My first "new" car was a 1990 Acura Integra. I absolutely loved it. I drove the hell out of it to 150k miles. The rest of my family have also been Honda fans for a long time. For unique reasons, I became somewhat of a Saab freak after my Acura in the late 1990s. Now Saab is gone and I'm getting rid of my 9-5 Aero. So I'm planning on going back to Acura-land. The TL seems like the closest match so tomorrow I'm going to look at a '13 with Tech Package. Anything in particular I should be on the lookout for?

I'd love to get a SH-AWD car but can't justify the extra $5k or so. :-(

 

SH-AWD is worth for me, however the car does ride a bit more rigid. Honestly after I purchased the SHAWD car I will never go back to non AWD.
3.5 engine does not seem to have the possibility of the oil burning issue with some 3.7.
I have 2013 TL SHAWD Advance and I have not had any issues.
Other issues I have read about
Driveshaft issue (Uncommon), Torque Converter issue (Uncommon), Bluetooth Issue (rare on some phone brands) and Sun roof issue (rare). Drive train issues on most will probably still be covered by factory warranty. Scan thru the boards and see what people have had issues with.

 

What do you mean by more rigid? Is it more noisy? My Saab has become quite thumpy over rough roads in its old age. I still have original shocks and springs with 200k miles. So I'd like my next car to handle bumps much better. Also, I'm tired of arriving after long trips feeling really road weary.

 

It is a slightly more stiffer ride, not noisy. AWD version is fun as heck on corners and winter driving.

 

the whole point of Acura is the SHAWD...

 

SH-AWD!!!! Sir you do realize you were doing 50 around that turn, don't you? me: OH?

 

^^ Reminds me a of test I read of the TL SH-AWD. The tester said the car cornered so hard it drained the blood from his brain. LOL.

 

Whichever model you get (FWD or SH-AWD), make sure the transmission shifts smooth and doesn't slip, make funny noises and that the fluid is relatively clean. I would experiment with the standard D mode as well as revving high in Sport mode to thoroughly test the transmission. There are a few that needed the torque converted replaced but it seems to be a relatively isolated problem. Still, it's an expensive fix if it's out of warranty so I'd thrash it as much as possible during a test drive to see if you encounter any problems. There isn't a lot else that goes bad on this car. The SH-AWD may consume oil or have a propeller shaft "whine" which are a couple issues that are commonly encountered. However, even if it doesn't exhibit it now, it may in the future so it's just something you'll want to plan for.