Hello, all.

Please excuse the length of the review, but I feel the need to explain where I’m coming from. And, mods, please excuse the placement in the main 3G forum, this directly addresses several 3G TL issues.

As those who follow my postings may recall, I have wanted to make a suspension change for my TL for a while purely as a performance enhancement. I thought I would go for the Comptech springs initially but ultimately decided to wait for the A-Spec suspension kit, which offers an “official” suspension upgrade that has been put through R & D at Acura. Unfortunately, Acura made the mistake of forcing dealers to sell the entire A-Spec kit for the TL, so it took a long time for me to get it. I just don’t like the steering wheel, body kit, or even the wheels—I just wanted the performance enhancement of the suspension.

Well, my A-Spec suspension kit was finally installed today and I would like to offer some initial observations.

Purchase: I bought from a dealer selling A-Spec parts via eBay, for $600. I wasn’t intending on buying when I did, and was just searching eBay Motors randomly when I found the 5AT suspension kit, alone. 10 days later it was sitting in my house. There are other places where you can get it, but Acura is still not officially allowing dealers to split the kit, so you can’t just walk into your average dealer and get the suspension alone. The part number has been posted before, and the suspension comes as a set of springs already around the shock (e.g. no spring compressor needed for install).

Installation: I considered a couple of places around here for install but ultimately went with my dealer. I thought they would soak me—when I wanted Comptechs on my 2G TL, they wanted to charge me $600. So when the service manager came back with a quote of $250, I jumped at the chance. The reduced price likely had to do with a) doing lots of A-Specs or b) No spring compressor needed, so less time required. Acura parts installed at dealer=better likelihood of warranty coverage without hassle if there’s a problem. Besides, the dealer has two guys on “A-Spec” detail, so they in theory knew what they were doing. While there, I had an alignment and rebalanced my new Falkens (they were wobbling slightly), total price was $390. I know I could’ve had it done cheaper, but the dealer’s price certainly could’ve been worse. A nice touch was that I received my original suspension back; the workers neatly packed it into a box and put it in the trunk for me. So if I sell the car later, and the buyer wants the originial “cushy” ride back, it can be done.

Now for the most important part—drop, ride and handling. I measured the distance between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fender at the level of the center cap of the wheel—before and after installation. In the front, this was 3 inches, and in the rear 2.5 inches exactly before. After installation, the front was 2.5 inches exactly, and the rear 2.0 inches exactly, so the drop was 0.5 inch for both front and rear.

The ride was noticeably more firm, with more road feel being transmitted through the steering wheel. I don’t think the ride was “bone-jarring”, but you WILL notice potholes more with this suspension than with the stock. For me, that’s positive, as I like to feel the road somewhat as a safety feature. The usually soft-feeling steering (one of my big complaints about this car) improved significantly; I felt the steering was noticeably sharper. There is noticeably less body roll in the turns, and in my favorite freeway turn (for Clevelanders, the 480-271 S spur), I was able to enter it at 80 mph confidently, rather than 68-70 mph, cautiously. I noted no body roll with this, and with the Falken tires, I didn’t approach the limits of handling. J There were fewer bounces over bumps on the freeway. For example, on my favorite freeway testing bump, I’d have two well-controlled bounces with the stock suspension. With the A-Spec, I have one, tightly controlled bump, then back to smooth as glass riding. By the way, before you ask, I plan to keep the 17” stock wheels rather than upgrade to 18s. The ride feels just fine with those, and I’m afraid that by upgrading to a tire requiring a lower profile, my ride quality will suffer.

So to summarize, the handling is better, the ride firmer, and the steering is better. I think the A-Spec lives up to the hype, so far. I’ll post additionally when I’ve had more time to play with the car this weekend. Questions?

 

Wah, that's great... $850 for total, including parts, shipping and installation. Good price... I may consider to have them soon... Let's see.




This thread is definitely staying here... but also I've copied your thread to Tires/Rims/Suspensions sub-forum... after a week, I'll merge or delete one of them...

 

I know so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!
You should try it with the 6MT, 18" wheels and yoko's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2004 TL/6MT/A-SPEC

 

Bob-

May just be dealer rhetoric, but I was told very clearly by the Acura service manager that I know and trust for over ten years that keeping the stock tires and adding the rest of the A-Spec suspension was not recommended and could, in some scenarios, be a danger. I live in a snowy area, and thus could not think of the 18's and the lower profile summer concept.

Might be a bunch of BS, but please consider calling a couple of other Acura service departments and anonymously ask them their opinion. I'd keep quiet but I wouldn't want you or your family injured, so there you have it.

BJ

 

wish i could get the a-spec cheaper
dealer wants $1500 for everything including taxes and installation

 

How can it be dangerous, BJ? The 17s with stock-sized tires are the same diameter as the 18s with their stock-sized tires; the latter have to have a lower profile to keep that diameter. The 17s will also do better during the winter, as you correctly allude. I think it's a dealer ploy to justify $2250 for the A-Spec wheel and tire set. My dealer's service folken didn't say anything about this (of course ), and I'll consider you advice. It's something I'll consider later, though--I've got other financial priorities right now.

 

Oh, I misread your post, BJ. I don't have stock tires anymore, just stock-sized 17" tires.

 

Glad to hear everything went well and you're happy with the end result. It's quite a personality change for the car. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

 

Many of us would say keeping the stock tires even with the stock suspension is not recommended and can be a danger.

Mike

 

Nice review. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Congrats.

 

Thanks for the review neuronbob. I'm still debating between the A-Spec suspension and the Tein coilovers (I hear the MSRP on those would be around $750).

Your review is making me look at the A-Spec all over again...

 

nice review i have been looking into getting the suspension upgrade but fear the rough ride. my last car was a nightmare cause i had a aftermarket sports suspension. the stock suspension is nice and soft with a slight sports feel which i like. but after reading your review i am probably not going to get it cause i do not want to feel the potholes. driving in nyc is a headache when you have to ride over 60 million potholes just driving around town.

 

EL42s have sucky snow traction

 

Its is not dangerous to keep the 17's!! That is a load of :shit:. Plus the 17's look better than the Aspec wheels anyway!! A LOT BETTER!!

 

Actually, shipping was an addition $45 bucks from California. But it's still cheaper than Comptechs + Konis + installation, and close to the price of Teins + installation. I think I got a pretty good deal.

Thanks for your previous words of wisdom, Aegir, you helped me decide to buy the kit. I am definitely enjoying it. The best part of it is that it's specifically designed for the car and so should stand the test of time.

You are absolutely right. The EL42s, with 10k miles on my car, were already hydroplaning, and God only knows what would happen with the A-Spec suspension. Then again, Acura uses another tire for the full A-Spec kit.

Glad to see you still hanging out here. How's your Benz? Now yours must be fun to drive with the top down....

The Teins will be able to do something that the A-Spec can't......they're adjustable IIRC, and mostly for looks, that's the whole point of having them. If that's what your looking for, go for the Teins. If you want performance, the A-Spec seems to be one way to go.

caball, maybe you don't need a suspension upgrade. All the other spring sets (Comptech, Eibach, etc.) lower the car even more than the A-Spec and will be less likely to provide a compliant ride. Just for the record, Cleveland is Pothole Central and while I feel them, the car doesn't jolt suddenly with them. The stock suspension damps those impacts better, but you do have to give up something for better handling. Next time you're in Cleveland, I'll give you a ride to show you what I'm talking about.

Actually, new, my EL42s did pretty well in the snow, but I'm not confident they'd survive two Cleveland winters.

 

Are you freaking nuts or what

I respectively disagree. A LOT!!

 

maybe if you have refomulated ones... but these tires hydroplane like no other... and on tirerack they got TERRIBLE snow traction ratings, guess you're just lucky

 

No not nutz, Just have good taste. Might as well put those Aspec wheels on a g35 sedan!! Ugly and ugly go perfect together

 

While you're at it, you can put body side molding, wing spoiler, moonroof visor, and blue LED's on the G35 sedan, right? I know taste is subjective, but you are the first I've ever heard that preferred the stock rims...

 

Well than you havent heard from many! Only good thing about the Aspec rims is they are 18 inch, other than that, the design is :shit:


By the way your car looks great! But definetly would look better with the 17 inch design

 

Nice car Kazuaki! I guess whether to approve of or disapprove of the 18's is ultimately a SUBJECTIVE decision. I have no problems with mine. Mine are also on a silver TL and I have read many opinions that silver and the 18's look bad together. That, however, has not been my experience with the general population. In the end, I guess it is in the eye of the beholder. Nice thread to begin with. Again, this is only my opinion though. Not meant to offend or disresepct by any means.

 

Hey Dope,

If you don't like my A-SPEC 18" wheels, just remember.....

my other ride is your sister! :fingerfawk:

2004 TL/6MT/SSM/Ebony/A-SPEC

 

I like the A-Spec 18" wheels, but who cares. I just looked at the link to the pics of your car. I personally don't like the body kit (too street racer-Civic like for me). Have you noticed that that the body kit is a different color than your car? It is especially obvious on your front spoiler. There are threads about this problem.

 

I have a 6 spd man with the comptech springs and the A-Spec wheels and it handels way better than the stock setup. I wanted the A-Spec suspension pack but couldnt find it anywhere.

 

I had a hard time too. I was waiting for Acura to officially release the suspension package by itself--they will, eventually, when the see the demand for it. I found my deal purely by hanging out here. Another option was buying the Koni yellows and Comptechs--a killer combo for performance; I was leaning heavily toward this when the A-Spec dropped into my lap.

 

My body kit paint matches the rest of my TL.....and i have Abyss Blue.

 

Neuron..

THanks for an EXCELLENT review. As you may or may not know, I have the entire A-spec kit minus the steering wheel and the suspension, but i have been strongly interested in the suspension as of late. Which dealership is just selling the parts on ebay? Can I contact them directly? Your review is exactly what i wanted to know .. however, I am still gunna go visit a dealer to drive an A-spec TL to see if the suspension is really what i want.

From your description, is seems to me that the A-spec suspension is more along the lines of the previous gen TL-S suspension. I have always said that the '04 TL has a much softer suspension than the TL-S does.

 

Peter, I would say that the A-Spec suspension is firmer than the TL-S suspension; I've tried both and I can tell you that with great certainty that the A-Spec is better. I say go for it. I'll PM you where I got mine, though they don't have any in stock currently (they had four 5AT kits three weeks ago and they went fast).

 

great review Bob. I had been thinking about doing the same thing, and thanks to your description of the changes in the ride quality, I can tell that this upgrade is something my wife would not be happy about. I trust your judgement and your assessment of the modification. While I think I'd love love love the suspension 10% of the time (when I'm really pushing the car), day in and day out driving would be a much different story. Thank you for this post.

 

Had my wife in the car yesterday. She didn't notice anything different until I mentioned it to her. From her accustomed seat (shotgun ), she felt a few more bumps but that was it. She REALLY noticed when I put Comptech springs on my 2G TL, and was happy she was not the driver. So, this upgrade is more "wife-approved" than my last suspension adventure. Even so, this upgrade is definitely NOT for everyone as you lose some of the cushy ride that is stock.

By the way, I've driven it around town a little more, and the ride is really not too bad....

 

Ha, I think this is very important to me, too. I need to make sure no one will complain.

Bob, lots of ppl ever complain about the harsh or rough rides of new 04TLs (I bet they compare to other soft cushion vehicles). I did feel my 04TL is kind of rough if comparing with my other cars in the first month. But it becomes softer and more comfortable after a few thousand miles. But, I hope this car could be stiffer while cornering and cruising on the highway.

Is this stiffer feeling the new A-Spec springs give to you equal to that rough feeling ppl talk about for the new car? Kind of confused here...

 

I don't think the suspension becomes softer over time. I think people get used to it, and it's actually quite nice when considered on it's own as opposed to in comparison with cars with softer suspension.

I think a similar thing happens with the A-Spec suspension. It is noticeably firmer, and bumps that were previously unfelt are suddenly noticeable. After a few weeks, a new baseline is established and the ride is once again evaluated on its own merits to be pretty good.

 

I was likely writing "get used to" this term... everytime I jump back and forth between my cars, I always feel 04TL is no longer as harsh as before... I cannot judge "softer" or "get used".

Well, as I put this mod into my signature, this springs replacement is under the consideration now. Bob's experience and your long time input do make me think over carefully.

Thanks guys.

 

Rets, what Aegir said.

By the way, a fly in the ointment: I was reaching back while at a stoplight, got my fingers curled around the rear seat bottom, and the seat came up!!!! What a shock. When I got home, I found that the seat bottom was not attached to the car. Further, the bolt that holds the seat bottom to the car was missing. :sqnteek: So it's back to the dealer on Monday to get this fixed. :nutkick: Rather sloppy on their part. I'd fix it myself, but the bolt I need is missing and I'd have to go to the dealer anyway to get the part.

 

Neuron,

Don't you hate incompetancy like that?? It absolutely drives me up a wall... i've had similar things happen like that. I make it a big point to talk to the GM about incidents like that so that they never happen again. It brings the quality of the dealership down bigtime.

 

You mean DEAD MAN"S CURVE?

 

The spring compressor is only needed to uninstall the springs from the shocks not to install them well you could use it, but is not needed. Depending on the compression that have, you could even uninstalled them without a spring compressor, they just pop.

 

Oh $HIT no, man, I'm not crazy! Dead Man's Curve is the 90 degree curve in I-90 in downtown Cleveland. That is the only place I've ever been where the speed limit of 35 is absolutely accurate--you go faster, you crash.

The curve I'm talking about is in Bedford Heights where I-480 meets I-271, 15 mile southeast.

[QUOTE=PeterUbers]Don't you hate incompetancy like that?? It absolutely drives me up a wall... i've had similar things happen like that. I make it a big point to talk to the GM about incidents like that so that they never happen again. It brings the quality of the dealership down bigtime.[/url]

That sort of incompetency makes me wonder what else they missed. I'm not too angry right now, though, because I know my service rep will make things right, he generally does. The GM WILL know about this, since they've gotten a lot of money from me for service the last three years.

 

I asked my dealer about just installing the suspension too, but he said they couldn't do it. OH well, gives me time to wear out the stock suspension while Acura figures out that selling the suspension alone could sell a lot more A-SPEC stuff. As for the A-SPEC tires, I like the design, just not the price to replace the rubber around the rim, *L*.

 

I remember that little bolt! It was a real pain in the butt to get back in there. Took 10 or 15 minutes to fiddle with the seat and an alignment tool to line everything up and get it in there. I can see why they tried to blow it off, but no excuses. I bet they dropped it behind the seat and said "Heck with that!" Slackers!

There are also two 'pull clips' under the front/bottom of the back seat. Those should hold the seat in pretty well, so it sounds like they may have missed those too if it is that loose.