Acura TL Luxury
Acura TL Luxury
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[Oct 30, 2000]
Tat Choi
Model Reviewed:
Acura 3.2TL
Strength:
Engine is smooth, nice interior design, and beats all the cars at the same rank(with aftermarket modification)
Weakness:
Some noise on the highway. Sport shift work really well but I rather have a manual transmission. Need a sporty looking steering wheel $30,000 is pretty good for the features in TL Similar Products Used: IS 300 is pretty good but I'll still Wacked that P.O.S. |
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[Oct 16, 2000]
Dave
Model Reviewed:
3.2TL (w/o nav)
Strength:
My 2000 3.2 TL has great handling. It also has a smooth, powerful engine which loves to go fast. Excellent accerlation. The sportshift is a great feature. Good dash design. Good trunk space. I also have grown to really like the looks of this car (at first I wasn't so sure). Xenon headlights are a plus. Great value for a car in this class.
Weakness:
Defective molding around front windshild - has to be replaced. Some occasional internal rattling - may be normal but it's just enough to be slightly annoying. Engine does not seem as smooth at very low speeds. For the size of the car, there should be a more room in the back seat. It would be nice if the rear seats would fold down. The "CD holder" is useless. There's some wind noise on the highway. The windshield does not get very clean when I clean it with the wipers and washer fluid...tends to streak some. Given the price (I paid $26,958 b/4 taxes), I would highly recommend this car. The fact that everything is standard is a big plus. Similar Products Used: Test drove Infinity I30, Maxima SE. |
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[Oct 26, 2000]
Robert Neill
Strength:
This is an update on my earlier review. The car I was reviewing (impatiently) was a demo, which turned out to be a 2000 model. The 2001 I ended up buying has the extremely useful (left) foot-rest I complained about the absence of in the 2000 car, which reduces my complaints to one, noted below. I continue to rate the five-speed automatic transmission the best I've ever experienced. It works in three different ranges; and there's also the new fangled "sport shift" that BMW drivers love. It's semi-manual and works just fine. But the auto's so good, it's unnecessary, at least for me. Engine powerful and smooth; ride firm but forgiving; body finish seems fine. This is, after all, a Honda.
Weakness:
Similar Products Used: BMW 3 series, Passat, Accord V6. Should have tried an Audi but seemed ike less car for more money, so I didn't bother. Ditto the Lexus ES 300. The Maxima is, I'm sure, a fine car; but I just don't believe in Nissan. |
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[Oct 26, 2000]
Robert Neill
Strength:
This is an update on my earlier review. The car I was reviewing (impatiently) was a demo, which turned out to be a 2000 model. The 2001 I ended up buying has the extremely useful (left) foot-rest I complained about the absence of in the 2000 car, which reduces my complaints to one, noted below. I continue to rate the five-speed automatic transmission the best I've ever experienced. It works in three different ranges; and there's also the new fangled "sport shift" that BMW drivers love. It's semi-manual and works just fine. But the auto's so good, it's unnecessary, at least for me. Engine powerful and smooth; ride firm but forgiving; body finish seems fine. This is, after all, a Honda.
Weakness:
Similar Products Used: BMW 3 series, Passat, Accord V6. Should have tried an Audi but seemed ike less car for more money, so I didn't bother. Ditto the Lexus ES 300. The Maxima is, I'm sure, a fine car; but I just don't believe in Nissan. |
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[Oct 18, 2000]
Troy Movius
Model Reviewed:
3.2t l
Strength:
Strong Acceleration, Solid feel, Trouble-free ownership, standard features offered as options on competition, great value. This car allowed me to purchase a near-luxury car when otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance.
Weakness:
Louder than I expected wind noise from A pillars, front end nose dive when braking, body panel on rear passenger door not flush, handling (Sorry I owned an Integra before this), clunky transmission when shifting at a stop, slight rattle on speaker deck in rear. Paid sticker price because car was in extreme demand in May 1999. Never paid sticker for a car except the tl. It's worth it, WAY below similar equipped cars. I would recommend this car. I actually like the four speed transmission when shifting because of the complete control. Side airbags a plus on 2000 models. I've got 48K on it (For Business) with no major problems. Similar Products Used: None, I owned an Integra before this car which I put 165K on with no problems |
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[Oct 15, 2000]
Don Bowen
Model Reviewed:
TL
Strength:
Very high quality construction in every respect.
Weakness:
Seats should be slightly lower. A telescoping steering wheel would be nice After 25000 miles I am still in love with the TL. The car has yet to pay a visit to the shop. I also feel very safe in this car especially after seeing how it held up in a major accident. I was recently rear ended at high speed by a mid-sized Nissan. Given the power of the impact, I had expected the entire rear end to be caved in. To my surpise, there was virtually no damage. (A few scraches which were later removed with car polish.) The front end of the Nissan was a mess and I later learned that the car had been totaled. Similar Products Used: My last car was a 1990 Nissan 300ZX. I enjoy driving smaller sport cars but I often felt uncomfortable being surrounded by large pickups and SUV's. |
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[Oct 04, 2000]
Tom
Model Reviewed:
3.2 TL
Strength:
Powerful, smooth engine, good handling for a sedan (my previous car was the Acura Integra, which had outstanding handling), well equiped for the price. This is the first automatic car I ever owned and I am impressed with the acceleration and the low rpm in 5th gear. The SportShift is fun, but takes getting used to. The sound system is very good (could be better, but then the car would be more expensive too) and the radio reception is acceptable. The occasional reception problem is the price one has to pay for having an antenna built in the window. I still prefer a bilt-in antenna to a retractable antena which always gets stuck.
Weakness:
So far I have no major issues with the car, but I would like to have memory seats and fold-down rear-seats. A telescopic steering wheel would be nice. The seats are firm and provide good support, but could be more comfortable. The car is well insulated and quiet, but wind noise on the highway could be lower. I paid 34,500 for the 3.2 TL in Canada (where the MSRP is 36,000). I also got the rear mud guards, wheel locks and the nose mask included in that price. Normally Acura dealers will not go down in price too much, but I am sure that I got the price break because dealers are trying to clear their 2000 stock. Similar Products Used: I have never driven a luxury sedan for more than just a 5 minute test drive (IMHO 5 minutes is not enough to get an objective opinion), so I am not in a good position to compare. I selected the Acura 3.2 TL over other comparable cars (Maxima SE, Passat V6, 300M, Audi A4) largely due to reviews where the Acura 1999 3.2 TL came in 3rd place out of 10 luxury sedans. The Audi A4 and the BMW 328i beat it by less than 3%, yet the price of the A4 and the BMW was 6K and 10K (respectively), over the Acura! Another reason for selecting the Acura is the fact that I always owned Hondas and Acuras and they are very reliable cars. |
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[Sep 21, 2000]
Robert Neill
Strength:
No car can touch this car until you get to around $35,000+ (BMW 323/328) and then you give up size, especially in the trunk ( I know, nonbody busy a BMW for its trunk) so you stretch for the 5 Series at which point you're in a new ball game. This is a transformed Honda, not a cheapened BMW. It's got to be a Loss Leader, like my 1990 Integra was: $13,500! The five speed automatic transmission alone is worth half the $4000 - the quiet, firm ride is worth the rest.
Weakness:
Similar Products Used: Accord EX V6, Passat, BMW 323. |
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[Sep 18, 2000]
Jason Dobbins
Strength:
I just bought my 2001 TL and love it.
Weakness:
None to be found yet I paid $29,000 for my 2001 and my lease payments are 400 a month nothing down. I would recommend this car to anyone who asks or for that matter anyone who whats to listen. I can't tell you to much about the car at this point except to go test drive one for yourself and you will love it. Similar Products Used: 89 VW Jetta - they just don't compare |
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[Sep 10, 2000]
Steve
Model Reviewed:
TL 3.2
Strength:
Since my TL is literally <2.0 hours old (after bringing it home, I went straight to my fave info source for the dope on all things 3.2), I don't have much in the way of opinion -- other than to say that (1) I stayed within my budget; (2) I managed to supress the urge to officially enter my Midlife Crisis by nixing the purchase of a blown '67 big-block Camaro and opting instead for the 3.2; (3) My 3.2 is the epitome of understated luxury.
Weakness:
No low 9 e.t.'s. $20,995 + $1200 for extended warranty. Not as fast as my Comet -- but dosen't require a cool-can or re-fill of a nitrous bottle. So far, so good... Similar Products Used: 1966 390 Comet Cyclone, Nissan 200 Sux-V6, 1986 Honda Civic, 1991 Toyota Corolla (there you have it: My entire life's worth of vehicles...) |


