I have been lurking on this side of the TSX world for the past few months now and I have not heard from a TSX V6 owner yet. Anybody took the plunge yet? I need to read an ownership review from you guys. Thanks!!

 

I haven't seen one yet. I'm curious to hear as well.

 

*Raises my hand* I've been a black on black base owner since August 8th. Traded in a 2006 Evo IX for it. The Evo was a sick beast but I learned my lesson never to buy a used sports car second hand. I put more money into fixing little things (clutch, tires, cracked lip, ic pipe kept slipping) than performance parts that I intended too.

I've got 1200 miles on the TSX now, just took it on a roadtrip to LA. (I'm from the Bay Area San Jose). So far I'm loving this car. Handles stiff, It's very smooth, power is subtle but you know it's there. I haven't pushed the car too hard yet, but the exhaust note sounds (best way I can describe it in High RPM's) almost like my buddy's stock G35 in S-mode.

It's my first Acura, the wife owns a 7th Gen Accord LX 4cyl sedan.

Oh yeah, I'm averaging about 24-26MPG on like my 4th tank so far. Avg commute from work to home and the one long trip to LA.

 

Awesome. Any pics?

 

sure... nothing fancy... crappy cell phone qual...







Here's the old "Red Rice Rocket" I traded for it...

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3216220

 

Appreciate the pics..thanks. Please post more driving impressions if you have time and are up to it. Also, please feel free to post more pics specially the sides so we can see the 18 inchers.

 

Ok... I'll do my best. I'm by far not a car magazine editor, nor have I driven that many "luxury performance cars" (TSX's, TL's, or Acura's etc). Please bare with me...

I actually registered on this site to learn more about the car.

My first impression of the car coming from a turbo AWD car was the car handles suprisingly well. It's stiff and well-grounded. The strut braces on the engine takes turns like a champ. Acceleration in regular D is soft, but all in all responsive. Even accelerating in S-mode feels a little tame coming from an Evo. The only way to get that neck-to-the-seat feeling is to start in S, give it a little gas and downshift to keep it back to first.

The paddle shifting will take time to get used to. You can easily downshift to get more rpm, but trying to upshift in lower rpm (gas-saving) seems to do nothing at all.

I'm still learning the car, but it seems the only way to be in full-time manual is from a complete stop and accelerate with that quick upshift, otherwise the car will automatically shift. Kinda annoying, but I'll have to get used to it.

Passing power on the freeway is pretty good I would say, you have to give it a little more gas because it seems like they designed the car to be more smooth than to feel the all-out power behind the v6. The brakes are pretty soft too.

That's all I can say now performance-wise, I'm waiting to get a little more mileage before doing more spirited driving.

The reviews on multiple outlets are pretty acurate imo. This was the price range I was looking for. The Evo was too much of a headache, I needed something more reliable and family-orientated (have 2 kids) but still had to have that performance in mind.

Other than that, I can tell you the creature comforts is pretty cool on the base. Dual Memory settings, dual climate control, Ipod integration, Auxilary in, Heated seats, 90 days free XM radio, and uhhh... having a sun roof for a change is nice... LOL.

I'll try to add more pics when I take more and get more time. The only thing I hated was like everyone else, the grill. But honestly, it kinda grows on you.

 

I have a 09 TL loaner while my TSX I4 is getting checked out at the dealer. I would say my engine/power experience with the TL is similar to yours with the TSX V6. Not a big surprise since theyre using the same engine. One thing I noticed that there is a much longer delay for upshifts on the TL compared to my TSX I4. On the I4, its almost instantaneous. I'll have to see if i can test drive a TSX V6 when I return the TL loaner.

 

Thanks for the review. It'll probably take some getting used to coming from an Evo, where there's a lot of power on tap. Your gas mileage seems pretty good for a V6, so that's very nice.

 

I've spent some time in a couple of EVO 7's and an STI. They're what we have been wanting for so many years, now that we have them it's awesome for someone who wants a car that looks and performs like they do.

However...with kids and a middle age paunch, I felt like a F-tard driving those around. My litmus test is "Can I go to a job interview, client meeting, wedding or funeral in this and not look like an overgrown kid?"



We're glad you're here and look forward to more reports about your new car.

 

 

I just checked the sign-in thread. You paid invoice?! I'm shocked. I thought the dealers would be holding onto these for close to MSRP for a little while.

$32k for a V6 is awesome! I think invoice is around $35k for a V6 tech, so that is not a bad price at all for this car, IMO.

 

Thank You... I'm actually 27. It's funny because before owning the Evo, it was the car I always wanted. It just a combinaton of buying a second-hand lemon and the negative attention I attracted (cops, Ricers, Domestics etc) made me want to try something new. My priorities have shifted from performance, performance, performance to reliability, performance, luxury...

Evo is still a sweet car in my book, and feels like driving a roller coaster. I might be tempted to pickup a used Evo8 down the road as a weekend car. You just gotta do your research if your planning to buy one used. However, I don't think I can do it again as a DD. This TSX is plenty of car for me.

Thanks man...

Ehh... you kinda learn from your past mistakes. I got a lot of advice from my father who buys a new car like a every 3 years about wheeling and dealing, lol.

The advice he gave me is the advice I would give to everyone else. "Shop around, don't settle for the first deal, and don't be afraid to walk off. Dealers need you more than you need them."

I got multiple quotes from local dealers in my area. The best quote I got was for 33,100 through internet sales so I knew what to work with. I knew the invoice price was 32.3k. Hence, I was adamant about somewhere between the 32.3, and 33.1 but this dealership wouldn't budge. I could tell the salesman really wanted to pull the trigger but his manager kept saying no. At one point I even heard the manager say, "Don't worry he'll be back."

Low and behold, I took the price he gave me for the TSX and trade, went to a dealership down the road and said, "This is the deal they gave me, if you can beat it we have a deal."

I was prepared to swallow my pride and go back to the initial dealership if all else failed, but the second dealership beat it and the rest is history.

 

Update: I was able to test drive a V6 TSX when I picked up my I4 TSX. There was some hazing on the inside of the driver side headlight lens and they replaced the housing

Anyways....I have mixed feelings about the V6. Yes it's got plenty more power but it carries a lot of the above characteristics from the TL I had as a loaner. I was hopeing that they would tune the trans a bit more but shifts with the paddles seem slightly faster in the V6 TSX vs the TL, but the I4 transmission has the fastest shifts out of the 3. The sound of the engine sounds very nice. My I4 TSX sound much louder since I did the resonator delete so I cant give a good comparison. I couldnt hear the engine much on the TL from all the sound deadening material. The V6 TSX does have shocks on the hood to keep the hood up along with the plastic underhood shrouding, and the lower vents next to the foglights. I'll be looking to get those shocks and vents for my TSX.

Handling-wise, I was disappointed. The steering does feel stiffer compared to the I4 but the car definatly felt a bit more lazy and unresponsive due to the added weight in the front end. I twiched the wheel during the test drive to simulate swerving around a pothole and did the same in my I4 on the way home. I also did a few lane changes (more like autocross slaloms). The I4 response was much better compared to the V6.

The dealer quoted me $32,000 without trade in. I asked how much the trade in would be on my pretty much mint 09 TSX and I wouldve gotten $22K. I paid $31.4K OTD for my 09. The dealer said they got a bunch of V6's in and got them out. Not sure if they wanted to get the car out in the public to drum up sales. They don't plan on ordering very many in the next few months. Not sure if that was a sales technique or the dealer was telling the truth

In the end, I'll be happy with the I4 and probably drive it into the ground but I have to give Acura props for dropping the V6 in there. I would be a different story if Acura did bring the 2.2L diesel over tho. Lightweight and more torque, what else can you ask for?

One last thing: during the test drive, I asked if a MT will be coming out and the dealer said most likely no. He came out and told me that only V6 MT they have planned is the TL-AWD.

 

I just picked up my 2010 TSX V6. The car had 16 miles on it before the test drive and then I drive it home. (only 222 on it right now). I had the dealership seal the paint (I highly recommended this). I also had them install the backup sensors / radar. This is the one option I'm very disappointed in. I tested it at the dealership while backing up on a 09 MDX and damn near hit the thing. The radar only seems to go off when SUPER close to something. No long distance beep like the factory / manual said it would. Needless to say I'm taking it back to the dealership to either fix it or remove it.

Other than that I'm impressed with it's performance. I have only got the engine moving hard a couple times (one was smashing the gas to dodge some goofball on the freeway).

I still cant make any judgment calls on gas mileage since I'm still on my first tank

 

I purchased my v6 TSX about a month ago and am very pleased. Traded in my BMW 3245i so this was a bit of a change. The card handles well, the engine is very smooth, and the ride is pretty quiet.

The one drawback is that I did not get the Tech package (don't need navigation) and the HFL is not that sophisticated. I was a bit disappointed. If I had to do it over, I would get the Tech package.

 

Going on my 4th month, I'm getting about 23-24MPG now. I just took it in for an oil-change at 5200 miles and rotated the tires.

How did you like that exhaust note? The first time I hit the gas hard it took me by suprise. The best way I can describe it is G35/350Z-ish at low to mid rpm's, and very muscle car-like at higher rpm's in S mode. IMO for a stock car it sounds pretty sweet.

I agree, my HFL sometimes randomly calls people. I might need to re-sync my phone. I made a call about a month ago and it just froze on me. Now ever since, my phone rings with the incoming call alert. No biggie, just annoying.

 

saw one in fresno today, some asian guy was hauling ass with his family in the car. looked good. couldnt tell it was a V6 till i saw the badge on the back

 

What year was your 325i? I would be interested to hear a comparison between the TSX V6 and your old BMW. I'm toying with a 328 to replace my 06 TSX. Thanks.

 

Just curious, I had a new TL loaner the other day NON- SHAWD and I noticed that the steering was a lot more neutral then my TSX 4cyl. Does the V6 steering pull a lot like the 4cyl TSX or does it feel as nice and neutral as the TL?

Thanks

 

I didn't notice anything with the steering on the V6 loaner I had a month ago. I haven't driven the I4 though, so I can't make any comparisons.

 

Jeff

My BMW 325i was a 2002, 4k miles, premium package, and steptronic - pretty mint condition.

Comparing the two vehicles would be tough. The BMW is a true sports car with amazing feel, turns, pick-up and you really feel the road. My 2010 TSX v6 is more like my 2006 530i in terms of ride, feel, and luxury.

If you do not mind the cost of repairing an older BMW - even my pristine car required a bit of annual cash outlay - them there is nothing like a BMW.

Chris