SeismicGuy

My last few new car purchases were not done in the traditional "haggle with the sales rep then manager" fashion. In 1990 and 1995 I went through an auto broker and in 2000 I did a bunch of emailing to dealers to negotiate. I am sure I did not do much better than a good haggler could have done face-to-face but I just cannot stand that time-wasting aggravating process.

I will be selling my 2000 TL privately. It only has about 86000 miles on it and based on browsing through Autotrader.com for similar vintage TL, I homed in on about $7,500 as a fair asking price. The problem is that prices for 2000 TL can be as low as $5,000 or less but, of course, the mileage on those is typically way above 100,000.


Doug

SeismicGuy

Is this a circle-jerk or what?


Doug

eluzion

I felt the same way. I test drove several cars and the I enjoyed the driving experience of the TL the most. While I think the Genesis is a great car and can't be beat in terms of value, I was looking for something a little more sporty and the TL is just that.

Someone already mentioned it but TrueCar.com is a great website to get an idea of what people are paying in your area. It's similar to USAA's (bank) Auto Circle program.

Acura_Dude

DOUG! Get the TL! You'll definitely get get a good value with the TL. Better resale, they don't nickel an dime you for options (actually they're actually simple: tech, sh-awd, manual, etc), and my favorite: HIDs are standard across the whole acura line! And since you keep cars a good bit the TL will be exceptionally cheaper over the long haul. IDC what people say about BMW's free maintenance. Ask them how their german cars held up after the manufacturers warranty.

Oh btw i actually end up skipping the last few posts, because lets face it: when does 0-60 times, slaloms, tire width, etc REALLY matter? Definitely not in everday driving. I'd be more concern about mpg or reliability an how much i can get for my money.

I can careless (and im sure Doug agrees) about how much a car weighs compared to the competition and what C&D, Edmunds (my fav) or MT have to say about them. These websites/magz are geared especially for us enthusiasts.

Don't get me wrong, I love the A4, but to get the features I want it'll easily be $40K! It's a great turbo4 in all, but the TSX wins my bet, because of value. So what if it's underpowered compared to the competition? I can make it faster, but in the long run it'll extremely easy to maintain and reliable and a lot less will go wrong with it. I'm not worried about racing, I did that a lot and now it's time to worry about more important stuff. So Doug like I said before, if the TL with the features you want is out of your price range, hit up the TSX if you can live with a 201HP 4cyl. Great mpg and it has more than enough power for everyday driving. It's not a torque whore like the turbo'd A4 or the 3.7v6 in the TL, lol but it'll definitely do for me and my little one.

Once again congrats on the new car and all that matters is what YOU think and how you enjoy the car. Happy car shopping!

SeismicGuy

Give a cigar to the "Dude" for leaving one of the most eloquent to-the-point responses to my original post!

As I said, we will probably end up with the TL. The only reasons we were distracted away from this were (1) recent styling was unappealing to my wife (it will be her car) and (2) the Genesis was getting a lot of hoopla so I did some researching.

My past BMW ownership basically soured me away from falling into that trap again. I almost bought a 2008 335i to replace my 1995 Corvette but came to my senses and ended up with a slightly used 2005 Jaguar XKR instead for much less $ than the BMW would have cost. Afterwards as I read more and more posts on BMW forums about problems with the 335i I really felt grateful for not going down that path again.

I don't mind if the 4-door sedan that we are looking for to replace the 2000 TL is a couple of tenths less from 0-60 or on a quarter-mile run or slower on a slalom compared with something else. Let's see, the last time I was on a quarter mile was. . . oh yeah--NEVER!

I am more interested in having a reasonably capable stylish and reliable car that will not take me to the poor house with maintenance and not break down once a month. The TL fills that bill and more (probably so does the Genesis).


Doug

SeismicGuy

So the next step is to figure out how to get the best pricing in the SoCal area. I am not in any hurry and had planned on waiting until nearer the end of the year anyway.


Doug

SeismicGuy

Hey Glashub--I could swear I saw a Glashub on the Genesis forum also. That you?


Doug

SeismicGuy

I'm in Encino. So do you have both a TL and a Genesis? If not why be active on both forums?


Doug

Acura_Dude

Glashub I definitely see where you're coming from. No ill intentions to ANYONE on the forum. I can definitely understand arguing facts about Acura's competitors, but in the end of the day MOST of the instrumental testing the car mags do is irrelevant for everyday driving.

Doug it seem to me that the only two choices you have going for you ARE the Genesis and TL. Like you said this purchase is for the Mrs. and you HAVE to keep her happy. The Genesis is a very good looking sedan also. And with Hyundai's 10/100K mile warranty you really can't go wrong with that. Looking at the mileage/yr you TL you'd most likely ALWAYS be under the manufacturers warranty for the whole 10 years.

Good job staying away from the 335i. Fuel pump issues are still coming up, even with the warranty extended to 120K miles (not sure about the year). If i'm not mistaken i believe it affects the other turbo'd Bimmers too.And lets not even get on audi's carbon buildup issues (they're not even trying to help the owners), tho CB is an issue for most direct injection motors (admittedly it's not a problem for most manufacturers).

And comparing the resale of the Genesis the TL is not relevant for the fact you'll keep either one for at least 8-10 years.

Saturno knows his stuff. He should go car shoppin with me in the future. I really like everyone's opionion, though Doug, I'v never test driven the TL. I always go to the Acura site and build me a 6spd SH-AWD and ogle over it. I know for a fact if I go test drive one, I'll be smitten and heartbroken. I'm 22, there's no way in hell I can afford a $40K+ car! The TSX is a better value for me, plus cheaper and meets my needs perfectly. If i could i'd take both the TSX and TL. The TL has hillstart feature for the 6spd! Since im going to be a parent a MDX should also be on the list (overkill yes I know, but it's my favorite out of many mid/full-sized SUVs.) I'm pretty sure I'd keep my future TSX past 6+ years. IF and i mean a "DAY DREAMING IF", I were to get an MDX i'd keep it cause I know it'll hold more car seats than the TSX. But thats just wishful thinkin for the future.

And you're on the money by waiting closer till the end of the year to buy. Dont forget shopping at the end of the month, and certain holidays. I'm sure when Honda gets the parts/factories back to full capacity, finding the TL you need will be easier and cheaper. I've heard dealers having a hard time gettin the models people want (even though the TL is made here). Now in my case the TSX is made in Japan. 6spd Tech Black/Black, forget about it. lol

SeismicGuy

Hey Dude--I've got about 40 years on you. Time flies.

The car that really catches our attention is the Infiniti M. Great styling and I believe reliability for Nissan/Infiniti is right up there (at least based on our 10 year Maxima ownership). But the M is in another price category.

I recommended the TSX and G37 Sedan as other choices we might consider but those are smaller than what swmbo is looking for. The Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac CTS are nice looking but we have had such good luck with the Asian cars we have owned. Still we should probably take a look.


Doug

Acura_Dude

WOW! All great cars IMO. I like the Infiniti M35/45 myself. The M37/56 is definitely growing on me. As for GM I also give them top marks. LaCrosse is definitely a nice looking car and the CTS omg... I seen a black one down by the track when I was running. If I wasn't paying attention I'd run right off the track into something. lol and yes time does flies. I remember how my friends and I used to complain about how we can't wait to graduate and how life would be so cool. Now im taking a year off from college (little on on the way) and half of my friends went military, married, and having kids. Oh and can't forget about bills. More of a wake up calls for the ones who partied, I worked.

But from what I can tell you've definitely done your research and you've picked pretty reliable vehicles. I'm sure you guys will be happy and enjoy your vehicle.

BTW LOL @ swmbo!

Edward'TLS

Full-size SUV's always carry a higher price tag than sedans. So back then, people would buy the $40K Toyota LandCruiser full-size SUV and also the $40K Lexus LS sedan, but NOT a $40K "Toyota LS" sedan.

Likewise for Acura, people will buy the fully-loaded $50K RDX full-size SUV, but not the $50K RL sedan.

I particularly enjoy watching the way you steer away from our original discussion.

We were discussing that buyers wouldn't buy a $40K "Toyota LS" back in 1989. What does this have to do with Hyundai being can't match the LS's shock and awe ?? What part does Hyundai play in affecting the LS sedan buyers when they are shopping for the LS sedans ??

If you really want to sidetrack to talk about Hyundai instead, I don't think the 385hp DOHC/GSI/D-CVVT 4.6L-V8, 8-speed-auto RWD Genesis sedan (with available the 429hp 5L-V8 option which is the winner of Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2011) has any less "shock and awe".

jspagna1

I am also a Nissan lover coming from owning two Maximas. Love the 7th Gen Max as well, but that's another conversation.
As for the M, yes great car but I just can't get past the nose on the M looking like a whale. The rest of the car is sexy. And like you said, the TSX and the G37 are just too small and ride very rough imo.
So the TL was the best bang for the buck and comprimise. I will not buy Audi, BMW, MB and have plenty of family members that own and have owed all those brands and I will stick with the Japanese brands.
As for GM, the only car that impresses me is the CTS. Buicks were what my parents drove, not for me and GM's quality and resale will never be what Acura/Honda is.
If I was to purchase another new car right now, it would still be between a new TL and the Maxima.

SeismicGuy

I have always liked a car that was a little different than the mainstream, or at least a better value. Back in 1990 when we were looking for a 4-door sedan to replace a 1981 Audi 5000 Turbo (that was actually a pretty fun car), the cars we looked at were Lexus ES (the 250 was the model at the time which really was just a rebadged Camry), the Maxima (didn't really grab us at first), maybe a Mazda 626, and the car that really grabbed me which was a Sterling (for those that don't remember this was basically a Honda drivetrain with British-styled body and interior). Of the cars we were considering the Sterling was the only one that stirred any passion and these were selling way below their sticker at the time which was about $35K). However, the presence of the Sterling in the marketplace was already becoming questionable so I passed and sort of gravitated to the Maxima. The more I looked the more I liked and it seemed like they were priced at great value compared to the competition.

After 10 years of great ownership we started our next car search figuring that we would replace the Maxima with another. The style of the 2000 versus the 1990 was not all that dramatically different and it happened that this is about when the Acura TL came into the picture. There was a lot of good press, they had nice styling, and were priced less and had better features than the Lexus ES. So since these were about the same or slightly more than a loaded Maxima, we opted for the TL and never regretted it.

Over the last few years the car that has similarly caught my attention is the CTS. I think the American manufacturers have made great strides in styling and reliability but there is still just that little niggling of doubt compared with the Asian cars.


Doug

SeismicGuy

Hey to saturno-v--I was similarly impressed with our 1990 SE. The looks were great and particularly the interior (I opted for an upgraded leather and NOT the standard Maxima leather). The speed and nimbleness of this car (even though the engine was a "lowly" 160hp (not bad at the time) the car was surprisingly peppy. I recall that when I replaced this with my 2000 TL Acura with 225hp, I expected the Acura to blow away the feel of the Nissan--NOT SO! The Acura felt absolutely ponderous and ungainly compared with the old Maxima. I believe your 1992 came with the uprated 190hp engine which would be plenty for the Maxima which was quite lightweight for a 4-door family sedan.


Doug

Acura_Dude

Totally off topic but my 2000 Mazda Millenia S Millen. Ed. with the Miller-Cycle Enging had made that list too back in its prime. The second gen TL is what REALLY caught my eye. I remember when I was around 12-13 working on the golf course with my dad (mind you WORKING, not living on the golf course; never have), and one of his client's wife had an 02 TL. Wasn't the Type S but it was anthracite metallic (gray). And i was like omg daddy I want that car when I turn 16! Never got it lol, but now with the failed trannys it's a good thing my parents never could afford that kind of car anyhow. I ended up with a 95 camry and I still miss my first car. I also wanted an 05 IS300 when I was 16. My dad didn't even hold his breath when the price was 28,995. (Too much money/car for a teen).

I was such an enthusiast. I didn't pitch a tantrum or anything (already had a car, but was a daydreamer, still am). Besides thats just plain ungrateful.

But seein Mr. Barry's wife's new TL really turned me on to acura. The Integra did it for my friends.

SeismicGuy

Not to be a wet blanket but shouldn't these endless circle-jerk off-topic arguments be broken off into a separate thread?

Just sayin'

Doug

Bearcat94

You and SSFTSX can take it somewhere else. Preferably Car Talk where it belongs. PM is just as good. As long as it's not here.



Put this thread back on topic before it gets closed.



This is the topic at hand:

saturno_v

You are right

To the OP:

When I bought my TL I cross shopped (more like for fun) the 3 and 5 Series, the Infiniti G and M, the S4 and A6.

However for me the most important features were the AWD, a manual transmission and a sporty ride.

The Genesis is a terrific car especially if you consider the price....it won many well deserved awards...and you cannot beat the warranty.

I did not consider it because for me the ride and the style is not as sporty...the new 429 HP Spec R may have changed the ride department a bit.

If emphasis on sporty attributes is not that important for you you should definitely look at the Genesis keeping in mind that it is a RWD so it may be not what you want if you live in a place where winter brings a lot of snow and slippery road conditions.

If you are ok with a FWD platform (and for a large sedan most people frankly are...there are folks that fill their mouth about RWD but they could not tell the difference between driving a FWD and a RWD....trust me it happened...) a worthy alternative to the FWD TL is the already discussed new Maxima (if you like the CVT transmission), gorgeaous and sleek, great fit and finishing, a gem of an engine.

An often overlooked gem is the Mazda 6 V6.....fully loaded with absolutely everything it comes at 32K, a real bargain.
The Mazda is way sleeker and nicer than the usual plain vanilla family sedan (Accord, Camry, etc...) a really beautiful car (for example I love the style better than the new Audi A7) with all the nice touches of a typical entry level premium vehicle...metal trims, metal door sills and door handles, high level accessories like departure lane warning, and for the 2012 model year cooled seats and adaptive cruise control.
Mazda does not have a premium brand to "defend" so this is probably one of the reasons why the top trim of the 6 is so richly appointed.
The 3.7 liter V6 engine is a gem, very peppy and buttery smooth, the 6 speed automatic transmission is top notch.

Down the totem pole, the Kia Optima and the new Hyundai Sonata are very nice cars but slightly smaller and with only 4 cylinder engines....definitely more "proletarian" so to speak.
It rides like a sport sedan also thanks to the refined double wishbone front suspension setup and the rear seat space is truly cavernous.

SeismicGuy

It's looking more and more like it will be the TL. One telltale sign was that my wife was leafing through the TL brochure we got from the dealer. Normally she would rather be sticking pins in her eyes rather than look at anything having to do with cars. By the way, one thing that was a real turnoff with the Genesis was that the dealer did not have ANY brochure. Of course this was after the salesman asked me to come in and meet the manager for a brochure and then the manager said he had none but would I like to buy a car today---TACKY!

We also visited the Acura website and the more I view the car inside and out the more I like it.

If I were to change anything frankly it would be that they went to rear wheel drive. On the occasional times where I want to make a brisk getaway from a stop, our 2000TL just never hooks up right compared with RWD.

Doug

Acura_Dude

Saturno I LOVE the Mazda6. The only way I'd get one is fully loaded. I'm a mazda fan big time (last car was a mazda as you may already know by now). I just can't get over the RX-8 styling wheel arches. It just may be the angles AND you can't get a 6sp with the V6 just an 6spd auto. Very nice car in its own way and hands down a better driver/sporty car compared to the Camry and Altima. Kia/Hyundai they are on FIRE!

Doug RWD may suit you but FWD is great too. Where I live it doesn't snow (obviously lol) and overall in any climate FWD is the way to go, well AWD. It does rain a lot here and FWD is great till you break traction. lol Im guessin you live in a snowy climate. IDK if that makes a difference since I've NEVER driven in snow. But I've been told FWD/AWD trums RWD (oversteer), but also good snow tires are key.

I've learned once you have a V6 torque steer is a problem (especially over the 200HP/TQ mark) My mazda did that and w/out traction control on it was easy to spin them. Fun too. I'm glad your wife is leaning over to the TL. I'm a big Acura fan and can't wait to own my first one (2nd honda product). I'm really enjoyin this thread. IF you guys can swing it, try testing the SH-AWD, you may like it? The ride may be rougher. 18 or 19" depending on the trim level you pick. FWD TL's come with 17s. Oh yeah this year it has the new 6spd Auto!

Bearcat94

Last Chance.

Thread cleaned. In the clean up there was some collateral damage and some innocent posts may have lost their lives. My apologies for those. We'll just have to learn to live with the disappointment.


Please consider it this way: The OP has asked what you cross-shopped and/or tested compared to the 4G TL and your impressions of those cars.

Not a primer on the evolution of the Lux/near-Lux segment, not the relative value and impact of the LS v Equuis/Genesis and not an never-ending multi-quote argument about why this car MUST BE better than that car.

ib_jimmy

I waited till the last week of the month, which is coming up and got mine under why invoice price.

jspagna1

Sounds like my wife.
I think your making the right choice. Hyundai is still too new to the car market and I think still needs to prove itself in terms of logevity and reliability.
As for drivetrain, not sure what part of the country you live in but being in the Northeast rear wheel drive was not an option for us. Front wheel drive at the least and AWD that much better. I think alot of the car manufacturers have come a long way with getting torque steer under control on the front drive cars.
I also strongly suggest you have your wife drive the front wheel drive TL and the AWD and make sure which one she likes better as the AWD is going to feel heavier to her and harder to steer. Just talking from what my wife's comments about our SH-AWD.
I love the AWD as the car feels like it's on rails and is totally under control.

SeismicGuy

I should have mentioned (didn't I do so?) that I am in the Los Angeles area so never have to worry about snow. I guess I had not realized that the last several 4-door sedans we had were FWD (1981 Audi 5000 Turbo, 1990 Maxima, 2000 TL). For some reason it has only been the TL where I perceived take-off problems (maybe the stock Michelin tires are just not sticky enough?).

If the car were for me, I might be considering the SH-AWD version. But the type of driving that the car sees is basically a 7-mile round trip drive for her to work during the week and then weekend errands and recreation. Total yearly mileage is about 7,000 which is why our 2000 TL only has 86,000 miles. Obviously, she is not concerned with getting something with more performance/handling. Besides, we pretty much figured on spending $40K or (preferably) less so we will stick with the basic FWD version.

So now I need to start doing my pricing research. The last new car I bought was the 2000 Acura and I think I ended up contacting a bunch of dealers by email with what I wanted to pay. These cars were already pretty reasonably priced and they were the hot ticket and dealers were holding tight with the pricing. I was only able to get maybe a few hundred off sticker at the time but that was the norm.

I usually uses Carsdirect or Edmunds as some starting point and then follow what members of forums such as this suggest. I have recently discovered Zag/Amex but don't know much about it or if dealers actually honor their pricing.

I am not in any rush to buy the car and had not planned on buying until later in the year. What with the lousy economy and stronger competition from other makes (Genesis, Subaru, Mazda) maybe it will be easier to get a good deal on the TL this time around.


Doug

Stew4HD

+1 on waiting if only to give Acura a chance to build up some stock on the TL, if you go that route. Right now, the SH-AWD is in short supply overall, especially the Advance model. It is expected to be better later in the year. Hopefully stock will increase and more incentives are offered.

2010_Type_SH

Since you are the type of individual who keeps cars around 10+ years I would strongly suggest that you stick with a Japanese car. Given that this is your wife's car you would want something that is safe, reliable, and have all the creature comforts under $40k. With that in mind I would strongly suggest the new Nissan Maxima for the following reasons:

1) It's bigger (interior) than a G37 and TL thus more comfortable
2) Since performance is not an issue the SV model is a nice ride. 290 hps is still no slouch.
3) It's a VQ but it can take mid grade.
4) Nissan has really stepped up on the new Maximas where
the previous 2 generations failed. The fit and finish is nice. They brought a lot of the infiniti over.
5) The SV + Premium package has more creature comforts
than a comparable TL at a cheaper price.
6) It's a Japanese car. Maintenance won't cost you an arm
and a leg.

saturno_v

Yes the Maxima is a fabulous sedan...however I would not agree that the previous 2 generations failed.....roads are still full of the 5th gen, the sportiest of the bunch in my opinion.., Nissan sold ton of them...

I agree that the fit and finish of the 6th gen is was not that great (I still did like the style though), the 5th gen was much better in that department...I would say almost on par with the current iteration.

It is a shame that the gorgeaous new 7th gen does not offer a manual option....I wonder what is the future of the Maxima, if Nissan is committed to keep it a FWD proposition...it is almost a 300 HP car...

JM2010 SH-AWD

A colleague has a new Maxima and it's a very nice car. I owned an older MT Maxima and it was a very good car with strong performance and nice features/comfort.

My only beef with the latest Max is that CVT transmission. If they still offered the MT I would have seriously looked at one.

jspagna1

I would consider the Maxima a Sports Luxury Car. I do like the direction that Nissan has gone with the Maxima. Although I think the rearend could use some tweeking.

My favorite Maxima Gens are as follows:
3rd Gen - True 4DSC - Best design IMO
5th Gen - Nice Style - Great power to weight ratio
7th Gen - Finally going back to its roots (4DSC)

Opinions about other generations:
1st & 2nd Gen - Great car introduced to the US Market
4th Gen - Was Butt Ugly - Meaning I hated the rearend on the car
6th Gen - Was big and heavy taking away it's nimbleness.
I loved our 92 & the 03 we still have:

Acura_Dude

OMG! Same here. I've driven the altima BUT in sport mode. I've never gave the CVT a chance. I rather have 5-8 fixed shift points for the feel of knowing when/where/how the car shift. CVT? Not so much. Some of the CVTs make this droning noise too. Hell I may have to find someone with one just to test drive it and see how I like the CVT. I just don't wanna give it a chance. I'm used to the conventional. LOL Nissan isn't on my list at all. I know I'ma get an Acura and I'ma stick to that.

IDK if space matters to the OP. It's just him and his wife who'll be driving the car (assuming!). Besides it's going to be her car anyway. So space for 1-2 people in sedan in this class doesn't matter. I know it doesn't for me. As long as I get a car seat in, im fine. Mostly going to be me anyway. And if any people complain about lack of room in MY car they can get the hell out and walk! lol I kid i kid. I'd just say live with it or get in the trunk.

BTW we have an 02 Sentra and i can say Nissan makes great cars. That car has been destroyed by mechanics and I really dont know why it's still running to be honest.

saturno_v

If the OP is willing to consider a FWD car another excellent competitor may be the upcoming 2012 Hyundai Azera which will debut at the LA Car Show and it should hit the dealers in December.

2 engines, both V6 Direct Injected, a 3.3 liter with about 290 HP and a 3.8 with 320-330 HP, standard 8 speed transmission and panoramic roof, available adaptative cruise control, lane departing warning and all the other goodies expected in this class and more.

It seems very nice looking, it is evident the stylistic relationship with the smaller Sonata.

Hyundai seems commited to keep offering a large FWD sedan despite the presence of the Genesis....this could be an indication that the next iteration of the Genesis and Equus may be proposed within a separate luxury brand.

SeismicGuy

Wow--I had not seen or heard of an Azera before. Appearance-wise, spec-wise, and size-wise that looks like the perfect car. One of the things my wife disliked about the Genesis was the boring styling. She likes the look of the Sonata more but we both really prefer a 6 cylinder rather than a 4 or even a turbo-powered 4.

If the Azera was here now we would certainly be looking at those, especially if they look as good in person as in the pics. Any idea what the pricing is on those?

If it was competitive with the TL it could be a real hard decision.


Doug

saturno_v

The pricing I suspect will be surely lower than the TL and probably a whiff below a similarly equipped Maxima.
Doug, December is not that far away...if I were you I would wait to have more choices...

saturno_v

Some other shots

Acura_Dude

+50 for Saturno! OMG that's a sexy car! And it's definitely in league with the TL. My uncle has the 4rth gen Azera in black and it's a gorgeous car also. I've been waiting to see what the redesign Azera looks like and definitely forgot all about it. It's already out. It has been through a name change so thats probably why you never heard of it. Year 2006+ in our market it goes by Azera. You have a lot of solid choices in your price range. I'd drive a hyundai or kia, no shame @ all. They've come a long way, and this is comingfrom a young person. It's easy to be logical than chasing after Bimmers and Mercs like others who want the prestige which doesn't mean nothing if you have a base model with halogenbulbs lol.

SeismicGuy

I showed the pictures (of the upcoming Azera) to my wife and she was pretty impressed. I found somewhere that pricing would be in the mid-to-high 20's which would blow a lot of the competition out of the water.

Either way waiting should be a good thing. My guess is that with all of the better competition out there (particularly from the likes of Hyundai and Kia and even some of the American cars) it might be able to get a better deal on the TL if we choose to stick with that. Competition like this only helps the consumer.

scv76

SeismicGuy, I've been reading this thread since you started it and it's gotten pretty long so I can't remember what you're opinions were of the Genesis ride quality.I don't like going to dealers so I have not gone out and test driven the Genesis yet and was wondering your opinion of the ride and interior noise level vs that of an Acura FWD version.
I could care less about speed, torque, going around corners at breakneck speed etc.

I'm just a little older than you and quite frankly, I really don't like the ride of my TL (2007). My 2005 MB C230k has a better ride as far as I am concerned, and there is less cabin noise as well...(wheres my flame-suit).
What I do like about the 07 is the style and the excellent mpg I get with it...never had less than 26 mpg per tank in 34k miles!!!

So I have been thinking of a replacement (the TL will become my wifes DD) car for myself that has a more comfortable ride and less noise.
I know most will say for soft ride get a Lexus..but the only Lexus in my price range would be the ES350, and they still look way too much like a Camry to me.
I could see myself in a Genesis if it's a comfortable ride.
I just can't see myself in a new TL what with the way it rides and the noise factor.

Glashub

Sexy car no doubt but I don't think it's going to look that good in person. The nose looks long and heavy imo.

SeismicGuy

I have never much cared for cars that were too smooth/soft/quiet. I actually prefer a sportier ride than a ride where you feel disconnected from the road.

I drove the TL and Genesis within about an hour of each other. The TL ride was much sportier than our 2000 TL and almost felt more BMW-like. The Genesis ride was softer and the steering did not feel as responsive--definitely more luxury versus sport.



Doug