csmeance's review and drive of the 2009 TL TECH also spoiler alert for new features
12-27-2008, 09:31 PM
#1
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
csmeance's review and drive of the 2009 TL TECH also spoiler alert for new features
I got my hands on a TL today after I found the battery weak in my current TL after trying to get to a travel agency for an emergency flight. Anyway here is my review of the 2009 TL Tech:
First look, Overview:
The new 2009 TL is a car that looks very bold at first sight. It appears to be one that is a love-hate-compromise relationship. It’s not like what the 3G TL was, love-hate. At first sight you find to either hate it or love it, then it grows on you and it tends to become something that's there and no longer bothers nor excites.
The Exterior, In-depth:
The 2009 TL has a very good exterior, quality wise. The body gaps are very nice and tight compared to my 04 TL and surprisingly my 07 MDX. The color appears as even across the body and slightly off on the bumpers. (It’s a Grey TL) The paint exhibits very little orange peel and has a great depth to it, for being a service loaner at least. The grille has more of a reflective surface rather than the satin finish that most would thing would be there. I deem this bad on Acura’s part as this part is more reflective and cause issues for other drivers due to refractions. The headlights seem well constructed and don't like they would leak anytime soon, likewise with the tail-lights. Though with the tail-lights, the car suffers from the pink color that is plaguing new Honda's, like the accord. Mentioning the accord, the TL is very similar just based upon architecture on the accord.
Moving past just the view, the functionality of the exterior is somewhat odd. The opening for the trunk is not as open as the one on the 3G TL; it would be tough to put in a suitcase or large item. As well the exterior creates a cause for joy as the exterior won't have many waterspots due to no real flat surfaces (plagued the rear bumper shelf of the 3G TL) Moving on, the spoiler is really necessary on the car, this one has it and it makes the car look much better and helps hide the huge butt. As well the little button on it to open the trunk is nice.
Now the gas filler is a whole different story. It appears that a person with no brains designed it. The insertion hole is at an angle that allows more noise into the cabin, and as well the pump to angle causing kinks in the line. The gas cap holder is simply a joke; I spent a minute trying to keep the cap from falling off. The door handles are nice, but Acura did cut a corner here. Unlike the RL, the door handles have buttons which I truly do hate. The dimple that the RL has looks much better and as well won't get ruined over time due to weathering.
Moving a bit more in-depth (under the hood), Acura really did try to keep people from going in the motor bay. The covers are secured with some clips at the edges, I didn’t have the time to fumble around with them, but it appeared that a flat head screwdriver would be needed to wedge them out. The covers cover up mostly the sides of the motor, like the pumps and wiring, but leave the motor exposed to show the world. It looks quite a bit better than the 3G, but functionality wise, it sucks. The tires are nice on this car are the factory ones, they of course suck. The grip they offer isn’t the best out there and they are overpriced. But of course they are meaty and help to cushion the ride. The rims look pretty nice, but one flaw I notice is that the lugs stick out pretty nicely and the wheel lock looks out of place 100%.
The interior, In-depth:
At first sight, the interior looks like it fails hard. This all changes when you sit down, for the most part. The seat bottoms are nicely cushioned, but the top of the seat is a different story. I felt that my shoulders had little support and as well my sides had little support compared to the 3G TL. The headrest seemed very intrusive versus my 3G TL and as well looked horrible being bent forward. The leather is nice and supple, but the holes appear larger and less frequent, it looks ok in my opinion
Moving on, the steering-wheel of the car is pretty nice, it has a nice feel to it. The leather is very smooth, but not that slippery. The stitching is semi-fine, it isn’t coarse like in the MDX, but isn’t as good as the one in the 3G TL. The wheel is as well small and sporty, most non-enthusiasts wouldn’t like it, but I did. The buttons on it looked very clustered and bad. It had all plastic and no color to them. If it was like the one on the TL with some accents, it would have been better. As well the buttons were small and in all honesty looked cheap. Bigger buttons like those on the 3G TL, and the 2G RL look much better. Also I noticed that the wheel was still manual adjustable. For being such and expensive car, I would at least expect the addition of a power steering wheel to aid entry and exit of the vehicle.
Moving on, the gauges are next. They look like a mix in between those found in the TSX and those in the MDX. The needles are easier to read than the TSX (2G), but still slightly harder than the sharp points of the 3G TL. As well it looks like Acura rushed the gauge cluster. It has no blue to accent the car like the 3G TL had, and as well the gauges are somewhat small. The MID looks stuck in by just shoving it in there. As well the MID alerts sound cheap/odd as well, like an elevator noise, not a beep.
SPOILER ALERT: Acura did a somewhat smart and stupid thing. Look below the cruise lights, you see the etching of CMBS- collision mitigation system. As well on the small gauge on the left, at the top you see the etching of AFS – active front lighting (lights that turn with the curve) I didn’t see an ACC (active cruise control) light, but it’s probably there. This means the new TL will have it, YAY!!!
More to come in a bit.
First look, Overview:
The new 2009 TL is a car that looks very bold at first sight. It appears to be one that is a love-hate-compromise relationship. It’s not like what the 3G TL was, love-hate. At first sight you find to either hate it or love it, then it grows on you and it tends to become something that's there and no longer bothers nor excites.
The Exterior, In-depth:
The 2009 TL has a very good exterior, quality wise. The body gaps are very nice and tight compared to my 04 TL and surprisingly my 07 MDX. The color appears as even across the body and slightly off on the bumpers. (It’s a Grey TL) The paint exhibits very little orange peel and has a great depth to it, for being a service loaner at least. The grille has more of a reflective surface rather than the satin finish that most would thing would be there. I deem this bad on Acura’s part as this part is more reflective and cause issues for other drivers due to refractions. The headlights seem well constructed and don't like they would leak anytime soon, likewise with the tail-lights. Though with the tail-lights, the car suffers from the pink color that is plaguing new Honda's, like the accord. Mentioning the accord, the TL is very similar just based upon architecture on the accord.
Moving past just the view, the functionality of the exterior is somewhat odd. The opening for the trunk is not as open as the one on the 3G TL; it would be tough to put in a suitcase or large item. As well the exterior creates a cause for joy as the exterior won't have many waterspots due to no real flat surfaces (plagued the rear bumper shelf of the 3G TL) Moving on, the spoiler is really necessary on the car, this one has it and it makes the car look much better and helps hide the huge butt. As well the little button on it to open the trunk is nice.
Now the gas filler is a whole different story. It appears that a person with no brains designed it. The insertion hole is at an angle that allows more noise into the cabin, and as well the pump to angle causing kinks in the line. The gas cap holder is simply a joke; I spent a minute trying to keep the cap from falling off. The door handles are nice, but Acura did cut a corner here. Unlike the RL, the door handles have buttons which I truly do hate. The dimple that the RL has looks much better and as well won't get ruined over time due to weathering.
Moving a bit more in-depth (under the hood), Acura really did try to keep people from going in the motor bay. The covers are secured with some clips at the edges, I didn’t have the time to fumble around with them, but it appeared that a flat head screwdriver would be needed to wedge them out. The covers cover up mostly the sides of the motor, like the pumps and wiring, but leave the motor exposed to show the world. It looks quite a bit better than the 3G, but functionality wise, it sucks. The tires are nice on this car are the factory ones, they of course suck. The grip they offer isn’t the best out there and they are overpriced. But of course they are meaty and help to cushion the ride. The rims look pretty nice, but one flaw I notice is that the lugs stick out pretty nicely and the wheel lock looks out of place 100%.
The interior, In-depth:
At first sight, the interior looks like it fails hard. This all changes when you sit down, for the most part. The seat bottoms are nicely cushioned, but the top of the seat is a different story. I felt that my shoulders had little support and as well my sides had little support compared to the 3G TL. The headrest seemed very intrusive versus my 3G TL and as well looked horrible being bent forward. The leather is nice and supple, but the holes appear larger and less frequent, it looks ok in my opinion
Moving on, the steering-wheel of the car is pretty nice, it has a nice feel to it. The leather is very smooth, but not that slippery. The stitching is semi-fine, it isn’t coarse like in the MDX, but isn’t as good as the one in the 3G TL. The wheel is as well small and sporty, most non-enthusiasts wouldn’t like it, but I did. The buttons on it looked very clustered and bad. It had all plastic and no color to them. If it was like the one on the TL with some accents, it would have been better. As well the buttons were small and in all honesty looked cheap. Bigger buttons like those on the 3G TL, and the 2G RL look much better. Also I noticed that the wheel was still manual adjustable. For being such and expensive car, I would at least expect the addition of a power steering wheel to aid entry and exit of the vehicle.
Moving on, the gauges are next. They look like a mix in between those found in the TSX and those in the MDX. The needles are easier to read than the TSX (2G), but still slightly harder than the sharp points of the 3G TL. As well it looks like Acura rushed the gauge cluster. It has no blue to accent the car like the 3G TL had, and as well the gauges are somewhat small. The MID looks stuck in by just shoving it in there. As well the MID alerts sound cheap/odd as well, like an elevator noise, not a beep.
SPOILER ALERT: Acura did a somewhat smart and stupid thing. Look below the cruise lights, you see the etching of CMBS- collision mitigation system. As well on the small gauge on the left, at the top you see the etching of AFS – active front lighting (lights that turn with the curve) I didn’t see an ACC (active cruise control) light, but it’s probably there. This means the new TL will have it, YAY!!!
More to come in a bit.
12-27-2008, 09:56 PM
#2
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Now the turn signals, buttons and stalks. The turn signal sounded oddly, the click for it was not as firm as that on my 3G TL and was somewhat low in volume. The wiper stalk is much more adjustable than the 3G as it had certain clicks on the inner wheel; this one is free to roam, me likey. Buttons, the VSA button and the blanks next to it look cheap, not very professional like those found in the MDX and old 3G TL, I would expect better, but hey, atleast it looks better than the ones in the G35/37.
Now comes the main attraction, the center stack. The person who was in charge of the center stalk must have had no experience with ergonomics and quality. Let’s start from the bottom up, the elbow armrest has that dip in the center so access is still available for the cup-holders, even so it still interferes with them. The little tray inside it is also pointless; keeping something in there seems unlikely. The lower cubby hole under it appears smaller, but features the aux and usb jack. (Explained in the electronics section)
Moving forward now, the cup-holders seem well designed for the most part. They now can fit larger cups and as well seem to hold the drinks tighter. Moving slightly over, the aluminum trim is nice and hearty, it flows very well with the interior, but sadly still suffers from the ability to scratch easily just like the 3G TL. Now the gearshift, it screams CHEAP. The throw on it is short (I hate this) and it doesn’t even engage firmly. As well it is positioned at an angle that makes it slightly hard to rest you hand on it, like I can with the 3G TL, MDX and RL.
Moving up, the cubbyhole in the console isn’t the best, but it works well enough to keep small items in there. Further up comes all the controls to the navi system and radio, (explained in the electronics section) which a blind man designed it appears, or a person with a PHD in being stupid. The buttons are all oddly sized and are literally placed in an odd pattern. In my 3G TL everyone can find a button in a snap, even my mother who hates technology. In the 4G TL, I spent a minute trying to locate the audio button. The buttons are clustered together and it screams stupid. The knob and interface should have been much more like the 2G RL and 2G MDX with the controller mounted low, the radio above and so forth. In fact, if the exact stack from the RL was placed into the center of the TL, it would look simply amazing. The sync button also was pretty stupid, I rather would have less lights and the dual button rather than a sync button lit up all the time. Though it has all of these problems, after spending some time with it, you will learn to overcome them and they won't matter to you since you will remember where everything is. Initally it's confusing, but afterwards its cake.
The dash’s turn is up now. The dash itself (no buttons, clusters, etc) is surprising. At first I thought it would be hard plastic like in the RL and MDX, but it was soft, velvet like plastic with a very nice feel, but an ugly look. As well with only 1600 miles on the odometer, it looked already dry and somewhat faded. With some 303 on it, it'd be perfect. I give acura a clap for it.
The Rear seats, this is a whole new story. With the front seat in my ideal driving position, I sat in the back of the 4G TL and was surprised. In my 3G TL, the seat is higher up and I could slide my feet under the seat for a little bit more room, but not in the 4G TL. As well the leg-room felt slightly better, like an inch or so, but not by much. The seats were as comfy as those in my 3G, but they were a disappointment as I got upwards. Now the headrests, like the front they interfered and were cheap. There was a button on the side to fold them back down. I expected something like the RL with auto fold down head-rests with the touch of a button to release the latch. But overall, the nice thing was that they folded down so the driver had a better view of the rear, a clap to acura for that.
Now upwards, the roofline seemed a bit lower than the one in my 3G TL. As well the upholstery on the pillars and headliner seemed like the generic Honda/Acura stuff. But surprisingly the white LED’s were a nice touch, and as well they faded which was unexpected. The push buttons for engaging them was very nice and looked upscale. As well the entire homelink/moon-roof cluster looked upscale. The moon-roof looked larger than the one in my 3G TL and was slightly less noisy opening.
Now comes the main attraction, the center stack. The person who was in charge of the center stalk must have had no experience with ergonomics and quality. Let’s start from the bottom up, the elbow armrest has that dip in the center so access is still available for the cup-holders, even so it still interferes with them. The little tray inside it is also pointless; keeping something in there seems unlikely. The lower cubby hole under it appears smaller, but features the aux and usb jack. (Explained in the electronics section)
Moving forward now, the cup-holders seem well designed for the most part. They now can fit larger cups and as well seem to hold the drinks tighter. Moving slightly over, the aluminum trim is nice and hearty, it flows very well with the interior, but sadly still suffers from the ability to scratch easily just like the 3G TL. Now the gearshift, it screams CHEAP. The throw on it is short (I hate this) and it doesn’t even engage firmly. As well it is positioned at an angle that makes it slightly hard to rest you hand on it, like I can with the 3G TL, MDX and RL.
Moving up, the cubbyhole in the console isn’t the best, but it works well enough to keep small items in there. Further up comes all the controls to the navi system and radio, (explained in the electronics section) which a blind man designed it appears, or a person with a PHD in being stupid. The buttons are all oddly sized and are literally placed in an odd pattern. In my 3G TL everyone can find a button in a snap, even my mother who hates technology. In the 4G TL, I spent a minute trying to locate the audio button. The buttons are clustered together and it screams stupid. The knob and interface should have been much more like the 2G RL and 2G MDX with the controller mounted low, the radio above and so forth. In fact, if the exact stack from the RL was placed into the center of the TL, it would look simply amazing. The sync button also was pretty stupid, I rather would have less lights and the dual button rather than a sync button lit up all the time. Though it has all of these problems, after spending some time with it, you will learn to overcome them and they won't matter to you since you will remember where everything is. Initally it's confusing, but afterwards its cake.
The dash’s turn is up now. The dash itself (no buttons, clusters, etc) is surprising. At first I thought it would be hard plastic like in the RL and MDX, but it was soft, velvet like plastic with a very nice feel, but an ugly look. As well with only 1600 miles on the odometer, it looked already dry and somewhat faded. With some 303 on it, it'd be perfect. I give acura a clap for it.
The Rear seats, this is a whole new story. With the front seat in my ideal driving position, I sat in the back of the 4G TL and was surprised. In my 3G TL, the seat is higher up and I could slide my feet under the seat for a little bit more room, but not in the 4G TL. As well the leg-room felt slightly better, like an inch or so, but not by much. The seats were as comfy as those in my 3G, but they were a disappointment as I got upwards. Now the headrests, like the front they interfered and were cheap. There was a button on the side to fold them back down. I expected something like the RL with auto fold down head-rests with the touch of a button to release the latch. But overall, the nice thing was that they folded down so the driver had a better view of the rear, a clap to acura for that.
Now upwards, the roofline seemed a bit lower than the one in my 3G TL. As well the upholstery on the pillars and headliner seemed like the generic Honda/Acura stuff. But surprisingly the white LED’s were a nice touch, and as well they faded which was unexpected. The push buttons for engaging them was very nice and looked upscale. As well the entire homelink/moon-roof cluster looked upscale. The moon-roof looked larger than the one in my 3G TL and was slightly less noisy opening.
12-27-2008, 10:03 PM
#3
I too miss the blue-ish theme of my 3G. I don't care for the straight white overhead LED's, but I'm sure we could change those out. Funny you had an issue with the gas cap, no issues with mine, and I'm a retard, so it's just a new thing for you. I'm surprised on your seat review, I found that the 4G seats give more lateral support to help body roll, at least my body roll, as I'm a big boy. The day I drove off the lot with my 4G, the seats we're the first thing I appreciated, as my 3G seats didn't "hug" my body at all.
I agree about the center pullout secret tray. I like the short shifter though. You really can't put anything in there? Can you breakdown the Spoiler alert topic, I'm not exactly sure what your talking about but I am curious. Is this something that we need to take action on, or did they stupidly do something smart?
I agree about the center pullout secret tray. I like the short shifter though. You really can't put anything in there? Can you breakdown the Spoiler alert topic, I'm not exactly sure what your talking about but I am curious. Is this something that we need to take action on, or did they stupidly do something smart?
Last edited by bmode; 12-27-2008 at 10:08 PM.
12-27-2008, 10:16 PM
#4
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Electronics:
The Navi System:
I was shocked by the navigation system; it is light years ahead of even the one in my MDX and even farther than the TL. The screen was crisp and clear, to the point that it could have been used for HDTV. The displays on the screen took full advantage of the screen and there was very little pixilation. Though it was great, it did have a few downfalls. First of all the button beep, its more annoying that the one in my TL or MDX.As well the interface was slightly overwhelming without any manuals. I expected the usual main categories but instead there were scattered everywhere. It took a few minutes to find everything and remember where it was, but it was still pretty easy compared to other interfaces. One thing that is still missing from it is the trip computer, Acura, how could you forget this AGAIN!
Some did notice some very nice things about the navi. It was quick to start and respond with little or no lag. As well the maps are PHENOMIAL!!!! It had my subdivision that has been recently created, all the way to sections that are not even open to the public. It showed the one way roads with little arrows and the coloring on the screen was amazing. The XM navi weather was pretty good and so was the nav-traffic execution. The radar screen was pretty good as well. In all honesty, I wouldn’t mind paying even $5000 dollars to retrofit it into the 3G TL, it was that amazing. Acura, you earn an A on this, hands down, this is probably one of the few things that you excelled at.
The Audio system:
Dear Acura, how could you do this to your own car? The sound system didn’t even have a 6 disk CD changer, just a single disk! The sound lacked mid’s, and had zero depth like all ELS. The 3 track display also sucked, I, at least would have liked something like the 4.xx MDX audio interface which was easy to use and navigate. The addition of the USB jack though was very nice.The USB jack delivered good quality sound. As well the automatic title program that popped up was pretty cool. I think it was called gracenote, but sadly it couldn’t do anything for my CD that I had in there. All I got was no title for the songs. If you listen to music a lot, the 4G TL will need an upgrade. For the average person, its good enough. Through all of this, the HDD access was a pretty nice feature, as well the note recording feature on XM which I could use sometimes in my 3G TL.
The Navi System:
I was shocked by the navigation system; it is light years ahead of even the one in my MDX and even farther than the TL. The screen was crisp and clear, to the point that it could have been used for HDTV. The displays on the screen took full advantage of the screen and there was very little pixilation. Though it was great, it did have a few downfalls. First of all the button beep, its more annoying that the one in my TL or MDX.As well the interface was slightly overwhelming without any manuals. I expected the usual main categories but instead there were scattered everywhere. It took a few minutes to find everything and remember where it was, but it was still pretty easy compared to other interfaces. One thing that is still missing from it is the trip computer, Acura, how could you forget this AGAIN!
Some did notice some very nice things about the navi. It was quick to start and respond with little or no lag. As well the maps are PHENOMIAL!!!! It had my subdivision that has been recently created, all the way to sections that are not even open to the public. It showed the one way roads with little arrows and the coloring on the screen was amazing. The XM navi weather was pretty good and so was the nav-traffic execution. The radar screen was pretty good as well. In all honesty, I wouldn’t mind paying even $5000 dollars to retrofit it into the 3G TL, it was that amazing. Acura, you earn an A on this, hands down, this is probably one of the few things that you excelled at.
The Audio system:
Dear Acura, how could you do this to your own car? The sound system didn’t even have a 6 disk CD changer, just a single disk! The sound lacked mid’s, and had zero depth like all ELS. The 3 track display also sucked, I, at least would have liked something like the 4.xx MDX audio interface which was easy to use and navigate. The addition of the USB jack though was very nice.The USB jack delivered good quality sound. As well the automatic title program that popped up was pretty cool. I think it was called gracenote, but sadly it couldn’t do anything for my CD that I had in there. All I got was no title for the songs. If you listen to music a lot, the 4G TL will need an upgrade. For the average person, its good enough. Through all of this, the HDD access was a pretty nice feature, as well the note recording feature on XM which I could use sometimes in my 3G TL.
12-27-2008, 10:18 PM
#5
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
I too miss the blue-ish theme of my 3G. I don't care for the straight white overhead LED's, but I'm sure we could change those out. Funny you had an issue with the gas cap, no issues with mine, and I'm a retard, so it's just a new thing for you. I'm surprised on your seat review, I found that the 4G seats give more lateral support to help body roll, at least my body roll, as I'm a big boy. The day I drove off the lot with my 4G, the seats we're the first thing I appreciated, as my 3G seats didn't "hug" my body at all.
I agree about the center pullout secret tray. I like the short shifter though. You really can't put anything in there? Can you breakdown the Spoiler alert topic, I'm not exactly sure what your talking about but I am curious. Is this something that we need to take action on, or did they stupidly do something smart?
I agree about the center pullout secret tray. I like the short shifter though. You really can't put anything in there? Can you breakdown the Spoiler alert topic, I'm not exactly sure what your talking about but I am curious. Is this something that we need to take action on, or did they stupidly do something smart?
I personally feel that the short shifter is cheap and a cut corner on acura's part. Even if the shifter had a longer throw like on the MDX, it would have been great in my eyes. For the spoiler, right now the new 4G TL lacks a few features that its competitors have. The spoiler alert that I posted was meant to say that acura is working on putting in the CMBS, AFS and ACC systems into the TL to bring it into the modern age.
12-27-2008, 10:28 PM
#7
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
The Drive:
I had a fun time driving the new TL, and its one of the things that Acura excelled at. The motor in the new TL is nice and peppy, and propels this 4700 pound tank fairly nicely. The DBW system has very little lag to it (much less than the 3G TL). As well its power is nice and smooth, and so is the motor. At red-lights there was no vibration, and as well it was hard to get the car to drone unless I was lugging it hard. Though one thing I wish Acura would have done is allow more sound into the cabin, the motor had a great tone in the 3G TL and in the MDX, it’s a shame that it is muffled in the cabin.
The car’s handling was good, but it suffered from the body roll that the 3G TL experiences. The ride is softer than the 3G TL, but at the same time it still is sporty. It exhibits a little bounce, but that’s always welcome on those trips where all you want to do is sit back and relax. The electric steering was much better executed in the TL than the TSX and as well its ease of turning was more than welcome. I liked just driving this car around; it didn’t seem boring at all.
The ride was quiet when driving at 80 MPH. There was wind-noise, but less than what is present in the 3G TL. As well the car seemed much more calmer at higher speeds. The transmission shifted buttery smooth, even when revving it to 6K the next gear had a nice engagement. It never lagged and was always spot on with the gear I needed or wanted to be in.
Overall impression of the car:
If you can get over the looks, and have a few minutes to spend with the car to remember where the buttons are when you first buy it, its a great car for the money. I'm a bit picky with stuff as you can see here, but its all quick to get over. If I had a to get a new car and had 40K to spend, the 4G TL would probably be sitting in my garage. I urge you to look at it and see what it has to offer, a lot. Its a great blend of Luxury and sport for the money. It has its few downfalls, but they are easily forgotten when you stomp on the gas.
Feel free to ask any questions or voice any concerns!
I had a fun time driving the new TL, and its one of the things that Acura excelled at. The motor in the new TL is nice and peppy, and propels this 4700 pound tank fairly nicely. The DBW system has very little lag to it (much less than the 3G TL). As well its power is nice and smooth, and so is the motor. At red-lights there was no vibration, and as well it was hard to get the car to drone unless I was lugging it hard. Though one thing I wish Acura would have done is allow more sound into the cabin, the motor had a great tone in the 3G TL and in the MDX, it’s a shame that it is muffled in the cabin.
The car’s handling was good, but it suffered from the body roll that the 3G TL experiences. The ride is softer than the 3G TL, but at the same time it still is sporty. It exhibits a little bounce, but that’s always welcome on those trips where all you want to do is sit back and relax. The electric steering was much better executed in the TL than the TSX and as well its ease of turning was more than welcome. I liked just driving this car around; it didn’t seem boring at all.
The ride was quiet when driving at 80 MPH. There was wind-noise, but less than what is present in the 3G TL. As well the car seemed much more calmer at higher speeds. The transmission shifted buttery smooth, even when revving it to 6K the next gear had a nice engagement. It never lagged and was always spot on with the gear I needed or wanted to be in.
Overall impression of the car:
If you can get over the looks, and have a few minutes to spend with the car to remember where the buttons are when you first buy it, its a great car for the money. I'm a bit picky with stuff as you can see here, but its all quick to get over. If I had a to get a new car and had 40K to spend, the 4G TL would probably be sitting in my garage. I urge you to look at it and see what it has to offer, a lot. Its a great blend of Luxury and sport for the money. It has its few downfalls, but they are easily forgotten when you stomp on the gas.
Feel free to ask any questions or voice any concerns!
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12-27-2008, 10:31 PM
#8
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
I own a 3G TL and MDX, and that's what i was kinda using as benchmarks. \The 4G TL is a pretty good car overall. I am a little picky about things, but I quickly get over it. These are my initial impressions after a 3-4 hour time with it. I found stuff to be cheap, but my buddy with me said he didn't care about the size of the buttons or the sounds of the beeps. I suggest that you do not knock it off your list, but see it in person. You have to remember that this review is my impression of it, not yours. Everyone sees the world differently...
12-27-2008, 11:07 PM
#9
Thanks for saying that Csmeance, because they are your opinions and customizations. I dig your feedback though, as you're bringing up a bunch of stuff that I haven't even noticed, regardless if you like it or not, it's still interesting to see such a detailed description, it's a pleasure to read. Everyone has a different size and feel for any seat! Do your own research and go check one out for yourself Warrior. I find it hard to believe that you would not buy a car just because one person says a few things are cheap to him? That's just silly.
12-27-2008, 11:12 PM
#10
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Thanks for saying that Csmeance, because they are your opinions and customizations. I dig your feedback though, as you're bringing up a bunch of stuff that I haven't even noticed, regardless if you like it or not, it's still interesting to see such a detailed description, it's a pleasure to read. Everyone has a different size and feel for any seat! Do your own research and go check one out for yourself Warrior. I find it hard to believe that you would not buy a car just because one person says a few things are cheap to him? That's just silly.
12-27-2008, 11:15 PM
#11
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Sitting here re-reading the thread, I forgot a few things that matter.
The FOB:
Whoever designed the keyless entry system should be promoted and given a guaranteed job for 10 years. The new fob is light, functional and looks good too. A+ As well for you top gear watchers and security nuts, the car will not start or even get into the stall position without the key in range. I tired to get it to start with the key in the house and it would not budge. Also the push button is pretty nice too, i was expecting plastic but its a metal button. Like I said before, a much appreciated and well executed system
Like I said about the HDTV quality, whoever gets the dvd adapter to this car will make a whole bunch of money, this screen was made to watch movies on!
The FOB:
Whoever designed the keyless entry system should be promoted and given a guaranteed job for 10 years. The new fob is light, functional and looks good too. A+ As well for you top gear watchers and security nuts, the car will not start or even get into the stall position without the key in range. I tired to get it to start with the key in the house and it would not budge. Also the push button is pretty nice too, i was expecting plastic but its a metal button. Like I said before, a much appreciated and well executed system
Like I said about the HDTV quality, whoever gets the dvd adapter to this car will make a whole bunch of money, this screen was made to watch movies on!
12-27-2008, 11:23 PM
#12
my point of view: coming from an 04 TL 5AT bought new to a SH-AWD HPT TL
exterior: maybe I was biased (not wanting to like the new more than my old) as a 3G owner or maybe it was the lights at the car show - at 1st look I didn't like it. - these were FWD TECH models. Later I saw the SH-AWD w/ HPT - in the gray/silver (palladium) - That I liked - for me the lighter colors making the grill / rear trim stand out less. - Had a loaner 4G tech for a few days - eventually lead me to purchase the SH-AWD HPT model. The shape I think for me was almost like the new MDX - at 1st wasn't sure of the new look(grill), but now I like the new look for the MDX and the 4G TL. (admit the grill wasn't as much an issue for the mdx as for the tl) here the wheels have a lot to do w/ the look for me - not to keen on the base rims - esp compared to the original 3G 2004 TL rims.
Body gaps I dont think any worse or better than my 3G. My BBP color I believe is matched from the body bumper. The reflective part of the grill - not sure how well that will age/handle bits of sand from the road. the satin bits - keep wax away from - had to go back over w/ the Aerospace 303 to correct. Not sure but is the paint better on the 4G than the 3? were the 3G's parking lights all LED? not sure if the front 4G's are. tail lights - csmeance is there a pink tint appearance you mentioned?
Trunk - the opening I actually like - it's wider I think this aids loading big objects - the 3G opening is more height restricted in my opinion (although the trunk in the SH-AWD cars lose some space just behind the rear seat (part of the floor is raised) cant deny the huge butt - haven't looked at a non tech w/o the spoiler - trunk button is great - no fumbling for the fob to open (same for the doors imo)
Gas filler? yes it's at an angle - not sure about letting noise into the cabin? both the 3G and the 4G cabins are very quiet imo (the special windshields responsible for much of this I believe) so not sure about the gas filler noise? Kinking of the line from the pump? - not had any trouble there. gas cap holder - kind of threads into the holder - again no prblm. door handles - I wonder how the rubber for the button will age too. I don't have exper w/ the RL handles. - but I do love how I can leave the car, press the button lock / reverse: press button - unlock car - again no finding the fob (ie hands full)
under the hood: all the covers just pop up and off - no tools, easily go back in place. tires - the 4G tech FWD loaner - not imo great looking wheels - but drove nice / handled nice. SH-AWD wHPT - I love handling/ride - firm handling w/ out ruining the comfort. The stock 3G tires - I had the what were they Bridgestone Turanzas or something - never felt safe in the rain and quickly replaced w/ Mich Pilot sports. The SH-AWD w/ the HPT - yes you give up some of the comfort of the stock tire/wheel.
Interior - 4G tech fwd loaner - I liked but I loved the SH-AWD interior - seats for me - I like the extra bolstering and the fit it gives as you drive. (and I like the stitching in the SH cars) imo I like these much more than my 3G's seats The newer cars now days have the anti whip lash head rests - I have heard some taller drivers dont like. I'm not over 6' and they dont bother me.
I believe isn't the leather a little diff in the SH cars? (perferated?) I prefer over my 3G's leather - to me its softer (the soft-ness I like) and a different finish? - not as slick looking - dont slide as much.
Steering wheel : SH wheel is thicker than the FWD cars - so you know I will say I like - great wheel - yes not as slippery as the 3's but I might have liked the look of the leather (not the shape) of the 3's wheel better. buttons on the wheel - 1st day or so I drove the loaner - wasn't as familiar w/ as my 3 and now not an issue - maybe just not spaced out as much as the 3. for me I set the wheel once and thats about it - almost never move again - so elect not an issue for me.
Gauges: I did like the blue on the 3 (not sure I liked the red they added later - on what just the 'S' cars?) imo nothing was wrong w/ the 3's gauge set up - guess they just had to do it over just cause its a 'new' car - I dont not like the 4's gauges - but the 3 maybe better functionally (easy to read quickly) The MID I like as isn't it now larger? will have to look for the spoiler cmbs / afs etching)
pause
Body gaps I dont think any worse or better than my 3G. My BBP color I believe is matched from the body bumper. The reflective part of the grill - not sure how well that will age/handle bits of sand from the road. the satin bits - keep wax away from - had to go back over w/ the Aerospace 303 to correct. Not sure but is the paint better on the 4G than the 3? were the 3G's parking lights all LED? not sure if the front 4G's are. tail lights - csmeance is there a pink tint appearance you mentioned?
Trunk - the opening I actually like - it's wider I think this aids loading big objects - the 3G opening is more height restricted in my opinion (although the trunk in the SH-AWD cars lose some space just behind the rear seat (part of the floor is raised) cant deny the huge butt - haven't looked at a non tech w/o the spoiler - trunk button is great - no fumbling for the fob to open (same for the doors imo)
Gas filler? yes it's at an angle - not sure about letting noise into the cabin? both the 3G and the 4G cabins are very quiet imo (the special windshields responsible for much of this I believe) so not sure about the gas filler noise? Kinking of the line from the pump? - not had any trouble there. gas cap holder - kind of threads into the holder - again no prblm. door handles - I wonder how the rubber for the button will age too. I don't have exper w/ the RL handles. - but I do love how I can leave the car, press the button lock / reverse: press button - unlock car - again no finding the fob (ie hands full)
under the hood: all the covers just pop up and off - no tools, easily go back in place. tires - the 4G tech FWD loaner - not imo great looking wheels - but drove nice / handled nice. SH-AWD wHPT - I love handling/ride - firm handling w/ out ruining the comfort. The stock 3G tires - I had the what were they Bridgestone Turanzas or something - never felt safe in the rain and quickly replaced w/ Mich Pilot sports. The SH-AWD w/ the HPT - yes you give up some of the comfort of the stock tire/wheel.
Interior - 4G tech fwd loaner - I liked but I loved the SH-AWD interior - seats for me - I like the extra bolstering and the fit it gives as you drive. (and I like the stitching in the SH cars) imo I like these much more than my 3G's seats The newer cars now days have the anti whip lash head rests - I have heard some taller drivers dont like. I'm not over 6' and they dont bother me.
I believe isn't the leather a little diff in the SH cars? (perferated?) I prefer over my 3G's leather - to me its softer (the soft-ness I like) and a different finish? - not as slick looking - dont slide as much.
Steering wheel : SH wheel is thicker than the FWD cars - so you know I will say I like - great wheel - yes not as slippery as the 3's but I might have liked the look of the leather (not the shape) of the 3's wheel better. buttons on the wheel - 1st day or so I drove the loaner - wasn't as familiar w/ as my 3 and now not an issue - maybe just not spaced out as much as the 3. for me I set the wheel once and thats about it - almost never move again - so elect not an issue for me.
Gauges: I did like the blue on the 3 (not sure I liked the red they added later - on what just the 'S' cars?) imo nothing was wrong w/ the 3's gauge set up - guess they just had to do it over just cause its a 'new' car - I dont not like the 4's gauges - but the 3 maybe better functionally (easy to read quickly) The MID I like as isn't it now larger? will have to look for the spoiler cmbs / afs etching)
pause
12-27-2008, 11:54 PM
#13
csmeance not putting down your review - its very detailed - just putting in my 2cents having come from my 2004 TL and now driven my SH-AWD HPT for some 1400miles
Ergonomically once you spend some time w/ it - I dont believe the center stack is better or worse than the 3's. didn't the moving armrest sometimes get in the way of large drinks on the 3? - so cup holder/armrest - I rate a tie for 4 vs 3.
Little Tray - perfect imo - I plug my iPhone in - drop in the little tray - its held in place, not dumped in the larger storage bin just below (which is usually full of junk) or sliding off the arm rest- usb charges phone and I get iPod function w/ nav screen.
Al trim -like you said easy to scratch on both cars, Gearshift - I don't get where u say screams cheap? - short throw - doesn't bother me (this and some other issues may lessen imo w/ more familiarity w/ the car you would gain driving it over time) I dont really rest my hand on it as its an auto. (I do rest my wrist on it - to work the center stack dial just above) I wonder what the optional shifter gets you for what $100 or $s.
Buttons I hate to say the same: (this and some other issues may lessen imo w/ more familiarity w/ the car you would gain driving it over time) - again just my opinion. Cant say I have exper w/ the RL stack. Sync button - I agree - I don't want a light on to tell me the driver / pass side setting are the same - 3Gs set up better here - In my case the driver/ pass set up is the same 99% of the time - so I would rather have the light indicate when it is set otherwise.
Dash I agree - already have the 303 on it and seems as if might hold up to less rattles than the 3 - just hope they figured out the fade issue (my 3G was never parked outside during the day w/o a sunshield)
Rear Seats - I feel win over the 3's - I have 3 kids - 15, 12, 5. 5yo has a booster seat that takes up some space. one downside I see is the I believe more raised hump in the center. but overall I believe the 4 gives them more room and they seem to agree. Rear head rests - I like the fact they raise and lower - not like the 3's that always blocked rear vision.
I liked the blue LEDs in the headliner better than the white in the 4. and yes the wider moon roof is nice. not sure if more or less noise.
Ergonomically once you spend some time w/ it - I dont believe the center stack is better or worse than the 3's. didn't the moving armrest sometimes get in the way of large drinks on the 3? - so cup holder/armrest - I rate a tie for 4 vs 3.
Little Tray - perfect imo - I plug my iPhone in - drop in the little tray - its held in place, not dumped in the larger storage bin just below (which is usually full of junk) or sliding off the arm rest- usb charges phone and I get iPod function w/ nav screen.
Al trim -like you said easy to scratch on both cars, Gearshift - I don't get where u say screams cheap? - short throw - doesn't bother me (this and some other issues may lessen imo w/ more familiarity w/ the car you would gain driving it over time) I dont really rest my hand on it as its an auto. (I do rest my wrist on it - to work the center stack dial just above) I wonder what the optional shifter gets you for what $100 or $s.
Buttons I hate to say the same: (this and some other issues may lessen imo w/ more familiarity w/ the car you would gain driving it over time) - again just my opinion. Cant say I have exper w/ the RL stack. Sync button - I agree - I don't want a light on to tell me the driver / pass side setting are the same - 3Gs set up better here - In my case the driver/ pass set up is the same 99% of the time - so I would rather have the light indicate when it is set otherwise.
Dash I agree - already have the 303 on it and seems as if might hold up to less rattles than the 3 - just hope they figured out the fade issue (my 3G was never parked outside during the day w/o a sunshield)
Rear Seats - I feel win over the 3's - I have 3 kids - 15, 12, 5. 5yo has a booster seat that takes up some space. one downside I see is the I believe more raised hump in the center. but overall I believe the 4 gives them more room and they seem to agree. Rear head rests - I like the fact they raise and lower - not like the 3's that always blocked rear vision.
I liked the blue LEDs in the headliner better than the white in the 4. and yes the wider moon roof is nice. not sure if more or less noise.
12-28-2008, 12:21 AM
#14
Navi Honda / Acura does great here. I would like to see a motion doppler w/ the weather radar - not just the static image (non moving) you get - the motion would at least give you an indication of the direction of a storm's movement. (the radar is great as it is - but now I want more lol) Agree screen is GREAT. I thought I would miss the touch screen of the 3 but almost shocked that I dont now that I have used the 4's system w/o touch.
Nav start up - Soooooooo much faster yes. Nav is more complete for my area - maybe the 08 3G is just as good - as either is only as current as its data base right? wish we could update the data base more often and for less $
Faster: same for the rear view camera. Almost instant. I had an 05 MDX - the rear view camera was so slow I could be almost completely backed out of my driveway and in the street by the time it activated.
Audio - why would you need a 6 CD changer w/ the Hard Drive now? insert cd - copies to drive in a short time - insert next cd - repeat - Only neg of the Hard Drive we have mentioned in another thread - is not all song titles come across for cd created from say an iTunes 'mixed' playlist (commercial cds are fine) see that thread for more info. The USB is great - that and an iPod - really makes me wonder why I pay for XM - (except for weather/traffic)
Really I think the USB and an iPod make the CD and the Hard Drive modes of the audio kind of nice - but why bother? ---sometime the cd will go the way of the cassette tape.---
Just "connect iPod - listen to music" - why shuffle cds or work to move music to the Hard Drive?? really all you need the USB w/ iPod device
What I might like more is the ability to mirror my iPod on the Hard Drive.
-
For my unprofessional ears - hard to rate the either the 3 or the 4 system better so far as the sound? I think maybe the 4's is better - but I'm no expert or maybe at least for now the 4 has less rattles than the 3 did?
Nav start up - Soooooooo much faster yes. Nav is more complete for my area - maybe the 08 3G is just as good - as either is only as current as its data base right? wish we could update the data base more often and for less $
Faster: same for the rear view camera. Almost instant. I had an 05 MDX - the rear view camera was so slow I could be almost completely backed out of my driveway and in the street by the time it activated.
Audio - why would you need a 6 CD changer w/ the Hard Drive now? insert cd - copies to drive in a short time - insert next cd - repeat - Only neg of the Hard Drive we have mentioned in another thread - is not all song titles come across for cd created from say an iTunes 'mixed' playlist (commercial cds are fine) see that thread for more info. The USB is great - that and an iPod - really makes me wonder why I pay for XM - (except for weather/traffic)
Really I think the USB and an iPod make the CD and the Hard Drive modes of the audio kind of nice - but why bother? ---sometime the cd will go the way of the cassette tape.---
Just "connect iPod - listen to music" - why shuffle cds or work to move music to the Hard Drive?? really all you need the USB w/ iPod device
What I might like more is the ability to mirror my iPod on the Hard Drive.
-
For my unprofessional ears - hard to rate the either the 3 or the 4 system better so far as the sound? I think maybe the 4's is better - but I'm no expert or maybe at least for now the 4 has less rattles than the 3 did?
12-28-2008, 12:23 AM
#15
another thought for the weather Radar - would like to be able to zoom in more - I can get more detailed info for doppler on my iPhone - (never happy right?)
12-28-2008, 01:06 AM
#16
from csmeanse: "The FOB:
Whoever designed the keyless entry system should be promoted and given a guaranteed job for 10 years." for me the whole keyless entry / start system is great. imo the look of the fob is not that great - but if I never have to take it out of my pocket who cares? and never having to take it out - thats what counts
The Drive - that is what I think sold me on the car. 3G was in for service drove the 4G fwd tech - with in 2 weeks - bought the SH AWD w/ the HPT
csmeance the DBW system is what? the electronic throttle? your right it has a much quicker response - doesn't mean the car is faster - just less accel pedal travel gives more motor response. Power yes is smooth , shifts much smoother - much more refined power delivery - although not sure if any faster (or maybe my 04 TL 5AT just felt a little faster as its doing the same but the 4G seems to do it w/o so much drama?)
"The transmission shifted buttery smooth, even when revving it to 6K the next gear had a nice engagement. It never lagged and was always spot on with the gear I needed or wanted to be in." I agree again - I dont really see/feel that dramatic down shift surge so much as w/ my 3. I mean it downshifts when you are really on it - w/o out the again the 'drama' of the 3 (not sure how to describe)
Handling: only drove the 4G fwd for 2 days - but even so was surprised that the larger 4 handled as well as it did even w/ the taller sidewalls than my 3.
SH-AWD w/ HPT Handling: best I can describe it has the room a bmw 5 series.-- stay w/ me - when I drove a bmw 3 series - loved the handling, but w/ 3 kids needed more room, drove a 5 series w/ the active steering option and didn't like it as much as the 3 series. My SH-AWD HPT I feel falls somewhere between the two so far as handling imo.
like csmeance said even the fwd 4G has some sport w/ a softer ride than the 3G. I think the 4G for me just handles w/ more composure than my 3G (remember 04 3G 5AT - not aspec or S)
I was concerned I would not like the elect steering as some reviews seemed to put it down for less feel. w/ the fwd 4G maybe somewhat less feel but still good. W/ the SH car - the elect steering feel is great (firmer/more effort than the fwd 4)
Not really sure how the outer rear wheel turning faster w/ the SH AWD system effects the handling - but from my seat of the pants review - it just goes around quick turns smoothly w/ great composure - no drama - it just gets the job done
and for csmeance's overall impression of the car - he pretty much sums it up there.
For me - I not posting this to put down the 3G - It was for me a great car and always will be.
While the 4G like csmeanse said: "If you can get over the looks,.. its a great car for the money.... I urge you to look at it and see what it has to offer, a lot. Its a great blend of Luxury and sport for the money. It has its few downfalls, but they are easily forgotten when you stomp on the gas.
With the 3G the looks got me to check out the car. The 4G - the Drive got me to buy the car - and later I learned to appreciate the looks - - (sounds like something from eHarmony)
again csmeance thanks for the great post esp from 3 or 4 hours w/ the car
Whoever designed the keyless entry system should be promoted and given a guaranteed job for 10 years." for me the whole keyless entry / start system is great. imo the look of the fob is not that great - but if I never have to take it out of my pocket who cares? and never having to take it out - thats what counts
The Drive - that is what I think sold me on the car. 3G was in for service drove the 4G fwd tech - with in 2 weeks - bought the SH AWD w/ the HPT
csmeance the DBW system is what? the electronic throttle? your right it has a much quicker response - doesn't mean the car is faster - just less accel pedal travel gives more motor response. Power yes is smooth , shifts much smoother - much more refined power delivery - although not sure if any faster (or maybe my 04 TL 5AT just felt a little faster as its doing the same but the 4G seems to do it w/o so much drama?)
"The transmission shifted buttery smooth, even when revving it to 6K the next gear had a nice engagement. It never lagged and was always spot on with the gear I needed or wanted to be in." I agree again - I dont really see/feel that dramatic down shift surge so much as w/ my 3. I mean it downshifts when you are really on it - w/o out the again the 'drama' of the 3 (not sure how to describe)
Handling: only drove the 4G fwd for 2 days - but even so was surprised that the larger 4 handled as well as it did even w/ the taller sidewalls than my 3.
SH-AWD w/ HPT Handling: best I can describe it has the room a bmw 5 series.-- stay w/ me - when I drove a bmw 3 series - loved the handling, but w/ 3 kids needed more room, drove a 5 series w/ the active steering option and didn't like it as much as the 3 series. My SH-AWD HPT I feel falls somewhere between the two so far as handling imo.
like csmeance said even the fwd 4G has some sport w/ a softer ride than the 3G. I think the 4G for me just handles w/ more composure than my 3G (remember 04 3G 5AT - not aspec or S)
I was concerned I would not like the elect steering as some reviews seemed to put it down for less feel. w/ the fwd 4G maybe somewhat less feel but still good. W/ the SH car - the elect steering feel is great (firmer/more effort than the fwd 4)
Not really sure how the outer rear wheel turning faster w/ the SH AWD system effects the handling - but from my seat of the pants review - it just goes around quick turns smoothly w/ great composure - no drama - it just gets the job done
and for csmeance's overall impression of the car - he pretty much sums it up there.
For me - I not posting this to put down the 3G - It was for me a great car and always will be.
While the 4G like csmeanse said: "If you can get over the looks,.. its a great car for the money.... I urge you to look at it and see what it has to offer, a lot. Its a great blend of Luxury and sport for the money. It has its few downfalls, but they are easily forgotten when you stomp on the gas.
With the 3G the looks got me to check out the car. The 4G - the Drive got me to buy the car - and later I learned to appreciate the looks - - (sounds like something from eHarmony)
again csmeance thanks for the great post esp from 3 or 4 hours w/ the car
12-28-2008, 01:47 AM
#17
Regarding CMBS. I have been saying the shield grill was to hide the CMBS sensor and this is the functional reason for the styling.
12-28-2008, 05:41 AM
#18
CRXB, "sounds like something from eHarmony"...LOL Good one!
By the way, how do you get your iPhone in the little armrest slide out tray without the USB cable getting in the way? It would be cool if the slide out section had a hole so the USB connection can go down to the utility area unobstructed. As of right now, I can get it in there, but it's not facing the right way so I can't view it?
Oh, to comment on the audio. I can only compare from my 2005 TL to the new Elliot Schiener system. Once again, this is a great stereo for the average ear, but not for an audio guy like me. There still is no mid-range EQ adjustments which just ruins the experience for me as the system is too harsh at 1.5 to 3Khz, along with another mediocre subwoofer. Playing anything below 120Hz is not a good sound reproduction and gets very muddy.
By the way, how do you get your iPhone in the little armrest slide out tray without the USB cable getting in the way? It would be cool if the slide out section had a hole so the USB connection can go down to the utility area unobstructed. As of right now, I can get it in there, but it's not facing the right way so I can't view it?
Oh, to comment on the audio. I can only compare from my 2005 TL to the new Elliot Schiener system. Once again, this is a great stereo for the average ear, but not for an audio guy like me. There still is no mid-range EQ adjustments which just ruins the experience for me as the system is too harsh at 1.5 to 3Khz, along with another mediocre subwoofer. Playing anything below 120Hz is not a good sound reproduction and gets very muddy.
12-28-2008, 09:04 AM
#19
CRXB, "sounds like something from eHarmony"...LOL Good one!
By the way, how do you get your iPhone in the little armrest slide out tray without the USB cable getting in the way? It would be cool if the slide out section had a hole so the USB connection can go down to the utility area unobstructed. As of right now, I can get it in there, but it's not facing the right way so I can't view it?
By the way, how do you get your iPhone in the little armrest slide out tray without the USB cable getting in the way? It would be cool if the slide out section had a hole so the USB connection can go down to the utility area unobstructed. As of right now, I can get it in there, but it's not facing the right way so I can't view it?
12-28-2008, 11:40 AM
#20
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
just a quick question for the 4G TL owners, does your TL make a buzzing noise when you push the start/stop button when turning on and off the car? I find this quite odd on the one I have...
12-28-2008, 01:03 PM
#22
Yea, It's Me!
I haven't noticed any odd sounds with the car except for an occasional low "pop" sound when I put it in "Drive".
12-28-2008, 01:09 PM
#23
Yea, It's Me!
My worst fuel economy was 19.75 mpg (300.5 miles with 15.214 gallons on fill up). Mixture of city and highway.
My best fuel economy was 26.32 mpg (441.0 miles with 16.758 gallons on fill up). Road trip from Northern VA to NC. I etimated I ran between 70-80 mph most of the trip.
12-28-2008, 01:52 PM
#24
I record everything for my cars:
My worst fuel economy was 19.75 mpg (300.5 miles with 15.214 gallons on fill up). Mixture of city and highway.
My best fuel economy was 26.32 mpg (441.0 miles with 16.758 gallons on fill up). Road trip from Northern VA to NC. I etimated I ran between 70-80 mph most of the trip.
My worst fuel economy was 19.75 mpg (300.5 miles with 15.214 gallons on fill up). Mixture of city and highway.
My best fuel economy was 26.32 mpg (441.0 miles with 16.758 gallons on fill up). Road trip from Northern VA to NC. I etimated I ran between 70-80 mph most of the trip.
12-28-2008, 03:41 PM
#25
No noise for me other than the steering column rubbing against something? What is that engaging sound when we go from reverse to drive? It's rather loud? I'm getting 21.4 mpg with lots of city driving. I love the MID mpg display, it keeps me from punching it, well almost!
12-28-2008, 03:58 PM
#26
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Great review Hmm...interesting point about the ACC, CMBS, etc. I'm assuming this will come into play for the 2011 model as the RL still has one more year after this.
Hmm...interesting point about the ACC, CMBS, etc. I'm assuming this will come into play for the 2011 model as the RL still has one more year after this.
You mean 3700 lbs....
12-28-2008, 05:02 PM
#29
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I wouldn't say false assumptions or incorrect information...It's solely on his point of view. He isn't stating any facts on behalf of Acura, they are his own opinion.
12-28-2008, 07:08 PM
#31
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
12-28-2008, 07:11 PM
#32
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
I have stated what I though is truthful and what I know about the car. If there is any misinformation feel free to bring it to the light. I'd be more than happy to retract my statements if they are wrong. Like I said earlier, this is my impression of the new 4G TL after having owning a 3G TL for nearly 5 years and an 07 MDX for nearly a year. I have stated things that I found to be great and disappointments. I do agree there is personal bias in this because I pointed out things I look for. If others want me to post things about the new TL such has the turning radius, motor noise, etc, just ask and I'd be more than glad to post it.
12-28-2008, 07:12 PM
#33
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
12-28-2008, 07:52 PM
#34
Burning Brakes
12-28-2008, 10:55 PM
#35
damn csmeance...great review - very insightful.
for those of you 4G'ers that don't know csmeance..go to the 3G forums and check out his posts, he is very knowledgeable and is well respected in those neck of the woods for good reason.
for those of you 4G'ers that don't know csmeance..go to the 3G forums and check out his posts, he is very knowledgeable and is well respected in those neck of the woods for good reason.
01-03-2009, 12:28 PM
#36
Intermediate
Sound System midrange adjustment
personally I love the ELS. . . .the main limitation is Ipod sound quality itself, not the sound system. . .
01-03-2009, 01:30 PM
#37
[QUOTE
personally I love the ELS. . . .the main limitation is Ipod sound quality itself, not the sound system. . .[/QUOTE] The DVD- audio sounds great to me - just try and find any DVD-As
personally I love the ELS. . . .the main limitation is Ipod sound quality itself, not the sound system. . .[/QUOTE] The DVD- audio sounds great to me - just try and find any DVD-As
01-03-2009, 02:33 PM
#38
Three Wheelin'
I don't find any fault with the ELS either. I'm not one of those that like to play music to wake up the neighbors. To me the ELS excels with jazz, classical, and soft-pop music.....at the same time, it doesn't have the oomph to play rock music to its full potential.....but then, very few factory systems do. I've used to own Lexus and BMW's that had Mark Levinson and Harmon Kardon sound systems, and to me, the ELS ranks right up there.
01-03-2009, 08:40 PM
#39
Music playback is subjective to most, but consider this, sitting in on a mix session and getting all your levels perfect in a $250 per hour mix studio, then mastering your music at the world famous Bernie Grundman mastering lab, then take your CD in the car and listen to it. I do believe you'll say "what the hell is this crap...?" I think Elliot Schiener put in his two cents on a fine sound system for the masses, it just falls short for the 5% "tweakies" out there like me. There is no mid-range adjustments in the TL sound system. The center channel does have a mid frequencies as most dialogue in 5.1 mixes will come from this key speaker, but you can't adjust the systems as a whole. This also sucked in my 05 TL. A simple attenuation of frequencies can make or break a sound system, why would you not give a TL owner the option?
Music playback to me is not about waking up the neighbors, it's about reproducing the artist's musical concept that they captured for you to hear. This holds true for any sound reproduction whether it movies or music. It's probably the most distorted commercial product we have out there today. Not everyone can afford a great playback system of course, including me, but it's funny when I point out what they're missing and consumers finally make the connection, then snap, now they have to watch their favorite movie in this fashion. This why I love my job, opening the eyes to the unknown consumer, and their not at fault, they just didn't know.
Bottom line on the TL ELS sound system, if your happy I'm happy, just don't pee on me and tell me it's rain, as I know the differnce.
Music playback to me is not about waking up the neighbors, it's about reproducing the artist's musical concept that they captured for you to hear. This holds true for any sound reproduction whether it movies or music. It's probably the most distorted commercial product we have out there today. Not everyone can afford a great playback system of course, including me, but it's funny when I point out what they're missing and consumers finally make the connection, then snap, now they have to watch their favorite movie in this fashion. This why I love my job, opening the eyes to the unknown consumer, and their not at fault, they just didn't know.
Bottom line on the TL ELS sound system, if your happy I'm happy, just don't pee on me and tell me it's rain, as I know the differnce.
01-03-2009, 10:43 PM
#40
Music playback is subjective to most, but consider this, sitting in on a mix session and getting all your levels perfect in a $250 per hour mix studio, then mastering your music at the world famous Bernie Grundman mastering lab, then take your CD in the car and listen to it. I do believe you'll say "what the hell is this crap...?" I think Elliot Schiener put in his two cents on a fine sound system for the masses, it just falls short for the 5% "tweakies" out there like me. There is no mid-range adjustments in the TL sound system. The center channel does have a mid frequencies as most dialogue in 5.1 mixes will come from this key speaker, but you can't adjust the systems as a whole. This also sucked in my 05 TL. A simple attenuation of frequencies can make or break a sound system, why would you not give a TL owner the option?
Music playback to me is not about waking up the neighbors, it's about reproducing the artist's musical concept that they captured for you to hear. This holds true for any sound reproduction whether it movies or music. It's probably the most distorted commercial product we have out there today. Not everyone can afford a great playback system of course, including me, but it's funny when I point out what they're missing and consumers finally make the connection, then snap, now they have to watch their favorite movie in this fashion. This why I love my job, opening the eyes to the unknown consumer, and their not at fault, they just didn't know.
Bottom line on the TL ELS sound system, if your happy I'm happy, just don't pee on me and tell me it's rain, as I know the differnce.
Music playback to me is not about waking up the neighbors, it's about reproducing the artist's musical concept that they captured for you to hear. This holds true for any sound reproduction whether it movies or music. It's probably the most distorted commercial product we have out there today. Not everyone can afford a great playback system of course, including me, but it's funny when I point out what they're missing and consumers finally make the connection, then snap, now they have to watch their favorite movie in this fashion. This why I love my job, opening the eyes to the unknown consumer, and their not at fault, they just didn't know.
Bottom line on the TL ELS sound system, if your happy I'm happy, just don't pee on me and tell me it's rain, as I know the differnce.
I like the sound of the DVD audio - just cant buy any