FIRST Things 1st... This is not a knock on anyone or the TL, it is just a simple question for me to get some insight.

I have seen some beautiful cars on this site and admire all the creativity.
It leaves me with so many choices that I don't know which way to go.
Then when I add up all the costs of these Mods my head starts to spin.

It is driving me crazy.

Since I am one of the older guys here, I am unfortunately infected with a disease called "PRACTICALITY"
I wonder if all the expense is worth it.
I have a limited amount of cosmetic Mods (see signature) which were already on the car when I bought it and i think the cars runs, handles and looks great.
I don't know that I want to keep putting money into an asset that depreciates.
I doubt that for the most part you can ever really get what you invested back out of the vehicle. BTW...if I am wrong let me know why?

So by YAY or NAY how many of you feel this car will be your keeper?
Yay: Its a keeper!
Nay: Its a stepping stone!

 

Can a MODERATOR edit the Title for me?
It is supposed to say "Is the TL a keeper?"

 

Nay, it's a lease.
Nice wheel setup, BTW

 

Ditto.. Just a lease, not a keeper.. But it is a fine car, there are just too many on the road for my taste....

 

every car will be a stepping stone in my book.. it's just which way do i step... up, down, sideways but for the most part i'll always achieve for the best of what i can get at that time. In no way am i saying that this car is a keeper, it's a lease by the way and i tend to mod it even though. after 4 - 5 years of having one car i get tired and move on. I don't feel like arguing the whole i have a leased car and it's ok to mod thing cause i covered that in a different thread in "parts and performance." so to anyone that says "why would you mod a leased car." keep it to yourself and read my post under here. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124237

 

A keeper? Depends on your goals, "old man". You can keep almost any car 10 years if you want to...you have to figure out where you want to go and what you want to do and then decide if that's best achieved by keeping this car or buying a new one every so often.

Personally, right now, I plan on keeping mine after it's paid off. For how long? Don't know. Maybe a year or so...maybe for a few years...maybe keep it and get another car...I'll figure it out when the time comes, based on what's going on then.

As for mods, go ahead and do what you will now. If and when you get rid of the car, return it to stock (or how you bought it) and sell the mods. No, you won't get every penny out you put in, but you won't be out every penny, either.

In other words, enjoy while you have it, keep it as long as you want, and just "keep on livin'...L-I-V-I-N."

 

I usually rotate every 2 years or so .. that being said I'm pretty sure I'll be keeping this one for considerably longer than that. (By the way unlike most other posters in here I'm buying)

 

Yea, I feel you.

I want to step up to a vette eventually..
So how long R U gonna keep it?

 

Thanks for the speech Chill...but I am not dying tomorrow. "I'm not that old"
I just wonder if I should even put any more cash into this car when I know I plan to upgrade eventually.

Like I said I have "Practicalitis" it stops me from wanting to splurge on items that are not exactly considered "necessity".

But thanks for the feedback.

A convertible Vette...now that is necessity "personified".

 

1sweetTL,

I think I may be the oldest guy here at 47 so don't feel so bad. I in the same boat as you. I own a WDP 05 non navi. It's pretty much stock except for the OEM chrome wheels and the Ipod mod I did. Hell, I don't even have the windows tinted yet.

I want to compliment those who have done such a creative job at personalizing their TLs. You guys have given me plenty of reasons to keep the TL just so I can make it my own style. I want to do some more mods in the future.

Are they Practical? No
Are they worth it? Yes.

If you are having fun with it while you own it? Then it's worth it.
Trust me, I've been practical all my life. It's time to have some fun.

Guys, if you see some old grandpa-looking guy in a totally pimped out, lowered TL with 21S and a body kit blasting the tunes with dual 15 subs in the trunk going down the freeway. That'll be me. Get out of way because I left my bifocal glasses at home and can't see where I'm going

It will be a keeper for me until something better comes around or I get tired of it

 

Thanks King! Finnally someone I can call "OLD MAN"....JK....ha, ha, ha....

I think your right, and I guess I am just trying to measure how many people here
are willing to make the investment.
I bought this car for my wife, but I fell in love with it.
Now I am thinking of either selling my 02 Suburban and getting her an MDX, so i can keep the TL and MOD it out or holding off saving some cash and getting a Vette in a couple of years.

If the latter is the case, then i know I won't get my cash back out of the TL.

Thanks for your input. Where are you.??
I want to make sure I stay out of your way if your in So. Cal.!

 

Just wait until I get my AARP card and my TL is sitting at the early bird dinner (3:30pm) at the Golden Corral Buffet.

I usually trade vehicles every 3-4 years. I am likely to hold the TL longer, so for me, it is a 'keeper'.

Ideally I might aquire a second car for the daily bump and grind and drive the TL more as it should and may expand that keeper retention period. For some reason the new Civic Si is looking like a fun commuter car <snicker>.

I consider myself conservative and rarely mod my vehicles beyond some stereo upgrades. Something in the TL and this community has made me more passionate about my TL ownership. I admire the artwork and craftsmanship some member demonstrate. I guess my dockers, polo and loafers require me to be a bit more discreet.

My modest mods now include:

Blue LED interior lights
Plood on the 4 door window switches (only)
Accents on the lower front grilles
Tint
PIAA Backup & Liscence Plate bulbs (just arrived awaiting a weekend project).

Dreamer mods? Maybe a backup cam mounted in a shark fin satellite antenna.

Amazing how an inanimate object can drive us nutz....

 

My cycle is 3.5 ~ 4.5 years. I don't keep any car beyond 100,000 miles. I am a high mileage driver too. In a year I probably put 25000 miles.

 

Any car I buy is a keeper. My cycle is normally 6 year 115,000 miles.

 

Definately a keeper. Goal is 200K. I enjoy life without car payments and this car has to live far beyond the payments for me

 

I have big fear of car breaking down on middle of highway after 5 yr / 100,000 mi. If this car doesn't then that's great.

 

Chill out, gramps, I know you don't have a foot in the grave, yet And I know how you feel, I tend to be practical, too, but being practical all the time is no fun. You really need to live a little...like I said, enjoy the TL now (mod the crap out of it...you know you want to. Me? I'm sure I will before I'm done). Oh yeah, and enjoy the Vette when your wife drags you to Charlotte!

 

This car will definitely be a keeper. The car I had before last, I had it for 10 years until it started dying on me. And this will be the first car I've ever modded, too . . . when I get some money for it first!

 

I don't have a "cycle" yet 'cause I'm only 21. I think I'll be holding on to this car until I can afford a Quattraporte. Although I'll probably pick up a cheap weekend/project coupe in a few years.

 

I'll be the old guy, I'm 55! Already have AARP card somewhere and I wish we still had Golden Coral here.

The only mod I've done is tinting the windows. There may be a few more very small things in the future. I consider the TL a keeper if it stays reliable and doesn't get hit or stolen. I purchased it outright and love not having a payment. At this point, I'd like to keep it for about 10 years whatever the mileage. For me, extensive mods are a waste and usually detract from value but I understand and enjoy looking at them on other peoples cars.

Bottom line, do what makes you feel good if you can afford it.

 

i intend to drive my TL till the day it stops breathing...and given that honda/acura have such a good reliability rep. i think that will give me plenty of years to mod before it goes down the crapper

 

definitely a keeper for me. Hope it lasts me til I finish med school and then some, that way when i finally make real money, i can buy my dream car, Porsche GT3 or Ferrari 430 Spyder (well...i'll be paying for 1/2 of it anyways...the other 1/2 is gonna be a congrat present from gramps! )

 

A keeper. Until, the next one comes along. I enjoy cars and it is hard for me not to like or want a new car when there are so many great cars always for the offering. It's even harder not to want to "personalize" my cars. I guess at some point in time, I will contract the "praticalitis" disease. I think it's slowly setting in actually. I used to get a new car every two years. I'm now waiting four to five years before scratching my itch.

 

My TL lasted less than a year.

Damn rattles . . .

 

I feel young again. Thanks

 

I am 50, and the wife is 54, and i dont see the need for any mods.
Some light tint might be ok, but I likely wont ever get any.
I would rather keep the car clean, with good tires and brakes, change
the fluids, and in general keep it in very good shape than spend money on mods.

I like getting rid of half worn tires and brakes and so on.

I can not think of any mods I would want to do to the TL, except maybe
some extra sound proofing.

Brett

 

<i>I think I may be the oldest guy here at 47 so don't feel so bad.</i>

Ha, I'm 46 so you've got me by a year. I spent years paying off college and law school loans and then raising kids, so practicality has been the rule for me. It's the first really nice car I've ever had and I love it. It's the perfect mix of sport and luxury. I did put a computer in it with a screen so I can easily listen to my 1,100 CDs and get Internet, GPS, etc. It's a keeper for me.

 

I think this thread is turning into an old guys who own TLs thread. But I think we're keepers. That's what my old lady says.

BTW 1sweetTL I'm in Corona, Riverside

 

My 05 TL is not a keeper, that is because it is a lease. But after it is up and a long talk with the wife, We will be giving it back a year early and getting the new 08/09 TL and then it will be on. I'm putting money in my piggy bank right now.

 

Not since 1998 i have not had a car for more than 2 years, shame on me, all were as I thought then " KEEPERS" ...my 2k Si was a keeper until I was offered almost what I paid for in 2002 by a kid from Boston who just had to have it..sold it, bought a 2002 RSX-S, loved it so much that I still miss it, but again one day at the service counter as I was signing off the 40k service the tech that worked there offered me a deal I couldn't pass..$19k cash ..sold, and now the TL I say that it's a keeper, I love it, wish it was a 2 door and had a hatch but it makes up for in comfort, HP, style and it fits me like a glove...until someone offers me 29K....not this time, my plans are that this bad boy stays in the family like back in 87 when I bought my 1st Si, I had 'till it hit 220k miles and could not go any further after I came accross this intersection and a young fellow who had borrowed the family car decided to make his stop sign OPTIONAL....

 

My last car was a First Gen 1991 Acura Legend Coupe LS and had it for 13 years and 225,000 miles. I have 11 year old twin boys and they will have this car in 6 years. With all the safety features, the TL is definitely a keeper.

 

I think it's a keeper! It's an excellent car, it looks beautiful and it has more than enough power when needed. Please remember, people only post when they have a problem.

 

Actually I've posted a few times for questions about the TL and a few as to how much I enjoyed driving it.... love my TL :gheywave:

 

I am not sure exactly what this comment means.
But I don't have a problem with the TL.
It's strange because I haven't had any of the rattles and other issues other people complain about.
The only problem I have is deciding how far to take the MODS on this car.
Alot of the members here put alot of $ and time into this car and I am very impresseed with the results.
I just started this thread to get a general idea... a Poll (sort of speak) of what people are thinking.
I just turned 39 and I have already gone through 6 cars.
I just wonder if I will get bored with it and if others felt the same way.

Chill-Dog its all good. If I move to NC and get the Vette I'm gonna look you up.

King of Pain: I live in Chino Hills, we're practically neighbors. If you forget your bi-focals & you see me on the 91 flash your high beams at me and I make sure to clear outta your way.

Overall I love this car and I respect the opinion of the members here.
I have met some really nice and helpful people on this site.

 

that is only true to this forum.

 

My '04 lasted about four months. I hear they've tightened things up quite a bit since then -- I hope they have.

People used to ask me how I liked it -- I got more questions about the TL than any other car I've owned. I told them it was all a matter of what you'd previously owned. Compared to a couple of Chevys I'd had, it was great. But I thought it was a letdown compared to my Audi and VW purchases. The TL had just a little less "substance" to it.

 

Funny, in theory I agree with you. Substance is a good word to discribe the difference in feel between Audi/VW and Acura/Honda products. In practice, at least in my experience, The major mechanical components of Acura/Honda hold up much better over the long haul. All of the Audi/VW bodies andinteriors looked very good for the time I had them. The ownership experience long term has been better because because I've had no multi-thousand dollar repairs with the Honda products vs at least one with every VW product that I have owned. This has only been my personal experience over a 20+ year period. I have had five Honda/Acuras and five Audi/VW's (slow learner). I currently own three Acura/Hondas and zero Audi/VW's. My oldest, a 1993 Honda delSol has ~130,000 miles and looks good and runs very well, as it has since new. Main repairs have been one clutch and two sets of brakes. The drivers seat is a little worn everything else is near 100%.

My intent is not to offend anyone but I have heard - German Cars are like mistresses and Japanese Cars are like wives. Unless I become extremely bored, I'll have the TL for 150-200+ thousand miles.

 

ITs a keeper


If your worried about praticality (sp?) in your older years..... trading it isnt practical.... buying a new car isnt either.....

keep it, and stop modding it.

 

Not a keeper...

If you are worried about value to cost to repair and all, then get a camry. It will not do what the tl will do but it will provide good service for a typical daily driver. The v6 model will get out of its own way and probably not require tires every 20 k and brakes, etc. It will cost less to own as well.

If you are going to want a car that performs above that then be prepared to pay out in all areas. Tires, brakes, insurance, purchase price, excise taxes, etc.

When the camry gets older it will be a good second car for someone or a car for someone to go to college. The TLs generally do not age too well for my personal experience and cost more to maintain as they age. Do not expect the car to have 75,000 on it and still be worth about 15k. You will be getting ready to put your 4th set of tires on the TL where most other cars will be on the second set of shoes.

If you tend to get rid of cars every 3 years then by all means get the tl and trade it by 48,000 miles. If you plan to keep a car for a long time, then I would not get a tl. Not many people want used TLs. I mean like 03s we're talking here with like 45,000 miles on them. The people that can or want to afford an upscale car will want a new one. When cars age, it is harder to get rid of it since sellers usually want more money for it than a camry or accord and the cost of transportation is more important to buyers than a sporty car that has higher maintenance costs.

This is not to slam the TL but when the tl is worth like 20K used, people can still opt to buy a new/newer car for the same money they would buy a used tl for.

 

We buy all our cars, which was a big mistake with the VW passat!

I plan on keeping the TL till it is worn out, which will likely be about
8 years?
Its the paint, plastic and leather that seems to go on most Japanese cars.
My syster had an old celica then my dad had it, about 10 years and nothing really
went wrong with it, but the interiour plastic parts turned to goo, the paint went,
it started rusting, etc.
It RAN fine when my dad got rid if it, but looked very bad.

My Jaguar was older when I got rid of it, but looked like a new car, and I am
not just saying that, people who dont track the subtle changes between
years always thought it was new.

So I expect the TL to run fine till it looks nasty.

I got a chance to drive the car a bit last night without the wife, and had a good CD
in that I had the volume up on, and got into some 'brisk' driving.
I was not pushing the car, but taking the engine up well past the ususal
3000 rpm, with full throttle, and I must say, the TL is very fun to drive fast.
I suppose I am lucky the wife is with me most times otherwise the law
would likely get me.

Brett