MandoTL

I bought mine from a 1-owner TL w/ 95k miles for $13,000(had my color combo) Within the next 3 months I was already at 102k miles. Service light came on at 105,020 miles. Needed a new Water pump, Coolant, Timing belt, accessory belt and a new oil change. Tensioner and pulleys along with the sealants were fine.
I am only 20 and I can tell you if you find one with high miles make sure its had that major timing belt service done. Wish I couldve asked the owner to do the service before purchasing, the 04s and some 05s have tranny issues more commonly seen for these years than the later model years.
I would suggest go with an older Acura Integra or like others posted Honda Accord/Civic, the maintenance will be lower and no premium fuel needed.

mack343

Well I gave had my tl it was per owened but besides the maintenance it's not that bad I bought it with 50000 miles im at 74 now but it's all how you take care of it

I hate cars

About running premium. You guys look at it the wrong way. You could tune the engine for regular but you would lose mpg. Tuning it for premium actually saves you money. You can go to the pump more often but pay$1-$3 less each time or go to the pump less often and pay a few bucks more. The cost usually works out in favor of the premium. Another benefit is more power so its a win-win.

ABP_04TL

iTrader: (2)

<---- has owned ABP since 20years of age and no complaints in regards to maintenance becoming pricey.. Its actually a comfortable bill when it comes to fixing anything on it....

6spd ftmfw!!!

MandoTL

I personally am okay with paying the extra cents towards premium for each fill up, I know using premium fuel is the only option (for me) to go to get the most fuel efficiency, but hope the OP knows it will cost more at the pump.


Seems he is too young for a TL but I can't judge him since I was in a similar boat, shoot I know I am too young to be driving a TL, though I always wanted one. I really didnt look at the whole picture with regular maintenance, car insurance, fuel, upkeep of the exterior/interior all well going to college.
Hope he realizes that driving such a nice car will come at a cost.

I hate cars

Agreed. If you can afford the maintenence of an Accord, you can afford the TL. There are a few differences such as the optional Brembos but for the most part the maintenence schedule is nearly identical.

MandoTL

I wanted a Honda Accord early 2000s but read too many tranny problems, so looked for 06+ not too many with navi in red. So moved my search to Honda Pilot 06+(no combo/price found). I knew hondas will have lower maintenance costs but Acura TL's were a dream car to me, so searched found the color combo/price, mileage higher than would have liked.

Picked it up, it was foolish of me to think it was still going to have a low maintenance cost(initially) since TB service was due. So All I want to give this young 17yr. old some input, but TLs are much cheaper to maintain compared to anything else, but still more than Honda Accords when major services come around which are slim.

But I am sure SF gas prices are high, since my sis lives in Sacramento and she hates how they keep going up.

SSM4DR

iTrader: (1)

Clint Eastwood says: Hung-mongs.

But 3GNBPTL and david_vang, I'm another Hmong member here as well .

JohnnyWayne

Its all relative to what expensive is to you..
Since your young, I would say it may be too much, but not if you put your mind to getting and be able to keep up with it, then by all means go for it..
Mind over matter..

One more thing to consider in this state of economic times, you can get a decent car for 5k.

I hate cars

That's the thing. The TL is the same car as the V6 accord. It's a better looking accord with some leather, a few extra options, and a more sporty suspension. A timing belt job is the same price for both cars assuming you don't let a mechanic bend you over because it says Acura instead of Honda on it. Same transmission, same fluid change interval, same power steering, same brakes (non Type S and manual) same suspension, same everything. There are small extras such as Brembo brakes as I mentioned and options that the Accord may not offer but both cars should cost the same to maintain.

A car tuned for premium is cheaper on fuel. The better gas mileage more than makes up for the slightly higher price. The higher compression and additional timing allowed by higher octane will give a boost in mpg. If it did not require premium fuel, we couldn't run as high of a compression ratio, timing could not be as advance and we would lose mpg and hp.

You pay more at the pump each time but you have to fill up fewer times, saving money.

3GNBPTL

I overlooked the costs of maintenance and cost-to-own when I bought mine. All I knew was I can afford the payments and wanted a nicer car than my Gsr and infiniti qx4 at the time. I'm 22 and have 2 kids. If you can find one within your price range, don't be afraid to buy it, as long as you can get service records. Again, i bought mine without any history on it and so far, so good. Maybe I got lucky, maybe my luck is about to run out, who knows. If you plan on cashing it out, I don't think you'll have trouble keeping up with maintenance. I'm assuming you have a steady job and a good flow of income. The car won't break down all at once, at least I hope no one has that much luck or lack of it.

david_vang

that's cool. where r u located?

yea I will be cashing it. I have some what of a steady income source ($500 a month).

what year was ur tl and what is the mileage when u bought it/now. no problems at all? amount u paid for it?

david_vang

do u guys have an idea of what the insurance cost for me would be like? I have a 3.7 GPA if that makes any difference..

what ins company do u guys have/recommend

Mrtastygoody

iTrader: (1)

I have an 04, bought it with 115K it now has 117K, got it for 10K. Non-navi, GET A NAVI. Wish I did.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

shop around. insurance for full coverage and a $500 deduct on a civic i had when i lived in cali (sac) at your age was an arm and a leg (this is an individual plan not attached to my parents plan) way back when. it was around $700-800 every 6 mos. this was for a 5 yr old honda civic. i can't imagine what it would be for a TL.

there are so many companies. all the big ones (geico, state farm, all state, progressive) and then you have smaller companies. i went through an insurnace broker who was able to find me a good rate with a good company (non-major company). good student discount will help a little.

save your money and get a beater for a while until you can reasonable afford to buy a TL. then you dont' have to worry so much about trying to maintain it or i some idiot door dings you. there are plenty of other opportunities when you're older to get a nice car (and when you make A LOT more money).

Guiltyox

I think it should be mentioned that most people (I speak mostly for myself) are a little more daring/reckless at your age, and it may benefit you to get a beater. It's almost inevitable that you're going to hurt your first car (wreck, WOT all the time, etc). I find that as I age, I get more and more mellow with driving (I'll be 23 in a month). But, I bought my first TL as my 3rd car when I was 18 ('04 6MT non-navi NBP) for about 16.5k @ 72k miles, and had ZERO problems with it. My first car, a '94 nissan sentra, was totalled after a mail lady pulled out in front of me, and my 2000 grand prix's transmission was just shitting the bed, no damage to it though. 2 months after owning my TL, I backed into a stopped car (only like 5mph, but still enough to put a hole in my bumper cover).

So I think it goes without saying that if you must have a TL, drive responsibly or you will regret it.

p.s. - find a 6MT, they are much more reliable where transmissions are concerned, just harder to find.

d-j-m

Things I'd look for:
Good transmission (my auto shit the bed)
Good brakes (not cheap job and mine needed replacement early)
105k maintenance (as mentioned)
Good navi system (or non-navi, it's an expensive replacement)
No modifications

And of course rust or minor issues, even good exhaust and tires are a must. If you can find a good one I don't see why you shouldn't get it. However some people like money to fall back onto, and you won't have that. You could drive a reliable car for $2000 I'm sure of it and keep banking money, but then again that 2k car might cost you 7 in repairs.

Insurance rates don't fluctuate like they used to. Mine didn't change through multiple cars, from sedans to muscle.. auto to manual.. color to color. Maybe a couple dollars on your end, but if you don't go buying a Bugatti or M6 there's no concern - because the TL is just an average sedan to the insurance company.

Edit Above poster has a point I've always considered, and dreaded. What about an accident. Luckily I haven't experienced one after owning different cars and being an idiot, but smashing an expensive car is more unfortunate than smashing a beater.

Guiltyox

Brakes are SUPER easy and relatively inexpensive (even for 17). I mean, you can get a set of front high performance brake pads + drilled rotors for like $250-275'ish, and it wouldn't take you more than 1-2 hours to put on.

ez12a

insurance can vary, tltrigirl's assessment is probably the closest bet aside from calling ins. companies for quotes.

My premium went down 140 just moving from LA to OC.

I hate cars

Agreed. And on the 5at if you don't need rotors, you're talking $30 or less to do it yourself. The factory pads are gentle on the rotors so odds are you can get away with just pads.

When I upgraded to the 13" front brakes and slotted rear rotors at 90k, the rear pads looked new and the front pads had over 70% left.

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

On the insurance thing, I say 2k a year plus for full coverage,

When I was 17 I had a 87 celica it was about 1500 a year.

lilusadude

Things to consider: Look for a car with 1 owner, non-smoker, all maintenance records available, 105k service completed with proof (don't take their word), new tires, clean car fax, adult driven, no mods. I just bought an 04' that meets these criteria and paid ~$11,000. It wasn't the best deal but I've looked for 2 months for a TL that met the criteria listed above and this is the only one I could find that met it so I was happy to pay a little more than I origianlly wanted to spend. I had a Honda Accord EX-L V6 Coupe and my insurance actually went down a little bit when switching it to the TL. I wouldn't suggest buying a TL at 17 years old. It is better to start out with something that doesnt matter if it gets scratched or dented because it's going to happen (believe me). Best bet>>> get something older and cheaper but make sure it has a good resale value so you can start trading up to get a TL. I started out at 16 buying and selling cars and trading up each time to something nicer.

1st car: 95' Ford F-150
Bought: $2,000 drove for ~1 year
Sold: $3,500

2nd car: 99' Honda Accord LX sedan w/ 4 cyl
Bought: $5,500 drove for ~1 year
Sold: $7,500

3rd car: 97' Lexus ES300
Bought: $7,800 drove for ~3years
Sold: $8,000

4th car: '05 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Coupe
Bought: $9,000 drove for ~2 years
Sold: $10,700

5th car: 04' Acura TL

6th car?: Got my eye on the Audi A6

3GNBPTL

I bought my 06 TL base w/navi for $11,900 with 145k on it. It has 157k now and I've only had it 8 months and no issues so far. Only sign of issue is my starter started going out, but it still clicks over so I have no big concern. I pay $131 a month for full coverage insurance through Geico which comes to about $790 every 6 months only because my gf is on my insurance and she crashed my suv before i traded it for the TL.

lilusadude

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY......

If you notice the small increases in price as I traded up over the years? It was a perfect opprotunity for me to take out small loans for $1,000 here or $1,500 there and I was able to build my credit score.. Believe me, none of my friends were building there credit score (or even had a clue what a credit score was) when I was buying and selling these cars. Some even thought I was stupid for selling a car after only owning it for a year. Now, those people are 24 and can't even get a credit card, and I have a 750 beacon score.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

I had a new NBP 2007 Civic Si 4 door and LOVED IT !!!! Awesome car. The only issue with these cars is the 3rd gear, it only comes with a 6-speed manual. The ONLY option is no NAV or NAV. Very reliable FUN car

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

Like Justin said....can't afford it....don't buy it.

If you have to get one with higher miles try to find one that has good service records. Look at one that has had the 105K service done. When looking at a higher mileage used car you should always try to have a couple grand saved up to pay for stuff that will need to be replaced.

LeX860

peep game young dude, I Was 18 when i got my 04 TL for 12000 with 104k miles, now im 19 turning 20 next month and today i have just found out that my TL needs a NEW TRANSMISSION!, got effin dammit I went in to get the power steering looked at and come to find out that i need a new pump and tranny....I NEED HELP GUYS the dealer said $3500 including labor, $2000 for parts i think. what should i do? are they tryna eff me in the A? i dont have the type of money and i really don't want to use all my income money on this and have no credit to even loan money. Is there somewhere i can get a new tranny for any cheaper?

so yeah guy, DO NOT get a high mileage expensive car, it is a chick magnet haha but it's not worth it dude

MAS

iTrader: (3)

Are TL's too expensive to have?

TL + Acurazine = too expensive to have

I hate cars

You probably need the $.25 power steering o-ring replaced and new $100 pressure switches and a change of trans fluid.

erdoc48

IHC responded before I had a chance to- do what he says, immediately! Save your transmission. There's plenty of threads about this- I'll be proactive- here you go:

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/110-diy-guide-replacing-3rd-4th-gear-pressure-switch-3g-tl-2004-2006-a-729149/

Honda/Acura fluid isn't the best- look at the above thread and others with recommendations for ATF, and get to work.

Bearcat94

Ain't that the GD truth.

SSM4DR

iTrader: (1)

MN .

aIRpeACE

iTrader: (2)

yeah get a civic and you wont be sorry

spaceboy

I have allstate cuz they offered me the best deal compare to others, why dont u consider a used Si, it suits ur age and it's also fast as hell consider it's a 4 banger....and u can most probably smoke a lot of other 4 bangers on the street and saves gas and parts are cheaper compare to TL..(u need to realize TL is consider a luxury sports sedan)
open up at least 5 tabs in ur firefox, IE explorer, safari..or watever and start going on to big company site like progressive, allstate, esurance, 21st, statefarm....etc and key in ur info and compare.......we can not tell u how much it will cost cuz we dunno where u live, ur driving history, if u r a smoker, if u have a garage, if u r married, if u want full coverage or just liability....the only thing we know is u r 18 and have a 3.7GPA(good student doesnt mean good driver).....NOW IT'S TIME DO SOME HW!!!
like others said above, don't buy if u dont think u can afford, or u will just put urself into a deeper shit, get something decent so u can have some extra money to afford to go out with a chick in ur car!!!

Nukem

Like Guiltyox said most people aren't as mellow of a driver when they are your age. Buy something cheaper, if you wreck it you won't be as distraut(sp). I had an 89 Ford Probe as my 1st car, then a Saturn SL2 after saving for awhile I got my Acura TL as a daily driver. just have to be patient. as a 1st car your going to learn a lot about cars, and learning also means mistakes.

4drviper

Whatever your budget is,, shove 3k aside for maintenances if you're buying a used car. and,,, TL @ 17 is OK

i had 5.7 awd, then got bored and got 6.1 when i was 18... now that was bit of city-driving-MPG-and-canadian-gas-price damage in my wallet LOL

just,, 105k mile timing+waterpump, and 04-06 transmission (idk. i have 07)

and, do your own maintenance its pretty cheap. money can go to either date or mods

d-j-m

Have you done the TL brakes, or brakes in general?

I did my own front brakes and the rotors had to be broken off. The screws holding the rotor needed an impact driver. Everything about it was a shitty job. Maybe in California or nice areas where you don't have snow/salt/sand but it's a different story here. Also the rear brakes are even harder giving the lack of brake line and area to work.

The week before I did a brake job and the rotors slid right off when I took the wheel off (not a TL).

As for the price, I have to do all 4 calipers and maybe lines. I got the rear rotors for $40 each (Brembo OEM) and front were around $100 each for Cyro Treated (no slots/drills, it's a daily driver). The pads were about $140 all together. $420 without calipers + about 480 for calipers = 900. That's without any line replacements, a bleed or fluid. I paid more being Canadian, like shipping and local costs.

1-2 hours is only practical if you're using a garage with lift/air tools and the rear caliper tool. You could easily double that time.

I hate cars

Calipers are not part of a normal brake job. They usually last the life of the car.

Cyro treated rotors are not needed.

The aluminum screw holding the rotors on takes literally less than 5 seconds if you use a 7/16" drill bit to remove the head. It goes through aluminum like butter.

For the 5at I've done the rears for $30 and the fronts are about the same. The stock pads are very easy on rotors. Even with the Brembos, you should be able to get several pad changes before the rotors need to be changed. Changing rotors is not a normal part of a brake job either.

5at= $60-70 for all 4.

Brembos= $150-$200 for all 4.

Even installing the front BBK was less than an hour not counting bleeding which took a while.

robocam

I'll tell you what I've gone through recently and you decide what to make of it.

I bought my 06MT w/Nav at 77k miles.

Brake work isn't too bad for me because I do it myself. I had to replace all the pads and rotors, front and back. Used Autozone for most parts (don't buy the cheap pads, they don't last, choose Duralast Gold).

I had the clutch and flywheel replaced and the timing belt service done a few weeks ago at about $3200 total. I was at around 104k miles.

Just a few days ago, one of my axles broke. Acura wanted over $1000 to replace both of them. Firestone wanted $450. I ended up choosing Dobbs at a total cost of $610.65 because they offer a lifetime parts AND labor warranty.

About 10k miles ago, I accidentally shifted into 1st from 2nd, causing the engine to rev too high, resulting in the pistons hitting the valves and bending them. I'm still trying to figure out what to do about it. Acura wants $4000. I think I can have it done for around $2000 through Firestone, or I might just leave it alone. It only idles slightly roughly with no other noticeable symptoms.

Before I bought this car, I too was trying to stretch my dollar in the luxury market. After spending all this money, it makes me wonder what it would've been like to buy that 03 7-series I found for $16k. I paid $15.5k for my TL in 09.

I still haven't gotten the valve adjustment yet (around $400). Pretty much no other car I've come across needs this service.

But despite all this, I love my TL, and I plan to keep it for a LONG time (that's why I got the lifetime warranty on the axles from Dobbs). Though they did use an Acura axle on one side and a "generic" on the other. It will be interesting to see which one lasts longer, unless one side is more stressed. Anyway, hope this helps!

Oh, just wanted to mention that my transmission is shifting funny (sometimes a little resistance going into 1st - replacing the fluid didn't help) ever since the clutch went out. Might also need a new clutch master cylinder (clutch isn't engaging as crisply as before). But I've spent enough on it for now, so I'll take a break on the repairs.

Oh, and I average around 17 mpg (probably because of how much fun it is to rev it up). The Volvo S80 2.5T I had before averaged 23 mpg. The TL is a bit weak on torque, making me wish I got that Q45 or LS430 with the V8. The LS430 I looked at was averaging 18 mpg from the dealer lot, which is impressive considering test drives probably average poorer mpg numbers on average.

d-j-m

It's different for every car. If you only need to replace the pads, obviously it will be a short and easy job. I assumed that was all I needed to do, but then the old rotor ruined a brand new set of front pads. So the new rotors couldn't be avoided and cost went up $70 for pads (not included in summary).

I also used a Ti bit to drill the bolts out on one wheel but that didn't free the rotor from the hub. It had to be cracked and taken off in pieces.

I know all of the information you provided already. Knowing the condition of my last front rotors, why wouldn't I go cryo? But besides that, how many people with AcuraZine fever are going to do the cheap route on a repair? Most of us want the drilled/slotted/cryo/performance or some variation plus good pads.

What it comes down to is he should look at the freaking brakes before he buys the car, this experience was at 70k miles.