2000 Acura TL review from North America
"Love the performance and hate the transmission problems"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmissions: 1st replacement at 38,000. Second replacement at 94,000.
Motor mounts replaced (2) at 25,000.
Front wheel bearings at 127,000.
CD player: for burned CDs -- will only play Maxell.
Brake pads warp too soon.
Heater does not kick in unless I turn it to max, then back off the heat.
Parts of the interior fabric are starting to separate.
General comments?
I love the power and acceleration of my 2001 TL3.2. It is also very comfortable to drive long distances (MUCH more so than my last car - Honda Accord 1994).
I get fairly good gas mileage on the open road -- around 30MPG.
But the TRANSMISSION'S a problem... The story I got from my dealer when they were replaced is: Yes, these are "rebuilt" transmissions, but we reuse only the box that the gears are housed in. The gears are always new and can never be reused. He also said that it is RARE for more than one transmission failure. The transmission failure is at 2 to 3 percent.
However, EVERYONE I know who owns or owned a TL from 1999-2002 had at least one transmission replaced. At 127,500 I do need to sell it before its 3rd transmission fails (which according to the posts will happen probably sooner than later). I'm not sure if I can get Blue Book value for it (excellent condition) but I will be honest when I try to sell it.
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model Year | 2001 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.2 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 5/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 100 miles |
| Most recent distance | 127400 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Accord |
| Date of Entry | 27th April, 2008 |