*I have searched most topics/problems. I just would like a more current answer and/or opinion.

When I first got my TL, I was in love. I've owned it for 1 year and ~2 months now. Everything was perfect up until about 2-3 months ago. I feel like my TL now has more problems than an E46. I don't understand. Yeah, I drive aggressively from time to time, but no more so than anyone else. Most of the time I'm coasting at 73mph in 5th gear commuting to and from school. Lately though, the TL has been a straight up money pit for me. So much so that I heavily consider selling it everyday, but I don't want to deal with the bank drama.

I want my TL to run like it did the first time I gripped the wheel and turned the keys. Smooth and elegant, yet powerful. "Walk softly and carry a big stick" is always the type of expression that I thought my TL could relate to. It's not screaming for attention in any way, but it can definitely handle itself. It's more than an adequate car to say the least.

Now, with all of that aside...I really want to keep my car. At the minimum I'd like to keep it for another 2 years! Other than the fact that it's not a 6MT, I love it! But if I can't solve my current problems or if I keep having to dump every paycheck into this car to "fix" something, I'm going to part ways with it unfortunately.

All I'm asking for is some help Aziner's. Please.

+Problems that I think are worth paying attention to:

- Transmission is not that smooth...
* Fix: 6qts of Redline Racing Fluid
* Fix: 3rd and 4th gear pressure switches
I kind of need my transmission...lol

- Rear Bumper pokes out on the sides..
* Gonna' take off the bumper and if necessary, replace the clips that hold it in place.
It's been bugging me for such a long time. I can't stand to see the bumper not sitting flush with the body of the car.

- The clips under the back seat that hold it down are broken.
* I'll buy new clips, but how do I take the old ones out????

- Alignment Issues..
* My front tires are damn near shot at a little over 5,000 miles on them. What gives? The rears are doing just fine as far as I can tell. I do have lifetime alignment so I can try to get an alignment done and post up the specs sheet for you guys to see if that would help.

+Is it worth spending the money:

- Would you guys switch out the steering wheel lights? The other lights that are out don't really bug me, but the steering wheel kind of looks "off" with only one side lit up. I don't feel the need per se' to replace them, but maybe I should..?

- Would you guys spend the money on getting an OEM battery cover? I bought my car without one.

+WTF???:

- High pitch/squealing noise.
* It happens while accelerating slowly.
* Turning to the left, and sometimes while turning to the right.
* Kind of hard to explain...like when I accelerate; roll,roll,roll,SQUEAL and repeat. The squeal recurrence increases as the speed goes up.
* It goes away when the brakes are applied most of the time.
* My friend and I think it may have something to do with the rotors.
* I did some research and this noise might be coming from the heat shield covering the A pipe(?). A few people said tightening it or completely replacing it got rid of the noise.
* My question is, where is the heat shield so I can pinpoint it.

- My brakes squeal sometimes, and sometimes they don't.
* I understand that sounds very dumb and basic, but I just resurfaced my rotors and had new pads (Duralast C-Max) installed in the last week.
* Can I take it back to the guy that did the brake job? What should I say to him?

UGH...sorry guys, I just had to post this. I really need advice so I know what to do. Spending money on stupid things like repairs gets old really fast..

- David.

 

trade it in/sell it. the aggravation is not worth it. make yourself happy and get something else.

 

To be honest, most of the items that you are describing sound like regular wear and tear issues that eventually have to be fixed on a 6 year old car. It will not stay new forever. Clips break, bulbs burn out, front end eventually needs alignment...etc.

If you didn't bed in your pads, yes they will sqeak. Battery cover? Search the parts yards in your area for one. These things don't sound like monumental problems that would have me thinking about getting rid of the car. Cars need maintenance.

 

I agree with ramrod....these are simple and CHEAP fixes. At 18 I understand that the funds might not be there, but this is the price you pay when you bought a entry-luxury car. you should have went with something that cost less to maintain...

Because the car is FWD, you're going to wear out the front tires faster than the rears. Tires are supposed to be rotated every oil change or 5,000 miles. if you havent done it, there will be no point in doing it now. Buy two new front tires and keep them rotated frequently.

and dont spend money on a battery cover..wtf, i dont even use mine. I think the engine looks cooler and manlier wihtout all that plastic...

and the rear bumper clips are cheap, like a few bucks...the only thing that it will cost you is your time. but i am confident that you're able to clip the bumper back on flush.

 

I take back what I said yesterday, I was just mad cause I didn't know what that squealing noise was. It's so high pitched and annoying that I get out of my car pissed off every time. If I could just figure that out I'd be happy.

I guess that in a way the TL spoiled me early on by it having no problems and only requiring a few oil changes and some new tires.

*Edit: Oh and by the way, to make things even worse someone hit my car and just left while I was at work. It's a pretty decent size dent.

 

insurance?

 

PDR. Assuming you have a deductible that's pretty your only choice. If you've got cameras at work try to get a plate number off it. It's annoying when people mess with your car and don't leave a note or anything.

As far as OP, I've had the same annoyances. Had my car for almost 2 years now, seemed perfect when I got it, but problems seem to arise every week.

I think part of it is you're used to the good of your car, so you focus on the bad. When I drive my car every day, it's nothing special.

But if I drive a different, lower-end car (had a Civic rental once), I appreciate all the good things in my car when I get it back. Same goes for when I just don't drive it for more than two days.

You may consider selling it now, but if it's not for financial reasons, you'll regret it for a LONG time.

 

I'm a noob but I've always been told to avoid the insurance companies as much as possible. Plus, I've only got liability. Will my dent be covered?

I already checked with work and we don't have camera's facing that far into the parking lot.

Yeah, seems like the honeymoon phase is over now huh. haha

Well I think I take everything the TL offers for granted on a day to day basis and I focus on the bad with the intention of picking things apart to make sure the car's at 100%. Of course this creates a lot to focus on with a car that's 6 years old and over 112,000 miles.

I agree, sometimes even after driving my dad's ES350 I miss the TL. As nice as the lexus is, it doesn't have a hint of sport at all. The TL is just so much more aggressive. For example, on mondays I drive about 100+ miles commuting to and from school 2x (morning and evening). After that, I'm sick of my car. On Tuesdays, I'm not obligated to drive anywhere but usually when the day winds down I find myself sub-consciously going to my car just to take a quick drive.

I am considering selling it for something more "sporty", but the funds just aren't there right now. Plus I don't know how much I could get for my TL right now, probably not much though. And how would I deal with the loan from the bank?

*sigh.

 

Things are going to break.. I could double your list with imperfections I have on my car.

 

Really? Wow..that sucks dude. It doesn't bug the hell out of you??
No offense though.

 

with liability you are on your own for damages to your car ... pdr would be your best bet if the dent isn't too bad

 

PDR? Hmm..paint-less dent removal?

 

The dent's on this page.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...47435&page=126

 

ouch. that's not a cheap fix. someone hit my parked TL in a shopping center parking lot in the rear passanger qtr panel near the door soft ball size dent and scuff marks to go with it. i was absolutely pissed. no note, no nothing. it ended up being $1K to fix the dent, paint, and blend.

now i just park way the hell out in the middle of nowhere away from other people and cars. or double park if i can get away with it. good luck.

 

Luckily no dents or dings for me over the life of the car but I've proabably walked 100 extra miles. The car did get keyed down the entire side by the ex when it was 2 months old. The bad thing is I was going to break up with her but it was the day before Valentines so I decided to wait till the day after. I really wish I would've gotten rid of her sooner. Luckily her TL got totaled into a tree and she nearly burned to death.

 

^lol.

 

If you consider those big issues with your car you should go get a 10-speed.

 

Wow. I take it you didn't have a clean break. Can't mess with a mans car though. At least she didn't sabotage your buick.

 

Lol. If she messed with the GN you can bet she wouldn't have survived her accident.

 

... Why do you only have liability on a 04 TL?! Your screwed for the dent, it will cost more to fix that then it will to correct all the issues your listed! Like everyone said, the car is getting old and its going to need things here and there... all of the things you listed ar minor and easy fixes!

 

Because liability is cheap.

If you're upside down on your loan, you are in a bit of a tight spot as far as payments go. But it doesn't mean you can't sell it. Talk to your lienholder, they'll probably let you sell the car, pay off the rest of the loan (if you're not upside down), and take out another one on a different car.

But I think you'll miss the TL a lot after a while. It is sporty to an extent, but it's also a bit luxurious as well, and those are the features that come into play the most during daily driving. Heated leather seats, a good radio, a quiet and comfy drive, and space is what I'd want in my DD. Something sporty would be nice, but the gains wouldn't be worth what you'd probably lose, IMO.

Besides, you can fit more biddies in the back of the TL.

How dirty is your car? I find that I don't take care of my car much when it's not that clean, you might be the same Cleaning it makes it feel more special

 

I'd rather walk the 100 extra miles than pay for this dent. hahaha, your ex got screwed by karma.

Nah..just nah.

x2. I'm willing to bet she would've survived the accident but mysteriously died on the scene while waiting for help. - "Eye witnesses say they couldn't get a view of the killer but they did hear a turbo spool when he left."


I just got quoted $350 for PDR if they can get to it according to the guy. Worth a shot.

Funny, yesterday my dad called insurance and changed himself to the primary driver of the TL. So my 6-month payment went from ~$430 for liability only under my name to ~$440 for full coverage under his name. Thank the Lord. lol

I don't think I'm upside down on my loan *knock on wood*. It's probably something like $4,000 left on it. $300/1 month.

Amen, the TL is an awesome DD. It's just so much bang for buck.

lol...biddies. They go in the cousin's GS.

My car's relatively clean right now, but it was filthy about 2 weeks ago. It went from a vibrant silver to a dull silver with all the crap that I had let accumulate on it.