johngvo

Hi All,

Keyes Acura has done a really nice job with some of their TLs. The one that I am particularly interested in is the showroom model. They painted the front and back and put 20" wheels with Yokohama tires. I test drove it and it is fantastic. It is not stiff or rough at all like I thought would happen with 20"s.

I asked them what brand of wheels they put on because they have Acura emblems on them but I couldn't find them on the Acura site. They said the wheels are custom-made for them and are Acura approved. They said they can't do anything to the car without approval from Acura. I don't know if this is true. Maybe they just slapped the emblem on the wheels.

In any case, I am trying to figure out where to buy these wheels just in case I want to buy from a different dealer. Also, I've read on this site that 20" would void the factory warranty and won't work with TPMS. Is this true? Keyes is saying that everything is approved by Acura so standard warranty applies and the TPMS does work (I didn't check this when I test drove it).

Can anyone tell who makes these rims?

smsTL

iTrader: (1)

I am don't know if I like the rims but the TL looks great...

Silver_Surfer

Whoa! Hiding some chrome does wonders to the car. Nice.

Ac Man

I agree, the rims ain't all that, but the car looks really good. I wish the top portion of the grill that extends onto the hood could be painted too, but I understand that the top is smooth and doesn't have a sharp edge, so it wouldn't look right. I don't like back the back being painted, for some reason it just don't look right. I'm not saying it's a bad look, but personally, I would've left it alone. On a side note, does anyone think Acura should shrink the size of the red reflectors? MMC maybe?

nickceci51

I totally agree the back needs to have that chrome on it, however all the black tl's that i have seen have looked sexy, even the sompletely stock ones. this one and all the other grill modifications i have seen on here all look pretty good, just cant tell which one i like the best yet!?!

Ac Man

I think the grill with the middle section being painted looks the best, at least the black one does, which is the color I will be buying in a couple of years.

SMILEY

I think the wheels are the TSW Vortex. I think they would have looked better in silver.

johngvo

Smiley,

Those look really close if not exact! I need to find out if these will void the warranty and if they are TPMS compatible. I wasn't in love with the rims at first but they are growing on me. What I really love is how the car drives with the rims and tires - it is totally different from the stock car. It is not rougher or stiffer - it just handles better. Taking the car around street corners at relatively high speeds did produce any tire squeal and the car was rock solid. I just don't know if I trust everything the guys at Keyes are telling me regarding the wheels being Acura approved and all that jazz.

I usually don't modify my cars in any way whatsoever and my last two TLs have had stock wheels and tires. I am really ignorant when it comes to aftermarket parts but I do know that i really like the way these wheels and tires change the way the car drives!

Type34

me likey painted front and back...and yes, from the initial pics, I was thinking TSW Vortex, I almost got them for our MDX...

Very nice TL...

SMILEY

Yup, I'm sure they are the TSW Vortex and they are telling you they were custom made only because they put Acura emblems in them lol.

Ac Man

I can't see how putting on bigger wheels is going to void the warranty. Warranty's are voided when you do something delibrate to alter the way the car performs/operates from factory. Installing a super charger would probably void your warranty, not getting bigger wheels. That dealership is full of shit, but who cares what we think, go to the source for confirmation, give the Acura service center a call. I will be putting 20"s on my TL when I buy one, so I guess this would be useful information.

johngvo

Well heck, if that is the case, then I don't have to buy from Keyes. Do you think that if told my dealer which rims and tires to put on, they would know which exact model of Vortex to get? I looked on some sites and there are like 5+ models with different width, offset and bolt specs. I have no idea which one is which!

On another note, i am not married to these particular rims - i just want to match the ride with the car from Keyes. They had Yokohama Avid W4S 245/35R20 95W tires on them. Do you think any 20" rims with these tires would feel the same?

Again, sorry for all the questions. Like I mentioned previously, this will be the first car that I get that is not stock from the dealers (aside from the occasional deck lid spoiler or two.)

PetesTL

Those 20's are not OEM wheels or official accessory wheels made for the TL (at least not the '09's). I have a brochure with all the genuine 4G TL accessories, and those wheels are not in it. To me, they look definately aftermarket with Acura centercaps. In any case, you guys in the West Coast are lucky to be able to drive on smooth roads and stick any big 'ol wheels you like into your cars. For me, driving on pot-hole ridden Chicago streets, gives me constant headaches with my new 19's.

Ac Man

I'd like to think that the size of the tires would determine the ride quality more than the actual rims would. I think 245/35R20 with any 20" rims would be fine, but i'm no expert, i'm only speculating.

johngvo

quote=PetesTL;10099339]In any case, you guys in the West Coast are lucky to be able to drive on smooth roads and stick any big 'ol wheels you like into your cars. For me, driving on pot-hole ridden Chicago streets, gives me constant headaches with my new 19's.[/quote]

hah Pete! I moved away from West LA and am now in the valley so the roads are definitely better. Thank you everyone for your help! One last question, how do i find out if the rims are TPMS compatible?

Ac Man

hah Pete! I moved away from West LA and am now in the valley so the roads are definitely better. Thank you everyone for your help! One last question, how do i find out if the rims are TPMS compatible?[/QUOTE]

From what I've seen, people with aftermarket wheels had to have the TPMS sensors attached to the rim. Different people have used different methods of attaching the sensors, such as banding the sensors to the rim. Aftermarket rims don't have the slot that factory rims have for the sensors, so folks have come up with different ways to attach the sensors to make up for the lack of the sensor slot. I have yet to hear of any rims that weren't compatible with the TPMS, it's all about attaching the sensors properly. I wish I could be more helpful, but I haven't done this myself. However, there are folks who have done this in the 3rd Gen TL forums. Do a search there and you'll find the info that you're looking for.

carlos9827

iTrader: (2)

wow that 09 TL looks good!

Type34

John, I would estimate those are 20" x 8.5" TSW Vortex with (as you stated) 245/35R20 tires (which is the proper spec for the '09 TL). As for TPMS, whatever shop you buy from, they'll be able to tell you whether these (or any other wheel) are compatible with the '09 TL TPMS. My guess is that the Vortex's are indeed compatible considering you already saw them mounted there at Keyes.

It's very common (almost all new cars have TPMS), so aftermarket shops are very familiar with the process. It's actually quite easy - as long as the wheel hole is the right size, they screw in the TPMS (just as you would a stem) with a washer, seal as appropriate, mount the tire, balance, and you're ready to go.

johngvo

Thanks, Typ34! I was going to have the dealer get me the wheels and tires, but after your post, I think I may just get the car stock from the dealer and add the wheels and tires afterwards. That way, when I get rid of the car, I can put the stocks back on and sell the 20s.

On another note, the dealer told me that he was advised by his friend from Honda Corporate that if I go with 20s, i'll probably need to replace the tires every 12k-15k miles. That can get pretty expensive on a three year lease so I may drop down to the Acura 19s since my dealer said he would give those to me for cost.

Do you guys think there would be a big difference in the ride between 20s and 19s? My dealer doesn't have any TLs with the 19s on them so I can't test drive it. They do have a TL with 18s on them but the 18s still look too small to me.

Decisions, decisions!

Type34

John, from someone who has purchased a new set of wheels for every single one of his cars since 16 (I'm now 34), I would say definitely go with aftermarket. The dealer charges 2 to 3x and fills you with doubt regarding aftermarket in the hopes you'll buy from them.

I usually go through BuyWheelsToday.com, Tirerack.com, or Element Motorsports...and Ronjon is coming out with a 19" wheel for the '09 TL (see his threads in this forum).

As far as tire wear on a 20" tire, it depends on the treadwear grade number and the profile of the tire...I've had 16" tires that wore out in 15K miles and I plan on the 19" Pirelli Scorpions on our MDX to last 30K+ miles. Using 100 as the base, a tire with a tread wear rating of 150, for example, can be expected to last about 1.5 times as long as the 100 tire. Obviously the higher the rating, the longer the treadwear.

Also keep in mind that your treadwear will vary depending on how you drive, whether you maintain proper inflation pressure and tire rotations. So just because it's a 20" tire doesn't mean it's going to wear prematurely (again, the dealer filling you with doubt).

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

Woo first post right here...
I stopped by Ed Martin Acura of Indianapolis this morning to test drive the new TL. In the showroom they had this...a black TL with some modifications done to it. Accessory wheels, different tires, window tint, extra TL badges, and most noticeably, a painted trunk and grill. The guy said they had 8 other TLs that are currently having their grill painted.
Excuse the poor iPhone 3G camera.

Ac Man

I think the all black grill looks okay, but I really don't think the rear chrome needs painting. There's a picture posted in a different thread with just the middle portion of the grill being painted, looks the best IMHO. That's the look that I've decided to go with when I trade up in a couple of years. Maybe by the time I'm ready to trade in Acura will address the grill and I won't have worry about painting it.

Type34

Welcome to the board uiop ... you're the first to provide pics of a grille that is completely painted not sure if I like it, too much black, too Knight Rider. And I'm pretending I don't see the "TL" lettering the dealer affixed to the door...please tell me that's a mirage :shakehead

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure if I like the entire shield painted. For me, either the inside part or the trim piece that goes flush to the hood. But not the whole thing. I like the rear chrome piece painted though.

JnC

iTrader: (12)

I'd much rather see the new MDX grill on or the grill that member type34 photochopped onto the 4G.

I have seen the car in person, the back does look nice, interior is graceful but not as roomy as I was expecting it to be, front was a shocker (no exaggeration).

VoLLy

iTrader: (8)

blackout those headlights, and this car is set.

1075

Mirage !?!?! That's probably a $500 part of the "special appearance package" (read A.D.P. or Additional Dealer Profit).

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

Believe you me, it was no mirage. As was the "Ed Martin.com" sticker they slammed on the back of it. Why must dealers do that to a $40+ car?

1075

I tell them that if they want their name on my car that they can give me a 20% discount on parts & labor as an advertising commission. So far every dealer has chosen to remove their logo..........

johngvo

Type34, so you buys your rims and tires from these places, where do you go to get them installed? I also live Encino up in the valley. Do you have any recommendations?

Code3forJC

Okay, now the "Ed Martin" version is starting to work for me. IF Acura was smart, they would offer the different grille versions free of charge, (kind of how they color matched my bumpers on my 3G) and allow for some personality and uniqueness to this vehicle.

It would be a great PR move, a hit with us enthusiasts, and give them some exclusivity in this market. I am not holding my breath for them to admit they made a mistake with this grille, but come on...they messed up the RDX, the RL, and now this??

They should just include it as part of the tech package, or offer a MMC "Type S" and just dechrome the exterior of the car...now THAT would sell!

For what its worth, anyone buying one of these "customized" cars should not pay extra for making the car appealing...that is the manufacturers job after all.

I'm holding out for the SH -AWD (pronounced Shaw- dee) myself, so I really want them to get this grille under control before I come out the pocket some $40k.

SGPL

Excellent concept! I am waiting for MT gearbox and a custom grill would be a great addition.

Somebody inform Acura/Honda about Code3forJC's idea - we can't be sure that they read this thread and most of us (I think) would welcome such innovation.

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

I whole heatedly agree with your idea. At the very least, make a body-matched grill an OEM accessory. It sad that the dealer has to "customize" all their TLs in order to sell them.

Type34

John, usually I buy them as a package, so the tires and wheels come mounted and balanced (with TPMS) from the shop, then I just mount them on my vehicle using my own jack and stands.

A few times I've purchased just the wheels and/or tires, when that happens, I go to Just Tires. They charge about $25 a wheel (around $30 for 19"+) for mounting the tires on the wheels, installing TPMS, balancing, and mounting on your vehicle. If you buy a package deal (with mount/balance) but want someone professionally to mount them on your vehicle, a place like Just Tires works as well (I believe to just put them on is like $5 a wheel).

There are other stores such as Big-O, America's Tire, and even Costco (although Costco now only mounts/balances if you bought the tires from them), so just go with a reputable place that's close to you. Just Tires is fairly close to me and rarely has many customers, so I usually use their services.

PetesTL

I think this whole painted-grill controversy must be a "West Coat" thing. None of the Acura dealers in and around Chicago I know of have TL's with painted or modified grilles......let alone with wheels other than stock 17's. We Mid-Westerners have simple tastes I guess.

StAcura

as far as i know, 20's will not void a warranty. You guys should know however, if you upgrade rims to a larger size the TPMS DOES have to be recalibrated, which can be done at your Acura dealer. We put 18's on a TL as well as 19's, and we used a special Honda computer system to recalibrate the sensors

StAcura

OH, and on topic, the new TL's pull 20's of wonderfully!

Ganplosive

I think this custom painting ordeal is already in the works, at the cost to dealers.