I will be getting either an 05 TL or TSX within the next two weeks. I have searched both forums for all the threads about comparisons. I've driven the TL and will be test driving the TSX this afternoon. The TL has always been the car I really wanted, but due to the fact that I will want a house soon and some children, i must try and be responsible here. If I got the TL, I'd unfortunately have to opt for the non-navi because its cheaper. I probably be kicking myself the whole time because I think navi is cool. My one hang-up on the TSX is the 4 cylinder. I wonder how much slower it is?? I just took the interactive tour on Acura.com, and the TSX has an awful lot going for it. Its essentially a TL in training. I was surprised to learn that he TSX has a 360 watt system compared to only 225 for the TL. Am I correct that the navi's are exactly the same in both cars?? I know the TSX has no bluetooth. I need some insight. Thanks in advance!!

I just priced all 4 cars out.

TL with navi-$32,875
TL non-navi-$31,055

TSX with navi-$27,493
TSX non-navi-$25,672

Decisions decisions.

 

You sound like a family guy, get the TL, it's alot bigger and powerful. I disagree when folks say "TSX is sportier" than TL, I've driven the TSX before I bought my TL and I didn't like the TSX at all. To me, it reminded me of a suped up fancy civic. They're both very classy looking cars, but to me... $5000 more, i'd spend it on the TL if I were you...
The TL and the TSX are in two different class, TL makes you feel safer inside, and with 270hp and 6MT, it's more everything you can ask for ROOMY, LUXUROUS, POWERFUL, and did I mention classy?
good luck with which ever car you decide

 

I would also go with the TL with the Navi. I love mine. If money is really a problem, reconsider the "kids" Having childern really cuts into your toy money!

 

let us know what you think about the tsx after your test drive. i think you'll find that it is actually pretty quick, or at least quick enough. my friend has one and accelerating seemed pretty effortless.

 

I had a TSX for a week when my Lemon was in the shop, I think the TSX rolled less than the TL in a hard turn. Certainly the diff between 200/162 and 270/238 is noticable, but it wasn't a bad car. Fit and finish was night and day tho, the TSX was prestine and perfect, nothing out of place, no loose stitching, no rattling parts, no squeaks.. felt more solid. And they're damn near identical looking front end, with different rears. I like both cars, it's just a diff of horsepower, otherwise they both have great audio, both have navi, leather, climate, everything, no DVD-A in the TSX (whoopie, selection sucks anyway).

$5K is a big diff in payments. And a nice house for the partner and kids is definately more responsible. And you'll get better economy in the TSX so you'll save a little more all the time in fuel too.

 

And it's NOT built in America, another 20 points for that..

 

You cant go wrong with either. The TSX is a smaller version of the TL which I also considered before buying the TL. My friend let me drive his TSX several months before my purchase. The 200hp has some kick to it and this is from a 4 banger!! The TSX feels a little sportier/quicker than the TL.

The 270 hp will make up for the sportier feel anyday. You also get more goodies with the TL ie. blue tooth, dvd audio, etc.. & more space/room. I'm planning on getting the a-spec suspension after the winter and also a comptech rear sway bar. adding these will help me get the sporty feel from my TL. rim's will come much later, have to pay for my wedding this fall. opps, forgot to add, get the navigation. you will regret down the road if you dont.

Either car is a great choice. Good Luck!!

 

Thanks a million for all the insight. Money is a big concern. I fortunately make good money, but I just want to make a sound decision. I just went to my local credit union website and it computed that I my monthly payment would be $454 a month for 84 months with two thousand down at 3.7%. I know 84 months is an eternity, but its seems to be the way of the future.

 

agreed.

 

$454 a month for 84 months with two thousand down at 3.7%. I know 84 months is an eternity, but its seems to be the way of the future.


Over 40K for the TL over 7 years!

I would pass and get something like an accord or camry 4cyl that runs on reg gas and will carry 5 people and get 30+miles a gallon.

Back in the day I had to do the same. But think about this... If the car loses 5K when you drive it out of the showroom, you will owe more on the car than it is worth for a very long time.

If you like that idea by all means buy the TL...

good luck...

 

If you want additional performance fron the TSX get the stick. It is much faster and fun. Its power is so much better it makes you wonder if the auto and the stick have the same engine!

 

you really should throw down some more down payment - 84 months - why pay all the interest?? Don't do it man.

TSX vs TL - obviously everyone has their own opinion...and mine easily pointed me to the TL. The TSX may look similar, but upon closer inspection it is made sooooo much cheaper. The leather is cheaper, the center console is cheaper. OMG - just look at the dash - especially lit up. C'mon, TSX is out of it league compared to TL. But again, you have to have an appreciation of those details.
Feel the sunvisor on both cars and you will see what I mean - one feels like plastic (TSX), the other (TL) the normal cloth feeling.

4cyclinder sounds and feels just like that - a 4 cyclinder. Whinny and Hi - reving. 5K difference is money well spent. Please man - re-think that 84 month deal - you will pay soooo much more for the car. No more than 3 or 4 years.

 

I like the TL. I wanted the V6' torque.

Try and rethink the 84 months. As mickey3c said, with a loan that long, you will be "upside down" in terms of the value of your car, and the $ you owe, before you know it.

The TSX is still a nice car, but I preferred the TL. In your case, your finances might dictate more importance to the $5K which is a reasonable answer. But no matter what anyone says, take a hard look at your finances, and take long test drives of both. The answer will come to you.

 

what you smell is your wallet burning!!!!

 

I think get what you can afford. I have the TL, never really considered the TSX because I wanted more room and more horsepower. My prev car had 190hp. So why get something with just a little more.
I financed mine with my credit union. 84 mths at $547 per month. nothing down. Yes that seems like a long time and a lot of intrest, but payments is what matters when you want it. In my situation, soon as I got the loan I converted into a Auto Equity loan. So its still a car loan but the intrest can be written off with my taxes. My accountant agreed it was the best way to go.

 

Big decision there. Question is how long until the rugrats come? How long until the house will be bought? I think you should do some careful planning.

One thing I've experienced is if you want the TL, get the TL. If you get the TSX and your heart is really not on it, you'd be rubbernecking on every TL that you see from your TSX. Extreme buyer's remorse.

If you're getting the house and the kids soon, you might want to get the TSX, but from what you posted, it's really the TL that YOU want.

Of course, as an afterthought, forget the house, opt for a loaded TL and just live inside the TL.

 

yeow that's paying just shy of 46,000 for a TL... sure some write off but if you a 4 percent loan you are only getting back about 1% on the tax break...

Drive a shit box and save the money and pay cash!

 

Whoa, clarify please! I studied accounting in school but there's lots I don't know. What the heck is a car equity loan? I'll google it later but any insight (what your accountant told you) would be appreciated. thanks!

 

I like the Acura's as much as anyone, but I have to say bang for your buck is with the Accord EX V6.

Do yourself a favor and go drive it. Its a really nice car and quite a bit less expensive. It might fit your scenario well.

 

I faced the same decision. I really wanted the TL, but the TSX was much more budget-friendly. For me, having Navi was a big deal. I wasn't going to get a non-navi car, period.

You mentioned you'll be starting a family soon. One thing to realize is that for quite a few years your kinds aren't going to be big enough to know the difference between a TSX and a TL. I mean, the car seat is their world until age 5 or so.

So I wouldn't hesitate to get a TSX. For a family with 1 or 2 kids where the kids are less than 5 years old, it's plenty family-friendly. The fit, finish, and features are outstanding for what you pay. It doesn't have as much sheer grunt as the TL, but it's more nimble and gets better mileage, and is cheaper to insure.

All that said, I ended up biting the bullet and got the TL. But I still think both cars are fantastic.

 

He must've meant he got an equity loan on his home, for the purpose of buying a car. That's the only kind of loan that's deductable.

 

I started reading through this thread with the intent that I'd recommend the TL. From my perspective there is no comparison. However.... hold the bus!... I would not recommend an 84 mos loan (on any depreciating asset), unless your plan is to make additional principal payments on a monthly or quarterly basis that would decrease the length of the loan. If you ever have to sell the car before the loan term is up, you will be so out of balance that you won't have any flexibility. Over $45k (principal + interest) is way too much to spend on a TL, and if you are buying a house and starting a family, it would be wiser to first go figure out how those things will impact your financial situation before buying the car. It may be better to go with the Accord or TSX (and possibly 1-2yrs pre-owned). I encourage you to think through what is most important to you at this stage in your life... choices, choices, choices.... make them wisely as you will live with them for a long time... possibly 84 mos.

 

RODNEY: Don't worry about being "upside down" on an 84-month loan. In reality you will be upside down on any term if you don't put a lot of money down.

These long term l(72-84 mo) loans used to be prohibitive because they also came with much higher interest rates. However, you are right about them being a good option for buying cars now b/c you can get the same rate on a 48, 60, 72, or 84-month loan at many credit unions. Sure you will pay more in interest by virtue of the length of the term, but its not as bad as it sounds anymore.

You have to remember that inflation alone is 3% per year, and even higher in L.A. and NY. So most of the interest is just repaying what you borrowed and only a small portion is actually paying for the cost of keeping the $30,000 in your pocket and the convenience of low monthly payments.

On my TL I opted for a 72mo loan with $0 down and a good rate. I bought another car (for family member) with a 84mo loan with $0 down and an even better rate.

As far as TSX vs. TL, like i said in another thread, while these cars may look alike, the engine/power difference is so great that they are not even in the same class. I've driven both and the TSX is only a strong powerplant with a manual. It is Japanese made though so it does have an advantage there.

Good luck in your decision.

 

Wow, once again I thank everyone for the opinions. Just a little info. If everything goes as planned, I would get married in like 2 1/2 years, and then hopefully have children soon there after. I can afford both vehicles. Im just coming out of a $654 month car payment. But thats just silly. I have my eye down the road for the first time ever. You know you're getting old when you start long term thinking and planning. I agree that he 84 month loan is dumb and uneconomical.

Anyway, I just spent 2 hours at the Acura dealership going over tons of #'s and taking test drives. Ive driven the TL 4 previous times, but this was my first drive in a TSX. It unfortunately was an auto, but I still liked it quite a bit. Surely its no speed demon, but it went pretty good. They didn't have any manuals so I missed out on that, and they obviously are a little faster, so I would be even more pleased. I think the , as most everone else, that the TSX is more nimble, and has better steering feel, very heavy, tight, and responsive. the TL steering was a bit more numb and disconnected. One other cocnlusion I came up with was the TL has 270 horse, but sadly you can't utilize them. If you're going 40 and punch it, you get a little whhel spin and jerk and experience torque steer. I think 240 is the limit for a FWD platform. The TSX has only 200 horse, but you can put them all to work!! Plus I think the sound system, minus the dvd-a which is nuisance to me personally, is superior in the TSX. That thing pumps out 360 watts vs. the TL's 225. The Blue tooth phone I can live without. Visually I think both cars are stunning. I may even like the rear on the TSX a tiny bit more. Also the "assembled in Japan" goes a long way. I also like the chrome accents and newly aquired XM radio and blue lighting for the interior. Im just trying to persuade myself to go for the cheaper car. Its hard to do because sitting in the TL is heavenly. Bigger and better to put it simply.

I know this may sound like I've made up my mind, but thats not so. I still wonder if I can live without the V6 umph all the time. At low and medium speeds the TL accelerates effortlessly. I like that. But since Im the most indecisive person in the world, Im going to go nuts trying to figure this out!!

 

sounds like you convinced yourself.

 

Rather than trying to convince yourself between the 4 and the 6 based on hitting the accelerator, try the opposite. Try sitting at idle with the car in gear. This is the thing that drove me crazy in the last car I had with a 4 banger. It just wouldn't idle smoothly. Maybe it was just that car, but I always notice the roughness of a 4 cyl. now.

 

I like the model 20s gave... Interest paid is interest paid... period. The monthly payments we were seeing here totalled 45K for a TL. Call me crazy but maybe nothing down is a way for some people to buy a car and stretch the payments out over 6 or more years, but the total is still the total. But considering a car does nothing but lose money you have to consider what it is worth.

A car that is fun to drive and accelerates better than most cars on the market is a fun thing to have. Hell I got two, but the costs associated are higher insurance bills, expensive tires (and maybe two sets for cold climates) more gas or more expensive gas. And those tires wear out faster as well. Then there is the idea hmmm what if I add headers and you take off a perectly good exhaust system to squeeze what you can from the car with a better system.

And where would we be without NAVI lol. Lord knows we got along for years without it, but we all need it for some reason at a cost of 2grand...

consumerism isn't it grand..

 

Okay, I hear a lot of people claiming that the TSX's "made in Japan" label makes it a superior car. Do we have anything to back that up aside from the assumption Japan = superior?

I'm someone who refuses to buy domestic brands (Chrysler, GM, Ford), but I'm a little skeptical of one Acura being better than another Acura simply because of where it was made. The Acuras produced in the USA are not free to slack in quality control. They have to obey the same stringent quality standards.

As a final note, the recalled defective transmissions in so many Honda/Acura cars came from Japan, while the bulletproof engines were from the USA.

I'll admit to being wrong if someone wants to show me a quality study that shows Honda/Acura cars produced in Japan are higher quality than their counterparts produced in the USA -- until then, though, I write that off as ignorance.

 

Well I do believe that a manufacturing process should be consistent regardless of where it is assembled. We have globalization of manufacturing now and where it gets assembled does not seem to matter much but many people feel it is better to be made in japan. The assembly process is determined during the design phase for certain quality levels.

I think what is more important regardless of where it is assembled is the cost of the car. Great value is what Acura provides. A similar car from other manufactuers are more costly. Why... because maybe the parts are better and acura while nice looking and even better looking than that of the competitors, could not be assembled as well. It could be said there are better powertrains out there that while not offering a faster vehicle, they offer a more quality product. We always hear about some car makers sucking in ergonomics while others offer incredible technology.

The debut of the S model got people really racing the cars more so then before. Let's face it when you have a car that will accelerate as well as some V8 powered cars you have a tendency to push them. There are people on this forum who have intakes, headers, and super chargers, all these add to the shorter life of some components. We all hear about someone trying to get more out of the car.

It is the price point people are after...near luxury... That is a competitive price point where sacrifices can be made in components. There is demand to market as well. If a car maker has a hot selling car they have to make market demands or lose the market.

One acura may be better than the other based on materials, tolerances, and powertrains.
And remember the TL is a global platform car. So maybe the sheet metal and interior aspects are worked out but the other aspects are not. The infiniti G35 is based on the Skyline where the TL is based on an accord. So maybe that makes a difference. The BMW is the BMW. So when you build an accord and turn it into a TL with extra weight and power. It could take a while longer to get it right.

In the end it makes a difference as to what people are willing to put up with. The people on this forum seem to love their cars so much they can over look some things. Still a lot of money since people are spending upwards of 46000 with financing to buy some iron.

 

Someone wrote long ago about your reach exceeding your grasp. We all need something to look forward to. At your age you are right to be looking down the road a little. With housing prices where they are is SoCal, you may want to tie up less of your cash flow. Think how much further ahead you would be now if that $600+ car payment was invested in real estate!

I doubt that you will listen but I'd spend a lot less on the car and figure out how to get some property. With a little planning and patience you will be able to get a lot nicer car or much better payments if you sacrafice for a few years. Good luck with whatever you decide on. Just my $.02

 

Originally Posted by gabedabomb
Whoa, clarify please! I studied accounting in school but there's lots I don't know. What the heck is a car equity loan? I'll google it later but any insight (what your accountant told you) would be appreciated. thanks!
Not to sound like a know it all and maybe this isnt the thread for this, but acoga, I know what kind of loan I got and its not an equity loan on my home. Ive had my home for 8 years and I know what an equity loan is and a 2nd and a 3rd for that matter.
The correct term is an Auto Equity Advantage. My credit union offers it as an auto loan, and if you have a home you can connect the car to the home. The loan is still contained as an auto loan.
I checked with my accountant before getting the loan and asked him if he heard of suck a thing. He told me yes. More and more credit unions are offering it and very few banks. Its not mentioned when you get a loan, mainly because you need an established home loan and decent credit.
If you dont believe me, type in Auto Equity Advantage on google search and my credit union is the first to show up. If there is any other question about my Auto Equity Advantage please PM me. thats my .04 cents
FYI.. I hate being corrected when I know Im right.

 

Hold on take it easy there.

He was right that the loan is connected to your house. Otherwise you wouldn't get a tax incentive.

Wether your credit agency calls it an Auto Equity Advantage or a Home Equity Loan, the only real difference is marketing. They are the same idea. Read the fine print, by connecting the car to the home, you are essentially taking out an equity loan/line to cover the car. It is also possible that you have now secured the loan with both your car and your home.

Take it easy on acoga. He/She is just trying to help and his/her information is good.

 

Acura's quality is pretty high. Higher than BMW and Mercedes, both which cost far more when they are loaded with comparable equipment. I don't think it's slacking in quality control that keeps Acura's pricing low. I don't know exactly how Acura manages such amazing prices on their vehicles.

The TL being based on the Accord is a positive thing. People have this strange idea that Accord roots are a bad thing. They applaud the TSX and the RL for making it on Car and Driver's 10Best this year. Anyone care to speculate which car has been on that list more times than any other? The Accord.

I'd rather have the TL than the Accord, but no one can argue that the Honda Accord EX-V6 Navigation is a better value. The TL's Accord roots are a very positive attribute.

However, that isn't what this post is about.. so I'll add in my two cents:

My first recommendation is the Acura TL, if it is financially responsible for you. Financing 84 months doesn't seem like a great idea, but if it doesn't concern you and it's what you want to do, then go for it.

However, if you cannot afford a TL, yet you don't want a four-cylinder, get the Accord EX-V6. It's 80% of the car the TL is and 120% of the car the TSX is. The TSX has Xenons, a higher-powered sound system, and VSA. The Accord V6 has 40 more HP with 2 more cylinders, more torque, and the rest of the equipment is pretty much the same.

 

I can admit when Im wrong. In this case Im not.
Im not saying acoga's information is incorrect, but in my case it is, because I dont have an equity loan.
And he did not say the loan was connected to my house he said "He must've meant he got an equity loan on his home, for the purpose of buying a car. That's the only kind of loan that's deductable." If you got to my credit unions website there is a difference between an auto equity advantange and and an equity loan/line. They are not even on the same page. Nor did I need to fill out paperwork as if it was an equity loan/line. They are not the same. They may be similar as far as tax purposes. With an equity loan/line you can pay it down and reuse the money youve paid, over again. I cant do that with my loan.
Look I dont want to waste this guys thread explaining this over and over again.

 

I just traded up into an '05 TL from an '03 Honda EX-V6. I was faced with a similar dilemma. TSX or TL? I really wanted the TL, but it was quite a bit more expensive. I drove both cars and both are very nice. As much as I am a manual transmission fan, I kind of got spoiled on it in the Accord and wanted another. Stop and go traffic here in Dallas is much more pleasant with an auto. The TSX with the auto to me felt a little sluggish. Keep in mind, though, that my frame of reference was the 240HP V6 Accord which was pretty quick. I also really wanted the NAV. I decided I could either get the TSX with NAV or the TL without(TL w/NAV was just too expensive for my budget).

I opted for the non-NAV TL. For me, the 270HP was more fun than an LCD screen.

Also, I have three kids(ages 8, 5, and 3) that can fit into the back of the TL, but I thought the TSX would be a little more of a squeeze.

From a practicality standpoint, the Accord was probably the better solution, but I sure like the Acura.

 

This is what happens (and I am joking) and it happened to me as well. You get used to something and it is tough to go back. After driving a CL S I looked at an A spec TSX and thought well still has good power and all. I drove the auto version they had on the lot since they did not have any standards. I was like where is the power!!

I also thought maybe go back to something a little more practical. I looked at a camry v6 that put out more torque (240) than the tl (only 225 ponies) and thought this thing is anemic. They wanted 29,000 list and well I thought the more upscale car is just a few thousand more...

 

I would say go with your gut feeling. When my boyfriend and I were looking at cars, we went everywhere and looked at everything, but as soon as we saw the TL we knew it was the one. It was more money than we had originally decided on, but we knew we'd be much happier with it and we have never regretted that decision. Besides, a few $K difference on an 84 month loan shouldn't change your monthly payment by too much.

Also, GRich4u, there is a difference between an Equity Loan and an Equity Line.
With a line of credit, you can reuse the amount that you've paid down. With a loan, you cannot. They can both be secured against an asset, like your property, and are available unsecured as well. I'm not arguing with you about whether the security is against your car or your home, only you would know that for sure, but just wanted to let you know that the fact that you can only pay it down does not define the security it is attached to.