einsatz

I called up the dealer I bought my CL-S from earlier today since I had asked the salesman I bought it from to check to see if he can find any available 03 Anthracite CL-S Navi for be to replace the one that was totaled a few weeks ago. He said there was one available from another dealer that can be here by the end of the week. It was an demo (5AT) with 5,000 miles. No thanks.
I had gone to the dealer Sunday and I test drove an 04 TL. I liked it, but felt it was too big and didn't feel like the car for me. So when I called today to check on the CL-S availability I tell him I want him to have a TSX with navi ready for me to test drive. I get to the dealer and we go on a 5 minute test drive since I told him I really liked it. Next thing I know he says to take it home and go to work with it tomorrow and bring it back after work.

Here are my impressions coming from the CL-S...

The good:
- Pickup is pretyt nice for a 4-cyl. The lower torque figures are def. evident
- Handling is pretty damn good.
- Nice sized-trunk:

The navi unit it smaller than the one in the CL. There's a mysterious "PC Card" slot in the unit in addition to the DVD.
- Brakes are nice
- When you turn the key on the door and leave it turned for a sec, all windows roll down.
- Stereo system kicks ass
- Nice interiors & lighting (not as nice as TL though!):

- Navi & integration with other systems is great!
- Trip computer built into navi:

- Nice audio-setup screen:

- Full US + Pretty nice Canada border towns coverage (Toronto seems detailed enough):

- Other shit like a calculator, calendar, voice command help, etc..


The bad:
- Some cheap materials used in obvious places like the center console, which doesn't seem as solid as the CL:

And the side mirror has lights, but WTF is up with the cheap ass black plastic?:

You'd think they would learn from the 01-02 CL change!
- Side mirrors aren't tinted like the 03 CL-S
- The demo car's tranny does some weird slipping and hessitating
- Where the hell is the rear bumper?:

- Seats take getting used to... It's like lumbar support is extended even when it's retracted. Not as bad as the Accord Coupe though...
- Leather in seats is cheap as hell. Same as the Accord, not nice smooth leather from the CL:

- It's missing 2 cylinders:



Overall:
Nice car. I need a car before Friday and I think I found it! Sticker says $29,035. I'm gonna try to go down to $27,500-28k. I hope I can work that out. Payments would be more than 100 less a month than my CL.
Click on the sticker for full blown image:

BC2G

awesome dealership for them to let you take it for a day and try it out, about a month ago my cl was in the shop and i was driving a tsx w/o navi... it was really nice, smooth, but way slow (IMO) off the line, which is ok .. but i really like to get up and go plus i'm used to my cl's quick pickup, power difference is way way obvious between tsx and cl... but anyway its a nice car, very smooth, after driving it for like 3 days it cured my lead foot... i thought that was pretty cool, i would drive and have no desire to mash out, i enjoyed the smooth ride.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

hmmmm...shouldnt you get a stick instead of auto?

mattg

don't get the auto.

Zapata

he doesn't know how to drive stick..... that being said....TSX stick is EASY to learn.

Beltfed

My buddy just picked up an auto TSX, that's what he wanted......was previously driving a GTI VR6 5spd.

Told him to drive both (6spd & auto) and get whatever makes him happy. I personally wouldn't get a TSX, but if I were I sure as hell wouldn't get one in an automatic.

Slimey

Nice car...but I wouldn't buy one, especially after owning the CL.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Which dealer are you buying from. We have so many dealers in the VA/DC/MD area they are all very competitive with pricing. Get a price from your dealer and then call around to Tischer, Radley, Norris, Chevy Chase, even Frankel in Baltimore. It would be worth the hike to a dealer farther away if it could save you $500 or more.

Chaptorial

The gauges.

TypeSKid

yah, which dealer? is it pohanka?


I wouldn't get it. Its a step down, and basically nothing more than a 4 door RSX.


Did you drive the EVO?

BC

15.9 mpg on the trip calculator. Wringing it out, eh?


Good luck on your search.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

I beg to differ. The TSX is worlds above the RSX in terms of luxury. With a few simply mods it can be a much faster car too. It is severly de-tuned from the factory. Basically the same fuel map as the 4-cyl Accord. Intake, Headers, Exhaust, and Hondata Re-Flash will add 40+whp.

Dave

The TSX is a very nice car, but you might want to throw a v6 Accord into the equation just to have another option. I think you can negotiate a great deal on the Accord right now (if I am not mistaken).

greyjhu

Word...

I went to Radley, Pohanka, Chevy Chase, and some dealer in Gaithersburg before I chose to do business with Tischer in Laurel.

Tischer gave me the best price for my CL.

Call around, price hunt, and then give Abdul Mir at Tischer a call, 301-498-3322. They'll take care of you . And if you want any Comptech Mods done, ask them to include them (parts and install) in your bid. They will deliver you car all SOOOOOPED up!!! And they will warrant the work and parts, and ALWAYS take care of their customers.

cusdaddy

The TSX engine isn't seriously detuned from the factory. The Accord engine is, as it's basically the exact same engine, only 40hp less.

Also, I could be wrong, but I don't believe you can add headers to that engine because it's integrated into the block (like the 04 TL). I drive a 03 Accord EX I4, so I know the engine fairly well.

It's a great engine for what it is, but it's still not very powerful. It's great for a 4-cylinder, but it's still a 4 cylinder in the end. I'd much rather have a TL personally.

Sarlacc

I really like the TSX, would rather have the TL.

But youre off your rocker if you think the leather in the TSX is cheaper then leather in the CL...

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

You are wrong in fact. Comptech and DC Sports both make headers, or should I say "header".

http://www.comptechusa.com/store/210060.html

http://www.dcsports.com Part # AHC6016

And soon to be released: http://www.hondata.com

EDIT: Also, if you analyze the fuel map of the TSX and compare it to the I4 Accord it is nearly identical. If it wasn't severly detuned from the factory Hondata wouldn't be able to squeeze all that power out of a re-flash.

accsuperstar

do not buy the dc header. a couple members @ acura-tsx have had the welding come apart on them already.

einsatz

I posted something on A-TSX.com about the seats and apparently I'm not alone.
I drove the Accord coupe V6. I have a problem with driving a car that looks like an egg. Other than that it's a nice car, but for the same cash I would rather go with the TSX. I'll need a bit of a larger car the next year or so. I could always trade it in after that for a 2006 CL The real plan is to keep this car a while as a commuter and if I want a real car in 1.5-2 years I'll get something else.
The TL is great but feels too big on me. Although acording to Edmunds, the CL is longer than the TL.

95gt

Nice car. Everyone would rather have the TL but as it is about 5+K more that is not a fair comparison. I think i would want the TSX over the accord (even though the V6 in the accord kicks ass) simply because it looks better, you don't see one every other second, and the interior is just gorgeous. Good choice. Stick would be a better choice but to each their own

Bluto

Where is the TSX manufactured? To me, it felt put together like an NSX or S2000. Everything was tight.

dallison

the dealer cost of tthe tsx w/o the navi is 23500. it was on teh pink slip of the loaner. so someone should check on the tl's to see what it is.

i didnt like the leatehr seats b/c dirt or just stuff gets caught in the holes

oh and no tilting mirror i think

G-UNIT

TSX is sexy...
get the manual tranny and learn...go practice on a buddys if you can first...

SG81

iTrader: (1)

their making a 2006 CL?

anyway, I like the TSX...I almost got one myself.

YuppieCL

i'm car shopping myself and dont know how to drive a manual tranny. i'm totally willing to learn since all the cars i'm considering are 6-speeds... you'll be happy in the end going with the manual.

Zapata

:sqnteek: :thumbsdn:

Zapata

-What accord engine are you talking about???????

- headers aren't welded...comptech already offers some.

G-UNIT

03+ accord engines are the k24
same as the TSX, but tsx k24 is a bit more tuned....

Sort of like the CL/RSX premium and Type-S version....
I guess u can call the TSX the Accord Type-S

Black CL-S 4-Life

Nice ride but Acura needs to put a V6 in it.

cusdaddy

The K24 of course. The engine in my 03 Accord and the same engine in the TSX. I was wrong about the headers. For some reason, I thought I read they were attached to the block just like the J32 in the new TL, but I was wrong.

anothercls

Yuppie - I bought the CL, had someone drive it off the lot and learned to drive it that night. Kinda stupid for me to do that, but it was well worth it.

bryanz3.0cl

how bout throwing a k20 head on there, turboing it and callin it a day ... kseries are the wave of the future and if i had money id def. get a tsx.

i know its in an eg but this is pretty sick.

http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=874433

gdubb

I would love a TSX but the only thing is the power. I have an RSX and Im already tired of it after 6 months. Thinking Accord coupe now or WRX, but it will be ahwile. Negavtive equitity would kill me

accsuperstar

tsx is made in japan

F23A4

Why swap? There was a turbo K24 Accord coupe @ the NYIAS this past April:



Unfortunately, I didnt get a pic of the motor or the spec board. IMO, the K24 should see more mod availability than the K20 mainly due to the numerous application of this motor (Accord, TSX, Element & CRV). $.02

G-UNIT

thats a hot accord, kinda like the yellow one...

Sarlacc

I saw that accord at the LA auto show a couple years ago, its really hot in person.

SG81

iTrader: (1)

mantis23

6 gears > 5 gears

bsprinker

I totally agree. If Acura would put a V6 in the TSX and make awd an option, I would own one in a matter of days. It is a great looking car, but it NEEDS more than a four-banger for me to seriously look at it...especially after owning our CL-S.