[91stealthrt2]

:help:

First off, I would like to say hey! This is my first post of probably many!

I am from 3Si.org, and now my gf is finally looking to buy a new car! So I have been pointing at cars the last few months. And get a yes/no/maybe etc. This a big step for her/us. and I think she is kinda scared. She owns a POS ford taurus now.

She is not a car person at all, but so far is loving the TSX. We plan to go to check one out in a couple weeks. In Fife, WA.

But first I had a couple questions before we do so.

We like the car in a few colors, and we both prefer dark interior. We will probably opt for black on black. Or maybe blue/black.

She will be getting an auto(thank god it has sport shift) I hate autos

The biggest question of all, do you guys think NAV is worth it? Can you watch dvds? or is it posible? And also we both love mp3/cd players in our cars but that price sounds kinda high just for that option. Any info on maybe adding a dvd/mp3 aftermarket player?

Does the car come with carpet floor mats? the all weather are ugly.

Is there any big problems the car has had in '04 that got fixed for '05? or any problems in the '05s that have been noticed yet?

How much should the extra warranty run? and is that worth it?

I see that 2.9% financing is available OAC on the website, but many posts I have read on here say that they are getting 4.9. Whats the deal with that? We wont have a trade in, but will have almost 10k down.

Any thing else I should look out for on our trip to the dealer? My gf said she wants a car in February, but I am kinda hoping to bring one home sooner :angel:

Thanks everyone!
-Rusty

 

[johnej]

The navi is well worth the money. My wife says that I am directionally challenged so I use it all the time.

 

[johnej]

welcome to the group

 

[Noel]

Is there any big problems the car has had in '04 that got fixed for '05? or any problems in the '05s that have been noticed yet?

There are no major problems in the 04 to begin with, so there's nothing to fix in 05. Only minor upgrades. The rest of the comments will be answered by the other friendly members.

 

[TSX69]

The biggest question of all, do you guys think NAV is worth it? Can you watch dvds? or is it posible?

Does the car come with carpet floor mats? the all weather are ugly.

Is there any big problems the car has had in '04 that got fixed for '05? or any problems in the '05s that have been noticed yet?

Any thing else I should look out for on our trip to the dealer? My gf said she wants a car in February, but I am kinda hoping to bring one home sooner

I have the Navi but never really use it bc I never go anywhere new so I already know where everything is. This option really depends on your life style. It does not play DVDs.

The car does not come w/ floor mats but @ the dealerships around here, they all come w/ the $500 Protection Pkg: carpeted floor mats, trunk tray, pin stripe, wheel locks .... & maybe a few other things I cannot remember.

New features on 2005s are nice but not necessarily absolute must haves: lit up steering wheel controls, power passenger seat, heated side mirrors, red/black color combo ...

When U test drive the vehicle, make sure u listen for this rattling that seems to plague a lot of the cars & good luck

 

[Joker]

Hello, and welcome to the Club 91stealthrt2 :wavey:

Joker - who loves/uses his navi everyday :thumbsup:

 

[Dr Gong]

I bought my '04 TSX July 1 and love it - 9,000 miles to date and no problems. Some of the first owners complained of rattles, but they fixed many of those later in the '04 production year.

My un-professional thoughts on the navi...

I would not recommend the navi unless you really think you would use it alot. You can buy a good atlas for under $10 and if you really need automated directions, you can get a pocket pc with gps for under $500 that you can use in any vehicle. Plus, the cost of navi's are expected to drop considerably within the next 5 years as they gain popularity, so you may not get the full resale out of it. The trip computer built into the navi would be nice to have, but if you have any math skills, you can calculate your own mpg.

Also, for the carpeted floor mats - I think the person from the earlier post may have had one pulled over on them from the dealer, because they are standard. If you look at the interior specifications on the Acura website, it lists carpeted floor mats as a standard feature there. They are a little "lower quality" than I'd like, but they should hold up for at least a couple years. I just washed mine and brought them back to life fairly easily. I agree that the all-weather mats are ugly (and expensive). Many dealers will try to push them because of the profit margin. If they do, say you want the carpet instead.

Anyway, it's a great car and I think you'll love it!

Also, if you get much snow in WA, I think you'll like the VSA. It definitely handles better than my CR-V did on slick roads.

 

[Joker]

I would not recommend the navi unless you really think you would use it alot.

I never thought I'd use a navi, or need one for that matter. But like I said, now that I have one, I use it every day :nod: :thumbsup:

 

[johnej]

ditto with me also

 

[larchmont]

Great post by Dr Gong as usual (hey, DG, we don't see you enough!), but I disagree about the Nav. Sort of.

Dr Gong mentions resale. Yes indeed, if you're very concerned about the exact percentage you'll get back on resale, don't get the Nav, although I do think it will retain more of its value than some people think (although most likely less than the rest of the car).

What it comes down to is: Can you easily pay the extra $2K, or is it a stretch?
If you can easily pay it, I say GET IT, even if you doubt that you'll use it. First of all, you probably will use it a lot more than you think, and even if you don't, it'll be worth it for the few times that you'll wind up finding it useful. The "atlas" argument IMO has never held water, because there's just no comparison. And once you're talking about a pocket GPS, you're really narrowing the gap on cost, not to mention that IMO there's still really not much comparison.

If the extra $2K IS a stretch, don't get it unless you think you'll have a lot of use for it.

If the extra $2K is impossible, don't get it, period.

I think that about covers it.

 

[tony4311]

Get the nav. It's worth it I've yet to read a post where someone wished they hadn't gotten it.

I've seen add ons that make it possible to play dvds somewhere but I can't remember. There is an option for one but it's for the back seats. If I wanted to play mp3s I'd go aftermarket. Can probably get something better for the same price.

If you live somewhere there's snow get the ugly all weather mats for winter. It's worth it. They're ugly but they save A LOT of salt from getting into the carpet. Then go back to normal for summer.

The only thing that makes the '05 a slightly better choice is the heated mirrors but that depends on where you live. I'd rather not have the power pass. seat, it's not needed imo. So it was me shopping and I found an '04 that wasn't a demo I'd get it over the '05.

all imo. Welcome to the site.

 

[91stealthrt2]

Thanks for the welcomes and response!

I don't think that we will NEED the gps, but we do often print up mapquest if we ever going to unknown locations. As far at 2k being a stretch... I don't think it would be. 26-28k isn't a big difference when financing we should have about 9-10k for a down.

She mentioned taking a trip to Cali at the end of February if we get a new car. Then driving back on the the coast hwy 101. I hope that its in a TSX!!!!!!

As far as snow in WA, unless going over the mountain pass we will normally only see a couple inches(nothing bad at all) and its only stays around a couple days. BUT, the roads are wet 70% of the time.

Any info on the 2.9%?? I am really hoping to get a good rate, my gf and I have ok credit. Its just lack of it.

And the extra warrenty, I have seen people say they got it for 1500. Which doesn't sound like a lot. But I believe the car will be reliable and that probably isn't needed. But whats the range in price it should be for 100k miles?

Rusty

 

[larchmont]

....She mentioned taking a trip to Cali at the end of February if we get a new car. Then driving back on the the coast hwy 101.....

Believe me, you'll appreciate having the Nav for that.

Even if you know exactly where you're going (or don't care, as I don't when I'm taking a trip like that), I can't begin to tell you how much interesting use you'll get out of the Nav.

Something that people don't seem to appreciate unless they already have it (and which for some reason doesn't get discusssed much on these sites, so you don't have much way to know it), is that it does a lot more than helping you get from here to there. Sometimes I enjoy just putting on the "map" feature, with or without a destination, which lets you see exactly where you are and what's all around you. Of course you can zoom in or out, to see local detail or a very large area or anything in between.

Or, if you find yourself way out somewhere, and want to get something to eat (or buy some clothing, or find a post office, or whatever else), the Nav can tell you where to find something -- usually together with the phone numbers of the places.

And I could mention a dozen other things too......

Larchmont, who thinks this will convince him.

 

[Joker]

And I could mention a dozen other things too......

Don't forget to mention the Trip Computer Larch

Joker - who used it to make sure he didn't run out of gas one time :laugh:

 

[91stealthrt2]

Do you guys know when the 2.9% financing will end with acura? I thought I read january 5th. I just want to get a good deal, but I don't think the gf will get one that soon... although I think its stupid to wait just 1 more month and lose about 1k in extra interest.

Hell im willing to pay her first months payment if she will get it next week

 

[Dr Gong]

In my own defense, if the navi sounds like something you would use and you have the extra 2k, by all means get it. I was just trying to give some sound practical advice. Considering tax, a five year loan and 2.9 financing, you're looking at around $40/month. You just have to weigh if the convenience is worth it to you.
One additional piece to mention, is that you may find the color combo you want faster WITH the navi. I don't know what it's like now, but when I bought mine, non-navi's were hard to find. My dealer said most tsx's are shipped with navi, but over 1/2 of their customer's don't initially want it, hence longer waits.
My final comment on the navi is to make sure you test drive it at night first. The amount of light that it produces was fine for me, but distracting and bothersome to my wife. It can be turned off, but what fun is that?

 

[Dr Gong]

BTW, According to Edmunds.com - the 2.9% financing is good for up to 60 months on any 2004 OR 2005 TSX. The offer goes through 1/5/05.

Dr G.

 

[Joker]

The amount of light that it produces was fine for me, but distracting and bothersome to my wife. It can be turned off, but what fun is that?

It can also be dimmed for night use. The night setting is very nice on the eyes (at night). But yes, you'll tend to look at it :nod:

 

[larchmont]

It can also be dimmed for night use.....

I was gonna say that too. I'd guess that Dr G had it on the "day" setting.....

 

[johnej]

or put it on auto, which will dim the screen when lights are on