hnasko

I think after much comparison shopping I will end up getting a TSX. A question has been lingering regarding the "standardized pricing".

Why is the 6MT the same cost as the 5AT? Every company i have ever come across has charged a min. of $1500 for the AT. What am i missing here?

I have emailed multiple dealers and received various answers:
1. The 6MT has larger brakes.
2. The Magnesium housing on the 6MT cost more to MFG 'cause Mg is very expensive.
3. The 6MT costs as much to produce as the 5AT.
4. The 6MT is specially designed to take advantage of VTEC.
5. The Acura standardized Pricing includes all options 'cept for NAVI.

Who is right? I know #1 is wrong-that is on the TL.

ianS

As you know, all are BS, the true reason is Marketing decision. In Canada 5AT is $1300 more than 6MT since 05.

BulldogHockey

Yeah, I'm pretty sure 1&4 are BS. #2 seems to make some sense which might make #3 true.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but an auto is more complicated and generally would have more parts than a manual. So that supports paying extra for auto. But I also think car companies know that the general public will buy only automatics so it's a way to squeeze a little more for every auto sold. How many north americans even know how to drive manuals anymore?

It just seems a lot more fun to drive the TSX in the manual form, unless you're in traffic a lot.

bradykp

I don't know about them being wrong.....it of course depends on what will sell and how much they can get away with charging, but some vehicles are actually more expensive to get in a manual.

unfortunately for us buyers, the manual is no longer the "standard" in production, so if you consider production-change costs, it would be more costly (or the same) to produce the manual transmissions. I would believe #3, but not 100%. i'm sure higher costs of producing a manual contribute to the price similarity, and part of it is also that they simply can do it.

maybe they can't get away with it culturally in canada yet. is the manual more common there than in the US? i know it is much more common in EU than US.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

#5 is the correct answer.

And brady, our canadian brothers up north pay extra to get the AT.

bradykp

i realize that, but maybe they also have higher production numbers of the manual, which make it less expensive for production changes. i'm thinking about this from a supply chain management point of view. less manual transmission parts means less bulk discount means higher costs, plus higher production-change costs, etc.

Schizm

yeah #5 is it. However #4 isn't a reason for a price difference. I would argue that the 6MT takes advantage more of the VTEC b/c you can keep the engine in the meaty VTECH revs longer. Again, no reason to charge the same price.

Dunno why Canadians would have to pay more for an AT. The differences between what we buy here and what our northern buddies buy have nothing to do with the tranni.

dom

But we didn't in 04.

@ #1

dom

Just a way for Acura and their dealers up here to make money.

calitsx

#1 is true for the TL

ninjamyst

I asked the same question in Car Talk a few weeks ago (since Acura/Honda charge the same for MT for all models). You can read about it here - https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/why-no-discount-manual-honda-acura-337551/ . I also feel a little ripped off for paying the same price for a MT as a AT. A few dealers actually wanted more for the MT because they claim "TSX is a limited production car and the MT is very rare and only for car enthusiasts. I can not sell you a MT at that price...blah blah blah."

psteng19

Yeah, I was a bit ticked off there wasn't the usual "pricing incentive" to get the MT.
On average, a manual costs $800-1000 less than the auto counterpart.

Schizm

pulling this out of my

perhaps they are promoting the more fuel efficient version? The 2004 TSX was one of the first cars I saw where the MT version had poorer fuel economy. Even though the last gears' ratios are identical the final drive is 0.32 larger on the MT.

CL6

Because they can.

5o9

Good point. When we ask what will that BMW cost with similar equipment, don't forget to add on that AT!

AT is paying fair price. 6MT buyers ripped off $1,000, but wouldn't have the car any other way.

I guess TL if you need AT. 6MT mandatory for TSX.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Actually, it's the other way around. The AT guys are just getting a great deal.

I also vaguely recall reading somewhere that Acura was able to offer the AT for no added cost because the volume of ATs was substantially higher, the cost of building them was spread out enough that it actually doesn't cost them any more than building an MT tranny.

ninjamyst

. No point in getting manual for a luxury car with more than 250HP. The TSX is a sport luxury sedan....TL a luxury sport sedan.

jpt

The real reasons:

1. Because it's that good.

curls

I'd totally agree. Both MT and AT versions of the TSX are still priced VERY aggressively.


This makes total sense to me!

Newplay1

who knows but 6speed FTW...

aaronng

Marketing. In Australia, the 5AT costs AU$2000 more than the 6MT. In order to lure buyers in the US, they probably priced the TSX so that 6MT was the same as 5AT.

ianS

I dun think this is the reason why AT is same price as MT. Then why Toyota still charge extra on Camry, Corolla, RAV4 for AT. I doubt the ratio of MT to AT on those car will anything close to TSX. I bet the total number of MT of those maybe even less than MT TSX.

My mechanic told me that our MT tranny is very expensive, it is as expensive as the unit on S2000 and cost more than the AT tranny on the Honda part list. So I believe the MT is kind of expensive to build than usual MT tranny as well as AT one. So that's why we have the sweetest MT tranny in the market.

5o9

Cost and price and value are all different things.

Both TSX shine in value.

I just wish the MT was $1,500 less. End of model year, there were no AT to be had, but several MT. Maybe 80%-90% of TSX is AT. At a minimum, AT in TSX has greater marketability. Purchasers appear to find greater value in the AT.

Believe me, if BMW was the same for MT/AT, there would be massive howling. The faithfull puke when they see an AT on the road.

hnasko

so many responses so quickly. It is no wonder in such a short time I received so many different responses from the dealers.

I have no interest in buying the AT, I just feel like I am subsidizing the cost of the AT. It will not supercede my decision to buy the car - I just want to have as much info as possible.

Thanks.

Billy M

i think they should cost the same, it's not like there's an extra transmission in there haha...

of course this is coming from someone who bought an automatic, and happy he didn't get stuck paying an extra ~$1200

ninjamyst

I think it's ok for them to charge the same BUT only if the manual gets something extra. For example, the Accord Coupe V6 MT gets a better sound system and carbon fiber look interior I think. Also, the G35 Coupe MT gets some kind of sport package standard plus better brakes I think. Otherwise, I do feel ripped off because the resale value of my MT car will be lower than AT.

ianS

^^ nothing worst than us 04 MT Canadian original owner!

thorium

I think warranty claims might play into it as well. I would imagine that there will be more transmission issues that acura will have to shell out $ for under warranty with a manual transmission, since the automatic transmission will have more electronic guards against transmission damage. I'm sure the primary reason is a marketing decision not an accounting decision, but increased warranty claims on manuals might play into it.

bradykp

i believe this point.