirts.


There were threads on this topic in the past, but I've been unable to find them. I'll keep looking.

 

Not meaning to jack your post, but I'm new here and have been doing a lot of reading with no definitive answer. I have a '07 ASM Type S and want to do the A Spec full kit. After looking online I see it says the kit does not fit the Type S ?? My question is, are there modifications needed to be made for it to fit that Type S that everyone has to do ??

 

It's not that simple... There are two ASPEC kits for '07 TL's. There's the base TL ASPEC kit, and a Type-S ASPEC kit, The front and rear lips vary between the two, but the side skirts are identical. This post on AZINE, and this article from a trusted vendor (HeelToe) should answer all of your questions on the kits themselves.

I'm guessing from your questions that you're looking at the base ASPEC front lip for your Type-S (this is pretty common). If that's the case, you have two options:
1) Install the base front lip on your Type-S, taking special care and following special instructions. This thread has tons of great information, and the process was done as recently as last week by Sockr1. He's a nice dude, and may even answer a PM if you need a hand.
2) You can do what I did, which is buy the front bumper for a base '07/'08 TL, have it painted (they come unpainted), and then install the base lip on the bumper it was designed to fit. Both the base and Type-S bumpers install on either car. It's more expensive, but it's OEM perfect fitment and no headaches down the road.

For the rear lip, you'll have to use the Type-S rear lip. the base model will not fit, since the exhaust cut-outs are smaller on the lip than they will be in the bumper, and your exhaust tips will not fit. And again, the side skirts are identical on all aspec kits, '04-'08.

Hopefully that provides some clarity. Good luck!

 

I second not wanting to hijack the post but I've jumped on the A-Spec bandwagon. I came across some Aspec 18x8.5 wheels with the stock Yokohama AVS ES100 tire size (235/40/18 I believe) setup and could not pass them up. They will need some cleanup due to curbage but not anything that I, a shop, or plasti dip can't fix

That said I have an 07 TLS and wanted to know if I can mount them without any modifications besides the standard balancing and aligngment? Could I use the oem lugs currently bolted onto the TLS Waffles?

Thanks in advance. After a long winter in hibernation, I can't wait to have my baby out on the road!

 

This isn't even close to the same topic. The only similar content is the word "ASPEC".

I'm not a wheel expert, but they should bolt up just fine. The diameter of the wheel and tire are within 1% of the oem 17'' waffles with OEM tire fitment. If you're lowered you'll have to investigate further. From a measurements perspective, the only thing that will change is the width. You're going from a 17''x8''+45, to an 18''x8.5''+45 (as far as I know, all Acura OEM wheels are +45). The extra half inch (12.5mm) will poke the outside edge of the wheel out, which will help to flush the wheels with the wheel wells.

The OEM studs and lugnuts will work fine, since they're all OEM parts.

 

@Alex.Leslie Thanks for all the insight, this is great news!

 

I did the whole kit

 

I really just want them a-spec side skirts

 

The ASPEC skirts are pretty aggressive, and play off the outward flare in the front and rear lip as they approach the wheel well. IMO, they'll look funny without the front and rear lip.

 

i contemplated getting only parts of the aspec kit (i actually only wanted the sides since i think they accentuate a lowered car and make it look even lower), and did LOTS of research, photoshop (thanks GP), etc. but in the end i recently got the entire kit and it's definitely worth it. the full kit really makes the car feel complete and i'm very happy i didn't go with only part of it.

i see lots of cars on FB that have the front and rear only and to me it looks weird, i think the sides make a huge difference and i would suggest getting the sides also even if that means painting them. you'll love how the entire car will look with them

it costs quite a bit of money but think of it as doing body work to your car that will last forever, it's just a small cost in the long run of things.

thanks i'm always willing to help someone out here that's how we all got this forum to where we are

OP feel free to ask any questions you want, i don't mind

i think you can get by with just a front lip if you have the base front lip. if you get the type s front only and nothing else, it will for sure stand out since it's just a huge lip that takes up most of the bumper sides