And on the other hand, we would only order a 6MT maybe twice a year. When I did the ordering, I never saw any limits on ordering them. It was merely a matter of not risking cars sitting on the lot for too long.

As for the wagon, that's a different car altogether, so dealer ordering is limited by allocation. As for the 4000 (15/year/dealer), I don't think that's the limit of the line. Isn't it the limit that Acura is willing to commit to in addition to the production to the rest of the world? Did they create a new factory line just for the US or convert sedan lines to wagon? Lines could always be changed to make fewer sedans and more wagons if needed. With only just over 1 wagon/month, dealers are more likely to want to command a premium in lack of discount over a sedan. Then the $1500 price difference MSRP turns into $2500 difference in transaction price. The manufacturer ends up with a skewed perception of demand for the car and ends up not seeing a need to continue producing a wagon.

disclaimer: This is all personal conjecture and opinion from working in the car business that may or may not prove to be correct. Being my opinion based on personal experiences, I believe that it is.

 

There are constraints on transmissions, this is from the last MOVE for TSX Sedans:

BASE (CU2F4CJW) = 43%
SE 6MT (CU2E8CJW) = 2%
SE 5AT (CU2F8CJW) = 18%
TECH (CU2F6CKW) = 35%
V6 BASE (CU4F4CJW) = 1%
V6 TECH (CU4F6CKW) = 1%

The mix for wagons is not constrained, except for the allocation. Yes, it is not the limit of the line (sorry I wasn't more clear), its the amount they're willing to commit to the US. But considering the exchange rate, they may have other reasons for limiting how many they send over here.

 

Glad yours is doing well, this is the first example of a rattle I've run into and I was wondering if it was a larger issue. A quick search of the forum shows a few comments on it.

~25 sounds pretty good considering it's still pretty new. Hopefully it will go up a couple of clicks once the engine starts loosening up. No, my recent client is not a doctor, retired military working for DOE. She was happy to get a 2011 since they still have a spare tire.

 

Very interesting to see the constraint %'s. 2% 6MT? You'd be just as lucky to find V6! On the wagon, it's my opinion that only people showing demand for it will increase their commitment for production and potentially a future one. The only way to do that is with the pocketbook, so I plan to do my part and vote with mine.

 

My 2011 PWP on black V6 Tech... I'd bet there are only 500 in the world.

 

insane to see the percents. i knew there was a reason we keep you around here besides your dastardly good looks
I wish i got a manual, but my dad wouldn't let. said my mom and sister must be able to drive as well =(
are there really that little V6's being sold/requested? i guess anyone that wants a bigger engine just hops into the TL. just curious, hows the wait time if you wanna order a specific color combo? a ebony on vortex blue tech for example? three months? and if i remember right, blue isn't offered for the SE. white, black, and the true red only?

 

I see a lot of comments to the effect of "I would get a manual, but can't because my wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/mistress/relative can't drive a stick."

My wife is from Hawaii and spent summers on a ranch where she piloted the family's Toyota Land Cruisers. So she learned both to drive a stick and maneuver a 4WD by the time she was 15.

Is she excited that I flipped my 08 TSX 5AT for an 11 TSX 6MT? No, not really, but she can drive it if necessary.

She is nervous about an extremely steep hill near our house with a stop sign and cross traffic moving at 35 MPH plus.

I wonder if Acura offered a "hill-hold" feature (like on the TL MT) the manual version of the TSX would then be more popular?

Or if more dealers ordered it so prospective buyers could actually test drive one and realize how much fun they can be, and how modern manual trannies are much easier to drive smoothly.

 

this is nice if your wife grew up on a ranch manhandling 6-speeds for a living, but i think your wife might be the exception

and that other chick with the red 1st gen, she will chime in and mention that she drives a stick

 

The stick is fun but over time becomes a pain especially when you drive in and out of Chicago everyday as I do, just not practical to most people/families...

 

and that its problem free for 100k

 

with the original brakes!

<3 ya nj2pa2nc! hahaha

 

^^^^^ Shots Fired

 

uses regular gas-oops there goes all my fans
learned to drive stick in Bergen County, NJ and NYC-so it was a challenge-
Original Michelin tires lasted 74,000 miles-all measured 4/32 when I bought new tires-52,000 miles on the Yoko's-
almost 127,000 miles

 

Sonar: This is what I'm talking about, the 'noise' level for manuals is not proportional to the people who actually 'put their money where their mouth is'. (not singling you out, just as an example)

Kixo, IMO, the 'hill hold' is overrated. We have it in the CR-Z and honestly, I can handle hills better without it. It seems to hold the brakes a split second longer than I'd prefer and when I'm letting off the clutch, it can stall cause I'm actually working AGAINST the system. I've now learned to pause a second before stepping off the clutch.

 

This statement underscores why manual trannies are dying in America - cars are little more than communting appliances here. That's why sticks remain popular in Europe - it's a culture that has a passion for driving. It's not about simply getting from point A to point B for them. I live in a city and thus do not require a car to commute. My car is for running errands and for fun. Hence, why I drive a stick.

You know what America needs if we want to keep the manual trasmission from becoming extinct here? We need some autobahns of our own so people will start driving solely for fun. A European driver with a big smile on his face doing 100 in a sports sedan on an autobahn doesn't give a rats ass about how practical his car is.

 

yea only if theres atleast 3 tests to pass to get onto the US autobahn... so many stupid drivers in the US. its easier to pass the drivers exam than to find a hobo in nyc

 

This isn't entirely true. Gas is more expensive in European countries, the cars and engines are typically smaller, ATs are far more expensive, driving is a luxury and not a necessity for most, etc. Add all of this up and basic economics forces way more drivers into manual cars than into ATs.

But don't be fooled, the Auto tranny is becoming quite popular in Europe.

 

I'm just glad the 2012s are finally arriving on the lots around here!! Waiting to see if we can find a Milano Red SE for the wifey.

 

I put over 100K miles on my first car. A honda with 89 hp. You needed a manual to get some performance out of that engine. Other than a few practice runs in a parking lot, the first time I drove a manual was when I drove that car out of the dealers lot.

But I have never had a manual since. It just boils down to practicality, resale options, and cars with plenty of hp that you don't need the manual to make up for it. I understand why people get manuals, but it will always be a minority.

What is changing though is what types of transmissions are being developed. Even in 'supercars' you will find 'on the floor' manuals harder to come by. Paddle shifting double clutch transmissions shift far faster then a traditional manual. Once this type of transmission becomes affordable this will find its way into enthusiasts cars and there will be no more shifting, just 'paddling.'

 

Acura charges $1,300 more for AT model up here in Canada, the 6MT is still available in Base and Premium trim in 2012, but not the Tech trim. And we are not going to get the SE model.

I drive 100km round trip to and from work every day, highway and city (lots of stop and go traffic), the 6MT is still the best option for me because of the fun/joy factor. Maybe it's because I have driven a manual all my driving life (my first car was a Pontiac T1000-same as a Chevy Chevette with 4MT), it feels like driving an automatic as I don't even have to think, just automatic reflex. My other family vehicle is a Toyota Sienna minivan, which of course is automatic.

 

proud to one of the minority-as long as Manual Transmission is offered I will be driving it. Owned a car with the paddle shifting-not the same-

 

The SE is now up on the acura.com site for building and pricing. The interior photo is of the regular TSX and doesn't show the proper interior trim or 6MT...

 

Does anyone know which is more expensive to manufacture -- a manual or automatic transmission? I would figure the auto also has additional software/engine management costs.

I read somewhere that 30-35 percent of the cost a new vehicle is in the software and firmware.

 

Automatics often have better fuel economy than manuals these days, so fuel costs are no longer a factor. European cars tend to be known as the best driving cars because they are designed for a market that enjoys tight handling. If BMW, Porsche, and Audi were American companies, their cars would not be what we know them as today. They'd be the dumbed-down turnpike cruisers most American makes are because that's the market here. The auto tranny may be gaining popularity in Europe, but it'll never have the 95% market penetration there that the auto has in the U.S. Which is why European makes will always offer manuals when other manufacturers give up on them.

I drove my buddy's Lamborghini with the paddle shifted automated manual. Though there's no clutch pedal, it's still a manual and the fun is still there. I'd gladly trade that design for my center-mounted stick. Just don't force me to drive a slushbox.

Autos are far more expensive. Most manufacturers tend to charge about $1k over a manual for them, so that should give a ballpark figure of the differential.

 

Um, the TL?

 

Too, hate to say, ugly.

 

wow read these

Problem FREE until it hits 900 miles and 47,000 miles respectively.

4G TL Car SHUTS OFF at 75mph on the highway
https://acurazine.com/forums/4g-tl-problems-fixes-297/car-shuts-off-75mph-highway-834385/

4G TL Catastrophic failure
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...light=car+shut

 

Just saw some online photos of an SE auto in Silver Moon from a dealer's web site.

The interior looks good, with more visual interest and depth than the standard Ebony interior, which to me is a bit of a monochromatic dungeon.

BUT....Acura kept the wood grain inserts on the center console. This is completely incongruous to me. It doesn't fit with the red/ebony interior of the vehicle, especially one that is supposed to be the sportier model.

It should have used the Tech Package interior instead as a base for the SE before it put all the shiny bits and red lights in it.

The vehicle would be appealing to me only if Acura:
- gave it an A-Spec package or similar for some real handling improvements
- offered it with the Tech package and Manual combo