Technically speaking, what is considered "high mileage"? I'm still looking at potential TLs on both private sales and dealers, but I don't know if having a warranty, and therefore having the car below 50k miles, is a must. I'm working on a tight budget, so I need advice on what my priorities should be (e.g. warranty, mileage, navi, etc)

I've heard the stories of transmissions going bad, which is the only real fear that holds me away from the TL (even has me considering a G35 ). Any advice?

 

Your priority should be getting the most sound car for you money. Mileage is tricky, sometimes a car with very little miles can be garbage compared to one with more than twice as much. It depends on how and where it was driven, taken care of, and just general luck. Being its impossible to know exactly what's going on inside an engine a warranty is good to have.

Look at some certified Acuras with extended warranties, also look into warranties you can purchase for a car with expired warranty. I am unfamiliar with this but it is something you can do and you should look into it.

Remember its better to pay a little extra for the safety net than to buy cheap and have to pay more in upkeep to keep it on the road. You can also have a professional inspect whatever car your looking at to be safe. Good luck!

 

As long as the maintenance is up to date I see not issue with a high mileage.

I would say high mileage is 90+.

 

Keep in mind the 105k mile tune-up which will run you $1k+ easily with parts and labor. Just something to think about if you're buying a TL with high mileage.

 

$1200 to $1600 sounds more like it.

 

Acuras are Hondas right? (sarcasm)

Honda has (one of) the best reliability records of any car company. Think about how many Accords and Civics you see for sale with 200k plus miles, 250k plus miles, etc. Then think about how many VW's, Chevy's, etc. you see with that many miles.

I know this was why I bought my Acura...

 

Judging from the problems that I see in the 2G TL forum, I wouldn't consider the TL (at least in that generation) to be exceptionally reliable. Even if you don't count the transmission, the TL's reliability and durability doesn't seem to stand out compared to say, a Chevy Malibu from the same era.

Honda earned its reputation of exceptional reliability and durability from the super solid cars that they built in the early 90s. Those cars are long gone, and the newer ones are nowhere as well made as those cars.

 

Thanks, those are definately some points to keep in mind. Investing in carfax and just a general checkup before my purchase is a must, hopefully that will cover most of the hidden dangers.

Anyone know anything on warranties after the factory warranty expires?

Good advice, though the 105k mile tuneup should not be a concern for another few years. I'm looking into maybe the 55k - 70k mile range, so my main concern is how important a warranty will be.

No doubt, as you mentioned, the 2G evidently shows that Honda and Acuras are not what they used to be. As I said before, the transmission is my main concern, but if I'm out of warranty, small repairs such as A/C units (as with my moms MDX) or whatever may run me into the ground.

 

Once the factory warranty expires, you can only purchase a third party warranty. A few years of coverage can cost well over $1000. The transmission might become an issue if it's a 04-06, but Acura is known to pay at least 50% of the repair. Therefore, it is very unlikely that the warranty will be cost effective.

As with any used car, the maintenance history will tell a lot about how well the owner treated the car. There are only a few items that I usually check when it comes to used car purchases, because these items usually tell a lot. First, I check the front and rear tires. Are they of a good brand/model? Is the tread depth about the same? If an owner is good about maintenance, they would keep the tires rotated. A car with tires that have not been rotated regularly is a red flag for "deferred maintenance." The second item that I check is the cabin air filter. If it looks like it has been replaced on schedule, then that means the owner usually keeps up with all of the scheduled maintenance items. Lastly, I check the condition of the brake fluid. Is it light colored? If so, it was probably changed on schedule or is not overdue. Acura requires fluid changes every three years.

 

Wow, definitely some valuable information that I'll be using when I start looking at used car lots. Probably the most valuable information when searching those Asian used car lots.

So based on that information, can I assume that warranty is not a must? Not to say it's not important, but with the budget I'm working with, I may have to settle for a "high" mileage TL somewhere around 60k miles which probably will not carry the factory warranty.