Acura TL “Real Owner Reviews”

I’ve asked a few of my TL clients to provide their thoughts on the car and their purchase experience. You will find more client letters on my old webpage: http://satoauto.com/testimonials/testimon.htm

Edward on Maui, purchased in November 2003
It has been such a pleasure to deal with you during the purchase of my Acura. Your immediate response to my calls and e-mails shows what a professional you are and how seriously you take Customer Service, long after the sale has been concluded.

I couldn't be happier with my Acura TL. The incredible value that Acura built into the TL proves that it is by far the best car on the market for the money-. The performance and handling of this vehicle also has far surpassed my expectations. It seems Acura just gets better and better. This is my second Acura; you can be sure it will not be my last.

Roy and Sheryl, purchased in August 2004

We are so completely satisfied with this experience we are not quite sure where to begin….We whittled it down to a handful of final choices but what made this sales experience different from the rest is the personal attention and involvement that we received from Colin. He renewed our faith in car sales-people. He truly understood what we were going through in purchasing a car. Sure everyone wants the "best deal", but often, what's overlooked or under-rated is what happens during and especially after the sale. There was nothing hidden; no questionable practices.. .just straight forward car purchasing

Dorothy in Hilo, purchased in March 2004
Colin was tops in service and courtesy….When I went to PFLUEGER ACURA to "look", I figured it was just to look. But the test drive made up my mind! This was it! THE car for me! I knew I didn't need to look any further. All my future cars will be Acura's from Colin!

David, purchased in May 2004
I was very impressed with the way Colin didn't pressure me into purchasing a car. He didn't even want to talk about price or about selling the car; he just wanted to show me the car and how great the car was. He was very knowledgeable about the car and was able to answer all my questions. Colin is very accessible and is able to give advice about caring for the car. He is the best salesman I have ever dealt with. He was very professional and very easy to talk to.

The TL is a great car and I have received a lot of compliments on the car. The car handles great and has a lot of power. I know I made the right decision when I decided to buy the Acura TL. I will definitely be looking at Acura for any future cars.

Rick and Roxanne, purchased in March 2004
Good points about the G35 vs. the '04 TL are: Torque, HP, rear wheel drive, did I mention torque? All of this is outweighed with uncomfortable seats (never could get used to them until the day I sold the car, they caused me lower back pain), very stiff clutch, cheap looking interior, controls were not ergonomic (like the TL), very tiny trunk, road noise is a bit loud, seat belts kept digging into my neck so I was forced to buy a pad and that awful orange dashboard color.

I've been so very happy with the TL that I do not miss my G35 Coupe. The overall experience with the TL is so much more enjoyable that when I had the G35 Coupe, I'm very pleased. Colin is very good to deal with as he is very knowledgeable and goes out of his way to share his experiences and other information like videos to make you more enthusiastic about the car.
His follow through after the sale is good too, he's someone that won't forget about you and wants to know that you're happy. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to purchase an Acura, and I already do.


The 2005 Acura TSX

The TSX was all new for 2004 but Acura has added a few new features for 2005: There will be a 4-way power passenger seat, heated outside mirrors and new illuminated steering wheel switches.



The All New 2005 Acura RL

Back in 1995 I had just started my career here at Pflueger Acura and we were in the process of phasing out the Legend nameplate and replacing it with the 3.5 RL for the 1996 model year. The new car was a vast improvement over the Legend sedan in refinement, features, and overall comfort. Unfortunately, it was not a better sport sedan, but it was a better luxury sedan. For all of those who kept their Legends and felt ‘abandoned’ by the move to a pure luxury car, I have news for you: We’re back and better than ever!

I just returned from the Ride and Drive preview for sales consultants held in San Francisco and I’ve got lots of initial impressions I’d like to share with you. The new RL (no more 3.5 in the name) is destined to continue the strong success of the TSX and TL by offering more of what makes our cars special: impeccable craftsmanship, technological leadership, and outstanding value. There are so many things to cover, I don’t know where to begin, but let’s start with the technology that is not available anywhere else.

Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive
(SH-AWD) is both all-new and an extension of several concepts and technologies that have been around for a while but never combined in this fashion. The ’nuts and bolts’ of the system are based on the tried and true MDX VTM-4 system. The torque split is accomplished with a series of electromagnetic clutches which progressively lock up to shift torque to the desired axle. Up to 70% of the engine torque can be moved from the front to the rear axles to maximize traction and stability. The new RL system features the ability to send up to 100% of the rear torque to either the left rear or right rear wheel. When you go around a corner, the outside wheel has to travel farther than the inside wheel. A planetary gear set allows the wheel receiving the additional torque to accelerate faster than the other wheel. This endows the car with handling traits more like a traditional rear wheel drive sedan.
On the demonstration course, I had a chance to try different driving lines through a decreasing radius sweeper. If you hurry through the first part of the turn, with too much speed, and suddenly apply the brakes, you will get understeer. Very safe because applying the brakes transfers weight to the front tires restoring traction. However, if you can steadily feed throttle through the corner, the SH-AWD will power the outside rear wheel to help keep the nose of the car pointed into the corner. Also very safe, but now a faster way through the corner!

Engine Power
The RL motor continues to displace 3.5 liters and is still a V-6, but that’s where the similarities end. The new engine utilizes a narrower “V” angle to allow for a more compact engine bay for more efficient space utilization. This means that there is more room for passengers and cargo without making the overall length of the car larger. The old 3.5 RL engine produced 225 hp and 231 lbs-ft. of torque. The new VTEC motor makes 300 horsepower and 260 lbs-ft. of torque. The new motor also pollutes less than the outgoing powerplant and meets the stringent LEV2-ULEV emission standards. This is the most powerful engine ever offered for sale by Acura, the NSX is “only” 290 horsepower!

Body and Chassis
The new RL’s body structure utilizes high tensile steel for most of the frame, with aluminum for many critical areas. The front and rear subframes are aluminum alloy, as are the suspension wishbones., hood , front fenders, roof and trunk lids. To further save weight the driveshaft to the rear wheels is made of exotic carbon fiber! Amazingly, even with the addition of the SH-AWD system, the new RL weighs only 91 pounds more than the 2004 model. Dimensionally, the new car is three inches shorter in overall length, but it’s an inch wider and offers more passenger volume than the 2004.

Safety
The RL is the first car from Acura or Honda to benefit from the new safety research center established in Ohio. Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) utilizes new techniques to disperse crash forces over a larger area thus making the car safer for the occupants. Special attention was also paid to car vs. SUV collisions and car vs. pedestrian accidents. The RL is standard with Front, Side and Side Curtain airbags and once the car is tested by the NHSTA and IIHS we are fully expecting to get their top ratings. Eventually all our cars will have this new technology, but the RL has it now! The RL brakes are huge vented discs front and rear with high performance Brembo 4-piston calipers on the front wheels. For the first time in an Acura we have Daytime Running lights to increase visibility under all conditions. The new Xeon High Intensity Discharge lights also feature another Acura first, Adaptive Headlights. This system can pivot the lights to “look into” the turn.

Navigation and Voice Control
For the first time in an Acura in Hawaii, the navigation (which is standard) will be available and will function. The navigation system DVD-ROM contains a full database of 1.7 million points of interest nationwide and access to the Zagets Restaurant guide. You could search for Italian restaurants within a 10 mile radius, see a rating on that restaurant, plot the course, place the call for reservations (through your Handsfreelink TM) all via Voice Command in a few easy steps. You might never need to take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel again. As a backup, there is a new control called the Interface Dial. This reduces clutter on the dashboard, and provides a graphical interface to control the car’s systems much like a mouse helps you on your PC with Windows.

Luxury Items have not been forgotten
Luxury begins with the touch of the door handle. With the RL Keyless Access System remote in your pocket or purse, all you need to do is touch the door handle and the car instantly recognizes you and unlocks the door. The trunk works the same way, and there are even sensors to keep you from inadvertently locking the remote in the trunk. To lock the car, all you need to do is lightly touch the ‘dimple’ on the door handle and all the doors lock.

The audio system is a DVD-Audio setup like in the TL, but this system uses BOSE electronics to enhance stereo imaging for all seating positions. The 6-disc changer can play audio CDs, DVD-A, MP3 and DTS formats. It also serves as a part of our new Active Noise Cancellation system. This new technology uses two microphones to “listen” to ambient cabin noise. It will then play beck (through the RL's speakers) “anti-noise” to cancel out low frequency sounds and can result is a reduction of interior noise by as much as 10 decibels!
The dual zone air conditioning actually ‘talks’ to the GPS system so the car knows which way it’s traveling with regard to the suns position and the car can adjust the cooling requirements to compensate for solar heating on the sun side!

The new paint process uses environmentally friendly water borne paints that are now hand sanded between the primer and the color coat. Two coats of clear are than applied to increase the depth of shine and give the paint that “wet look” prized by car lovers worldwide. Unfortunately my driving impressions of this car verses the Mercedes E320, BMW 530i, and Audi A6 won’t fit in the space available.
I’ll have a full review on my web page by the time you receive this newsletter so be sure the check www.satoauto.com If you want more information or want to be notified when this is available for test drives in Honolulu, drop me a line at 808-255-1255 or via e-mail: colin[at]satoauto.com


The 2005 Acura RSX

The RSX has received cosmetic and performance enhancements to keep it at the front of the sports coupe class. All RSXs gain a more rigid unit body, new bumpers, headlights, taillights and more aggressive rocker panels. They also receive new rims, and stiffer front anti-sway bars.
The RSX Type-S gains 10 more horsepower moving it to 210 hp, larger front and rear anti-sway bars, larger 17” wheels, and better tires. The 6-speed transmission uses new carbon fiber synchronizers for improved shift feel and the Type-S now has a standard rear lip spoiler.
Also there are four new exterior colors: Magnesium Metallic, Vivid Blue Pearl, Jade Green Metallic, Blaze Orange Metallic.


The 2005 Acura RL - Ride and Drive Review

I just returned from the Ride and Drive in San Francisco for the new 2005 RL and this car is pretty amazing. Luxury, performance and technology; this RL has it all. We had classroom sessions and an opportunity to test the car on a closed course in a controlled manner. We also had the RLs expected competition available for back to back comparisons. This meant that our impressions of each car were fresh in our minds as we moved from car to car.

As we left our classroom sessions at the hotel, we drove to the demonstration track in a bunch of RLs. As we negotiated the city streets, I was impressed how well the cars rode over the poor streets of downtown San Francisco. The cable car tracks were barely noticeable and I was beginning to become worried that the the talk about how well this car handled would be all hype. After all, how could a car be so composed over poor roads and still handle the twisty stuff?

The facilitators set up a pair of demonstration courses: The Luxury Track and The Performance Track. The Luxury Track was a relatively slow course with a number of obstacles and simulated road hazards. On this track we could compare the Mercedes E320 and BMW 530i to the Acura RL. As we drove over the sections of the course designed to simulate pot-holed roads, the compliance of the RLs double wishbone/multi-link suspension really came into focus. There we some sections that required turning and braking at the same time and here, the RL was composed and sure footed.

The things that really stood out in my mind were the way the Mercedes steering needed a lot more turns to negotiate the tight sections of the course. There was also a huge amount of body roll in the transient maneuvers. In contrast, the BMWs Active Steering made the same turns with much less drama. This system speeds up the steering ratio at low speeds to enhance responsiveness, and backs it off at higher speeds to reduce “nervousness” at highway speeds. Neat stuff, indeed, but the RL with it’s electronic power assisted steering was similarly nimble around this section of the course.

On the Performance Track we had the Audi A6 Quattro Turbo and the BMW 530i on hand for more vigorous run with longer straights, heavy braking areas into corners, and a beautiful sweeping turn with a decreasing radius that was taken in second gear. This was both fun, challenging and really gave us a chance to push the cars and experience the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) in the RL.
In the Audi, there was noticeable turbo lag as the car rolled off the line, then suddenly “whoosh” the boost comes on and the car really starts moving. Sadly this was the high point of the A6. Once you ask the car to stop or turn, things become less fun. The suspension is simply too soft for anything but freeway cruising. Lots of brake dive, body roll and understeer make this a poor choice if you’re remotely interested in performance.

The BMW had in interesting quirk in the throttle. If you stomp it off the line, acceleration is pretty “leisurely”. If you slowly “roll into” the throttle, it picks up speed much quicker. I was surprised how little power there was, could it be that the traction control was kicking in? It didn’t seem like we were overpowering the chassis but it sure wasn’t accelerating very quickly. Around the faster turns, I ran into a surprise. The steering actually seemed slower than the RL! I can only surmise that the higher speeds were conspiring to move the steering system into a lower ratio. Either that or I’m imagining things.

In the RL, I had a chance to try different driving lines through the decreasing radius sweeper. If you carry too much speed, and suddenly apply the brakes, you will get understeer (lots of it). Very safe and very expected. However, if you can steadily feed throttle through the corner, the SH-AWD will power the outside rear wheel to help point the nose of the car into the corner. At no time did it feel like the tail was going to come around. In fact, the only way you could tell the system was working was that the car made it around the corner when there was no reason it should have.

The computer will move torque to the back axle immediately as you accelerate so the feeling is no different than a normal RWD car. At 4000 lbs, the car is not exactly "tossable" but it feels light on it's feet and responds faithfully to driver inputs. Transient response is very good; compared to the others it changes directions much faster.
The key to "RL handling happiness” is following the "slow in, fast out" rule of thumb. You need to keep the power on through the corner in order for the SH system to work it’s magic. The final ranking of the cars is as follows.

4th Audi A6
This car was the only one in the group with forced induction and because if this there was a lot of turbo lag. The car also ha too soft a suspension that induced lots of body roll all made this car my least favorite of the batch. Somehow the car managed to have a lot of roll without gaining a truly comfortable ride. On the plus side. straight line acceleration was the best of the bunch, but only by a hair.

3rd Mercedes E320
The Mercedes was characterized by really slow steering response, lots of body roll and a distinct lack of power. This made the E320 only slightly better than the Audi. The user functionality was also lacking. There were a bewildering number of buttons scattered all over the dashboard and in the proudest German tradition, none were labeled with regular words like "Air Conditioning"!

2nd BMW 530i
The results might have been different if this had been a 540 with the V-8, or a 530 with the sport package or even a 530 with a manual transmission. However, this car wasn’t equipped like that and as a base 530 it was not a better car than the RL. If it was a 540 to get closer to the RLs power output, there is little doubt it would have been close on price. Let's face it, the BMW is not a bad car, on the contrary, it's a pretty good car. Nearly everyone hates the i-Drive user interface, and after trying to get comfortable with it, I tend to agree that the controller could have been better executed.

1st Acura RL
Did this car win because I sell them and I wouldn’t pick our new car as the loser? Am I biased? It’s really difficult to say. I try to view the cars objectively and logically, but once you’re in this price range, there are always a lot of emotions that come into play. Logically, this car is the obvious winner. It out performs all the intended competitors in ride quality, quietness, acceleration, and handling. Comparably equipped, it out performs them in value but this is nothing new. What is new is a willingness by Acura to give up their insistence that all our cars be front wheel drive. The Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system demonstrates Acura's technological leadership and Mr. Honda's philosophy that we are innovators not followers! I hope you’ll join us as we expand our automotive horizons


The 2003 CL and CL Type-S

This March Acura will release the 2003 3.2 CL and CL Type-S. You read that correctly, 2003! Believe me, we were just as surprised as you are! I can only assume that the addition of the all new 6-speed manual transmission was too much of a change to continue with the 2002 model year. We are starting to get details on this new powertrain combo and it sounds very exciting. Now for the technical mumbo-jumbo (you know I love this stuff):

-An all new cable operated shifter designed for short throws and a solid, well-connected feel.

-Close gear ratios to make the most of the 260 hp engine

-A self-adjusting clutch to insure reliable, consistent operation throughout its life.

-Brass multi-cone synchronizers for reduced shifting effort.

-Dual mass flywheel for reduced noise, vibration and harshness.

-New limited slip differential.

The new Limited Slip Differential uses a set of gears to direct the appropriate amount of torque to the right and left driving wheels by sensing wheel spin. Remember, as you execute a tight cornering maneuver, the inside wheel has a shorter distance to go than the outside wheel. This can cause wheel spin in a normal differential. The Type-S was designed to reduce that effect and allow the driver to get on the throttle sooner through the turn improving handling and reducing understeer. This technology is often available as an option on many rear wheel drive sports cars, but is very rare in a front wheel drive car. Acura has the production capacity to manufacture up to 2000 6-speed CLs. With a little over 240 dealers nationwide, this could mean less than one of these special cars per month!


Acura DN-X Concept

Thursday, March 25. 2004
Acura DN-X
Uh oh, when someone talks about Hybrid Power, it conjures up visions of fuel sipping “econocars” like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Very cool technology and highly efficient, but hardly exciting. However, as Acura engineers are quick to point out, adding an electric motor to a conventional gasoline powerplant can be used to boost fuel economy, or it can be used to boost performance! Now you have my attention.

Last spring at the New York Auto show, Acura unveiled to North America the DN-X concept car. This dramatic concept car has a potent 3.5 liter i-VTEC V-6 producing 300 horsepower driving the rear wheels and a 100 horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels. Thus combined, the powertrain makes 400 hp, and can still manage 42 mpg on the highway! Since this car uses the electric motor as a generator to recapture energy under braking, it never needs recharging.

It should be noted that the car Acura actually brings to market will not likely have the DN-Xs styling, but it will have as much of the technology as possible and will make this new vehicle unlike anything on the market. I am expecting some of this technology to debut in our next RL sedan which is due out in 2004 as a 2005 model.


2004 Acura TSX “Real Owner Reviews”

When Acura unveiled the TSX in March of 2003 as a 2004 model, we were so excited to finally have a replacement for the Integra Sedan that had served us so well since 1994. The RSX successfully filled the sport coupe role, but we were missing a good small sport sedan.

Click to read more ...

The All-New 2004 Acura TL

It’s hard to believe that we’ve launched another TL! It seems like only yesterday that we were planning our ’99 3.2 TL premier party! That party was a mixed success since we had already sold out of the car and we literally had to request our new TL owners bring back their cars for us to show other clients. Fortunately everyone was pleased to help us.

Flash forward to late 2003 and we’re looking to start everything all over again. The new TL (the 3.2 designation has been dropped) has some pretty big shoes to fill. The outgoing model was the workhorse in the Acura lineup, leading the way for the RSX, MDX and TSX.
The new 2004 TL represents a new emphasis on performance and for the first time since the departed 1995 Acura Legend that a manual transmission will be paired with a V-6 in a 4 door sedan. This should give you some idea how serious Acura is about performance. Luxury has not been forgotten, with some new features not available in the North American market like DVD-Audio and a Bluetooth hands free cellular phone link (see the High Technology section).

Since we don’t get the Navigation equipped models in Hawaii, we will be selling only three versions of the new TL. The TL with automatic, the TL with the 6-speed manual, and the 6-speed manual with the High Performance Tire package (HPT). The major mechanical changes to the manual transmission models are the addition of 4 piston Brembo front brakes with larger discs and high friction brake pads. Manual models also benefit from a limited slip differential to enhance power delivery when cornering and improve traction under slippery conditions.

Efficiency
The TL showcases Acura’s commitment to efficiency. It all starts with aerodynamic efficiency. The TL has one of the best drag coefficients of any Acura vehicle, slicing through the wind with a 0.29 rating. This means increased fuel economy at highway speeds and also a quieter cabin. The addition of a front windshield with an acoustic inner layer and side glass that is 5mm thick (compared to 3.5 mm), reduce wind noise at highway speeds by a staggering 10db compared to the 2003 model.
 
Under the car, you’ll find extra care has been given to “air management.” There are covers under the engine and strategically placed panels to help smooth the air flow under the car. There’s even a genuine rear diffuser between the mufflers to aid high speed stability and enhance fuel economy. Inside the rear wheel wells you’ll find a unique material lining the insides of the fenders. It is an acoustic “carpet” material that dampens road noise better than the previous plastic liner.
 
The new TL has a much stronger chassis. This contributes to its improved ride and handling, and also to occupant protection. The unit body is 24 percent more rigid than last years TL, and the new hydro-formed aluminum alloy front sub frame is both stronger and 36 percent lighter than the previous steel frame. This sub frame serves as a cradle for the engine and front suspension. The engine is attached with special, electronically controlled, fluid filled engine mounts. These work in concert with other dampeners on the transmission and an additional lateral engine mount to control engine movement when opening and closing the throttle.

Acura has taken steps to improve the efficiency of the engine too. The car now sports a pair of catalytic converters right in the exhaust manifold itself (one on each cylinder bank). This design significantly improves cold start emissions and insures the car will meet the standards of an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle Tier 2 (ULEV2). To improve performance, Acura incorporated a true Cold Air Intake into the front grill. Carefully tuned ductwork directs cold air through the air filter and on to the engine where it provides a cooler, denser charge of air. Mix this air with the appropriate amount of fuel, and you’ll get greater combustion efficiency and more horsepower.
The suspension of the 2004 TL is a revised version of the last Type-S suspension. However, since the chassis of the car is 24% more rigid, the suspension can be more carefully tuned for performance with little loss of ride quality.
 
High Technology
The two systems that need the most explaining are the Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and the Multifunction Display. The Bluetooth HandsFreeLink allows users to link a compatible cellular phone and use the car as a “microphone and speaker”. This is how it works. A pairing process is used to “introduce” the car and phone. From this point on, the car will recognize the owner’s cellular phone whenever they get into the car, and link together. The owner can then dial and receive calls using Voice Commands and not have to take their hands (or eyes) off the road. There are 50 voice tags for phone numbers in the car’s memory and you can even talk directly to the car by pressing the “talk” button and saying, “call 2 5 5 – 1 2 5 5” and the car will recognize the numbers and place the call!

The Multifunction Display allows users to customize the operation of the convenience features to their liking. For example, one driver can set the car to have the interior lights stay on for 15 seconds and have the doors automatically lock when they shift from park. A second driver could select a 30 delay on the interior lights, and have the doors lock when they reach 10 mph. The car recognizes each driver by which remote control was used to disarm the security system.
 
The display also shows the owner when they should plan scheduled maintenance. It takes data from the cars computer to calculate when it’s time to change the oil, rotate the tires, replace the coolant and even a timing belt. The system is smart enough to schedule maintenance items together to minimize trips to the service department.

Summary
 The TL offers a significant jump in all areas over our previous generation 3.2 TL. It is truly an all-new car, from the new projector beam High Intensity Discharge headlights, to the neatly integrated tail pipes in the rear bumper, the ‘04 TL represents a new standard for luxury sedans in its class. The car has a distinctly European feel to it, but don’t take my word on this. Give me a call, come in to see and drive the TL and judge for yourself.



The Acura HSC Concept Car

Acura is pretty tight-lipped when it comes to prototype and concept cars, and this holds true for the Honda Sports Concept (HSC). However, some details have been released. First off, Honda officials have admitted that this is a design study for the next generation NSX. Those that have seen the car at the Tokyo and Detroit auto shows confirm that this is a working car.

The frame is lightweight aluminum and the body is of carbon fiber and other composite parts. The car continues as a mid-engine design for balanced handling and minimal weight transfer under braking and acceleration.

The prototype is fitted with large, 245 front and 295 rear tires on 19 and 20 inch wheels. These are much larger than the current NSX and possibly too large for the actual production car, though they sure look great! The biggest mystery is in the drive train. Honda’s president is promising us over 300 hp for the new car and Formula 1 style paddle shifters.

Now for some speculation on my part. Could this car have Hybrid power to boost performance and efficiency? Could Honda engineers have solved the emissions problems with turbocharging? If so, would they dare to bring out a turbo engine after years of non-turbo vehicles? Watch this space for more details as we learn them.