Acura RSX (All years/types)

bobst

I think the Michelin tires are fine. It is just that some people like to think they know more than the manufacturer.

We got our RSX in october, and the ride seemed a little too firm for us. I decreased the tire pressure to 28 psi, and the car is now much more enjoyable to drive.

It took me awhile to find the best driving position, but now I am very comfortable in the car.

I absolutely love the car. I am 58 years old, and I haven't been this excited about a car since I got a used Triumph TR250 in 1970.

primm907

if this has already been covered recently, but has anyone heard anything at all about potential changes/upgrades for the upcoming '05 model year? I've looked around but have not been able to really find much. Right now I'm seriously considering the puchase of a new Type S to replace my old Integra in a few months, but I'd kick myself if the new model came out shortly thereafter with something like 215 hp and a bit more torque to boot! Any scoop?

shreddedshoe

I apologize if this has been covered...I didn't go thru past posts, but does anyone know if you can put a bike rack on an RSX? I found one aftermarket place that supposedly has a trunk mounted rack (I'm waiting for an email back from them to confirm this) that fits. But even if it does fit, I'm not so sure that you should attach something like that to the hatch anyway. I went to a local bike shop and they had no listing for one and acurapartspeople.com (I don't know how good they are) they don't have anything either. I also tried clubrsx.com but couldn't get in (browser problem I guess). So has anyone done this or know of anyone who has? I'm sure anything is possible...just about anything can be modified, but I'm not interested in, nor do I have the capability of doing something like that. I just want to know if I can safely install either a hatch, roof or hitch mounted bike rack to my RSX. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

li_sailor

If you're going to consider a trunk-mounted rack, I think this is a v good one for the RSX, it's the one I have. One thing is that you can't open the hatch with it on. OTOH, it clips to the bumper instead of the hatch bottom (which is why you can't open it, of course) and so will not chip the hatch bottom edge. The rack I had for my Integra did that...I could open the hatch, but it beat up the hatch edge.

As for the pads, they are about as non-marring as they come, I think.

Allen rack, from Nashbar, $55 + shipping:

ALLEN RACKS 102D

shreddedshoe

Thanks for the info! It was actually an Allen Rack I had found...I just wasn't sure if you could really mount that to the car since the hatch is all glass. Where does the top of the rack attach to?

nitromax

You could also try Yakima. I checked out their "configurator" and it appears to have a roof system.

http://yakima.com/home.html

Although, I don't know how well it will work with the RSX's aerodynamic roof (attachment points). I doubt it would allow you to open the hatch fully either (with the short roof line)

I just throw my mountain bike in the back on top of an old blanket.
:-)

shreddedshoe

Yeah, I've done the same. It just takes up alot of room, especially when I'm packing a week's worth of stuff (clothes, linens, food, drink, etc.) for 2 people. It's not something I do often, but if I could get a rack on the car, it would just make it easier. I will check out Yakima too.

li_sailor

It attaches to the top rim of the glass, just like the old rack with my Integra did.

shreddedshoe

Again thanks for the info!

nippononly

got 33 mpg...wow! Not bad. About the same as the old integra, but with a lot more power on tap. I am finally over the 600-mile break-in period, but not sure when I can really let loose...up until now I have been keeping the revs under 3500 or so. I can feel the power come on strong over 3000, but then I have been shifting just when it was really getting into stride! ;-(

felt

I own a 1992 Acura Legend I bought new. It has been a wonderful vehicle and currently has 176,000 trouble free miles. Fuel efficient; great ride; no rattles or squeeks; great comfort. Naturally, I am thinking about a replacement at some future date, possibly a previously owned 2002 or later.

Has the RSX proven to be of similiar quality as the Legend? Any defects that have detracted from the overall reputation? Is there any year to avoid? How about fuel efficiency? Is the Type-S more thirst? Does it require premium fuel? Thanks in advance for any comments.

nippononly

and the RSX are apples and oranges, IMO. While a great ride, and very durable over the long haul, Legend is a cruiser where RSX is a sport coupe. RSX is small, Legend is big. Legend has a real back seat, RSX has a low-roof cubby hole.

To address your specific questions: RSX has only been around three years, so none are really old enough to know if they will be as durable as your Legend has been, but there is no reason to think they won't be. For the same reason (youth), there are no real years to avoid, and I am not aware of any major defects or first-year problems. You can see what my mileage has been so far, and the EPA rating on the base model is 27/33 with the manual (subtract 2 city, add 1 highway for automatic). The type S has 40 more hp and three points less fuel economy, and comes only with leather and a 6-speed manual. And yes, the type S requires premium where the base uses regular.

Ride is firm in both, another thing that will be a noticeable change from the Legend. And the road noise is pronounced, because the tires are V-rated Michelin Sports. But the car is tight and sweet and tons of fun, and I am very confident it is going to be an enjoyable ownership experience for me...

sf24

i was wondering, if u had the cash to buy a car, would there be any reason not to pay full cash for it? i've had ppl tell me it's good to finance some of it, to build up good credit. is this true or significant enough to give free interest money to the dealer for? and are there any other possible reasons to not pay all cash?
i've delayed buying a car for a year due to career difficulties, but have been reading these boards and you guys seem very knowledgable.
Thanks!

bobst

Go over to the Smart Shopper forum and ask people what they think about paying cash for a car. I bet you will get some very different opinions.

We pay cash for our cars and keep them for a long time - about 100 to 120K miles.

bobst

We bought a red 5-sp base RSX last October. We love it.

We had some dash rattles which we fixed by stuffing so paper between the wondow and the dash. I have read this a common problem.

I think a lot of people have had their gears grind when shifting 1-2 or 2-3. Some have gotten new synchros or even new trannys.

Maybe that is because they drive their cars pretty hard.

Several people have blown up their engines by missing the 5-4 downshift and going 5-2 instead, or by going 3-2 instead of 3-4. Maybe this is because the gates are closer in the 6-speed.

I think the car is absolutely wonderful to drive.

bobcatman

Those Legends were darn nice cars and many owners still hang on to them for the styling, great build quality and power. Pricey in the last year 95?around $46K for the coupes.

The RSX is so tossable, light and handles great in the type-S model. Of course you have to wind it as the 4 doesn't have the bottom end torque of 3.2 in the Legend. I love the instrumentation and solid feel of the cockpit and dash. The bright orange and red tail lights just have a quality look to them. The engine is similar to the old Prelude Vtec 2.2 and those engines are going on near 200K miles and over now as they've been around since 93'. Honda 4 cylinders are near unbreakable unless you abuse them.

nitromax

i was wondering, if u had the cash to buy a car, would there be any reason not to pay full cash for it? i've had ppl tell me it's good to finance some of it, to build up good credit. is this true or significant enough to give free interest money to the dealer for? and are there any other possible reasons to not pay all cash?
i've delayed buying a car for a year due to career difficulties, but have been reading these boards and you guys seem very knowledgable.

I can see benefits to paying cash, and that is no financing charge. There are also benefits to financing, which you have alreday been informed about.
How about this, if you have the cash to buy it up front, make a hefty down payment and finance the rest. Once you get your first payment notice, pay off the rest of the loan.
Cars paid for, and you now have good credit with that finance company.
Just a thought.
IMO, The best thing to do though if you can't swing that is to make the biggest down payment that you feel comfortable with keep your monthly payments as low as possible.

bobst

it makes it harder for the dealer to play tricks.

Last October, we decided to buy an 5-sp RSX with leather interior. I took the invoice price plus transportation plus about $150 (I think) for markup plus $100 for a couple options plus sales tax plus $50 for tag/title.

It came to $20500, so we went to the dealer and offered that amount. They accepted. We wrote them a check for that amount and drove the new car home.

When you finance, the dealer may be able to put a few bogus charges onto the deal. When you pay cast and make an explicit out-the-door offer, it is harder for them to fool you. You know exaclty what you are paying.

sf24

Thanks everyone!
your advice was very helpful, it made all the
pros and cons very clear. I have enough to pay
for an RSX in full, so I think I'll go ahead
and do so. My instinct tells me to not give
away free money to greedy car dealerships just
so i can boost some obscure credit score which
I've never seen and used (i've never been
delinquent on any loans). also i like the comments about giving the dealer less chances to play tricks or throw in hidden fees.
Could you guys tell me how much i should try to
get a base manual RSX for, or how much you paid
for yours? i live in san francisco, if it makes
a difference. pls say if it's an out-the-door
price or otherwise.

nippononly

(two weeks ago) $20,876 out the door for a base manual with cloth interior. That was $19,250 plus TTL. It included a "pro pack" for $250, which was wheel locks and trunk tray, junk like that. So you should try for $19K flat.

That was at Marin Acura up in Corte Madera just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

bobst

You could try invoice + markup (maybe $300-$400) + transportation.

Then add on sales tax and tag/title ($50 here in Virginia).

If you go to the 'Smart Shopper' forum and look in the recent archives, you may see my posting, "Hey guys, Bobst actually buys a car". I described our recent very enjoyable buying experience. I posted it in late October.

shorthairptr

Does anyone out there drive a RSX but with an automatic transmission. I do not drive a stick shift. I recently test drove a RSX 160 HP and I loved the way the car drove.

OPINIONS?

nitromax

I have an automatic and love it. I've logged around 47,000 miles on it since the fall of 2001 and have only had issues with the oem foglights. The lenses cracked and were replaced for free by my dealer.
Besides that the sport shift is a blast to drive with....I use it about 80 percent of the time...and no worries about replacing a clutch. The 5th gear is higher than the other RSX models top gear(both 5 and 6 speed manuals) so rpms are lower when cruising on the highway (2800 rpms at 75 mph)
Sure, I don't get the performance that the type S might bring, but I didn't buy it for that. I bought it for commuting (hence the 47,000 miles) At the time, I was logging 700 miles per week in stop and go traffic on the highway and wanted something that would be fun to drive.
and yes, it is STILL fun to drive. :-)

nitromax

What do you mean "The 5th gear is higher than the other RSX models top gear "

I thought it was a 4 gear automatic. Does it have overdrive?

The auto has 5 gears.
When I say higher, I mean it has a larger diameter or actually a lower ratio. This gives it less oomf in 5th gear but gives better highway cruising rpms.

 The gearing for 5th in the auto is .571 as opposed to 5th in the manual base at .738 and the Type S at .738 also.

found here:
http://www.acura.com/models/model_specs_index.asp?module=rsx

BTW, the passing on the highway is still quite lively because, depending on the rpms, the car will automatically downshift to third and give plenty of boost for the pass.

The auto also has an idiot cut-out that will not allow the car to shift if it knows the increased rpms will damage the engine.

Sylvia

Thanks for keeping the discussion here and not in email. shorthairptr - you may not want to put your email address in posts, spammers tend to grab it. Also, it benefits more people to keep the discussion here than hidden in private emails. Thanks!

shorthairptr

Thanks for the postings. As you can tell I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to car techs. I know a little bit about cars but basically I want to put the key in the ignition and put it in gear and go. As I am going I have enough ooomf to pass other cars without the killing the engine (like I did with my old corolla). AND of course I want the car to be in my driveway rather then at the dealership for repairs.

My current car is a Nissan Altima. It is a great car but the newer ones are bigger and I wanted to go smaller. When I saw the RSX I thought it was stylish with a great reputation.

I test drove the car and found it has great pick up and handled great around the corners. The guy from the dealership kept on telling me to go faster and go faster around the corners to see how it handles.

bobst

We have an RSX, and my answer is "No, you will not have enough oomph" for your liking.

If you drove the poor Corolla so hard that it killed the engine, then you will probably drive the RSX, with its fragile manual transmission, right into the ground.

nippononly

nitromax

We have an RSX, and my answer is "No, you will not have enough oomph" for your liking.

And you know this.....how? Do you know what he likes?

If you drove the poor Corolla so hard that it killed the engine, then you will probably drive the RSX, with its fragile manual transmission, right into the ground.

He's interested in the automatic not the manual. The auto can handle over 200 horsepower, and seeing as how it also has fail-safes to keep it from being over-revved, I doubt that he'll break it.

bobst

If you read comments in other RSX discussion groups, you will find many, many comments about the poor shifting in our cars. Some people have even gotten their entire tranny replaced.

Nitro, the auto only comes in the 160 hp base model.

By the way, anyone who likes to drive an auto should not even be allowed to sit in an RSX, let alone drive one.

nitromax

If you read comments in other RSX discussion groups, you will find many, many comments about the poor shifting in our cars. Some people have even gotten their entire tranny replaced.

yeah, I have heard that poeple are having problems shifting the manuals. Some(most?) of it is driver error. Have you had any trouble shifting yours?

Nitro, the auto only comes in the 160 hp base model.

Exactly, the engine is built to put out 160 HP (actaually around 140 to the wheels) and the tranny is designed to handle over 200 HP. My point was that the tranny is designed to handle what the engine puts out...and then some.

By the way, anyone who likes to drive an auto should not even be allowed to sit in an RSX, let alone drive one.

Well, there's an elitist attitude if I ever heard one. I don't think I'll waste any more of my time with you.

BTW, I liked your insight into not rotating tires...that's a classic! LOL, thanks for the laugh!

bobst

Our 5-sp RSX only has 2K miles. The 1-2 shift is a little notchly when it is cold, much like our Accords. Once the car is warmed up, it shifts great. Very smooth downshifts.

Of course, I drive the car very easy. I never have been turned on by speed. I love the way it handles and the way the steering is so precise.

However, based on what I have read from others, I don't think the tranny is meant to be abused.

Oh yeah, I am serious about not rotating tires. Read my two follow-up posts and see if you can comprehend my logic.

nippononly

you should have the dealer check it - yours may have a problem. Mine is never notchy in the slightest. The thing has a machine-like precision and weight which I absolutely love. It makes the integra's look rubbery, and the integra's is better than a lot of them out there. (I am in California though - are you someplace that actually has a winter with ice-cold temps?)

bobst

We live in beautiful northern Virginia, about 20 miles south of our nations capitol. It gets below freezing a lot here during the winter, but very seldom less than 20 degrees.

I am very satisfied with the way our RSX shifts. Compared to what others say they have experienced, we have no problem at all.

It is also amazing how practical the car is. My wife and I brought home a lot of stuff from Costco one day, and it all fit in the back of the car very easily.

However, we have never tried to fit a human in the back seat.

I like the way the water bottles in the cup holders do not interfere with shifting gears like they do in our Accords.

I think the interior of the car is very well planned. We looked at several European cars at the Washington D.C. Auto show a couple months ago, and I thought they all had hideous interiors.

shorthairptr

So you would highly recommend the RSX in an AUTOMATIC?

As far as the type of driving I do I guess I can describe it as:

1. I do not hit the gas hard (afraid of ruining the engine mounts)
2. I do like to drive (at times) at fast speeds
3. If I am on the highway, I do like to be able to pass a car in front of my by changing lanes.

My Altima has 155 hp but I can't find the gear ratios like you sent me for the RSX. I would love to know the comparison. The Altima is a heavier car so I am assuming the pick up would be greater in the RSX considering it is only a 2 dr & smaller car. My old Corolla (1990) was a very small engine and I think the hp was only 120 (at best).

nippononly

is going to be about 500 pounds or so lighter than that Altima, and the Altima does not love to rev the way this car does!

Not to mention I will bet the RSX is smoother through the air, with less drag (lower to the ground, coupe style as opposed to three-box sedan).

bobst: I also like the interior of the RSX a lot. I do like that drinks stow out of the way under the center stack, not near the stick. At first I was worried that no large drinks would fit in there, but as it turns out there is just enough room for most 44 oz fountain drinks, which is my criterion there. I had an '02 celica for a short while, and the cupholders were right behind the stick shift, so that any drink larger than a 12 oz can would block the shifter...duh!

And yeah, I would not subject anyone to that back seat in the RSX...except maybe a kid, for a short ride.

nitromax

So you would highly recommend the RSX in an AUTOMATIC?

It depends on your needs/wants. As far as automatics go, this is the slickest auto that I have ever driven. Another feature that I like about it compared to other manual shifting trannies (I tried the VW Passat and my friends Audi A4), the manual shift mode is TOWARDS the driver as opposed to away from the driver....this brings the shifter closer to the body and gives a more "engaging" feel. IMO

As far as the type of driving I do I guess I can describe it as:

1. I do not hit the gas hard (afraid of ruining the engine mounts)
2. I do like to drive (at times) at fast speeds
3. If I am on the highway, I do like to be able to pass a car in front of my by changing lanes.

The only thing that's going to ruin engine mounts is torque, and the RSX doesn't have alot of it anyways. In all actuality, the Auto is going to have slightly MORE torque off of the line than the manual RSXs (not taking into account high rpm launches)...this is due to the torque converter in the tranny being filled with tranny fluid and this acts as extra spinning (torque) mass when you start off of the line.

I can't condone or recommend driving at high speeds, but I have noticed that my car hits 90+ mph quickly and easily when needed...especially if you hit the shift points at the right rpm speeds. The car handles these speeds exceptionally smooth also. ( I have had to do this a few times to get to an opening on the highway)

My Altima has 155 hp but I can't find the gear ratios like you sent me for the RSX. I would love to know the comparison. The Altima is a heavier car so I am assuming the pick up would be greater in the RSX considering it is only a 2 dr & smaller car. My old Corolla (1990) was a very small engine and I think the hp was only 120 (at best).

What year is your Altima?

shorthairptr

The Altima that I am driving now is a 2001.

Of course we do not condone driving fast but in case we have to I wanted to know how it performed.

As for the cup holders, I heard they can hold a 44oz cup but are they deep enough so you make a turn it will not fall out of hte holder. A friends Lexus 2 front cup holders are not deep at all. I put a bottled water in the holder and it never stayed up straight. Therefore, I had to hold it whenever I made a turn.

"especially if you hit the shift points at the right rpm speeds" ... while driving an auto, how do you hit the shift points at the right rpm. Meaning, how can you control that?

Thanks,

nitromax

"especially if you hit the shift points at the right rpm speeds" ... while driving an auto, how do you hit the shift points at the right rpm. Meaning, how can you control that?

I've found that when driving around 60-65mph in auto mode, the rpms are low enough that if I engage the passing gear (floor the throttle), the tranny will shift into 3rd because the engine rpms for that gear are still below the max shift point. This drop into third winds the engine up to the 6000 rpm range giving a quick shot of power and then it shifts into 4th gear for the pass.
If I was a little higher in speed, say 70-75 mph and tried this, the engine rpms would be too high for the tranny to kick down into 3rd gear and I wouldn't get that initial kick.

The similar thing can be done manually, but the tranny still will not allow you to drop into 3rd if the rpms are too high.

nippononly

are nice and deep - that 44 oz drink stays planted even when I pretend I am a race car driver! :-)

barneym

Hey guys, I stopped by an Acura dealer last night and they had an A-spec version of the S-Type RSX on the floor for almost no markup. I'm having trouble finding information about what exactly is "A-spec". Is it just a bunch of aftermarket crap (i.e. ridiculous aero wing) or are there some worthwhile mods that come with that package. Any info would be great. Thanks.

shorthairptr

I am guessing that the RSX's pickup will be somewhat similar to the Altima except the car is lighter therefore it will be faster.

When I am driving at lets say 65 mph and I need to pass someone quickly, the rpms will goto around 6000 until I take my foot of the pedal.

Down here in Florida the speed limit is on avg 65 so passing someone at speeds of 75 is very common.

As long as I do not blow an engine mount like I did on my older car, I will be happy.

shorthairptr

Thanks for the info on the cup holders. Nothing is worse then make a turn and have your drink go all over your lap especially when you are on your way to a business meeting.

The one thing I do not like about the interior is the storage area. What I mean is where do you put your cds, sunglasses, and other crap you would put in a car?

The obvious area is the glove compartment but another area (example under the arm rest if they had one) would be a good place.

nippononly

yeah, I agree it is a little skimpy on storage. I don't keep a lot of stuff in my car. But for me, the crunch comes because I like to keep CDs in there, and there is really no storage for them. There are side pockets in the doors, and each one holds six (or eight? I forget) CDs. And they don't rattle around, which is nice. Two more go in the ridiculous little slot under the stereo in the base model. And that's it. The glove box does have decent room in it.

barney: The A-spec package includes a lot of suspension stuff (lowering a bit, better springs, fatter sway bars, etc) that is not cosmetic, as well as those big rims and much lower-profile tires. All covered under the Acura warranty.

beowulf7

I've been away from this forum for a while. I just wanted to chime in and say "hi".

My RSX-S is approaching 19 kmi. I haven't had any problems, except I did get the "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" light that went off. I tried doing what p. 276 (or was it p. 267) of the owner's manual suggested, but the darn light would not go away. So I took it to my Acura dealer and had them reset the light (after checking the code). Of course it's covered under warranty, but it was a bit of a hassle.

I would not recommend spending the big bucks for the A-Spec. It's basically Acura's rice package (that's why they backed away from the original "Factory Performance Package" they called it. If you want a modded car that's covered under warranty, then get it. But you can do a lot better and a lot cheaper if you mod your car w/ aftermarket parts. But then, you don't have the comfort of a warranty for those new A/M parts, so it depends on your comfort level.

I can't wait until winter's over, so I can give my car a much-needed wax job.

nippononly

2 minor issues with the new car:

(1) steering wheel not centered at delivery (cants right when driving straight ahead, car does not pull)

(2) hand brake takes a yank of about ten clicks before it really does anything. On my old integra one or two clicks gets prompt action.

It goes in to the dealer tomorrow and I am hoping they can correct both, although I could probably live with it if they can't...

nippononly

so the car was out of alignment when it was delivered! They corrected that for free, and now the wheel is straight.

As to the hand brake, the tech's notes read "hand brake adjusted to Honda spec - holds car at 7 to 9 clicks".

It kinda stinks that the hand brake on my 15 year old integra is better than the one on my brand new car...but as I said before, livable! :-)

shorthairptr

I still have not purchased the RSX becaues I am waiting until the end of the month to negotiate prices. We all know you get the best deal right before the month ends so the dealership meets their quota.

One question I forgot to ask is about the sunroof. It is electric but in order to open the roof fully, do you have to hold the open button? My Altima you have to hold the button to open the roof and same as to close it. There are other cars that all you have to do to open the roof is to press the button and it opens automatically. Once you hit the button you can let go now. Get what I am saying?

Thanks,

nippononly

and yes, you have to hold the button down until the roof is all the way open or closed.

beowulf7

Hey, what's up? That sucks that your car was delivered out of alignment, but at least they fixed it for free. I think the hand brake was roughly the same number of clicks for both my old (1999) Integra and my RSX-S. I just yank it all the way up. I have a bad habit of relying on the e-brake when parking my car and leaving the shifter in neutral. But I've done that all my driving life (> 10 years) of which I've always driven M/T. I only park in gear when on a hill (up or down). Good thing NJ is relatively flat.