Yeah, the clutch is extremely light. The first time I test drove a 2G and depressed the clutch for the first time I didn't see it coming and burried my foot in the floor. Add that to one of the smoothest gear boxes on the market and it's no wonder so many people are willing to pass up faster competitors for a TSX.

 

 

sinnjin
Just test drive both MT and AT tsx when you are ready to buy.

FWIW, I commuted 50+ miles per day for 12 years with a MT in SFbayarea. all stock, non-performance cars: protege, accord coupe x2, and now a tsx. It's not as though it's necessary to shift through all the gears going up a hill. I lived on the very top of potrero hill, so hills I know. I bought my 6MT when I lived on that hill. it's a matter of preference. just telling you this since others posted generalizations about what they think it's like to drive a MT daily. In my experience it's possible and fun. Enjoy whatever you get.

I guess BB_inc has never been to europe or asia? MT sedans are the most common and the avg. And drivers there drive 2x as good as the US avg driver.

and in the background I am 'almost' hearing a whiney voice saying "....owww my hand hurrtsss, I can't shift anymore...owwww"

later

 

Honda MTs are one of the best in the business.

You've stated your opinion, now move on. People are going to disagree with you.

 

Based upon Jeff's first drive of the new TSX last year at TOV, it sounds like the automatic TSX can keep up very well with the manual. When he was driving a manual and following another TSX he thought it was a manual - even though it was an automatic!

 

Um, the 370 and the Elise are two seaters, genius & I have three midgets under the age of twelve.

My 6MT TSX does exactly what it's supposed to and does an exceptional job of it. Will I do mods to increase the power/handling? Of course. Am I perfectly happy with a 30mpg city sedan *with* all the acoutrements *without* the temptation?

Damn skipppy.

If I want a street racer, I pick another car.

 

Meh if you guys like manual enjoy it, your choice, just doesn't make sense to drive a stock mt tsx when the automatic can keep up if not beat it. It's the skill of the driver not the transmission which dictates the winner.

 

^^sometimes the bigger man is the one who accepts other opinions. Take it from a 1g AT owner. Its not worth the typing.

 

It really isn't...

 

I would say go with a manual, more fun. I test drove the manual, and it was so smooth. I got an automatic for my 2G because traffic in orlando is killer. the paddle shifters are fun but the novelty wears off quickly. but i can say friends think that the paddle shifters are cool lol.

Isn't the TSX manual the same as the Civic Si's, just with different gear ratios?

 

My friend with a 350z drove my 6spd tsx and he was like "whoa...the transmission is just so...smooth...it feels like a penis going into something"

 

my brother drives a csx-s and im pretty sure everything about its 6spd is the same as an si, including the ratios. That being said...our cars feel COMPLETELY different. When I drive his car, its so much more sporty and has a sort of "mechanical" feel to its shifts. I love his car but our 2nd gens have that luxuriousness to it.

 

wow this thread has gotten crazy...

to compare a 370z to a TSX is just idiotic... 2 completely different ballparks.

And I thought I was ignorant.

For the record, my 6MT 2009 TSX is my daily driver and I drive in one of the worst traffic cities in the country - Atlanta, GA.

I STILL would not have purchased the TSX in a 5AT. Paddle shifters are whack IMO.

I'm not going to sit here and bash 5AT because again, it all comes down to personal preference. And I'm not going to lie to you and say that sitting in traffic with a 6MT is pleasureable.

But all in all, I found the driving experience to be much more fun in going with the 6MT. I stand by my decision. This was my first 6MT BTW.

Oh and finally, there is such a classification as a "Sports Sedan" to whomever was hating on the TSX for not being sporty. TSX is entry level, but I would still definitely classify it as sporty sedan.

 

I'm sorry...you clearly have never seen a dyno graph of the TSX if you really think that is true.

Sure the difference is not going to be entire car lengths, but they way that manual transmissions and automatics put down power is a well known and well documented reality. You will need to accept reality at some point, whether you like it or not.

 

Yeah, I own a TSX and an Si, and back to back, the transmissions/clutch feel virtually identical.

 

It's not such a significant gain, that I'd want to sacrifice my comfort for it. The car is an entry level "luxury" sedan not a sports sedan, sure it has "sporty" elements but why would you want to sacrifice luxury and comfort for a minor improvement in performance? Which won't do much if you suck at driving as well. The notion it's only fun if it's mt is ridiculous in general.

 

Quit when you think you're ahead.

 

That's semantics. If the marketing department declares the TSX "space aged" would it therefor be capable of entering orbit?


You're having buyers remorse and taking it out on the people who have the car you wish you had bought.

 

Yeah my buyers remorse is huge, who would've thought I'd make the mistake of buying an automatic luxury sedan, maybe when I hit the lotto and buy a 7 series I'll make a custom mt for it to have "fun" : /

 

I hate these threads because of the A-hole opinions that come out of both camps. The only right answer to the question is to buy what you're comfortable with. There is no right or wrong answer.

OP, test drive both, consider you're driving habits and make a decision.

 

word

x2

 

So true. There are advantages and disadvantages to both MT and AT, and to suggest one is clearly better than the other is ridiculous.

 

That's your opinion. In my opinion, there is no sacrifice in comfort, or luxury to have a manual.

To the OP, as others have stated, the Manuals are a joy to drive. However, you should keep in mind that they are very hard to find in every color/trim combination. This is especially true now (and probably throughout this year). If you do decide to go MT, plan ahead. Way ahead if you are particular on color.

 

Yup. Plus the negative connotations attached by both camps are pretty childish IMO.

Doowhutchalike.....

 

I don't want to pretend I looove MTs only slightly more than AT. For me the difference is quite dramatic.

 

Can't speak for 2nd gens but I owned both an AT and MT 04 for quite some time and while I enjoy the MT more (never really had an auto before the AT TSX) the difference IMO was not dramatic by any means.

 

I have ADD, without a MT I get bored too easily.

 

MT has been a lot more fun for me in the 2G because it has a flatter torque response up the RPM scale (someone had a nifty graph illustraing this) so there's this very satisfying constant sense of going and going after the clutch meshed with the fly wheel. The 1G's torque was enemic up until 6,000 RPM where it would suddenly lurch forward for a whole fraction of a second prior to red line, meaning that just as you were having fun you had to change gears again, and that detracted significantly.

 

Could you say that having a MT says less about the car itself and more about the driver?

 

You're telling me! My 2000 S2000 had 3000 RPM on the 'hot' cam, the 2005 had 2000 RPM and the TSX has 1000 RPM.

 

And Hondata aparently fixed that if you were lucky enought to have an '04-'06, Honda screwed the pooch with the 1G's VTEC.

 

This BB_inc troll is hilarious with his idea that he holds some sort of monopoly on what is fun/good/comfortable/whatever. I guess the giant grin I get on my face every time I drive my car is really just a grimace of pain from my left foot and right arm. Shit, here I thought I just loved everything about driving my car. Well, I'm off to set fire to that piece of crap. Thanks for setting me straight BB_inc!

Fucking idiot.

 

That's true, but you could say the same thing about all of the MT snobs in the forum who have decided that anyone who drives an AT is some sort of unsophisticated buffoon.

 

True enough but I don't see that happening here. In fact, I don't know if I've ever seen any one claim as much with the air of authority that BB_inc is claiming. It's one thing to hold an opinion. It's another to present it as fact.

 

I only had a loaner for a short time, but yeah, kinda like sex, when it got *really good* it was over.

What was the question again?

 

That's true. I think most reasonable people know the pros and cons of both MT and AT. The comparison between the two types of transmissions is also dependent on the specific car, as some cars have excellent MTs and poor ATs, and vice versa. The TSX seems to have an excellent MT and a pretty good AT, so it isn't like one model is totally gimped.

 

Not at all. Both the MT and AT are above average transmissions. I think the MT stands out from the field more than does the AT though. There are a lot of personal factors involved that this douche seems to believe he is the supreme high dictator of. I hate self righteous assholes like that.

 

I'm self righteous for having a strong opinion that I like to voice? I didn't start the flame war, I made a comment and got bombarded, fair game from that point. Most of you admit the difference isn't that major so I just don't see the point in an mt particularly in this car. By the way I never said anything about AT being more fun than MT I was arguing about luxury and comfort, and you'd have to be a complete ass to say MT is more luxurious or comfortable, jackass.

 

I just thought you were an idiot up until this point. Once you start claiming lordship over other peoples opinions you become a fascist. So now I think you're an idiot and an asshole. Thanks for putting to rest the idea that anything you have to say is worth paying any attention to, though admittedly, you had already made that conclusion all but foregone.

 

Too late to play "little innocent me" after describing the TSX as a "daewoo" with a "lawn mower" engine.