New Acura TL vs. Pre 1997 NSX

[Ticomba74]

Thought this might make for an interesting discussion. In my quest for an NSX, I had bought an '04 Acura TL. I love this car and all its cool features but still was in the market for the NSX. Anyway founda 1995 that was priced "right" and decided, after not having driven an NSX for a while to check it out. For the money, I just cannot see paying for a pre-'97 NSX over my TL! Am I wrong or is the TL not only mechanically and technologically better, but fiscally and drive-wsie more fulfilling?

Would like to hear others thoughts on the matter.

Frank

 

[NSXFreak00]

IMHO, no way. hehe

TL great car, but I don't see how it can be compared to NSX.

I drove a 04 TL from Austin to College Station and back (~170miles roundtrip).

Navigation was great. very comfortable drive.

pick up not so great, started to rattle a bit after 120mph. im sure its a great car, but a person buying a 04 TL and any NSX - you are not comparing apples to apples.

i drove a pre 97 nsx auto from houston to austin to dallas back to houston(nearly a 1000miles) no navi, very comfortable, pick up well, very receptive handling.....

thats just my opinion.

 

[CerberusM5]

Thought this might make for an interesting discussion. In my quest for an NSX, I had bought an '04 Acura TL. I love this car and all its cool features but still was in the market for the NSX. Anyway founda 1995 that was priced "right" and decided, after not having driven an NSX for a while to check it out. For the money, I just cannot see paying for a pre-'97 NSX over my TL! Am I wrong or is the TL not only mechanically and technologically better, but fiscally and drive-wsie more fulfilling?

Would like to hear others thoughts on the matter.

Frank

What do you want, a sports car or a family car? There is no comparison. The NSX is a sports car!

The TL on the otherhand is a nice inexpensive family sedan with LOTS of luxury features and a great V6 engine. However, the TL is a front wheel drive sedan and does not handle like a sports car.

You are comparing apples to ground beef.

 

[gtr]

TL mechanically better? I didn't know TL had titanium rods and aluminum body? :wink:

I've always want a car that is well buit and not slopped together. NSX has proven to run very well after 15year which most cars cannot do.

 

[ibDursty]

Yeah, it's kinda of odd question as they are totally different vechicles. Personally I couldn't drive my NSX as my daily driver anyway, especially with the winters. I split time between it and a CL and MDX... although I'm going to be selling the CL soon. I liked the new TL and almost bought it instead of the MDX, but I liked have the AWD and the extra space in the MDX.

 

[brahtw8]

I have both in my garage. You are wrong. :biggrin:

The TL has more advanced technology, but that is not always a good thing. For example, the lack of power steering in the early NSX makes for amazing feel at speed.

The NSX is a better investment than the TL. The early NSX has stopped depreciating. My TL cost me more than my NSX, but my NSX is now worth more than my TL. The TL will continue to depreciate. The expected residual at 42 mos. of ownership on a 2004 is about $17.5k. Try finding an NSX for that in 2007.

The TL is nowhere near as fun to drive as the NSX. It has more torque, but it is much heavier and FWD is a limiting factor at 7/10s or above.

For the average person, the TL is a better car. It is more practical, comfortable, etc. That you would even ask this question and the manner in which you have phrased it suggests that the TL is a better car for you.

When I have the option I do not hesitate to drive my NSX over my TL.

YMMV.

 

[nsx-tech]

I like apples and like oranges but the apple is higher priced and fresher so I bought it. But I really wish I had the orange. Compare a 2005 NSX to a 1991 dollar for dollar which is the best bang for the buck. To compare two totally different cars is note a valid comparison to me. IMOP the Tl is a great car but for the money I'd take the older NSX (as long as your allowed two cars).

 

[Dave Hardy]

NSX has proven to run very well after 15year which most cars cannot do.

I think you're jipping the rest of the Honda line a bit on this one. My '91 CRX is in GREAT condition. It is rare that a week goes by without a compliment, and I have even been asked when Honda started selling the CRX again, as they couldn't believe it wasn't a nearly new car. I'd still rather an NSX, but pretty much anything Honda has laid a wrench on in the last 15 years is going to be very durable.

 

[CerberusM5]

That you would even ask this question and the manner in which you have phrased it suggests that the TL is a better car for you.

I agree.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

aside from the sport cars vs luxury family car, I guessed it really depends on where your heart goes. I for one, do not understand if anyone buying a nsx and don't explore its potential. That is, those people who will never drive on Track, autoX, and driving according to traffic laws :biggrin: (not that I'm encouraging crazy driving on Public highway) And yes, for those people, I can even whip them in my 1995 Automatic Accord, and to them, the TL will be a much better bargain.

Sex appeal on a nsx?? Try picking up girls if you are with your buddy... TL won hands down cuz it got room for 3 back there.

 

[Da Hapa]

Thought this might make for an interesting discussion. In my quest for an NSX, I had bought an '04 Acura TL. I love this car and all its cool features but still was in the market for the NSX. Anyway founda 1995 that was priced "right" and decided, after not having driven an NSX for a while to check it out. For the money, I just cannot see paying for a pre-'97 NSX over my TL! Am I wrong or is the TL not only mechanically and technologically better, but fiscally and drive-wsie more fulfilling?

Would like to hear others thoughts on the matter.

Frank

Frank,

Repeat after me... "Drugs are bad for me".

All kidding aside I couldn't disagree more. The stereo, the headlights, and he nav system are better in the TL. And that's about it.

One is a good value, FWD gussied up Accord (and there's nothing wrong with that so don't jump all over me). The other is an exotic, mid-engined sports car. I'd rather drive the TL to an Angels game. And that's only because I wouldn't worry about door dings. Outside of that and maybe Home Depot there isn't anywhere else I'd rather drive a brand new TL than a 10 year old NSX.

 

[mskrotzki]

Thought this might make for an interesting discussion. In my quest for an NSX, I had bought an '04 Acura TL. I love this car and all its cool features but still was in the market for the NSX. Anyway founda 1995 that was priced "right" and decided, after not having driven an NSX for a while to check it out. For the money, I just cannot see paying for a pre-'97 NSX over my TL! Am I wrong or is the TL not only mechanically and technologically better, but fiscally and drive-wsie more fulfilling?

Would like to hear others thoughts on the matter.

Frank

My garage holds a 93 NSX and an 05 TL - 6 speed manual. The TL is a very nice car, quiet, fast, comfortable, pretty good looking, and has an incredible sound system. It is also big -- to me VERY big. It is very easy to drive, it has gobs of torque, and the steering, power steering, is very easy to use even at parking speeds.

And therein lies the problem. The steering is so light (and the steering wheels are also the drive wheels) and driving it is not a participatory event. It is an activity you direct -- from a distance.

The NSX is almost an extention of your physical body. Everything the NSX does is immediately feed back to your senses. The TL will send you snail mail that something is happening. In the NSX you sit mere inches off the pavement, and move with the curves. In the TL you tower over the highway, quite far away from it in distance and in spirit.

The sound of the NSX is sensual, the sound of the TL is -- non-existant. Don't get me wrong, the TL is very fast, deceptively fast, but it just does it -- no VTEC kick [it is continuously variable], no intake or exhaust music. It handles rather well, but FWD with that kind of power can be very squirrelly, darting all over the lane.

My wife loves the TL, and I rather like it too. We drove it to the southern part of the state, over some 10,000' passes, at well over 100 mph, listening to the opera over the remarkable sound system. There is a lot to like. But it isn't remotely like an NSX. A comparison should not be made, they are not comparable.

 

[kgb_agent]

the lack of power steering in the early NSX makes for amazing feel at speed.

Not trying to hijack the thread--and there have been many discertations about non-power v. power steering recently--but don't all NSX's feel the same (i.e. like non-power steering) above 35mph? I am assuming "at speed" is above 35mph

 

[NetViper]

I have both cars also and there is no comparison between the two.

My wife likes to say her car is just as fast as the NSX because the both have 270HP. :biggrin:

I enjoy the TL for tooling around town and going on long trips, but it is no where near as fun to drive as the NSX. The TQ steer on the TL is not much fun either.

I do wish the NSX came with a lot of the technology in the TL though. The stereo absolutely blows the NSX away!

 

[brahtw8]

Not trying to hijack the thread--and there have been many discertations about non-power v. power steering recently--but don't all NSX's feel the same (i.e. like non-power steering) above 35mph? I am assuming "at speed" is above 35mph

I don't have enough experience in the NA2 cars to give a definitive answer to this question, but I do not believe that an NSX with power steering is going to feel as direct at speed as an NSX w/o power steering.

 

[Ticomba74]

Ok well I am glad I sparked some "debate" if nothing else. It was one of those odd questions that I get asked a lot by people but I guess I was the only one "brave" enough to talk about it on this forum. I know you REALLY can't compare the 2 cars, but you'd be surprised how many people want to argue about the new TL (or the A-Spec) over any pre '97 NSX. Honestly my first discussion was with a tech at a local South Florida Acura dealer; they've been "looking" for me an NSX for 10 months with no luck. They started trying to talk about an A-Spec TL and the "advantages" I think they just didn't want to admit they couldn't find a blue on tan NSX for me.

Frank

 

[mskrotzki]

Honestly my first discussion was with a tech at a local South Florida Acura dealer; they've been "looking" for me an NSX for 10 months with no luck. They started trying to talk about an A-Spec TL and the "advantages" I think they just didn't want to admit they couldn't find a blue on tan NSX for me.

Frank

I know nothing about your local South Florida Acura dealer, but I would suggest finding someone else. These folks appear to be interested only in your money don't give a damn about serving your wants and desires. It's people like them that give dealsers a bad name -- and in this case a deservedly bad name IMO.

 

[Ticomba74]

The dealer is not such a bad guy (I am his attorney) it's just that they are a volume store so the NSX is just not something they see regularly. Trust me he may get a car or two out of me every 3 years or so, but I hit him every month with legal fees! :biggrin: