TSX owners: Was this the car you REALLY REALLY wanted?

[larchmont]

Some of you have seen where I've said I wouldn't trade my TSX for any other car -- that even if you go up to $80,000, there still isn't another car that I'd rather have. Of course my criteria are crazy, but ain't that the way it is. And the only reason I stop at $80,000 is that I don't understand anything about the cars over that.

So, I'm lucky to be able to really say that I have exactly the car that I want to have. There are a lot of cars that SHOULD beat out the TSX, but there's something wrong with all of them. Like, BMW and Mercedes have lost their way in terms of reliability. Volvo too. And a lot of the great cars only come in RWD, which I don't want as long as I can get a great FWD or AWD car. And most Lexuses aren't really for DRIVING, they're like spare living rooms, which isn't what I'm looking for. And the TL, bless its soul, doesn't handle as well as the TSX, all things considered. Plus it's 3" wider so it wouldn't really fit in my garage, but let's forget about that. :D

I reasonably sure that not too many people would agree -- I imagine that most other TSX owners (by far) would have preferred some other car, but picked the TSX for practical reasons.

So I don't think for a second that TSX is going to "win" this poll. It's more like I want to see if there are ANY other lunatics out there who wouldn't have wanted anything over the TSX.

[larchmont]

Well, how do you like that -- TSX is out to an early lead. :D

[kiteboy]

Under $40k Cdn, and as my only car, hands-down. As an all-in-one package at that price, it's tough to beat. More than that, I'd be looking elsewhere, even if it represented less value. If I could own two cars, I'd have something practical that could haul people & cargo, and a two-seat sports car.

[thebullfrog]

It was my top choice. I just didn't know it at first.

I was all set to get an IS300--even with that funky interior. Then I saw the TSX in the flesh and that was it. The combo of style, reliability, and sophistication just grabbed me. Plus it was cheaper than the Lexus.

A fair trade for a few horsepower.

[larchmont]

Originally posted by thebullfrog
.....Plus it was cheaper than the Lexus.....
You did good, because I don't think it is any more.

I know it depends on the deal, but it seems like they're having to do a lot of dealing on the IS300's to sell them, probably in part because of competition from the TSX. According to MSRP the IS300 is more expensive, but the actuality isn't so clear.

[Whatchamacallit]

Great topic.

The more I drive my TSX, the more I get the feeling that this is the perfect car for me and that I made the right decision.

My road to getting this car has been long and extensive. I first heard about the Acura TSX in October of 2002. I heard how it was going to be based on the Euro Accord and when I first saw the pictures of the Euro Accord, I remember how impressed I was. (In fact, I still have that same picture/site bookmarked to this day).

http://www.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2002/paris/preview/honda-accord/index.html

In between seeing the first pictures of the TSX, lurking around various sites like this, and hearing comments from TSX owners, I also had times of doubts on whether I would even be able to afford a TSX. Thoughts of settling for Mazda6 or US Accord crossed my mind various times. (Which by the way are great cars. I was just referring to the cash savings).

But by the time I left a deposit in late 2003, my mind was made up when I had no doubt. This was the car for me. I knew exactly what I was getting into and to this very day, it hasn't dissappointed.

[johnej]

My first choice was the Saab 9-3 vector...However with one dealership in the Dallas area and about 30 miles away. The acura dealership is at the most 10min away and alot more friendlier also....

[larchmont]

Originally posted by Whatchamacallit
.....My road to getting this car has been long and extensive. I first heard about the Acura TSX in October of 2002. I heard how it was going to be based on the Euro Accord and when I first saw the pictures of the Euro Accord, I remember how impressed I was.....
Wow, way back in October 2002???? How did you manage that?

Never mind, I'm gonna start a new thread on that.

[johnej]

well time to look again at this poll

[larchmont]

Yeah, I thought it was pretty good myself. :D

[johnej]

larch did you ever start that new thread you were talking about??

[larchmont]

larch did you ever start that new thread you were talking about??
Is the pope Italian? :D

http://www.tsxclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1100

[johnej]

larch..... I hate to say this but the current pope while he may live in Italy, is Polish.... :)

[Joker]

larch..... I hate to say this but the current pope while he may live in Italy, is Polish.... :)
:nod: :laugh:

[larchmont]

larch..... I hate to say this but the current pope while he may live in Italy, is Polish.... :)
Y'know, I've used that line probably about 5000 times, and you're only the second person who ever noticed that.

P.S. The other person was a guy in Fort Worth.

[johnej]

close enough to me... I am not far

[larchmont]

That's what I meant too. :D

[APOGEE]

TSX was not really really my first choice. Audi A4 Quattro was my first choice. TSX was the best value for this point in my life. If I had what I really want I would be driving a two seat roadster with the wind blowing through what is left of my hair (or at least over a baseball cap).

[larchmont]

TSX was not really really my first choice. Audi A4 Quattro was my first choice. TSX was the best value for this point in my life. If I had what I really want I would be driving a two seat roadster with the wind blowing through what is left of my hair (or at least over a baseball cap).
Red Sux fan? :D

Larchmont, who would love to see another Sox-Yankee ALCS.

[johnej]

larch why would you like to see another sox-yankees alcs.. why not get some fresh team in there...

[Noel]

If I had what I really want I would be driving a two seat roadster with the wind blowing through what is left of my hair (or at least over a baseball cap).

Honda S2000 ... :thumbsup:

[larchmont]

larch why would you like to see another sox-yankees alcs.. why not get some fresh team in there...
The same reason we kept wanting to see Ali-Frazier.

They're the real thing.

[Thorn2004]

There was no contest for me, ever since I first recieved my Euro Brochure in the mail last year, my Fiance and I were in love :D I mean it looks great, is sporty yet elegant, has a great comfortable and luxurious interior and has some serious grunt which equals many 6 cylinders in power yet has the fuel efficiency of a 4 banger ! No contest :) :bowdown: Not only that but it is reasonably priced, I guess my Fiance and I really were the Target Market !

[johnej]

ok. larch the real thing is coca cola... not yankees vs red sox...

[ClutchPerformer]

I think a better question would be "was price a limiting factor in your decision to get a TSX?" The TSX was the best car I could afford. So, no it's not the car I REALLY REALLY wanted--that would be a Porsche 911 Turbo. :D But I don't have that kinda dough... yet. However, the TSX IS the car I wanted at the <$27000 price range. So, yes and no? :dunno:

[larchmont]

Blah blah blah! :D :D

BTW........Happy (slightly belated) birthday, Clutch!

[johnej]

hey larch... how is the weather

[JP_Freak33]

YES - This is going to be the popular vote in the price range I am looking at.
NO - if I had my choise and money wasnt an factory I wouldnt buy this car. But since I cant afford to import a GTR34...........I will get my TSX/EuroR

[TSX 'R' US]

YES - This is going to be the popular vote in the price range I am looking at.
NO - if I had my choise and money wasnt an factory I wouldnt buy this car. But since I cant afford to import a GTR34...........I will get my TSX/EuroR
GTR34 :drool1:

[Duke]

Well, we started the shopping process looking at MINI convertibles. So our first choice would have been a MINI Cooper S convertible... which won't ship till January, would cost about the same as we paid for the TSX with nav, and which was simply way too small to handle what we needed it to handle. Nonetheless we loved it.

In the interim we looked at 2001-2002 Saab 9-3 SEs. Almost - almost - went that way, but opted for a new new car. New turbo Saabs were way over budget, though that would probably be the way we would go with more money to spend.

Next up were 2005 GT Cruiser convertibles. We liked this car a lot, despite the love-it-or-leave-it looks. Cheaper than the TSX, too, but the odd "trunk" was inconvenient, and a 2-door is tough with 3 or 4 people using the car every trip.

I was taken with the 2003 Audi A4 quattro we drove, but they were all silver, and the 1.8T had lousy throttle response. 3.0s were non-findable used, and new was too spendy.

We liked the Mazda6 5-door V6, but it was a little too low-taste inside. The Accord V6 EX was too dull. And we still hadn't ruled out convertibles, while test driving an Altima 3.5 SE (which I loved, but my wife found too big and too dull), a base WRX sedan (total dog with an autobox), and a handful of other cars.

Truthfully, I didn't even consider the TSX because I assumed it was too expensive. And at sticker price, it was. But as we kept shopping and kept shopping, the model year wound down, and they started discounting leftover 2004s, so as we exhausted other possibilities, I brought my wife to the Acura dealer.

It was love at first sight, despite no ragtop. While we had not been interested in nav systems, we decided it was a great option while test driving one, so we really concentrated on dealing on a nav car. Our first choice was Arctic Blue, but we couldn't find one with nav east of the Mississippi this late in the year. Finally we made a good deal on the Meteor Silver (second choice of color) TSX that my wife loves.

It really suits her perfectly. For me, at the same price range, I'd probably get a 2004 G35 sedan, with a few thousand demo miles on the clock... but I love the TSX too!

[APOGEE]

It seems a lot of us stumbled unto the TSX Duke. Best car for the price IMHO.

[bob shiftright]

larch..... I hate to say this but the current pope while he may live in Italy, is Polish.... :)

...I hate to say this, the Pope may be Polish but he does not live in Italy.

He lives in the Vatican.

The State of the City of the Vatican (commonly known also as Vatican City) is the smallest independent country in the world (both in area and in population). It is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy.

[larchmont]

Huh.

[bob shiftright]

Huh.

For my $26,000 I woulda rather had a Porsche Carrera GT, balsa-wood shift knob and all.

Unfortunately, it lists or $440,000. :(

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/image/5172004134831.jpg

[larchmont]

440K for a RWD POS? :D

[bob shiftright]

440K for a RWD POS?

From the Porsche website, the asking price is $440,000 US but ALSO $440,000 CANADIAN. Those Germans must never have gotten over us fire-bombing their country. (Yet another reason for you-all blue-state libs to move to Canada!) :D

[tsxxygirl]

Actually my first choice was the G-35 Coupe 6-MT. However, when I began to look at the situation, it was a bit impractical for me to have a sports car, as my only car. If I had to go back and re-do it now, I'd probaby opt up and get a TL.

[Duke]

For my $26,000 I woulda rather had a Porsche Carrera GT, balsa-wood shift knob and all.

Unfortunately, it lists or $440,000. :(
I was checking out a couple used G35s at a local Porsche/Infiniti dealer, and they had one of those things in the showroom waiting for delivery to a customer. It was one wild vehicle. The "Italiano Orange" leather interior did not go very well with the "Teutonic Silver" exterior, though.