Ellswrth

Some of the Canadian TSX owners thought the R&T article comparing the TSX and Subaru Legacy GT (which showed the US price of the Subaru to be within $35 of the TSX after the TSX had the $2000 Nav option tacked on) a bit misleading in the Canadian market.

I figured e-mail is free, so I wrote them about it.

Letter's on page 32 of the January 2005 issue of Road & Track.

Pointed out that at Canadian MSRP, converted to US, the TSX was $4,500 less ....

Belzebutt

Right on! I'll be sure to check it out next time I'm waiting in line at the drugstore.

lokman

Nice work! This was exactly what I thought when I looked at both the TSX and Legacy GT. The Legacy is more a competitor to the TL or somewhere between a TSX and a TL in Canada. Too bad Canadians have to pay more for everything.

dom

Nice work. I got my letter published in January's Car & Driver.

Mind typing out the letter for those of us that don't have a copy yet?

TSXsurf

What was your letter about? TSX related?

Ellswrth

Here's what I wrote;

Just wanted to point out that had you done your comparison test of the Acura TSX and Subaru Legacy GT north of the 49th parallel, the result would have been reversed.

In Canada, MSRP + Freight on a TSX comes to $35,750 but on the Subaru it's a whopping $41,490. Converting those prices to US dollars at the exchange rate as I write would make the TSX $28,292 - close enough to your test price - but the Subaru would be $32,835!

This would change the Price As Tested points in your article to be 200 for the TSX and 193.1 for the Subaru, giving the Acura the nod on total points by .4 of a point. Buyers in the US are being offered quite the deal on the Subaru at the prices shown in your article. And the fuel mileage penalty for the Subaru of nearly 25% is not easily dismissed when gas costs 95 cents a litre ($3.60 per US gallon) as it does here.

It's fair to point out that the Canadian TSX doesn't have the Navi system (we get heated mirrors instead!). On the other side, though, the TSX has traction and yaw control while the Subaru has neither.

In addition, I think it's relevant to note that for the three significant sensory interactions the driver has with the car - gearbox, steering, and brakes, you gave the Acura a perfect 60 points against the Subaru's 50.5.

The Subaru is a very good car - no argument there - but for me, the TSX is hands down the better package for the money. But I admit I'm biased - I drive one.

Here's what they actually printed;

If you had done your comparison test north of the 49th parallel, the result would have been reversed. In Canada, MSRP + Freight on a TSX comes to $35,750 but on the Subaru it's a whopping $41,490. Converting those prices to US dollars at the exchange rate as I write would make the TSX $28,292, and the Subaru $32,835!

Hey, at least the point about the cost was made! And I knew they had the right to edit, which they did fairly.

Viking

Congrats on getting published!

Tsx536

Good Job man...You're famous!

....And you can now cross "Getting published" off of the list of things to do before you die!

poltergeist

Saw your letter when I got my copy of R&T last week and wondered if it might be from someone here. Great job!!!

sauceman

Yep good job! Gotta keep these reviewers in line and sitting straight!!

biker

49th paralel most of the border is around the 45th paralel.

Ellswrth

[geography]

It's a common expression for the Canada/US border ... try Googling "49th parallel" and see what you come up with.

And while a large percentage of Canada's population lives south of the 49th (Toronto is farther south than northern Califiornia ...) MOST of the border IS the 49th parallel.

From Wikipedia;

"The 49th parallel of north latitude forms part of the International Boundary between Canada and the United States from Manitoba to British Columbia on the Canadian side and from Minnesota to Washington on the U.S. side. Its use as a border is a result of the Anglo-American Convention of 1818 and the Oregon Treaty of 1846."

[/geography]

You could look it up ...

RMATIC09

Awesome!!!

GIBSON6594

dabuda

good job

sipark

Mind typing out the letter for those of us that can't search?

I actually did, but couldn't find yours...

Is it this January's? last?

Did you call anyone at C&D in your letter?

dom

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ght=Car+Driver

Start at post 96 on page 4.

sipark

I read this.. then laughed and thought what a suck up.
It's shame you didn't make the "letter of the month".

rep for you, even though mine's worthless.




EDIT: I need to spread more.

sauceman

To my knowledge, the only border that lies on the 45th paralel stretches from Akwesasne to Canaan in the Province of Quebec, bordering the States of NY, VT and NH. There may be a small stretch of land south of Thunder Bay at that latitude as well, but I'm not sure.

Ellswrth

Hmmm ... not quite, grasshopper.

I had to look it up just to be sure.

Toronto is at 43° 42' 00" N while the northern border of California is at 42° N. One degree is approximately 111 km, or 69 miles.

Windsor, Ontario (other side of the river from Detroit) is at 42° 18' 00" N

I'm sure you all wanted to know this ...

sauceman

How about Pointe Pelee while we're at it?

Ellswrth

"OK, Canadian Geography for $300, Alex "

"Point Pelee, a famous bird sanctuary about 30 miles from Windsor, is located at 41° 58' 00" N"

"Ah, what's the southernmost point of Canada, Alex?"

"Yours for $200 - still your turn, Sauceman"

"I'll take Famous Thread Hijacks for $500, Alex"

dom

sauceman