TRDFantasy

I beg to differ.

Sounds like not *just* a 3 year old IS interior, but one that wasn't taken care of very well and one that was abused. My friend has a 2006 IS250 and his interior looks like it's still brand new. It all depends how you maintain an interior and whether you abuse it.

UDel

I understand a used interior in most cases is not going to look as nice as an brand new interior and some of that can be attributed to a owner that did not take car of it but some things I just could not attribute to just owner abuse. The panel gaps around the center dash and some gaps on trim pieces being uneven and having some larger openings is not owner abuse but the interior not holding up too well, quality control would never let it out of the factory. When pressing the buttons and hearing that cheap crackling sound of plastic trim coming loose cannot be attributed to owner abuse. The fading on the leather and black trim all around the car could have somehow been caused by a chemical or maybe some kind of abuse but it seems doubtful. The slightly ripped and worn off leather on the rear bottom of the drivers seat could have been some material the owner was wearing and rubbing but I would hope the leather could withstand most of that for more then just a couple years, it was pretty bad. The easily scratched wood is a known issue and the fading and peeling of the dark gray trim is a known issue with the IS. The fading and gross peeling of the cheap silver plastic trim on the driver door was terrible and may have been caused by something constantly rubbing against it but I could not imagine what, there were alot of things and again this was a 45K+ Lexus, I doubt it was just some careless slob who owned it for a few years that constantly abused the interior.

I was considering possibly making an offer on this car because I liked the combination of the looks, powerful v6, nav, being sportier and more fuel efficient then my GS which is why I studied it so close and took it for a test drive but the wear and tear and not holding up that well was pretty obvious as soon as I sat in it, it was not horrible but for a 3 year old Lexus it was disappointing especially compared to how my 01 Lexus has held up.

My 01 GS430 that spent most of its time with a different owner in the hot humid Florida climate and then with a guy with 2 small kids has held up very well interior wise especially compared to that IS. Nothing was really fading aside from a little on the silver paint around the gauges and a little bit of the white paint coming off of the turn signal/wiper stalks and maybe a little fading on the driver door where I rest my arm or where I push the door open but that is about it, everything else like some creases in the leather was just normal wear and tear that has held up very well. The panel gaps are not uneven nor does it make anywhere near as loud as the cheap loose creaking plastic sound when pressing buttons. My parents 99TL and 03CL interiors have also held up extremely well with no fading or wearing off, all these older cars interiors look practically new and it is not like they are not driven often or taken on long trips, my GS has been on quite a few long trips loaded with things and has been used to help move in and out of places and driven to the beach often yet has held up much better then that 06 IS350.

There is only so much you can attribute to a sloppy owner and things should not fade or peel off even if it is not wiped down or not taken care of all that well by the previous owner.

UDel

Thanks, I know the TL and IS are not exactly direct competitors due to size and layout but they are often compared in magazines and are both sporty entry level v6 sports/lux sedans, power and price wise you could pretty much compare the IS250 to the TSX and IS350 to the TL but the IS is generally the more expensive car when comparing like that, the only reason I mentioned the IS is because they had a used black IS350 at the Acura lot that I was a little interested in and wanted to check it out and compared it to the 09 TL because I just test drove it.

mmarshall

How? I'm not sure I follow you. There haven't been any major changes to the IS interior since the second-generation model was introduced in '06. The '06 looks pretty much like the '09.

TRDFantasy

Once again, my friend also has a 2006 IS and his interior has none of the problems you describe. His interior looks and feels new.

Go look in the IS forums if you want, most owners are satisfied with their IS models holding up.

FKL

If we're going to discuss interior quality, much to the contrary of the automotive press, Honda's interiors have never been the all end for quality. I own two Accords and there is still exposed screwheads, creaking plastic when you push buttons, and mismatched panels (on the exterior as well). The Fit/Civic are cheap, so is the new Accord and Pilot. The Acura TLs interior of 99-03 was basically the same thing as the Accord with better leather and real wood. Ditto on the 04-08 TL. The new TSX has very cheap fit/finish relative to it's competitors (Audi/BMW/Lexus).

mmarshall

I've reviewed both the new TL and TSX. The new TSX's interior, in fit/finish and quality of materials, is, IMO, a noticeable downgrade from the 2008. That is not the case with the TL. In fact, Acura made improvents in the last TL's interior quality even within its production cycle, before it was redesigned for 2009. I describe that in detail in my reviews of both cars.

See what you think of the Honda CR-V's interior. Though it is no luxury car, For the money (20-23K) it has one of the most carefully-assembled interiors I've seen.....everything fits and operates like a Swiss Watch.

Vlad_Stein

Did anyone see the following mini-test (sorry if it is a re-post)?
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...topanel..1.*#2

I was surprised that the bmw 335 (rwd or awd) did not come close.
Looking forward to a manual version and to an independent test at an independent track.

LexFather

This has already been refuted in detail
1. Edmunds needs to stick to reviewing walkie-talkies, not cars
2. Honda called THEM and set the entire thing up
3. Honda supplied all the cars, including the competition
4. They drove a pre-production SH-AWD car
5. Its clear they cannot drive worth a damn

wmb

I think we all jump to conclusion a little too soon. Let's wait until an independence source do the test. We all agree that the styling is not getting any praise but the SH-AWD does wonder to a car. We can't dismiss a car's performance base on it looks alone. It might be as ugly as sin but it also might be the best handling.

Just look at BMW 3-series, it's look can't beat the A5 in look but it can definitely outhandle the A5.

Threxx

I think it has become pretty clear if you've followed my posting habits that I am *not* a BMW or 335i fan boy despite currently leasing one. I will just as quickly condemn its faults as I will praise its strong points.

With that said, I have driven the new TL (I did a mini review here) and while I *did* drive the FWD version, all I can say is that the SH-AWD better be a miracle worker for that car to stand even the most remote chance on a road course against the 335i in a fair race. I mean it's already at a massive disadvantage in a straight line... so it would not only have to handle as well as the 335i, but it would have to handle better. Significantly better, or else run against the 335i on a track with almost no straightaways or light corners.

JDMUSCLE

iTrader: (1)

well...lets see...I dont think i would even get to the point were i rate the interior....the car is soooooo hideous, I wont even think I would get into such a POS..

wmb

why is it a POS? Cuz it's hideous ?

LexFather

Look its clear you either own an Acura or like the brand. You are not going to get many people to agree with you here. The funny thing is neither will you get much suppot on the Acura forum, the TL is HATED more than me there

The funny thing is EVERY FORUM including the ACURA ONE said the same thing, its a B.S test, Honda supplied the competition and had a pre-production car NOT EVEN SOLD YET.

Its utter garbage. Like the lineup and the styling.

No one is doubting SH-AWD, it clearly is a fantastic system stuck in cars that do not exploit its capabilites. Hopefully the TL can do that.

The other thing is too, the 3 series is nimble B/C OF SIZE. That is part of what makes it such a great car. The TL is bigger than the 5 series. It will maybe be a second quicker than a 335 on the track hypothetically but it will fill like a giant walrus compared to the finely sized 335 and its competition.

FKL

To be fair, Mercedes and Audi don't measure up to the driving dynamics of a 335i either. The TL certainly isn't going to be a bad performer, as it seems to be suggested.