trancetheory

Hi All! First time posting here. Let me first start off with: I know nothing about cars. My first car was a hand me down from my family, a 1998 Nissan Sentra. It was a great car, suited very well for my needs, until a drunk driver hit me last week. I've been in search of a replacement car ever since.

I found a 2004 Acura TSX, 107K miles, recently on craigslist. I carfaxed it and all and found it to be clean. Test drove it yesterday and seemed pleased with it. Here are my questions, because honestly I am looking for as much guidance as possible (I really dont know anything).

Assuming I purchase the car...

1. How often should I get the oil changed? Does the Acura use a more expensive engine oil than regular cars since it is labeled as an entry level lux?

2. Nothing has been replaced in the engine, it's all still OEM. Are there things in there that I should be weary of breaking? I know only about timing belts and was told that the TSX has a timing chain so I'm ok there.

3. What type of gas does the Acura take in? I drove a Nissan so I've always used regular. Is it okay to use regular on the Acura?

4. My dad has always done maintenance on the Sentra, but now this new car is going to be my responsibility and I want to take care of it properly. Are there any checks I should do on the Acura on a monthly basis?

Thanks guys for any advice! I'm pretty excited about this car but I havent committed on getting it yet, I just want to make to know all the details before giving the ok.

Thank you!
Trancetheory

nj2pa2nc

the 04 seems to have the most problems since it was the first model year.
carfax is not that reliable-I have all the service done on my 06 tsx by a acura dealer. They do not share their information so nothing shows up on carfax. If you were to rely on that you would think I never had the car serviced. I suggest you have a trusted mechanic check it out. I have the maintenance book filled out and stamped showing what service was done. I personally use regular gas without problems-still get excellent gas mileage and it has more than enough power. My tsx has almost 120,000 problem free miles.

curls

Any 2004's now, in 2011, should have had most or all problems/bugs show up by now. I have a 2004 and with the exception of an engine replacement under warranty, it's been relatively problem-free and performs extremely well, even for a nearly-8-year-old car.
Depending on the price vs others in your area, you might be wise to look at a 2005 to avoid any potential first model-year problems. Or get a 2006 for some cosmetic updates (I didn't like 'em but that's just me), and a more powerful engine (a few extra HP due to better internals).

Number one rule for ALL used car purchases: Have it inspected thoroughly by a competent, trusted mechanic of YOUR choosing. Not the sellers' buddy, not a dealership who would rather sell you one of their used cars. A private mechanic who knows Japanese cars, preferrably Honda/Acura products, and who can take a few hours to really look over the car inside and out and give you an honest opinion.

With that opinion, find out what it'll take to get the car up to snuff, and make an offer on it to the seller accordingly.

curls

And to answer your questions directly:

1. There's a maintenance-minder in the 2004's that flashes "Maintenance Required" when it's required. Oil and filter changes each time, and other maintenance is in the owners' manual. It's usually 16,000km (10K miles), but in Canada it's 8000km / 5K miles -- I'd follow suit if you are in the northern climate states.

2. If anything, the timing chain tensioner might be due for preventative replacement, but it's not technically necessary as per Acura. It prevents timing chain stretch from causing the chain to skip and messing up the timing (a bad thing!).

3. It takes premium. Honestly, if premium gas is going to kill your budget, then maybe a TSX isn't for you. That isn't to say that regular gas is bad, but it should be noted that the engineers spec'd premium 91-octane for a reason, and if you put in regular, you are ignoring their recommendation and causing the engine to retard timing, lowering your power/torque, and now the car isn't as powerful as you paid for in the first place.

4. Tire pressures, fluid levels (oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, washer fluid, and coolant). Only the washer fluid should ever need regular replacement -- the rest of them are to be done at scheduled maintenance intervals (see the owners' manual).

I'll re-iterate my previous post though -- get a qualified, competent, trusted mechanic to look at the car for an hour or two, before buying it, if you like what you see in the car. His opinions can only do two things: Reinforce your decision to purchase, or save you a lot of $$ if you buy a money-pit without his advice!

aedavis

I recently bought a 2004 TSX, with 160K miles. I got it for a good price, from the original owner, who's a good friend. Here's what I had to rework on mine, and judging by what I find in the forums, these are common issues:

1. Center stack interior lights don't work. Circuit board fries in radio and takes out the lights. I haven't fixed this yet, because I haven't located a replacement circuit board and frankly, it doesn't bother me that much.

2. Door lock actuators fail. $20 part, 2-3 hours work to replace. Check if key fob locks/unlocks all doors to see if you have a problem.

Another common issue with 04s is that the AC compressor dies. Mine is still fine, but it won't surprise me if it goes belly up.

Regarding fuel, the original owner always used regular unleaded. I did for the first tank, and then switched to premium on a road trip to Vegas. I did not see a fuel economy difference between the two grades, but I did notice a power increase with the premium gas. It isn't drastic, but it's there and I will now run only premium in the TSX.

I was looking for a 2005, but I got a really good deal on this 04 and since I knew the original owner, I knew he took good care of it and had the dealer do all the servicing. If I didn't have a history with the original owner, I probably would avoid most of these problem areas by getting a 2005 or newer.

Obligatory picture:



Allan

nj2pa2nc

looks good in the picture