agenteye

Hello Everyone! I will soon be the new owner of an 06 TSX/w Navi but have a few things that are bugging me! I was hoping that the great people of this forum could help me out, as most of you either own a TSX, or are knowledgeable about them. I really, really am counting on everybody's help! Thanks in Advance!!

First off, I want to let everybody know that I live in a small city, and the closest Acura dealer is more than 2 hours away.....I have YET to see an 06' in person, but based on a testdrive of an 04', the continuously high ratings, and the upgraded features....I HAVE TO HAVE ONE! I hear nothing but good things from TSX owners, and I want to be one too! I however am turning to you for help with my ultimate decision! PLEASE GIVE ME ANY FEEDBACK!!

I understand completely that color combinations are A PERSONAL PREFERENCE~ However, like I said I haven't seen any of the 06' in person, and was hoping to get some opinions from people who have. To let you know a little bit about me before I ask for opinions on color specs, I am 25 years old....and looking for a classy/sporty look....something I would be proud to drive in the BUSINESS world!

FIRST OF ALL- I have narrowed my decision down to 2 EXTERIOR colors. I am torn between the Carbon Grey and the Glacier Blue. The Brochure makes the Glacier Blue look AMAZING on the cover, but how does it look in person? Anyone seen this color, cause I really like it? Likewise how is the Carbon Grey? I am thinking whichever one of these two I get the most feedback on, will probably be what I ultimately go with.... I'd appreciate the feedback guys!

NEXT- Do you think an Ebony Interior would look good with both of these exteriors? I am leaning towards the black leather, however don't know if it would look good on a lighter color car?? I have never owned a car newer than an 84, so I am COMPLETELY new to color matching system. If I decided to go with the Glacier Blue, could I get away with a dark interior, or would the Quartz go better. As an opinion from all of you, do you like the Quartz or the Ebony interior better? ( I can save you all a little time by saying that I am not feeling the Parchment, and so you can leave this out of the matching).

NEXT - Now that the color scheme is out of the way, I am wondering about tinting the windows of an 06'! Do you think that the car comes with dark enough windows, or is tinting ultimately in order? If tinting is in order, how dark and where is the best places to get it done? The Acura Dealer? Does anyone think the stock windows look better as are?? I know I know....more personal preferences, but I like to hear what others think! Let me know how you would make YOUR TSX!

Now that all the physical mods are out of the way, I just have a couple of other questions about the TSX.

QUESTION # 1- Can anyone tell me how many sets of keys come with a new TSX? Based on the forums i've seen in terms of Acura's Driver Recognition System, I am guessing 2?? Can anyone verify this? If the car doesn't come with 2 keys, does anybody know how much it costs for another set (including the remote)??

QUESTION #2- I was offered an 06' with Navi for $28,772 including all fees. This obviously doesn't include the sales tax/registration that I'll have to pay when I get the car back to my own state! Is this a fair deal?

QUESTION #3- I heard there was a really good checklist for buying a new car floating around this forum somewhere. I heard it is especially helpful if you are buying from an internet dealer.....and wise to use it before you travel a long way to pick a car up (only to find conflict when you get to the dealership). Can anyone maybe direct me to this checklist? I don't know exactly what I'm looking for and hoped maybe somebody here did!


SORRY FOR ALL THE TROUBLE GUYS! I KNOW YOU PROBABLY GET A MILLION OF THESE POSTS A DAY!! I SEE MANY RESPONSES THAT SAY "YOU CAN FIND ALL YOUR ANSWERS IF YOU SEARCH THE FORUM". WELL, I DIDN'T FIND THE ANSWERS I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND THEREFORE I AM WRITING FOR YOUR HELP! I WANT TO BE AS EQUIPPED AS POSSIBLE BEFORE I HEAD OUT AND BUY THAT NEW CAR! THANKS A MILLION EVERYBODY! LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR ADVICE/OPINIONS!

Very Sincerely Yours,

Mike....Reno, Nevada

psteng19

Colors are purely subjective... it's all personal preference.
I personally have a thing for black and dark gray.
Same with the interior; black all the way. I do not like the parchment or quartz.

You get 2 key fobs.
The price is decent considering you can't "pricematch" dealers.

Colin

Welcome, you obviously type faster than I do (so I'll be brief)

#1) Two remotes and three keys. One key is gray and for the parking valet.
#2) No comment, I'm in Hawaii and things are really expensive here.
#3) I'm not sure about a checklist, but just make sure you have the VIN# and it's for the right type of car (see the "unfreakingbelievable...." thread)

You will find some photos of Glacier Blue, but IMO it looks VERY similar to the previous Meteor Silver Metallic. If you have the chance to see one of these from '04 or '05, you'll get the idea what it looks like. Again IMO, its a nice color if somewhat feminine (sorry in advance to all the guys out there driving this girls color.... ) I'd go with Carbon Gray and the Ebony interior. To me, its a better "executive color" Also, tint away, it's never dark enough from the factory.

agenteye

Thanks for your response.....I know there aren't a lot of people who want to answer "personal preference" questions, but I appreciate the feedback. I just want new ideas in general, subjective or not! I will almost definitely get the Ebony interior. Can anyone else help out with the exterior color choices? At least between the 2 that I'm torn about? Please guys? Any feedback at all?


Two keys and fobs are included with the car then? What do you mean by "price matching"?

desktop

I have a Glacier Blue 06 TSX. I have been unable to take pictures of it yet since by the time I get home, it is too dark out--I blame the dreaded daylight savings time. I am planning on taking some pictures this weekend. I really like the color though.

Colin

Well if you're a guy, I apologize for my comments above

Tintin

Hey Mike,
Your post was really excited to read, and it was as if i felt all your strong emotions about the car. It is always nice to hear stories of people who never owned beat up cars to then getting their brand new car. In other words a person who is working hard and is successful. respect!
As far as some of your questions, here are my opinions as i do not own a TSX (yet!)
but like you, i looove the vehicle.

Lots of people are talking about how nice the 2006 blue is, and if you search the forum for 'excited''s posts, you will see the car under many different lights. It is really nice.
CG is a classic look that i like a lot! but according to my gf (opinion only) she sees it as an 'older' look.
As far as interior goes, i suggest black all the way (my personal pref)

Colin

They mean playing two dealers against eachother for the best price. Truly a dispicable practice


















Just kidding guys, I must be feeling a little "punchy" today

agenteye

Are you a male? Do you think Glacier Blue looks "feminine"? Probably not if you bought it I am a guy and I think it looks pretty spiffy from the pictures? Course I haven't seen the originial color (Meteor Silver) that it replaced!! I dunno, just kind of unique!!

Additionally, on the tinting question....any advice on where to get the best deal and the best job?? Can Acura tint darker than the factory specs....and if so, is that the best way to go about it? Should I take it somewhere else instead?

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

First of all, Mike, welcome to AcuraZine

Now, let's address some of your issues:

I am a huge fan of the carbon gray because it really is a very stunning color. It literally changes shades under different lighting conditions and varies from the gray to shades of blue to shades of green. Very very beautiful color and not too hard to take care of, despite being a darker color. The first TSX I ever saw in person was in carbon gray and I knew that I absolutely had to have that color.

Now, there one drawback to carbon gray and that is that everybody has it. It is easily the most popualr color in the TSX lineup.

As for the Glacier Blue, I must say that this is a great color too. Deeper than the meteor silver of the 04 and 05 model years, but still a relatively light shade.

My carbon gray 2004 TSX had the quartz interior and I absolutely loved it. The contrast with the dark shade of gray on the outside and the ebony colored panels inside made for a beautiful looking interior.

My new 2006 TSX has the ebony interior which has a unique beauty all of its own and gives the car a very sporty appeal, whereas the quartz gives the car a sporty, upscale feel.

For this, I like both interiors with a slight edge to the quartz.

Tinting is a purely personal thing. Some people feel that the 95% tinting from the factory is sufficient and others feel that the tinting needs to be darker. I am considering putting a 45% tint on my new TSX just for the aesthetic appeal because the darker windows work well with my dark interior and dark exterior.

With regards to places to get it done, if you can negotiate it as part of the initial purchase for a reasonable price, then have your dealer do it. If not, then you should be able to find a local tint shop to do it or even find a mobile tint shop that can come to your residence or workplace to apply the tint.

You receive 2 sets of master keys, two keyfobs (each on labeled with either driver 1 or 2), and a grey valet key that does not open the glove box or the lock for the trunk release.

You can purchase remotes and keys on ebay at a discount over what you would pay at the dealer. There are several threads here that will teach you how to program the remotes, though I would not expect it to accept the driver input like the factory remotes. This might have changed though so a new version of the Helms manual might be helpful for this.

Uh...I'll let one of the guys that bought a navi model handle this question.

Never heard of it. There are several Internet Sales Managers of Acura dealerships from around the country who are members here and could probably provide you with all the answers you want about what to do before making the trip to the dealer to sign the paperwork.

Hope that was helpful and good luck to you.

Don't forget the pictures after you pick up the car.

J.A.S.

I saw the GB in person. The link below has some good pics that are an accurate representation of the color. In the sun, it looks kind of silvery with a blue tint. In the shade, the blue definitely comes through. It's a more understated color than CG.

http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-messa...sage_id=452783

agenteye

Hey guys...thanks for all the feedback so far! I didn't think I'd get the response I did, being as my post is probably pretty "routine" on a forum like this! Anyhow, I really do appreciate the time everybody's taking to answer my questions....I am getting really excited about this car! And as far as the price of the car goes....I did a lot of research.....

The $28,772 quote I got was from a dealer in Eugene, OR.....400 miles from my home! Likewise, I got 10 other quotes....the 2nd lowest was almost $400 more (at $29, 175) This was from Northern California (100 miles away). I was considering going up to Oregon and driving the car back.....airfare is probably $80 and gas home another $60! That means my savings now is only $260 dollars, but I won't have to pay California Sales Tax (8.25 percent). I'll pay Nevada's Tax (7.75%) which will save me another $177 dollars....so that's what I'm looking to do! Plus a 400 mile road-trip will be a good way to get aquainted with my new car

peter_bigblock

I'm gonna weigh in for the Glacier Blue, I don't think it's a chick color at all. I just see SO many dark grey cars lately, TSX or otherwise, I think it would be a great color with the Quartz interior (not the Ebony -- not feeling that combo). Classy color, and it says, "I got the color I like" instead of "I got the color you like".

The other questions have been answered. I think that's a good price for an '06 nav. I bought my '04 non-nav from a dealer about 200 miles away, saved about $750 and the drive back was a lot of fun. What better way to spend some time looking good in your new ride, listening to tunes, noodling with your bluetooth to call your buddies?

I hope you're getting a 6mt. Best of luck on your purchase!

agenteye

Thanks for the welcome to the forums....and for the helpful, well-addressed answer to my questions!

I am having a tough time between the exterior colors....they both look really sharp in pictures, and likewise, the ebony/quartz interiors look really nice too! CRAP! Back to Square 1.

I do however have a couple more questions in regards to your post. First, how well does the quartz interior show dirt? I obviously want something where this isn't an issue (although I plan on keeping my car really clean ) =) Second, what is the best way to find the Acura "Internet Sales Managers" members of this forum? Ha Ha...likewise, should I be taking advice from a dealer, or are the ones in this forum a credible/helpful source? I've heard to NEVER trust a dealer.....just a thought?


And one more thing? Am I understanding you clearly in saying that if I want a more luxury feel....in addition to being sporty...a Quartz interior for a Carbon Grey exterior is a better pick than Ebony/Carbon Grey? Likewise, if you were to get the Glacier Blue, which interior color would YOU choose for it?

agenteye

Definitely getting a 6-speed! I have only owned ONE automatic in my lifetime, and I probably never will again! I love having all of the control!!

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

The quartz didn't show much dirt at all. I hardly cleaned it in the 2+ years I owned it and the interior looked like new and still had that new car smell.

As for the Acura Internet Sales Managers, say hi to Colin, who posted above. He's a real nice guy and gives honest answers.

Yup...Quartz gives the car a real nice luxury feel while still keeping it sporty. With the Glacier Blue, though, I'd go with the Ebony, actually. I think that it gives a better contrast with the lighter color of the GBM.

agenteye

Thanks for the advice!! I definitely am glad to hear that you think the Quartz is a good color choice....I have heard that compared to the Ebony Leather, it looks really cheap!

So it is pretty reasonable to pair either the Ebony or the Quartz interior with a Carbon Grey Exterior, but if I go for the Glacier Blue then I should go for the Ebony interior over the Quartz? Sounds like a plan to me! Do others agree? I will hopefully see some more pictures in the gallery before it is time to purchase my vehicle! And hopefully Colin would be willing to answer a few more questions I have...I look forward to speaking with him! If anybody comes up with any more advice, definitely keep it coming! Thanks everyone!!

J.A.S.

The Glacier Blue car I saw had the quartz interior. While nice, my personal choice would be the ebony with this exterior. I prefer the contrast of the light exterior and black interior.

desktop

Yes, I am the lone guy who owns a glacier blue TSX. Your appology accepted. I am brave enough to drive in it though.

Initially I was leaning toward ASM, but when I saw GBM, it just caught my attention. I like the color. The interior is quartz. For my taste, these two colors are very soothing.

I should be able to post some pictures by next Monday. I use metro to work, so by the time I get home, it is just too dark.

LuvMyTSX

IMO, both the ebony and quartz interiors are awesome, but I think the quartz is much easier to keep clean because it hides dirt better than black - especially all that white crap that comes off the road and parking lots from the salt in winter time. Plus, black interiors are hotter in the summer. I've got quartz interior (SSM exterior), and it stays noticeably cooler than the black interior my 2 previous cars had. I also had a problem with the black interiors in those cars fading really bad on the floors to a yucky brownish color that just looked dirty and old. I vote for quartz.

But I also think that both colors are "sporty" and have "luxury feel" to them. I think it would be best if you could somehow sit in both interiors before you buy, to see what YOU prefer, because ultimately, YOU are the one who will be sitting in the car all the time. Get what YOU like!

kball

Great description. I almost bid made an offer on one, but ended up trying for a CGP w/quartz. Still no deal though.

BTW I felt the CG w/ ebony int looked the best, but so cal hot days (what are there like 100/yr?) had me leaning quartz.

JediMindTricks

i have a cg/ebony tsx. i originally wanted the quartz interior. i thought it was really classy while keeping the sporty look. but unfortunately, the dealer only had ebony.

pictures don't do the quartz any justice. if you see it in real life, it's just a really classy looking interior, especially how it contrasts with the black dash and the aluminum trim.

however, i don't regret the ebony interior. i mean, the only drawback is that it's hot in the summer here in houston. but other than that, everytime i step into my car, i still think "man, this is one sexy interior." haha...

also...as far as cg...an earlier poster was right. the only drawback is that everyone has one. it's a sexy color, and i knew that it was the color i was going to get. but i remember parking at the galleria mall last weekend and there were 3 carbon greys before i found mine.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Actually, speaking of pics, check out page two on my cardomain site (link in my sig, labeled "Pictures").

I think there are pictures that show the contrast of the interior and exterior.

DaphneLCC

I am partial to the Carbon Grey. Although I love the color blue and have never seen the Glacier Blue in person. The CG has a nice look to it. It sort of seems like there's even a slight tinge of blue in there mixed in with the dark greys.

xingu

Just for comparison I just paid (well, put a deposit down on) an 06 w/Nav for $28,371 (+$50 doc fees + TTL) in Mission Viejo, CA (Orange County). The deal was very easy to do with their internet sales manager. I live in San Diego so I did it all via email, so I understand what you're dealing with. I don't know if it would be worth it for you to fly down and drive back. Southwest has fares from Reno-Orange County for $79.

Also, I don't think sales tax is a factor. I think you pay the tax based on where the car will be registered--Nevada, in your case. Not all CA tax is 8.25 percent. Down in Orange County/San Diego the tax is the same as yours--7.75 percent.

Hope this helps and good luck.

bradykp

i think the GB is a nice alternative to the silvers that everyone has. intially, my gf wanted the carbon gray, and i'm thinking, holy crap, my 80 year old uncle's favorite color!

anyways, CG grew on me. it looks great on the mdx too. but too many people have it.

i think the classiest/sportiest color is Royal Blue, obviously i'm biased. I think the classiest color is the white. and i think the meanest color is the black.

You said you don't like the parchment, all subjective but i intially wanted the royal blue pearl with ebony, which i think looks great.

the dealer i went to (in the end) had one with parchment, so we figured we'd check it out, if we didn't like it, we'd wait for the swap to come in.

the salesman, who was probably just trying to get rid of the car on the lot, said that he thinks you should get colors that contrast one another. so if you get a dark car get a lighter interior. i ended up agreeing with this opinion (except in the case of black. looks great with ebony, but looks very "classy" with parchment).

this is something to consider. contrast the colors a bit. so if quartz looks similar to the GBM shade, get ebony, and same with CG.

basically, the salesman's point was that if your car is all one color, it loses the "wow" factor quicker. of course this is all subjective but i thought he ahd a point. talk to any designers (fashin or home) and this is true.

would you wear a black suit with a black shirt and a black tie? or navy/navy/navy?

no, you contrast the colors. it looks more appealing.

just my


here's some useful forums:


my pics:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27474

pricing your car (i think that 28,7 deal is pretty good. don't forget, you pay tax in the state the car is registered in, not the state it's bought in!)
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26640

Poll: Favorite Colors (good posting with explanations to why they like the colors:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27487

swirlie

I agree with the contrasting colours, to a point. If I had gone with the CG (Graphite in Canada), I would have so gone with Quartz... if it had been available in Canada. But the parchment and black just looks wrong to me. Oh well. Not enough of a transition between the colours, IMHO. That and I was never a fan of plood.

As for the suits, navy/navy/navy wouldn't work, but the black/black/black could. Though, to be fair to the TSX, I'd swap the tie with a titanium coloured one, plus a matching handkerchief and cuff-links. That would look "snazzy".

sccpu3d

Yep, hit Norm Reeves in Mission Viejo, their TSX's are the cheapest. First quote i got off them was $28,671 for the car and $31,180.49 OTD.

CJams

Congrats! welcome

Now... Can you ever have a dark enough tint job?

joerockt

The paint def has some blue metallic fleck in it.

Irfo

It seems to me if you're going for a lot of tint, that may be a factor in your exterior color choice. Don't know if I'm right or not, but in my imagination deep tinting will look better on CG than on GB.

NightShredder

I had the dealership take care of that and talked them into throwing in a tint job for free. The dealer will only go up to the legal limit BTW. If you get the ebony interior this will not matter that much since it makes the tint darker that it really is.

NightShredder

No I wouldn't wear a black suit with a black shirt and tie, but then again I am not wearing my car I am driving it. I think black on black looks very sweet. CG with black also looks very sharp IMO. Just remember that black is harder to keep clean (it is worth it IMO) but it shows wear and tear less than parchment or quartz over time.

agenteye

Thanks for all the advice guys....it's really hard not having an Acura dealership close so I can actually look at the interiors before hand! I'm sure that would make the decision SO much easier! I will keep you posted as to the deals I get after I shop around some more! Thanks by the way for the info on Mission Viejo in Orange County! Will definitely check it out!

Mike

bradykp

i like black on black in the TSX, i'm just saying, in general you contrast colors.

my gf's dad has a mercedes with the parchment colored interior, black exterior. it's very classy looking. i agree about the wood, it's the only downside of the parchment, but there's very little of it, and if you really wanted to, i'm sure you could replace it.

agenteye

Yeah, in all honesty the wood that comes with the Parchment bugs the hell out of me!! I'll admit though...your Blue with the Parchment is one sexy looking vehicle!

bradykp

yeah, the car is so beautiful, the wood makes no difference to me. i like it the way it is, woulda liked it in ebony too.

srenitynow

Holy crap...It's soooooo easy to speed in this thing! I had no idea. You can't feel it accelerate. I love this car! I got the Royal Blue/ Ebony combo. Gorgeous!

swirlie

Actually, when I said 'parchment and black', I meant the black top of the dash/doors with the parchment lower and seats. I think the black exterior with parchment interior would look good... The royal blue and parchment works really nicely. I just can't get over the black upper dash. blah

sccpu3d

I like the black/black /w tint or the silver/black /w tint haha either way, i think the ebony looks very classy while the silver or black completments it. Then again as ya said, the car is so damn sexy who the heck cares? =D