petpnyc

noob here...first post..please bear with me

totalled my car over the weekend (freakin snow!) so now i have to go car shopping.

visited the local MB dealer to check out the c230 since theyre having a lease special on them now. car looked sweet. nice high-tech looking interior, nice body kit. unsure about MB reliability (ive heard horror stories)...and overall car could use more gadgets. no pwr seats, no nav, no real leather.

onto the acura dealer since ive been eyeing the TL for some time and was curious to find out more. interior is really nice...much improved over previous TL and CL. i do however have a preference to german interiors (previous car was a bmw 7series)...but i must admit all the gadgets that the TL has is very appealing for the price. the exterior, though nice, i wonder if it will age well. looking at previous gen TL, they already look very dated. but then again, i would be leasing so that really wouldnt be a worry now would it.

what about a bmw 525?????

so onto my question....what else did u consider and why did u end up choosing the TL?

coming from a bmw which ive owned for 12+ years i am used to unreliability, so that is why im considering the TL...but then again, the feel and passion that german cars have might be worth the frustration...or not.

thanks and appreciate your feedback

Tripp11

Car and why I didn't choose it:

Infiniti G35 Sedan - Didn't like the interior of the 2004....too plastic or something

Saab 9-3 Aero - Previous car was a 9-3 SE Vert....just wanted a change...plus, the 6MT on that car felt odd

Volvo S60R - AWD, 300HP...the car is hot, hot, hot IMO but a bit too pricey even with my Ford family discount

Audi A4 - Very nice car, but got a bitter taste in my mouth when the salesman went on his "non-Japanese" kick


In the end, the Acura TL appealed to all my senses....and my checkbook too. Plus, the 6MT shifts like....well, words can't describe how it shifts so smooth.

caball88

i checked out the G35 coupe not sedan cause i think the sedan looks terrible. the coupe was rwd only so it was a scratch since the car was going to be used in bad weather as well. Audi A4 nice but underpowered the 3.0 was not worth the extra cost compared to the TL. The new B7 body styles for the A4 is out the navigation looks pretty sweet now compared to audi's previous horrific nav. i also looked at a 330xi but the price started to climb quickly as i added options. also my previous car was a bmw and wasn't that reliable. i am tired to having to fix little things here and there. I don't like the C230 from MB because i think you are mostly paying for the name and there is nothing all that impressive about that car. If i had to get a MB i would consider the CLK500. The MB will be more expensive than the TL fully loaded but that's because its a MB and you will always get a better deal with Acura.

CFIMIKE

We didn't consider any other "luxury" makes. I was actually shopping for a Honda Accord V6 or a Nisson Maxima when my wife suggested we look at an Acura. We settled on the Acura TL due to the value it offered for the $$. A comparible German model would have been $10k or more for starters.

Plus, I watch the reliability ratings published every year in Consumer Reports. The Hondas & Toyotas are outstanding; the Germans dismal. We wanted to buy, not lease, for the long haul so the decision was easy.

I would suggest you get a copy of Consumer Reports' last annual "Auto" issue (I believe March or April) and spend some time with it. The ratings are heavily weighted by owners' experiences so I consider them pretty reliable.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Moosh

Mercedes C320 Coupe

Infinite G35 Coupe

BMW 3 Series (didn't test drive it though, when I visited Acura I bought the TL on the spot)

The Infiniti sales guy from Ardmore, PA was an asshole. He had this superiority complex with the G35 which turned me off. The Acura lady that helped me with the car was a bit nicer, but in the end they are all just sales people and looking to get you for as much as they can.

Kubrus

I bought my car in late sept. 2004, so it was the end of the season for most lots. That means they didn't have a lot of inventory for the things i wanted (esp. nav).

I truly wanted the BMW 325Ci, but they couldn't find ONE model with nav (something very important to me as a LA transplant), and their prices were rediculous once you started with the options. Also, the salespeople were nasty because i'm young (but money is money, is it not?), and they wouldn't give you a deal on anything (in many cases the bmw website was cheaper!).

The Audi A4 was a piece of garbage for the price (and their lease deals are terrible, as well).

The g35 coupe was a very nice car to look at, but i agree that the interior was horrible. Also, the car i drove felt like trash on the road.

I was then considering a c230 or c240, but again not one model with nav.

Ultimately, the TL had the best deal (i got an AMAZING lease on a closeout 2004), had all the gadgets my geek heart desires and the nav has turned out to be a blessing.

I'm extremely happy with my choice, and i love driving my baby.

t-dogg

Infiniti G35 Coupe

Audi A4

Nissan Maxima

golferboy1862

I too had a terrible experience at the 2 Infiniti dealerships I went to. I was looking at the G35 coupe and the salespersons were really uninterested (well one was a complete asshole) and had a take it or leave it attitude. So I left it and went to Acura to buy th TL.

Repecat

These are all the cars I tested plus major comments:
Infiniti G35 Coupe...Noisy, lousy interior, and ugly
Infiniti G35 Sedan...Noisy and lousy interior, otherwise very nice
Volvo S60...Dull
Volvo S80...Dull and expensive
BMW 330...Lousy value, expensive, and snotty salespeople
Subaru Outback...Solid, but unrefined
Audi A4...Too small and spendy
Audi A6...Great car but waaaay too expensive
Saab 9-5 Aero...Just came from a Saab and wanted something different
Acura TL...Fine automobile and...oh wait, that's what I bought

TLover

Infiniti G35 coupe
Pros: Great for spirited driving; nice engine; great handling; good looks
Cons: Too small; useless back seat; plasticy interior; more expensive than the TL (didn't consider sedan since I don't like the way it looks)

Audi A4 1.8T w/ultra sports package
Pros: Good handling; good looks
Cons: Underpowered; subpar interior; more expensive than TL

VW R32
Pros: Fun to drive (I owned at 98 GTI VR6 before the TL); good looking; unique (only 5,000 made it to the U.S.)
Cons: VW customer service; VW relability; more expensive than the TL

Bottom line: I chose the TL for the comfort, spaciousness, gadgets and Acura/Honda reliability,and the fact that all of that could be built into a relatively sporty car. In the end, the fact that the TL cost less than every other car I test drove sold me.

RhythmAddict

Scared of the german quality (lack thereof) Now sure, I came from a VW not a prestigious make, but mom has a MB. I am not impressed by it, and she likes the TL better. (She has an e320) Stepdad has an es330..Nice, quality wise.Way too cushy and old man for me.
I started out looking at...

Mazda 3 (5 door)
Scion Tc

Then...stepped it up a little and looked at
ALtima (se-r)
G35..dealer was givin me an 04 with 11 (not 11k, 11.) miles on it for 29.5 but...RWD and ugly and lackin many features compared to a TL
is300...RWD is a strike off the bat cause of bad weather...and I got an 04 TL for 1k less...with a ton more gadgets..
ended up with an 04 TL bought w. 12k on it....

6mtV6

Infiniti G35x, G35 sedan 6mt, G35 coupe 6mt.
I was set on getting a G35 until I stopped at the Acura dealer first and test drove the 6mt TL. It was like love at first sight. Afterwards, I went to the Infiniti dealer to look at the G35 again. I felt no love for the G35 anymore.

05ACURATL

before i bought the TL,

I was looking to buy MB E-Class with nav, out the door i was getting for 51$. if you cosidering MB DO NOT GO LOWER than E-class. you will be sorry! my bro has the c class 2005 sport sedan with nav. he paid 41 out the door, the car is small as shyt! no POWER WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!! only190 hp or something! he already had about 10 problems since he bought the car. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW C-CLASS IS NOT A MERCEDES BENZ. EVEN NOW B-CLASS PRRRFF $25,000! WHAT THE HELL THEY`RE DOING TO MERCEDES BENZ BRAND. SO SAD!

ACURA IS THE CAR TO GO WITH! I BEEN HAVING THIS CAR FOR ONE MONTH NOW, LET ME TELL YOU, THERE`S NO OTHER CAR YOU CAN GET FOR THIS PRICE WITH ALL THE FEATURES AND POWER AND LUXURY! VERY RELIABLE CAR! YOU WILL BE HAPPY!

Pro Stock John

Good thread...

I checked out:
A4 (3 inches longer now than in prior years)
-nice
-would like a little more power


Passat
-generic
-vw reliability concerned me

G35 Sedan
-drove rwd 6 spd; fun, would be deathtrap in snow
-could not bear auto trans awd, 3500 lb turd
-seats look dated and cheap

G35 Coupe
-RWD bad in snow
-No rear room

TSX
-felt like a Civic
-felt too small fo rme

Saab 9'3
-200hp is a nonstarter for me

MB 240/230
-small inside
-sport package looked sharp
-slug


TL sold me based on:
270hp
great interior
sit in the backseat of all the cars u look at
decent in snow
6mt!

abirvalg

i was choosing primarily between es330 and tl
germs aren't reliable enough to keep them for a long time
plus parts are limited and expensive
american brands are ... well american brands
i don't like nissan and the only dealer i went to didn't change my opinion on that
so it all came down to honda vs. toyota
i wanted luxury and fun
es beats tl as far as luxury built quality hands down
but it was just too boring to drive
so here i am

kyle-wdp

Mini Cooper S
Audi A4
Dodge Magnum Hemi
Accord Navi
G35 sedan

but the TL was a distant first the whole time.

DevTL

I had a dealer ready to take my credit card deposit on a 05 Convt. Mini Cooper, S, premium. But a little background, I've got 3 kids and finally got my wife to agree we didn't need another SUV since we could take her Landover if we all had to go some place, and all I had to do is occasionally take the kids. Heck the kids aren’t that big they’ll fit. P.S. please kill me if I get a minivan.

So I did my due diligence and test drove etc., and while I was investigating the MSRP for the S, w/options went from about 21k to 25k, and well the convert is only 3k more so why not? Then I talked to dealers, and they wanted 3 to 4k extra, yada yada. But heck its only 30k or so might as well get what I want. Dammit!

But the MSRP on the new mustang gt premium is only 28k, so I took a look. I had a 1967 cougar with a 428 super cobra jet so I thought this would be fun. Dealer wanted 28K for the V6. V6! The front dash is huge, and I don’t think the seat is height adjustable and the back seats are raked back way too far; but they had to be because of no rear headroom. Dealer wouldn’t even discuss the price on the GT. Scary since a new 04 GT was priced at 15,990.

Back to the Mini. I’m about 150 miles from the nearest mini dealer but the local BMW dealer had a 2003, w/16k mi for 26,900. Did I mention MSRP for 05 is 25K? Ok BMW dealer. Well I took the wife to look, sit; and honey I’m about to put 31k on it so speak now or forever hold your peace. She sits in it and gets grease on her hands from the steering wheel, the silver plastic on the interior door panels is scraping off, and she says “you can get whatever you want”. Bless her heart. Walking to our car she spys a 325 and asks what about this one? More image than car, if you must get a 3 series, you must get the 330, but really not much car for the $. Well she asks what about this here 5 series? Same answer, anything less than the 540 is a dog, and geez for much less $ there are a lot of sedans I’d rather have. Such as; she asks.

So I said, see that used CTS on the corner of the lot that is a nice car but the interior is kinda, cheep. But the car I should really get is across the street at that Acura dealership. No honey not that one that’s the TSX which is nice but I ment the one with the gash on the side.

Well lets take a look, Well we sit down and the salesman talks to the navi, and she gives me a look that says: “You’re a @#$% idiot if you want other car over this”. Damm I hate it when she’s right.

petpnyc

thanks very much for all your comments. will let you guys know what i decide.

1995hoo

Considered the Volvo S60R because my previous car was rear-ended and totalled by a girl in a Volvo 240 wagon and her car sustained no damage, somehow. Didn't buy it because the price was higher, the local Volvo dealer (Don Beyer) is notoriously difficult to get a service appointment, and I decided that a 31-year-old single guy should not be driving a Volvo. Did not test-drive one in the end.

Thought about the Lexus IS300 but the price was too high compared to the TL, I wasn't totally keen on RWD because I am a skier, and the car was a bit small based on one I checked out at a football tailgate. Didn't test-drive one of these either.

Briefly thought about the Mazda RX-8, but not very seriously. The notion of the Boxster crossed my mind until I determined that you can't fit two golf bags into the car if two people are riding in it.

Never seriously considered BMW because they rook you on the pricing of all the options, and Mercedes doesn't have a manual transmission available in any model I was interested in. Plus their reliability has been down lately from what I hear.

So essentially the TL was an easy decision.

petpnyc

tough choices.....i havent been in the car market for over a decade...so all this is frustrating. and the fact that i need a car ASAP isnt making things better.
i think ive narrowed it down to either the TL or BMW 5'er (they have some decent lease deals now with the new engines coming out in 2 months)

guess i'll be test driving both this weekend and see what happens.

BTL05

Infinity FX35 AWD or G35x





2005 Ford Mustang





2006 MB M-series coming in April

Doctored5

I looked at Lexus 330, maxima, camry; considered Infiniti G35, RL. I've sworn off German cars after owning an Audi & getting a frequent tow card from the Happy Trucker.

I put a lot of weight on reliability now, hence I've been butying Toyotas & Hondas.

iambgood

Mustang ... didn't like the dash .. and I knew EVERYONE would have one
G35 coupe ... interior flat out sucked
BMW 3 series ... too much $$$ for nothing

went with the ABP A-Spec ... i love this car

~ B.Good

JasonH

Audi A4 3.0 Auto Tiptronic Quattro:
1) Copycat syndrome: My girlfriend has one, doesn't make sense to me to have two of the same car.
2) Navigation: Navigation system has a small screen in the dash
3) Performance?: Only 220hp, but it drives like a dream anyway.

Mercedes Benz E500:
1) Build Quality: Industry insider told me to wait until I can afford the S-Class to get a MB. I took a close look at the car and agree. It's just not built as well as the S-Class.
2) Conveniences: Only one cup holder. Are they kidding? This is America! We invented the cup holder!
3) Value: Can't get the car for a few hundred over invoice like I can on almost any other brand (Acura, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Honda, Hyndai, Jaguar, Jeep, Lincoln, Mercury, Lexus, Nissan, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, VW, and Volvo) thanks to a connection I have.

BMW 545i Six Speed:
1) COST: Even with my discount, it would have broken the bank.


My added to this thread. Are we up to a $1 yet?


Cheers,

Jason

SouthernBoy

Cadillac CTS-V was the major front runner against the TL and I came SO close to getting it twice.. the second time just last Christmas holiday period.

I wouldn't have a BMW. My wife has one, a '96 328i, and typical German.. needlessly complex and ridiculous. Plus it's very costly for repair and maintenance which I can't do.

VelfarreClubber

Took 3 days to buy the car

Day 1, compare 04 Maxima vs. 04 TL online

Day 2, Test drove ssm/ebony/nav and was sold on it once i sat in the car

Day 3, Spent the entire day looking for the car a anthercite/ebony/no nav, but found my 2nd color choice ssm/ebony/no nav was a loaner car with 309 miles for a price which i could not refuse. Plus i paid $110 for 10yrs/100k mile extended powertrain warrenty can't go wrong with that!

GTFISH

After Acura bought my 04 TLl back I decided on a used BMW 530i. I bought a 02 with an extended warranty. I liked the features in the Acura and the overall look of the interior, etc. But to me the BMW is a lot more fun to drive (even with less hp) and has just as nice of an interior. After 4 months I grew tired of the FWD and lack of traction from a start and accelerating out of a corner. FWD and sports sedan just don't mix in my book. I had a M3 (E36) and loved it. Also owned several Porsches over the years and currently race one, so I am a bit biased to German cars.

onalake

I test drove 15 cars in my search. All were sedans with either FWD or AWD, trunk space, a navi option available and under $40k. Trunk space because I play a lot of golf and need to get 4 sets of clubs in there.

It came down to these cars (Mercedes C240 4matic, BMW 325xi, Lexus ES330, Infiniti G35x, Acura TL) in the end.

C240 - was a close second because of the superior ride and quietnes but wasn't happy with rear leg room or truck space. Nav system ok but lacked voice activation.

325xi - trunk was more like a glove box. One golf bag was difficult to fit. Great ride but not impressed with interior. Nav was not a good system.

ES330 - a little too mushy of a ride. Rear seat room small. Voice activated nav was not impressive. Trunk room ok though.

G35x - I liked it a lot but nav was disappointing. Nice that it hides away but controls hard to use. Trunk room ok. Back seat room tight. Ride was great.

Acural TL - Had the rear leg room, trunk space for 4 golf bags and luggage to boot, superior nav system and great ride. All this for less than the other 4 cars when loaded with same options. The TL gives you so much more car for the money...by far.