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Acura TSX
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This is a place where people come to research cars and expect to find information, good or bad.
I cannot praise a car that has so many problems, and I am sharing those problems so that potential buyers can make an informed decision. Are you guys all Acura salesmen or something?
And again, any car can have a few first year bugs. You have bad luck. If living with the TSX is THAT bad then cut your losses and move on. That's what we did. We didn't want an automatic Accord any more so we sold our 04 EXL auto and bought a 04 EXL manual. We are much happier now and maybe you would be too.
Anyone found any good products for cleaning the NAV screen?? I don't want to destroy it by using something to harsh.
I haven't smoked any Porsche 911s or BMW M3s, but the power in the TSX is more than adequate. Just as a rough guess-timate, at least 75+% of the other vehicles on the road are going to be (A) other 4 cyls, (B) minivans, and (C) pickups and SUVs (which though somewhat more powerful are SUBSTANTIALLY heavier). If you want to put them in and keep them in your rearview mirror, the TSX will do it.
have you answered these questions:
what kind of transmission is it mated with?
what does the torque curve look like? (i-VTEC!!!!)
what is the gearing?
How much does the car weight?
How well is the power applied to the wheels?
Are you comparing this car to a V-6 or a V-8 for that matter??
Have you taken your car do a different dealership yet? Does your car really have these problems or is it in your head?
To anybody who is worried about the car being underpowered, test drive it. I was skeptical of the I-4 but I was very surprised in the pep, and amazed by the advantage of the i-VTEC technology. HOWEVER THAT IS MY OPINION! I own one now and haven't had a problem with power and I gave up a 3liter V-6.
OH and I have been running my car hard at every intersection:) and my gas mileage has been 22-24mpg and when I drove it on the highway from the dealership and to show the parents (first gas tank) I got over 30??
So basically, for normal everyday driving it is the low end torque that matters.
Gee35Coupe: the TSX is my wife's car which she uses for her business (real estate). I still proudly drive my trusty 99 Leganza CDX with zero problems to date, and I might add, less wear and tear than our one year old TSX.
"then you will definitely feel the TSX is underpowered"
and........
"So yes it is underpowered in the respect that you will have to accelerate always at or above 4000 rpm to get the peak torque which is still only 166 lbft"
Guess our comprehension skills are on par with your test driving ability.
Thanks.
But hey, my wife still likes it. And she is going to return it anyway after the lease. So we will enjoy its luxury interior for a while(the best thing about this car), and then we will chuck it away back to Acura.
Good luck!
IMO, with the automatic, it just makes a lot of noise and really doesn't accelerate quickly, it sounds like it should be going 60 and I look at the speedo and I'm going 45. Even using the manual mode and shifting at redline, it just doesn't feel quick. I was disappointed because I was quite pleased with the rest of the cars ride, handling, interior, etc. But the lack of power would be a deal breaker for me. Is there a big difference with the 6 speed? Thanks for your help.
The auto TSX feels to me like a finely tuned family car with sporting intentions. It's not particularly thrilling to drive, and the engine, although a sweet and smooth unit, just never lights up with the auto.
The 6-speed TSX, on the other hand, is a thrill ride. With the slick, short throw shifter and light clutch, the engine simply comes alive...especially above 3000 RPM. The 6-speed transforms the TSX into a true sports sedan that feels fast, and is rewarding and fun to drive.
Driven back to back, you'd never believe they're the same car...go drive a 6-speed!
I'm going to be moving from northern NJ to the Syracuse, NY area, which is infamous for it's snowy winters. I plan on buying here in NJ.
Is there anybody else in that region, or any snowy region even (Canadians!) with a TSX who can provide some input as to it's performance in lousy weather?
The AWD cars of a similar caliber (Saab/Subaru) seem to be priced a few thousand more, and I can't really afford that. I'm hoping that with a good set of tires for the winter, I should be AOK with the Acura TSX.
Opinions? Advice? Thanks.
Can anybody suggest how to make it look decent again? I am thinking to sandpaper the area so it smooths out the scrape, and then perhaps silver touch up paint? Thanks for any advice
Given what it is, I was pleasantly surprised by its poor weather aptitude. It's certainly not a AWD vehicle, but FWD coupled with the VSA gives it a nice tractable feel in rain and snow. Snow tires should help even more.
However, if deep snow and winter mountain driving is going to be a norm for you, you may want to consider something else.
Johnny
However, if the clunk is heard only after you start rolling, then the sound you're hearing may be the ABS module performing a self-test, which is normal.
However the clunk noise could be a problem.
It just seems Honda is not very good with auto trannies. Just look how many Accords Odysseys and Acura TL's have had their auto transmissions replaced many times.
I'm wondering when the reccomended milage is for the first oil change. If I recall correctly, my dealer mentioned that the first change should be right around 7,500 miles. Is this correct? In the manual, it says to change the oil ever 5k miles. Any thoughts on why 5k instead of 3k or 4k?
Much thanks,
http://autodeadline.com/detail?source=Acura&mid=HON2004083181- 399&mime=ASC
no mention of a sports wagon.
What is going on with Acura?
LS430 had transmission and fuel pump problems. It's not a restricted society.
If you drive 15,000 miles a year, at an average of 25mpg, that's 600 gallons of gas. 91 octane @ $2.20/gal costs $1320/year. Now take that same distance, but say you only get 23mpg instead of 25mpg when using 87 octane. That's 652 gallons. At $2.00/gallon, that's $1304. Is it worth $16/year to run your car at reduced performance?
Others have posted on this board, and other forums, that the 5AT detracts somewhat from the "snappiness" of the car; others love the 5AT, which, BTW, is rated higher for fuel economy. It's really a matter of personal preference. Drive both.
I can say this: while the TSX has good, solid powertrain performance, it does not have the most overwhelming HP output. I would not want a transmission that in any way saps some of that precious power.
If you can swing it, get the manual tranny. It's a blast to operate.
Johnny
Anyway, my take: like any high reving 4-cyl, the TSX seems a happier with the MT. But, in general, I've found the AT to be well matched to the engine. This is my third Honda vehicle (I had two Accords before this) and I think the transmission in this car is lightyears beyond my earlier cars. Shifts are smooth and the car never seems to be in the wrong gear. The transmission is really slick.
The sportshift function works well, but it is no substitute for a manual. Not nearly as much fun.
As for power, I think you lose about .5 secs off the 0-60. The biggest issue will be at low RPMs, where the TSX doesn't have that much torque. In my experience, the TSX feels pretty lively in most situations, even with the AT. At highway speeds, you'll think you are driving a V6.
There have been a few situations where I had to accelerate from a standstill rapidly (I'm below a car going about 20 mph on a ramp, and need to get around it and accelerate to highway speeds).
In those situations, I often long for the manual because the torque is not there below 2,000 RPM.