I've been putting it off because I'm cheap, I guess, but today I finally ordered one. My intention is to never take my car to a mechanic (never have) and that seemed to be at odds with not having a really good repair manual. So, $75 later, I'm gonna have one. I just ordered the one for the 2004-only, no sense having stuff for the '05 confusing me. (That's just too easy to do.)

 

Looking at your sig.....Do I smell a Navi-conversion down the road?

 

Mine came last week and it is a very comprehensive manual. It weighs in at 5.5 pounds and must be 2,000 pages. If you compare that to a text book (every pages has graphics), at only $75 it is a bargain. Plus they send you a return form if you want to send it back. One of the choices on the return form is "cause I found my old manual." They will allow you to return it if it is "too complicated." Any company that straight forward is a good one in my book. Helms =

 

Where did you guys get it from? a link?
thanks,

 

Yeah. I laugh a little when people think $75 is expensive. You just don't know until you own that service manual how good it really is.

 

there are several different manuals at helmsinc.com which one did you get & was this the site you ordered from?

 

www.helminc.com

I got the 2005 TSX one as my car is a Canadian-market 2004 TSX. Thus, we have heated seats and mirrors whereas I believe the US-market 2004 didn't have the heated mirrors. The 2005 did. Aside from that there are basically no real differences between the 2004 and 2005 manuals.

The 2006 is different in that there are a few changes which we all know.

I believe the exact one I got was the 2004-2005 TSX Service Manual (KA) which is easily accessible by entering your year, make, and model, and selecting the appropriate type of product you want from the drop-down box.

To ANYONE who thinks the manuals are too expensive: $75 is about the price of one hour of shop labour. So if you save yourself from having to go to a shop to get something done, because you can now DIY, you have just paid for the manual in full. Anything after that is gravy.

 

I got my manual from helminc.com, the one just for the 2004 since, like I said, that's what I have. I agree with all here, if you're going to do your own mechanic work and/or modifications, you need to invest $75 in a good manual. I've done mods so far without it, but as I get into brake pads, fluid flush, and other routine maintenance down the road, I intend to do the work myself. $75 is the first hour of many, many hours of shop labor I'll not be paying.

If you're going to do your own work, don't wait as long as I did (2 years) -- get the manual.

 

I have a friend whose wife works for Garmin, so that's the route I'll likely go in terms of "nav conversion". That way I can put it in my wife's car if we take that on a trip, or the TSX if we take that. Not as good or cool as the Acura nav, but I don't have that and I'm not tearing into my dash, etc. to install it.

 

peter, do me a favor and id the dome light wire color for me? thanks.

 

I got my 2004-2006 manual a week-and-a-half ago. Definitely a bargain, and a MUST HAVE for anyone out there who plans on wrenching on their own car! Items I found specifically helpful were how to disassemble parts of the car, electrical diagrams, as well as torque specs for practically every bolt.

 

can you look up the dome light wire color for me?

 

I think he meant the OEM navi.. not aftermarket navi.

 

thanks for the link..

 

I could not agree with you more

 

You've sold me on the Helm's manual. Buy me one?

 

I ordered one from Helms, via the acura link on that other thread. It came over the boarder and to my house, in Richmond Hill, ON, in two days.

 

Just replaced my front brake pads using the Helms manual as a guide. Gonna replace my lines w/ braided stainless lines -- manual makes that look pretty simple. Everything is clear, well illustrated, torque specs are right there, etc. Best $75 I spent, if you're gonna do your own work, you need one of these.