I hate to break the news to all the die-hard Maxima lovers in this forum. I enjoy reading the "stories" of how folks claim that their stock Maxima SE killed a stock Acura TL Type S. I own a 2001 Maxima SE/AE and a 2002 Acura TL Type S. First, let me say that both are very nice cars, each with their pluses and minuses. But when it comes to off the line power, my Acura is MUCH faster and pulls MUCH harder than my Maxima. I know this from personal experience since I happen to own both these cars. So when I read a story of how someone in a 2001 Maxima spanked the 2002 Acura TL Type S, I just grin because I know first hand that this could never happen. Unless the person driving the Acura wasn't really trying. Again, let me say that both are very nice cars. There are things I like better on my Maxima and things I like better on my Acura.
I am curious however on how my 2002 Acura TL Type S would compare to the 2002 Maxima SE????

 

Is your Max an auto or stick?

 

Both are auto. My wife can't drive a M/T. So you could say that an a/t TL type s is faster than an a/t maxima. Using that logic, I would argue that if both were m/t, the outcome would be the same. Normally, the m/t is faster off the line. So again, using that logic, the m/t maxima would still be slower than the m/t acura. But again, off the line power isn't everything in a car. Both are really nice cars in their own right.

 

The TL-S doesn't come in manual.

 

I still like the TL-s, think I am gonna tell my fiance to get one, then we can race each other.

 

you are correct. It comes with the formula one shifter. The driver can choose to keep in in auto and let the car do the shifting. I drive it in the formula one mode, where i can shift the gears up/down with a little tap on the shifter. It's nice not having to play with the clutch.

 

She'll be able to see you in her rear view mirror!

 

But it still has a torque converter, which makes it an auto. The TL-S losses more horsepower through the drivetrain because of this (about 25%). The manual Maxima on the other hand only losses about 15% and is lighter than the TL-S.

I can go into the technical things, but don't want to repeat what has been said.

Summary:

auto vs. auto - TL-S will win
auto vs. manual - depends on the driver of the Maxima.

 

I love TL type S
but i think 2k2 max would beat tl type s, but not alot though

 

Well it has already been proven an auto 2002 max can take TL-S.

But then again were not talking about 2002 MAX.

 

I would think that the 2002 Max Auto would be a little quicker than the TL-S. The TL-S weighs about 200lbs more with only 5 more hp at 200 higher rpm and about 15lbs on torque less than the Max. Also, do you guys now that all TLs are made in the USA with 75% of the parts being American. I hate to say this, but Im not sure I like this fact.

Later, AL
2002 SE 6-speed Mystic Silver(coming soon)

 

Hmm, lets compare a TL-P with a 2K1 auto. Both are around 225 HP. Why you would think that the TL-S was evenly matched with something with 35 less HP is beyond me, but thank you for stating the obvious.

 

And let's not forget that the TL-S has NAV- which makes it "faster than a speeding bullet"!

Slap on some of those Computech headers and you've got something that will blow the hatches off the starship Enterprise!

 

my cousin beat at TL-S the other day with his 97 5spd Max with only a stillen y pipe.. and this was from 70 mph and up.. and he doesn't have as much hp as the TL-S they are slow.. get over it

 

damnnit, y'all should told me about the navigation secret before I bought my 2k2 max

 

I'd like to add something about the TL/CL-S as well. I"m not bashing either car so let's keep that straight.

Anyway, from my experience with the sportronic shifter if you leave it in that mode from a stop the computer will automatically upshift for you from 1-2 and at certain times from 2-3 which leaves you with just 3 and 4 to play with. 5 is virtually useless as it's more of an energy saving gear (overdrive?)

So, even though i liked the fact it had that particular shifter (e.g. no more clutches) i disliked how it still upshifted on it's own especially on the two most important gears, not to mention the shift lag is still quite prominent.

For comparison, if you drive the RSX with the same transmission the computer won't let you upshift until it sees that it's running in the redzone.

That, to me, is how a sportronic shift should work.

Just my 2c

 

I can't believe all of you. With this thread going to the second page and you guys forgot to put the nav system into the equation.

 

I love the way the TL-S looks. I personally think it's a prettier car than the max I lurk around the TL and CL boards to see how they like their cars but I was shocked at how many little problems the Cl and Tl have. The S-type tranny seems terrible. For all you TL/CL people reading this, I know you guys keep saying only a small percentage have tranny problems but compared to a Max, your trannies suck!

 

Your shocked because you drive an automatic Max and you read about someone else beating a TL-S with a <b>manual</B> max?

Auto 2k-2k1= slower
Manual 2k-2k1= quicker

Deal with it

 

Good for you to have two nice cars. Both are fast but again, you should read the threads more carefully. All claims against TL-S are with 5 Speed SE's. My 5 Speed 2001 SE AE beat my friends 2002 TL-S a few times, off the line and from a roll. I haven't lost to him yet.
5 Speed Max's are quicker, period. What's next for me is to race my friend's TL-S again but with my 2002 Altima SE Automatic, and to tell you the truth I believe even the Automatic Altima is quicker than the TL-S. I'll let you know what happens.
Enjoy the holidays guys.

 

When you look at the 260 hp TL-S and the 227 hp AE, then it might not be surprising for the Acura to be ahead. Indeed it does have 33 more horse, a little more weight, and less hp loss at the wheel.

The TLS would been my second choice. It is stylish, fast, luxurious, fast, etc. I got the 2002 6 speed because:

1. $4,000 Cdn less in Canada
2. I like the SS but manual is more desireable for me
3. I was weary of the various know problems with the TLS/CLS. The CL
forum has a section dedicated to tranny problem. Yes warranty
covers all that but little problem is better than a few problems.
4. I find Acura drives annoying in my area and I didn't want to be
associated with them.

Nevertheless, a very nice car.

 

I have some input here, 2 nights ago after playing ball, me and my friend saw a CL-S and an Altima go at it from a dead stop... The Alti was manual and it spanked the living **** out of the CL-S.... We picked on it with my friends Civic Si.... It was so humiliating that we just exited off the corner road, pretending as though we weren't racing Maybe it was the driver in the CL-S, but it shouldn't have been that bad a spanking no?

 

i want to race a tl-s or cl-s with those headers i hear so much about since i walk the stock ones even with 2 passenger's in my car ,maybe all acura drivers that lose to maximas can't drive

 

I know someone already said this, but a 2K Max SE 5-speed will beat a TL-S. I did it 3 stop lights in a row. All were from a complete stop and. I was about 1/2 a car length ahead each time by the time we hit 60mph. I was slowly (very slowly) gaining on him at that point. There was no question at all as to whether he was racing.

And my Max is completely stock...

I still was so impressed by how quick it was that it intrigued me. If they offered a 6 speed TL-S, I would probably defect.

 

I still dont know why everyone only compares the speed aspect. Who really cares? I'd choose the TL-S over a Maxima because it is fairly quick, has more luxury, better service at the dealership, better interior amenities, better reliablity, plus U get that luxury name. If U were to get $2000 worth of mod's for the Max and $2000 worth of mods for the acura, the Acura would be a faster car. I'm not knocking the maxima, I love mine but I feel the Acura is a better car, hands down.

GC

 

Its ok to compare a 2K2 TLS to a 2k1 MAX 5spd, because if you are a good driver the 5spd can make up the 38HP deficite. So its totally fair to compare an auto vs a 5spd in this case.

 

Is the CLS really more reliable? I've heard of numerous tranny problems........ Maybe it's just me tho. Haven't you guys heard about their trannys screwing up a lot, or is it just me

 

Rasta: Every car has problems. The only real problems they are having is with there tranny's, while our maxima's are also having tranny problem, paint issues, creaks up the A$$, etc. Acura has far better service, something important these days.

GC

 

When was the last time you saw a stock OR modded TL-S run better than 14.4? Maybe it's just me, but the Acura drivers in my area have all heard of my car, so no one will race me

Daniel

 

Fairly quick, OK.
Has more luxury? In what aspect?
Better service? I'll give you that.
Better interior amenities? Hmm, like what?
Better reliability? Do you know anyone with a TL-P/S? Reliability is NOT a strong suit.
Luxury name. Acura is NOT a luxury brand. Lexus? Yes. Audi? Yes. Mercedes? Yes. Acura falls into the Infiniti trap in the 'luxury car name' category. Neither Acura nor Infiniti is a luxury brand. If you disagree, prove otherwise.

 

I do disagree, I should have been a little bit clearer. It has better leather, and is built far better than the Maxima. My uncle own's a TL-S and it is flawless with more than 35k miles on it. How can you say Acura is not a luxury brand? Is it not a Lexus/Infiniti/Audi competitor? Once again, I am not knocking our rides.


GC

 

Acura's 'luxury brand' consists of the TL and CL, not exactly luxury models, but rebadged Accords. Yes, they have the RL, but if ANYONE thinks that is in ANY way competitive in this day and age,they deserve to be laughed at, along with the RSX. Of course, this still follows for Infiniti too, with their slim pickings.

 

"Near Luxury"?

GC

 

Acura, like Infiniti is better described as a near luxury marquee.

 

I know for a fact that my 2001 SE (5-speed) will punish A type-s on the open road. He might get me up to 30 maybe 40 but after that it's walk city. So far I've punished a type-s from 70 mph on, a 328is from 90 on and ran neck to neck with my friends 300+ Trans AM from 90 to 140.

 

well, platform sharing is one of the most used strategies by the automobile makers because it can cut down the cost so dramatically.
it doesn't really matter if the luxury car is sharing its platform with less expensive model as long as its safe, rigid and it works.
yeah, TL and CL share the platform with Accord sedan and coupe, but I30/35 does the exact same thing with Maximas. ES300 and Camry is the same thing too.

problem with Acura is that their cars tend to have 'more' problems compared to Infiniti and Lexus(which Lexus clearly leads in this problem-free department). Acura offers their customers with affordable and practical luxury cars and not really a high-end vehicles. TL-S and CL-S are, or should i say were one of the fastest cars out there, but as you can see, a fully loaded 02 Nissan(emphasis here on 'Nissan' and not Infiniti)Maxima SE can out perform and out feature these two cometitors from Acura.

i'm not doggin on Acura. they make really good cars. but they don't have their own absolute flagship luxury car like the Infiniti Q45 or the Lexus LS430. 3.5RL is going to be replaced as soon as early next year by a larger car featuring a V8, so maybe next year will be a much better year for the Acura cars.

 

But thats what is said...

 

Once again words of wisdom from a smart man.

The 2k and 2k1 automagic Max's do 7.8 0-60. A TL-S is 6.8 I think. A '95 5spd Max is 6.6. The TL-S has 5spd auto and 70HP more than a '95 5spd max, and is still slower.

Maxima's engineering rules

 

One night at the track I saw one TL-Sand one CL-S run and I was not impressed. Not sure if they were modded or not but for their sake I hopw they're not. One ran a 15.5 and the other a 15.8

 

15.8!! He must have not bought the nav.