Mitch-S

Looking to trade in my 2011 MDX with tech because of the crazy gas prices (car is only getting 16-17 mpg) and we don't really need the space since we are only a family of 3.

Can TSX wagon owners chime in and give me your pros and cons.

Thanks.

krnboy817

Picked up a white 2012 tsx wagon tech just put over 4500 miles today

TECH IS A MUST HAVE PACKAGE ON THE WAGON IMO over the 6SPD MAN.

pro:
1. better ELS sound system than MDX imo ( had it as a loaner for 2 weeks ).
2. 28 - 30 mpg on regular gas ( easy mix driving )
3. on par with MDX interior build quality
4. faster Nav load than MDX
5. great driving position and view
6. power with remote activated lift gate
7. trunk capacity/space
8. most torque available low end around 1500 - 3000 rpm (roughly)
9. great exterior looks imo
10. good exterior white paint (search the forum if you are getting a black... there are flaws)
11. many common parts shared with MDX
12. versatility without the SUV cost
13. better quality than VW jetta wagon both diesel and gas
14. on par if not better than A4 avant overall (2.0T non quattro)
15. RARE CAR... i havent seen one other than mine where i live since acura's launch of the wagon.

cons
1. moon roof leak
2. leather on seats seems to be thinner than MDX
3. effective but its still a "leaves you feeling short of a gear" 5 speed auto
4. much more road noise than MDX... although better than accord
5. body roll, body roll, body roll in turn ins
6. doors feel too light
7. ball joint issue ( search the "clunk" noise especially if you are wanting a 2012 )
8. runs out of power over 5000 rpm
9. front wheel drive big difference from sh-awd
10. feel of being bit out dated for the sticker price
11. worst MPG than 2013 accord v6 both at and mt
12. back seat leg room is too small
13. no rear AC or stand alone climate control like MDX
14. front end heavy driving feel
15. Nav screen glare in certain sunlight
16. paint quality issue on black pearl paint (search forum before purchasing)
17. no push button start
18. only 1 angle view back up cam... unlike MDX

conclusion

Definitely not a $35,000 car... more like a $25 ~ $28,000 car. Although some may disagree, had i paid $35,000 for mine i would be bit disappointed with mine after having the car for almost 5 weeks now. but then i may be the 1% who ended up not so lucky and ended up being so. this was the first car after owning 13 that i had a moon roof leak on me. it took acura almost 2 weeks to get it fixed and service wasnt great either. now it may just be the dealer i was at, but experience experienced didnt even meet my minimum expectations. plus i still have to get the "clunk" issue taken care of... sigh.

overall its a...
good daily car
good cargo flexibility.
good MPG and good that it can run on regular gas.
good quality...

but could be better but ILX doesnt seem to be the answer either.

Mitch-S

Thanks. This helps a lot.

$90 fill ups is just getting too much to handle. We really like the comfort and room of the MDX but a family of 3 shouldn't need it have a 7 seater. Besides, the back row is completely useless unless you have tiny kids.

krnboy817

yea and mdx is so heavy feeling car when driving it. v6 isnt peppy and hesitant until about 70mph making it sort of useless in everyday drive. tsx takes about $53 from empty to fill up and lasts about 480 miles.

its a less of a car but if you know what youre getting into then and have other much more important priorities you need to accept, then the short comings shouldn't bother you too much. (sort of coming out of the same issue for me as well)

good luck with your purchase

ceb

krnboy is a bit jaded since he got the one with a roof leak and a crappy dealer. Having the car sitting on the lot for a long time might have contributed to that issue too.

The "front end clunk" has a TSB and is easily fixed by Acura, so it is really a non-issue.

There is no car (coupe, sadan or wagon) currently available that has a separate rear AC system (Bentley, RR and similar niche cars excluded), so that really isn't a limitation of this car.

krnboy's problem with power delivery may well be caused by feeding the car regular gas. While it drives fine with regular, there is a noticeable performance difference with 91/93 octane.

krnboy seems a bit disappointed in the value. What other wagon in the $35k price range offers better reliability and more features? krnboy had a lousy experience based on a really bad dealer and an unusual problem caused by the car sitting on the lot.

I came from a long line of German cars - most of which cost more than the TSX - but this is by far the best commuter car I've had (barring the R32 perhaps but that too had dealer issues.)

We all look at things based upon our past experiences - I will never buy a BMW in the US again.

If you are looking for an all weather sports car then this isn't the car for you, but if you are looking for a stylish, reliable commuter car that has very decent handling for a FWD then this is certainly a car to consider.

kball

^ Though i have one and am overall happy with it...He also nailed pros and cons pretty much even with his horrible experience.

Id say the post was pretty fair and balanced.

Great car especially if you can get an amazing deal on it.
mine was 32k and ive got 25k miles on it in a year.

My biggest issue is still searching for best seat position for long drives of 250+ miles.

And u can get closer to 35mpg on hwy driving 70-75mph w higer octane

hoyalawya

Bargain hard. I got mine 4 weeks ago for $28,000 + destination, fees and taxes. I believe that krnboy got his for around $25,000. There are deals to be made.

krnboy817

yupp

0 down
$25,6xx after TTL came out to $26,2xx
72 months @ 4.9% through Wells fargo Bank their "ALP" or whatever.

Make sure if you go through Wells fargo as a lender, call up their ALP department after about 2 weeks after purchase. if not they will call your home phone day and night (latest i had was 9pm) and never leave a message making you think its a telemarketer.

you have to answer their call or else you will be late on your payment since they send out a bill each month for that month only. i have read that some people didnt answer their calls and missed the first months payment...

krnboy817

not a fan boy of honda or acura... nor any other brand. i just like good deals and like trying new cars i havent owned before... but good deal comes first in my priority list. when it comes to BUY IT or PASS IT, i would say buy it. since you already owned the MDX and "know" the brand with its GOOD & BAD, it all probably comes down to why you want it.

i bought mine because i havent owned an Acura before and wanted to own one back in 2003 when RSX was launched, but thats second reason. Main reason was since i can get the price down so low that even after driving the car for an year with about 35k miles, i would still make $2 - $3,000 if i sold it or trade it for another car. but if for some reason i want to sell it now, i would make almost $6,000 even if its CARMAX buying my car. (i only have about 4,800 miles)

if i didnt get this deal my list looked like this...

2008 A4 Avant s line
2013 Subbie outback premium
2013 VW jetta sport wagon DIESEL
2013 Subbie Impreza sport premium
2013 Volvo S60
2013 Volvo C30 polestar edition #185 of 250
2012 Volvo XC70 3.2 non turbo
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo AT
2013 Mazda CX-5 touring 2.5

if i crossed out the list one by one with all the factors such as price, quality, comfort, value, durability, maintenance, APR promo, etc. i ended up with S60 and CX-5. but with my TSX with its off the chart variable from the rest, it only made sense to purchase it with out hesitation.

hoyalawya

Since you asked for pros and cons

Cons

Can use more low-end torque. The car is not sluggish but you will feel a difference coming from a 3.5 V6.
No push start button or keyless access system
Rear leg room
Techs are a little outdated. Nav is not touchscreen.
Driver-side mirror does not tilt down in reverse.
No spare tire included.
Could use a 6 speed auto transmission
Heated seats only have three settings. High, Low or Off. My 2002 Passat and 2009 G37 have 5+ levels.
Does not come with wheel locks. I don't like them but Acura should have included it as standard.
Antenna is hideous.

Pro

I am enjoying driving this car. My other car is a 2009 G37S Sedan. I somehow wants to drive the TSX more. Maybe it is the newness factor.
Drive more like a sports car than a mid-size appliance.
Good mpg.
Not a SUV
Very good interior materials. I prefer the leather in my TSX over the G37.
Ride is quiet.
Audio system is good quality.
My dog has room to walk around in the back.
Rare-ish. Not many wagons out there.

Mitch-S

Is it not a comfortable ride for long trips? The MDX is a nice comfortable ride. Seats are soft but not too soft that it feels like a worn out couch.

hoyalawya

Does this board have an edit post button? My apology for the grammatical errors in my previous post.

Another Pro:

Excellent value for the money. I would not have bought the car if the price was over $30,000. The techs are too outdated at that price range. I would have instead ordered a 2014 BMW 328xi Wagon and do a European delivery although the price, with options that I want, would be over $48,000 MSRP. My next option would have been to wait for the next generation Jetta Wagon, GTI, WRX, Volvo or Alpha Romeo wagons (heard that Alphas are coming back).

kball

For me the seat isn't as comfortable as the 03 4runner i came out of. Had that for 200k. Interesting as i have gotten used to the bulge in the mid back section that many reviews of the wagon pointed out. Now i enjoy the support. Its my legs that get a bit tired after long drives. Funny as you get older the seat comfort shoots to near the top of a car's shopping list

Also, the forum member that pointed out no spare tire...for some thats even a deal breaker...although michelin now makes a primacy run flat in our size that may be worth checking out.

And the passenger seat doesn't even heat the back of seat, just the seat cushion. Driver side is both though.

Still, our wagons are pretty rare, likely discontinued soon, but an overall really nice car with iffy oem tires.

Make a deal you feel good about and if you end up not liking it, you can always sell at some point and move on. I plan on keeping mine for a while

Mitch-S

Best deal I've received is $33K OTD. Which is only $3K less than what I owe on the MDX and I'm 3K upside down. So really do I want to pay $36K for the wagon or just keep the MDX. Maybe downgrading just because of gas prices doesn't really make any sense right now.

If I could get the wagon for the price Korn got it for, then that's another story.

krnboy817

dealer i got the car from has another one exact like mine but with 6k miles stickered at $31,250 but my friend after looking at mine went and was offered $26k but ended up not purchasing it because they also had a C6 vette he much preferred. its also CPO so longer extended warranty + new car warranty + roadside assist.

if youre interested, contact vandergriff acura they should still have it in their lot. i cant say its a good dealer overall but they are really easy to work with and easy to nego on price.

its might be cheaper for you to ship the wagon to where you are, i think i paid about $800 last time i shipped one from norcal bay area to dfw tx. also have them blind bid on your mdx or if you already got it appraised by a dealer you can offer that and see if they would match or beat it as well.

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far as the seats go, yes it seems to be that the cushion on the MDX is much more firm and has more density as well. the TSX cushion is bit thin and wears out quite easily compared to MDX. i have about 1hr drive 1 - 2 times a week and i see how some one could say its not comfortable.

krnboy817

if youre wanting to stay below or upto $30k with your $3k negative equity and have the cargo capacity, i would personally look at the CX-5 Touring with leather. i bought one at launch (2013 MY) that has been driven about 8k miles so far and you will be quite surprised with it if you test it out. right before purchasing the TSX, i found out that 2014 have the upgraded 2.5 skyactive engine vs 2013 with 2.0 skyactive engines, which i would of made me buy the 2014 over the TSX had it not been the price factor.

2013 cx5 AT - 148hp 2.0 gets me 38 mpg on hwy on regular / 30 mpg city
2014 cx5 AT - 189hp 2.5 gets the same mpg.

and to be honest 148 hp feels lot peppier than tsx 201 hp... and 189 hp honestly makes the car feel a lot better for DD than TSX with its power delivery. cx5 ride is much more comfortable and easier to get in and out of as well. its also so quiet that often time when i had it new, i thought the engine wasnt on when i was stopped at a light. the tranny in the cx5 is much much better than 5 spd TSX tranny which is probably the same tranny i had in my 99 prelude.

honestly, if someone were to give this TSX a 9 out of 10 or anywhere close to that and recommends to someone else to buy it at $30k or more they are a fan boy.

like i have said if it wasnt for my curiosity for the acura brand and a near $10k off the sticker price, i would not have bought a TSX. there are far too many more updated and refined bang for the buck vehicle out there now where the tsx falls a bit behind with its 2008 level of tech... guess 2010 in US. these days i think 3 - 4yrs is a life time in auto industry.

kball

If its ONLY a question of gas mileage, id say you have to drive quite a bit to make that pay off and is PROBABLY not worth it unless you rack up tons of miles AND get a great deal on a wagon.

I was dealing with a 10 year old suv that was long paid off, over 200k miles. I was ready for better mileage and a more fun daily driver with very good reliability, good looks and versatility.

There may be a few wagon buyers on here that regret their purchase but its a very small number...of course there are very few wagon buyers overall but thats another story.

BTW the 11's came with a spare

ceb

Not having the driver's side mirror tilt down in reverse is intentional. You only want the curb side (passenger) side to tilt to see the curb while the driver's side should stay as set so that you can observe oncoming traffic. Having the driver's side not tilt is a safety issue. I know some older Acuras had both mirrors tilt but that was quietly scrapped because it hindered your ability to park safely.

Honda/Acura wheel locks are included in every Honda/Acura that I've ever bought. I always refuse to pay for them so they are always taken off the cost (but remain included)

Wheel locks are pretty useless. They only slow down the legitimate tire changer because the bad guys can defeat those in seconds.

BMW doesn't include them either.

hoyalawya

There are many one-way streets around where I live. I often have to park on the left side. I would prefer to have the options like on the 2013 RDX - switch the mirror toggle to left to tilt down the driver side mirror and to right to tilt down the passenger side mirror.

ceb

True. The majority of US can't parallel park anymore anyway, so yes, the option for a driver's side tilt would be nice.

ParaSurfer1979

THIS IS A GREAT THREAD. IT's help me in my decision to purchase on of the 2 TSX /Tech wagon loaner cars when the get put in 25k miles when they'll be put on the lot.

robpp

iTrader: (2)

if i move my mirror switch to drivers side then the drivers side mirror goes down in rev. if I have the switch on the pass position, then the pass side goes down. never both but i can have either/

ceb

Hmmm. Not on mine. I just checked.

robpp

iTrader: (2)

i could be hallucinating......

i have the wagon with me today and I will confirm and post results/

ceb

I believe you. Maybe it is a build date thing. Mine was built early in the 2012 MY - I'm thinking July 2011

ceb

Actually, mine is a Sept 2011 build. June/July would have made it an immediate post tsunami build - which didn't happen. As it was, mine was probably one of the first ones to be built after the tsunami.

kball

Explains the 'glowing' review maybe

robpp

iTrader: (2)

OK Ceb I must have been on meds but the left mirror does NOT MOVE. IF I move the switch off Right position then right mirror does Not move.

I swear we have post tsunami parts......probably need a Geiger counter.

ceb

Maybe you were off your meds - you are in CO after all

It's funny, I checked after you posted, then thought to myself "it was robpp, so it should be right" and went to the parking garage and checked again

krnboy817

just out of curiosity, what about the car made the decision for you?

Mitch-S

Thanks for everyone's help. Pulled the trigger today and traded the MDX for a 2012 BWP Wagon.

The price I got wasn't as good as I'd like but the 0.9 APR makes up for it. I had a little negative equity on the trade but overall I'm happy. Most importantly, the wife is happy. It's her car. haha

gonzo08452

Congrats! I filled up today before heading down to San Diego. I averaged just a tad over 33mpg on the 100 mile trip and that is hitting some traffic here and there.

kball

Enjoy it. Oh..mine has a rattle from the sunglass holder. Drove me nuts. Stuck a microfiber towel in there for now. Some have gotten dealer to tape areas of it which allows for use as holder. My way doesnt.

And the only other thing i can think of now that bugs me about the car, is how drinks in drink holder seem to rattle as well. But ive yet to hear anyone but me complain of this. ADD or something probably

terdonal

Congrats, hope she enjoys it.

krnboy817

krnboy817

just found the cup holder issue my self as well today. its the first time to use the holders.

it seems it rattles with all sizes and paper or plastic. i dont usually drink in my cars so its no biggie but just gave me more reason not to drink in my car. sunglass holder seems to rattle only if i have a pair in the holder for me. its kind of annoying but its something i dont really have to use so never bothered fixing it or thinking about fixing it.

my issue is more concerned about the clunk noise. it seems to get worse everyday i drive the car. think everyone who owns a 12 MY should def pay attention to this issue far more closely to be fixed than other issues on the car.