hello everyone, it's been a good year with the tsx. but i'm sorry to say that i will be selling it and moving on to something new. i love the tsx but have lately found my heart wandering towards a more sporty vehicle. so i'd appreciate it if you could help me decide on what may be a worthy successor to the tsx. my two choices are the g35 coupe 6spd and the bmw 330 coupe 5 spd. i know it may seem like a large jump in price, however shopping used vehicles i have found these

2002 BMW 330 Coupe 5-Speed, 14K miles, Silver/Black, Sport Package, Leather, Xenon, Harmon Kardon, Pristine Condition.
$27,000 (good deal?)

and 2004 manual g35 coupes can be found with the premium package for less than $30,000.

so what is everyone's recommendation? at first i assumed the g35 would own in terms of performance 280HP vs bmw's 225hp. however, i was surprised to learn that the bmw is quicker in 0-60 and also mid-14's on the 1/4 mile.

i like the g's exterior more, but the bmw is better in almost every other way (other than price). either way i appreciate everyone on this forum for making my tsx ownership as enjoyable as possible. bye

 

To me something will always be faster, and the quality and interior of my TSX (w/ navi) is better than both the 3 series and G35. I wouldn't consider either cars but everyone has their own cup of tea. I just find that the TSX fits my personality more and is a comfortable car to drive while being sporty.

I wish you good luck on your decision.

 

If by sporty you mean more power than sure by all means, but as drkangel said something will always come along with more power. Unless you've got a specific number in mind as to what will be "perfect" as far as power and speed you'll always be chasing and foolishly burning too much money.

My best friend just got a 05 MT G35 Coupe and I got a chance to compare and as much as I love the power it puts out the thing is a beast in every sense. The exterior styling is subjectively good (meaning I like certain angles) but the interior is absolutely hideous. Not be harsh, but the 80s amber lighting, plastics and ergonomics just isn't right, not even for the mid level cars. But that may not be of concern if power is what you crave.

The 330 isn't a good deal at all. Consider, for a used 330Ci, you're paying the same price as a new TSX. For a car that is three years old and has been known to be finicky in terms of reliability. But, in my opinion, the e46 330s and M3s are still one of the best looking cars on the road. Yet whether you got the money to throw around or not, it's a bad deal.

Personally, if you can hold out, there are some attractive offers coming down the road in a year or two that might be better suited for you considering your price range. But if you got to be able to outperform your friends and all those people driving to work , it's your call.

 

Go with the 330. By the looks of what's said around here about the G35C, you'll miss the TSX in most every aspect except the power department.

 

I agree with these guys about the interior of the G35...it's crap. You may be okay with it now, but I'm willing to bet, in spite of the power, you'll be sick of it after awhile. I also considered BMW before I bought my TSX, but with their reliability record as of late being what it is, spending alot of good money on a "world class" car that may spend more time in the shop than any car should would be extremely irritating.

Come to think of it, I have friend who has a 350Z, basically same car as a G35, and it's been in the shop an awful lot. Enough that I haven't picked on him about it for fear of hurting his feelings or making him violent. In all fairness, I should mention he's got over $17,000 in mods on it; maybe that explains it.

I agree that a little patience might reward you with something desireable and affordable.

 

Out of just those two choices, my vote is for the 330.

Just another thing to consider, BMWs are very expensive to fix.

BMW = Break My Wallet

 

i vote for bimmer.

 

Yep, poor reliability, make sure you got some really good warranty coverage on a 3 year old BMW

 

If I had to switch off the TSX I def wouldn't pick either of those... the BMW is over priced and has a poor reliability, the G35 is shitty in lots of ways. I would look more at either the new IS, Legacy GT, or A4 (I think it looks nice now). But after all of that the TSX is still the best car in the lot for the dollar....

 

The g35c is definately more powerful, but I drove an auto last week and it was not as much fun as my TSX Maybe AT vs. MT isn't a fair comparison, but in no way would I trade my TSX for a G35.

 

If that's your price range and power is your goal, then you should get a GTO. Seriously, if you just want something that will chew up and spit out other cars on the road in terms of power and handling, then you need a 400hp V8 with a 6-speed manual to do it. And you can get one for under $30k. I think however that what you are really after is the status symbol of a lux brand.

 

i'd go with the beemer any day of the week. hands down! it isn't called "the ultimate driving machine" for no reason. it handles extremely well. perhaps, you can get the dealer to go down a bit on the price. tell them that the new 3 series is coming and soon the 330 will depreciate more if they don't sell it to you good luck!


jpl

 

The G35 has a tacky interior and the bimmer has a a low level of reliability and a high repair charges. I'd find another choice. As much as the power of the G35 may appeal, you will get tired of the tack. And as for the bimmer, nothing detracts from owning a car more than spending time with it in the shop. I'd look for another choice or stick with the TSX

 

I will take the bimmer.

I test drove the cheapest chicken 2004 325i.

I like the ride. It is firm but not stiff. the 325i doesn't have the bouncing-up-and-down kinda feel like my TSX. Supprisingly, I think my 4-banner runs as fast as the 325i with the small V6.

The interior material for this bimmer is horrible. I will not buy this 325i. However, yours is the 330. I am sure they use much much better material for the 330.

I will not buy the G35. It is fast. I like the seat but the rest of the interior is just ugly. Not to mention the blind spot. You can't see shit in the G35.

 

hi and thanks for all the replies. i guess i should clear things up. i'm not looking for pure speed and power to race everyone, if that was the case i'd consider a sti or evo. it's just that up to recently i've never driven anything other than a 4cylinder. none of my family members and close relatives drive 6 cylinder cars (must be the gas). but in any case the tsx is a thrill to drive when i'm alone, but even one passenger bogs the car down horrible, and when i have 2 or more it's a chore to get the car moving swiftly up to highway speed on on ramps. ironically with a coupe i'd have to power to move more dead weight (passengers) but won't have room to let them sit comfortably. hahaha great.
a week ago my friend let me drive his 2002 tl-p the lower model in at. let me tell you there's no way you can compare 6 cylinders to 4. i was blown away even by that low model.from 0-4K revolutions it pulls like the tsx at 5K and up, smooth as hell. it's all about perspective and for me i wanted a 6 just for a better driving experience and that's where the g35 and 330ci come into play.

 

Go with the G35c. That car is damn powerful.

 

I vote for .....:gasp: the bimmer. Noooooooo, I didn't just say that did I?

Jlukja, who was just reading about the 2006 330 and was over the new engine.

 

Where did you get the the 330 is faster? The G35C can run low 14's.

 

Easy I'd save my money and by the new supercharger for my TSX thats coming out in may.

 

I sold my 323it manual with sports suspension before buying a TSX. The handling and braking on the BMW far exceeds the TSX, but the ride is harsher on the BMW. The TSX is about compromise, it does nothing great but the overall all package is (loss every battle but wins the war). The reliability issue cannot be overstated. One example is the window regulator (a favorite topic in BMW forums). Three times the window regulator needed replacing and each time the replacement had the same part number, so instead of reengineering the part they just keep on putting in the same defective part. One way of comparing reliability is looking at the price of an extended warranty for the two cars; a BMW 6/72k costs about 2400 and a TSX 6/75k cost about 830 (http://acuraofmissionviejo.com/acura-care-quote.asp). Check out the forums at http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1 for more info.

 

If your main concern is sportiness, then I would consider a 2005 Legacy GT. It's cheap right now, I believe u can get a Limited version under 27k. With new tires, It will definitely outperform the tsx.. and 330i, I think. And of course there's ALOT of potential in the Subaru.

But I think it's best to keep your TSX, as other people said... there will always be a better and faster car out there.

 

I have two friends with G35's(both auto's) one likes it the other hates it(and has had a LOT of problems with it, but he does have 65k on it) and both love my TSX I have a few friends with various E46 BMW's(323i, 330i and 330Xi) and all have been great cars to them, no problems at all. Having driven all of them I would go with the BMW. While the G35 is faster it lacks the elements that attracted me to the TSX in the first place. The BMW has all of that, but as mentioned by others is not a good value. Also the new chassis are coming out and like the E36's are now, the E46's will look dated quickly- IMO.

I do hear you about the power, I miss it too! While I really like the TSX I am half assed shopping for a new car. I like the B6 S4 and if I can find a left over(new but not a B7) for a good price I would get it with out much of a thought. Other wise I am going to pick up a new S2k next year or prefferably a new Elise if they don't get any worse of a rep between now and then. If I do either of those I think that will satisfy my need for a faster "sports" car and retain the things I like about the TSX. Clearly not an easy choice.

 

Blazed, I know where you are coming from. No matter what the output/performance of an I4, it can never match the smoothness/engine note of a 6 cylinder. Many modern I/V6's can match the economy of high performance I4's now too. It's a matter of preference for the most part. Both the G and BMW edge out the TSX in the vehicle dynamics department (RWD vs. FWD). The TSX trumps them both with its practicality, efficiency, and value.

If you must get out of the TSX, I think you will go well with either choice. My friend with her 2003 G35 sedan has been in the shop more often than my roommate with his 2002 325xi, but I wouldn't say either have been very troublesome compared to the Focus I drive at work. Of course they are just one of the many G's and 3's out there, so it's only a sampling. They both drive approximately 18-22K a year for work/family. My personal preference is for the 330 because of the styling, overall road feel and engineering detail. If this is to be your daily driver, the 330 will be more livable than the G.

I for one, will be looking at the new IS when my lease is up in 2007.

 

oh for pete's sake, just wait for the new IS....you'll get the interior quality and a 6cyl engine that you crave....patience will pay off....

 

Sound advice there. Interior looks awesome in the photos I have seen and it's got V6 power with Lexus reliability. Sounds like a win/win situation to me.

 

Look at an Audi A4.

I wouldn't want anything but the TSX right now...but I do like the A4.

 

On paper, the IS350 looks much better than the TSX. However, if you want a comparably equipped IS350, you'll need to be prepared to leave the dealer w/ not much change, if any from $40,000.

 

the cars i'm looking at are less than $30K and it might be dumb but i'd rather have a loaded slightly used vehicle than a brand new base, stripped model. actually i don't care about options but i'd rather have the higher engine model if there are 2 available.