frenchv

Hello I'm about to pick up an Certified 04 blck on blck 04 TSX for 22k out the door with 43k miles on it.

Can someone please educate me about the car?

I know that the latest models need premium gas. Can you run the 04 on 87 octane?

Also what are the scheduled maintance on these cars? Oil change? Tune ups? Timing belt?


Thanks I appreciate it.

LuvMyTSX

Welcome to AZ, and try the FAQ section and also the search button up top. All your questions have been asked before and there's a lot of info already here.

frenchv

Ok thanks.

LoveMyTL-S

Welcome to AZ!! Your gonna love that car..............

SoCaliTrojan

All TSX's use premium gas, not just the latest year. If you want to use 87, you might as well go with a honda accord. The TSX is a higher compression engine and needs the premium gas if you want to use it to it's full potential. If you will never put the car to the limit (ie: going into high rpm's, vtec, etc), the car will run on 87 but will be less fuel efficient (thus you'll buy more 87 gas than you would if you had used premium). Premium is only a couple of dollars more per fill up, and you get to have fun with the car.

There are two maintenance schedules I believe...regular and extreme. I just follow the MID on my 06 TSX, so I don't look at the schedule until then

owkone

You can run 89 octane. The owners manual spells out everything that you seem to be asking.

The 04 had two major problems

1. A windshield rattle problem - it is most evident when the weather is cold. If you hear a rattle coming from the dash board kind of just above and below the rear view mirror most likely it is the rattle. Acura had a Technical Service Bulletin for it and the dealer fixed it for free.

2. There was a safety recall to add extra protection for wires under the trunk hood hinge. The dealer should have taken care of it.

Also, check the NHTSA databse for other technical issues.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr.../tsb/tsbsearch.

frenchv

Thanks all! Just picked up my 04 blck on blck TSX today.

I had to sell my e46 Alpine white spt package.. but it was just getting too expensive.

So far I'm ecstatic with my TSX! Trying to learn everything about it. Didn't know it had a blue lights on the console.

Will post pics soon.

LuvMyTSX

Congrats!

bradykp

i just read in yet another article about how premium gas is mostly a load of crap unless you have a real sports car. i know all about the compression ratio and the "recommendation" for premium in a lot of cars, including our TSX, but I still don't fully buy it.

though i do put 91 in my tsx....just in case i'm wrong. i've used 89 and gotten same MPG as 91. dunno about 87, but technically speaking, you should not be less fuel efficient.

i follow my MID too, his 2004 doesn't have it though.

Did you get the Vehicle Manual with the car? maintenance schedule should be in there.

i think unless you're driving harshly, expect to change the oil about every 5,000 miles.

rb1

It depends. If you're driving conservatively so that the engine doesn't retard the timing very often because of pre-detonation or pinging, you can get the same or even perhaps slightly better mpg in some cases running on 87.

However, under full acceleration, the knock sensor will retard the timing and you'll get both worse performance and worse fuel economy that you might otherwise.

The knock sensor isn't perfect, and pinging over time is not good for the engine.

Also, cars that ran fine on 87 octane when new sometimes need higher octane levels later in light to avoid pinging because the engine deposits can make the engine more prone to early detonation than when the engine was new. My 88 Integra did fine on 87 until about the 100K mile mark, and then I had to use 91 in it.

Often, premium fuels have more detergent additives than the other grades (certainly true of Shell V-Power), so they may keep your engine cleaner over time also.

StefsTSX

i have a '04 and i only run 93 octane in mine...she hasnt had any problems...

drigo

congrats

Reach

But yikes! What kit is that you've got on?

StefsTSX

yikes what?

Pavel_MD

Hey guys, what is the mileage at your TSXs? mine is 16.22 mpg... I think it's too much, isn't it?

rb1

So, is this city or highway driving? Auto/MT? If city, are you leadfooting it or driving conservatively. If you are consistently driving it aggressively, or cruising around in an MT in the city with at 3500-4000 RPM (or worse ), then this is not entirely unreasonable.

frenchv

Thanks! I'm starting to like the car more and more..

Will post pics soon.

owkone

Pavel, in my mixed suburb driving I get about 24 mpg year round on my AT TSX. I am no leadfoot but I don't drive like a senior citizen either.

Are you driving real short distances less than 7 to 8 miles? If so, that may be the reason. Not enough time to fuly warm up the engine so it's burning rich.

loulinjai

sauceman did a very impressive experiment (where is he anyways) a while back using different octane gases. basically a way the motor compensate for knocking is to inject more fuel into the combustion chamber to adsorb heat (using the heat to vaporize the fuel) to help with knocking. www.howstuffworks.com is a great site to understand car stuff. i dont think honda recommended 91 octane just so you have to pay expensive gas. all car companies out there are fighting to achieve and advertise cheap maintainence cost and put up a reputation for reliablility. bmw had a reputation of being unreliable in some models, now they do complementary 4 yr maintainence to reassure customers. honda has done well in this department. also if the dealer knows and detects low octane fuel through the ecu, they have the right to void your warranty. you can justify the cost and decide what fuel u want to use

S14 n Tsx

looks like a jp kit to me.

frenchv

Love your sig man, Paris!!

S14 n Tsx

thanks..

Pavel_MD

This is the mileage I get in the city and my TSX is AT. I'm wondering if I'm driving it properly. This is my first car with AT... Could you please give some more tips how should I drive it? Thanks!

Pavel_MD

Hey body, perhaps you are right. I'm driving those real short distances and I'm kind a leadfoot... As mentioned above, this is my first AT car and I'd realy appreciate any tips from you regarding smooth and safe driving with AT. Thanks!

StefsTSX

i have a manuel and i get roughly 22.4 mpg...all city

frenchv

Got anymore pics of your ride?