[justsomeboi]

Hey guyz... Soo havnt hurd from me in a while eh... or do u even remember me? Haha. So the day has finally come. My parents are bargaining for the cars. I live in Los Angeles area and we bargained with Glendale acura, Keyes, and Santa monica.

So I'm looking for the 05 Acura TSX Carbon Grey w/ navigation.
Glendale has no incoming manuals or any in stock.
Santa Monica has 1 incoming but they were very disrespectful and insulted my parents during the negotiations. I was offended too.

Keyes acura appears to be the winner. 29,200 OTD, Tax, licensince, etc.. The car itself comes around 26,700 around that. So heres where the big question comes... I can get the 5at tomorrow or I can wait 1-3 weeks (unless they get it sooner) for the 6speed manual.

If you didnt know im 17yrs old... heading to college in a year. yes yes pretty young in here. Anyway, I have small experience with manuals... specifically this old toyota truck. I never really mastered it. But Im craving the need to accelerate. I have been driving a 2000 toyota 4runner for the past 1.5yrs+ and all i can say is im tired of automatic, its soo boring, theres no thrills.

However, I did test drive the 5speed at today and I did enjoy it. I didnt have the chance to push it to its limits but going to sportshift I definatly could feel the delay of it shifting for a slight second (not as long as it would take putting a automatic car from D to 2d or 1d though but definatly lag is still there.)

So I live in the LA area... traffic and I know right now being new to manual and stuff I wouldnt become irritated or annoyed with manual. However, this car will be the car i'll have for a long time. So i'm looking at long time appeal.

For all you manual owners out there, does traffic bug you alot? Is the learning curve for manual on the TSX difficult? What do you reccomend?
I've been longing for manual for a long time... but the reality of traffic ill face and the fact i still need to learn how to drive (or get used to) manual is there. Think its worth it? and how does the price my parents are looking at sounds? Thanks. Reply asaps please

 

[MemphisRheins]

In all honestly, Im a Huge Fan of a Stick Shift, I love driving one...however, I have the 5AT TSX...and as much as i want to have a clutch, its honestly pritty damn good w/ out one... Once ur older, and youve been driving for a few years, A Stick is defenutly worth while, but I honestly think, you got enough on your hands right now, just learning how to drive, and how to drive well (you sound like me when I first got the TSX, I look back on how I drove then, and im surprised im still alive)... For Right now, Id say get the auto, prob gonna piss u off that im saying this (Scary thing Is, i was mad at my parents when they went w/ the Auto, and they gave me this same reason)... and then for your second car, once u know what your doing, u can buy urself a faster car w/ a stick shift...and have fun and enjoy it, the way u should...(personally Im gonna be goin for the mustang in a few years)

 

[justsomeboi]

Memphis good points... but this will be my second car. Im just concerned about the learning curve of manual and if itll be appealing to me after college. Since this is my second car... its also the last car from my parents. This is it... my belated 17th, early 18th, and grad gift. No more cars from them. So I'm aiming for a car thatll last and enjoy me till i graduate college and land in a good earning job to buy a car another car... which will probably be in 6-8years. So definatly what I choose now has to be a long time appealment for myself.

Since like I said I do live IN LA where there is traffic I wonder if Ill get tired of the car... So my question is directed to more of the mid 20's manual drivers... does traffic bother u soo much?

I would plainly go hands down AT... but from driving AT for a while im really ready to try a manual. Its been my dream to get a manual car since I could remember. Heh... I never thought id be questioning if I really really want manual till the actual decision to choose came.

Oh another question... once i do perfect and master manual... it is possible to shift gears smoothly... as in, if done correctly, I can shift without jolt are pulling feeling being felt right?

 

[AlterZgo]

You're 17. Get the manual. Hondas have the easiest manual transmissions to drive.

I was forced to get automatic cars by my parents when I was young. The second I could buy my own car, it's been manuals since. I been commuting on the 405 fwy from the South Bay to West LA for the past 15 yrs (1st to UCLA, then to my current job) Commuting with a manual is no problem at all! In some ways, it is easier to drive a manual in stop in go traffic than in an automatic. I find that I can usually lug the manual transmission along at a fairly low speed. For an automatic, I constantly have to move my feet back and forth btw the brake and accelerator pedal. Also, I find that using both of my arms and feet during heavy commuting traffic keeps me from falling asleep and keeps my butt and my back from getting tired due to sitting in a single static position.

That said, I own an auto TSX now for 2 reasons:
1) Wife can't drive manual. Since we had our 1st child, we find ourselves having to swap cars now and again so the manual was out of the question.
2) The older I get the more often I sprain my ankle or knee playing sports, etc. Since I now work, I can no longer afford to lose my ability to drive for a few days or a week.

But, since you're young, my reasons should not apply to you at all.

GET THE MANUAL. The auto in the TSX, like the auto transmission in ALL other cars SUCKS. Sportshift is OK, but an automatic is an automatic. After driving manuals for the past 15 yrs, I find that the sportshift gives me practically NONE of the benefits of a manual. As a person who LOVES driving manual transmission cars, after messing around w/ the sportshift for about a week, I now NEVER use it at all because for me, it just doesn't enhance the driving experience in any way.

 

[AlterZgo]

To answer your other question, yes. You should have no problem learning how to drive smoothly - especially in a Honda.

The truth is, the transmission plays only a minor part in how smooth one drives. I'm sure you've ridden w/ people who drive automatics like crap b/c they're constantly going back and forth btw brake and accelerator pedal and the car is lurching all over the place. This, to me, is much more annoying than a car being a bit jerky b/c a newbie is driving a manual.

Honestly, after a week or so, you will easily get the hang of starting smoothly. After that, it's really more of just trying to accelerate and brake smoothly.

You can then move onto other stuff like rev matching, heel-toe downshifting, etc.

 

[justsomeboi]

Well today has come... Its soo hard to choose. Especially since test-driving both would be inefective... I wont truley know how manual and how it would be in the long run if I've never tried it for more than 3hrs let alone on a tsx.

I wouldnt know if id hate it or love it in months or years from now. Which is why I'm pretty much lost in which to choose.

I'm starting to lean towards AT. Kind of sad i've been waiting for Manual all this time and now i choose AT. But I figure the sport shift on the TSX is pretty satisfying.

How does the price from the 1st post i made sound?
Its gonna be from KEYES acura

 

[tsx2208]

Hi,

When I first bought my first car: honda civic sir, I was 19 and had no idea how to drive manual. I bought the vehicle, anyway, b/c (if u know) sir did not come in manual transmission. I learned to drive the car after it was delivered to me, and my brother took it home for me(very sad). But it took me only a couple of hrs to learn how to drive the manual transmission( and I'm a girl).
Now, I could never buy an automatic transmisssion for a long while. It's too much fun. I have now bought my acura with a manual transmission, and I would not have it any other way. Maybe, when u get to be in your thirties, and things change in your life- but for now-you're only 17- have some fun-but be careful too.
Wait the extra 2 weeks and get manual. My parents still tried to convince me to get the automatic in tsx but I am SUPER happpy I chose manual.

Whatever your choice-it's still a TSX and will be nice either way.

P.S I live in downtown toronto and the traffic is horrible, but I still wouldn't trade the manual transmission.

 

[justsomeboi]

I heard its hard coming from automatic and then transitioning to manual is this true?

 

[manavi]

I heard its hard coming from automatic and then transitioning to manual is this true?

Nope.

If you were EVER going to learn to drive a manual transmission in your life, the TSX has got to be one of the best cars available to learn on. The shifting is so easy and smooth in the manual. I would wait the few weeks for the manual. It is also a big help in making the most out of what power there is in the TSX 4-banger. I believe the manual TSX accelerates to 60 over a second faster than the auto TSX, if that's something that's important to you.

BTW, I think it's a very good price. Congrats, kid.

 

[FASTSX]

Nope.

If you were EVER going to learn to drive a manual transmission in your life, the TSX has got to be one of the best cars available to learn on. The shifting is so easy and smooth in the manual. I would wait the few weeks for the manual. It is also a big help in making the most out of what power there is in the TSX 4-banger. I believe the manual TSX accelerates to 60 over a second faster than the auto TSX, if that's something that's important to you.

BTW, I think it's a very good price. Congrats, kid.

Okay, short story.... (even though it seems you've made up your mind)

Last year my cousin bought a cg tsx. Yes very cool. However his dad convinced him to stay with automatic because, 1. easier to drive, 2. my cousin doesn't know how to drive stick, 3. "when you go to san francisco, you're going to have the hardest time"

Now since he went with the automatic, every single time he's sees my car, he tells me "damn i should of gotten the manual" Basically me and my cousin are both 17 and 19 years old respectively. You should hella wait man! Trust me automatic is a bit slower too. Also the manual transmission will last you longer as well. You may have to replace the clutch at 100,000 miles+ but thats about it. Trust me go with the manual dude.

 

[MemphisRheins]

Honestly, Do what u want man, Its not hard coming from a auto to a manual, although its a lot harder the other way around :laugh:...

The TSX is a great car no matter what, Even if this is your second car (Congrats, on getting the rents to pay for it, After the TSX im more then on my own, Splitting payments currently)Its still a learning experience for u, even more so if you go w/ the Stick (Im more then happy to confess, im still learning all the time, but I do think im at the point where im a damn good driver)

my mom learned how to drive a stick the day before she got her 280Z... sure she messed up a little bit, but the car had began to rust out before that car needed a new Clutch, I drive a stick no problem myself and enjoy it, and I totally agree that SS, is nothing like a real stick, (Even though I prob use it more often then not...) but it does give u at least some ability to control your transmission, and helps a whole lot on the curves...

Do I miss driving a stick, Certainly, so I wish my TSX was a stick, Sometimes definitely, but honestly there have been times where its been somewhat nice to have the auto

Honestly its your choice, you do sound a little intimidated by the Stick shift, but im sure if you decide on it, you'll get used to it... No matter what you decided on a great car, and got a sweet price...congrats

 

[justsomeboi]

Honestly, Do what u want man, Its not hard coming from a auto to a manual, although its a lot harder the other way around :laugh:...

That right there helped my decision haha. 6speed manual count me in. CG 6speed w/ navi club... here i come.

haha watch... hey mom and dad thank you soo much for the car! *stalls*
haha thatd be a ruined moment.

 

[Joker]

CG 6speed w/ navi club... here i come.

Great choice!!! You wont be disappointed :thumbsup:

 

[Guest]

When I was your age, I was more worried about my junk $300 VW Fastback not overheating on my first big date. I finished, high school, graduated from college, established a career then at 37, 20 years after you, I finally figured out I deserved shiny new TSX. If your parents are nutty enough to give a 17 year old a $28,000 car, who probably hasn't even finished high school, the damage is done so you might as well wait it out and get what you really want. You will have the rest of your life to drive Automatics since Manuals are a dying breed nowadays.

Good luck.

 

[justsomeboi]

When I was your age, I was more worried about my junk $300 VW Fastback not overheating on my first big date. I finished, high school, graduated from college, established a career then at 37, 20 years after you, I finally figured out I deserved shiny new TSX. If your parents are nutty enough to give a 17 year old a $28,000 car, who probably hasn't even finished high school, the damage is done so you might as well wait it out and get what you really want. You will have the rest of your life to drive Automatics since Manuals are a dying breed nowadays.

Good luck.

true true. I would get the automatic easily if the acceleration of it was very near MT. Too bad acura didnt make their sportshift like mercedes' slk300 which is 7speed and shifts faster than humanly possible.

 

[RvR_TSX]

Hey, first and foremost, I just purchased my 2005 CG TSX 6m 3 weeks ago, and i'm just joining this site today. My first car was a 1992 Celica ST 5 spd. I thought i'd never learn to drive it. I live in Miami where there is mad traffic, though not as bad as LA. I had the Celi for about 8 yrs and loved it! Till i bought a 2004 Nissan Altima 2.5s 5AT... BIG MISTAKE! It was a really nice car, but i went from a sports car to a family sedan and my clutch foot was habitually dropping on the brake for the first 2 months ( i too thought an auto would better suit me in traffic). Well, then i made the transition into a 2004 Nissan Pathfinder Armada SE Off Road, and i loved that monster. Unfortunately is was stolen the past valentine's day, and found in a canal stripped of it's parts a week later. After suffering in the 2005 pontiac grand-am rental car for 2 months (Geico took forever to pay...), I decided to get back into a stick shift because I missed it so much. So now that i'm rambling on and on, and you guys/girls probably hate me for talking so much here is the moral of my story...

If you can drive stick, it's basically all you're going to want to drive. It doesn't make sense to get into a car (Although it's a badass TSX) that has an Auto if you're already bored with auto. I say get the stick, because when you're younger you have a higher tollerance for such irritations like traffic. I'm sorry but that sport-shift mumbo-jumbo isn't the same, (no matter how much the BMW salesman told me it is, btw they are mean...) And how else are you going to learn??? Practice makes perfect....

 

[Benz]

Welcome to the club man!!

 

[Benz]

I am 17 too......
But due to parental restrictions..... I can only get Auto :mercy:
I really hunger for 6MT.....wanna TRADE??....hahaha.I have CG too~

 

[RvR_TSX]

Ha Ha Ha...

it took me a year to realize what i was missing with the auto....

Still miss my Armada though, in that thing people got out of your way!!! But half the fun now in the TSX is getting around people... heh heh heh

BTW i'm 24 so hopefully i'm helping since I know the thread was started out looking for the advice of someone my age...