ptvo

My dad has 1998 Acura RL. It has oil leaks, worn out suspension, crooked steering wheel but it is still running great. I has a 2006 Acura RL, except the exterior degradation, it is a comfortable and reliable ride. That's the reason I became a fan of Acura/Honda. I know that Acura is not qualified as a luxury brand but it offers the best bang for buck. What I did not expect is a step down from their flag ship Acura RL to TL could cause a huge disappointment for me personally.

I will go checking out the 2011 RL,Camry and Rav4 tomorrow.

hddnav

For what it's worth, I was really close to buying a Camry XLE Hybrid before I bought my TL, as I thought that it had great road noise isolation, not to mention the complete lack of engine noise when the car was running on only the electric motor. Even my 8 year old son (at the time) was commenting on how quiet the car was. The Camry didn't handle badly in normal driving either, although I would say that I probably wouldn't even try to push it as far as my TL SH-AWD in corners.

What you're going to find with the Camry is that the interior material is going to be a step down from the Acura (that's why Toyota created Lexus), but the reliability and refinement of Toyota's Hybrid system is second to none. Although I own an Acura, I honestly consider Toyota/Lexus to be the gold-standard for quality and engineering, when it comes to knowing and engineering for their target market. Don't forget the Avalon, as well, as that car is engineered for driver and passenger comfort, which really is meaningful for drivers at a certain stage of life.

I was a real Honda/Acura fan when I first graduated out of college in my 20's, but have since really come to appreciate what Toyota has to offer. Not flashy, not sexy nor pretentious, but really solid and reliable products. If I wanted something with nicer materials and a better driver experience, they offer Lexus, which has an even better track record of quality. If I had to recommend a car to someone I love (such as my wife), it would be a Toyota/Lexus, not a Honda/Acura.

I bought my TL SH-AWD because nothing else in the market offer what it does for $38k (a reliable premium sport sedan), as the only other car that appeals to me is the Lexus GS350 F-Sport, which averages about $52k (actual selling price). However, this is obviously not everyone's cup of tea.

ron3.7

Sorry ptvo maybe next you will think twice about throwing your money away. Maybe your impulses got the best of you.

ptvo

I see that we have the same point of view. I did not account for the uncomfortable ride from the sport car when I bought the TL. I saw lots of old people driving BMW M6, Z4, Mustang, Camaro, Miata... So I thought " Hmm, those car must be comfortable for them and they look pretty bad ass", that's the reason I always want a sport car. I am not old ( 23 y/o) but I guess I want something more mature and luxury since it is my personality. I will be graduating with a chemical engineering degree soon, so hopefully I can make enough money to make up for this stupid mistake.

From now on, Honda will not be my first consideration when I purchase a car.

Apology accepted. I feel being insulted by Acura/Honda lack of refinement than by you. I am generally a calm guy but I don't know what the hell got into me on that day making me want to put down my money before thinking about my decision.

wreak

Don't totally count out Honda/Acura just make sure you properly test out a vehicle before you buy, you happened to buy the most aggressive suspension that Acura offers. Apparently the new TLX is an extremely quiet ride from what all the reviewers are saying.

weather

No apologies required and I appreciate your kind response. I was worried to post and be taken out of context because I can understand your frustration/disappointment. No doubt that there will be some financial loss but if you really dislike the vehicle, it will be worth it. My advice would be to try and give a few more weeks and make an assessment at that point, just in case you get used it.

BEst of luck....

echodigital

1. Sell it to the dealer and keep driving my RL till the wheels fall off.
2. I will trade TL in to Acura dealer for a 2011 Acura RL base w Tech 27,500 miles (listed $30,000) or a 2007 Lexus ES base 66,000 miles ( listed $16,000).
3. Trade the TL to a Toyota dealer for a Camry or Rav4.

I would choose the 1st option. The 2006 RL looks better than a 2011 RL that has that shield front haphazardly designed on. I would wait until 2016 before looking for a new car. I think most 4G TL drivers are thinking 8-10 years of ownership and modding.

ptvo

Thank you for your advice.

That's probably I will do. My brother has a driver license now but he does not really need a car now. So I probably will wait for 2 more years when he needs a car to go to college, I will give him the 06 RL and I will be back in the market for a car. Hopefully that time I will be wiser.

2snail

interesting thread...Everyone has a different perspective and harsh for one can be soft to another.

I feel like the tl is somewhat firm but still on the soft side for me. then again I came from an econobox lancer evolution X which was the firmest suspension car i have ever owned.

I still miss it, when I want raw performance, but I feel like the TL is perfect for long drives. I regularly do 4-5 hour drives when I visit family and it is miles ahead of the EVOX.

To the OP, at the end of the day if you are not happy with the car it will eat at you day and night. It sucks to learn the hard way financially but we all know cars are depreciating assets, less the rare exception e.g. porsche 911's which have ridiculous used resale market these days.

with the tlx out it only makes the tl depreciate more which makes your situation more difficult.

The trade in for RLX might be viable if the deal can be closer to your favor.

The lexus ES to me at least seems to appeal to the older age crowd. You mention you are young, if you are going to be a chemical engineer why dont you wait and get yourself the car you really want instead of compromising now.

The rl you have is reliable and will serve you well through the last bit of school and into your career.

If i was in your shoes, I would be looking at used ISF or used 911turbos or used GTR's depending on the financial situation when you are done with school and have a nice salary.

I learned the hard way myself when I got out of school. I bought myself a brand new bmw 135i twin turbo. It was great for 2 years then the problems began. I sold the car for a 2 grand loss and then got the EVOX. Again I made the mistake of going for new instead of used.

I traded that car in as it had surprisingly good resale (positive equity) and got a used v6 tsx. Love that car my wife drives it now and I picked up the TL SHAWD.

I had my heart set on the ISF, but financially it was not the right time.

Had I waited and skipped the EVO and TL I woulda had the ISF...anyways sorry for huge wall of text.

good luck with your decision

hyperpm

I drove and tracked an s2000 for 10 years and my other daily is a MS3 so I guess my perspective on whats comfortable and quiet is way off hehe. The RLX I test drove and previous GS350 was too soft for me. I also had buyer remorse getting TL since I felt the transmission shifted too slow. Get the car you'll happy with, good luck man!

2snail

hyper,

i test drove a Mazdaspeed3 a month ago and I was thoroughly impressed. That car has such a solid powerband under boost. I would love to have one as a daily heck I considered trading in the tl, but the wife wasnt thrilled about that lol.

hadokenuh

@Ptvo - I am surprised nobody has said this: keep the TL. Daily drive the RL. Drive the TL on dry summer days that you want to go a bit crazy and have some fun.

I used to daily drive a 370Z 6MT. It was too much from the shifting and stiff suspension so I traded it in for a 4G FWD TL. I also test drove the ShAWD but I knew the minute I got on freeway, I was going to regret if I went with it. The FWD TL is perfect for me. BUT there are days that I really miss the Z. I wished I could have kept the Z and bought the TL. Oh well.

So since your RL is paid off and you are financially capable, I'd recommend you to keep both cars. If you don't put a lot of miles on the TL, I think you'll lose about the same money if you sell it next year. So why not keep it for a couple of more months. Think about that.

Booya4139

Can't tell whether this is an issue with expectations, or there is an issue with the car... My TL with 20's is acceptibly quiet and comfortable...

Find a set of FWD stock 17s with 55 series tires... When i put them on with my winter set of tires they are like moon rover wheels, much softer and quieter...

Or buy a set of tein SA coilovers and put them on softest... Spend 2k to save 7k.

03sixer

He's not the first person to come from an RL and complain about the ride. Come on people! The RL and the TL are two totally different cars, marketed for different people with different driving habits. If you want a soft, Buick Roadmaster like ride, get the RL. If you want a sporty stiff ride and excellent handling, get the TL. I wish people would stop comparing this damn car to the RL.

LNJ

Tires make a huge difference but it seems like you already tried to remedy that with the DWS which are pretty cushy tires.
I ditched the Michelin for the Toyo Versado LX and they are ultra quiet and comfortable.
The other thing too is that the 6MT has a stiffer tuned suspension than the 6AT SH-AWD.
Why don't you test drive a 6AT 2012-2014 AWD to see if you can feel the difference?

012TL-GLM

I'm not sure your info is correct. The SH-AWD suspension is the same whether auto or manual. The difference is between FWD and SH-AWD, the first being much softer. Also the OP said he has the Advanced trim, so he's got an auto.

OP, everyone will experience buyer's remorse at some point when it comes to cars. They are nothing but an expense. I would urge you to pick a path that results in the least loss of $$.

My better half HATES my '12 SH-AWD. I mean HATES it because of the stiff, bumpy ride. We live in IL, and the roads are usually beat up. Personally, I LOVE the way the seats hold me in place, the exhilaration from taking turns and ramps WAY too fast, and the deep sound of that 3.7L motor after 4K RPM... She and I are lucky that we work at the same place, so our daily driver is an MDX (was a Camry until a few months ago). She absolutely loves that MDX and the first few minutes of any ride in the TL are spent comparing how great the ride is in HER MDX...LOL

I'm a few years older than you, just turned 36 this past summer. I've been through a lot of cars since I was 16, and I've learned that buying new has few perks in today's world of 0% financing and extended warranties on certified cars. I doubt I'll buy a brand new car again. I would be sick over taking a financial beating as you've described, however remember that cars do nothing but rape your wallet. All you do is feed them gas, oil, insurance, tires, brakes....They are the ultimate high maintenance girlfriend

LNJ

My bad!
Must have been reading another thread with someone who bought a used 6MT.

Btw the 6MT has a differently tuned suspension. Check it out under the CLOSE RATIO 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION section here: Acura Media Newsroom - TL - 2012 Acura TL - Powertrain

ptvo

Thank you for your wise advice.

I already consider to do it. But the TL will be depreciating asset and I need to pay for the gas, insurance, maintenance for the car that I don't enjoy. I would rather take a financial hit than beating myself up every time I drive the car. I don't see myself driving the car after a year, so why not selling it today rather than eventually spending more money on it.

012TL-GLM

Thanks! Learn something new everyday

hadokenuh

Sure. It's up to you. I was just speaking numbers wise.

If you don't put a lot of miles on the car (~100 miles / week), maintenance and gas will be minimal. You'll pay for gas anyway. Only real cost is insurance which is $60/month (for me at least). Although it will be depreciating, I doubt you'll lose more than 8k by next year. But if the dealership is helping you out with the tax, it's not too bad of a deal.

C8N

Trade in both your TL and your old RL and go buy a 2014 RLX.
They are basically giving them away advertized at around $46k for an Advance in my neck of the woods.

ptvo

I was offered $24,000 at both Carmax and Toyota. I am concerning about the resale value of the car if I keep this for a year and trade it for another car.

hadokenuh

To be honest with you, resale value of this car is fine. The problem was you bought it at a very high price. The same brand new car (2014) model could be had for around $39-40K and you bought your 2 year old used car for 35K. IMO 30K seems more reasonable. When you compare retail value vs. trade in value, there is a huge difference. Carmax is likely to price it at $29K which is about retail asking price.

So if the dealership agrees to take it back at 28K + tax and you don't want to keep it anymore, you should do it. You should do it asap before they change their mind. $5K and 2 lessons learned - Price check and Test drive the car more thoroughly.

VQPower37

^ yup thats spot on I purchased my tech for 35 brand new ... granted its not an advance, but if you wheel and deal hard you could have hand it brand new for probably close to 37

in general acuras tend to hold their value well

billjacobs

i bought a '13 awd tech and the ride is definitely firm. You feel potholes and rough roads more than most other cars I have been in. I find the ride gets smoother the faster you go. When I first got the car, I had a slight vibration between 65-75 mph. I lived with it for 6 months and then had the wheels rebalanced (road force balanced) when they were rotated. One of the wheels was out by 1/4oz. The ride is still firm, but the slight vibration is gone. The ride is also louder and harsher in the winter (as with all cars.) Your 19" wheels should be firmer and louder than my 18". I agree with others that the issue is more in the expectations you had. You went from a luxury cruiser to a firm sport sedan and also gave up a level of sound deadening in the process.

In the end, you know what you want and what you like. You have already experienced a lot of depreciation, so having a car a bit longer won't make much of a difference.

I test drove a camry se v6 and the ride was busy without any of the handling prowess of the tl. If you want a smooth suspension in a good size car that still handles well, you have to go up in price. Think the Lexus GS, Audi A6, etc. In the 30-40k range for a large awd sport sedan, the tl is pretty much it, I know because I looked for a long time.

If I were you, I would keep driving the car for another few months and see if you get used to it. Being impulsive is expensive, both in the original purchase and selling it later.

ptvo

I could keep driving for a longer time but I checked KBB value for the car and my car worths 26000 trade into the dealer and my dealer offers 28000 to take it back. I am worrying about if they change their mind after couple months and only ask for 25000-26000 for the car.

Booya4139

You realize the cheap car you replace it with will likely be worse than the TL, and your spiral of money dumping and rolling over losses will continue...

I'd throw a set of street advance coilovers on the car at full soft dampening and go enjoy the car for 150k miles...

ptvo

I am not going to replace the TL with any car. I will drive my RL till the wheels fall off. In the future, when I need to buy a car, it will be used and there is a high chance that it is a Camry/Avalon or RX/Odyssey when I have family.

The roads where I live are not too bad so I don't feel much of a jarring drive but the lack of sound proofing is killing me. And I will not take the TL on the long road trip if I keep it. So I consider this mistake is an expensive lesson for me and move on. I have a stable financial situation so I would rather take a hit than compromising the problem. Not that I have not tried, I put the new tires to smooth it out but the car is not for me.

TeamAcura

Are you having buyer's remorse because you overpaid for the TL or because of the ride quality? I think both. I've made plenty of implusive buying decisions. So I know where you're coming from. You just need to eat it, take an L and move on. Trust me, it won't be your last time either. I love my 4G though, awesome daily.

morgan1819

Dear PTVO,

Now that you've learned the RL is a luxury car, and the TL is a sports car, a couple of thoughts...

Clearly if you have the money laying around to buy a $35,000 car, you can spend a little money to get it how "you" want it.

First, put the standard 17" base model rims on it, and go with some 235-55-17 Michelin Primacy MXM4's, or 235-55-17 Pirelli P7's. Run them at 32 PSI (just like it says on the door frame of the car).

Second, turn the radio up, and drive the pi$$ out of the car for the next 150,000 miles. You will get more than your moneys worth, and have a lot of fun doing it.

The TL is a great driving, great sounding, tactile car, that makes Camry's and Avalon's feel silly to drive. Camry's and Avalon's are great basic transport vehicles, but are ridiculously boring to drive. I know ... my wife has an Avalon.

03sixer

I think he's made it clear...he DOES NOT want a sports car. He wants a soft supple ride. You don't typically get that from a sports car, sporty coupe or sporty sedan UNLESS, you get one with an on the fly, tunable suspension. Not going to find one for $35,000 with an adjustable suspension. His choice to sell the car and buy a car that's more of what he's looking for is exactly what he should do. No reason to try to force himself to like a car that he's not comfortable in. Because we all love the TL and the sporty aspect of it doesn't mean everyone will. Stop trying to convince this guy to keep it. It would be like if you bought a Buick Lacross, thinking its sporty looking exhaust meant it would handle well, then to find out it floats like and old LTD. Then all the Buick fans telling you to put 20s on it, and coilovers, and slam it,...etc... to get it where you like it. The TL is not for everyone my friends.

JayDoggExclusive

Any lexus IS series under 2014 year model ( which compares to TL ) gets blown out of the water by the TL pound for pound. That's why I didn't proceed with the Lexus. However th 2014 IS350 AWD IMO looks, performs and features better than the current TL and new TLX.

But no offense but you should have test driven a car before proceeding with a purchase. You're talking about the second biggest item next to your home man lol. Of course its going to be a change from a RL to TL its a luxury sedan to a sport sedan.

Best of luck. Sorry to hear you have buyers remorse.

ptvo

I test drove it for 30 minutes and I was masked by the car performance and I did not realize how uncomfortable it will be as a daily driving car.
If I keep driving the car for another year. The car will depreciating more and I will lose more money. And I don't think that I will keep this car more than a year. So why not bite a bullet and sell it today to minimize the loss.

Edward'TLS

Absolutely true.

There is nothing worse in life than to drive around daily in a car that you don't like or enjoy driving.

Life is short. So make the most out of it, and find yourself another car that you enjoy driving in.

morgan1819

Whoa there, Chief. Settle down.

He thinks the ride is too harsh. I suggested trying a much, much smoother riding tire package than what he currently has. It certainly made a huge difference for my TL.

So you don't think it's worth a try, to save a $5k to $7k hit? Good for you.

Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything. You are way off base on this one.

ray01

from personal experience as own a 12 awd tech with 18's and my friend has the advance with the 19's. there is a night and day difference in ride quality just by downsizing an inch however you do loose a little bit of handling when your on the 18's.
i will admit i cannot drive my car for more than 3hrs or else the seats would kill my back however i accepted it as a trade off for handling since i dont drive for more than an hr at a time.
i did drive a fwd loaner and drove it for 2 hrs on a roadtrip and i will say the ride is much more forgiving and the seats are much softer.
so my suggestion is to maybe testdrive a tech pkg awd, maybe find a delear that is willing to let you take it home overnight if your serious enough and see how you like it on the 18's otherwise your looking at a fwd or lexus

LaCostaRacer

Because you might take a larger depreciation hit on your next purchase.

Sorry for your troubles pvto, but blaming Honda/Acura for some poor decisions might make you feel better, but won't help you going forward. You spent as much for a used car that you could have paid for a brand new TLX that might have the ride you're craving now.

It wasn't Acura's fault that you bought the performance option package at the price you paid. You wrote in your own words- that you made an impulse decision and you're about to do another impulse decision.

It sounds like you got some bad advice regarding buying new tires- it would have been much better advice to arrange a trade of 19" wheels for 18" wheels which you could still do now and cut your losses.

So you're going to take another financial hit trading a perfectly good car without doing the obvious change? It also sounds like you still have an RL that you could use for those long road trips so you could have a comfy ride.

ptvo

Thank you for your advice.
I know that my fault and I should not blame Honda/Acura.
For the record, I bought the plus 0 size tires 245/45/R19 and the OEM size is 245/40/R19. So my ride is comparable to the 18 inch wheels I believe.
I am not going to replace the TL and I just want to sell it and keep driving my RL.
If I am telling you that I am not going to keep the TL for more than a year regarding of whether I like it or not. What is your advice for me?
Another question for the guys who switch car every one or two years, how much do you lose to the car depreciation?

morgan1819

What year is your RL? 2006? That probably has 17" rims/tires, right?

Put those 17" wheels on your TL, and take it for a drive. Set the air pressure at 32 psi.

Cost = $0.00


If you still can't deal with the sporty ride, then sell it...


************************************************** ******************************************

LaCostaRacer

^ The hit you take depends on a lot of factors. The biggest factor was the price you initially paid for the car and how that relates to the market value. Now that the TLX came out, I suspect the 4g takes a little hit because it's not the current model possibly- especially since the TLX base price is relatively low for the base i-4 model.

If you want to take the least hit, I would highly recommend that you sell the car yourself or have a trusted friend or relative help you. This way you will be able to cut your losses by eliminating the dealer/middle-man's profit.

Sorry for your troubles. I think you new decision to keep the RL is a very sound financial decision. You're young and have lots of time buying more fancy cars in your future. Buying cars every 2-3 years is not the best financial decision- especially when they are new cars.