First of all, I'm stoked to have joined this community. I've been reading around for the past few days- there's a ton of great information and a huge base of loyal owners on here so cheers to that.

Here's my situation and I'd love any and all feedback to help guide me.

I've had my eye on a new TL for over a year now. Of course like everyone else I appreciate the facelift done in the 2012 models. I'm completely new to Acura haven owned a newer Chevy Avalanche for a while. The TL seems to be the perfect mix of sport and luxury- a car that I can both zoom around the freeways with and valet at a charity event.

I live in Arizona where of course it never snows and very seldomly even rains. I love everything I've read about the SH-AWD system but with the sacrifice in gas mileage I'm leaning towards the FWD model. I also love the 19" wheels (part# 71788) that have come standard on the '09+ SH-AWD Adv models. My gameplan is to purchase a 2013 FWD w/ Tech Pkg then buy the wheels/tires seperately and mount them. In the small amount of research I've done I found these "Like-New" OEM wheels for $350/each. So my questions for the group are:

- What are thoughts on a FWD model instead of SH-AWD in a place where I will very rarely utilize the capabilities of the AWD system? Is the suspension/steering tighter?

- How is $350/piece for these wheels? Especially considering they're used and of course that doesnt include rubber either. Does anyone have suggestions on where can find a better deal?

- What can I expect to negotiate down to for a '13 TL w/ Tech Pkg from a local dealership? I more than likely will pay cash for the car but could finance it to use financing kickback to lower the sales price. Any suggestions here are appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. I'm itching to get behind the wheel of one!

 

Theyre both different monsters, best suggestion is to test drive them both.

As for a personal opinion, living in a country where it snows (canada eh) i was leaning towards the SHAWD... After i test drove it (in the summer) compared to the FWD i was sold on the SHAWD.

The torque and the take off is immaculate, the cornering is amazing and for a big car its pretty nimble and quick... the AWD doesnt mean that you have to have snow.. just enjoying the car and having that power at your disposal is pretty incredible. It's saved my ass a couple of times in the snow, and its a blast to drive.

As for the Rims, you can probably negotiate it in with the car if youre buying from the dealer, otherwise hold off and have a look around you might fall in love with another set or see another TL with them.

Cheers! Btw get it in white LOL

 

Hi and welcome to Acurazine! There is a wealth of good info here on AZ.

The SHAWD TL is an awesome machine for sure. But not needed if you live in the southern states.

Have fun looking for a 13' TL, hope you can find the best deal out there!

 

SH AWD is not needed if there is no need to blast through the snow/rain
SH AWD is not needed if there is no need to cut through cornering

As far as the cornering is concerned, "no need" doesn't necessarily mean you don't want to

 

I see that the guys above have all given you good info,i personally choose the Sh Awd because of the better handling over the Fwd.I drove both cars back to back and to be quite honest i was not impressed with the Fwd,i found that the torque steer was very pronounced,it may have been because the one i drove had upgraded 19" Acura rims (not sure if that was the reason)

I don't use my car in the winter so snow was not a factor in my purchase. Best advice i can give you is to test both cars back to back like i did and then make your choice.

 

If it never snows and very seldomly even rains, then the FWD TL is more than sufficient.

 

^^ I'd have to disagree.

I like to look at the AWD in the TL not as a necessity for bad weather, but rather as the "Super Handling" model it is badged as. This is essentially our Type S for this generation. Not only do you get AWD but you have firmer engine mounts, stiffer/revised suspension tuning, upgraded sway bars and bushings, bigger brakes, sportier front seats, etc. It's all part of the package.

The choice is up to you whether that's appealing to you, or you are simply looking for what the FWD model offers (which is plenty for most people).

 

^^^ i don't know what your talking about lol. The seats are the same.

Listen if it doesn't snow by you and if your not going to take turns like a sports car then i think the FWD drive model is perfect for you.

I honestly think off the line FWD is quicker due to it being 300-400 pounds lighter.

i drove both of them didn't really see that big of a difference on a straight away.

 

^ i thought the shawd had more bolstering in the seats ... could be wrong ... i would suggest going with the shawd, even though u dont get snow, its not just for the snow, pushing this car through the corners is great! ... but in the end its up to u and ur wallet ... if u can find a 2012 shawd, u can prob get a great deal on it now if ur trying to buy new

 

^^^
i drove both couldn't find a difference with the seats.

 

Yes. TL SH-AWD has high-performance seats with more aggressive side-bolstering. Also comes standards with 18-inch wheels (19-inch split spoke with you get the Advance package). Honestly, I expected the better handling in the rain and snow, which the SH-AWD did not disappoint. What impresses me more is the handling in the dry conditions and how you can push through turns. It's just fun to drive, and each day is more fun than the previous. Drive them back-to-back and decide. That's what I did. But only you can decide. As was mentioned above, it will set you back a few $k more and your fuel efficiency will decrease a little.

 

Seats are different,handleing is different,stock exhaust even sounds better,depending on your likeness i feel that the Sh is worth the extra dollars.Again,only the op can decide what i important for him based on his preferences.

 

I can help you get the wheels new at a much lower price. Let me know when you need them. My aunt and I both have 4G TL's, hers fwd, which ive driven hers over 100 miles and mine is AWD. Besides that mine is heavily modded the handling is so much better in the AWD that knowing that I could never buy the FWD. My aunt is an MD who saw some pretty horrific stuff in ER's and drives like a senior citizen; for get the FWD is more than enough car. Like Access I also agree that thinking of the AWD TL as something you get for foul weather is not the case.

 

The SH-AWD system is principally a dry-weather, magic handling device. It works well in the wet/snow too, but it was designed to make the car rail corners. If you don't care about that, the FWD is a nice sedan.

 

Nothing new here, but you really should drive them both. It would be hard for be to believe that you wouldn't choose the SH-AWD. It's not necessarily a foul weather feature. It acquits itself quite well when the weather is perfect and the roads dry and twisty.

 

Sorry man but they're completely different. One quick way to tell if you were looking at a FWD or SH-AWD interior was if there was white double stitching around the seats (at least on the pre-mmc models). But besides that aesthetic difference the side bolsters are entirely different, FWD designed for the masses (relaxed seating) while the SH-AWD for the performance oriented driver.

 

The SH-AWD is not just for bad weather...actually the bad weather part is almost secondary to the SH-AWD capabilities.

The short version of the story is that the front driver TL is a very capable FWD sport sedan, the SH-AWD take it to another level, it is one of the best handling sedan out there in that power segment, including the best of breed RWD models.

 

I owned FWD TL and already driven the SH-AWD. I live in Washington state which get rain almost weekly, i think FWD TL handling and drive is decent. I usually blasting the car in rain and on interstate ramp corner with 45 speed limit, i drove 65-70, the car's handling is okay in my opinion. No excessive body roll that i feel. Sure, the SH-AWD handles better and feels safer when taking corners, however you will get harsher ride and worse fuel economy. You could test drive both cars so you could know which one is best for you.

For my case, if price isn't an issue, i would probably get the SH-AWD.

 

The brakes are exactly identical between the 4G FWD TL and the 4G AWD TL.

Therefore, there is no difference in braking performance between the two.

 

You need to drive both they are totally different rides. I do find the 12 face lift help and I believe they softened the SH-AWD up a tad, but to my the FWD rides more like a firm Lexus where tit tends to have more roll/lean into corners and the steering feels lighter/number. The SH-AWD steering is better, but in the age of electric steering it is hard to find anything with really great road feel. I am in Georgia and we get little of now snow by me, but the SH-AWD was the only answer for me, I loved the handling and in the rain the car was like glue. You don't need snow to benefit from SH-AWD. The SH-AWD has deeper side bolsters on the seats and white stitching on the seats and I swear better leather, unless maybe that is with tech or advance packages, but just could be me. I do wish Acura had added more differentiation on the AWD, such as bigger brakes, maybe some subtle styling changes and bring back the quad port exhaust. The 12 face lift was about getting the TL back on track, but Acura clearly did not want to invest more than they felt they had to to get through the last 2 years of the current body style.

In the end you need to drive both only you can determine which you like better.

 

The seats are not the same. White stitching with more bolstering and stiffer padding. I owned both fwd and AWD models at the same time before getting the sienna. The AWD is also quicker off the line because of the grip.

 

I will say before I got mine I actually took home a fwd model and took it back the next day and bought a SH-AWD because it drove way better in the dry. The changes between both models are noticeable and worth it.

 

I've never seen anyone on this site regret purchasing the AWD model. However, on numerous occasions I've seen people regretting going with the FWD.

I know the couple of times my car has been in the shop and I had a FWD loaner...I couldn't wait to get mine back!

As others have said, test drive them back-to-back before making a decision.

 

Welcome! Can't add much to what has already been said except to say again to test drive them both. I live in FL with good weather and straight roads most of the time so FWD is sufficient for me.

 

What I wouldn't do to live in FL (dragged to WA state by the wife). Here I have to deal with constant 30-40 degree temps, dark/grey/gloom/clouds, and rain. To top it off, we've been having the occasional fog. I don't think I've seen but ONE mere glimpse of the sun in the past 3 weeks.

 

^^^ This pretty much sums it up nicely. SH-AWD all the way.

 

SH-AWD Period

If I was going to buy FWD I wouldn't waste the money on the TL and go with the Accord.

 

Maybe i'm wrong, but i've seen certain wheels that only fit the FWD, and not the AWD up front from brake clearance (replica M6 20's to be specific). I looked up the part numbers and the calipers are identical as you've stated, with the exception of the 6MT model (maybe that's where i'm getting that assertion).

 

lol

 

You guys/gals are GREAT! Thank you for the feedback.

It sounds simple but yes I need to test drive both then go with my gut. I had no idea about the multiple differences between the two, its not as simple as AWD vs FWD. I also agree with most of you that AWD is not only for wet or snowy weather. Thank you again and Im looking forward to sharing my story/pictures.

Cheers!

HeartTLs- Thank you for the offer and I'll be in touch when Im ready to move on the wheels

 

If I was only going to own one car, the AWD would be my choice. I value reliability and owning a RL I knew there would be some problems with the AWD system in the TL. Since I already own a true sports car, I saw no need to buy the AWD. If the snow is bad enough I stay on or drive my pickup. If you are young, buy what you need, if you are older, buy what you want.

 

I drove both back-to-back. I found the SH-AWD to have a choppier, stiffer ride. Since I'm not a very aggressive driver and tend to lean more towards comfort, I chose the FWD. I also live in Houston so I made my decision based more on practical reasons (SH-AWD not needed, better MPG).

 

When test driving, push both cars into the corners. With the SH-AWD, you will feel a push from the rear opposite wheel due to the torque vectoring. I always get a kick out of this feature.

Lastly... I don't think anyone mentioned this but the SH-AWD is a 3.7L with 305hp and the FWD is a 3.5L with 280hp.

 

Precisely the reasons we moved here from PA 15 years ago. While FL has many reasons to want to live here the weather is by far the best.

 

But then, the 3.7L AWD car is much heavier, and also the extra AWD mechanics rob tons of usable horsepower.

Therefore, any power advantage given by the 3.7L is seriously offset by the presence of the AWD hardware.

In fact, the FWD could be on par with the AWD in acceleration numbers. It is real hard to find professional published acceleration numbers for the FWD trim. All car mags are testing using the AWD trim.

 

True on some level, but you are forgetting AWD will always be quicker off the line regardless of drivetrain loss.

 

^^^^^

AWD quicker off the line - YES.

But don't forget the AWD has to spin two more wheels/tires. So once off the line, the much lighter FWD will catch up fast, with the terminal velocity very likely the same.

 

what a great advice! I must remember that one

 

hmm, i don't know, i think the AWD launch and extra horsies are going to keep it in front the duration of the race. You're only talking a difference of 240lbs. TL Tech - 3741lbs, TL SH-AWD TECH - 3982lbs - both automatic.

On paper, using any of the online 0-60 calculators the FWD comes in around 6.8 seconds, the AWD comes in between 5.8-5.9.

I stick to my previous statement, if I'm going FWD, my choice would not be a TL

 

Any 0-60 calculators won't accurately factor in the unique power loss figure due to the extra AWD mechanics as specific to the particular make and model of a 4WD/AWD vehicle.

If it is a 3.5L FWD vs. a 3.7L FWD or a 3.5L AWD vs. a 3.7L AWD, then the 0-60 calculators will perhaps give more realistically generated results.

In racing, especially in SCCA-WC, each podium winner will be "awarded" additional dead weight for the next race, in order to equalize any horsepower advantages across the entire competitor field. It is a well known fact that for every 100 lbs in additional weight, it is equivalent to a loss in 10 hp.

In the 4G TL case, the 3.7L AWD car has 25 more hp but is also ~240 lbs heavier in curb weight, than the 3.5L FWD car. Therefore, any hp advantage for the 3.7L AWD car is completely offset by the additional weight for the AWD hardware.

Thus, it will be an extremely tight race (in the dry of course) in acceleration numbers between the two cars.