Hello Everyone. I've been in love with the TSX for about 3 or so years now and have been silently browsing the forums for about 6 months learning as much about this car as I possibly can.

Now that I am out of college and making very decent money, I can finally make this car a reality in my life. A high end luxury package with 34mpg freeway is about as ideal as you can get for 29,000 hard earned dollars.

But something happened....the 2006 model year redesign turned me off just a little bit. Not that much, but just enough for me to consider other options. But I don't like anything else. I've always loved Acura. I'm trying to Imagine what potential tricks Acura will have up their sleeve for the 2008 model year, now that the RSX has been discontinued.

I imagine an engine (possibly borrowed from the S2000 or turbo charged RDX) in the range of 230 to 250hp with additional luxury options that put it directly on the level with the 3 series BMW. I also imagine a 2008 TSX fully loaded costing substantionally more than the current model as a result...but by that time (21 months) I will have more than enough money saved to make it an easy purchase.

Anyways, I feel like I need to wait and see what's going to happen. I don't feel right about buying a TSX towards the end of its current generational design...especially when I prefer the 2005 model design and rims so much more. I currently drive a Mazda3 5 door. It gets me to where I'm going and I can take a turn just about as hard as I feel like with performance tires, but the lack of luxury and the very fact that it's a completely average economy car is KILLING me. I don't know if I can wait until ~November 2007.

Any suggestions? Is anyone else waiting? As sad as this makes me, I may end up inside an Infinite or Lexus within the next year as I grow tired of my Mazda by the day.

 

honestly, if you can hold out, i'd wait till the 08's rollout!!

 

Wait the minute....so you didn't like it that Acura decided to include Bluetooth, Memory Seats, 10 more HP, more aggressive front bumper, upgraded interior, and aux input (the list goes on) to the 2006 model? I think this is the best time to buy the TSX and that's why I got mine. Like you, I just graduated from college with a decent job and this is my little (big) reward to myself. As for 34MPH on hwy, I been getting 20MPH for city/hwy combined. You should really check out the features they added besides the ugly rims (which you can easily change). And if you gonna wait, the refresh 2007 TL is coming out. And how's the Mazda3?? I was pretty close to getting a loaded GT model instead of the TSX....sometimes I still regret not saving that $7k.

 

Why wait? There are always something new in the horizon and you can always wait for the next best thing. When the 08 model comes out, 09-10 model will be around the corner and they might be much better than the 08 and you might be tempted to wait for that as well.

If you like the 06 model, I think you should buy it now. Life is too short to wait. Besides, Acura in general holds its value very well. When the 08 comes out and if you like it that much, you can always trade up for a small lost. And, you will have enjoyed the car for at least 15 more months.

My

 

See what if any small changes will be on the '07 and if nothing major, make a great deal on an '06. I think the '06 model year is the show, you get the mid model year refresh, the new stuff (memory seat, BT, more power, etc) and your not buying the last year of that body style - '07.

If you wait for the '08, there may be kinks that need to be worked out, dealers won't be willing to deal on a new model and it will obviously be more expensive than the current generation and it may not be the outstanding value it currently is.

 

If you really want the TSX and are really that concerned about the 2008 being that much better, perhaps you should consider leasing one right now, waiting for the 2008 to come out and have the early bugs taken care of before you plunk down the money to buy one.

 

Purely personal: seems like whenever a car I really like goes through a major redesign, I almost always prefer the earlier version, at least for a few years.

Got a pair of S70 Volvos that I still prefer to the newer 40/60/80's.

More recently, found the new Lexus ES350 to be less attractive (particularly the interior) than the previous gen; I was a potential ES buyer until I sat in an '07 - it's got this rounded tennis-racket shaped middle-of-the-dash that I never would have gotten used to.

And still prefer a lot of 2nd gen TL and CL styling to current stuff. If you're at all like me, pick what you like and don't look back. The more I look at my TSX, the more I like it, and I think, initially, the '08 will disappoint me.

IMHO, this is especially true if you're going to keep a car for a long time: pick a style and color that you'll still find appealing in 6-8 years. If what you like is out there now, jump in. Whatever you get will be a -1 gen in a few years anyway.

 

I just had an idea. I could get a good deal on the '06 once the '07's come out. And if I were to have buyers regret, in about ~5 years, I could trade in for the '08 redesign's midlife refresh. This actually seems like a good idea to me...because I honestly just don't think I can drive my Mazda for two more years while I wait.

And to another poster, yes the Mazda3 is a great car for what you pay for. But it's nowhere near an Acura in terms of luxury and refinement. If you have the money, and you are willing to spend the money, there is no reason I can think of to choose a fully loaded Mazda3 over a TSX to save 7 grand. The Mazda is a total grey area. With the lack of luxury and refinement in comparison to the TSX, you find yourself focusing on the meager 160hp engine to get your driving enjoyment and you begin to feel let down. I also feel like a highschool teenager driving this car...and very often stupid kids in other Mazda3's will challenge me to race. This annoys me to no end. I'd rather sit in a car that represents a more mature ownership.

And no, I'm not considering a TL for the following reasons.
I prefer a compact sedan over a midsize sedan 10 times over.
I don't like the disconnected boat-like feeling in the TL.
Gas milage is more important to me than acceleration in a daily driver.
TL's are a dime a dozen where I live and I just don't want to be another TL driver.

So I think you guys may have talked me into it. I'll be trying to get a good deal on an '06 in November.

 

Start shopping now, while selection is good. Great deals can be had now if you know how to do it!

 

It's very tempting, I guess I could go out right this minute and buy one. But I still need another month or so to plan out my finances and get ready for a trade in. My Mazda is ready for its 30,000 mile service. I feel that I need to have this done, as it will maximize my trade in value....and I would like 4 more paychecks to get my down payment to ~$5,000. The less I have to pay in sales tax and the more I can get for the trade in will leave me feeling complete. I'm not ready just yet....but I guess I'm aiming for mid to late October. Hopefully selection will still be good at this point.

 

I could be mistaken, but I thought Acura was offering low APR if you finance through Honda this month of August? I could be wrong, but worth checking into. I don't think performing the 30K service on your Mazda would make one bit of difference in trade in value, if anything, waiting another month or two is going to make your Mazda worth less and chances of scoring an '06 TSX in the flavor YOU want will decrease as well. Good luck and keep us posted. BTW - What FLAVOR are you thinking? (Color, AT/MT, NAVI?).

 

I am pretty sure it's about the face design

 

This is an interesting dilemma. On one hand, the price of '06 TSX will definitely drop a few hundreds by October. On the other hand, the price of your Mazda3 will also drop and probably by more because the new MazdaSpeed3 is coming out (that car totally kicks ass). And I agree that you will not be getting any of the money you spend on the 30k service back in a trade-in.