What couple new colors?


Sorry if I missed the post about the color

 

I think the colors were just the US colors now being available in Canada.

 

the only thing out of any of those I actually want is the heated mirrors (it was obvious they were going to be added for '05) The rest they can keep. I would never use xm radio, power seats are over rated and the other two I'm ok without.

 

Wow, "worthless marketing research department"? I think some of you are being way too hard on Acura's market research. The fact that the TSX exists at all, and Acura's clever approach of offering cars loaded with features with few extra-cost options, all at a value-packed price is the result of superb marketing research.

Have any of you making these complaints ever been responsible for managing a product of any kind? Even though the products I create are software instead of hardware, there are still huge lead times involved. It's not like someone at Acura could just read this board even six months ago and say, "wow, lemme just slip in a few updates to our planned new features list!" Realistically, I bet they were planning most of the '05 enhancements very early in the '04 calendar year, if not in '03. If any of you have worked as automotive product planners, correct me if I'm wrong. But my impression is that the product planning lead times for auto manufacturers are very long.

Also, a comment about the concept that Acura is just nuts for not using this web forum for its market research: even though this board is a GREAT resource, it's not representative of the average buyer. For example, for most married couples making a car purchase, the woman is a very key factor even if the man will be the primary driver of the car. That's why market research typically focuses on women when it comes to things like color selection (and btw, to reinforce my "long lead time" comments above, I once heard a PPG rep saying that they typically pitched new colors to car companies 2-3 years before they hit the streets). It could be that it's that same real market research that indicated that a power passenger seat was an important feature to add to help drive sales.

True market research involves a lot more than just reading enthusiast web sites. For example, out in the 'real world' of the average buyer, I bet not one TSX buyer in 100 would object to a power passenger seat due to weight reasons, even though that's been cited often in this thread. S2000 buyers and NSX buyers, sure, but not TSX buyers.

Now, all that said, I admit I'm a noob to the Acura scene. Perhaps you all know about market research lapses on Acura's part that I'm ignorant of.

 

Great post acoga!

 

i wouldnt buy a 05 just cause of the daytime running lights, reminds of a 5 series...ugly

 

drls = safe = good

Every AM on my way to work, I drive this stretch of Rt 70 West right at the time that the sun is perfectly positioned behind me, the glaring rays obscuring my view of all the other cars without DRLs. I turn my lights on.

 

I admit I may have been a little too hard on them. I guess got caught up in the moment.

I have worked in product development (albeit not in the automotive industry) and I do understand long lead times. It is true in many cases, but things like auto-up/down on all the windows is something that is already available on other cars in Acura's line so the part supply is already setup. Even the memory seat functionality should have a fairly short lead time since Acura already does it in a couple other cars. I am beginning to think Acura is purposely omitting these features to separate their cars. If true, that's just plain stupid.

I never intended to imply that the internet should be the only source, but it should definitely be one source. If taken with a grain of salt (knowing most of us are male and into performance) the could still reap a lot of good information from us (very easily too).

 

~ XM
~ power passenger seat
~ heated mirrors
~ illuminated steering wheel controls
~ remote control beep like TL
~ Milano Red

 

i dunno wut's everybody beefin about. It's ONLY the 2nd model year run for the TSX. and for the incoming additions/changes, that's pretty considerate of Acura to add those features so early into the car's life cycle. Sadly i too would wish there were mem seat buttons...u can easily add them for $4000 more towards a TL. and of course, i wish the car came out with more hp or torque too. Can't satisfy everyone but, for 2005, not bad.

I remember wen the 99 model Accords came out, the only changes were new cloth designs and folding side mirrors.

"Good things will come to those who wait" right? Well just wait on for 06 or 07 and most of ur wishes may come true. For me, i think im ready to go for the 05 models...

 

If I was shopping now I'd want the the '05 to come with goodies too.

But frankly, I kinda hope the new models in the next few years don't come with ANY new features that I can't add to my '04 for less than $20.

 

In the summer of 2003, when I realized that the Canadian TSX was not available in Artic Blue Pearl, I did just that.

I wrote (not e-mailed) "Dear Honda-Acura" that it was very disapointing to see the Artic Blue Pearl TSX dangled in major US car magazines and then not have this color available in Canada. I received a surprisingly thoughtful and complete reply.

So I am glad that ABP is available for 2005. I would not have considered buying one if that color was not available.

An Acura sales manager I recently talked to told me I am not the only one who was turned off by the unavailability of ABP in Canada for 2004.

At best, writing to Acura can help them decide. At worse, it is nice therapy!

 

My looooong wait from Dec '02 is almost over!!

 

That's what I'm talking about.

Rep points for you.

 

Yeah....

2004: There are heated mirrors on every Euro Accord/TSX except those sold in the US.
2005: All cars have heated mirrors.

Doesn't that sound like the correction of a mistake to you?

 

Wow, I stand corrected!

 

Some Honda type will probably tell you that they planned to do it all along but it took them until the next MY to get it implemented.

 

I suspect Acura initially held back that feature specifically so they could have it as something to add in 2005. I am also beginning to suspect that Acura is intentionally omitting auto open/close in the windows and sunroof as well as memory seats on the TSX to help differitiate it from their higher models. I will admit that I thought about upgrading to the TL to get the memory seats, more room, and more power -- but driving a TL got rid of that thought.

 

any idea bout change in price????

 

The MSRP might increase a bit the real story will be the street price. That's usually different than the MSRP change.

 

The point is that it was ALREADY IMPLEMENTED everywhere else in the world.

 

Which reinforces my suspicions that they did ommited this feature on purpose and always fully intented to release it on the 2005 models.

 

That's one way to look at it. Still....

 

Thats what I think.

 

I'm sure that some things are intentionally left of the cars only to be added later in the product cycle. The need to introduce "something" each model year without significantly increasing costs. Typical Honda/Acura cycles: Year 1 = New car, Year 2 = small changes (sometimes to correct unexpected errors, Year 3 = Minor cosmetic changes, bumbers, lights etc., Year 4 = Special edition, new colors, wheels etc. Some cars with longer productions spans the changes are more spread out (example S2000).

Having said that, I think there is a new philosophy brewing. The MDX seems to exhibit more changes from year to year than I've ever seen. Year 1 = New MDX, Year 2 = New engine at 260 hp, Year 3 = Side curtain and 265 hp, bumbers, lights etc. Next year, BlueTooth, XM and a few other things.

 

Everyone always wants more more more. If companies are to deliver on that then they have to leave some things out each year in order to give them back the next year.

 

I think now that leasing is much more common and many people turn over there cars quickly, manufacturers are trying to entice them with more changes year to year.

 

Milano Red already exists.

 

Has anyone else confirmed this? It won't affect my purchase decision, but this is a departure from existing Honda/Acura practice as far as I know. Also, I just talked to my local dealer rep, and she confirmed from her contact at the Chicaco show all the changes mentioned in this thread, except that she hadn't heard about DRL.

 

DRLs would make sense in Honda's newly announced intention to get on the safety bandwagon.

 

ya i heard it from the sales rep at a dealer that has a tsx

 

 

Exactly. I just hate that I have to be the "victim" of that error. That's all.

 

I just got an email from the same rep. And she was surprised to find out the the entire Acura lineup is moving to having DRL. She asked me if my source worked at Acura. I told her my secret weapon was acura-tsx.com.

 

In today's world of Internet forums and speed of light info exchange a salesperson who doesn't browse has less current info than an average A-TSX member.

 

Which would be 99.99999999999999% of all sales people.

 

I seem to remember a few Honda/Acura related folks on this site.

 

They are the 0.00000000000001% of that statistic.

 

I love it salepeople bashing....yet again

 

Nothing personal Justin, just talking from personal experience.

Example A: The Honda salesman that told me the Accord coupe was AWD.
Example B: The Acura salesman that didn't know the TSX was available in Canada yet when he had one on his lot in PDI.