LuxuriousRuski

Three both wonderful cars.. infact, when I got my driver license last oct I was thinking which car I should get while trying to stand at a 30-35 range. I was leaning for towards the 325i but everyone has it becuase of its nice style, and looks but everyone had it =\. Next I was leaning towards the C230, because it was a Mercedes...and as we all know a Mercedes is a MERCEDES lol, very classy to have.. However while doing my research for 5 months for what car for to get, I made the best possible decision a 2005 Acura TSX w/ Navi. Personally, I dont think these cars can compare because of the many options the TSX offers compared to those others.
What do you all think about this? I know I made a good decision... I hope lol

TSXReefer

I think your one Smart Dude. The 325 is a rip and not as well equiped and smaller inside. The C series MBs are jokes. I cannot remember any Auto Mag comparison test in which the C class did well.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Glad to hear you made the smart choice.

Welcome and congrats

93Kewl

Hmm...16 years old, not much driving experince, maybe you should forget the "junk" and get yourself a Ferrari. Why not?

Whiskers

should have got the MB.

Saintor

It is not that black and white. My 325i 2005 monthly payment is *LESS * than a TSX on a 39mo lease at 3.5% and with unsane residual. And it has 6 cyl. and most important equipment to me and more (sunroof, 17", Xenon, auto-climate, ESP, electrical seat w/memory, included maintenance).

Chompin

Geeeesh.....not even driving a year yet and he's already getting a car that costs 30k. Sometimes I feel like the ship left without me........................

Sclass88

You and I are similar.. 16 and have a TSX for the first car.. I never even considered the 3 series or C-Class.. First, the BMW is a car that is way overpriced. For a comparibly equipped 3 series, you would have spent about 5-7K more.. As for the Benz, its more of a female car and very overpriced, even more than the 3 series. Both cars are beautiful but are simply a status symbol. Believe me, you made the best decision and I'm sure that most TSX owners will agree with me.

vishnus11

I have come to 3 conclusions:

1. You are pretty smart considering that u got a TSX and didnt get the other two because of the "name" like most would.
2. U one of those self made millionaire kids who started his own website.
3. Your a single child and your parents LOVE u.

I consider myself lucky to have a car, let alone a 30k one. Take good care of your new ride.

LuxuriousRuski

Replys to your conclusions:

-> 1. Thank you lol
-> 2. Just own a business on ebay, not really a website junkie
-> 3. Yes, I am a single child and my parents do love me lol

vishnus11

props to you man. You prolly came up with a lot of the $$$ for the TSX.

majin ssj eric

I love my TSX for sure but I don't get the Bimmer bashers on this site. The E46 is a gorgeous car and is well worth the money if you ask me. It may not be the bargain the TSX is but what is? If you haven't driven a new 3 series you should check it out before writing it off as overpriced. There is a reason BMW can get away with that asking price. It's a BMW.

Dan Martin

Fixed that quote for you.


Actually I don't have anything against BMWs, infact I have gone through their own performance driving schools and really pushed them to the limits. The E46 handles really well and truely defines the term "sports sedan".
The problem is they are insanely overpriced when you compare them to their competition. In Canada a 320i with sport package and HIDs is $6000 more than the TSX and a TSX will smoke it all day long. The 325i is the real competitor but it's even more expensive.

So when you're asked to spend that big of a premium you have to justify it somehow. To me, RWD was just not worth that much. Had there been a 2K split between the 325 and the TSX, I would probably have been driving one.

Everytime I get behind the wheel of my car I'm convinced that I made the right choice.


Here's a shot of me putting an M3 through it's paces:

Tsx536

Cool pic! Watch those cones though Dan...
Where is that at?

sleeper

damn, i was lucky my dad didn't smack me upside the head at 16.

good choice. it's a quality car and a safe one as well. i suggest being somewhat cautious with it; it's really easy to get careless/reckless with it, no matter how old you are or how many years you've been driving.

gilboman

depends what you want..if you want an appliance with lots of features for cheap, the TSX is the clear choice

but when you start caring about driving experience, quality, service, its not so clear.

sure the TSX is cheaper in terms of features vs others..but you cant compare it that way, you can compare TSX has HID's while bimmers/MB is option, but at the sametime the bimmer has 50/50 weight distribution, better brakes, better handling, RWD etc... all of which is not even avilable on the TSX.

for most, a TSX will suffice since majority just treat their car as an appliance anyways.

Whiskers

My TSX makes great toast.

sauceman

Holy resurrections batman!

93Kewl, I just noticed hadn't seen you in over a year. Still have teh 9-3, or has it stopped starting since last year?

Gilbo, when you start caring about:

Driving experience: TSX is just as good as a bimmer on the streets, because the difference brought on by a 50-50 weight distribution, as well as RWD will be noticed only at the very limits of the car. 99% of the people don't know how to exploit those limits to their advantage, and I would even dare to say you probably wouldn't yourself you RWD snob!

Quality: I'm sorry dude, but BMW and MB bows down to Acura on this one. You should know better.

Service: I know BMW may be a tad better on this one. I don't that MB offers such a good service. I shall discover this fall.

Belzebutt

I picked the TSX partly for the quality. Even the BMW sales guy told me it would be an unreliable car. I test-drove the 330i and it was hard for me to feel a difference, and financially it only made sense to get a TSX.

virtualbong

Mercedes C230 Kompressor - Kinda non masculine don't ya think? And its pretty ugly. I don't care that its a Mercedes, I'm looking for the entire package.

BMW 325i - LOWEST OF THE LOW. Yes its probably nice inside and out, and it handles well, but I ain't going to give out money for the name

Acura TSX - LUXURY, QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY

ric

Frankly, I think that, at times, BMW's are more "car" than the driver can handle...... sort of an artificial cockyness parallel to SUV-itis...............Dealership service depends entirely on how saturated the market is, how busy the dealers are - here in Philly, my partner with his new BMW gets lousy service - expensive (to be expected) and rude (not to be expected) and slow (not to be tolerated). I have two dealerships within seven miles, both eager to provide service. The one I go to on the Main Line does everything but give me a foot massage...............

dom

Post of the Year

dom

Dan, you knocked all the cones down you NooB

iamhomin

Let's give fair comparisons vitualbong.

C230: Decent exterior, great interior quality although it lacks in design, RWD, and a bit over priced. I give this car, 2.5 out of 5 for its money.

325i: Great design both inside and out, great handling, great car to drive, but can be pricey if options are added.

TSX: Decent exterior, great interior design although I'm not sure about the quality, best bang for its cash.

Luxury: TSX wins for its value.
Quality: BMW.
Performance: Straightline, the TSX. On curves, the BMW.
Reliability: Don't know on this one...

virtualbong

Sorry, I should of said that the overall purchase is hands down TSX. When I said, Luxury, Quality, Performance and Reliability, I was saying that it had all of this and in some aspects exceeds the competitors. I don't even know how you can compare the TSX with a 230? They're two different styles of cars. And can I mention again how fugly that thing is , LOL. To each his own I guess.

Dan Martin

http://www.bmw.ca/drivertraining/dt_fs.asp?lang=en

That shot is at an old airport in the northeast end of Toronto.

ianS

Oh man another TSX vs BMW thread! ok, it is time for a guy that own both TSX and E46 to bash the BMW again on this board. My TSX not only make great toast and can do laundry too but BMW can only drive to get toast and laundry but it will always give me a malfunction or engine service light or VANOS burn out or broken control arm or windows not open or sunroof of the track or cannot shift to 3rd & 4th gear, or ..... when I try to drive it.

Dan Martin

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

@ ianS

Whiskers

I voted yes to ban him.......

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I should have voted to ban him too...

I guess hindsight is always 20/20...

Regardless, I wonder how much actual performance driving experience that troll has anyway. I know plenty of pro-am racers who drive RWD race cars who drive FWD cars as their daily drivers. I don't ever heard them bitching about FWD driving characteristics being inadequate...

02-Type-S

I had this dilema before buying the Accord. I've always fancied a Merc but when I did the research it didn't quite add up somehow. Having come from a Civic Type-R I wanted something that handled but unless you get the Avantgarde spec (which is ultra expensive with all the AMG trimmings) then you can forget it. Merc don't know how to build manual gearboxes either so unless you work as a railway signalman the long sloppy throw ain't going to excite.

As for Beemers I love the cars but unfortunately here in the UK they only get driven by dicks. Not sure what Beemer drivers are like on your side of the pond but it's mandatory here when you buy one to cut everyone up, sit on everyones backside, lose all form of driving ettiquette and to stop using your indicators

So the Accord it was. Great dynamics, reliable, loads of toys, good service and it didn't cost the earth either. Lovely

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

On this side of the pond, the majority of Beemer drivers aren't any better...

02-Type-S

I thought it was just a pompus Brit thing but clearly no.

I blame the Germans myself though. Not content with bringing out the worst in the worlds drivers they have to go and drop the cursed Mini on us too

Saintor

Naaaah. Straighline, BMW as well.

dom

Between a 325 it should be a driver's race. I havn't seen times for a 325 below the 15's or less than 7 sec to 60 which is right where the TSX is.

Dan Martin

The last review I read had the 325i at 7.5 sec to 60 and the TSX at 7.2 so I'd say it's a drivers race.

sauceman

Indeed, I don't fear a 325 a single bit. In fact, it's part of my "shopping list" when I go drag racing on summer friday nights. Haven''t been able to race one yet though..

Actually saintor, we should meet up in Sanair this spring or summer. I'd love to race you.

Saintor

Do you have the C&D January 2001 comparo test? It says; 7.0s. A tad optimistic, but the 325 i feels quicker than the TSX. I'd say that it is about the same as a MAzda6 V6.

03CoupeV6

From Motor Trend comparison test:

Acura TSX vs. Saab 9-3 Arc vs. Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sedan.