|
04 Acura TL after 3+ months
Hey all, I just wanted to give you an update on my car. It's a first-year redesign, so things are expected to go a bit awry. Good thing, though, that nothing has.
2004 Acura TL, 6-spd manual, Navigation, High Performance Tires
3+ months, 7200 miles.
Performance:
Under normal-to-hectic driving conditions, this car is just perfect. The suspension is fairly tight - it will inspire a fairly firm grip on the steering wheel. If you enjoy the experience of driving, I think you'd really love it.
Under *spirited* driving conditions, this car is a dream on straight-aheads, hills and long curves. Tight corners reveal the stock suspension's weakness. The 60/40 weight distribution will slow down any tight curve you make, but the strong engine will let you accelerate out of the turn just well enough. I am debating on switching over to Comptech's sport springs... I probably won't decide until October or December (the two times of the year when I get presents!).
I absolutely LOVE the brembo brakes that come with the manual transmission. My heart never skips a beat when I suddenly see brake lights in front of me 'cause I know I can stop a hell of a lot faster than the guy ahead of me.
Comfort:
I'm able to shape the seat into the most comfortable position for me... and sometimes I'm sad to reach my destination. There have been only a couple rattles that have popped up, but they seem to have fixed themselves. The cabin is tight and stylish. Nothing is drooping, nothing is broken. The sound system is sharp and immersive, but the bass does rattle the inner panels on the doors a little.
I don't use the navigation system as much as I thought I would, but when I do, it's always spot-on. It's a very useful tool. From what I understand, through reviews, is the Acura navi is the best in the market. It gives the most details and is more accurate. So far I have no experience to disprove it. It's also voice and touch activated.
Finish:
I've scratched up my rims a bit, but I don't really care about stock rims too much. I park along curbs 90% of the time - it's gonna happen. The front rims are always COVERED in brake dust. The only downside to the Brembo brakes is the dust. I have many various nicks in the paint from road debris, but that's LA for you. I still haven't gotten around to ordering Zaino to make my car shinier than Andre Agassi's head.
I've tinted my windows.. 5% on all the back windows and 50% on my front windows. (That's percentage of light that shines through) The car looks much more aggressive when the windows are tinted... duh.
I still see hardly any other new TLs on the road, which is good for me. I did see about 3 of them when driving through the parking lot at the mall today, though.
So, anyways, if you're looking to buy a new car that not everybody has or has seen, check out the Acura TL. It's really hard to find a 6-spd/Navi setup, but it's worth it. As I understand it, the 2005 models will be virtually unchanged.
|