hydrazine

Hi all,

Another BMW owner jumping ship to Acura .. haha

I'm planning to trade my 2001 330Ci auto for a used TSX 6sp .. likely an 04 or 05 .. maybe an 06 model if I find a good deal. Want some current owners to chime in and gimme some tips.

- Any reason to stay away from the 2004 models being the first year it comes out? What's the diff between 04 and 05 besides the steering wheel buttons lighted? Are the 04 probs all covered on recalls/TSBs?
- What should I watch out for when shopping for one? Any common symptoms that makes the car a quick "no"?
- A friend mentioned that the TSX has a strong aluminum body .. so I should stay away from the ones w/ accidents to the body .. is that true?

Thanks!

(here's a pic of my current car)

CarbonGray Earl

Go with an 06 if you can. The power was upgraded by about 15hp and its more responsive. It also has more included features(bluetooth, Zagat ratings, etc), a faster navi, and other stuff. It seems to be the best one to mod, since it has more power to begin with and has the most stuff available (namely hondata ECU reflash).

Best of luck.

Populuxe

Keep your current car. I miss my '01 E46 330xi dearly, TSX or not.

msmching

+1 on getting the 06's..
carbongray kinda explain the thing already.

and also since 06..07..08 didnt really make any difference to me. (only the price)

S14 n Tsx

05+ should be fine.

SoCaliTrojan

Many of them are reaching the end of their factory warranty. Other than that, the 04 has some rattle problems that have been addressed in the later years. I think there are DIY fixes to fix most of the rattles. I don't know about the difference between 04 and 05, but I have a feeling there was another thing that was different (maybe passenger seat adjustability?). I think there's only two recalls for TSX's (trunk wiring and headlight condensation). Alot of the problems have been summed up in the TSB's. I think a previous owner would have taken care of the problems by now though.

I can't think of any common symptom that can't be fixed. Well, any major symptom either. Most of the problems are tiny problems. The only big thing that would cost money might be if you get one with a navi system and semi-metallic tint. In that case, you might have navi-reception problems and will have to pay to have the tint removed and replaced (ie: check on the navi screen if the "GPS" word is green, meaning reception is good). If it has foglights on it, check to see if they're cracked. It's expensive to replace, so you might want them to either fix it or deduct it from the cost of the car.

body or frame? I seem to get door dings and scratches from a slight tap from another car (btw, the paint job sucks). Depending on what kind of accident, some cars will be okay as long as it was repaired properly.

Like carbon said...I'd go for an 06. That's when they gave the TSX the mid-cycle refresh. The 07 and 08 are just like the 06, except that they have tire pressure monitoring (which is a pain if you want to swap out the rims or live somewhere with extreme temperature changes).

I guess you're getting tired with the high maintenance cost of BMW? BMW's look so hot on the outside (i'm not fond of my cousin's interior, but I don't know if the interior varies much between models)...but I don't want a BMW because of the maintenance costs. You pay for the first 4 years when you buy the car (I don't think it's really free). My dad's BMW isn't driven around anymore because it's too costly to fix the clutch (which had broken down 9 months after having been fixed).

BulldogHockey

I second the getting an '06 if you can. The VTec jump is more dramatic and you get a corresponding power increase. Maybe make the torque transition a little easier from 330 engine. Great call on the MT also, it's a nice one.

Do a search on differences between 04, 05, and 06. Off the top of my head between 04 and 05, heated mirrors and XM satellite radio were added, along with a general upgrade to build quality with 2nd year production. There were a lot of upgrades for the MMC 06. Bluetooth, memory seats, fog lights, beefier control arms, low profile wipers, MID trip info, maintenance minder, revised dash instrumentation, revised grille facia/bumper/side sills, greyed out reverse light, and revised rims were all added or changed in '06. Probably other ones I missed.

mrgold35

To add (and repeat) to BulldogHockey reply:

The 06/07/08 has:
-2 position memory seats that adjusts the driver’s seat automatically when key fob 1 or 2 is used
-low profile wipers
-updated front bumper (no metal trim on hood)
-updated rear lights
-Updated OEM A-spec body kit
-A-spec suspension with a lower ride height (about 3/4 inch to 1 1/4 inch drop)
-standard fog lights
-updated thicker steering wheel with 10 and 2 o'clock grips
-updated shift knob for 5AT
-Updated Multi Information Display (MID) customized to each driver's needs
-Wider seats
- 05 models and up have XM radio, heated side mirrors, a power passenger seat
-upgraded engine intake, Cat, and exhaust for about an extra 15hp compared to the 04/05
- Wide range of aftermarket like Hondata reflash and I/H/cat/E that will give you more overall HP/tq for the same $$$ compared to 04/05 model (no S/C yet for 06)
-Bluetooth hands free link
-updated and faster Navi with 650 voice commands
- +2 years to correct TSB problems (electrical, rattles, suspensions, etc)
- Standard warranty that will not expire until +2010 (if your mileage is fewer than 50K)
-Additional color choices in 06 (Alabaster Silver, Glacier Blue, Green Pearl, Royal Blue Pearl)

The 06 is an outstanding model year. You will not gain much by looking for an 07/08 except a higher car payment and a standard warranty that will not expire until 2011 or 2012.

PACman

Why are you giving up the 330?

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

may want to consider tuning options as well, particularly with hondata's ECU reflash.

if you want the 06 which has a little more power vs. 04/05's, there is a reflash available for the AT. it's not available for the 07/08's. 04's have a reflash for both AT/MT's, but there is no 05 AT reflash. you need to swap with an 04 ecu.

dom

Get an 06. But save some extra $$$ to swap the wheels.

jlukja

dnd2984

iTrader: (6)

Why are u getting rid of the bimmer? Its a big differ from a 330 to a tsx

hydrazine

Thanks for some pretty informative replies!

First off, a lot of you here must fantasize getting a bimmer one day .. especially something equivalent to the 330Ci back in it's hay-days. Well, some things you gotta put in perspective, so I'll spend some time on this one.

First off I got an early model with AT/steptronic, and that's just wrong. But I got one, and it saps quite a lot of power out of that 225hp/214lbft engine.

The handling is real good .. the exterior is awesome, and the interior is acceptable. Goes anywhere and fits in .. And well, the feeling of coming out of a corner on the gas pedal in a RWD just cannot be replicated on a FWD.

But I also consider this. I've been driving much less edgy the last 3-4 yrs. Prolly 90% of my driving I'm under 3100rpm, and prolly 98% of driving under 4000rpm. The TSX can satisfy a lot of what I need .. in fact it's a plus to have 4 doors, NA and a very nicely tuned suspension at this price. I considered the Subaru Legacy 2.5GT .. 250hp, but I'd still pick the TSX any day.

Most importantly, reliability. The 330's aging, and the idea of having to spend several grand on a possible transmission failure or subframe break does not make sense to me. Better that I throw a few more grand extra and get a used TSX to settle in with. Especially since I loved them since the first time I testdrove it in 2003!

And to top it all off .. it's a Honda. No idea why so many diss Honda's. Diss some of the drivers, no prob, but not their engineering. As a Senna fan, I would love to get a S2k or NSX. But the TSX is a great fit for me to meet life's other chores. I have great admiration of Honda, its history and where it's going. Icing on the cake.

hydrazine

So the consensus is that I'd be better off to pick up an 05, and preferably 06?

What else should I learn about TSX ownership ahead of time?

Thanks!

Mokos23

Why would you go from a Beemer to a Luxury Honda?

ChicagoTony

Hey...I'd go with an 06'
Several tweaks to the body style were into'd in 06' - make for a more polished look.
06' has upgraded nav system, if you get this. Some other interior tidbits as well.
Also - the 06' 2.4L output has been increased by about 10HP. You may not see this in your research, due to the revised method of calculating HP (folks at SAE).

Don't think there were any major changes between 04' and 05. The 06', however, was the first major revision to the TSX model.

Tony

JLTSX07

I second that!

DAYTA

Not true about the S/C. Comptech has released a S/C kit for the 06 MTs - and mine should (hopefully) arrive next week .

jlukja

In the used car TSX universe the 06 seems to be the sweet spot. Better performance, fewer "problems", still reflashable, still warranty time/mileage left.

mrgold35

One down side to The TSX (04 to 08 models) is the paint. It is very thin and it flakes instead of molding with the dents on small rock strikes. The fog lights for any model year can crack with small rock strikes. Many owners opt for a clear bra on front end, side mirrors, and head/fog lights. So far, the $400 clear bra is well worth the money for me and my driving conditions.

Another minor problem is the OEM brake pads; they can leave a deposit on the rotors and make the car shimmy when you apply the brakes (feels like warped rotors). Changing to aftermarket will greatly reduce the shimmy problem and aftermarket will shorten braking distances (Hawk pads w/ same OEM rotors).

Some complaints about the OEM all weather Michelin tires (lack of grip and noise). There are threads on what aftermarket choices are out there that give you better grip, quiet ride and a good wear.

If you get a car with Navi, ask to include an updated DVD Navi disk with the system. Navi DVD updates only come out once a year in the fall for $185+ shipping (Mid Oct or Nov). This is assuming you are buying a CPO from an Acura dealership.

Make sure you check out what phones are compatible with the Bluetooth system on the +06 models. Not all Bluetooth phones are created equally, my RAZR phone with Alltel work great with my 06.

Best bang for the buck mods: RSB, remove air box resonator, and new brake pads.

mrgold35

Thanks for the update!

It seemed Comptech disappeared into a black hole for a while and they are slowly crawling back. I can only see broken image links from the Comptech website and under construction pages. If the S/C was only $1,200-$1,500 cheaper and for a 06 5AT, I would get one (with the wife’s permission).

PACman

Hydrazine, if we lived closer, I'd say we borrow each other's car for a week to get a taste. I'm on the fence for a e92.

Overtaxed

That's quite a nice looking E46.

mrgold35 made a great summary. These are the potential negative issues to be aware of with respect to the TSX. The TSX still has very good/excellent reliability ratings.

I would also strongly suggest getting an 06. (just more for the buck)

If you don't think you'd miss the inline 6 engine, then I think you should be happy with the TSX. Every review I've read says the 6 speed manual is excellent, one of the best manuals that exist, etc. And the TSX's engine is smooth and efficient.

CGTSX07

get an '06, you won't be dissapointed.

dt350

get an 06 and reflash it. only problem i see is that u like to drive at low rpm. the nature of the tsx s engine wants you to rev the shit out of it. its definately a much better value tho.

hydrazine

Thanks for the heads-up!

Buddy's got an 05 TSX and he commented on the OEM tires and front alignment .. but besides that he seem pretty happy with his ride ..

Yeah looking forwards to the 6sp manual .. I'm closing in to my 30's, and just started taking lessons so I can drive standard properly .. can't wait to see how that plays out!

Sounds like 06 gets the most thumbs-up .. I'll keep you guys updated. Hopefully it all works out!

DLTSX6MT

I don't think anybody's mentioned that the '05s got heated mirrors that the '04's didn't have.

+1 for getting the '06 from me.
But with the way the TSX retains its value, add in the dealer markup (even moreso with CPO), do you really save much by getting used?

Brandon24pdx

Get the 06 6mt/navi

Soooo many details that make it better than the earlier ones.

hydrazine

hey DLTSX6MT, yes and no on the value prob. A potential tranny problem swap (which is quite common on the E46 boards) can cost me 5-6 grand already .. plus the other potential problems .. might as well throw a few more grand and get a newer and more practical car .. w/ stick-shift finally!

i still beat myself for not getting the stick when i got my 330