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Older Acura TLs

9045 messages,  Last post on Jan 07, 2012 at 6:27 PM

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What is this discussion about? Acura TL, Sedan

Messages Page 808 of 905

#8069 of 9045 Re: TL horsepower [bodble2] by habitat1

Nov 11, 2005 (6:59 am)

Replying to: bodble2 (Nov 11, 2005 1:53 am)
I guess we will just have to agree to disagree that "playing within the rules allowed" is all that we should expect from a "premium" company selling "premium" products.
 
Mazda was required to restate the horsepower ratings of the RX8 (from 250 to 238) shortly after introduction, and they offered to repurchase sold units or give a $500 rebate at the buyers election. Honda/Acura was forced (and I mean forced) to restate numerous (every?) model, and their response is to continue to run media/TV advertising that claims 270 hp for the TL, apparantly because they weren't forced to pull previous ads. Current TV adds still show 300 hp for the RL and 265 for the MDX, even after they have been revised downward. Acura obviously believes horsepower ratings help sell cars, or they wouldn't feature them prominantly in every ad they run.
 
Neither BMW nor Porsche are perfect cars by any means. But these two performance oriented marquees have consistently underestimated - and then overdelivered - on the same horsepower / performance scale that Acura now is being forced to comply with.
 
This isn't a matter of "losing" 12 horsepower (although I still think the performance difference between Acura's restated 258 horsepower V6 and BMW's 255 hp I6 smells like it's still way too high). I didn't buy my TL with the misconception that I was getting a car that was 42% more powerful than my 1995 190 hp Maxima. After a few test drives, I knew better.
 
But it is a matter of another chink in Honda/Acura's image of corporate integrity. Added to the mishandling and miscommunication, IMO, of the defective automatic transmission that plagued TL's and MDX's. A business associate of mine just received an out of court settlement to the tune of a complete refund of his original price of a 2003 MDX, additional compensation and attorney's fees after his second replacement transmission failed in less than 20,000 miles, leaving his preganant wife stranded in rural Virginia. This, after he got a written statement from his dealer that the design flaw had been corrected in the second replacement (it was found to be an identical transmission).
 
Acura/Honda in general make excellent products. I will still defend my former S2000 as an engineering work of art. With fit and finish and a paint job that rival Porsche. And I still think highly of the entire TL package - style, amenities, great 6-speed gearbox, etc.
 
But I do not accept or appreciate Acura's marketing puffery regarding horsepower ratings. And I would implore others not to be so lenient by making excuses for Acura that they "played within the rules". That's not the metric by which corporate integrity should be measured, IMO. Especially a "premium" company.
 

#8070 of 9045 Re: Website updated / iPod !!! [podres] by bmwdoug

Nov 11, 2005 (10:07 am)

Replying to: podres (Nov 10, 2005 6:28 am)
Wow, the website does say the 06 TL is setup for the Acura/Apple Ipod adapter. That is great news. Podres, if the ACURA website list it as being on 06 models, it would have to be on all the 06's, including the ones on the lots now. Otherwise, they would have put a disclaimer stating it is only available on models after such and such production date. Because, if they list the Ipod integration as fact on 06 TL's, and it turns out that your 06 TL does not work, Acura will have to Pony up another TL for you.

#8071 of 9045 Re: Website updated / iPod !!! [bmwdoug] by podres

Nov 11, 2005 (10:26 am)

Replying to: bmwdoug (Nov 11, 2005 10:07 am)
So I called my dealer back and told him about the website and its description of the iPod integration. He said he would do some more research and get back to me. My confidence level in this guy is 2 on a scale of 10. But maybe he will come up with something in writing that confirms what the website is saying. That would make me feel better.
 
I'd rather not try to go through a car swap over this issue. I will wait them out.
 
Is anybody at Acura listening??? Hello!!!

#8072 of 9045 iPod Again by podres

Nov 11, 2005 (3:08 pm)

Well, the dealer now says that the iPod gizmo will work on the 06 TLs now in the lot, and he has no idea as to whether it will work on the '05. The gizmo might not be available until January. He was quite candid about being totally in the dark about this. He says that his service department has received no information about the gizmo. My confidence level in his information remains at 2 out of 10, and it matches the confidence he displays in the information he is giving me.

#8073 of 9045 Re: iPod Again [podres] by bmwdoug

Nov 11, 2005 (6:18 pm)

Replying to: podres (Nov 11, 2005 3:08 pm)
Podres, since it is listed on the Acura Web site, I bet the corporate officials would have a definitive answer. I might try to call the Corporate Office of Acura. Also, I can't imagine that it would not work on the 06 TL's that are on lots now, since there is no disclaimer on the website. I want at new 06 TL and I want the Acura/Apple Ipod adapter. I love cool gadgets.

#8074 of 9045 iPod by podres

Nov 11, 2005 (6:55 pm)

My dealer sent me some junk in the mail today. Included in it was an odd USA Today supplement aimed at Acura dealers. It must have been distributed at a convention or trade show. In any event, it is dated November 3, 2005 and says: "Starting in early December, the Acura Music Link will be available for all Acura RL, TL, TSX and MDX models."
 
There it is, in writing. The clear implication is that the gizmo comes out in December, but that it will work on all 2006 TLs. I may just wait for the gizmo, just to be sure. But I am now reasonable confident that it will work on the 2006 models now on the lot.

#8075 of 9045 Re: TL horsepower [habitat1] by highender

Nov 12, 2005 (2:25 pm)

Replying to: habitat1 (Nov 11, 2005 6:59 am)
Regarding your post 8069 about Acura posting over high horsepower figures...
 
I agree with most everything in the whole post. I just think that the higher HP figures not only help sell cars...but also help owners (me and all of us ?) on the bragging rights front.
 
It would be better to underestimate and have more to play with, rather than over estimate and be forced to eat your horse words.
 
I only thought Hyundai and Mazda did this...but sincerely did not expect Honda to lower itself to this level.
 
I am happy with my TL.... even if has lower horsepower than stated...but the bragging rights will sound stronger if we can say " my car has a published hp of only 250 hp..but in all reality, most people dyno them to 275 hp...isn't that cool ? "

#8076 of 9045 Re: TL horsepower [bodble2] by highender

Nov 12, 2005 (2:29 pm)

Replying to: bodble2 (Nov 11, 2005 1:53 am)
I am not sure if Acura is not being truthful, or just used the most generous hp figure.??
 
It is quite OK to play within the rules, but the simple image of it is that they should have had room to spare....meaning make all engines 275 hp or something...and only claim 270 hp....

#8077 of 9045 Re: iPod [podres] by onslow

Nov 13, 2005 (8:24 am)

Replying to: podres (Nov 11, 2005 6:55 pm)
I just talked to a dealership by Washington DC about the IPOD adaptor and the dealer told me that the new TSXs would all definetely have it, and that if I wanted to get a TL with the IPOD adapter, I would have to wait until April. When I told him I had heard that the adaptor was supposed to come out in December for TLs, he laughed and told me that it was a fairy tale. He also told me that the IPOD adapter was an optional feature and would cost somewhere around 1200 dollars extra. Does that number seem too high to anybody else?

#8078 of 9045 iPod adapter by podres

Nov 13, 2005 (9:30 am)

The iPod adapter is an optional dealer-installed add-on. According to the September press release: "suggested retail pricing for the Acura Music Link will be approximately $250 plus dealer installation charge." The press release also says: "The adaptor will be available starting in mid-December exclusively for purchase and installation at Acura dealers."
 
There is an iPod adapter shown on the Mercedes-Benz website. It takes up 1/2 of the glove compartment. Given the small size of the iPod itself, this is pretty ironic. I don't expect the Acura gizmo to be any smaller. It's probably the same device. In a couple of years the whole thing will probably be firmware/software built into the head unit.
 
The inconsistent stories that we are getting/ seeing / reading do not make Acura look good. Why can't Acura simply tell everyone -- dealers, public -- what the deal is? If they don't know, then they should say that, rather than advertise the thing on the website the way they do.
 
IF what my dealer told me is true, the press release is probably correct, after adjusting for some delay - figure January availability.

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