The Charger is certainly a nice vehicle, but I thought you wanted something that would get to 200k miles without much work, except minimal maintenance.
Seriously considering 2012 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 Navi
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JHZR2
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The charger is like an old E-class mercedes. THe honda is, well, a honda.
Is RWD a consideration? Id learn to drive stick if you dont know how to ensure lowest cost to 200k+.
Is RWD a consideration? Id learn to drive stick if you dont know how to ensure lowest cost to 200k+.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: supton
Is cheap to do a clutch--yourself. If you have to pay, then not so much. Labor isn't cheap, and I don't blame mechanics for what they charge (tools, lifts, heat, knowledge all cost money).
Paying someone to change a clutch is a ton cheaper than paying someone to rebuild or replace an AT. So the AT still has far higher lifecycle cost.
Is cheap to do a clutch--yourself. If you have to pay, then not so much. Labor isn't cheap, and I don't blame mechanics for what they charge (tools, lifts, heat, knowledge all cost money).
Paying someone to change a clutch is a ton cheaper than paying someone to rebuild or replace an AT. So the AT still has far higher lifecycle cost.
JHZR2
Staff member
I mean I was under the impression that much of the mechanical and suspension design was similar or even taken from the MB line. Different enGine and trans I guess.
Congrats! What sold you on it?
Finally it had came to three cars
1) CPO Lexus GS350 AWD 2009 19K miles - A very nice car; the dealer wanted me to take it home and had already lowered the price to 32.5K without me even asking.
2) CPO Acura TL 2008 with 51K miles - My son insisted that I seriously consider it over the newer TL. So I went and checked it out. But I found steering had zero assist. It reminded me of my 1983 Prelude with "armstrong" steering! When I hooked up my scanner, the catalytic converter was still incomplete after 26 miles since reset. That was suspicious. But I thought I will take it for a test drive and it might get completed. On the test drive, I got the transmission to flare when I punched it. It did not do it again but once was enough! In general, that car looked sharp but felt old. It was listed at 23K
3) 2012 TL Tech Package; I had internet quote for 34K on FWD and 37K on AWD. Lists are about 40.3 and 43.0 respectively. I took the boss with me for the final decision and drove them back to back. I was equally happy with both and my wife liked them too. Rear middle sit is a joke in all of the cars being considered but the AWD was the worst of the bunch. I also found FWD fun enough that I did not want to get in to AWD complexity. We have driven all fwd through NE winters and so AWD was not a must. Prior to that I had already walk away from another dealer, so I knew what would be the lowest this guy would go. After hesitating for some time, we decided that 33.8 was fair with the installed mudguards and wheel locks.
In the end, since the price difference between CPO GS350 and new TL was going to be about 2K, it just became more peace of mind to get the new one with 4/50 new car warranty instead of the 3yr limited CPO warranty. Don't get me wrong, if Acura was not doing crazy deals, I would have most likely went with the Lexus as it is indeed very nice car. It might even be faster but it is very deceptive.
With my 10-12 year no drama requirement, the new one gives me extra head-start versus the three year old Lexus. Lexus just came out with the new body style which makes the 2009 look instantly old.
We got to ride in it from dealer's satellite lot. It already has eleven miles! We will be picking it up day after tomorrow morning as we are busy tomorrow afternoon.
1) CPO Lexus GS350 AWD 2009 19K miles - A very nice car; the dealer wanted me to take it home and had already lowered the price to 32.5K without me even asking.
2) CPO Acura TL 2008 with 51K miles - My son insisted that I seriously consider it over the newer TL. So I went and checked it out. But I found steering had zero assist. It reminded me of my 1983 Prelude with "armstrong" steering! When I hooked up my scanner, the catalytic converter was still incomplete after 26 miles since reset. That was suspicious. But I thought I will take it for a test drive and it might get completed. On the test drive, I got the transmission to flare when I punched it. It did not do it again but once was enough! In general, that car looked sharp but felt old. It was listed at 23K
3) 2012 TL Tech Package; I had internet quote for 34K on FWD and 37K on AWD. Lists are about 40.3 and 43.0 respectively. I took the boss with me for the final decision and drove them back to back. I was equally happy with both and my wife liked them too. Rear middle sit is a joke in all of the cars being considered but the AWD was the worst of the bunch. I also found FWD fun enough that I did not want to get in to AWD complexity. We have driven all fwd through NE winters and so AWD was not a must. Prior to that I had already walk away from another dealer, so I knew what would be the lowest this guy would go. After hesitating for some time, we decided that 33.8 was fair with the installed mudguards and wheel locks.
In the end, since the price difference between CPO GS350 and new TL was going to be about 2K, it just became more peace of mind to get the new one with 4/50 new car warranty instead of the 3yr limited CPO warranty. Don't get me wrong, if Acura was not doing crazy deals, I would have most likely went with the Lexus as it is indeed very nice car. It might even be faster but it is very deceptive.
With my 10-12 year no drama requirement, the new one gives me extra head-start versus the three year old Lexus. Lexus just came out with the new body style which makes the 2009 look instantly old.
We got to ride in it from dealer's satellite lot. It already has eleven miles! We will be picking it up day after tomorrow morning as we are busy tomorrow afternoon.
I took my son yesterday with me to do some test driving. We did the Lexus, Acura TSX and TL and MB E350 4matic.
Lexus dealer really wanted me to take the car home to the boss. At Acura, we first drove TSX as it does look nicer than TL. You open the hood and there is the prop rod! The 2.4cyl was nice from 0-40mph but from 60 to 90, it was lacking. I quipped that I could beat this in my 1999 Odyssey which I always take for the test drives. Both my son and the salesman laughed. Then we took the test drive in FWD TL. We like the color combination. The guy initially gave me very high price but after I told him that I have a lot better quote, they barley matched the internet quote. After the usual salesman vanishing in the manager's room drama, he let me walk out of the showroom. As I pulled out of the Acura parking lot, I lighted up the Odyssey's tires! My son was definitely impressed!!
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom. MB also only does 1 year CPO warranty. So we came to conclusion that there was no way a CPO MB was worth extra 10K (to us) against the CPO Lexus.
Lexus dealer really wanted me to take the car home to the boss. At Acura, we first drove TSX as it does look nicer than TL. You open the hood and there is the prop rod! The 2.4cyl was nice from 0-40mph but from 60 to 90, it was lacking. I quipped that I could beat this in my 1999 Odyssey which I always take for the test drives. Both my son and the salesman laughed. Then we took the test drive in FWD TL. We like the color combination. The guy initially gave me very high price but after I told him that I have a lot better quote, they barley matched the internet quote. After the usual salesman vanishing in the manager's room drama, he let me walk out of the showroom. As I pulled out of the Acura parking lot, I lighted up the Odyssey's tires! My son was definitely impressed!!
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom. MB also only does 1 year CPO warranty. So we came to conclusion that there was no way a CPO MB was worth extra 10K (to us) against the CPO Lexus.
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Originally Posted By: Vikas
I took my son yesterday with me to do some test driving. We did the Lexus, Acura TSX and TL and MB E350 4matic.
Lexus dealer really wanted me to take the car home to the boss. At Acura, we first drove TSX as it does look nicer than TL. You open the hood and there is the prop rod! The 2.4cyl was nice from 0-40mph but from 60 to 90, it was lacking. I quipped that I could beat this in my 1999 Odyssey which I always take for the test drives. Both my son and the salesman laughed. Then we took the test drive in FWD TL. We like the color combination. The guy initially gave me very high price but after I told him that I have a lot better quote, they barley matched the internet quote. After the usual salesman vanishing in the manager's room drama, he let me walk out of the showroom. As I pulled out of the Acura parking lot, I lighted up the Odyssey's tires! My son was definitely impressed!!
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom. MB also only does 1 year CPO warranty. So we came to conclusion that there was no way a CPO MB was worth extra 10K (to us) against the CPO Lexus.
Do you have a BMW dealer?
I took my son yesterday with me to do some test driving. We did the Lexus, Acura TSX and TL and MB E350 4matic.
Lexus dealer really wanted me to take the car home to the boss. At Acura, we first drove TSX as it does look nicer than TL. You open the hood and there is the prop rod! The 2.4cyl was nice from 0-40mph but from 60 to 90, it was lacking. I quipped that I could beat this in my 1999 Odyssey which I always take for the test drives. Both my son and the salesman laughed. Then we took the test drive in FWD TL. We like the color combination. The guy initially gave me very high price but after I told him that I have a lot better quote, they barley matched the internet quote. After the usual salesman vanishing in the manager's room drama, he let me walk out of the showroom. As I pulled out of the Acura parking lot, I lighted up the Odyssey's tires! My son was definitely impressed!!
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom. MB also only does 1 year CPO warranty. So we came to conclusion that there was no way a CPO MB was worth extra 10K (to us) against the CPO Lexus.
Do you have a BMW dealer?
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom.
Is your last name Patel?
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom.
Is your last name Patel?
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom.
Is your last name Patel?
The only Patel that I know drives a 09 TL FWD.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Off we go to MB dealer and drove 2010 E-class. A nice car but for some reason, my son was not wowed. I was willing to deal but the dealer stuck with his asking 41K price. He let us walk out of the showroom.
Is your last name Patel?
The only Patel that I know drives a 09 TL FWD.
I never talked prices with the BMW dealer. Come to think of it, every time I talked prices at a dealer, I was shown the door :-( ? 
My last name is not Patel nor Shah, but I know what you mean
When you asked what made me chose TL, I should have answered "it sure wasn't be for the looks!" What I have noticed is that many models even from MB, Honda/Acura/BMW etc tend to grow on you. Many models when I first saw them, I disliked them but often my mind changed after seeing them for a year or two. TL is fun to drive, fully optioned, reliable, currently cheap and no longer hideous looking What not to like??
My last name is not Patel nor Shah, but I know what you mean
When you asked what made me chose TL, I should have answered "it sure wasn't be for the looks!" What I have noticed is that many models even from MB, Honda/Acura/BMW etc tend to grow on you. Many models when I first saw them, I disliked them but often my mind changed after seeing them for a year or two. TL is fun to drive, fully optioned, reliable, currently cheap and no longer hideous looking
What not to like??Great choice, Vikas. May it drive far and prosper.
Let uS know your thoughts on the ELS system.
I am not an audiophile so it is probably wasted on me. Wife does not listen to anything in the car. When we go on the trip, the sound system is off. When I am in the alone during commuting, I am listening to news or morning shows or top 40 station. The only thing which I would appreciate is the song display on the screen. The local top 40 station repeats the same three or four songs every five minutes, now at least I will know the title and singer
Originally Posted By: Vikas
When you asked what made me chose TL, I should have answered "it sure wasn't be for the looks!"
I figured as much, but if you can get past that, the rest of the car appears very well put together. Hope it serves you well.
When you asked what made me chose TL, I should have answered "it sure wasn't be for the looks!"
I figured as much, but if you can get past that, the rest of the car appears very well put together. Hope it serves you well.
The new TL is a nice car. My mother-in-law traded her 2004 TL for a 2010 TL a few years ago. Very solid vehicle. The refined styling on the 2012s is much nicer in my opinion, more classy. Acuras are really looking good to me again; the ILX is sharp, the new TL is sharp, the new RDX is sharp. I'm looking forward to the MDX's makeover, whenever that will be.
Anyway, the TL is a great car. I've done a lot of miles in my MIL's, and it's a very pleasant place to spend some time. The song of that V-6 will get you every time; no radio required.
Anyway, the TL is a great car. I've done a lot of miles in my MIL's, and it's a very pleasant place to spend some time. The song of that V-6 will get you every time; no radio required.
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