Hey all, I just picked up a 2005 TSX with 75k on the odometer for $5k. This brings me full circle back to my first car, which was a '97 2.2 CL. It will be my primary commuter as my M3 project car sits in the garage. A thirsty V8 and 6 speed manual transmission don't go well together on very congested highways.

So, what are some things I should look into for this car? What are some beginning signs of common issues? What do you love/hate about yours? What are the most popular modifications to do? I plan on changing out all fluids to start. Then have the suspension fully checked and aligned if necessary. The only mod I'm considering at this point are some lowering springs to tame some body roll and improve handling. Any recommendations for those? Any contributions would be appreciated as I start looking through the forums here again to get up to speed. Glad to be back!

 

Welcome back!

Pics of the M3...?

 

Well, here is my new TSX. I haven't owned a red car until now but have always wanted one.



And here is the M3 I don't have many pictures of it yet because I'm not happy with the paint condition. Needs a full correction, then ceramic coat. It's Jerez Black. Shows black at night, midnight blue during the day, and under light has a purple hue as seen.

 

perhaps a better shot of the m3? cant see it in it's cramped up spot.

 

I have found there are common issues through research and checking out tsx's before buying one.

The most common issues I found were stereo/hvac backlight failure, glove box not opening, passenger side door lock actuator failure, rear endlinks, axle(s) due to inner joint play that causes annoying vibration, starter failure, rear brakes/rotors, headlight hazing and ps line (recall.) They do have a timing chain which can obviously stretch if ran low on oil, and also cause vtc issues as well since it relies on proper oil pressure to operate smoothly.

Drivetrains are solid in these cars given they are properly maintained and not beat to shit daily. There is also the option of a hondata re flash to maximize I/h/e if you decide to go that route. It will also lower the vtec engagement point.

As for the axle(s) getting a cardone tier replacement won't remedy the issue of the inner joint play. I tried and I still have the vibration- Albeit it is less frequent compared to before. The only options are to buy an oem axle or purchase and inner joint kit from heel toe to install on your current oem axle. The kit won't work on an aftermarket axle.

Even given these issues I still find these are great cars overall and can last for years to come.

 

CL9oem, thanks for the pointers. So far I don't have any of those issues, except possibly the vibration. I had a very similar symptom on a 330i that I never figured out. I may have noticed it during light acceleration around a turn. More to come as I investigate and try to recreate it.

I do however have a different problem. Somehow I failed to notice that the car pulls left. Common sense said get an alignment. So, I did.




But it did nothing whatsoever. It still pulls left just as bad. Low or high speed, doesn't matter. One possible discussed cause is the tires, which are some real cheap-o's. I'm going to rotate the fronts with rears and see what happens. I also most likely have a balancing issue, deduced from a bit of shakiness at highway speeds, so that should become more or less apparent with this test.

justnspace, I'll hook it up when I take it out of the garage next

 

Bit of an update. The junk tires and need for a balance gave me an excuse to pick up some General G-Max RS's. I went with 225's for a hair bit additional width. Got them on today and the left pulling has fully ceased along with shaking at highway speeds. In addition they gave the car much more steering confidence. I noticed the difference immediately. I'll chalk that up as a win.

On the other hand, I had them check out the basics since the car was already on the lift. Other than the usual air filter, wiper blades, and small oil leak (I have a valve cover gasket already on hand), I was told the upper and lower control arms and ball joints are shot and need replacing. I do feel some steering clunk and assumed it was something along those lines, and this confirmed it. I'll head under the car myself soon to personally take a look. If there's any upgrades in the same price range, recommendations are welcome!

 

Good deal on that TSX!



Correct that red paint stat!

 

I'd love nothing more, but it's been rattle canned or something similar. The clear coat is non-existent in some spots, especially the roof. Real shame for such a nice color. I'm prioritizing the mechanics over aesthetics, but if there's any cheap workarounds to improve the paint I'm not oppossed..

 

Smart moove!

 

Got under the hood for some maintenance this evening. Replaced the valve cover and other small associated gaskets. Lobes don't look too bad. I did notice some corrosion inside the spark plug wells, but nothing to be alarmed about. I wasn't able to pull the plugs because my current socket fits BMW All mating surfaces and small deposits under the valve cover and inside the head area cleaned up with a microfiber towel. Sealed up with RTV for reassurance. Hardest part was getting the damn cover off and on, with removing the pressed spark plug well gaskets not far behind.

 

Oh, and per request, got a few quick pictures of the M3. Please excuse my dumb reflection on the car. Mods at this point are H&R springs and a carbon fiber challenge style trunk. I just removed the Advan RS wheels with intent to put something else on. I've changed the transmission and differential fluids and have brake fluid on the shelf waiting for a flush. Center console is currently out and being refurbished. The plastic hasn't held up so well over the years and the texture has become sticky. I also have alcantara shift and brake books with M color stitching going in when complete. Valve covers and gaskets are next, which need to be cleaned and powder coated. Got a short shift kit with 20% throw reduction from Autosolutions on the way, pretty excited to try that out. Full paint correction and ceramic coat will probably be done early next year. I'll eventually have an alcantara steering wheel and carbon fiber steering column, which I have half of at the moment. After all of that I'll start on engine performance, basically a full exhaust and tune. Lots to do!

 

Good to see that you got some things sorted on the car. I'd say if the plugs are old, then the coil packs are probably just as old, if not older. Go with oem or ngk for ignition parts as aftermarket parts store brands don't have a proper fit and are prone to failure.

Ngk iridiums are the way to go since they last forever. You can also save money by getting beck arnley coil packs. They are reboxed oem coils manufactured by TEC. I noticed my old coils were starting to slightly yellow on the bottom from the years of heat cycles.

Nice m3 btw!

 

wow even less mileage than my 2004 @83K
was the owner some old woman LOL

 

One of the coils was clearly newer than the others, which looked original from wear and color. I usually replace all of them at once but I'd like to see the plug conditions first. I'm trying to adopt the if it ain't broke don't fix it mentality with this car, which is far from the case with the M3, lol. Thanks for the recommendations, I'll definitely check them out if the time comes.