The time to buy is coming and now I am thinkin about the TSX more and more. If I was to get the TL, i'd get it auto but if I get the TSX it would be manual. From reading on the forums, I'm gettin the drift that the TSX is slightly more fun to drive and more economical. So, in your mind, what is the better choice for a guy in college? I am also open to other suggestions.

 

You REEAAALLLLY dont want to ask that question in a TL forum do you? Get the TL of course! The TSX is econo Acura! I hated it when they gave me a TSX loaner...thats for sure.

 

If you're in college and paying for the car yourself, I would recommend buying a used car to keep your payments as low as possible(you may not have a cool car when in college, but you'll thank yourself when you graduate ).

If you have to get a new one (and you're sporting the bill), get the TSX. It's a great car.

If someone else is buying it for you, go for the TL (may I recommend the MT?).

I've tested the TSX and own a TL. In my eyes, the TL takes the cake between the two. If I were to spend less $$ than what the TL goes for, I would probably get an Accord V6/6MT before a TSX. It's pretty close for the money and I personally think you get more car with the Accord.

I may be biased against the TSX in some ways as I'm a sucker for interior space and some real poop under the hood.

 

Get the car that is most attractive to you, even if it is the 6-speed TSX!
My significant other wanted an automatic instead of a stick, so I got the TL instead of a 6-speed TSX. I am pretty darn happy with the TL and don't miss the manual tranny, but the 6-speed TSX is a pretty slick-handling decently-accelerating nice car. I could have lived with the "lower prestige" factor if my spouse was willing to learn to drive a stick. As a college student, you may want to save the $$ and go with the TSX! Also easier to park in tight quarters than the TL.
However, the TL is better looking than the TSX, but looks were not a major criteria for cars I was looking at. The auto TSX was not as nice-handling or quick as the manual.

 

I've driven the auto versions of both of these cars (both 05). You're not really comparing apples with apples if one you'd buy auto and the other manual. That aside, generally it is more difficult to make a larger, heavier car to be as nimble as a smaller one, so the TSX has that going for it. Still, the TL handles VERY well. I was surprised at how just how nimble the chassis is, and of course there is more power available to you in the TL. Hard to say, guess I would drive them both some more and see which one sticks with you.....Good luck...

 

Oh yeah, I'm certainly no car expert. These are just my experiences with both of them...

 

I say get neither. Stick with what you got now until you get out of college and start working. You got 3-4 more years of college anyway. What good is a car going to do you now, but weight you down. You'll learn later on that a car is nothing but a waste of money. You're thinking about the bling bling right now, but all it is, is a waste of money

 

This is a great policy. I am the king of delayed gratification....I waited until I was in practice several years to buy my first TL.

 

i agree with you completely but have you seen what high schoolers are driving nowaday? does "mommy's $$$" ring a bell (i am not saying this is his case BTW)? it's his/his family's $$$. if that's the case of "money is no issue", get a 6sp TL black on black with a-spec + 30% tint. u won't regret it. TSX is OK but on the whimpy side unless you are talking about downhill twisties all the time (but how do you get up there?) if $$$ is an issue, what i quoted above applies.


half jokingly,


sign - 6sp TL blk on blk w/ a-spec.

 

I had 2004 TSX. It was a fun car to drive. I traded it in and got a 06 TL a week ago because I had put a lot of mileage.

I though about buying another TSX until the last minute. TSX is fun to drive, and it has better navigation system. I ended up purchasing TL because of more power.

If you don't mind slightly smaller car and interior, and if you drive by yourself or with one other passenger most of time, I recommend TSX. It is really fun to drive, especially with SportShift. (I had an automatic, and do not know what driving TSX MT is like.) If you want little more room and more power, you should buy TL.

I still think TSX is more fun to drive, but I like my TL a lot so far. It drives smooth, and its engine is responsive. I don't think the drive is as fun as TSX, but it comes very close.

You won't be sorry buying either of them.

 

Last spring when my wife and I were looking to replace her '96 BMW 328i (thank God), I was trying to talk her into the TSX. Though she wanted an automatic, she asked if she could drive my '04 TL manual for a little bit on the way to the dealership. Literally, she hadn't gone a half of a mile on the road from the school yard where we switched when she was saying, "WOW" and, "I love this". Of course, this was easy to understand having come from her Bimmer.

Well, we got to the dealer's and she drove an automatic TSX (and I did, too). It was nice.. really a neat little sedan. But seriously lacking in torque which she likes, as do I. So we wound up with a Satin Silver/Quartz/5AT/Nav '05 TL for her that day. She loves this car.

So I would tell you that the most significant things you are likely to notice right away between a TSX and a TL is horsepower, torque, and solidity. The steel used in the TL body seems to be a little thicker, so the car feels more secure (tap the doors and fender panels of both cars).

The TSX is nice, but it's not in the same league as the TL.. and it was not meant to be, either.

 

Depending on how you drive the TSX is not really much more economical. I have 04 TL Auto, friend has 05 TSX Auto, I get around 22-23 around town, he gets maybe 23-24. The TSX is more nimble, but the TL has taken everything I have thrown at it and feel more planted and sure footed, with better lower center of gravity. I am sure it is the wider longer wheel base coupled with those huge tires. The TL is far more spacious inside for bigger people, I am 6 foot and 225 lbs and the TSX was OK when I test drove it, but I felt a little cramped. The TL fits just right.

 

I agree. It's nice to have a nice car but when you are in college you may feel cool about the luxury automobile but it will be a headache in the long run. You are only 19 and when your friends start drinking and throwing up in your car you won't be too happy that your 30K+ smells like $H1t. Your car will get beat up by people bumping your bumpers and giving you door dings. In addition, why draw attention to yourself while in college. Driving around in a nice car will make others envious of you and they will probably try to do something to you car just because they are drunk and stupid.

My car was a junker and I'm glad I had it there. I didn't worry about it. It got beat up on and I sold it when I graduated.

Just my

 

Being fairly young and having had nicer cars at a young age (which I paid for myself) - they are right. Get a nice used car instead. Maybe a used TL-S or a Nissan Maxima (awesome car - don't let anyone here tell you otherwise) When you graduate college you can get yourself something nice. Your car will get banged up in college and there will come a time when you look back and realized that you didn't need a nice car. Even now I sometimes question why I bought an 04 TL at age 24.

 

Gotta agree with all of these recommendations. If you are still in college, and you don't have rich parents coughing up the dough for a car, get yourself into a four cylinder, four door accord. Cheap to buy, insure, and fix. They last forever, especially with an MT, and have reasonable performance and handling. They also are easy on the gas. You do know that with India and China spooling up we are never going to see gas as cheap as it is now, right? You will also be able to carry three other big people, or four other medium-sized people around.

I bought a new 1992 accord ex, and drove it until right now, putting 285K on it in the process. I paid off the loan in two years and then drove almost for free for over a decade. It's amazing what else you can do with your life and money when you are young, and you're not dragged down by expensive toys. Good luck.

 

Both are fine cars in their own right.
What is your budget? What do you drive now?

 

You should make up your own mind by testing both cars, don't rely solely on what people has to say here or TSX forum. Both cars has it's own plus and minuses, but personally coming from a 2G TL, I just can't see myself in a 4 banger unless it's turbo charged. Good luck.

 

Now I have a 1999 Toyota Corolla with a lil more than 100k miles on it. Firstly thanks for all the replies and yes I know that I might regret later buying a TL while in school. However, I forgot to mention that if I was buying either of the cars, both would be used. If I would go with the TL it would have to be an 04. If the TSX is my choice then prolly an 05. I go to school in the city mostly for free (thanks to scholarships) and live at home so I can say that I never had problems with people trashing my car in college. I will also pay for the car myself. My budget is $26-28k.

 

Well, since its used and the TL would be older, the cars would probably cost about the same. Just test drive both cars EXTENSIVELY and see if you REALLY like the TSX 4-cylinder w/stick trade-off in effort for having to get the power. Make sure you turn off the radio when you test drive and listen carefully for creaks and noises.....If its an 04TL make sure you switch out those stock defective tires. I'd recommend buying from an Acura dealer and negotiating down to private party value or less. Good luck.

 

I heard it has its pluses to buy a TL from a dealership different than Acura - Lexus or Infiniti for example. Could I get a better deal from dealers other than Acura?

 

TL!!

 

Acura used cars has added warranty, something like 7 years/100k miles. I doubt Lexus or Infiniti will give you that.