jiggaman

fo shizzle my nizzle. keep that shit gangsta

phile

And you can't directly compare the satellite vs. cable thing against FM vs. XM because, unless you plan to be in your car for a long time. FM is free and, believe it or not, can be tolerated. You have to pay for XM and it'll only benefit someone who has a long commute...and most of us don't. And even if I did I wouldn't pay for XM - I'd burn my own CD's and play what I want over and over, like I've always done.

Now if XM were free, that's a different matter.

z-tec

Sorry fellas, have to disagree, I wasn't a believer in XM either, but I just bought it for my wife's CR-V and it is freakin amazing. The selection, the variety, the sound quality...and I never realized how totally annoying commercials and lame-ass DJ's were to me until I could go with out them...

FM does not compare. I'd say once you get it you can't go without. Anyone else feel its hard to get in a car without it once you have it??

scheißterhöffer

I'm not sure what to think of XM. I don't have it, I don't drive long distances much, and I can put ~7 hours of custom burned CDs into the changer that will have only music of my liking that will not be running out anytime soon. That part of me says what the hell do I need XM for? But I look at other things through history, it's just a matter of time before it becomes a "necessity". Look at the shit people pay for that they don't need. My cable and internet alone is like $100 a month and I really don't need any of that, the ~$10 a month for XM would be an afterthought if I really felt it was worthwhile. People will pay $3-4 dollars for one cup of coffee, $6-8 for a mixed drink, I'm pretty sure they'll pay $10 a month for XM. I just won't be doing it, not for awhile anyway.

I think alot of people think they won't but that three month free trial gets them hooked. A major strategy is to get a big name on XM, talk radio-wise. Be it Howard Stern or a more political voice, I think that is what hooks people. Look at what HBO did. Ten years ago, you've got HBO, what is the hook? They show movies, and there's any number of premium channels that show movies. What's keeping me from switching to one of the other movie channels? Today, why do people get HBO? Sopranos. Sex and the City. Curb Your Enthusiasm. This is how they tie people to specifically HBO. I can get Showtime or Cinemax or The Movie Channel to see movies, but if I want to see Sopranos, I have to get HBO. Same thing with satellite radio I think. I can listen to a specific music genre on any number of FM stations or my own CDs, but if I want to listen to Howard Stern or whoever and he is only available on satellite, I've got no other option.

I do agree though that one of the two will fold or be bought by the other, but I think there is the market to support one.

bgillette

we dont want the 210hp engine because its puts out way less TQ!!!

GA_TSX

XM may cost $ but it does compete against FM. If you listen to FM, the number of genres is shrinking everyday. With XM, the choice is huge and growing. Plus you get talk that you will not find on AM or FM and for some cities you get 24 hour traffic and weather.

When you have to take a long trip, XM really shines. I listen to jazz and between Atlanta and Detroit, there is only one jazz station. I get the music I want to listen to but when I am in the mood, I can switch to CNN, The Weather Channel, ESPN, or America Left. None of which you will find when you are traveling in rural Kentucky. I love my iPod but with XM I get variety.

STL

I don't think anyone is arguing that. We just had a problem with the off-base comparison you tried to make to what's happened with TV.

GA_TSX

I disagree my comparison to cable vs. dish and FM vs. XM/Sirius is off base. XM is taking listeners away from AM/FM just like dish is taking viewers away from cable. Right now the owners of radio stations are trying to prevent XM from broadcasting local traffic and weather. They are running scared because they saw what happened to cable especially once dish could carry local channels. Cost does not invalidate my comparison., it just one small part of the whole picture.

STL

The precise reason why 90+% of the people first switched from cable to dish was because the dish cost less! If dish would have been more, very few if any people would have bothered to make the switch. So like I said, your comparison just isn't a very good one.

GA_TSX

Dish took off because for five reasons. 1) Federal law prohibited rules that prevented the installation of dishes at homes and apartments. 2) Choice of programming. 3) Increases in cable fees. 4) Local stations via dish. 5) Poor customer service and poor quality of service by cable providers. And in Atlanta, reason number 5 is why a HUGE majority of the people switched. Cost had very little to do with it.

Radio station owners see the same thing happening with radio that happened to cable and are trying to prevent any local specific broadcasts by XM. When people switch to XM that costs them ad revenues. And as local specific broadcasts are added, there will be more reason to switch to XM so you get the choice in programming and commercial free music channels.

biker

I think the cable/dish analogy is bad for a couple of reasons. With XM you're going from 0 cost to something. Also, this is for your car - which means it only applies to a limited portion of the driving public.
The same issue applies to BT.
MP3 playback on the other hand would be a marketing advantage.

JDubble97

I think the comparison has valid points. When I'm in my car I listen to CDs or talk radio. With XM, you get way more talk radio options than with FM. News, sports talk, politics, etc., comes in clear no matter where you are. I'm all about options and choices, the more the better. XM is mon

I would be willing to pay extra for Direct TV over cable for the simple fact that Direct TV and the NFL have an exclusive agreement. With Direct TV, you can get the NFL ticket and see any game you like. Cable does not offer this, so you're stuck with the only games the cable service in your home market decides to show (usually only 2-3 games any given sunday). 2-3 choices vs. 13 or 14....I'll take the latter. In a similar fashion, your choices on FM are quite limited when compared to XM.

bigwilliestyle

I hear ya'. I'd definitely take Direct TV for the sole reason of NFL coverage, if I didn't save significant money bundling my phone and internet into the cable package.

GA_TSX

Actually you are not limited to XM or Sirius to your car. You can buy stands that allow you to use some receivers at home. Some receivers offer boom boxes as options. If you want, you can listen to XM just about anywhere. The Delphi Roady 2 and SkyFi can be taken just about anywhere. MP3 playback in the CD Changer would also be nice, but in a couple years, you will find XM or Sirius standard on just about every car sold. People will expect it on their cars just like they do with CD's now.

Bluetooth may get that way also as people get tired of drivers paying more attention to their phone than the road. You will see more laws passed allowing only handsfree operation of cell phones in cars. Bluetooth the best answer to handsfree operation of cell phones.

smgfan

Umm reason number 5 is wrong. I work at a cable company and 50% of our homes are HOA's or apartments that do not allow dishes to be put up. Maybe what you mean is state law, but not federal.

GA_TSX

It became federal law in 1996. Rules can be placed on how and where they are installed but can not prohibit installation. Also the law states the maximum size of the dish where installation cannot be prohibited. This was done to provide competition for the cable industry.

The apartment where I live says you cannot do any drilling and the dish must be within the boundary of your apartment. They also require a $100 security deposit. So you see many of the balconies with a South-Southwest view with a dish in my apt. complex. For apartments, you just have to find an apartment with a dish friendly view. Apartments that do not have a dish friendly view are out of luck.

nanda68

xm radio for sure is coming in 05 models

STL

I still disagree. Especially early on, cost have EVERYTHING to do with it -- and it still a major factor for many now. I admit some probably switched because of poor customer service, but those numbers are small compared to the number that switched because they could get MORE/BETTER programming for LESS money. I don't think anyone has switched from cable to dish only because dish now offers local channels; cable has offered them all along (so there must be another underlying factor). I also don't think anyone has switched soley because the can now put up a dish -- again that wouldn't be the real reason driving switch. Both dish and XM offer more programming choices, but dish does it for less then cable whereas with XM it costs more because FM is free. Maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one!

Colin

Hot off the presses, official word from Chicago (dealer show) on the changes to the TSX:

XM Radio, Power Passenger Seat, Heated Mirrors, Illuminated Steering
Wheel Switches, Remote Control Beep (Like TL).

It looks like most of the guesses were right. I only wish they could shave 200lbs off the car and the power passenger seat won't help lower the weight!

Dan Martin

Nice work Colin!

JDubble97

I personally think it comes down to choices and options. XM gives you way more programming choices, especially if you listen to talk radio. It's not like you can go to store and purchase those programs like you would a CD. It's live and different everyday. For only $10 per month, I think the expanded programming selection iXM offers is definitely worth it.

Colin

He He, sorry to interrupt your 'thread drift" discussion....

ClutchPerformer

This.... is very disappointing.

Thanks a lot Honda

fdl

Ya, the power pass seat will probably mean a higher curb weight, but maybe only 10 pounds? (i have no idea what those electric motors weigh).

Whats this remote control beep?

fdl

WHy are you disappointed? They basically didnt change anything. (or maybe thats what you meant?)

mg7726

XM radio, heated mirrors, illuminated steering...these are parts i can get off parts dept right? right?

someone says it's so. say it's so.

edit: thanks Colin

jlukja

Whaaaa ... ? The 6MT is still available.

JeffS

Thanks a lot Colin! Acura read my mind on this one. Any color changes for the US market? Any other interesting Acura stuff from the dealer show?

bigwilliestyle

Awesome!!! Definitely getting the 2005 model. Need to look into ordering soon.

Any word on pricing increases?

noman143

No HP gains?
Oh well, should wait for '06 anyways.

Dan Martin

Screw 2006, the 2010 will likely have 300+ hp and hover jets.

einsatz

darn... heated side mirrors are something I miss from my CL. Will the 05 come with the tilt-down on reverse pass. side mirror? If so, a little retrofit could be in order... it can't be too hard to wire that thing into the reverse light wire
I can do without the pass. side auto seat, but heated mirrors I'm gonna miss during winter.

fdl

OK , well judging by others reactions I guess am in the minority here, but I'm not really moved by these changes. XM could be added after market, heated mirrors..well I already have those in my 04 and they arent that useful anyways, power pass seat ...couldnt care less. I'm not sure what that the remote beep thing is but if it replaces the horn noise for the alarm, well that would be nice.

Now I wasnt expecting power increases of course, but EBD brakes would have been nice. I would take one touch moonroof over all of those options as well.

bigwilliestyle

Yeah, but, being only the 2nd model year, no changes should have been expected.

The fact that they did make changes, albeit relatively minor, to me is a good thing since it brings the car more in line with their entire lineup.

jcg878

These are intelligent changes IMO. If they only move the location of the moonroof control, this would eliminate virtually all of my TSX-related annoyances!

Though a lot of members complain about the power passenger seat "adding needless weight", I don't get it. What class of car were you guys shopping for in the first place?? TSX= very good all-around performance with some luxury, not a sports car IMO.

STL

It's not like the TSX has a lot of power so adding weight means decreasing performance. Something as (relatively) weighty as a passenger power seat is only going to magnify one of the car's biggest weak points. Therefore I do consider it needless weight. If Acura really wanted to add some luxury they should have added memory setting for the driver's seat -- and for only a couple ounces. I've seen more people asking for this feature than the passenger power seat. I guess it just goes to show you Acura doesn't listen.

kenji4861

Color Additions?

xizor

So can we put the 2005 illuminated switches into our 2004? That's one of my annoyances, even though I can do it by feel now.

schalliol

Of course I'd love to hack items into my 04. Just give me the rain sensing wipers from the Australian model, the power rear sunshade from the Japanese, and the Canadian options.....

ClutchPerformer

I want heated mirrors. It doesn't bother you because you have them. I just think it's a dumb move on Honda's part to make the '04 US car the ONLY one in the world without this feature. I've been cheated.
At least they got that right.