Hey aren't our 5th gen maximas like 192 inches? Well, the 04 TL is 189 inches. I never knew that we are bigger.
http://acura.com/models/model_specs_index.asp?module=tl

 

I want one!

Acura has gone the right way, Nissan has not.

Any news on a new TLS?

 

to bad the TL is FWD.

 

You are right, FDW is backwards.......get it?

 

They dropped the S designation...it's now only offered with the higher HP motor (270hp) and called simply the 3.2TL. 6-speed Manual is available in the TL now too.

 

Although the Type-S designation has been dropped, they will come out with an A-Spec TL which will be lowered a bit and come with brembo's.

 

Gotta agree that it's a tight powertrain on the new TL...Saw one at a red light the other day , and gotta say I'm not not real excited about the exterior..looks like an enlarged TSX with more flares....pretty bland styling, IMO. Wish they offered last years Type S with the 6-speed...far more stylish.

 

they are coming out with the TL-S maybe in two years when they refresh the looks. and they will boost up the power. Have seen the exhaust pipe far more better looking than 04 max? I heard the system in the tl is pretty crazy for stock. I might get one in the furture and push the bimmer plan away!

 

Nissan does not offer a car that competes with Acura, so stop complaining.

 

Infiniti

 

acura should have made the new TL RWD, it would increase greater interest with car enthusiats and give some serious competition with the Euro midsize sedans (ie 5 series, E-Class, A6). Plus like irish44j said it looks like a larger TSX.

I'd rather spend alittle more and go euro. IMO

- frank

 

I think Acura did it more for marketing purposes as the new RL is rumored to finally be RWD with an AWD option. Powertrain will either be a high-output V6 or a much anticipated V8

 

I disagree about the RWD...The RWD is for the RL, which is the "flagship" sdean for them.....AWD, YES!!! The advantages inherent with FWD are what made me buy a Maxima and not a 3-series, for example. Look, I understand the advantages that a RWD car has in some performance aspects...but for those of us who like a sport sedan, that has do drive well in rain, snow, ice, etc...FWD is more sensible...Try taking your 5-series (except the xi) out in the snow. Yeah my cousin has one...traction control doesn't help nearly enough.

But I digress....I am all for Awd for the maxima, TL, etc....only thing to keep in mind is that you are adding alot of extra weight to cars that are already relatively heavy. Now the A8....has the HP to back it up and haul all that weight around.

BTW, as mentioned above Maxima does not compete with Acura in theory:
Honda = Acura as Nissan = Infiniti as Toyota = Lexus....kiknd of like those little comparison problems that you had to do in school or on the SATs or whatever But in rREALITY, a loaded Maxima SE with leather, etc...is easily as refined as a CL...and can compete with it in any area, so why the "REGULAR LINE" AND "LUXURY LINE" distinction.

Wow what a babble...sorry!

 

To babble further...what do you mean about "car enthusiasts" and RWD? I think most of the people in this forum would be considered "car enthusiasts" and last I checked we all have a powerful, classy FWD vehicle...

And as to "cmopetition with the Euro midsize sedans" what do you mean by that specifically. The Maxima was not intended to compete with those cars, which cost about half again as much...that is what INFINITI is for...to compete with the Euro sedans. The maxima was started, as I recall, to compete with cars like the Accord and Camry, right? But I would say the modded FWD Maximas of some of the owners on this site could easily outperform many of the 5-series, E-class, and A6s mentioned above (no, I'm not saying mine can)....

TSX is the blandest "performance sedan" ever built...****ed at Acura for doing that!

 

That car looks like a cross between a Civic and a BMW.

 

the max is pretty much the same length as a 3 series beemer wagon.

 

I'd say nissan has one up on Acura at this time...I'd DEFINITELY rather have a 260hp 6-speed RWD awesome looking G35 sedan than a 270hp 6-speed FWD boxy looking TL.

 

I am a 100% with you on that one.

 

Well my roots come from this:



Do you now understand why I like a boxy look?

 

yeah.... but it's a datsun/nissan/infiniti. You gotta props to that.

 

 

New TL is phat! Saw in a parking lot up close this weekend and has serously grown on me- It may resemble the TSX a tad but it looks a world apart from everything being offered out there

 

To each, his own.... I guess... but
Have you seen a TL in person, have you sat in or driven one? The TL is absolutely beautiful in person, inside and out! The interior design and materials quality are light years ahead of the Maxima and G35, and thats coming from a 03 GLE owner. Pictures don't do this car justice. The exterior is agressive and classy at the same time. Nice low stance. I have driven a friends G35 sedan; yes it's nice, but I'd take a TL any day! IMO, Nissan and Infinity have some work to do.

 

I agree. I'll just add that IMO the TSX is marketed for Civic Si owners that have graduated college and are starting their careers. I cant imagine people dumping their 3 series or A4s for a TSX, unless they were STARVING for quality. (Irony: Though it really doesnt compare well with the TSX, Nissan kinda already attempted this kind of market entry with the original Infiniti G20 - FWD/4 cyl entry level luxury/sports sedan)

 

Exactly....to each his own. I think the G35 has great interior quality..VERY sporty. The TL on the other hand gives sport up to Luxury.

I have seen the TL in person and sat in it. The seats are very soft but not nearly as supportive as the G35.

I'll take a RWD sedan that shares it's platform with an all out sports car over a FWD sedan that shares it's platform with a family hauler (accord).

The fact that the front of the exterior looks like a TSX and the rear looks like a Civic ruines this cars chances of getting any styling accolades from me. I like cars with SHAPE and smooth elegent edges. The edges on the TL are WAY too sharp.

But this is just my opinion...nothing more nothing less...

 

maxima are not supposed to complete with accord, camery, becuase it is out of that price range and it doesn't offer big HP or HID . How much is a 04 SL or base SE about 30k not inc tax, that is tl or avalon terriory. with the I35 out of the pic who is going to complete with tl? the rear wheel g35. the g35 is more like bmw in term of power and handling . but it needs help in the interior. like audi.

 

The new TL looks much smaller, but I'm sure it's a great car.

When I first saw the back end of the car - it reminded me waaay too much of a new Grand Prix. I know the Acura is superior in every way, but the Grand Prix is what comes to mind (I think the Grand Prix looks like crap).

See for yourself:





Just the placement/shape of the tail lights and the shape of the cutout on the rear bumper for the trunklid look eerily similar.

Then again - the new Maxima isn't really a looker either (it's growing on me!!)

 

NYC: 2 things:

1. I was referring more to the ORIGINAL Maxima, Accord and camry, but if you would like to compare CURRENT models, then I will say you need to do some research, as follows:

2004 Accord V6 EX - FWD, MSRP about $27,000, 240hp
2004 Camry V6 XLE - FWD, MSRP about $26,000, 210 hp
2004 Maxima 3.5 SE - FWD, MSRP about $27,500, 265HP

So yes the Maxima is SLIGHTLY more HP than the accord (and we know the Max doesn' ACTUALLY have 265, right?) and the Camry is a bit weak....but in terms of price, they are all within 1500 bucks...I would say that puts them as "competitors" for the FWD family sports-sedan market. The price is similiar because the Maxima you get extra performance, and the Accord you get extra "amenities" (not to mention Honda quality) - Same for the Camry...not as much performance, but many features, including Toyota reliability.

2. Oh and what's that BS about HID's?....since when do cars compete against each other based on their headlights???....maybe the Honda and Toyota drivers are smart...at least they won't get their headlights stolen

 

HID is class things to me ( you will never see HID in cheap cars).well maybe in the mini
Accord $27000 is loaded with navi and leather and all the goodies. Is the maxima $27,000 loaded I don't think so it just the base . So, there does the Altima stand. you are just comparing the loaded and non loaded models. in that case you win. Tell me the turth are going to spend 27k on camery or a accord. hell no. I am not in the market for a car yet I will so research when I need to .

 

Please dont compare a ****ty *** GTP to a TL. They dont even resemble each other at all.


As for the interior quality comments. I agree that the acura's have some really nice interiors. I love my friends Cl-s's and Tl-s's. I just feel in love with the I35 so I bought it. I have a loaner G35 sitting outside my house right now and I can say I DO NOT like the interior at all. Not as plush and luxurious as the I35, which I think is a better comparison to the TL. (even though styling goes to the TL) IMO.

 

My uncle bought his brand new '02 maxima with EVERYTHING for 29K.

 

[QUOTE=NYC TAR]HID is class things to me ( you will never see HID in cheap cars).well maybe in the mini
Accord $27000 is loaded with navi and leather and all the goodies. Is the maxima $27,000 loaded I don't think so it just the base . So, there does the Altima stand. you are just comparing the loaded and non loaded models. in that case you win. Tell me the turth are going to O,

No I would not pay 27 for a camry...that's not the point. If there is a 26,000 Camry and a 27,000 Accord, though, that indicates that there ARE people out there who would. By the way, the prices I quoted are the MSRP BASE PRICE for the respective models....I'm not ging to go through and figure out what options are on each.....The prices came straight off of Edmunds.com.

As to the lights...so what you are saying is that the 2k1 Maxima is not classy because it doesn't have HID's, while the 2K2 (essentially the same car with a slightly bigger engine and HID's) IS a classy car...the logic doesn't make sense.I can put HID's on my 2k Max, will that turn it from a sports sedan into a luxury car? I don't think so.

Anyhow, back to my original point: The ORIGINAL Maxima came out as a "sportier" option for Honda and Toyot owners. And let's face it, Nissan is not known for the kind of quality workmanship and reliability that a Honda or Toyot is..it's all a trade-off -performance for comfort or reliability. I prefer performance, that's why I bought a Maxima. As to the Altima...last I checked it first popped up in the mid-90s...the Accord, Camry, and Maxima had all been around for a long time before that...

But if classy is what you're after, why are you talking about Japanese cars...go buy a Jaguar...go buy a Mercedes, go buy a freakin Town Car! The MAxima will never compete with the Audis, Mercedes, or BMWs when it comes to being a "status symbol". Neither will a freakin Infiniti or an Acura.

Dammnit...for a forum full of Maxima owners, there sure is alot of *****ing here about how "the CL is better" or "I wish it was RWD." Cry me a river. If you want a CL, get a ****ing TL. If you want RWD, go get a BMW. Stop whinig about the car you have. This is a forum for Maxima "enthusiasts" not a forum to dog Maximas.

By the way, the forum for all you haters is at this link, *****
http://www.pbjdance.com

 

I'll play devils advocate here

The Maxima was never a competitor for the Accord and Camry. That was what the Altima was for. Although a lof of people cross-shop along the line. The Altima became the official competitor for the Camcord's starting with the 3rd gen.

If Steve's theory is correct and i understand his latest posts correctly, there's a chance the new Maxima may actually be putting close to 280hp.

Yep. Toyota's and Honda owners don't have to worry about headlight theft... they just have to worry about the entire car. Accord's and Camry's are one of the top stolen vehicles in the US.

 

case you win. Tell me the turth are going to O,

No I would not pay 27 for a camry...that's not the point. If there is a 26,000 Camry and a 27,000 Accord, though, that indicates that there ARE people out there who would. By the way, the prices I quoted are the MSRP BASE PRICE for the respective models....I'm not ging to go through and figure out what options are on each.....The prices came straight off of Edmunds.com.

As to the lights...so what you are saying is that the 2k1 Maxima is not classy because it doesn't have HID's, while the 2K2 (essentially the same car with a slightly bigger engine and HID's) IS a classy car...the logic doesn't make sense.I can put HID's on my 2k Max, will that turn it from a sports sedan into a luxury car? I don't think so.

Anyhow, back to my original point: The ORIGINAL Maxima came out as a "sportier" option for Honda and Toyot owners. And let's face it, Nissan is not known for the kind of quality workmanship and reliability that a Honda or Toyot is..it's all a trade-off -performance for comfort or reliability. I prefer performance, that's why I bought a Maxima. As to the Altima...last I checked it first popped up in the mid-90s...the Accord, Camry, and Maxima had all been around for a long time before that...

But if classy is what you're after, why are you talking about Japanese cars...go buy a Jaguar...go buy a Mercedes, go buy a freakin Town Car! The MAxima will never compete with the Audis, Mercedes, or BMWs when it comes to being a "status symbol". Neither will a freakin Infiniti or an Acura.

Dammnit...for a forum full of Maxima owners, there sure is alot of *****ing here about how "the CL is better" or "I wish it was RWD." Cry me a river. If you want a CL, get a ****ing TL. If you want RWD, go get a BMW. Stop whinig about the car you have. This is a forum for Maxima "enthusiasts" not a forum to dog Maximas.

By the way, the forum for all you haters is at this link, *****
http://www.pbjdance.com

 

Ok thanks for playing advocate...a couple points: As to Altima....I meant BEFORE the Altima was around. I owned a 1988 Accord once....when I bought it, I looked at Maximas, Camrys, and a couple other cars that were all around the same price...hence they were natural "competitors". There was no such thing as an Altima back then. That said, I knew that the Maxima (even then) was more riented towards performance, and on slightly higher level than the Accord.

2. OK I will defer to you on the HP issue...from all the posts around here, I was under the impression there was some "false advertising" by Nissan and that the HP was lower than advertised. That was not really my point, though.

3. Not my point!!! I was joking about the HID theft...the point was that Accords and Camrys could have HIDs too if their buyers/owners wanted to shell out an extra thousand bucks or whatever they cost. Would that automatically make Accord/Camry a "classy car" instead of a mid-size "econocar"? Of course not. Headlights do not make a car!!!!

Oh, and my 88 Accord was stolen in 1991...Recovered 2 hours later...The guy hit a curb and blew out both right side tires and just left it there So I know all about the thefts~!

 

BY the way I might get a bimmer 330 02 in the furture because my uncle might have to go oversea for his job. so, I am either getting it dirt cheap or free. also this is my second max.

 

...and every time I see you drive by, I will think to myself "Damn, there goes a classy dude in a classy car!"...anyways thanks for the spirited discussion, I will let you have the last word....peace

 

You can get a ford focus with HIDs, but I forgot, that's not a cheap car....

 

The Grand Prix is ugly. The Acura is tight! It looks great inside and out, the fitment and quality of materials is nice, the suspension feels good, and it has plenty of power.

My friend got one in black on black, and that shiet is sexy...

 

CAn't agree with you there. There are plenty of Infiniti and Acura cars that outclass MB and BMW. You speak in the old terms, try the game nowadays. Q45, M45, FX, etc. They are not entry level luxury.