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Sedans Acura TL 2008 Acura TL
96 messages, Last post on Aug 21, 2008 at 7:13 PM
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jul 21, 2007 8:26 am)  The TSX's stats are tooo similar to my current 95 accord. Thats the pro and the con. PRO I wont have to make big adjustments CON Everything else is the same. I threw the TL in because I love the way it looks in the deep green pearl! But with driving vehicles topping 170hp. I dislike the TLs step down in MPG but thats till a step up from my accord(cant tell you the average since the odometer retired from duty) Can you tell me about the TL because these reviews online dont help much. They all seem to say the same things. I want to hear about the TL and TSX and how they are everyday. Mainly I want an auto because I live in miami and it is congested about 60% of the time and it lots of red lights on all the alternate routes. HEY BUB! I CAN DRIVE A STICK A BIT!! I just need more practice. Can I practice with your 6MT?  MT cars are hard to come by in miami. I'm thinking about getting an old tercel or corolla and giving it to my dad for MPG in the future. My entire household has a 4AT: My accord, sis's millenia, moms miata, bros corolla, dads expy's. Moms old sportage was a MT and thats how i was learning. I moved it into the gate and around a parking lot and it only cut off twice but that twice to many as I see it. -Cj
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Replying to: autoboy16 (Jul 22, 2007 5:34 am) No matter whose reviews you read, there is nothing like getting your butt in the seat(s) of all of the cars you are considering and taking lenghty test drives of each. FWIW, the TL 6-speed was my choice in 2004 because it offered the best balance of attributes - lots of amenities, high quality fit and finish, ability to carry my family of 4 comfortably and, with the 6-speed (including Brembo brakes & stiffer suspension), a sporty drive. Now for 2007/8 you need to go up to the TL-S to get a 6-speed. I would not be a TL (TL-S) buyer today. The extra $ to get the TL-S is not as good of a value, IMO. And I'm simply not a fan of automatic transmissions period, but especially Acura automatic transmissions. As far as learning to drive a stick and using "congestion" as an excuse for an automatic - do what's right for you. But the DC area traffic is worse than Miami's and neither my wife nor I would own an automatic, given the choice of a manual (no choice in our MDX). Again, the 6-speed gearbox in my TL is one of its best features. I have never sat in even the worst of traffic wishing I had gotten a slushbox. I can't really comment on the TSX, as I've only ever driven one briefly as a loaner and it was - you guessed it - a slushbox. Honda engines scream (literally and figuratively) for a manual transmission. One thing I would mention is that, back in 1994, on a tight budget, I debated between a Nissan Maxima SE w/ almost no options and a $3k less Altima GXE with more goodies. I went for the 6-cylinder Japan-built Maxima and it was one of the best car decisions I ever made. Still have it with 155k miles and it runs like new. I seriously doubt the US-built 4-cylinder Altima would have fared as well. My lesson from that experience is, buy the better car first and worry about options or amenities second.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jul 21, 2007 8:26 am) Some of us, who are older, have that ability because, in our day, there were more sticks around to learn on. I am sure that is still the case in more rural areas. I grew up in New York City then San Francisco and now in southern california. Believe me, driving a stick in those areas is no joy.  Like almost everything in life, the more abilities you have the easier life will be. But let's give autoboy a break. Now, I'll admit,if autoboy planned to do any driving in Europe, he'd be in trouble.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jul 23, 2007 4:54 am) Actually, That 280hp Passat Sport has my eye too.... And the Jetta TDI... Once, the tC, s40, and MDX did too but I moved on. To to cheap(materials not features), to dull(come on, 205hp Turbo I5), and to big respectively. I'm in no rush. Who knows, I may keep my car longer and get a TL ot TSX when they get diesel engines. 52IMP mpg sounds good to me. But at 6'1, the idea of the MDX's space is entertaining. I've sat in all the cars I mentioned and all were great. Only drove the tC. Regardless of what I choose, It'll be a step up from my accord. AND NO BASE FEATURELESS MODELS FOR ME!! -Cj 
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Replying to: eg424 (Jul 24, 2007 12:43 am) One can live a very satisfying life driving a Prius hybrid and never even thinking about a sports car, sports sedan or sporty coupe. And good for them and the environment. But I still find it "amusing and a little sad" that anyone looking for a little more vigor in their driving experience would NOT learn how to drive a stick. As for giving autoboy a break, I hope he knows that I'm just egging him on to do something he might actually thank me for, before he buys that new car in 2009. If he was an "older" person like you or me, I'd have laid off a few posts ago, figuring it was a lost cause. I grew up in New York City then San Francisco and now in southern california. Believe me, driving a stick in those areas is no joy. I can "believe" that driving in extremely congested areas isn't a joy, period. But I personally don't find the difference between a manual or automatic transmssion to make such conditions any more or less frustrating. However, given the opportunity to go on a weekend getaway to Napa or Carmel, I'll take a 6-speed stick for the drive, thank you very much. I guess we are both lost causes. Or too old to change.
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Replying to: habitat1 (Jul 24, 2007 11:33 am) In fact, as long as we're moving - say bouncing between 3 mph & 15, I prefer the stick b/c you can control how quickly you "coast" by keeping the car in 1st or 2nd, but in an AT, you'd have to ride the brake. It is true I have not experienced the "mean streets" of NYC, but I've driven in Central Jersey, that has heavy traffic, Miami, that has heavy traffic, and Boca Raton - and believe me, nothing's worse than a road loaded with drivers who are too old to be driving or on vacation and don't know where they're going!!!! Traffic gets real heavy there in the winter months. My current location - Tampa, FL, isn't so bad traffic-wise, but it has its moments. My dad was a sport car nut - always had a Porsche or a vette or a ferrarri in the garage, but who wants to teach their son to drive stick on their brand new Porsche?!? Thank goodness my wife's parents believed in MTs, so she could teach me on her early '90s Mazda MX6 while we were dating. Changed my life (for the better)!!!
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I noticed the 08 TL has a transmission of Japanese origin whereas the 07 TL has a transmission of American origin. Does anyone know why the switch for the 08s? (I am refering to TLs with AT.) I'm considering buying an Acura TL for the first time. |
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Replying to: taxesquire (Jul 24, 2007 12:10 pm)
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Replying to: 150mphclub (Aug 19, 2007 12:02 pm) So, paddle shift away, but I'll take the occasional feathering any day. As would my wife if we could ever figure out a way to retrofit a 6-speed manual into our MDX. |
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Replying to: 150mphclub (Aug 19, 2007 12:02 pm) In the hopes of being able to get the last word in on this I just want to comment that the point of my post is not to argue about which is easier to drive, but just to say that MTs are not as troublesome in traffic as people like to think. 
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