93Kewl

An article with a direct comparison of this board's two favorite cars!

Enjoy!

http://www.playboy.com/features/wheels/acura_saab/

speedzer

hmmmmm....didn't know playboy compared cars. always thought it was all about the women.

rzee

No man, there is actually only one (1) favorite car on this board.

35kcdn

If there has to be 2 favourite cars, can I make my second on an M5

Santacruz

I would agree with the review...

The TSX IS a car you keep and can be proud of.

The 9-3 IS something you use for an evening and then get rid of before anyone sees you with it!

TsXtian

yikes! see all those buttons in the saab....talk about confusing.

93Kewl

Yeah, the one that you sneak off (and keep secret) is usually better than the plain, old hum-drum one you have at home. Otherwise, why would you bother? Heh heh!

The best part is every single one of them, including the steering wheel controls light up at night. What's cool is that there is an option to turn off all interior lights except for the speedo. Nice!

BTW, do the radio/cruise controls on the TSX's wheel light up at night?

speedzer

no, the tsx steering controls are not lighted. i wish it was. btw, how is turning off all the interior lights cool? i'm sure every car has that option.

rzee

Am I the only one who is glad that they don't light up??? It would be so distracting!!!!!

As for turning off all lights except meters panel, the TSX can do that too. No biggie.

provench

I am also glad they don't light up. I might also add ... Am I the only one that hopes that the controls are so intuitive that you don't have to look at the steering wheel, read the letters, and then click on it?

Note the use of the different textures on the various steering wheel buttons on the TSX ... Honda interior design is very very smart. Just don't get me started on auto up/down on all 4 windows ... now THERE is something all Acura's should have by now

ClutchPerformer

I'm glad the steering wheel buttons don't light up, too.

Isn't the point of having buttons on the steering wheel that you DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT BUTTONS while you're driving? Maybe I'm just crazy.

soopa

<- at all the in this thread



theres nothing cooler then the lighted steering controls of a bimmer.... w00t.

ySL

Nice find 93kewl....

When are you actually getting your Saab btw?

93Kewl

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

I just sent out the Carsdirect and Edmunds quotes today. I already got one offer from a dealer in Brooklyn!

Honda is coming next week to my home to pre-inspect my CL. Whoever gets my car next, is practically getting a brand new car. I only have 11,500 miles on it and it looks practically brand new. With the exception of the stock rims. Whoever designed them should be shot! They extend outward from the tire and are more prone to scratching.

Looks like sometime this month, since I want to take advantage of the great incentives GM is offering.


I hate to correct you but the 9-3 allows all lights (including rpm, fuel, etc) to be turned off except for the speedometer. I find that a very nice feature. Nice to have for sure. The same for lit controls on the steering wheel. Sometimes, it's the "little" things, ya know?

2focus

and remember you said in another thread that all those performance catagories that TSX is better than Saab in are only by a little...

ClutchPerformer

rzee

If you like it, more power to you. It's definitely too "little" for me, I like seeing my rpm needle dancing up and down, thank you. Maybe I just don't get it.


Oh soopa! quit whining!

Lycos

I think saab-93.com is still available.

Santacruz

um do you have any documented proof of that...i think you're just being argumentative 2focus. I'm sure what my man 93saab meant was the little things count once you've decided to buy a saab. When you're considering a car it's the big things like reliability...no wait...performance...no i mean...value...wait wait...low-end torque...yeah that's it, it's low-end torque that counts!

2focus

93Kewl

Yep, all the above. I know for sure I am not sacrificing performance, reliability, luxury, style, and creature comforts provided by the CL. After all, why would I wan't to buy a car that has less than what my CL has now? Oh, yes....that's it - the TSX car can do the twisties!

finalheaven

Performance from Motor Tred July Issue

TSX beat Saab in the following:
0-60 7.9 to 8.3
1/4 mile 16.0 to 16.2
braking 124 to 126

Reliability we know that Acura is better

Handling: TSX

Style: completely up to you

Torque: 9-3 wins

Value: see the huge difference in price? TSX wins.

Jaeger

Ohh goody - another Saab 9-3 thread - just what we needed! I mean, it's been so long since we devoted a bunch of bandwidth to discussing the pros and cons of the Saab 9-3. Heck, what would a TSX board be without a huge dose Saab content? :whocares:

Jaeger

larchmont

I guess some of us aren't done yet!

Iceman

The Saab 9-3 is a nice car. I test-drove a linear with the "launch" package and thought it was the nicest Saab since my beloved 99. They're asking too much dough for it though. Who do they think they are, BMW?

ySL

The fact that 93Kewl argued so vehemently for the Saab without owning the 9-3 yet was the only thing that bothered me during the 9-3/TSX debate...

But anyways, I think Saab gets overlooked by Acura owners so a little 9-3 exposure ain't bad...

But while we're at it, I'm curious as to how you guys rank the following brands:

Audi,Infiniti,Acura,Saab

wishiwere

Not sure how you would like them ranked, but in my unscientific, personal opinion, I see them as:

Builds desirable automobiles:
Audi = Infiniti = Acura = Saab (I actually like all of these manufacturers a lot, for their own unique reasons)

Best interiors:
Audi > Saab > Acura > Infiniti

Best exteriors:
Audi > Saab = Acura = Infiniti (gets bonus points for g35 coupe, gets docked points for the m45, quite possibly the ugliest vehicle ever created)

Prestige:
Audi = Saab > Acura = Infiniti (dunno why, but european seems to be more prestigious than japanese)

Reliability:
Acura = Infiniti > Saab >> Audi

finalheaven

Overall i would say Audi would be the top. Infiniti is quite new but i think it barely hit a higher note with the new g35... but im sure acura will beat it after the TL. Saab i think would be the lowest.

I live in LA where name brand is everything. BMW and Mercedes being the top.

IMO Audi > Infiniti > Acura > Saab....

(Acura will go higher as soon as the TL comes out =) )

ySL

Try to rank them not considering reliability...

larchmont

How about ranking them without considering whether they run?

Seriously, what sense does it make to eliminate "reliability"?

ySL

well do somethin like what wishiwere did...just so you don't let "hOndA reLiaBiLity" override all of your opinions regarding other aspects of the car.

Iceman

Acura TSX OWNS Audi A4, and the TL will be very competitive with the A6. Acura has to bring world-class exterior styling to the TL in order to beat the A6, though.

larchmont

Can't -- because to me, that's the #1 thing.

The first thing about a car is that it should get you where you need to go, when you need to go there.

Everything else is elective.

Ozzman

About the lights turning off in the Saab, you can do something similar in the TSX by holding the CD/AUX button down for about ten seconds. Try it out.

Santacruz

that's like saying "how about we rank them without engines"

93Kewl

Uh oh, then maybe you should have bought a Toyota or (heven forbid) a Lexus!

larchmont

Unless you're kidding, I think you misunderstand some things about statistics, studies, and what it does/doesn't mean when we say something is the #1 thing.

If you ARE kidding --

2focus

wow, that's big talk from someone that is choosing a Saab because it 'feels' fast thanks to the low end torque...

well, unlike you, most TSX owners look at the OVERALL package of the car...Larch might consider reliability first, but not the only criteria.

larchmont

Santacruz

translation:

EVERYBODY buy a SAAB 9-3! Because that's what I'm buying!

Jesus! is that the ONLY song you know?

larchmont

Not to pour salt on a wound, but actually I'd get a Toyota or Lexus before a Saab.

It might be close, though.