BMW 325i or Acura TL?
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Yeah, but, what average driver's gonna find the limits of the TL in daily driving? I've never driven a TL but I have driven an 04 V-6 Accord. You've got to be doing something bordering on illegal to find the difference between the TL and 325i. Don't get me wrong, my first car was a nice used Bimmer and I love the breed, but the TL's V-6 is fairly smooth itself and sports a bit more oomph.
As for modern minivans, Motor Trend or somebody compared an Odyssey to early some early 60's sports cars and it blew them away in every category including handling.
As for modern minivans, Motor Trend or somebody compared an Odyssey to early some early 60's sports cars and it blew them away in every category including handling.
I've driven a TL. Nice car and I would take it over my Passat. But I would not take it over my mom's X3 and the 325 handles better than the X3. As for will the average driver notice? Dunno. My guess is most people shopping in the sports sedan category likely would. My mom noticed immediately that her X3 drives better than the Volvo S70 should replaced and she is the furthest thing from an enthusiast. What she said was that X3 is a lot more fun to drive than the volvo.
I agree with your comment about minivans. My sienna handles surprisingly well for a beast.
I agree with your comment about minivans. My sienna handles surprisingly well for a beast.
Yeah, but when it comes to picking between a 270 hp TL and a 184 hp 325i.....Man, that's practically 100 hp. Again, like I said, if it were the 330i, I'd be singing a different song. The differences between it and the TL are much less glaring. But the 325i of that vintage was well known for its wimpy engine in comparison to other sport sedans.
But if she's fallen for the Roundel, who am I to argue. Bimmer lust can know no bounds.
But if she's fallen for the Roundel, who am I to argue. Bimmer lust can know no bounds.
Yeah, I know what you mean. If I was selling cars, I'd be selling bimmers. There is a lot of money to be made there by exploiting people's lusts and emotions.
But the 325 is a manual tranny which closes the hp gap somewhat. And plus, bimmer engines seem to outperform their stats.
A downside of drving a bimmer is people automatically assume that you are an a-hole.
Well, not in the 325i.......for 2004, it made 175 lb/ft of torque at 3500 rpm. While the Acura's torque peaks at 5000 rpm, there's 238 lb/ft. Those are the figures for the 2004 vehicles. If she's getting a newer TL, who knows. I think there may have been a slight bump but not much....
Again, I am an unlikely TL defender against a Bimmer, but I have to give it its due.
Again, I am an unlikely TL defender against a Bimmer, but I have to give it its due.
My wife and I owned a BMW 330ci, and got rid of it. It was just too undependable for a daily driver. Every two or three weeks we would be scheduling warranty work. The cam sensors were always crapping out, and this was the least of or problems with it. Imagine stability control kicking in during rush hour traffic on the freeway, and the cars top speed bieng 20 mph. The BMW dealer never found the cause of that problem. The door handle linkage broke inside the doors more than once, and ingress & egress was by climbing over the console until the parts arrived to fix it. The dealer did not always have a loaner while the car needed service, and we would just drive it until they had a loaner car for us. All the trim around the headliner fell off, and the wood trim around the shifter, interior door handles, and dash either clouded up or cracked. These were just the tip of the iceburg with the problems with this car.
Our 330ci did have a handling quality that was very enjoyable, and really made you feel connected to the road. The brakes were very powerful, and had excellent feel. It was a very enjoyable car to drive, but just not dependable enough to rely upon as daily driven transportation. Our BMW 330ci was a very stylish and beautiful car, but it seemed to virtually fall apart in front of my eyes.
We replaced it with a brand new 2007 Acura TL type S. So far the Acura has not been very impressive either. From the moment of purchase the engine or transmission would make a loud metallic grinding - scraping noise upon warm or cold start up. It is an intermittent noise, and the dealer has heard it one time during its long stays in the shop. We are afraid of bieng left in the middle of east bumble because of a mechanical fault. At 3100 miles the low oil pressure indicator illuminated, and we had it towed in to the dealership. They kept it for 15 days and removed the oil pan and valve covers but found no problems. They returned the car to us without fixing anything, and basicaly told us that there is nothing wrong. It still makes the horrible noise from time to time, but the oil pressure indicator has not re-illuminated.
The 2007 TL type S is much more powerful than our 330ci, but it does not have the same handling feel. The Brembo brakes on the TL-S are extremely powerful, but dont have the feel of the ones on the BMW. The TL has more room in it than the 3 series, and seems to have a better interior build quality. The choice is hers, but I would consider the almost constant repair expense of the BMW. Most Acura TLs do not have the problems of my car (lemon), and are rock solid dependable. The manual transmission will eliminate a weak link on either car, and is a very good choice.
Our 330ci did have a handling quality that was very enjoyable, and really made you feel connected to the road. The brakes were very powerful, and had excellent feel. It was a very enjoyable car to drive, but just not dependable enough to rely upon as daily driven transportation. Our BMW 330ci was a very stylish and beautiful car, but it seemed to virtually fall apart in front of my eyes.
We replaced it with a brand new 2007 Acura TL type S. So far the Acura has not been very impressive either. From the moment of purchase the engine or transmission would make a loud metallic grinding - scraping noise upon warm or cold start up. It is an intermittent noise, and the dealer has heard it one time during its long stays in the shop. We are afraid of bieng left in the middle of east bumble because of a mechanical fault. At 3100 miles the low oil pressure indicator illuminated, and we had it towed in to the dealership. They kept it for 15 days and removed the oil pan and valve covers but found no problems. They returned the car to us without fixing anything, and basicaly told us that there is nothing wrong. It still makes the horrible noise from time to time, but the oil pressure indicator has not re-illuminated.
The 2007 TL type S is much more powerful than our 330ci, but it does not have the same handling feel. The Brembo brakes on the TL-S are extremely powerful, but dont have the feel of the ones on the BMW. The TL has more room in it than the 3 series, and seems to have a better interior build quality. The choice is hers, but I would consider the almost constant repair expense of the BMW. Most Acura TLs do not have the problems of my car (lemon), and are rock solid dependable. The manual transmission will eliminate a weak link on either car, and is a very good choice.
that doesn't sound like the norm for a 3-series BMW to me at all...know several friends who own a 3-series, incl 330ci and they've been very solid cars for 3-4 years now. your 330ci sure sounds "lemonish" to me.
to me, Acura's level of "up-scaleness" from its parent brand (Honda) seems less/smaller than the "up-scaleness" of brands like Lexus and Infinity when compared with their respective parent brands (Toy/Nissan)...and Acura styling is quite bland.
...i'd go for the BMW.
to me, Acura's level of "up-scaleness" from its parent brand (Honda) seems less/smaller than the "up-scaleness" of brands like Lexus and Infinity when compared with their respective parent brands (Toy/Nissan)...and Acura styling is quite bland.
...i'd go for the BMW.
I would hardly call my Integra an appliance, so I wouldn't call all Acuras an "appliance"
07TLS, the startup noise is only going to get worse, if the low oil pressure light went on, there is 90% you have internal engine damage! Don't let the dealer screw you over, you need to get a brand new engine!
I thought every secretary/trophy wife knew all about the 3 series, so one wonders exactly how out-of-control she'll feel when she discovers there are also Lexuses and Infinities with manual trannies AND RWD.
Actually, for her, it sounds like a TSX might have an interesting mix of 325 and TL attributes.
The TSX is considered the 4-door RSX and is also the euro Accord. I really prefer that car over the TL, actually.
My sister just bought a TSX and I think she may be in love. Zingy 4-banger and sharp looks...just not my style.
People that are serious drivers prefer the BMW (silky engine, great steering and handling) despite higher maintenance costs and lower reliability. Otherwise, the Acura is a fine choice, but definitely avoid the 2004. Only the MT version of the TL gets upgraded front brakes. If you get a 3 series, be sure it has the sport package, even though tires will be pricier. Take your pick!
Update:
The 530i mt is now in the running now that her husband has become extensively involved in the process.
At 6'7'' he may need more room the a 3 series has to offer.
On top of that, kids will be in the mix pretty soon.
The 530i mt is now in the running now that her husband has become extensively involved in the process.
At 6'7'' he may need more room the a 3 series has to offer.
On top of that, kids will be in the mix pretty soon.
Well that's a quantum leap!
A 5 series is a nice move. A big price jump, though.
Babies and young kids are notorious car interior killers. They might want to settle for a Camry or Accord for a few more years until the backseat juice and milk fountains run dry.
A 5 series is a nice move. A big price jump, though.
Babies and young kids are notorious car interior killers. They might want to settle for a Camry or Accord for a few more years until the backseat juice and milk fountains run dry.
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