Hi TL'ers, i'm still a noob but question. when i picked up my 08 WDP TL-S 6MT i asked the salesrep when does V-Tec kick in, he told me 3000RPM's? is that right? i mean i had a 5mt 01 prelude and vtec kicked in at 5600, so 3000 to me sounds to early. I have yet to boot the TL but i was told to break in engine first, but Acura service said No you can drive it normal and boot it from day 1, is this true too?

 

i believe its at 4500RPM, and that guy.. i say you go there and talk to his manager and tell him that sales guy is giving wrong info. I mean, all they are required to do is sale the cars, but if they dont know an answer to a question, how hard is it to ask around? Im sure there are techs at the dealer.. lol.

And no, there is a breaking in period, i 500 to 1000 miles, and WOW, that is something he should know too. What dealer is this, and is what state and city?

 

Its never a bad idea to be gentle to normal for the first 500 to 1000 miles.
Dont use cruise control on freeway, vary the rpm-speed 500 rpm every 10-15 minutes,
the idea is to get the engine parts mated to each other in a friendly way.
After that you can go for it.
Its ok to give it a few test runs into vtec to make sure everythign is working- its a system unto itself and does need break in as well.
3000 rpm- your gas mileage would REALLY suck
on the gen2 its 4700 rpm
You can look in the owner manual for the spec on your year.
Leave the factory oil in it for 5000-6000 miles until the mid gets to 10 percent or so.
then you can run any oil you want

 

Acura salespeople don't know one iota about cars. They're just salespeople trying to sell something. If it wasn't a TL it might as well also be a refrigerator or a pair of shoes. They don't care, as long as they get a comission. I have NEVER ever met a salesperson that knows more about the car than I know. That's sad, because I don't sell cars for a living, but they do. I might as well, I know I could outsell any of them, lol! Bottomline, don't believe a thing they say. He dosen't even know what the acronym VTEC stands for. You want answers? They're all here at acurazine.

Service techs? Don't even get me started here......OK, OK, they're not all bad. Much better than the salespeople at least. The tech means to say that it won't make your car explode if you were to abuse it from day 1. He knows cars nowadays are made with great tolerances and break-in is not as important as it was 30 years ago. OK, fine but it's still recommended to do a break-in. Just check your owner's manual.

 

The V-Tec begins to kick in at 3,650 rpm. You will then see a torque curve until around 6,500, where it will drop off quickly.
The idea is to keep your engine within that curve for maximum acceleration.

Salesmen, as a rule, know very little about the dynamics of your engine.

I have a tech that used to be a salesman, and has built many machines in his backyard.
They are few and far between.

 

WOW, that is a bold statement! I have always worked on and around cars. I have been a tow truck driver, a mechanic, a detail shop owner and even an Acura salesmen. I know that I was the exception rather than the rule, because most of the other salesmen didn't know much about cars....

 

Variable Vavle/Lift Timing Electronically Controlled

 

s-paw where is your info coming from???

If the gen3 vtec comes on at 3650 you guys are always in vtec!
Who is going to take the time to READ their owners manual and come back with the facts, or go for a drive and that nice noise- thats vtec

 

This is from the Honda Media Newsroom site:

When engine rpm reaches 4700 rpm (4950 rpm in the TL Type-S), the powertrain control module (PCM) electronically triggers the opening of an electric spool valve that routes pressurized oil to small pistons within the intake valve rocker arms. These pistons slide into position to lock together the three intake rocker arms in each cylinder which then follow a single high-lift, long-duration cam lobe. With the engine's intake valve lift and opening duration continuously adjusted to suit the engine speed, the TL benefits with a broad torque curve and superior peak power. Although similar in design, the two engines feature different cam profiles, with the TL Type-S having higher lift and longer duration.

 

OK I give you the exception then. I've read your posts. But seriously you must be that 1% of salespeople I've never met but always wanted to so I can change my mind. Thank you, Acura was lucky to have you and should hire more like you.

But you have to agree when you looked at your colleagues, please don't tell me you could respect their ignorance and trying any kind of mumbo jumbo to make a sale. I met salespeople who didn't even know the difference between redesigned bodystyles and generations. Even 9 yr. old kids can tell me that. But yet they still want to sell me that car without knowing a thing about it.

And there are others that can give you risky or ignorant advice that can be even dangerous out of overconfidence. Then if something goes wrong with your car or you get hurt, they don't care. They're not liable. This is another danger of "listening to the dealer". Innocent people have been putting to much honest faith into the dealers. It's time they wake up, smarten up and do their homework.

For real, I've never met a knowledgeable salesperson......EVER. Boldly I say it. And I know for a fact many on this forum can relate. Like the OP.

If you do a search you will see so many threads like this of Acura's people misinforming their customers. Just had to say something. Sorry to offend you TL Advance

 

Thanks Rockyfeller! I can understand your anguish though too...

 

we have an answer folks...the rest of you can stop guessing

 

Actually, the answer is not in the owners manual.
I was reading off the hp curve published with my K&N CAI. The curve seems linear from the 3,650 point, but, in reality that is not the case...and unrelated to when the vtec switchover occurs.
My bad
As vinnier6 noted, we have the facts now, and thanks to type S fan for searching.

 

yea they say it kicks in at 4800rpm in the manuals.

 

ok well i booted my 08TL-S yesterday for a bit kinda hard with all this Cot Damn snow Toronto has been receiving this year but regardless i don't go by manuals i go by the sound which may sound kinda dumb but i love to listen to the car and hear what the car has to tell me. so i can hear the vtec kicking in about 5000rpms.... so i guess the manual wasn't too off. lol... as far as dealerships, it was Acura Woodbine. I find that Acura caters towards more of an older clientelle hence why theres still a casette deck in the 08's!!!! the elderly don't car about vtec and for that matter manual transmission cars. i use to sell Honda's at Mississauga Honda for 6 months, i knew a lot of info on how to sell the veh spec wise and how to break it down to the client. but then again you'll see more younger sales rep in honda's dealerships in the GTA because its 100%commission base... Acura dealerships are Harder to get into, because they want older salesrep and they have a salary base + commission. all in all i've been to 5 different Acura dealerships, letting them know i worked for honda and i have my OMVIC licence and these cheesed!cks still tried to pull there selling crap on me.... boy did i screw them getting this WDP 08 TL-S... anyways i just wanted to make sure. thanks to all for all the feedback, and its true, screw going to the dealerships for questions... the pros are right here!

 

read the book!!!!- the TL has some operational sysytems- especially in snow- that will scare the bajeeberz out of you when you do some inputs it does not compute and takes over the car~

Drive it by ear???, better read the threads on overrev-bent valves not covered by warranty and
watch those down shifts!!!

 

WTF? Where did you hear that Acura sales reps are salary + commission. I was a Acura sales rep and will tell you there is NO SALARY! Furthermore 2 of the best salesmen we had were 26 and 23...

 

i'm talking about GTA greater toronto area and yes 40k salary + commissions. thats a FACT

 

well there you go- we dont see Canada in your name-avatar area- totally different society.

In the states, they will give you a "salary against commission" for the first few months of employment, so you dont starve getting started in the biz
After that- commissions, bonus competitions, who made up the most amazing story on the spot for a customer question--- like when and what is Vtec

As many ziners learn the real meaning of vtec=
Various Tickets Easily Combined
Ok Officer- can we agree to speeding but not reckless driving....????

 

AHHH the Draw. LOL

 

If you had a Comptech supercharger it would kick in at 3,000 RPM's

 

Glad you are not a pilot since I guess you would not read the checklists either, just listen to the sounds, BOOM!.

Agree about all us old farts using automatics, my 33 Ford is an auto. Well sort of, it has a manual throttle body so you gave to shift up & down it with an inline shifter or it stays in the gear its in.



Also are you are right on when it comes old farts & the cassette deck. My Vette has had an AM/FM radio OE, AM/FM radio + eight track & AM/FM radio + cassette.

Oh wait a second I just took a look it now has an AM/FM + DVD/CD/MP-3 & a M-22 rock crusher. Wonder where the AT is?



I must have also have a senior moment & checked the wrong box when I got the TL since it has a 6spd & 255/40/17 summer tires.



Amazing how forgetful us older people are.

 

Wouldn't want to start one of thos MT vs. AT scenarios.
I'm too busy trying to find that sweet spot where I can still hear my John Denver
casstte over my vtec injected by K&N


'07 TL-S 5AT CBP/Taupe
K&N Typhoon intake
P2R throttle body
Braille battery
Michelin Pilot A/S's
Progress 24mm RSB
V1 on the lookout

 

Agree sort of again.

I just really think the old guys are helpless dolts remarks are kind of silly.

On the street a stick is faster if driven well but an AT is a lot more comfortable to drive & a lot more consistent. In many cases the spread is close enough that it can be overcome by reaction time out of the traffic light. That being said I prefer a stick shift & about 80 of the cars I have owned were MT's

As for John Denver, I burned his cassette into a DVD using the software that simulates 5.1 surround. The software is really slick since I can get about 45 songs in 5.1 format on a disc. It overcomes any nosise made by the Acura & can also be heard over the Vettes side pipes; the 33's Flowmasters except for when the mufflers are shaken out of the side pipes & the 33 is opened up at the header flange. Then its ear plug time.

Oh yeah another senior moment..I forgot to mention the computers I use are all built by me.

 

I can only guess you have never run a TL auto against a TL manual trans
With computer shifting- the young guys with good knees cannot keep up with us or outhink the computer on shift points.
Go ahead and run the MT car to redline as well, and I will be wiping the bugs off the nose while you are still stuttering down the track at 2500 in "limp mode" because you popped the motor and bent the valves big time

 

Nothing wrong with my knees that I know of (I teach Tae Kwon Do) & that would make you the first TL/5AT I lost to including a few "S" models.

This is a fun thing to try. Have someone hold a brand new un-wrinkled dollar bill long ways down. You hold your thumb & fore fingers at the very bottom where the border is. have the holder let go without any warning & see if you can get your fingers closed on the bill at or before Washington's picture. If you can you should be able to launch at the traffic light well.

At the strip its something else again because of the tree lights. If you actually see the green light come on you have pretty much lost the race. Using the last yellow light for the launch is the key to a low reaction time launch.

The computer shifts the auto trans nice but the 5AT gear ratios suck so its always undergeard for acceleration when compared to a 6MT. The lack of a Limited Slip Differential also limits the ATs' ability to launch well against summer tires.

BTW I don't believe in redline shifts so I have yet to hit the rev limiter.

 

you have the experience to know and apply these things. I am a roadracer not drag racer so I care about braking-apexing and throttle off the corner.
The younger generation is a different thing. Racing on video, and playing with a very expensive to repair- real life engine, are different things.

Against the average street racer who is not professionally trained- I say goodbye to them as they are still in the corners apex and I am down to the next corner already.
Late braking late entry late apex and fast off the corner. All you see is their eyes getting big as the other car realizes they dont have the brakes to stay on the road- thats real fun ~

 

+1.

 

Yeah great fun. I learned about hitting the apex long, long ago & far, far away in TR-3A, TR-3B, Morgan+4 SS & 327 solid axel Corvette. At the time IIRC they ran in the SCCA's F,E, C & B production classes.

Last time I was on a road course was in January 2004 when I took factory delivery of the BMW 330 with the complementary driving school at their facility in Spartanburg South Carolina.

As for street challenges I will rarely go very far into 3rd gear out of a traffic light (generally you have either won or lost in second gear) & will never 'road race' with anyone. You just don't know what will happed in a turn.

 

Let me clarify- Road Race in my world of thinking is SCCA or club track days at sanctioned race tracks, with corner workers, and no opposite direction traffic
` ThunderHill- Infineon-Laguna Seca, thats my homes
My pet peeve right after the lies dealer service writers tell: street racers of any kind. Innocent people minding their own business get killed every day.
There are plenty of dragstrip and race tracks for everyone with a desire- to go.
Its way cheaper than any speeding and reckless driving ticket too!
Trust some fool on the street to intentionaly go fast near me? no thanks
I dont like the freeways for a reason~

So when is Vtec appropriate? getting on the freeway, passing, and of course my favorite, Seafoaming!!!!!!

 

After attending the Acura High Performance driving school at MidOhio, I can only say that anyone who is an enthusiast should attend a similar school.

You don't have to be a race driver to appreciate its value. It will make you a better driver, period.

Not that you will want to go around swingin it because you attended, but because you will learn to deal with real world situations that you may not have before.

Anyone that has a new teenage driver, it's a great gift. They have classes for beginning drivers, too.

By the by: most of the time the TSX's only used 2nd and 3rd gears, with speeds up to 110mph.

 

I totally agree- everyone should go to track day school. Before they drive on the roads!!!
Disclaimer-
A Track Day habit- makes crack addiction look like sound finacial planning
(thanks to the member who first said that)

Many tracks have car clubs that rent the track during the week- and offer instruction in YOUR car, with a Pro race driver as your coach in the passenger seat- cost: $250
Speeds are kept to your comfort level- and the instructors~

the trick of using arm, shoulder pec muscles to move the wheel is from the old school where we didnt get no paaauurrrrr steerinnn like you all yungins~
and it works with p/s cars even better.
Its still a mystery to some drivers~~- just watch the TV coverage, while some make a smooth turn in and hold that position- others battle and get their arms all crossed over each other, no control from there!

 

lol well when i talk about older clientelle, people in the 30's don't count!!! haha but regardless i'm not saying ALL older clientelle prefer AT than MT i'm just saying majority. Avg. no disrepect intended if anyone took it the wrong way....