CitronC230K_03

not me, ill take a W124 or even a W123 before i take any 10 year old japanese car. Cimmaron?

Guest0001

ill take a 10 yr old 124 then any NEW japanese car.

wblynch

CitronC230K_03

thats one of the best things ive read yet!

tonewheel

Yeah, a Cimmaron. Came out in 1981. Remember?

kokketiel

You've got to be kidding me!

Guest0001

Thats alot coming from me. I despise used cars. But I would do it since the 124 such classy, well constructed car. No more Japanese cars for me. I came from a Camry, although nothing went wrong with it, it just felt like a tin can POS. Ill stick with MB forever or Audi for alternative. Only Japanese Car i MIGHT consider is the G35 because I love the design, but that car needs soooo much refinement. I think they are fixing their interior for 2005.

1SICKLEX

1 tranny re-call thread for the new 04 TL (1 of many)

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86227


1 of many lemon law threads on the 04 TL

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86336
If you got tons of time on your hands here is their problems STICKEY!. Take a couple days of work, its 17 pages long
http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73969

Known issues / fix / dealer or factory solution:
[URLs below link to other posts, the topics are addressed in later pages of this thread as well]

*Creaking headliner near dash / fix with foam under headliner / replace broken mounting clips

*Wrinkling leather in DS seat, leather looses its shape (butt prints) / unknown / unknown

*SES light on with seeming misfire / unknown / replace crank sensor OR install updated software. http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...&threadid=65829

*Vibration at 55+mph / unknown / Two independent issues here: (i)suggested cold flatspotting of stock tires; (ii) auto transmission programming or TCC solenoid.
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...light=vibration (discusses both)
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...light=vibration
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...light=vibration
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...?threadid=67438 (on tires)

*Jumps out of 1st gear in early VIN MT cars / small teeth on 1st gear out of allowed tolerances / replace gear
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...30&pagenumber=4

*Seat memory resets unpredictably / unknown / unknown
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...30&pagenumber=4
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...?threadid=67251
FIX available:http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/show...22&pagenumber=1

* Another summary of the small fit and finish items can be found at:
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showt...30&pagenumber=7

I am not making this up. I am posting links. I will state up front, the TL has "percieved" value and a great amount of features. CLEARLY it comes at a cost with quality.
On top of that, the dealer service is a a little better than Hondas.

I ask this. If a Lexus or an Infiniti had these SAME issues would I consider. Hell no. No way in hell I am spending 35k on a car this poorly built. I'll take my chance with an Chrysler or BMW or so.

And Acura just scored a 117 on JD Power where the industry average is 119. The older Acuras are just better built.

Guest0001

Whats the point of buying an acura if its not reliable? HA!

wblynch

What's the point of buying an Acura?.... period !

fasteddie

Actually, I think Acura bio-degrade much easier than the Mercedes vehicles.

Guest0001

Putting Vtec stickers all over the car for half pound of extra torque? lol

DaCeptak0n

Oh you got to be kiddin me? Look at the problems Mercedes have?! Some peoples' cars stay in the shop for weeks at a time my friend. Every newly released designed car will have glitches.

Overall, Mercedes at the bottom of the tatom pole in terms of quality there tough guy.

Why buy an Acura?! It's been rated as a top mid-luxury sedan, the TL at least.

If my brother wasn't already gettin the TL, I would glady pick a TL w/ or w/o Navigation over a C230, C240, C320 any day of the week...

Push your options versus a TL anyday and see who outweighs who Noble C320...

Guest0001

give it a rest we are *******g around a little for christ sakes. Sell your E class and buy an Acura if you love it so much.

Saprissa

Why settle for mid-luxury, when you can have full luxury ?

Guest0001

C class is considered near-luxury though.

Shohoku

I am currently planning on purchasing a 05 C230K. However, after reviewing the new TL, I've become a little uncertain about the C230K. damn that TL engine is giving me 81 reasons to hesitate on getting the C230. The following are my personal opinions.

The following MB C230 has done better.
-lights!
-sound
-body
-brakes
-sunroof
-steering wheel
-windows (blue shades)
-keeps value
-that 3-point star... (bling bling )


The following Acura TL has done better.
-engine, POWER!!!
-suspension
-fewer electronics (but w/ the amount of lemons, doesnt seem to matter)
-car's size
-dash
-entire interior design
-long term costs (in terms of maintaining the vehicle)
-10 way power driver seat.. mmm

well.. i guess this will be the last time im going to give my unbiased opinions between the TL and C class. btw if the C class can pump up its engine, and become competitive w/ the current 270 hp Vtech engine... then we wouldnt need this thread at all. Getting the C230 in a few days.

prodigy1387

well, if you can wait until '07, the c-class should be sporting the new 3.5 liter 268 hp 258 torque engine that's going in the new '05 slk.

r_liebo

Not trying to start or continue a flame war, but I'm really curious as to your logic here. TL's big advantages over a C320 are more room and better engine performance. You say you would gladly take a TL over a C320, but then you bought an E320? The E320 is slower than a C320 and handles more poorly, which puts you further behind the TL in those respects. If you bought the E for the size, the TL has you covered there as well. E quality to date is little better than the C regarding reliability, and a well optioned E320 will end up pushing double the cost of a TL, and a good 10 grand more than a C320, so you lose the "value" argument as well.
Just curious.

DaCeptak0n

Shokuku, you havent done your HW. Almost all the features you're stating that MBC230 did better on are the things the TL has done back in the day. For example, they've been having Xenon lights and killer sound system. The TL gives you the bigges adrenaline rush, a lot more than a C-class. No doubt, I feel the C230 Kompressor Sedan, congrats to whoever is getting theirs. But don't knock it when you got a 3.2 engine producing only 215 or so...or whatever it is...

If you can't respect the TL's perspective, or even Acura's, your whole perspective is whack....

coryliv

the TL is not an accord. the tsx is based off of the european accord. i don't like the tl because its plain. sure the horsepower is great but in an automatic it isn't much faster than a 230 anyway. i disagree with the comment about the 230 sounding like a kia. its a little louder than most 4 cylinders because its supercharged. and its meant to be sporty after all. it would be hard to compare the tl and c230. there much different vehicles. but i must say i traded my 2003 maxima se for one. and i absolutely love it. the maxima was a great and fast car but wasn't sporty at all. the c230 handles like a true german sports sedan and is extremely fun to drive. plus you can't compare the looks to the tl. good luck with the decision...

prodigy1387

lots of cars are fast. hell, i could have gotten a mustang GT with a v8 that would be faster than my c320 coupe for less. or more comparable, i could have gotten an acura rsx type-s. but i didn't....i got a car that, to me, has much better styling, design, interior elements, and overall package compared with those cars. speed isn't everything. so choose what you want based on what is more important to you.

the TL and c230 ss aren't really comparable cars in that the TL is larger and more powerful, whereas the c230 ss is a smaller sport sedan with less power and a different target consumer. it all is personal preference as to who would buy which car and why. get over it if someone likes the other car better for whatever reason. plus, this site is obviously going to be biased towards the MB...

Shohoku

DaCeptak0n, I am comparing the current 05 model C230K w/ the TL. I am not comparing older model vehicles. Currently the 05 c class lights are stunning and completely clear (w/ bixenon ). Furthermore w/ the entertainment package, the new powerful sound system in the 05 C230K will blow away a current stock TL system any day . I know the specs

btw another reason I am getting the 05 C230K is because i am getting it below invoice, and plus C-spot coupon. With the light, entertainment, automatic, sunroof packages, and silver/black im still getting the car below the cost of a TL. Now, if im still considering to buy the TL over the C230K, then i am definitely taking the TL engine into too much consideration. Might as well just wait until October for the nearly 300 hp, and redesigned G35. like i said before, if the 05 C230K can pump that engine w/ more power, we dont need to have this thread.

DaCeptak0n

That is exact model that I've been lookin at..how much is it costing you?

Shohoku

kbb invoice is 33152+600. i've been quoted 750 under invoice w/o the c-spot. 33002-1500(coupon). 31502. out the door should be below 35000. These numbers are not my final purchase price. My car should arrive this week, and im going to the dealer this friday if the car gets here before friday.