NEW OWNERS: How's your TSX?

[ChinchillaX]

Originally Posted by TSX 'R' US

Actually...all the TSX drivers I've seen on the road have been women (3, 2 SSM and 1 MRed). Though only one waived back to me

I've seen more males drive the TSX, but every once and a while you'll see a female TSX driver.

[larchmont]

Originally Posted by TSX 'R' US

Actually...all the TSX drivers I've seen on the road have been women (3, 2 SSM and 1 MRed). Though only one waived back to me

I think actually a goodly number of TSX sightings have been of female drivers, probably close to half.

The "target demographic" of the TSX has been a matter of some dispute, and, occasionally, rage. I think Acura put out something that said the target group was like 60% male. But last spring, there was a review where the writer (besides totally slamming the car and getting a few facts totally wrong) said basically that it's a chick car and it's specifically aimed at females. And he said it in a way that was insulting even to females, something like that it's a lousy car "even for one that is aimed at a female audience." The male TSX owners on these sites got mad, for obvious reasons, and the female TSX owners on these sites got mad, for obvious reasons. One of the women (SpillyTSX) was so incensed that she wrote a series of e-mails to the writer and the publication, and it seemed like they heard her.

I've driven the car once on the test drive.... ANd I know I am already in Love. TSX here I come tomorrow!!!

[larchmont]

Originally Posted by MookDiggs

I've driven the car once on the test drive.... ANd I know I am already in Love. TSX here I come tomorrow!!!

Welcome Mook, and also a welcome in advance for the car. You mean really you're buying it and/or getting it tomorrow?

I have a brand new TSX for 2 weeks now, very happy except the only one little issue.
This is a very intermittent quite cracking rattle sound coming from the under dash board. It is only happens when car is running over the bump or uneven surface of the road, but what is really strange that this is happens only when outside temperature is dropped below 75 degrees. As soon as car will stay under the sun for a while, all rattles will immediately disappeared.
I made an appointment to the dealer, so I will keep you all posted about the result.
Any advise will be appreciated.

[larchmont]

Welcome, and sorry to hear about the rattle problem. It seems like you pinned it down very well, which I would think will help it get taken care of properly. Not just because you'll be giving them a head start, but also because it'll make them treat it more seriously. (Yes, I think things work this way.)

As you might know, rattles have been very common in the TSX's, and they can come from almost anywhere. My car originally didn't have any, but after I had some work done in the area of the radio/CD, a rattle developed right in that area, which is close to the location of yours but probably not exactly the same. It went away when they did some other work in that area a couple of weeks later, even though they didn't do anything specifically for the rattle.

The temperature sensitivity is common, but I don't recall anybody else noticing the "breaking point" being as high as 75 degrees -- usually more like 30 to 40.
Maybe there's sort of a "continuum," depending on the rattle. Many of us assume the rattles are due basically to a misfit problem, and if there is a "continuum" of temperature sensitivity, I would think yours (unfortunately) is MORE of a misfit problem than most, because the temperature doesn't have to get all that cold for the noise to occur. Of course I'm guessing, though, and the fact that it doesn't occur continuously is an opposite indicator. And anyway, I wouldn't think it would have any bearing on the likelihood of getting it fixed, which is probably LIKELY.

Please do let us know what happens.

[pocketkiller]

I've been driving my TSX (CGP/Ebony/5AT/NAVI) now for almost 4 months and here are my thoughts.

Excellent driving dynamics in all categories (engine, transmission, handling, braking, steering). More than enough performance capability for the average sport oriented driver which does not come at the expense of gas mileage. Excellent blend of performance and comfort, but sometimes ride can seem harsh (depends on road conditions).
Audio system sounds excellent until you reach high volumes where rattles can occur and bass becomes distorted. All power operating systems are excellent including HVAC, but missing auto down/up passenger window and power passenger seat.
Fit and finish is not up to standards set by reputation of this brand. It is generally good, but I can point out several misaligned interior pieces. Rattling coming from silver plastic automatic gear case cover when turning and when going over bumps. Some lower than expected quality items such as poor leather quality (wrinkles) and ill thought out placement of items such as locks and driver side automatic door lock (should be same as passenger - chrome lever next to door handle). Also nighttime buttons should light up in blue, not green.
Exterior paint seems to chip easily by road debris kicked up by big trucks. Average tires for this type of car, although rims are excellent). Overall a value in the segment and the average driver won't need anything else than what this car has to offer (minus the few quirks mentioned).

Recommended upgrades for 05-06 model:

power passenger seat
larger console box (or console cover) - this does not always act as a generously proportioned arm rest
modify drivers auto door lock button to resemble looks and location of passenger door lock - and eliminate or move manual door locks
auto up/down window for front passenger window (or all 4 windows)
optional performance package including 235/40/17 tires and larger brembro brakes including Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Improve attempts to eliminate NVH

[pocketkiller]

no responses? cuz you all know I'm right?

[pocketkiller]

the steering is kinda numb though. - and how come they used green lights, with blue lights for everything else? That seems stupid.

[larchmont]

Originally Posted by pocketkiller

I've been driving my TSX (CGP/Ebony/5AT/NAVI) now for almost 4 months and here are my thoughts.

Excellent driving dynamics in all categories (engine, transmission, handling, braking, steering). More than enough performance capability for the average sport oriented driver which does not come at the expense of gas mileage. Excellent blend of performance and comfort, but sometimes ride can seem harsh (depends on road conditions).
Audio system sounds excellent until you reach high volumes where rattles can occur and bass becomes distorted. All power operating systems are excellent including HVAC, but missing auto down/up passenger window and power passenger seat.
Fit and finish is not up to standards set by reputation of this brand. It is generally good, but I can point out several misaligned interior pieces. Rattling coming from silver plastic automatic gear case cover when turning and when going over bumps. Some lower than expected quality items such as poor leather quality (wrinkles) and ill thought out placement of items such as locks and driver side automatic door lock (should be same as passenger - chrome lever next to door handle). Also nighttime buttons should light up in blue, not green.
Exterior paint seems to chip easily by road debris kicked up by big trucks. Average tires for this type of car, although rims are excellent). Overall a value in the segment and the average driver won't need anything else than what this car has to offer (minus the few quirks mentioned).

Recommended upgrades for 05-06 model:

power passenger seat
larger console box (or console cover) - this does not always act as a generously proportioned arm rest
modify drivers auto door lock button to resemble looks and location of passenger door lock - and eliminate or move manual door locks
auto up/down window for front passenger window (or all 4 windows)
optional performance package including 235/40/17 tires and larger brembro brakes including Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Improve attempts to eliminate NVH

Actually, IMO you ARE pretty much right. In fact, you're MORE THAN right -- this is an extremely perceptive and well-done analysis.

About people not having replied (yet): It doesn't mean anything. I haven't done a statistical analysis (yet ), but FWIW I think most of my posts don't get replied to. But then again I think we're on shaky ground using me as any kind of barometer.

BTW I have the "exact same" car. However, mine is from much earlier (4/28/03). I have the idea that "exact same" cars of the same vintage might be from the same "run," and so we might expect the cars to be sort of twins or octuplets or centuplets of whatever. Don't know if that's really true, but anyway it wouldn't apply to our two cars.

I agree totally with the first few things you say, including about the occasional harshness of the ride. (Depends on road surface, as you say.)

I don't agree about "fit and finish." There are some minimal asymmetries (and the like), which I would never have noticed if people on these forums hadn't pointed them out. I haven't found anything about fit & finish that has had any noticeable practical consequence, and therefore nothing that has bothered me. So I give it a definite "A." Maybe it's related to our cars being from different "runs," or maybe it's that you're more sensitive to such things.

I also disagree about the leather and about the console box/cover being too small, but agree with absolutely everything else you say, including the suggested changes. I wouldn't exactly call the steering numb, but I could stand it to be a little tighter. About the colors of those lights, it doesn't bother me one way or the other, but I see what you mean.

BTW in case any people don't know (I had to think about it myself to refresh my memory): NVH means noise/vibration/harshness.

[pocketkiller]

BTW I have the "exact same" car. However, mine is from much earlier (4/28/03). I have the idea that "exact same" cars of the same vintage might be from the same "run," and so we might expect the cars to be sort of twins or octuplets or centuplets of whatever. Don't know if that's really true, but anyway it wouldn't apply to our two cars.

You're probably right. So what you're saying is I have to find more people with my "exact same" car, but which was manufactured some time in December 03?

I don't agree about "fit and finish." There are some minimal asymmetries (and the like), which I would never have noticed if people on these forums hadn't pointed them out. I haven't found anything about fit & finish that has had any noticeable practical consequence, and therefore nothing that has bothered me. So I give it a definite "A." Maybe it's related to our cars being from different "runs," or maybe it's that you're more sensitive to such things.

Well the main point was that I don't think the fit and finish is up to the quality that Acura is known for. If I were to find these things in a Chevy, I would say the fit and finish would be as expected. But buying a luxury brand, and one that is known for A+ fit and finish, I suppose this skewed my expectations. These are only very subtle things, but I feel that a more extensive QC could have easily pointed these impurities out. Hey I would have gladly paid an extra $500 for that. The TSX is a good car, but not a great one. It provides a niche for those who want something sportier than the Accord (retaining the same qualities that make it a great car) but aren't obsessed with having 10 horse power more than the competition. It competes well in this segment ONLY because of the price. Now if Acura is able to get to this price because they offer a lower quality product when it comes to the details, QC, fit and finish etc., then the car is overpriced. Maybe these things are all first model year issues, but we will soon find out with 05 model approaching. Have you seen the RSX at night lit up with all the RED lights? Thats sort of what I was hoping for with the TSX but blue, although not quite as overboard.

When are you gonna drop the Beavis?

[larchmont]

Originally Posted by pocketkiller

....You're probably right. So what you're saying is I have to find more people with my "exact same" car, but which was manufactured some time in December 03?

The TSX is a good car, but not a great one. It provides a niche for those who want something sportier than the Accord (retaining the same qualities that make it a great car) but aren't obsessed with having 10 horse power more than the competition. It competes well in this segment ONLY because of the price

When are you gonna drop the Beavis?

I think you're taking some of this a bit too intensely. Or maybe you're just an intense person.....
I didn't mean you had to do anything, of course. I was just using this as a moment to mention my little thought about "exact same cars," which BTW nobody else seems to have expressed on any of the TSX forums. So I took the opportunity to mention it here because of the car that you have. That's all. It was just a little tangent.

I agree that the TSX isn't a "great" car. But I don't agree that it competes well only because of the price. Although some of the venerable "great" cars in the category have higher prices on paper, in fact we've seen 9-3's and 3-series cars going for pretty close to TSX prices. I think the truth is, NONE of these are "great" cars, especially if you take reliability into account, which I do very heavily. By my criteria, which admittedly might be a little idiosyncratic, the TSX is the "best" car of the bunch, and, as I've said elsewhere, it's also the "best" car even if you go up a couple of notches in price. That view is quite extreme, but I think you'll find a lot of people disagreeing that the TSX competes well only because of price.

I think that even if the TSX were priced like $2K higher, and if Honda/Acura pushed the car (which they're not), it would compete well too.

About Beavis: Stay tuned.

[pocketkiller]

[quote=larchmont]I think you're taking some of this a bit too intensely. Or maybe you're just an intense person.....
I didn't mean you had to do anything, of course. I was just using this as a moment to mention my little thought about "exact same cars,"

Meaning I need to do this if I want to find out if other "exact same" cars have some of the fit and finish issues that my car has. It just bothers me that I can't find a perfect car for me. With a better QC, 8000 redline, power passenger seat, and auto up/down windows the TSX would have been the perfect car. But alas my journey continues. I'll wait for the RL and probably buy a used one in 07 or something. In life its the little things that get to us. Big things we can expect and react to, but its the little things like the straw that will break the camels back eventually.

I agree that the TSX isn't a "great" car. But I don't agree that it competes well only because of the price. Although some of the venerable "great" cars in the category have higher prices on paper, in fact we've seen 9-3's and 3-series cars going for pretty close to TSX prices. I think the truth is, NONE of these are "great" cars, especially if you take reliability into account, which I do very heavily. By my criteria, which admittedly might be a little idiosyncratic, the TSX is the "best" car of the bunch, and, as I've said elsewhere, it's also the "best" car even if you go up a couple of notches in price. That view is quite extreme, but I think you'll find a lot of people disagreeing that the TSX competes well only because of price.
I think that even if the TSX were priced like $2K higher, and if Honda/Acura pushed the car (which they're not), it would compete well too.

Majority of people buy TSX because of "value" and "bang for the buck". If they can get a 250+ hp V6 with all the goodies the TSX has for only $2k more, then of course they will go that route (G35 9-3 325 IS300 C240 A4). But the fact is they can't. With all the popular options, these cars are running $35k. Nobody finishes teset driving these cars and say "Hey look at this TSX it is so fast". I would bet money that more than 50% of TSX owners have owned an Accord/Civic/Integra/RSX in the past, and I'm not one of them.

Bottom line, I'm happy with the TSX, but I think Acura can dominate this segment by upping the performance/quality even with a price increase.

[larchmont]

Originally Posted by pocketkiller

.....Majority of people buy TSX because of "value" and "bang for the buck". If they can get a 250+ hp V6 with all the goodies the TSX has for only $2k more, then of course they will go that route (G35 9-3 325 IS300 C240 A4).....
Bottom line, I'm happy with the TSX, but I think Acura can dominate this segment by upping the performance/quality even with a price increase.

I'm sure you're right about the MAJORITY. But, as we've seen, there are quite a few people who wouldn't take those other cars even if money weren't a factor -- and I'm one of them. In fact, I wouldn't take one of those other cars over the TSX even if they cost less than the TSX.

But, I'd love for Acura to do what you say. Except I personally wouldn't care that much about the extra power. I know most other people would.

bought my tsx in october while i was in iraq serving our country, and got my first taste of the Acura on March 24 2004. I was totally impressed and satisfied 110%. the car is so much fun to drive and even the elevation in colorado springs doesnt help much, the car never feels sluggish to me and i always feel the urge to v tec it every where too. i might take it to the track to see what it runs, keep you all posted on that too. i also seen a stock tsx dyno slip and if im not mistaking 175whp and 155lbs. ft of torque. dont quote me on that. Love the car, might go with TL when my lease is up, lets see what s in store for the future tsx s .