ptvo

Hello.
I just bought an used CPO 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Advance. It has 36,000 miles and it is BWP with graystone interior. I paid $32,500 plus TTL for it. I know that I could get a better deal but the closest BWP one is 400 miles away from where I live and I am not willing to travel. Plus the car has been well taken care of, it has oil changes and tire rotations every 7,500 miles. So I paid premium price for its good service records.
I am planning to tint 35% on 4 doors and rear windshield and maybe 50% on the front windshield. I also consider to put the clear bra on the car since it is white, so every chips will show. The installer quotes $1350 for full front clear bra or $735 for partial front clear bra.

potmilkz

you should check a few places for the clear bra before you make a decision. im sure there are cheaper places.

JackCarver

My clear bra saved me today. I was on the fwy and hit a huge piece of cardboard that was doing magical cartwheels in mid air. Of course it hit my front bumper length wise and I actually felt the hit.

Checked the bumper and while there was definitely some scuffing, it was removed easily by just rubbing it off. It would have definitely been a mark otherwise.

My first 4G TL did not get a clear bra before I left for Vegas and it had several chips from that trip alone. So worth it!

I got the full front bumper including lights and it wrapped around to the finders for about $475. This was in Orange County, CA. In case that helps with perspective...

VanyDotK

iTrader: (6)

Congrats and welcome! Pictures please!

KarKraze

Nice,congrats.

ptvo

Hello. I will be posting the pics next week after I got the tint done. Coming from the 2006 Acura RL, the TL ride is very firm for my taste. And the firm ride is the first thing that my mom noticed when she first sat on my car. Do you guys have any suggestions to soften the ride beside changing the wheels to 18 inch wheel?

dirtyo2000

That's about it. The shawd has firmer suspension. Never checked the part numbers but if they're different on the springs of the base model you could always switch to them

ptvo

I am new to mod the car. Can I change to the base suspensions? Or after some research, I see that coil over would help too but where can I buy it and how to do it?

Oswald Vater

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your purchase!

KarKraze

If you wanted to go the coilover route,i would recommend you get the Tein Street Advance. The adjustable dampening will allow you to adjust the ride stiffness / comfort to your liking. Keep in mind, with increased comfort you will sacrifice some of the handling attributes of the car.

LawnPro

Congrats on your 2012 SHawd. I have heard the TEIN coilovers are great - like KK said.

ptvo

I also have heard that it does not soften the ride from another member here ( I saw it when I did my research). I am not going to drop of do any mods to the car. Does the TEIN coilovers still work if I do not drop the car? Does it replace the OEM suspension? and I need to change the tires soon , so what tires should I change to increase the comfort ( I am willing to sacrifice some handing)?

I am thinking about swapping my 19 inch wheels to the 18 inch wheels.

ptvo

After some research, I found that Continental Extreme contact tires supposes to soften the ride. Do you guys have any experience with the tires?

KarKraze

Really,could you share the link please., that could be due to any number of reasons eg width of rims,size of rims,dampening settings,type of tires,tire pressure etc. I had the H&R springs on my car before i switched to the Tein SA , I know that my car is smoother than stock and i am running 19's with Pilot Super Sport tires. At the settings i have i can still soften the suspension even more than it is at present.


If you do go down to 18's your car will ride smoother due to the increase in sidewall.I can't offer any advice on the Conti's you asked about but i seem to recall reading that some member who had them complained about the soft sidewall.Hopefully someone who has them can chime in and share their experience.

ptvo

Thank you for the reply.
I don't have the link of the thread since I use google and open multiple tabs at a time.
About the tires, soft sidewall means softer ride, doesn't it? So I can achieve the softer ride by replacing the tires and I don't have to spend money on the coil over, correct?

KarKraze

Well, yes but you have 19's currently, correct? if so, then you have to buy rims and tires which can be costly,you can offset some of the cost by selling your current setup.

Also with softer sidewalls your car may feel wiggly,cushy etc and cornering stability will be compromised.

ptvo

I am thinking about keeping the 19's and replace the OEM Eagle RSA by the Continental DWS.

How much better in term of soft ride did you get from the the TEIN SA comparing to the stock? Is it 30-40%?

KarKraze

Hmmm,sounds good. It's difficult to quantify how much smoother it is. I have never had it at full soft but around the half way point the car is smooth, i feel that this is by far the best upgrade that i have done to the car.

ptvo

If I decide to go with the TEIN, will the TEIN replace the stock suspension? or is it an add-on item? I am new to the car mods.

If it replaces the OEM, it means that the CPO warranty will not cover the coil over if something happens to it, right?

KarKraze

The Tein will replace the shocks and spring combo for the front and rear,you will reuse the stock top hat for the front. You already mentioned that you will not drop the car but in the event you do and depending on how low you go then you may end up needing a camber kit to bring the alignment back in spec. A drop of 1" or a little more will not require the camber kit.

As far as warranty,the parts you replace will not be covered by the CPO warranty but will have its own warranty for whatever that period is ( 1 year, i believe).

ptvo

Where can I order the coilover at cheap price? Somebody mentioned acuraoempart. Is the sale representative is a forum member?

ptvo

How much does it cost to pay the tech swapping the stock with the Tein?

lift3d_

^ takes about 3-4 hrs, and cost depends on your local rates/relationship with mechanic

i unfortunately live in a rather small town in Ontario and paid $425 for my install, i've seen plenty of American guys here paying $200-$300

KarKraze

^^^ what he said. You will have to look around and see who offers the lowest price on the parts,so far i purchased all my parts from Acurazine sponsor/ vendor Josh at this website
http://www.excelerateperformance.com/

being in Canada the shipping and duties are a killer for us.

ptvo

Thank you guys for great advises. I have decided to go with the TEIN SA. Weird thing is I drove my 2006 Acura RL again today and I also feel more bumps than I recall ( probaly because the tires are needed to be replaced). But the RL ride quality is still softer than the TLs. For example, I can feel every joints on the road on the TL but not on the RL and when the RL hits a bumps, my stomach does not feel as hard as I do on the TL. Hopefully the TEIN SA will soften the ride a little bit and I will be a happy camper.

KarKraze

Quick question, did you check your tire pressure on the TL?

ptvo

Yes, I lowered them to 32 psi all around. I am living in Knoxville, TN and the roads here are fine. Maybe I am just being overreacted. I test drove the car for 1 hour and I did not feel any uncomfortable feelings. But when my mom mentioned that the car drives a little stiff and I started to notice more on the ride quality. I am a perfectionist so that might be the reason.

On the ride setting you currently have, do you feel the road joints as you drive over them?

KarKraze

Not really,it absorbs minor imperfections quite well. I am not sure if they have any Acura meets in your area,you can check the Regions section of Acurazine for more info on that. Ideally, you may want to see if someone has coilovers installed on their car and get a test ride.

I suggest the test ride because you wouldn't want to spend money on something that may or may not meet your expectations.So far on this forum anyone who went the coilover route has been extremely satisfied.The SA is about $200 more than the Basis but it gives you adjustable dampening,Imo that option to tailor the ride comfort to you likeness is absolutely worth it ,even though you may set it once and forget it.
Good luck and keep us updated

ptvo

I have found the thread that one guy claimed the tein sa does not help to soften the ride.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...8#post14760828

Post # 22

aznxboixx

Congrats! Love that the advance package have cooled seats.

03sixer

My friend has an 07 RL, and its ride is much softer than my 2014 Advance....as it should be. The RL is more of a luxury sedan while the TL is more of a sporty sedan. They shouldn't ride the same. The focus of the TL SH-AWD was handling and you're not going to get that with the extra body roll that the RL has. Maybe you should've looked at the new RLX?

ptvo

I rode my TL today and the ride is softer than yesterday. I guess that I am getting used to it. I would say that my 06 RL rides 30% smoother than my TL. But you are right, even though my 06 RL has SH-AWD, I never feel comfortable take a hard turn with it due to the body roll. Riding the TL, I am feeling the SH-AWD kicks in and it put a smile on my face every time I take a hard turn. I hold on putting the coilover on the TL because I don't feel like the ride bothers me that much to spend $1000 more on the car. I will save it for insurance and tires later. Hopefully the Continetal DWS will make the ride perfect.

shaymasdaddy

I have had Conti DWSs on my '09 TL SH-AWD Tech HPTs for a 1 year and the ride is great compared to the Kumhos I replaced. They handle well and the harsh ride is gone.

thePearl

what shop?

ptvo

I ordered a set of 245/40/R19 of Continental DWS from Discount tire direct yesterday.

However, after some research, I see some members on AZ going with 245/45/R19 or 255/40/R19. Will it soften the ride if I go that way? Will it cause any electrical or mechanical issues.