So I currently have a 2008 Honda S2000 that stays in the garage most of the time and a 2006 Acura TSX that I drive each day. I am thinking of selling both to kind of consolidate into one car. Love the thrill of the S2000 and the nice sporty ride on the TSX. So this is why I am looking into the RDX. I have sat in a few before and really like them, yet have never driven one.

I would like to spend around 25k and get one with less than 30k miles. I have never purchased the first year for a car (like the 07 RDX) just because I like to see what kinks have been worked out on the next years.

I swore I would not buy another brand new car but all I have ever owned is Hondas and Acuras and as most of you know, they hold their value very well. I see new RDX's for 30k and used 2007s with 30k miles for 28k even 29k asking prices.

So what shall I do? Are people low balling dealers right now still because of the economy? It would be nice to have the Tech Package, but I don't NEED it. I like the backup camera however!

Any issues with the 07 model RDXs. What about warranty, is it 4 years or 62k miles? A certified used RDX would be nice!

Also what is this engine block heater I have read about for the RDX? Is there cold temp issues?

 

If you like your TSX, why go with the RDX? It's not going to satisfy your thrills, though at least it's AWD and quicker. It's sporty for a CUV, but it's not a car. A TL Type S would be my vote for Acura. I bought a G35 sport as a good mix of fun/power/comfort.

Warranty is 4 years here.

The block heater is a heating element in your engine that plugs into a 120AC outlet. Keeps the engine warm in really cold temps. Not really needed unless you get weather below 0F and don't have a garage. Standard fare on most Canadian cars. The main benefit is when it's *really* cold, the engine will start without much issue and when it's just plain cold, it's already partially warm when you start it up.

 

Ah good info on the heater. So you actually have to plug it into your wall lol?

I like the TSX but would like something a little bigger. Throw my road bike in there, and have the Labrador in the back without having him on the leather. Just sounds nice and easy lol. I got the TSX for 16k with 29k miles on it a while back, so it was kinda just a fast DD buy.

The TL's are nice but then again I don't like the feel of the 6 with FWD. Just dosent handle the way a 4 up front does IMO.

Got any pics of your Silver RDX?

 

no offense but the TSX does NOT deliver like the RDX regardless of it being a truck or car. The RDX smokes the TSX is about every factor i can think of.

The question is which model RDX would be good for you - given that you have an S2000 & the TSX already, id strongly consider the RDX in 2007 form; the springs are stiffer & the ride is more athletic ( i had an 07, then got an 08 - noticeable differences, not negligible differences)

If you can find an 07 for the right price, which given recent posts on here seems very difficult to do, id go for an 07.

I have a few TSXs in the family, my gf got rid of hers and its a night and day driving experience, especially w/AWD but the power & fun factor is not comparable - my gf preferred to drive my truck no matter what the conditions were

good luck

 

That's kinda what I have been hoping. That the RDX can kinda be that fun car when it needs to be, but be the great DD that's not to big and looks great!

I was not aware that the spring rates were different on the 08. Good info!

What was your main reason for switching to an 08? Any pictures of your 08?

So is 25k doable on a 07 or 08 with less than 30k miles? Prices seem very scattered.

 

25k for an 07 - shit. thats alot.

the 2007 was a lemon (no mechanical problems) - the 2007 is the stiffest RDX - acura has tweaked the ride a bit post 2007 - imo the 2007 drives the best - firmest ride and anti roll - they softened it up in the 08 yet it did absolutely nothing in terms of the harshness of the ride, which contravenes any reason to do what it did

in terms of pics - search the forum i have a few posted from the past but none on hand

i find the RDX extremely tossable around the city, and thats where i have the most fun with this car - its great in the 5-60 range, and you can really get some blasts out of the engine in S mode, once you figure out the engine/pedal/turbo - you can do some great things in it and its a ton of fun w/shawd

 

Really, hmm I think KBB is actually like 28 or something for an 07 with Tech and less than 30k miles. I thought 25k wouldent be to bad for price.

What do you mean by, the 2007 was a lemon, but no mech problems? What other problems did they have?

 

You'll like the RDX... I needed more room for growing kids and their football gear, so I traded my 06 STi for the RDX for my wife to drive. Now I drive my 02 WRX wagon that she used to drive when I had the STi.

Judging by your rides, I gather you're somewhat like me. You'll like driving the RDX.
It needs better brakes though. Easily fixed.

 

none to my knowledge - a weld broke in the roof/b pillar - but the car was mechanically sound so i didnt want you to get the wrong impression

its just the fact that you could probably or actually easily score a NEW base model around 31k come the summer when they do their clearance - the base models were sellign new around 30k, some got techs as low as that, some got bases under 30k - so all im saying is that this car is more of a value bought new, be careful shelling big $$ on something with 30k miles when it can be bought new for a minimal amount

 

I paid 33k for my tech new.

Last year after riding in ours and loving the RDX, my wife's boss bought a used 08 tech with ~8,500 miles on it for 26K cash. Deals are out there.

 

Yeah I was looking around (well only at honda/acura) and the RDX just seems the car for me right now. Sounds fun as well for what it is.

The new ones it looks like the ones in the 33ks are fwd. I'd love to get a 08 or 09 used with less than 10k miles.

 

i know you're an RDX owner and i'm a TSX owner, but how does the RDX "smoke" the TSX? performance-wise, they're both about 15-15.5 seconds/~90mph in the quarter mile (if we're comparing the RDX to a 6MT TSX). on the skid pad, they're both around .80 G's. neither of them are "performance" cars, but rather, near-luxury value buys in my opinion.

i sat in a new RDX and the interior is about the same fit, finish, and quality as the TSX. the controls, cupholders, seats are all very similar.

the SH-AWD RDX's fuel economy is pretty awful, though i think they released a FWD version last year.

also, i would generalize that most women prefer SUVs to cars anyway.

however, i can't deny the 240hp/260lbft, regardless of weight difference. it sure does feel faster than the TSX around town, that's for sure.

to the OP, the RDX sounds like a pretty good choice if you're looking to consolidate cars. they are not selling well at all, so you have a good chance to get a great deal buying new, depending on where you live.

 

Go for a 2010 - I paid 32K w/o tech

 

The 2007 is the best handling and best steering of the bunch.

Who ever doubts the performance between that and a TSX, just drive them. It is obvious when you are near redline in 2nd - very obvious.
You pay for it in MPG .... But that is no biggy. Driving with my foot in it around town, I still get 17...

 

You will have to go with a hitch rack, the roof rack just doesn't make sense unless you are 7ft tall.

They are not selling cheap. There have been a few threads in the past week pop up with the same pricing "issue"

He had a 2007 lemon. I also have a 2007 with no issues at all, only routine maintenance, about 36k miles and have extended warranty to 100k...Hey, maybe if in the next few days things go my way I will be selling it....It's a tech....

 

well you identified my main argument so i wont even really address it other than pointing out that the TSX barely achieves RDX territory w/manual transmission. thats a pretty big difference on all fronts.

additionally - ill take the RDX any day of the week to drive around town - getting the best performance out of the tsx takes serious aggression behind the wheel and at the pedal to get every ounce of power from the lawnmower under the hood. One thing to strongly consider is the difference in applied TQ. The RDX not only achieves better performance, even against a MT, but it comes at not nearly as much effort.

Driving an automatic TSX (2009) was an absolute chore - the engine was asleep south of 4, 5k rpms and the car went no where. If we are talking apples to apples - an Auto TSX is not even close to the RDX.

That aside, i could not find any #'s for TSX testing w/AT - what i have seen from the MT hovers around 7 seconds to 60 w/ MT. no thanks.

also, i think the TSX has a very bargain basement interior, akin to the RDX - but i feel it more in the tsx, i personally do not care for the nerf football texture/material/appearance they used for dash paneling and the center stacks feels pretty cheap w/o the nav unit sitting in there. But in terms of overall interior - i think the RDX and TSX are at about the same level - cheapened out with plastic, the rear doors in the RDX are plastic and not the vinyl up front (i hate that acura & honda do that) so on the interior i really think both are equal.

and like you alluded to - if you certainly feel a difference going from an MT TSX to an AT RDX ... then there is no comparison between an AT TSX and AT RDX

yes the numbers in roadholding are familiar, but the TSX does not deliver the feelings of performance and handling to the drivers seat where it counts, especially on the fun factor. the TSX has terrible steering, add in FWD TQ steer and well, the drivability of the RDX is superior, id give the nod to the RDX based on steering alone without even caring about the power. In terms of braking - both suck but i also believe the RDX may have slightly better numbers - i think the TSX is in the 180+ft range from 70-0

Theres alot more than #'s that makes the RDX a much better driving machine on the whole which is why imo the RDX 'smokes' it

 

Some nice points made in this thread! For myself after owning all honda's I'm use to the no torque issue. He'll even the S2k is asleep till you wake her up in VTEC. A lot more power than the TSX though even in the lower RPM.

I think I want to stay used, because I'd like to get the sh awd and the Tech for the price of around 25 or so. I also like how the older ones look!

I'm pretty set on the RDX! Just nee to sell/ trade in my cars and find a clean, low mileage, white RDX!

For the bikes, can't you just remove the front wheel and put a seat down and throw the bike in the rear? Roof rack would call for climbing on the car lol and hitches are not pretty IMO.

 

Get 08 or 09 model because 07 doesnt have bluetooth and memory seat.

 

I'd love to get an 08 or 09 for the same price! But the bluetooth and memory seats wouldent be a deal breaker for me. Although I love the mem seats!

 

i agree, the AT is a DOG. the reason you can't find numbers on the AT is because it's awful. if you look at its gear ratios, it's horrendous...something like 0.74 in 3rd gear (and it only gets more sluggish from there). i think most cars' 4th gear ratio is around the 1.00 mark. the gearing alone is why the AT is about 1.5 seconds slower in the 0-60 sprint.

however, you haven't driven the 6MT so don't presume that it has no torque at all. it's noticeably torquier than the 1st gen TSX and gets along just fine in the city and in traffic under 4,000 RPM. it's very responsive and never lugs; it's just not...turbocharged, which is basically the basis of your argument that the RDX "smokes" it. also, there are always tradeoffs...the TSX will get better city MPG (i get about 23-24 MPG in 100% city driving) than the RDX will with 100% highway driving. on the highway, i get about 31 MPG going ~70mph, which beats the RDX by ~7 or 8 MPG? that's pretty significant, to me.

we agree that the interiors and the roadhandling really are about the same, but even if you push the RDX to the limit, it still doesn't "smoke" the TSX. it does provide significantly more available torque but i would still argue that even in low RPM (until ~3,000) the RDX isn't even that snappy.

bottom line is that you love your RDX and i love my TSX. all i ask is that you test drive a 6MT before you dump the TSX's into the trash, because it really is a different car with a manual transmission. it's not a "lawnmower" by any stretch...it's an efficient I4 that moves 3400 pounds 0-60 in a tick under 7 seconds when mated to the 6MT. i would say that's a pretty impressive engine (and transmission as well).

in building engines, honda's signature attributes are smooth, high revving, and fuel efficient. even the beastly TL is pretty sluggish under 3,500 RPM...heck, the G37 is as well, with its 330hp and 270 lb/ft.

again though, you're right that for driving around town, the RDX is significantly more effortless than the TSX. even though the performance specs and interiors are similar, they really shouldn't be cross-shopped at all.

 

i agree to disagree about the RDX smoking the TSX ... ive driven a TSX quite alot, since even the first gen (had a few in the fam since the car made its debut) and it was pretty fun to drive, but the RDX is on another echelon imo - they arent similar in any characteristic at all other than being similar respective good values - rowing my own gears isnt my thing - and if i have to get a MT to come close the to the performance of an auto 4k pound RDX vs a 3400lb sedan - thats not close in my book. To get the TSX near the RDX's daily performance you have to flog the shit out of it, that just isnt matching performance regardless of numbers. ADditionally, my argument has nothing to do with turbo charging - regardless of the turbo offering more low end tq - the TSX is a dead animal unless you have road to rip it open - a constant search for TQ to get the TSX moving is not fun - its legs are chopped off because in order to get that engine revving where the power is - you need a decent stretch pull out some power - i always had the TSX coming up short where id be like 'ok, here it goes' then only to hit the brakes because of traffic etc....Id watch the tach swing wildly but it never transferred to the pavement , so much comotion and reving while the car went no where - again your experience with the MT is different, but lets stick apples to apples, and like you said, an AT TSX is no match ie lawnmower engine - whether its severely underpowered w/AT who knows - all i know is that all the tach swinging high revving doesnt do anything for the car to get it motivated around town

 

hi mike

youve been dead on on steering feel and the like for the tsx and tl -- test drove both as i was in the dealership (eg. car clinic) and nothing compares to the feel of the rdx...

so, have you driven the honda civic 200hp sport version? in canada we also have the acura csx... it's a smaller vehicle -- just wondering if it would at least be as spunky as the rdx... as well, i never test drove the tsx on the snow -- will the civic and tsx be the same in terms of handling in the snow given that both are FWD and no AWD versions? while it's way too early, we might need 2 cars and im going to start the search for a 2nd car late this year or early next year...

thanks

 

never driven the civic si

 

I had a 07 Civic Si. Still no torque but it's a Honda! I'm guessing the RDX would feel faster. The Si just screams up top just like any of the other good VTEC motor's from Honda. Very smooth power curve and feel as well up top, I mean it's a K series!

 

I wouldn't pay over 23k for a 07 tech...Unless it had super low miles and was SPOTLESS...then maybe 24-25k.

I got a NEW 09 Tech for 32k.

 

Hmm maybe there is a lot of wiggle room when it comes down to it. I'm just looking at the Autotrader and Cars.com asking prices from dealers. 07's with under 30k miles and Tech priced at 25 and up.

 

good luck on the hunt - the RDX is actually the first 'honda engine ive driven that has power down low and readily available. the hunt for TQ really isnt an issue in the RDX, and it pulls hard - the downside is the turbo blows out of steam at higher speeds - so you get great motivation around town and cruising, but if you are looking for top speed thrills - id say the thrills end around 65-75mph. Whats a real treat is having it in S mode - getting all that low end TQ while putting the engine into 4500k + territory, the top end of 2nd & 3rd gear is really something in this 4k lb truck.

 

Yeah I'm really not into high speed runs or anything like that. Just some driving around town, a few trips to Florida, and taking some back roads and on ramps while looking good doing it! haha

 

Man, if I were in your shoes I would hold on to the S2000. Never had one but I know how fun they are ie. driving a sporty almost gocart type feel. My lady friend has a Toyota MR2 Spider. She lets me drive it now and then and damn that thing is so much fun! Super close ratio gearbox, super low to the ground, goes around corners like it's on rails. I also owned an Integra GS-R and RSX Type-S. All similar drive experience.

The RDX is best of all worlds. Probably the most car like/sports like feel out there to date in a CUV! I love my RDX with it's SH-AWD (I need to be able to get around in the snow due to the job I have) but I'd also love to have an S2000 for the good weather. If you have the means, I'd get rid of the TSX and add the RDX and hold onto the S2000.

 

I wish man, a RDX and CR would be awesome! Yet I have found myself having to pay the whole mortgage, tsx payment and S2K payment. So just to make things easier on myself without getting to bored with a base TSX.....The RDX is the plan lol

It's my third S2000 and by far the best. I know it's also my last chance to own a new non molested CR (they made less than 200 of them in this color) yet, I have to act "mature" and do whats right for the family!

I have found two 07s a hour or so away from me. One is a white tech with 29k miles for 26,700 and the other is a white tech with 31k miles for 25,400. Those are their asking prices at least. Have to sell my S first though.

 

id offer 22 on the white tech

 

hmm worth a try. I need my S gone before I can haggle. It's a ideal situation. 2 dealerships with the same car I want in the same city. Could take all day, but I'd be willing to keep going back and forth. Both have had the cars on the lot and for sale since early January!

 

nice

 

Bingo...Im in the same boat. Have a 2007 TSX,LOVE IT,but with a fleet of road and mountain bikes and a 2 year old rug rat and her stuff to haul around, I need more room. Im strong on the TL, but Im not keen on buying a luxury sedan and first thing I do is slapping a bike rack on the roof. Ive done it on the TSX, but it kinda defeats the purpose of a luxury car, imo. Enter the RDX. Im thinking its got the luxury, the sporty handling (to a point) and the cargo capacity to throw my junk in the back, or on a hitch mount bike rack that wont look out of place.

Ive SWORE Id never own an SUV....just like the feel and sportiness of a car like the TL or TSX too much. I dont like driving trucks. But Im thinking the RDX may be a good compromise & mix of utility/luxury/sportiness.

Is that a correct assumption?

 

AND "STYLIN'"...regarding the bikes....if I get the RDX, my "plan" is to throw the single bike and bag in the back for those single weekend or after work rides rides and getting the hitch rack and store it in the garage, taking it out only for use when youre piling a few of your riding buds into the car along with their bikes and going somewhere to ride. Make sense?

 

IMHO I would mostly agree with your assumption. Maybe minus the luxury, just a little. Since at this price level, you get what you pay for. If you want "nice leather, etc" you will pay 5 to 10 k more.

As far as sportiness; I had an '07 TSX. (for 3 months, didn't like it coming from a V-6) The RDX handles far better. In corners especially. You do have to get used to the 'sweet spot' of the turbo when accelerating. Also had '03 TL-S and CL-S. RDX out handles both. Personally,I don't see the RDX as a 'truck'. Not the way it drives anyway. Once you get in and start driving it is definitely not a truck.

My son's snowboarding convinced me it was time for something larger. Utility, as you have described should be fine. We put 4 in car with part of seat folded down, 2 snowboards and stuff. No problem. (Didn't like roof rack, I'm too short to reach anyway. Need to be taller than 5'7")

Hope this helps

 

I undertsand that at the RDX (and TSX) price point, its "entry level" luxury.

Could I ask...whats AVERAGE fuel economy on the RDX, as told my your computer? On my TSX, my average is around 24.

 

go to fuelly.com and select the RDX and you can see....I have averaged 19-20mpg in over two years of ownership.

 

Dude, don't do it. I did the same thing as what you are thinking of doing. I sold the S and gave my TSX to my brother and bought the RDX thinking it will be satisfying. As much as I love the handling on the RDX. It's not the same. It will never be the same. Tossing a 4000lbs gorilla around is just not the same as a 2800lbs super model. Sure the utility aspect of the RDX is nice. You will miss the S2000 dearly when it's not snowing for the 9+ months of the year. If you want utility, sell the TSX and get a Honda FiT or some beater that can take the winter and can carry crap load of stuff without worrying about putting scratches on the nice interior.

 

DO IT! As a proud new owner, I'm loving the sporty ride and am thankful for the extra cargo space - as is my 70lb weimarainer, who has enough room to move around in the back with the rear seats up.

Give us an update w/pix when you've picked up your White Tech!