kenny5

My thoughts are exactly the same. In addition, try to pay up your loan ASAP if you can afford to do so, because the bulk of your monthly payment is interest. Unless you accelerate your payment plan, you may end up with little equity in the car (i.e. market value v loan amount) by the time you are done with your payment.

ballerjai

dang voiding warranties... what can you do that won't void your warranty? Oh i know, buy all season floor mats and uh some nice seat covers? Jeez, they will find any little thing you've done and try to void you. Last case scenario, return your car back to stock and then get it checked up. For me, that's like 2g's of labor, so I'll leave my car the way it is.

DJSlim

If anything get a Mugen Civic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

That's what I would say, but...

1. The OP wants to save money?!
2. The Mugen Civic costs over $30K. You can get a base TL for that price, brand new. It doesn't really make sense.

mickey3c

Keep in mind if you buy a car that tends to be in a performance category, you will also have maintenance costs that are in that category as well... For example, brakes and tires will cost more and not last as long. A TL costs more to insure than many cars out there. I have owned a few and from most to least... BMW, G37, TL, Audi A4... then of course your honda toyota etc. Also from a mileage perspective I have always averaged the EPA highway (or very close to) rating on most cars I have owned. I drive 25% city 75% highway

27 with the TL
27 for a 3.2 A4 quattro
23 for a G37

It also depends on how much you travel. Saving 5 mpg might not seem like much but it adds up if you are doing 500 miles a week, which can cost 700-800 a year more.

Resale tpyically sucks on a performance oriented car, especially if you got higher mileage.

mellowgato

I have an 06 civic SI, my wife has an 06 TL (auto). Her car is great for family trips. Her car also has all the luxury she wants. The SI, on the other hand is REALLY fun in the twisties. Stock it handles really well, and with a few minor mods has similar luxury as the TL.
The only issue is honda service compared to Acura service. I am amazed at the difference.
I take my wife's car in for service and they treat me like royalty. If I complain about anything with the car, they fix it, period. Honda, on the other hand tries to make me think the issue is all in my head, and I usually leave there furious because they "can't replicate" the issue.

As for gas mileage - if I drive the TL the way I drive the SI, I get about 100 miles less per tank, but seeing as the TL is $10-$15 more to fill up, you definitely see a difference.

Also - believe it or not, the SI trunk is bigger (wider and deeper). Not by much, but enough that it is noticeable.

gatsbi

Sadly, true.
Oh well, but I think I could still afford TL...
But was just thinking about how much I could save by buying civic LX...

Aman

think for a minute.

imagine life without nav, without bluetooth, without 270 horsepower(258 whatever), without whatever modifications you made, without a sunroof, leather.

imagine life in a four-wheeled spaceship, with a gay 2tier dash, gay wheels, bad audio, and a tiny backseat and a small trunk

if anything, do what Kennedy did, maybe after you pay the TL off.

sol_da_man

the styling may not be everyone's taste, but it seriously makes everything else in it's class seem bland by comparison.
the two-tier dash does take some getting used to, but once familiar, it's great.
of course the wheels are going to be a penalty, it's an economy car. upgrade.
the audio is actually pretty decent.
the back seat has PLENTY of room.
the trunk is VERY spacious.

have you even spent time in a new Civic??

you want an economical penalty box? try a Chevrolet Cobalt.

to the OP, it seems like you're in a financial crunch. have you ever thought of going for an OLDER used vehicle?

Aman

to be honest no I haven't. I was talking in relative terms to the TL. Sorry for the confusion.

I think the Cobalt is actually kinda cool. I'd take one over a Civic LX, and defintetly an SS turbo over a Civic Si.

gatsbi

Actually, that was my first thought.
I don't really care as long as it's japnese car with manual shift.
I used to have 96, $2000 Mazda protege manual that my brother gave it to me for free, before buying TL.

I drove it for like 2.5 years before the transmission gave out.
Great gas mileage, and a nimble car even though I was flooring it the most of the times and changing gears without clutch when going into freeway (just experimenting with it hehe)...

Once parked near the construction site, and the fence fell on it and made some scratches. They paid me $1100 for the damage, which I spent it on buying some usless stuffs and cheap gift for my wife.
And when the transmission gave out, I manage to drove to the Acura dealer, and got $750 out of it as a trade in....whadda nice car!!! isn't it?

Anyway, not too much hardship with finance...Thanks for the concern!!!
(I think I could still afford around new g37 or s2000 and pay the big ass mortgage and send my kid to a private school...)

But then, you never know what's in it for me in the future with this paradigm shifting US economy...

Aman

I'm amazed that the Mazda transmission lasted that long. if you just want a Japanse car with a manual shift, go with something like a TSX, 1st or 2nd-gen depending on your preferences.

VmtSquad

iTrader: (1)

Sit in a CIVIC! Couple bucks saved, less space!!

Sit in a TL! Priceless comfort!!!

Your choice boy! I'm keeping mine :P

gatsbi

agh... I'm about 10 years older than you... calling me a boy, you youngling...ha.
Anyway, I'm keeping my TL, since it seems like the sound decision by members here, and I agree...
And btw, being thrifty in your young years is a good thing.
Yeah, I could afford this and that, but my networth is probably going negative...

SuperCLS

I just went from a 04 Infiniti G35X to a 04 Acura TL. The main reason I did this was for Gas Mileage. Was getting 17mpg City/20 Hwy. I looked into a Civic SI as well. There are priced out more than my G was worth...I asked myself this question, 'If I can pick one of these cars to have and it would be the same cost, which one would I pick?' It was always the G35X, better performer, more Options, better in every aspect expect Gas Mileage. I asked myself the same question for the Acura and I couldn't say one or the other, both are about the same in every aspect except MPG, the Acura is better. Plus I can get the 6 speed, which a G35X doesn't come in. I would keep the TL over the CIVIC SI.

1995hoo

If you are concerned about fuel economy, wait a year or two. Honda is reportedly set to introduce a diesel (don't know if it will be in the Accord or in the TSX). There's your ideal solution to saving money on fuel. Yes, diesel currently costs more per gallon than gas, but the fuel economy is so much better that you make up for it quickly.

To cite an example: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is available in both diesel (E320 Bluetec) and gas (E350 is closest to the E320) configurations; the gas car is estimated to get 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and the diesel is estimated to get 23 and 32. Suppose you take a 500-mile trip, and suppose you get 20 mpg in the gas car and 30 mpg in the diesel. I assume the gas car takes 93 octane, which was $3.97 at the Shell near my house this morning. Diesel was $4.34 at the same station.

In the gas car, you spend (500 ÷ 20) x 3.97 = $99.25. In the diesel car, you spend (500 ÷ 30) x 4.34 = $72.33, for a savings of $26.92. That's not a bad savings, even at the higher price per gallon—it's close to half the cost of a tank of gas at current prices.

The difference in price between the two Mercedes models I cited? About $1,000. To me, that's a no-brainer. Of course, I don't know how Honda plan to price their diesel, and that could affect the equation.

I've driven diesel cars in England and Scotland and the crap about them being slow and stinky is an outdated American stereotype. I had no trouble at all sprinting up to 110 mph on the M4.....

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

^ Yes. With the new ULSD diesel standards coming on, mnay manufacturs are bringing thier U/European models

I went from a Jetta TDI (Diesel) sport to the TL.

But Diesels average mid 40's in mpg...

Why would you choose a car that got better milage, but fuel cos were SIGNIFICANTLY higher... Why would you not just buy the hybrid?

Manual Transmission

Get this.

Hyundai i10





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