# Honda Saber vs Acura TL **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** tl, acura, honda\ **Created:** [May 24, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381 "2008-05-24T04:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mergen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@mergen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mergen)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 4:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381/1 "2008-05-24T04:15:21Z")
Dear Tom and Ray, I am a big fan of your show. Although I have not listened to your show much of late (I am working overseas in Mongolia), I have always enjoyed the laughter and the information that you two provide. I feel I’m sitting down with two of my uncles. hehe Here’s my question. I have a 1999 Honda Saber, which is supposed to be similar to the Acura TL (either 1999 or 2000, I believe). Parts for my car are just ridiculously expensive here (imagine importing from Japan plus export/import duties, plus autoshop profit margins…) So, I am hoping to order parts from the US and have my brother, who lives there, ship the products to me. I need to replace the CV joints (clicking noise when turning), shocks and spring coils (slight boaty ride), and possibly the automatic transmission in a year or two (hesitation and pull when changing gears from park to drive, drive to reverse, etc). Is there any way you can tell me if I can just go ahead and order Acura TL parts? Should I order 1999 or 2000 Acura TL parts? What do you think I should do on the automatic transmission? By the way, the steering wheel is on the right-side, which makes for interesting driving experience. But, I’m not sure if that would affect anything. Please help!!! Thank you ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381/2 "2008-05-24T14:09:16Z")
What’s a Honda Saber? Not sure of the year? How many miles? Boy, the roads in Mongolia must be awful to have the CVs, shocks and springs and maybe even the transmission crap out in 9 years! How do you figure the failure of those parts? If it were me I think I’d look for something more “domestic” to drive whilst in Mongolia . . . what are the common cars there? Good luck! Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381/3 "2008-05-24T21:50:10Z")
Here’s a link that explains the relationship: > **[Acura TL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acura_TL)** > > The Acura TL is a compact executive / entry-level luxury car that was manufactured by Acura. It was introduced in 1995 to replace the Acura Vigor and was badged for the Japanese-market from 1996 to 2000 as the Honda Inspire and from 1996 to 2004 as the Honda Saber. The TL was Acura's best-selling model until it was outsold by the MDX in 2007. While it once ranked as the second best-selling luxury sedan in the United States behind the BMW 3 Series, sales have decreased by over 50% since then. Th... Since they appear to be built in Ohio and exported to Japan, the US parts should be correct. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381/4 "2008-05-25T01:12:34Z")
what are the common cars there? Here’s a popular model: [http://www.nomadicjourneys.com/images/photos/family/KidsYakCart.jpg](http://www.nomadicjourneys.com/images/photos/family/KidsYakCart.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/honda-saber-vs-acura-tl/14381/5 "2008-05-25T13:55:13Z")
Just what I was thinking NYBo. Rocketman