Moises

Hey there guys, for some time now I've been looking around wanting to buy an Acura tl. I really like the sporty luxury looks of the tl and joined with Hondas/acuras reputation I am really wanting to get one sometime soon. I've done a bit of research here and there but can't really find anything negative on these cars. (only thing I can think of is pre '07 tranny that was a bit prone to premature failure). That being said I would like to know what is the "bad" on these cars. Reason I ask is because I really want to get a car that isn't going to cost me thousands in repairs and what not. (thousands in mods might be ok though haha) what I'm really wanting is an 07-08 Acura tl type s. I've looked around and about average pricing for one with say... 70-85k miles would be around 21k. Does that seem about right? What would be a good deal on these cars?

Thanks in advance

truonghthe

ok I can tell you some cons about the TL.

1. AT gear box kinda slow especially at 4th gear.
2. FWD car.
3. Annoy torque steer
4. Rattling problem (dash, speaker, subwoofer, seat(s), etc).
5. interior light usually going out around 60k miles (especially on the model with Navi)


07-08 Type S price may vary depend your location.

But for most Type S 20k-45k miles going for $24,000 to $29,000.

45k-67k miles going for $18,500 to $23,500.

67k-86k miles going for $17,500 to $19,995.

86k-130k miles going for $17,999 to $14,500.

Some dealer/seller will list these vehicle way higher than the actual MARKET price and the result speaking for themselves the listing will be posted online for months. If you buy TL I would recommend Type S since there is no option available (except for back up sensor). They all come in one package, it would be a hassle trying to get a base with navi if you choose the 04-06 MT then the it would be pain in the a$$ trying to get navi with MT. My advice is do not settle for less, make a priorities of exterior color list, then follow up by interior color. Finally take a look at your budget to see which one fit you best. GL with your hunting for a TL.

imj0257

iTrader: (1)

It doesn't have a turbocharger

JJH

iTrader: (1)

Pros

-RELIABLE VEHICLE!
-BEST combination of luxury/sport appeal in the past decade.
-Very very aestetically pleasing.
-Fast car, fun to drive, etc

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

agree with all of this. well said.

some pros...

1. great looking 4 door sedan/timeless design
2. roomy/nice interior layout
3. fun to drive/reliable/easy to work on
4. good gas mileage (if you behave yourself)
5. type-s models are fully loaded (go for the 6MT)

NJAcura2004

Some of the problems I ran into with my 04 3rd Gen TL are:
Both front axles siezed up from the inside out ( $200.00 for new axles)
Tires are expensive and if you don't rotate them often enough and get the car aligned, the tires will only last about 30,000 miles. The rear camber is set a little negative from the factory which causes the tires to chop wear unevenly.
3 of the aluminum wheels on my car are bent from hitting small potholes. I love the look of low profile tires but they put all the force from potholes on the wheels.
the interior lights burn out constantly, just replaced the bulbs for the steering wheel and seat heater buttons.

but the pro's outweigh the con's i believe.
Car looks sexy as hell and constantly turns heads.
It's fast as shit and gets 30-40 mpg on the highway!
keep it clean and do your maintenance and the car will last you over 200,000 miles
Parts for this Gen model/year are becoming cheaper so you might not have to worry about breaking the bank for maintenance and repairs

Acura604

Coming from someone who has owned 4 3G models.. i absolutely LOVE this vehicle and dread the day when I may have to give it up for something different.


Over the course of 4 TLs..my biggest gripe is:

-poor wear on the leather. I cant figure out why our leather seats get so bad even with proper conditioning, etc.

that is THE only gripe I have... the 3G TL is an amazing car.

rptls08

iTrader: (1)

i agree... no matter what i do to condition my leather it still seems to wear faster than my previous cars. other than leather and fwd i couldnt be happier

pohljm

Back seat does not fold down!

av2600

iTrader: (1)

Rattles.

MEKO

iTrader: (1)

The Bluetooth Unit dies around after 100K..as dealer told me last week but I don't know how true it is.
Mine died last week at 98K. To replace it they want $201

I also had some issues with the Nav. after 90K, which had to be sent to Alpine.
Between 90K and 95K, around 15 bulbs went out.

My other seats are close to perfect, one my driver one is okey. It's probably because I have the quartz (gray) letter. You don't notice those lines and wear or anything that much.
But black interior...oh yeah

I don't know what else is there. This 3G is the real machine to go with..

Oh place they used for sunglass holder, just doesn't work for me
Yeah seat's doesn't fold but the middle spot for ski to go through. ( If from New England)

Toneroni

Just bought my 05 TL with Nav and the rattles are a bit annoying but seem to go away after a bit of driving. The seats do wear fast also. Other than that, i'm loving it so far!

Mrtastygoody

iTrader: (1)

Pros: Yes

Cons: Sorry, did not understand query.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

For me the cons:

• Leather quality - Haven't seen a lot of it yet
• Rattles - I don't have much
• Brake Logic
• 45 mph in 5th gear
• Sub-woofer is kinda week

Pros:

• Styling
• Built very well - just ask someone that was in a wreck
• Speed
• Performance
• Reliability
• Acurazine - see what I did there? Do ya?

Moises

Awesome feedback guys! I'm not hearing much of motor/tranny failure from y'all which is a great plus. I am from Dallas tx so hopefully that narrows down the pricin range an 07-08 TL-S should cost. I'm honestly an automatic driver. Never driven standard and I'm sure I'd blow clutches left and right if I were to try. My dream car right now would be a silver exterior. Ebony/taupe two tone interior. I've ran across two '07s on the web. One is at 81k for $19k and the other is at 72k for $21k. The 80k from the pics looks like the interior was a but more taken care of. Any thoughts on these two? How is reliability as far as mechanic le components on these cars? (axles,differential, etc..) is really a downside that it is a fwd? I've test driven 3.2s and it didn't really bother me that it was a fwd vehicle. I've only really driven Chevy. During high school I drove a Tahoe and two years later I bought a Tahoe z71 so it'll be quite a change I suppose

Moises

Are there any tunes/tuners out there for TLs? I could spend time searching this but y not ask the pros here eh?

And had any one found a "cure" for the rattles? I like modding and doing minor things to enhance over all comfort and performance. Rattle falls into comfort lol

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

you'll be buying your TL-S at the right time...J&R performance has recently built a programmable ECU for our cars. it's the only one of it's kind. price tag around $1400.

i have one, and love it. it's nice having the ability to tune every paramater of your car. THAT said, you'll also want supporting mods like intake, pulley, pcds, jpipe, full exhaust, etc etc etc.

welcome to the money pit.

oh, as far as rattles...IF you can pinpoint them, a little bit of foam square/cardboard shoved in the right spot will solve the problem.

my 07 tl-s is fairly rattle free fwiw.

Moises

Lol almost as if I was falling from one money pit right into another. Gotta say though, this one I think is looking a lot deeper. Can't wait!

ff4930

I've had the car about 2 weeks so I will comment on the pro's and con's for up to the time being.

cons
-Steering is pretty stiff, may take a while to get used to

pros
-awesome looking car ext and int
-powerful car, love the way it sounds on the highway (stock engine)
-be able to join a awesome community like acurazine =)

Undying Dreams

iTrader: (3)

ff, you're right, the steering is a little stiff, is this because its FWD?

And so far, my only complaint are the rattles and every morning my engine sounds weird...then it goes away.

06AMTL Gray Ghost

Had mine for a month and 11 days.

Pros:
Fun to drive
Looks awesome, looks even better after some cosmetic mods
Handles like it's on rails (after RSB mod)
Has plenty of get up and go when you need it
Interior is very nicely laid out
Plenty of room
Solidly built
Gas mileage
Sound system isn't too bad for stock

Cons:
Rattles (takes a while to track 'em down)
Wish the subwoofer put out more
Wish it would stop emptying my bank account

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

I love the TL, but after a year and a half, I have a decent list of cons. None are deal killers IMO but they're cons nonetheless:

- Bluetooth module dies. I think about a 50% failure rate is common. Honda really dropped the ball on this unit. And it's super expensive to replace. But if you don't use bluetooth calling (I don't) then it doesn't matter. As a side note, if it goes bad you should go ahead and remove it as it will drain your battery. That's another subject

- The stereo is hard to upgrade. Everything is integrated and it's not the normal DIN style setup. Unless you have some pretty serious time or $$$, forget about a new head unit. On the other hand, the stock ELS stereo is pretty nice. I added some nicer front speakers and a better sub (with amp) and I'm more than happy.

- Navigation. Some here love it but I think it looks outdated. It was great in its day but it was designed nearly a decade ago. It's definitely showing it's age.

- Stereo doesn't play MP3/WMA cd's. You have to burn DVD-A's which are old hat and nearly impossible to find original. I recommend an aux port setup where you can use your iPod or phone. Oh, and the head unit has a tape player. I'm not sure what they were thinking on that one.

- Rattles. There are lots of fixes for them, but they can really get annoying and hard to pin down.

- Rear seat doesn't fold down. You have one of those central cubby armrest things that folds down so I guess you could stick a large piece of wall molding in or something. But forget about 2x4's (but you probably shouldn't be touting 2x4's around in the TL anyway).

- If the windows are rolled down and you shut the door, they rattle in the doors. Kind of weird/annoying.

- Limited mods. The support is growing and the current lineup isn't terrible. But nothing like a civic or mustang so certainly don't expect that. Plus, you'll need to pay to play around here. TL Mods aren't cheap.

- They didn't make very many manuals. If you're looking for auto then that doesn't matter.

- Premium gas. This isn't one of those cars where you can run regular and be fine. It's not going to blow the car up or anything, but you'll get worse mileage and foul up the engine over time. If you get the TL, put premium in it.

- Factory tires (Bridgestone Turanza's) are crappy. But with most 3rd gen TL's getting up in age, you probably won't come across too many with the original tires. Continental ContiProContact DWS's are good replacements for all season.

- Mileage. I personally get pretty good mileage, 30MPG+ on average. But I drive somewhat conservatively and again, manual. But many auto owners report averages in the low 20's or even teens with city driving.

- Not as nimble as some smaller luxury cars like the TSX. But quite a bit more power. And you can upgrade the suspension. With the auto I believe the weight distribution is about 60/40 front/rear. Closer to 55/45 with the manual. That makes for a heavy nose which isn't a good thing when you're trying to corner.

- Gas tank capacity. Some complain about a smaller gas tank than other cars in it's class. I personally don't have a problem with a 17 gallon tank, but if I were getting 18 miles to the gallon vs 30 then it might be a big deal.

- Timing belt. That'll cost you a pretty penny (around $750-$1250) when you hit a 105K mileage, which many TL's are approaching or have past. But then it doesn't need to be done for another 105K so you'll likely only do this once during the time you own the car.

- Clickity-Clackity valvetrain. But that's pretty much all Honda's and many newer cars with multi valve engines. I pulled up next to a brand new Mazda 3 yesterday and it's valves were probably twice as loud as mine.

- Weight. The TL's has a decent amount of power but it's a tank at about 3500lbs. However, there's a long thread called the "TL Diet" that aims to reduce weight on the car. I've reduced around 300lbs. off the original weight myself. It can make a big difference in performance and handling. Definitely look it up if you pull the trigger on a TL.

- Torque steer. I'm so used to torque steer since I've owned FWD cars my whole life that I don't really know what it feels like not to have it. But if you've driven a lot of american muscle cars or beamers then you might not like it.

That's about it . It probably sounds like I hate the car with all those cons, but the list of pro's would be 10x larger. And notice there isn't much of anything in there that's mechanical. If I were making a similar list about Audi's or something it would be thing like "Have to go the dealer every 3K miles to get something else fixed" and "Major electrical problems" or "Every bearing in the drivetrain had to be replaced by the time the car hit 50K miles". This is all nit-picky things that most cars have (but usually a lot more). Overall the TL is a great blend of performance and fun but with an aspect of practicality involved. Excluding the cost of mods, it's probably one of the cheapest luxury vehicles to maintain.

turbo_oxide

Whoa... i thought that was just my car, but glad to hear it's a factory "feature".

Not sure I want to even imagine a Buddy Club or Black Widow II kit or fender replacements with fake BMW grills for a TL. Talk about class to ass. I prefer quality over quantity.

That's pretty much required for most current Acura's (aside from 4-cylinder TSX's)

I dislike how after i fill up, the needle is already a couple bars below the full line after 15 miles. It's a personal annoyance, I guess.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

this.

here is my face everytime that happens.

1qwik6

iTrader: (1)

this is not a con... who wants there steering to feel like sloppy seconds. i wouldnt have it any other way.... and am i the only person to not have a light go out except the ones in the seat warmer...

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

^ Very true. You tend to take it for granted after a while. I let my father in law drive my TL down to Home Depot a few weeks ago. He's always owned american muscle cars and currently drives a '11 Camaro SS. He was impressed at how peppy the TL was at higher RPM's and the handling (compared to his Camaro "tank"). He was suprised at was the tightness and responsiveness of the steering. He loves his muscle cars but admitted that most of them don't provide the immediate tight response that some lighter imports do.

He also liked the visibility. The TL is like driving a bubble compared to the new Camaro and Challenger. Different cars of course so you can't really compare. But I don't like my blind spot being that big.

tlorencz

iTrader: (1)

Had my 05 base TL for over 3 years now. Bought it CPO with 48k. Getting my 105K service done (timing belt, spark plugs, water pump etc). Yeah that is expensive. Driver's seat leather is worn and needs replacing that is around $800. No aux power plugs in the rear. Needs new brakes $500.

I have already done new shocks/struts for $800

Needed to reporgram the ECU for $200 (could of bought one online for $300).

Did new tires for $600.

Overall it has been a great car and I am going for another 100k so I need to care for it now. I am concerned about the tranny as I've heard many horror stories on hear when you get to 100k miles.

You may want to look at an infiniti g35 or g37. Nissan uses timing chain and horsepower on the g37 is 330. Nissan make a good product.

Reason I bout Acura over Infiniti at the time was the cockpit. I loved the gages, seats and feel of the TL.

truonghthe

Ok it gona be hard for you to buy a decent price TL-S in TX because Type S considering rare since everyone tend to lean toward BMW, Lexus and Infinity. I would trying to contact Texas Direct Auto in Houston located in Stafford I saw they has a KBP 51k miles with two tones leather for $21,700. I was considering buying the IS350 vs TL-S then after a trip down to Houston and see what I saw, then I decided to buy a TL-S instead. FWD doesn't bother me that much but RWD is kinda fun especially you got that big push from the rear instead of torque steer coming out from the front . ASM with two tone interior is not that rare but I recommend you look out side state like FL or LA then ship the car back home if the total price is cheaper. If you choose the Type S then get ready to tackle that heavy steering feel, 07-08 TL has no major problem, just regular maint like any other car require.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

Its front wheel drive, that is a con in the summer, but a pro in the winter.

I would say the TL has much less cons then most cars.

And thats good enough for me.

Have a great day

quanaman

iTrader: (4)

Most annoying issues:

-Fear of transmission problems (AT)
-Godamn bulbs going out in almost all the switches
-the leather could definitely be better.

the turning radius is also pretty bad. I sometimes cant make u-turns in 2 lanes. 3 point uturns suck

A lot of guys don't like the fact that its a FWD car. But the thing is, it was designed/built/purchased that way. I guess I'm speaking here more in terms of shit that should work but doesnt....I don't see a point in wishing it had ____ features that it doesn't... That doesn't seem like a "con" to me but more of a tradeoff that you give up in order to have a reliable/timeless entry level luxury sedan

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

+1 on rattles and turning radius

Jase13

Personally, every one of these cons are ridiculous man. All pety shit. I bought my '07 TL w/90,000k for 14,995 a few months ago and I love it more with each day that passes. You will not buy any car without spending money on things to keep it nice and running properly. I have the window issue, the rattle issue, etc. I think the steering is incredible, my leather is like new. There are so many things I love about this car it would take an hour to list them. I would recommend this car to everyone. I have been a VW fanatic for many years and since the switch I am never going back folks. That is all. Thanks for coming out.

splew

Cons
-Front wheel drive combined with a fairly potent engine means the front tires are easily overwhelmed.

-stock suspension tuning is a little odd (at least on the MT "sport" model). The springs are somewhat stiff, but the shocks seem way under-dampened in comparison, so you get a weird combination of somewhat harsh kicks and floatyness over bumps. Overall the car rides and handles pretty well though.

-No Aux input on 04-06 models.

-Rear seats don't fold, but there is a pass through.

-The front plastic air dam is very low (maybe 5 inches off the ground), so if you're driveway is on an icline or has a curb at the end, it's difficult not to scrape.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

um let me see....original owner of an 05...i still own it after 7 yrs...only 56k mi...and no plans to get rid of her (this should say a lot). the cons...many are like the others have said...pluses...again like many others have mentioned. all around solid car and i still love it (the looks, the drive (6MT-FTW!!), pretty much eveything including the little annoyances that give the car a little bit of character).

callahan

You will never want to sell it once you buy one!

CesarRod

If the car didn't have rattles and not such a loud cabin it would prob be the best car in the WORLD

Rocketsfan

I'm about to join the 200k club with my '04 AT TL and pretty much what everybody else said in this thread is true with regards to the rattles, leather, lights, etc. I bought mine new in October of 2003 and remember how irritating the rattles, the leather wrinkles, etc. were. Now I've got a really loud rattle coming from the glovebox (common issue, btw) that I need to fix, but rattles stopped bothering me after 100,000 miles. I was like "this thing's been pretty reliable to me, so I'll put up with it". Now that loud rattle from the glovebox starts up and sounds like gunfire, so I just salute everytime it happens. lol.

BTW, engine mounts are also an issue on these TL's. If you rest your elbow on the window, the panel there dents really easily, too.

But you know what? This car's been so much fun and so reliable, I'd buy it again knowing I'd have to go through the issues I've gone through (which haven't been many that are serious). It was a joy to drive. I'm going to be sad to let it go in the next 18 or so months.

JBONN

First off, the TL is an awesome car, I have had mine for 3 years now and have kept it pretty much stock...starting to get an itch to upgrade the car but we are still in love. Cons are pretty limited, keep up with your maintenance and the car will last you a long long time and keep its resale value if you want to trade for something else - you wont go wrong buying a TL.

Secondly, Nissan is crap, their CVT transmissions are prone to failure and they offer the worst service possible at their dealerships, I have a buddy who is going through their hoops right now for a failed tranny that should be warrantied but they are trying to make him pay...the service manager didn't even know how to check the CVT fluid, I showed my buddy how to do it and then he showed the service manager (WTF!). The sad thing is he brought it into the dealership for an oil change two weeks ago, they noticed an oil leak but didn't take the time to diagnose it, they simply said come back in two weeks so we can check the fluid level. A week goes by and my friend calls me up saying that his Murano is making weird noises and asks me to take a look at it and what do you know...he has been driving around without any CVT Fluid!!! Don't ever buy a Nissan!!!

Moises

Yea I don't see too many TLs much less TL-S around here but when I do, shivers go up my spine! The TL-S I was interested in buying was sold before I had the chance to go see it.. Lucky me. Nonetheless the search continues. I'll have to look into buying out of state and see what my options are. As far as color I really do want the silver with the two tone interior. Black is a maybe but I figure if I'm going to spend near 20k on a car it might as well be everything I want it to be.

Can u tell the cons didn't scare me away lol. In all seriousness, those cons are minor ones, nothing that'll keep me searching for that right TL-S until I finally get one!

truonghthe

keep searching, I agree with you about spending $20K+ you should able pick the color of your choice and how you want it.