2008 Acura TL Type-S: The OppositeLock Review

"Sn210" (sn210) 01/24/2014 at 09:30 • Filed to: Reviews

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Some say it's just beefed up Honda Accord. Others think of it as a sexy sport-sedan; Acura's e39, if you will. I decided to trade in my Civic for one to inject more sport, comfort, and luxury into my daily commute. Is the TL Type S the last great car Acura offered?

( Full Disclosure: Acura wanted me to buy a 2008 TL Type S so badly, they put an ugly ass beak grille on their entire line up in 2009 so I wouldn't buy anything newer.)

This is a review of my Acura, which I've been driving for about a week now. My basis for comparison mostly pits this car against an '08 Civic LX, which was my daily driver for the past 6 years. There's no doubt the TL-S is an upgrade, but I wanted to share my take on the car. Please excuse my personal pics, its dirty as hell right now and its wicked cold out, because winter.

Exterior: 8/10

I like it! There are many different impressions you can get while viewing the TL. It's got a muscular face and a boxy rear end, but it can look like a regular sedan if it wants to. Special tail lights, quad tipped exhaust, and an aggressive body kit set it apart from the base TL. The special alloy wheels compliment my car's Nighthawk Black Pearl paint, which has flakes of blue in the right light. I challenge you to find a color on the Type S that doesn't work with the black chrome, ten-spoke wheels. I wanted a set of those wheels to put on my Civic when I first got it!

Interior: 7/10

Inside, you'll find a blend of leather, metal, and plastic materials. Most of the surfaces are soft, like the dash, center armrest, and door panels. The only hard plastics are the pieces that take the most abuse, like the cup holder, stereo and climate control buttons, and the center console. Pieces of metal trim line the center stack and the pedals are aluminum.

The controls are ergonomically laid out for the driver. The steering wheel contains buttons for the car's information readout, stereo volume and channel controls, cruise control, Bluetooth, and voice command. The wheel itself is leather wrapped, has a Type-S badge, and both tilts and telescopes. The navigation screen is rather large and doubles as the back-up cam monitor. It also responds to touch inputs accurately and without multiple tries.

The power, heated, leather seats are very comfortable and feature a "Type-S" stitched into the headrest. They can be adjusted back and forth, up and down, and the lumbar support is also controlled by power. The back seats offer a decent amount of leg room and rear facing vents in the console help maintain the climate.

There are a couple of things that bug me about the interior design. The cap on the shift knob is the same shape and color as the radio tune knob. This tricks me into thinking I'm sometimes in third or fifth gear rather than fourth, because I'm seeing that shape out of the corner of my eye. My metal trim pieces are kind of banged up, but cost $200 a side to replace! Also, the parking brake lever is on the passenger's side of the console. I have to grope my passenger's legs to disengage it. Cool when my wife rides shot gun, not cool when it's a male co-worker. Maybe I'm nit-picking, but that's all I've got!

Acceleration: 7/10

First gear is meh. Second and third gear are awesome! Just keep the car straight and you'll hit 60 in the high fives. This car can get out of its own way. Merging and passing on the highway are effortless. I used to have people tailgate and pass me aggressively when I was just trying to pull away from a stoplight in my Civic. Now those people are fading away in my rearview. Just keep the car straight…

Braking: 8/10

The TL Type S has beefed up Brembo's up front and I've had no issues coming to a stop. I find myself stomping on the pedal a lot harder than I need to, only because of the brakes in my Civic were pretty terrible. I read that the pads generate a lot of brake dust, but I promise to keep my wheels clean.

Ride: 7/10

The Type S sport tuned suspension carries the car well. The car is tight through the corners with negligible body roll, but it also floats over the bumps and potholes. I'm sure I'd be comfortable on long trips, but I'll be able to test that out on my upcoming trip this summer.

I'm going to detail the hell out of this in the Spring, I promise.

Handling: 5/10

Front wheel drive lets the car down. Punch the throttle and torque steer kicks in, tugging the car to the left. Yes, I wanted a FWD car for my New England winters so I wasn't surprised when I pushed the car. If you're anticipating it, it's nothing you can't handle. Hard launches aren't super smooth, but that's part of the fun! However, this car is tight and the body roll is close to zero compared to my old Civic. The steering feel is heavy, I was much more confident tossing the Civic around. I have driven it twice in the snow, and its handled like a champ.

EDIT: much of my torque steer issue was due to a tire mix up. The dealership I bought it from replaced the front two tires with low rolling resistance all-season Michelins. The old tires on the rear axle were summer tires of the same brand. Prior to delivery, I made the dealership fix curb rash on two of the wheels, one on the back and one on the front. The shop that performed the repairs was unaware of the two different types of tire and installed them incorrectly. One tire of each type was put on the same axle, which takes the blame for the crazy torque steering. I've since installed two new tires matching the newer LRR wheels. I'm keeping the score the same because the tires are horrible on this car. I regret taking the cheaper route and not replacing all four tires with high-performance rubber for the get-go. I cheaper out, the dealer cheaper out, and the wheel shop was careless. I hope to pick up some summer tires for next year and then have some fun!

Gearbox: 9/10

The 6-speed manual in the Type-S is fantastic. Shifts are short and smooth, and the knob has a decent weight to it. The shifter itself is simple, just a leather wrapped knob with black leather boot. The clutch pedal engages at about 25% and has a heavy feel. Acura stopped putting a manual transmission in the base model after 2006, but was still available in the Type-S in 2007 and 2008.

Audio: 10/10

How do you listen to your music? AM/FM/XM? CD/MP3/DVD? Aux input your phone? No problem, it will even play your cassettes. It's got 8 speakers and 1 sub; there's two speakers up front in the dash and one on each door. The rear deck has two speakers flanking a center mounted subwoofer. Volume and channel/track controls are on the steering wheel and SVC adjusts the volume based on your speed, if you choose to use it. The Aux input is in the center console, but there's cutouts that allow you to run your cords and close the armrest. The 5.1 surround sound system was developed by a Grammy Award winning music composer, and the DVD based system is supposed to be 500 times clearer than CD's.

The exhaust note is not bad. It's very quiet at idle, but 2500+rpm's fixes that. It's got a mean growl once you find it.

Toys: 9/10

The TL Type-S is loaded with goodies. A touch-screen navigation came standard on every Type-S, which also includes a backup camera. Heated mirrors and seats appease the Northerners, but the passenger's seat only toasts your buns due to airbag sensors in the seat back. Bluetooth and voice control are handy, and there also three built in garage door buttons. Dual zone A/C is awesome if you're married. I'm usually warm and my wife is usually cold, so guess who used to win the battle of the temp. dial? There are lots of other toys that I've never had in a car before; HID headlamps, 2 memory slots for seating/mirror position linked to the keys, a TPMS that reports on each tire, auto dimming rear-view mirror, and remote window control. It doesn't have backup sensors or crash detection or any self parking bologna, which I don't think most of us would care for anyway, but I deducted one point.

Value: 8/10

Back in 2008, the Type S cost $38,900. I picked mine up for $18,500, so that's a $20k hit in 6 years. Sucks if you bought new, awesome if you're me! While hunting, I found the price range to be anywhere from $16,500 for an auto with 97k miles to $21,000 for one with the 6-speed and only 45k miles. I should be able to recoup most of my money when I get something else in a few years. It's a lot of car for the money, great value for a buyer. You just read the toys section too, it's got a lot!

78/100

Dat Kinetic Blue...

Engine: 3.5L V6
Power: 286 HP at 6,200 RPM/ 256 LB-FT at 5,000 RPM
Transmission: Six-Speed Manual
0-60 Time: 5.8ish seconds
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 3,559
Seating: 5 people
MPG: 18 City/27 Highway (21 combined observed)
MSRP: $38,900 (As tested, $18,500, 6 years later)

offroadkarter > Sn210 01/23/2014 at 22:03

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The 3rd gen TL is the best looking TL made bar none. Also the bixenon headlights, made by kioto, are some of the best bixenons ever built out of any car.

Sn210 > offroadkarter 01/23/2014 at 22:15

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They're so good! I see better at night than during the day, and they "power up" when I turn them on. First car I've had with them, so maybe I'm just too excited.

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Sn210 01/23/2014 at 22:19

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Great write-up! I love these. In high school, my brother and I had to share a car. There was a pre-owned Kinetic Blue Type S with light beige interior with a stick. My parents said no, haha.

Sn210 > TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma 01/23/2014 at 22:23

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Did you argue that it was Kinetic Blue?!

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Sn210 01/23/2014 at 22:25

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My brother and I were so infatuated by the car I think it all came out as gibberish, like pick up lines on a really pretty girl, haha.

EDIT: I laughed way too hard at this meme.

offroadkarter > Sn210 01/23/2014 at 22:39

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if you get adventurous, look into doing a clear lens swap, it'll make the color band and cuotff look awesome.

Also, since your bulbs are more than likely original, I'd suggest changing them by now. While HID bulbs don't normally ever go out, they do get dimmer and dimmer over time. Look into the Osram SVS for 4300k or CBI for 5000k, they are the 2 brightest bulbs on the market. I have CBI's and I love them.

Rico > Sn210 01/23/2014 at 23:11

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Glad to see that it was worth the money and your Full Disclosure was funny as hell. I looked up a picture of the interior with the 6 speed and you're right that silver on the knobs would definitely throw you off, I'd probably put a black film over either the shift knob or the buttons.

I bet if you sold this thing in 5 years you'd still get a lot of money back because it is one of the last great Acuras. Congrats bro can't wait to see what she looks like detailed.

Victorious Secret > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 11:43

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Some call it the best Acura that Acura has ever released since the NSX and judging by how Acura designs their things these days it is also the last great looking Acura that Acura will ever make.

MonkeePuzzle > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 11:43

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as I mentioned, I love this line (I hate that grill, colour, not shape)

Tekamul > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 12:15

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Congratulations on getting what is, in my opinion, the best TL ever made.

The SH-AWD in the latest generation is amazing, from what I've heard, but the fact that it comes in a staggeringly ugly package is criminal.

jariten1781 > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 12:20

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Sister in law got one new. From my time driving it, it was an excellent town and highway cruiser. Perfect car for their small family. The front brakes, on the other hand, totally overheated when I was pushing it in the Rockies...had a hairy moment getting into a downhill switchback and when I pulled over to check there was visible smoke coming off. Oops! I was pretty surprised because the A4 that I normally borrow when I'm up there visiting isn't even beginning to fade at that point in the run. Hoon in moderation.

Sn210 > Tekamul 01/24/2014 at 12:38

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Thanks! I wish it had the SHAWD but I'd rather not have the beak!

Sn210 > jariten1781 01/24/2014 at 12:44

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Wow! Yeah I don't plan on being too aggressive with the brakes, but I'll keep that in mind.

Shift24 > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 13:39

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I want one of these soo bad and they are great cars but its has great resale value so expensive to buy and FWD. Not sure if ill ever get a FWD car again unless its small and lightweight. BUT they look soo good

Bueller > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 16:02

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I have had a 2006, standard one for almost 5 years now and I really dig the car. It's been quite reliable so far at 105000mls, but the timing-belt service is due now, so start saving the needed $1500 now.

I'd just dispute your grade on its handling. It's a very predictable car that obeys the steering commands faithfully. I notice no torque steer at all, though mine has some 30HP less. Could it be that yours has bad bushings?

Its value is incredible. It kept its value the same as when I bought it for about 18 months. I paid for mine half of what it cost new after 3 years and it's now worth half of what I paid for it, or 50% depreciation after 3 years and 75% depreciation after 8 years.

It's my first Acura and, unfortunately, probably my last one, as there hasn't been any new model as handsome as it since.

Sn210 > Bueller 01/24/2014 at 16:22

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I test drove an '06 and fell in love! That particular car was a little too beat up for my liking and the only other TL with a manual for sale for miles was the Type S! I HAD to get it!
I felt little to no torque steer in the base, but I get a lot with the Type S. What bushings should I check?

Bueller > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 16:43

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Of course, when I bought my 06 in 09 with 38000mls it was a gem. It still is, but that's because I take good care of my cars.

Check the lower arms at the front. You shouldn't be able to insert a small flat screw driver anywhere around them.

Also, check the CV joints by going to a cull-de-sac and gently accelerating it while the wheel is fully turned to one lock and then to the other. You should not hear or feel any knocking as you give a little of gas and lift off.

HTH

RyanFrew > Sn210 01/24/2014 at 16:53

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So far, these things have aged literally spectacularly well.

Nice buy.

Sn210 > Bueller 01/24/2014 at 17:00

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Awesome, thanks for the info. It just needs to warm up outside so I can check it out

OutOfHere > Sn210 01/25/2014 at 10:40

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This summer I traded my 2007 Kinetic Blue TL-S with auto in for a 2013 Civic Si. The TL-S only had 30,000 miles on it and I they gave me $18,000 trade in value and knocked $2000 off the Civic. The TL-S never hit the used car lot, they are definitely in demand. I loved the car except that it got lousy gas mileage around town and it cost over $200 at the dealer to replace those front Brembo brakes. I bought the Civic because I wanted a manual and better gas mileage (I drive a lot for my job). Congrats and enjoy. It is a great car.

Sn210 > Bueller 01/25/2014 at 10:45

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I think I figured out my handling issue... I feel like an idiot. 2 tires look like high performance summer tires and 2 look like fuel economy tires! When I checked them out they all said Michelin so I thought I was good! That's what happens when you get too excited about buying a car. One type is in the left and the other on the right, they got me!

Bueller > Sn210 01/25/2014 at 18:00

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Whoa, that's bizarre! Different types of tires on different axles is barely acceptable, but on different sides is preposterous. Yet, I'd never guess this to be the problem. So, installing the same tires on the same axle solved the torque-steer?

Sn210 > Bueller 02/01/2014 at 18:26

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Finally got to it today! It's the first day that is been warm enough to do anything for weeks. Yes, switching the tires around solved the torque steer issue. I found out that the dealership put two new tires on it when they listed the car for sale. I made them repair some curb rash before I bought it. The shop that did that didn't realize the two types and mixed them up when they put the wheels back in the car. So now I'm going to buy two more tires to match the front and be all set.

Bueller > Sn210 02/01/2014 at 19:02

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I'm glad to hear that and hope that you enjoy your TL as much as enjoy mine. Cruising at 90~100MPH it still delivers 28~29MPG on the highway, 32~33MPG at a more pedestrian speed. Can't complain about its mileage, especially considering its power.

I'll stop it at the dealer to have the scheduled service of $1500 (replace timing belt and water pump) this week. At least I get a loaner at this price.

dannyohno > Sn210 02/28/2014 at 00:58

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Could we get an update on your ownership experience thus far? Positives? Negatives? I'm hoping to pick up one of these in a few months.

Sn210 > dannyohno 02/28/2014 at 07:26

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Absolutely. I've had it for about two months now but I parked it for the last three weeks. My inlaw's were traveling and offered me their jeep and a garage space so I could keep the TL clean and off the salty roads. I'm observing 20 mpg, and that's with driveway warmups and a short, 5 miles commute that's all back roads. My torque steering issue has been resolved. The dealer I bought it from replaced two of the tires and put them on the drive axle. The shop that they brought it to to fix some curb rash mixed up the old and new tires when they pulled the wheels off the car. I had a new, all season tire on the left and a worn, summer tire in the right. I didn't realize because they were all the same brand and I was blinded with new car excitement. The only other issue I've had was a squeaky serpentine belt which the dealer replaced under warranty. The other thing I've noticed is it's tight, real tight. Bumpy roads make the steering jumpy, but all I've read indicates that's just how it is. Other than that it's been all positive. I smile when I drive and I smile when I see it in my driveway. It's got plenty of power, the exhaust note is excellent, the stereo and features are great. I've swapped the shift knob for an aluminum one off the S2000 and that's probably all I'll change on it. Any other questions let me know, I can't recommend it enough. I got it for $18,500 with 66k and the 6 MT, just so you know for when you negotiate.

Rico > Sn210 03/31/2014 at 14:24

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Hey just wanted to get your opinion on this: http://bit.ly/PaLa8L

We had our Board of Trustee meetings at work last week and it seems that everything's going to be smooth sailing for a while so I'm back on the hunt and found this.

Sn210 > Rico 03/31/2014 at 14:48

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Awesome, glad to hear that!

Kinetic blue!!! Argh I'll be so jealous!
From the pictures it looks to be in good shape. I'd say they're priced high, of course. Edmunds put it at ~$15k, but I think that's low. Kbb puts retail price at $16.4. I'd say around $16.5 would be NP. I got mine for $18.5 with 65k miles. The timing belt is recommended to be done at 105k, which I'm sure you already know, so keep that in mind. Is it at an acura dealership? Try to get them to do the timing belt service as part of your negotiations maybe? I think it was you who warned me about the transmission pressure switches too, so you should ask about that. Learn from my mistake and make sure all 4 tires match! Don't just check the brand lol. The carfax says 4 tires balanced at 91k, so hopefully that means it's got new tires. Also I noticed this weekend that my car was missing it's battery cover, and the dealership I got it from almost forgot to put back the belt cover when they replaced the belt for me, so I'd make sure all the parts to the engine cover are there. I'd assume these pieces tend to go missing.
Let me know if you go check it out!

Rico > Sn210 03/31/2014 at 16:26

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The car was priced at $17,995 yesterday and today down a hundred oddsome dollars. I think I can get out the door for $17,500 taxes, title, registration. Yup it's a full on Acura dealership. I'd try to get them to do that maintenance if it hasn't been done already. I fear that since it's in Kinetic Blue and there aren't really any around for sale they'll try to hit me over the head since I can't really "walk away" to another dealership. (There are only 2 within 250 miles of me in this color)

Also fine print says that price is only if you get their financing which once again scares me. My credit union's best rate they can give me is 3.45% because the car is from 2008. Chase Bank can give me between 2.74%-3.13% depending on what I get approved for so idk if the dealership can beat that or what.

I'm really tempted to talk to Automatch and see if he can help me out with this, I've never visited a dealership before and I know he's in New Jersey but doesn't really work with used car sales but maybe he can make an exception. A part of me wants to wait until June to save up more money but something tells me this car won't last that long in this color anyway.

Thanks for all the advice and insight, really appreciate it!

Sn210 > Rico 03/31/2014 at 17:26

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If you've never been in a dealership before, you're in for a treat! Everything is a big game so be ready to play. The best thing to do is don't get emotionally attached. You've already admitted to me that you don't think you can walk away, but you're wrong, you don't have to have this one. If it doesn't work, then you keep saving until the next one comes along just like you said. They're going to hit you over the head with a lot of things, "we need to pay our staff, my kid needs braces, I'd like to be able to eat meat this week" it's all a game. Do your homework, know your numbers, and stick to them. Even if you do walk away I guarantee they'll be calling you back 3 days later. My car was the only one for sale within 200 miles too!

Definitely reach out to Automatch, he's a pro. Even if you don't hire him, I'm sure he can give you a few tips (just be sure to thank him with Avant porn). He's already written several good posts about buying a used car. Consider a private party inspection too.

Don't be afraid of the financing either. You certainly can negotiate the interest rate. Hell, I almost walked away for a rate that would have been $7/mo more than what my local credit union was offering. The finance guy "magically" found a rate that was closer to what I wanted after that. Chances are you'll pay it off before 5 years anyway. Worst case, you buy it through their them and then refinance with your credit union. Play around with some calculators to see how the rates affect your payments.

I think my car was advertised at like 20,995 and then dropped to 19,995 before I even took it for a test drive, so don't think there's no room. With taxes, I'd say $17,5 is a fair price.

tl:dr 1. Homework 2. test drive 3. Negotiate 4. Poker face/read everything 5. You'll be the "other guy with the Type-s" on Oppo, albeit a much sexier color.

My email is snadeau210 at g mail if you have more questions! Good luck!

Rico > Sn210 03/31/2014 at 18:19

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Private Party inspection is a must! Yeah I'm thinking about hiring Automatch just for the negotiation support. I've been talking to some people who are telling me don't drain my savings account and just put down $5k (rather than the $12k I was going to) and finance the rest with the bank's money, not sure if that's the best route.

That puts my payment somewhere between $240-270 a month, my idea is to pay $300/mo to pay it off faster (in about 3 years, in the 4th year I'll most likely sell the car) while still have a decent amount of savings in case shit ever went south.

I'll keep your email handy, mine is ricorich196 @ gmail .com so you'll know it when you see it.

Andrew T. Maness > Sn210 09/07/2014 at 22:45

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I should be able to recoup most of my money when I get something else in a few tears.

I know this was a typo but it's an amazingly appropriate typo.

So, how's it holding up? Always loved this car but couldn't bring myself to do FWD.

Sn210 > Andrew T. Maness 09/07/2014 at 22:57

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wow, never caught that one!

It's holding up pretty well. The fwd doesn't bother me. The torque steer I was complaining about in my review has been fixed with a new set of tires. It's had a few annoying things just recently but nothing devastating. I've got a drippy oil drain plug and a fuel cap light that keeps coming on. I've replaced both things but the issues are still there. I think the gas cap is a bad pcv solenoid that's a quick $100 and two bolts to replace. It's also got a weird whine at 45mph and only 45mph, but everything I read said it's just an acura thing. Other than that, I'm enjoying it very much! It's quick and comfortable, plus I like looking at it!

Andrew T. Maness > Sn210 09/07/2014 at 23:05

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Gotta love a typo that works on some level.

Glad to hear it, girl I knew back in college had one but I never drove it, always liked the way it sounded though.

Low maintenance costs on a performance luxury vehicle, gotta love that. I have a post going up tomorrow about what I consider to be the only other Japanese midsize sedan worth buying, the Legacy 2.5GT spec.B. It's actually how I found your post, searching for info on the TL Type-S.

Sad that both companies have moved on and abandoned what could have become legendary long run models.

Sn210 > Andrew T. Maness 09/07/2014 at 23:13

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yeah the Spec B was suggested to me when I was car shopping, but I couldn't find any for sale at the time. This TL that I got was one of two 6MT's in New England for sale at the time, so I jumped on it.

Another Opponaut wrote up a good article about the TL-S back in March. It's a good read if you haven't found it yet.

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/wait-what-did-…

S62E39 > Sn210 09/08/2014 at 14:59

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"Acura's E39"... I'll endorse that. I had an 04 Model with a stick, sold it to buy an '02 M5. Both beautiful cars. The Acura wins on dependability, seat comfort, and toys. Replacing those Brembos will cost a fortune.

Sn210 > S62E39 09/08/2014 at 20:17

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hopefully that won't happen! I want an e39 m5 someday too, was was it?

wade3566rf > Sn210 05/25/2015 at 16:37

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Has anyone driven an automatic one? Do they really accelerate and handle that much worse? They seem to be easier to find used.