dom

About a month or so ago I wrote to Wheels magazine (Canadian Publication) regarding a comaprison test between the Audi 1.8T, C230 and TSX. In the personal point section the writer wrote

"I'll take am IS300 or G35 for similar money"

I wrote

"Just finished reading your comparison test of the Acura TSX, Audi 1.8T and Mercedes C230. In your personal point Micheal La Fave wrote "I'll take an IS300 or G35 for similar money". Have you priced out an IS300 or G35 lately? Being the owner of a new TSX I can tell you that I have. If $5,000 to $10,000 more is "similar money" to you then they're paying you way too much at Wheels magazine"

It was funny because I just got the January copy in the mail, I'm reading the letters and as I'm reading mine I'm saying, hmmm this sounds familiar and I start laughing when I see my name at the bottom. What they left out was the other letters the author and I wrote back and forth after that intial one. He finally admitted that those cars are'nt sold for "similar money"

BTW, I hate that Magazine, not even sure why I'm getting it, it just started coming

larchmont

See? I told you that you had what it takes!

Congrats! This kind of thing is cool.

TeigerSX

Well done domn!! Let the little people be heard! The true TSXers know the truth! Get them to print a retraction!!

Just kidding. But nice job.

TEIGER

Iron Chef

That's cool, congrats. Way to give'em hell.

:devil:

dom

Correction, I actually like this Mag, just finished reading it and it was actually quite good. Its World of Wheels that Im not too fond of. Still can't figure out why this one came in the mail though?

crisco

I get Wheels as well. I saw your letter - I knew it must be someone on this board. Yeah I agree, I couldn't beleive he was saying that the IS and G35 are sold at 'the same money'. Comparably equipped, they're at least $7k more than a TSX.

Good job!

Jason

That's pretty cool domn. You gotta give them some credit to publish a letter that points out their faults.

duugk

Very cool...great letter too.

Soze75

Nice one domn!

I hope you included your avatar in the article

Wheels is a classic Canadian publication. Paper thin but with the all important Canadian pricing on vehicles. I think i might drop by the mag shop for a chuckle.

ALFA

Well, I do beleive it is similar money. I paid $ 29,500 for a MT, sport package, sunroof, heated mirrors and seats, power on both seats, LSD, for a 2005 G35. A TSX without navi goes for 27K but lacks many of the features I mentioned (not to mentioned the power and size). I think the G35 is the better value if you stay away from the premum package and the navi (you have to pay for the premum to get to the navi, about a 4k add on. But if you have to have the navi, then the TSX is a better value.

dom

Maybe in the US, but not in Canada. A friend a mine paid $48K on the road for a G35 with Premium package which is non-navi and similary equipped to the TSX. Thats almost 9k more than I paid for my TSX.

Starting MSRP for the IS300 in Canada is $37,995 (MT) and $39,450 (AT). Add 6 Disc Changer, Garage Door Opener, Vehicle Stability Assist, Moonroof, 17's and leather and that will run you an extra $7,820.00 for a total of $47,270. The IS may actually be more than the G35. Either way your paying between 5 and 10 more in Canada for either car. Remember the TSX price is $34,800

Although I do think the G35 is a great value.

majormojo

Way to go domn. Stick it to 'em. I also started getting Wheels a couple years ago for some unknown reason. I think when they started up they bought a subscriber list from C&D or something and just give it out to everyone... Anyway, every now and then they have an interesting article but mostly the writing and editing is sub-par, IMO. I'd certainly never pay for it.

The TSX is a slightly better value in Canada than the US, because the CDN MSRP is a couple thousand lower than what a straight currency conversion from US MSRP would give. Or at least it was earlier this year, it might be closer now with the continuing decline of the US dollar.

Plus we get heated mirrors.

gilboman

maybe the author meant he rather get less features but a more fun to drive and more powerful car? i would gladly give up features for a better car..i mean anybody can put in features, but it takes more work to build a good fun to drive car. so far similar money, he would get less features but a more rewarding car to drive

LeMasseHammer

I understand your point, and it sounds like you got a nice deal on the G35 (congrats), but at the risk of being nitpicky, I don't think anybody is paying $27,000 for a non-navi TSX. From what I've seen/read/heard lately, they're generally going for $26,000, which I would argue is no longer "similar price" to the G35, even if you can get the G at $29,500.

kiteboy

The operative phase was "similar money". The cheapest CDN list prices for the TSX, G35 and IS300 are $34.8k, $39.9k (AT) and $37.5k (MT), respectively. You might be able to argue that IS300 MT is within 10%, but none of the other versions are close enough to be considered similar price, imho.

ALFA

Hi Lemasse: When I started looking into it, the TSX had no discount. The G35 S is a $ 500 over invoice car. As it goes, the 2004 with MT comes with a ton of features that the TSX does not have at any price. To me $ 3,000 is similar money, but I can see your point. It just depends from what side of the market a buyer is in. If the buyer is streching from a Camry or Accord, then the TSX makes a lot of sense. But I was willing to go up to 35k and the G35 seemed to be that right car at the time. Now, if I could have gotten the TSX w/navi for 26-27K, then that is a different story. The G35 w/navi goes for about 33K w/discount. But the navi is not so great.

dom

I understand what your saying here Gilbo but the writer and I wrote back and forth a few times discussing what he meant and he initially believed that for only a few thousand more one could get am IS300 or G35. All I explaned to him was that its more than a few thousand and he agreed. Its just a matter of backing up what your write or at least be specific about what kind of G35 or IS300 your getting for "similar money" and thats what I told him.

I still don't see the IS300 as direct competition with the TSX though. I looked at one when I was TSX shopping and its just so much smaller, more expensive and I think aimed at a different segment somehow. The TSX to me is just a much sportier and better looking Accord.

ALFA

Hi Domm: Just the fact that you and many on this forum (including me) looked at the IS 300 when shopping for a car, makes it a competitor in the segment. Basically they are compact sport sedans, with some pros and cons on each side. It is up to the consumer to decide why to get either one. None of the cars mentioned are so unique that can be called a segment buster(TSX, 9-3,G35,TL,A4,3 Series,etc).

dom

I guess your right, the fact that I even looked at it says something.