6SpeedTA95

Guys at this point I am planning on grabbing an 08 TSX later this year.

Other cars I'm considering 07 328i, 08/09 CTS, 07 TL and 08G35, all of which manual transmission is a must.

Obviously this is an acura board so I expect some bias toward acura but I also know there are some hardcore car guys on here like me

Here's why I'm leaning towards the TSX, you guys jump in with experience and thoughts on this subject.
Let me start by saying I currently drive an 02 maxima with a 6MT. It was an SE so its got leather, sunroof all that good stuff. Last tank I got 26.4mpg, tank before that I got 25.1 and I tend to come in between 24 and about 26.5 on my commute, which is about 4 miles of city driving and 28ish miles of highway driving each day.

TSX has great reflexes, I like the 08s better than the 09s from that perspective. The steering on the 09 is like set in tar or something, its just numb and a little light. So I am leaning towards an 08 6MT at this point. I also like the idea of a high power, high revving 4 cylinder, that motor begs for abuse and wont break. I'm thinking on my commute I would get between 26 and 29mpg in a TSX with some spirited driving. Maintenance will also be cheap when we have kids, and that will be important.

The TL has more power than the TSX, a good motor but probably not as good as the VQ that I am currently accustomed to. The TL definately makes a better noise and has more power though. The interior and the overall car is a huge step up from my current vehicle, but it lacks the driving dynamics of the TSX. Sure its faster in the straightline but in my experience they torque steer like a pig, have slower steering reponse and seem to roll a bit more in the corners and they understeer quite a lot.

The G35 is RWD which is a plus, has a great motor, but an average transmission. The car has plenty of power and a superb interior and is also going to be cheap to maintain like the Acura's. But it will cost more upfront money and the car weighs substantially more than my current Nissan which will result in a couple less MPG's. The steering is quite good as is the turn in and overall feel of the car. But the 5k premium over a TSX is a large amount of money that I could put in savings or put towards paying down my mortgage.

The 328i is in my opinion the best sport sedan this side of 40k. The car drives fantastic, steering, turn in, overall performance is great. The motor lackst he power of some of the others but that is more than made up for with precision and the silky smooth operation of the motor and gearbox. This is just a fantastic car. downside is getting into the car will cost at least as much as the G35 and the maintenance is ridiculous. A full brake job for example, rotors, pads etc will run you about 1200 bucks. Same thing on a TSX you're going to be half that or less depending on the dealer. Everything except for insurance is more expensive on the BMW and when we have kids that will be a large drawback.



Thoughts?

Will Y.

For daily driving, the '08 TSX-- the '05 TSX was my pick before the wife mentioned she preferred me to get an auto trans car (hence the 5AT TL )-- nice size, great shifter and clutch.

The G35 clutch was too heavy and the shifter so-so back in '05.
You'll probably have difficulty actually finding a CTS with a manual transmission.
I didn't like the '08 335i interior, slightly vague/rubbery shifter or high clutch release, but don't know if that applies to the '07 328.
Only the TL-S comes with a 6M in the '07 TL, but I've never driven a 6M TL-S.

CLSLV

TL-S without any hesitations, best of TSX and G35.

wackura

I had an '07 TSX - I'd go for the TL. It's a better value on the used car market. The TSX's seem to be holding their value almost too well. '07 is a better year to buy a used car than '08. They are still trying to pass off '08s as if they're new.

vas25tl

Find a 05-06 G35...they're really cheap now and they are super fun to drive.

iTimmy

As you can see, everyone has an opinion There is no wrong choice with these cars, it depends what you want from a car. If you want performance I think the Infiniti and BMW are the top choices. If you want an economical car with a nice, comfortable interior I think the choice is the TSX. If you want a little more power but still want to stick with FWD go with the TL. I have very limited experience with the CTS, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself.

I've owned a 04 TSX and a 07 G35 sedan, yes the infiniti would dance circles around the Acura when it came to performance. But I preferred the Acura, it was more dynamic to drive, if I could go back in time I would probably have kept my TSX. In fact I am close to trading my S2000 in on a TSX, I want a more practical, cheaper car until the economy turns itself around.

Like I said, there is no wrong choice, it really depends what you value/want from a car.

JediMindTricks