My 04 TL Impressions
Thread Starter
TQ > MPG
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 8
From: Metro Detroit
My 04 TL Impressions
Drove a nice Anthracite/Ebony 6 speed yesterday. I gotta say it kills the CL-S in the looks department. Parked next to it my CL-S looked kinda dull and dowdy and very long. :o
Engine/Drivetrain
This one only had like 10 miles on it, so I didnt flog it at all. It did present itself as VERY quiet however. I couldnt even hear it at idle and while in normal acceleration mode. In contrast my CL-S6 which is relatively quiet, but still audible at idle, and at normal driving rpms my CL-S is definitely heard.
The clutch was definitely an improvement over the CL-S6. Much more progressive in engagement and even LESS pedal effort, which amazed me. The CL-S6 had imo the lightest clutch effort in any car I've driven, and the TL was significantly less than that. Very nice.
The shifter actually felt different, which I was not expecting. It somehow felt angled a little differently when I was between gears. Still nice & short however, and positive feeling. Not better, not worse, just a little different.
I personally dont like the large plastic trim pieces covering up the engine bay. I like to see the workings, but I guess it would be easier to keep clean.
Interior
Much nicer interior layout than the CL-S. Radio volume & tune button had very nice brushed aluminum feel as did the center console trim. The carbon fiber trim surrounding the shifter assembly did look a little cheap/out of place, but it's very minimal. Steering wheel controls are nicer and include channel up AND down and mode change. Guages are awesome blue glow and everything seemed to be in the right spot.
Moonroof is now one-touch & switch is located in the headliner where it should be. Auto-door locks are now standard and you can customize when you want them to work ie. at 10mph or when put into gear. Tilt/telescope steering wheel is nice, but would be nicer if it was motorized.
The seating position felt much more in-line with what I expect in a sport sedan vs. what the CL-S has. The seats sat lower in the car and the steering wheel tilted lower as well.
Radio sound & operation was top-notch. Once I set it the way I liked and listened to some music it was noticeably nicer than the Bose in the CL-S. However, it didnt sound any better than some better aftermarket setups I've heard. Maybe I dont have an audiophile's ear. :p
HVAC system was nice & had dual climate control. This would be a nice feature for me because my gf is ALWAYS cold.
Dash buttons and trim looked very nice also.
Storage bins behind shifter seemed like a waste of space, but no worse than the idiotic pull out bin that the CL has.
Exterior
Like I said up top it has a serious advantage in the looks department. Vert taut and muscular lines and nothing looks out of proportion. Projector headlights actually move to accomodate for high & low beam on the same HID bulb. It looked as if there was a additional reflector that sat below the glass projector that slid in front of it when you hit the brights. Taillghts are LED lit and very nice looking, especially at night. Door handles are nicer too and would be appreciated by anyone who has ever had to open a door that has frozen shut overnight.
The doors closed with about the best sound I've heard so far. They sounded like a high quality refridgerator door.
Suspension& Ride
Slightly less body roll on the couple of expressway on-ramps & off-ramps I took. Steering felt good and about the same as my CL-S6. Again, I didnt really hammer that car because it was still a virgin, but I did notice some tq steer on the one occasion I gave it some gas. I hit a bump and it pulled to the right and had to pull back to the left and overcorrected a little bit. This type of bump would not have caused such a pull in my CL-S from what I've experienced.
Ride was slightly worse than my CL it seemed, but only very marginally. Road noise was better isolated however and there were no rattles or squeaks the entire test drive. I should also note my CL has been rattle free thus far also.
Overall in my opinion it is a definite improvement over the CL-S as far as looks/interior goes. I wish I would have waited a little longer for it to come out. However, is it worth $33.5k to me? Good question. That is $5k more than what I paid for my CL-S and they arent offering the 2.9% financing anymore. In the end it would probably be about $6-$7k more than what the CL-S will cost me. For that amount of money I'll keep my CL-S and get a 2004 Cobra, but I realize thats not a fair or common comparison.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Engine/Drivetrain
This one only had like 10 miles on it, so I didnt flog it at all. It did present itself as VERY quiet however. I couldnt even hear it at idle and while in normal acceleration mode. In contrast my CL-S6 which is relatively quiet, but still audible at idle, and at normal driving rpms my CL-S is definitely heard.
The clutch was definitely an improvement over the CL-S6. Much more progressive in engagement and even LESS pedal effort, which amazed me. The CL-S6 had imo the lightest clutch effort in any car I've driven, and the TL was significantly less than that. Very nice.
The shifter actually felt different, which I was not expecting. It somehow felt angled a little differently when I was between gears. Still nice & short however, and positive feeling. Not better, not worse, just a little different.
I personally dont like the large plastic trim pieces covering up the engine bay. I like to see the workings, but I guess it would be easier to keep clean.
Interior
Much nicer interior layout than the CL-S. Radio volume & tune button had very nice brushed aluminum feel as did the center console trim. The carbon fiber trim surrounding the shifter assembly did look a little cheap/out of place, but it's very minimal. Steering wheel controls are nicer and include channel up AND down and mode change. Guages are awesome blue glow and everything seemed to be in the right spot.
Moonroof is now one-touch & switch is located in the headliner where it should be. Auto-door locks are now standard and you can customize when you want them to work ie. at 10mph or when put into gear. Tilt/telescope steering wheel is nice, but would be nicer if it was motorized.
The seating position felt much more in-line with what I expect in a sport sedan vs. what the CL-S has. The seats sat lower in the car and the steering wheel tilted lower as well.
Radio sound & operation was top-notch. Once I set it the way I liked and listened to some music it was noticeably nicer than the Bose in the CL-S. However, it didnt sound any better than some better aftermarket setups I've heard. Maybe I dont have an audiophile's ear. :p
HVAC system was nice & had dual climate control. This would be a nice feature for me because my gf is ALWAYS cold.
Dash buttons and trim looked very nice also. Storage bins behind shifter seemed like a waste of space, but no worse than the idiotic pull out bin that the CL has.
Exterior
Like I said up top it has a serious advantage in the looks department. Vert taut and muscular lines and nothing looks out of proportion. Projector headlights actually move to accomodate for high & low beam on the same HID bulb. It looked as if there was a additional reflector that sat below the glass projector that slid in front of it when you hit the brights. Taillghts are LED lit and very nice looking, especially at night. Door handles are nicer too and would be appreciated by anyone who has ever had to open a door that has frozen shut overnight.
The doors closed with about the best sound I've heard so far. They sounded like a high quality refridgerator door.
Suspension& Ride
Slightly less body roll on the couple of expressway on-ramps & off-ramps I took. Steering felt good and about the same as my CL-S6. Again, I didnt really hammer that car because it was still a virgin, but I did notice some tq steer on the one occasion I gave it some gas. I hit a bump and it pulled to the right and had to pull back to the left and overcorrected a little bit. This type of bump would not have caused such a pull in my CL-S from what I've experienced.
Ride was slightly worse than my CL it seemed, but only very marginally. Road noise was better isolated however and there were no rattles or squeaks the entire test drive. I should also note my CL has been rattle free thus far also.
Overall in my opinion it is a definite improvement over the CL-S as far as looks/interior goes. I wish I would have waited a little longer for it to come out. However, is it worth $33.5k to me? Good question. That is $5k more than what I paid for my CL-S and they arent offering the 2.9% financing anymore. In the end it would probably be about $6-$7k more than what the CL-S will cost me. For that amount of money I'll keep my CL-S and get a 2004 Cobra, but I realize thats not a fair or common comparison.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 0
From: North Potomac MD
Yeah, well, maybe the seating position is a bit lower, but the CLS still holds the distinction of having some of the greatest seats in any car PERIOD! I've still yet to find seats as impressive as the CLS, at any price.
CL Newbie No More
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Canada
I haven't driven one, but I've seen the new TL a number of times at the dealer. I, for one, don't like the exterior at all. The rear end is way too high and bulky. The sides are also too high, making the side windows look small and funny. I don't like the indented "stripe" along the side of the car. And I can't say that the front end does anything for me either.
There is no accounting for taste, I guess. Before I bought my 2003 CLS, I wondered if I might come to regret my purchase when I saw the new TL. After viewing it, I have to say that I was quite relieved.
There is no accounting for taste, I guess. Before I bought my 2003 CLS, I wondered if I might come to regret my purchase when I saw the new TL. After viewing it, I have to say that I was quite relieved.
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Capo di Tutti Capi
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: North East, MD
Re: My 04 TL Impressions
I test drove a new TL-6 today also. The occassion was the recall of my CL's belt tensioner. Work was done at Castle Acura in Delaware.
Engine/Drivetrain
It has only 10 more HP but they must be pretty large ponies because this one felt very lively indeed.
The clutch was a bit more progressive but I could still easily induce wheel hop. Perhaps I was overeager with its newness. Yes it was lighter than the CL's but not as light or as smooth as the Lincoln LS's.
The shifting was inferior to the CL's. It felt like it had molasses for tranny oil. I don't recall the CL's shifting ever feeling like this in any weather.
Yes, the trim pieces over the engine are not to my liking. They're trying too hard to emulate MB here.
Interior
Interior is a bit nicer than the CL's but less purposeful. Perhaps it's too pretty. The moonroof switch is above which eliminated the sunglasses holder which was moved to the door pockets. However, my sunglass case didn't fit in this new holder but fits comfortably in the CL's.
They touted the XM radio and the DVD audio capabilities. The latter has more discreet channels but I prefer good stereo to the bounce-around-the-soundstage effects of these systems.
The seats were equally as good as the CL's.
The rear armrest does NOT have a compartment at all. I store a BUNCH of CD's in mine.
Exterior
The trouble with the doors is that they sound like a refrigerator door. They should sound like a bank vault. Didn't see any fogs for it. I really liked the brushed aluminum accents on the nose and the small spoiler looked very clean. Otherwise, it was nicely proportioned and unobtrusive.
Suspension & Ride
It's definetly stiffer than the CL's. Much less roll and more purposeful. Makes the car feel smaller than it is. Check out the massively sized strut tower brace.
Torque Steer
Yup, this baby is loaded with it. Do I care? Nope, and that's because I LIKE FWD cars. I want power and foul weather traction without the weight penalties of AWD and the skittishness of RWD in the wet. Hey, you can eliminate the torque steer and save gas at the same time.
Overall it's a better car than the CL and a worthy replacement.
BTW, they had a lone 2003 CL Type S 6-speed left. It had navi and it was RED with a tan interior. I haven't seen too many red ones. Anyway, they wanted full list price for it.
Engine/Drivetrain
It has only 10 more HP but they must be pretty large ponies because this one felt very lively indeed.
The clutch was a bit more progressive but I could still easily induce wheel hop. Perhaps I was overeager with its newness. Yes it was lighter than the CL's but not as light or as smooth as the Lincoln LS's.
The shifting was inferior to the CL's. It felt like it had molasses for tranny oil. I don't recall the CL's shifting ever feeling like this in any weather.
Yes, the trim pieces over the engine are not to my liking. They're trying too hard to emulate MB here.
Interior
Interior is a bit nicer than the CL's but less purposeful. Perhaps it's too pretty. The moonroof switch is above which eliminated the sunglasses holder which was moved to the door pockets. However, my sunglass case didn't fit in this new holder but fits comfortably in the CL's.
They touted the XM radio and the DVD audio capabilities. The latter has more discreet channels but I prefer good stereo to the bounce-around-the-soundstage effects of these systems.
The seats were equally as good as the CL's.
The rear armrest does NOT have a compartment at all. I store a BUNCH of CD's in mine.
Exterior
The trouble with the doors is that they sound like a refrigerator door. They should sound like a bank vault. Didn't see any fogs for it. I really liked the brushed aluminum accents on the nose and the small spoiler looked very clean. Otherwise, it was nicely proportioned and unobtrusive.
Suspension & Ride
It's definetly stiffer than the CL's. Much less roll and more purposeful. Makes the car feel smaller than it is. Check out the massively sized strut tower brace.
Torque Steer
Yup, this baby is loaded with it. Do I care? Nope, and that's because I LIKE FWD cars. I want power and foul weather traction without the weight penalties of AWD and the skittishness of RWD in the wet. Hey, you can eliminate the torque steer and save gas at the same time.
Overall it's a better car than the CL and a worthy replacement.
BTW, they had a lone 2003 CL Type S 6-speed left. It had navi and it was RED with a tan interior. I haven't seen too many red ones. Anyway, they wanted full list price for it.
Thread Starter
TQ > MPG
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 8
From: Metro Detroit
Didn't see any fogs for it.
The seats were equally as good as the CL's.
The rear armrest does NOT have a compartment at all. I store a BUNCH of CD's in mine.
The rear armrest does NOT have a compartment at all. I store a BUNCH of CD's in mine.
It's definetly stiffer than the CL's. Much less roll and more purposeful. Makes the car feel smaller than it is. Check out the massively sized strut tower brace.
As far as you guys who disagree on the exterior aspect thats fine. Styling is usually 90% subjective and thats why cars look so different.
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