So i am considering 2 options.

1. Keep my 2004 tsx and start tuning it.. kpro, cold air intake, exhaust no turbo or supercharger... yet? haha

or 2. buy a new (used) car that is just better performance wise

my car has about 67xxx km on it. it was in an accident so it is a rebuild. the bumper has a few broken clips so the gaps are not all equal. i live in canada in a relatively small city so i dont really no how i would get parts for it.

what would you do?

 

Your resale value will likely be depressed because of the accident. However, the car is also 6 years old.

So, your answer would depend upon your budget and your satisfaction level with the TSX. If you have been satisfied with the TSX, then keeping it would be the most cost effective route -- but would provide the less amount of improvement.

If you have money to spare, and want a late model, low mileage, car with better performance (and lower gas mileage) then a a change would be in order. But, as always, be careful when buying a used vehicle.

 

I would keep the TSX and have some fun with it. You can try all the performance mods to see what works or not. The TSX will last you 3-5 more years if you don't get too crazy with it.

 

hmm well i was thinking of getting a rear sway bar and the a-spec suspension first so it handles better. i also hear that people fall in love with the car all over again after just buying k-pro. does anyone here have it? thoughts on it? if i could get 200-250hp (hopefully with no turbo or supercharger) to the wheels i think it would satisfy me for the next few years

 

well i cannot believe i am going to say this.. but i am really starting to like the 2011 ford mustang.. believe me i used to be a huge hater of ford.. but this new 3.7L 305hp v6 that revs to 7k RPM? thats my kind of engine. and i have always loved the look of the new mustang but i just laughed at them with the 4L 210hp v6 and 300hp v8. my 4 banger tsx was faster then the v6 versions. ford is starting to get on my good side.. is this a good thing? do you guys thing ford is going to become as reliable as honda and toyota were. (not that they arnt now but toyota is in a big pickle)

 

I'd keep the car. It's paid off. If it's not giving you trouble, just fix up the gaps and clips and such and get her looking new again.

 

In regard to the Mustang.

> I live in Canada

Do you really want RWD on snow and ice? I presume that the engine uses OHC, rather than push-rods, since it revs to 7k. Personally, I would prefer OHC.

 

its dohc and i live in vancouver and we hardly ever get snow and ice this winter we seriously got 3 days of snow on the road

 

I agree. If you keep wanting a new car after six years, lease your next car.

I believe that buying a car is an investment towards transportation, not something like clothing/attire. So if it was me, I would keep the car until the engine breaks to the point where fixing it would exceed the amount of the car.

 

hmm ok i guess ill just dream for the next few years

 

I'd definitely spend some time with the math and ask yourself if a newer car, or even the Mustang, is really worth what you'll be paying out. Consider also your age and what you want to accomplish in the next 4-6 years. I don't know what's next for you - school or work. Also don't know if you've got $30K sitting in the bank. I'll assume for the moment you are either starting school or a career, and that buying the Mustang would involve a car loan.

Financially, it's bad to replace your TSX with even a used car for the reasons mentioned (accident will hurt you resale, and it sounds like curb-appeal needs some work, and whatever you step up to will cost you more money than now, which is zero). The Mustang is even worse. You might be talking, what, $600-700 per month for 5+ years?

Part of the fun of being young is having choices. If you are a slave to a car payment, that limits your choices. So which would you be happer with - a TSX you can run into the ground for the next 5 years and have all that cash to do other things, or get the new shiny Mustang where you can't afford to do anthing more than drive it to work. Also consider the insurance if you haven't already. 18 year old + Mustang = high insurance payments.

Having a new car is cool, but having money to enjoy being young is even better.

 

^Very nice explanation.

I'm not insulting the OP, but some people lack the ability to look ahead. And it's good that the OP came in here to ask for opinions from people that can.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by unoo

do you guys thing ford is going to become as reliable as honda and toyota?

Zero chance of that. They have not been able to do it for over 40 years, since Honda and Toyota started selling cars here. (In fact, in five years, I might trust your current TSX more than the Mustang.) The coldest night of my life was when I was coming home from college in a friend's really cool Mustang and it broke down in a snowstorm. We waited outside in a blizzard for a tow truck for 4 hours. A very fast car -- but even a tricycle is faster when the Mustang won't start.

And beside that point, and more importantly, I agree with 1Louder's advice.

 

^^^ +1 !!!