ClutchPerformer

My girl is in for an oil change and a rattle fix. Thanks to whoever posted that TSB on rattles!

So the loaner is, of course, an auto (SSM/Quartz/no navi--damn!). This is the first time I've driven an auto TSX (previous loaners I've gotten were old TLs). So I was when they handed me the keys. Some thoughts....

1. Even in sportshift mode, there is nowhere near the amount of on/off throttle jerk that we have in the MT. Does this torque converter have lock up capability?

2. I didn't understand the reversing the SS gate thread.... until now. As I'm testing out the SS, I come to a stop light and I'm thinking "oooh... try the downshift". Next thing I know, I'm in 5th... It really doesn't make sense the way it is. I feel for you guys... but at least now you can change it if you really want to.

3. I have now discovered how used I am to the sound of my Injen. The stock induction howl is completely different.

4. The car's a lot peppier than I thought it was gonna be. This might also be due to my intake that sucks out a bit of my mid-rpm torque.

5. The shifter seems really loose and plasticky. Maybe this is because it's a loaner car.

6. There is no car in the world faster than one you don't own....

Bottom line: This is still a good car even with the 5AT. I don't feel quite so bad for you slushbox guys anymore.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

See!! It's not as bad as you thought.

RMATIC09

t_dot_porkchop

i thought that too.....i wonder what the options are for a nicer looking and feeling 5AT shifter???

sauceman

I can't believe you'd do that to your own thread!

TSX 'R' US

5AT

wanna drag race now?

ClutchPerformer

I'll beat you again! Let's go from a roll this time, though...

dabuda

the 5AT is not as bad but neither is it as good as the 6MT

darth62

Funny think about the "sportshift" mode is that I'm quite comfortable with the manualmatic shift feature. I much prefer a manual tranny, and sometimes wish that I had bought one. But, I think the sportshift mode works fine going in that direction that it does.

Whiskers

Note to self, do not buy a demo car....

dizzy1

Maybe just the 04's, my 05 seems very nice wrapped in leather, and maybe someone beat on it to make it loose?

dom

My worst nightmare has come true.

Clutchperformer in a AT TSX




To me it makes perfect sense where it is, always has. I mean don't you MT'ers move UP for a shift to 3rd and 5th

I will probly agree. My car is hella loud in SRI mode.



Its a leather boot. Probly the loaner thing.

supraken

iTrader: (1)

Clutch, I don't think you are in the upsate NY area, are you? Reason I asked is because this morning a saw a SSM on rt 9 up here, driving like a maniac...well exaggerated, but let's jsut say he was driving it like it was a loaner (and it was a loaner because I recognize the plate because I had the same car for loaner before)....

jaydub

when the time comes, I'll most definitely have to compare both cars. I'm riding that fine line between not wanting a 6MT because I drive so damn much, but not wanting a 5AT because I would miss the driving it. :\

brerpie

I had a TSX loaner for an entire day about 1 week ago -- my only impression was "damn do I miss the sound of my AEM intake"

darth62

LOL. You kill me, Domm.

teg_to_bike

There's logic behind why people perfer the up-tap for downshifting and down-tap for upshifting. You are more likely to upshift while you are accelerating. During accleration your body is pressed back into the seat. Tapping the shifter down is more natural in this position. When you are downshifting, its more likely that you have just hit the brakes (or decelerating) so it is more natural to push the shifter up.

Besides, BMW does it this way so it MUST be correct!

trout25red

I am on Day 2 of a loaner tsx. This is also my first drive of a 5 AT. I really miss my 6mt, navi, and parchment (wood grain) interior, and subwoofer! I feel like i am cheating on my girlfriend...similar looks, feel, end result. It is silver/ebony 5AT. I was also surprised at its low range pep. But I think this is because i often shift to 2nd smoothly at low rpm's. I can certainly feel the loss of acceleration in the auto compared to the manual. By the way, mine is in the shop for driver door rattle, windshield rattle, and replacing shifter because the crome finish is coming off. They could not hear the noises as I was afraid because the temperature was back to 70+. Need a cold front to show them. Anyway, I get it back tomorrow.
Final thoughts: After driving the TSX loaner 5at, I have decided that I may have chosen a different car if i were getting automatic....maybe. SS is cool, but I would like more power if I didn't have 6 gears to play with. My best bud's girl has a 5at and she loves hers. I guess I have just driven too long with manual to want to switch. Sorry if this was a long rant to read.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

My question is, although the BMW way makes sense from a racing standpoint, how many g's of deceleration or acceleration will anyone really feel in a road car? It certainly wouldn't be enough to prevent you from pulling back to downshift...

But like you said...

teg_to_bike

Haha, I knew someone was gonna break out the "rolleyes" for the BMW statement!

Obviously there are not enough G's to stop you from shifting, but my point is that it feels more natural the BMW way. Just an opinion!

Hojo061782

Yes, it does lock up. Try driving on a highway in 5th and you'll feel what seems to be another shift...it's just the torque converter locking up.

Belzebutt

To me the 5AT shifter feels perfect, and certainly not cheap...

I also don't have any problem with the SS direction, back=down, you're slowing down, front=up, you're speeding up and need a higher gear, what's the problem? It works like the arrow keys in your computer games. Took me about 2 days to get used to it from a manual.

mg7726

^^ don't understand what the SS issue is. up for upshift, down for downshift, you learn this is 5 minutes...

biker

Not if you've driven an MT your whole life.

darth62

I've driven MTs off and on for quite some time. I still find the SS very intuitive.

teg_to_bike

Really? On a 6 speed, don't you shift down to go into 6th from 5th, and up to go from 6th to 5th?

I didn't mean to cause a big ruckus about this... I just thought the SS was more intuitive the other way around.

Sutto

Why do some people prefer the SportShift to be the other way around so you pull it back to upshift? To me, it's totally logical the way it is. Just curious as I've seen lots of cars the other way around.,

Whiskers

It really what you are used to. My wife's Pacifica has downshift to the left and upshift to the right and it is so weird when I drive it...

teg_to_bike

That makes sense! On a MT, the lower gears are on the left, higher gears on the right. So its intuitive to click to the right for a higher gear, and click to the left for a lower gear!

Similarly, the lower gears are on the top and higher gears are on the bottom. So again, its intuitive to click down for a higher gear, and click up for a lower gear!

Sutto

I don't buy the "lower gears are on top" thing because that's only the case with 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6. But 5 is higher than 2 and 4 and it's up. Confused yet?

Anyway, the car isn't an MT so why do we keep comparing it to that?

To me, up is up, down is down.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Yes, but you're forgetting that the 2nd to 3rd shift is in the "up" direction as is the 4th to 5th shift.

teg_to_bike

OK.

What I meant is that 1/3/5 are lower gears than 2/4/6, and 1/3/5 are on top, 2/4/6 are on bottom.


CG: there are three upshift transitions that involve a downward movement on a MT and only two upshift movements which involve a upward movement. I guess majority wins...

But seriously, its a preference.

Sutto

I really like how it is, it would throw me off if it were the other way until I got used to it.

I understand your point too.

Like you said...it's a preference.

Belzebutt

The BMW 3-series used to have it one way for the first couple of years, then they changed it to the opposite direction. I forget which direction is the "new" way.

ClutchPerformer

I live in Wisconsin. You're safe for now....

Clutch, who thinks BMW has it right...

supraken

iTrader: (1)

I think this +/- up/down down/up debate belong in this PW thread:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17504

vwong

I'm with you on this one. The first loaner car I got was the 04 TL. We (my wife and I) had the loaner for the weekend, so we drove it a lot. Couple times I was in 4th and wanted to pass a slower car, so I "pushed" up thinking that it would downshifting to 3rd, but instead upshifted to 5th. So I "pulled" the shifter down twice to go to 3rd. Then when I was closed to redline on 3rd, I "pulled" down again thinking that it would upshift to 4th. Boy.....the check engine light came on because it went into 2nd. So I quickly shifted it up to 4th. Fortunately, it was only a warning, the check engine light turned itself off shortly after I put it back into 4th.

I prefer the other way around for the SS, but I still think MT is the best.

MT > SS or AT

bigwilliestyle

Have a loaner today...

Compared to my 6MT/Navi, the car really is a lot different in AT/NoNav.

The auto is really nice for an auto. It's pretty intelligent with acceleration and cruising. Of course I miss the engine control with the MT.

Without Nav though, the interior is so much different. I simply love the way the nav brings everything together. If I couldn't have gotten 6MT/Navi, I don't think this would have been the car for me.

One other thing, it has the beige interior, but it's 2-tone. Is this true for everyone? Seems odd to me. Everything below the plastic silver piece is beige, and everything above is black.

Like Clutch said, there is no car faster than the one you don't own.

MrChad

Our TSX is grey inside and is black on the upper half and grey on the lower half, it's really nice looking.

As for the SS, my Coupe is a manual--love the stick, our TSX is SS on the other hand what an awesome tranny. I'm a diehard manual guy but this thing rules. Drive around town all day, hit the exit ramps and go SS or quickly go SS to jump around people in town or use the engine to brake the car in the snow.

If I ever replace the Accord and find a super clean used car like our TSX again I'd buy it with the SS in a second, it really ads well to the car.

I don't have any problems with it, you just have to use it a few times and I had it down pat, what a joy to drive.