Didn't want to miss it, so I pulled the trigger on the SH-AWD
 

So I went to the Framingham,MA dealer who had the only 'demo only not for sale' SH-AWD around this morning and took it for a test run. It had the reg 18" rims which do look really beefy and hot! It was Grigio/Umber, which looks very nice I may add, classy. I have to say it's a totally different car than the reg TL, a little firmer but just a little more attitude and better control of course.

Anyhow, then I call my dealer so I can see if they have any Mayan Bronze reg TL's to just see the color on the car. I've had the Mayan/Umber as my choice but needed to see it in the sun to be sure. Wouldn't you know they had just pulled the one and only to arrive Mayan/Umber SH-AWD w/ HPT, off the truck. So I was there in a flash! This car takes your breath away.(pic links below) After I drove it, people saw it from the street and were coming in to see it and wanted to drive it etc.. One may have even wanted to buy it right then... So I didn't want it skoffed up so I made the deal. :thumbsup: I'm curious to hear everyone's opinion of the color.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/65402...15911964_EN4Df

Wavehogger...very interesting story. And very unique color. From the pictures, it looks like a kind of brownish, root beer type of color to me. Very nice!!! Congratulations.

wavehogger- congrats!! Make sure you post here: https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-2009-2014-123/4g-tl-owners-sign-689080/

HOTNESS!!!!! The Mayan Bronze color is HOT, HOT, HOT!!! I love it with the umber leather interior. It is STUNNING! You surely will get lots of attention (GOOD attention!) with this combo!

congrats!!! how does the HPT model compare with the regular SH-AWD model?

more pictures of the interior please!

Opinions please?
 

Actually, I was shocked that it wasn't really much of a difference in both road noise and smoothness. And I did go right from the 18's to the 19's within 30 minutes. And drove them both for about 20 miles of mixed highway and back roads that were really rough. And you know even the worst of new england wheel eating ruts didn't slam or feel like it was hurting the car. Yes it was a little stiffer but not even to deter me. But the grip on the PS2's around an on ramp I took hard pushing the AWD was AMAZING! Day and night to the regular 18's.

The only question I have now is what I should do for the winter. Maybe I can get some opinions. Has anyone used the PS2's in below freezing temps? I've read mixed reviews where a few said they were fine in the cold but ice/snow was not good at all. We have an SUV so 90% of the time I won't be driving in it but you never know when you may get caught in a little snow. Thanks

Congrats, Wavehogger! I know you will agree with me that the SH-AWD TL is one Awesome ride! Unique color you picked out.......but not my "cup of tea." Anyways, enjoy your ride and welcome to the ever-growing 4G family!:thumbsup:

Did you get rid of the 18's? Hope you didn't because you can easily put winter tires on those (finding 19" winter tires are not easy and expensive to boot). I have my 19's in storage for the winter and right now, I'm using my 18" wheels and all-season Michelins. Those PS2's are for summer only--they're worthless (and dangerous) in sleat and snow.....besides, the treadlife on
PS2's are pretty low....so you wouldn't want to waste them during the winter.

It came with the HPT's so I'd have to buy a winter set of wheels/tires. It's funny if you scour the net you'll find some people with AWD in some Audi's and G35's that have driven through winters with the PS2's in the cold and a tiny bit of snow. I can avoid the snow, it's just how much traction do they have below freezing? I really don't want to spend 2k+ for really only driving them in cold temps. I may just wait to see how they feel as it slowly gets colder and make a decision if it becomes very obvious. Or i'll find some TL 17" take offs and go with those if I have to get something.

And thanks everyone! And Pete, I know what you mean, this combo is sexy but probably a little too much for many. I can't wait to put some break in time on her.

Your call but I wouldn't want to gamble on a brand new $44K car. That being said, though, I think if the road is bone-dry, freezing temps. alone shouldn't cause too much trouble. You have to remember, though, these hi-perf. summer tires are made of soft rubber compounds and unlike dedicated winter tires or all-seasons, they will stiffen up as the temp. gets very low and their grip on the road will decrease. I saw some good deals on Ebay on stock 17" wheels/tires.

I love that ext/int color combo...I haven't seen the Mayan Bronze in person yet, but from what I've seen, I really like this color. Nice choice :thumbsup:

Regarding winter tires, have you though about getting a used set of RL 18"s and put winter tires on them? RL wheels are also 5 x 120mm and I assume you'd have brake clearance + TPMS compatibility...food for thought...

I'd suggest getting proper winter tires (or wheel/tire combo). If I had a 09 TL SH-AWD, I'd hate to see road salt damaging my rims! Besides, summer tires aren't very effective when it's cold. May be you can get away with it since you have the mighty SH-AWD system though..lol.

Pete, didn't you have a FWD TL with the same color as that one, and didn't u say u were looking for that color but they didn't have it so u had to go with black (2nd choice)?

lol, not trying to confront you or anything, just wondering why the change of mind.

treadwear woudn't matter in winter because if you're driving in snow, there's no traction for the tread to actually wear, so treadlife woudn't be an issue. however they would be pretty bad in snow i agree...then again what isn't, the differences are small because no matter what you have very little grip in these kind of conditions.:2cents:

Congrats :cheers: Since you are in MA, may we should hook up and I can clear/modify the first set of 4G headlights :wish:

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8...4en4dflvn5.jpg

Wave, Which MA dealership do you go to. I've bought 2 cars (04TL and 07 MDX) from the Framingham dealership and was hoping they would cut a good deal. Are they willing to take anything off MSRP?

Hmm. need to go check Prime\Clair Acura in Walpole to check for SH-AWD in Black\Black ;)

I usually deal with Sunny Side acura in Nashua, NH, look into doing business with them as well, great people to deal with and the service department is top notch :).

Yeah Pete, I saw them too. I have to check with my dealer to make sure that there is enough clearance with those 17's on the SH-AWD. Aren't the brakes a little bigger on the SH-AWD?

And iforyou, the more I think about it I don't want any salt on them either. Plus who knows who slippery these things will be at 0 degress. :yikes:

JnC, I've seen your work, nice! But I'm not sure yet on what mods i'll be doing. I'll let you know. Thanks

Couch257, It was Ron Bouchards Acura in Auburn,Ma, and they are really good people there. This is my 3rd new Acura from them and unfortunately when you're buying the model/color combo that is in demand you don't get too much off MSRP. I got all my accessories, but no money off. And the Framingham dealer also told me the same thing, that they will be selling for sticker. He even said some dealers in big cities want to make em over sticker! :annoyed: I'm curious to see over time what's happening.

My FWD TL was Basque Red Pearl.....Wavehogger has Mayan Bronze.

I don't think you've driven in winter too much, have you? If you think there is very little difference in traction between snow tires and summer tires, you need to spend some time in the snow belt part of the country and you'll change your mind very quickly.

Exactly, and in central Mass it can and will snow out of the blue and add up quick so I'm not going to take any chances. I'll be in sleeper mode during the winter with my stock 17" wheels. :rockstar:

Yeah maybe once every two years or so. ;) The problem with driving in what little snow falls in MA is the morons drivng in it.

Now, Vermont is a different story!

Well I just grabbed some 17" TL take offs from e-bay so i'll be good. Now if I can just manage to avoid the idiots who think having a truck and/or AWD means they can stop better than the rest of the world. :whyme:

i used to live in huntley (algonquin/lake in the hills area), and i also have lived in des plaines before that, and i've had a pretty good experience with snow and snow driving. i know there is a difference between all season and snow tires, and that the difference between high perf summer tires and snow is even bigger, but my point is that no matter what kind of tires you have on mushy snow/ice, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference since you have no traction anyways.

anyway, the snow tires do help out a little more, but i guess that could be enough in some cases to make the difference between going or being stuck.
he driver can handle it it's fine...however i do agree he should get winter tires because as i've noticed the original tires on my HPT TL (Bridgestone Potenza RE030) lost a tramendous amount of traction when it got cold, because the soft compound got hard, so yes high perf summer tires are pretty useless for winter driving but can still manage, as you've heard from other drivers.

i have all season goodyear F1s right now and when i go to the mountain in the winter they are decent enough on snow, the ps2s would be worse i know. the biggest difference is spiked winter tires, but since you can't really drive that on a dry road it's useless for city driving.

OMG!!! That interior looks SOOOO nice. The new TL keeps growing on me. Congrats on the new car

Love that interior!

wow, very very interesting color......:throwup:

lol some drivers fail to realize all (or 99% at least) cars on the road have 4-wheel brakes..lol..

Love that umber!
 

Wavehogger, congrats on the purchase! :thumbsup: I must say that the umber color looks really good in your pictures. I can't wait until my local dealer gets one in. I really want to see what it looks like in person. Even though I threw my money at the FWD, I really like the contrasting stitching on the AWD. Looks good in pics.

lol, but they can.









...in their own minds atleast

good colour choice, i am in love with the interior! top knotch material all around. i have to say this, ACURA should be hailed as one of the best manufacturers because they make the finest premium cars at a very reasonable price. looking at bimmers, mercs and their pricings, I came to this decision....with the 4G TL, acura has actually stepped up in the luxury zone...

I just did the same!

:thumbsup:

Really sharp. Not sure how I feel about the ext color, but definitely love the interior.

Happy Driving in your new 4G TL!

Thanks, and same to you and your CTS! I actually like that car a lot. Really bold design, like the TL. We should line up, it would be a good run. :toocool:

yeah yeah bring on the comments from those who saw me make the joke about the 'light to light idiots'.. lol (I am often included in that category)

Forgot to mention I picked her up a few hours ago, and added a couple pics. It was raining and dark so they aren't great but i'll put some nice ones when it clears up later.

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/65402...15911964_EN4Df

BTW, Wave, I looked at the Canadian Acura site and realized that up in Canada, Mayan Bronze can only come with ebony interior! Not the beautiful umber interior!!! I wonder why Acura would do something like that? I would totally go nuts if I were up in Canada drooling over your Mayan Bronze + umber combo!!!

Wow, of course you made me look, and that's a shame.. Do you think it's a financial reason, or do Canadians secretly dislike Umber?? What I did notice last week on that site was you can get an Acura remote engine start accessory. But my salesman said they are so bad and have like a 50' range. lol I tried to get a Viper remote start put in and the remote access module isn't out yet so I have to wait..