prballard

Hey Larch,

And any of the other TSX guys, I haven't seen many comments on my reviews of the TL.

http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...&threadid=3998

http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...&threadid=4095

Even though I love the new TL in many ways, I think am still going to buy a TSX. I really would like to get some comments and advice from the old regulars here. Larch, man I need your wisdom.

provench

Don't go to the dark side !!!!!!!!!!!

Save the $5-6K and have some fun upgrading your TSX with the rest of us over the next several years

Not sure that is the expert advice, but the TSX is an absolute blast to drive and allows you to easily connect to the car since it is pretty small and VERY agile. I haven't test drive a TL ... but my guess is the TSX + $5K would be a much more fun route to go.

Plus - everyone knows the TSX guys on this site are much cooler

larchmont

Hmmm. Did I miss something? I didn't notice him mentioning the old site, or any other.

PRB, maybe you're old enough to remember the movie "Putney Swope"...... One of the great lines was, "He seems not to be aware of the recent transition." In that case, it was a euphemism for out-and-out house-cleaning.

Yes, transition.....I've been less active lately because of some conflicts that occurred here, and that seems to be for the best. But I'm still around. Anyway, hope you saw my birthday wish last week!

prballard

Yes, thanks for wishing me a happy 42. I celebrate all my b-days from now on. I had a brain tumor removed just before my 40th, so all B-days are good days.

Larch, I hope to CYA around the forum. Any comments on TL vs. TSX would be appreciated, at least by me.

prballard

Thanks for the feedback.

larchmont

Wow, PRB -- what can we say except glad as hell you came through.

All the things we would never think of -- you never know what story people might have behind them. Yes, every next birthday will be a great gift.

provench

Neither did I ... the "dark side" in this context is the buying of the TL vs. the TSX. Didn't see a smiley so wasn't sure if you were kidding ...

Larch ... you still are not posting because of the "conflicts"? I guess I will say again hope you can get that behind ya. Let's get back to our laid back, 4-door driving TSX crew that we all are.

PR - Wow man ! Had no idea you came through something like that. Hope all is well ... I would say keep getting test drives in the TL and TSX and eventually one of them will feel like home for ya For example, after 6 months in my G35 ... it was a great car, but I just knew it was not "home'ish" for me. The TSX interior is probably a lot to do with that, but the TL is probably similarly captivating so it will probably be more about dollars and cents for you (and maybe torque ).

Good luck with the search ... make your Acura dealer work for you Drive the TL/TSX daily if ya have to

larchmont

Prov -- as I think you can see, I've been staying as silent and minimalist as possible about that stuff. Thanks for the encouragement/admonition, but I guess you oughta know: One can't just go on as if nothing happened, when indications are that the same bad stuff that happened would be extremely liable to happen again -- which is most definitely the case, in view of how it was responded to. I would've thought this was obvious, but I guess it's not. And I'll leave it at that. Don't worry, I have no desire to harp on it, and I won't.

JonDeutsch_RENAMED

PRB,

I'm another TSX/TL fence sitter, but I think I'm edging the other way. So, we should compare notes. My reasons for leaning towards the TL may be the clarity you need to go for the TSX.

It sounds to me that the "agility" and "tossability" is what really gets you smiling. I really don't feel like the TL is agile or tossable, yet I really don't know why I say that, because it's only 3 inches longer than the TSX.

But, it is the feeling I get... most likely due to the V6 under the hood... and the fact that all I've driven so far was a 5AT.

To be fair, when I drove the TSX, it felt smallish for sure, but not exactly tossable to me. I didn't have enough pep for me to toss it anywhere. It felt kind of sloggy to me on the uptick. Like, it needed more oxygen to breath or something. I didn't really get a chance to toss it around curves and stuff, so maybe that's where I missed the magic.

I'm looking forward to really test driving a 6MT TL to get a sense of its true tossability. I also love tossing, throwing, and jolting.... I have an Integra!! That's what Integras are all about. Raw tossing. No salad dressing.

I'll really miss that feeling when I get the TL, I'm sure. I just hope that the things I get instead more than make up for it.

You really can't have it all ways. You either want a compact (3-series, TSX, RSX, A4) or a mid-sized sedan (TL, 5-series, 9-5, A6) (tho, to be fair, I think the TL is on the far-stubby side of the mid-size range).

In this case, because of the V6, bluetooth, DVD-Audio, the cool styling, and the promise of a real sporty 6MT experience, I think I'm on my way to the TL.

If the TSX had 200 lb.ft. of torque at 3k RPM, we'd be having a different conversation right now. But it doesn't. So, now it's lack of bluetooth, dvd-audio, 3d-solar sensing, power passenger seat, etc. all become larger issues... because I'd already be compromising the powertrain... for ~$30k.

No matter what car I end up getting, I'm just not going to pay ~$30k for a car that does not perform well on the basics, no matter how well it does on the specialties. Yes, this contradicts my post on the other topic... saying that I'd have one already if the TL wasn't planned this fall. It just shows you how conflicted I am about the whole thing. Acura is really confusing me with their unique mixture of amazingness and WTFness.

Jon

larchmont

Well, check out the width difference, not to mention the weight difference.

The TL is a car of almost unique size dimensions in general --- and the very most unique aspect is the ratio of width to other dimensions.

Great posts on this subject, JD.

prballard

The TSX is more my size of car. I have a Vigor now (my 2nd one) and it is the favorite of the 4 Acuras I have owned. Another thing I didn't mention in my review was that I don't like the visibility of the TL, especially out the back. The TSX is slightly quicker than my Vigor and an all around better car (at least I hope). I have never driven a better handling FWD car than the TSX. IMO and that of a few Acura service folks I know. Acura's 2.5L Inline 5 (Vigor and 1st gen TL) is one of their all-time best engines.

To tell you the truth what is intoxicating to me about the TL is the sound system. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it. I would love that sound system and DVD-Audio if the TSX had it. I also think the bluetooth cellphone intergrated with the navi is a great plus. You can tell, I love technology.

The 6MT TL is a great handling car for a midsize, but it can't touch the TSX. Of course the TSX can't accelerate like the TL, but that isn't as important to me.

BTW. I am fine after my surgery. I had a little periphial vision damage (very slight), but other than that I am the same as ever.

Thanks for the concern and kind words.

JonDeutsch_RENAMED

re: audio.

As a DVD-Audio fan (I have been playing them in full rez on my home hifi for years), I am beyond gitty that the TL supports the format. And, lo and behold, I think they actually sound better on the TL's sound system than my home stereo. The TL is going to cost me a lot more than $35k, it seems.

You can always improve the TSX's audio system by replacing the speakers and probably adding an amp. But, you probably can't upgrade the head unit too easily... so you'd be kind of stuck with that as far as I can see.

Not that you can really upgrad the TL's head unit either... but that already supports DVD-A.

re: the right car for me?

The TSX is also more of a 'my size' car (I have been driving Integras for 7 years)... but I think there will be some advantages to going 3x3 inches bigger. I had a nasty head-on collision on a highway 5 years ago in my Integra. The fact that I survived (some didn't) was amazing... the fact that the Integra kept me whole w/o breaking one bone is utterly amazing. But... after a head-on collision, you have this gutteral need to drive in a larger car for added protection.

Also, if I move people around (happens from time to time), I'll feel like a better host throwing them in the back of a TL.

I also really prefer the rear view of the TL to the TSX (from the outside).

So, as you can see, I think we're looking at a different set of priorities, which will drive us to different decisions:

You (PRB) are looking at the size and handling factors as #1 and #1... the TL's feature set are distractions, which attempt to confuse your priority system. I assert that if the TL didn't have bluetooth or DVD-A, you may not even still be considering it. Correct?

I (JRD) am looking at performance (torque/HP), handling, and technology as #1, #1, and #1 in my priority list. Yeah, I'm demanding. But those are different #1s than yours.

The TL scores well on the first #1 and the third #1. It remains to be seen if the 6MT -- with stiffer suspention, Brembos, and LSD -- scores high enough in the second #1 (handling) to not knock it out of my dream car status.

Ultimately, there is never going to be a dream car for me. I love the interior of the BMW 7, but it's too big and the tail light array is a bangled mess. I love how the new Corvette handles and performs, but the interior makes the Infiniti G35 look high-rent.

My favorite exterior on a sports sedan is tied between the A4 and the BMW 3. My favorite exterior on a mid-sized is tied between the A6 and Mercedes E.

I'm very pleased with how the TSX and TL look inside and out, but on the whole, I like how the TL looks inside much more, and how the TSX looks on the outside (sans the tail lights) slighly more.

The front of both cars is OK... not horrible, not bad. At least it's kind of unique. They certainly don't have that "classy" pugness of the Germanmobiles, IMHO.

Oh, my #0 priority (even more important than the #1s listed above ) is value. Of course, that probably goes without saying, since Acura has always attracted us value-seekers.

For the first time, Acura may be removing enough compromises to add less-value-minded shoppers to the mix of customers.