ufmike316

I was going to post this in another active thread, but didnt want to skew the direction of the thread, so i made my own.

Ive owned many cars over the past 7 years, and the TSX is my favorite. I work in the auto business, so i usually can score a pretty good deal which leads me to look for a new car about every 12 months. I couldnt stand the Lexus, and will never buy a toyota product again. The Inifinti was nice, but i quickly grew bored with it. Ive always felt Honda/Acura was lagging in the tech dept. But with recent NAVI upgrades, the best HID lights on the market, new 6ATs coming down the pipe, new great iPod interface, and new paint colors, i think they have bridged the gap. Ive always thought they were the best looking and most comfortable though. All in all, i like Honda/Acura the best. Ive heavily modded all my previous cars, pics below.


04 Civic EX Coupe 5MT

05 Accord EX-L V6 6MT Coupe

06 TL 6MT NAVI - added A-Spec 18" wheels, chrome Mesh grill, Back Up Camera, Upgraded audio


07 Lexus IS350 (least favorite)

08 Honda Accord Coupe - 19" G37 Wheels, HFP Suspension, Rearview camera, JL Audio speakers/amps, S2000 HID retrofit, blacked out headlights



2010 Inifiniti G37S NAVI - custom LED interior Gauges, Midnight Grill, TommyKiara Spoiler, JL Audio ugraded audio, custome steering wheel



2011 Acura TSX 5AT Tech



All in all, if i had to rank them in the order that i liked them they would go like this:
1 - 2011 TSX
2 - 2010 G37S
3 - 2008 Accord Coupe
4 - 2006 TL 6MT
5 - 2005 Accord 6MT coupe
6 - 2007 Lexus IS350 (Very Fast, VERY uncomfortable)
7 - 2004 Honda Civic EX coupe (loved it at the time, but cant compare to any of these other cars)

kowloonsniperhk

Just curious, what was your audio set up for each car? I see you like using JL audio. I'm a noob when it comes to audio

ufmike316

always JL Audio. The best set up i had was in my 08 accord coupe. i had JL C5 components in the doors off of a JL HD600/4. I had C2 coax's in the rear deck off of the factory radio which sounded great. I had a ZR800 8" free air sub in the rear deck that sounded awesome too. I later added a 10w3 in a JL ported H.O. box that sounded incredible. Im sold on JL. but i havnt really heard much else over the past few years, so im sure there is better out there now. i have lots of audio threads on other forums. i dont think i can post the links though since its a different forum.

Kronos595

I'm intrigued as to the trading of the G37 for the TSX. What about the G did you grow bored with? Was it the tech and space or is it just not as awesome as people rave about?

ressling

LOVE that accord coupe. Curious to know what you did/did not like about it?

ufmike316

though there was plenty of power, the G's engine was kind of rough. but ultimately, i prefer angles on cars, and the G is very rounded. it is all curves, where as the TSX is all angles. I like a car that has more of a tech look to a luxury look. My G had woodgrain in it, and was a very classically styled car. i wanted a more "futuristic" looking car. i also didnt love the paint. the blue slate looks great in the sun, but blah in overcast, shade, or night. and i also found that it was very rare that i ever actually used the power. aside from full throttle, the TSX drives better than the G. And the NAVI in the acura is MUCH better than the G's. Coming from Honda's NAVI in my accord, i never liked the GUI or functionality in the G. Now that i have the Hi-Def NAVI in the TSX, I am totally pleased with the NAVI. The brakes on the G were awesome though. I love 4 piston BBKs. And as the tires were nearing replacement, i figured id rather spend money getting a new car that i loved than spend money to maintain a car that i just liked.

KillerG

I noticed you pretty much ranked the cars by year, maybe thats what you like, newer cars

j/k

Glad the tsx is a winner for you. I dont care what anyone says about our car, but the TSX has alot of character, for whatever reason.

Misc-ura

Tsx is awesome bro
i agree I like having a car that look unique Im tired of cars constantly getting rounder and sleeker with that in mind I am a little disappointed in the 2012 TL i dont know why but i feel like it lost some of its character
P.S. love my tsx style but jesus its gets dirty quick VBP is gotta be one of the dirtiest colors ive seen but man does she shine clean

russel082581

^ totally agree! my PWP is a pain to keep clean

russel082581

ufmike316, i really wanted an is350 but i never test drove one. good to know its uncomfortable as i am 6'2" and i have never been comfortable in any toyota. i loved my tl and my tsx is great too

Ken1997TL

Why didn't you like the Lexus? Just curious.

And that Accord coupe is very nice...

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

What a list...they are all cars I've either had, or considered, or worked on. Nice mods too...especially considering how short a period they happened in.

Funny, this guy at work LOVES his IS...and I'll admit, it has the edge on power and RWD, but all other aspects and the fact that it's a chickish car made me wonder about it.

ed_423

nice write up man, surprised to see the lexus came in last tho

s40 driver

I like how the engine sounded in the G37 I had as a rental

ufmike316

The IS350 was by far the fastest and had the best transmission. But it also is smaller than a civic inside. I am 6'4" and my head hit the ceiling, the cooling fans in the seat dug into my back, the NAVI was useless, there was no audio or climate display unless you pressed the "audio" or "climate" buttons to put them on screen instead of the Nav display. There was literally 2" of legroom in the backseat also. While there were a lot of things i really liked about it (great push button start system, startup sequence with the gauges, quiet, fast, great tranny, lots of LED lights), it had in interior scheme i didnt like. the main color on the NAV screen was blue (roads, background, etc), the gauges were all white and blue with a blue MID (i prefer warmer colors), the console buttons were green, and you couldnt use the nav while in motion. coming from the TL, all i looked at were the features i was gaining, it wasnt until i was driving the lexus that i appreciated all the things i gave up by trading in the TL.

When i went back in to the Honda Accord, i really appreciated a lot of things about it. The Navi, gauge cluster, seat comfort, room, etc. It didnt have the build quality, or fit and finish of a luxury car though, and i always thought the car was too long from front to back and had too much overhang every time i looked at it. I was able to get in to the G37 at a lower payment than my accord (because i rolled so much negative equity from the IS350 into the accord) so i jumped on it. There was really nothing wrong with the G37, and it was a fine car with a lot of power and a ton of great features. I just like Honda/Acuras better. The TSX had everything i was looking for. Great fuel economy, it is now available in my favorite color, an updated Hi res NAV display (which is by far the best Nav in any car ive ever owned), a high tech looking interior, a new metalic trim, awesome gauges, white LED backlit buttons, a great steering wheel, nice angles and lines in the design, and the BEST HID lights on the market.

ed_423

^thanks for the review

baksdak

Coming from an 07 G35, I know what you mean with not being able to use the power. I do miss the occassional feeling on the highway...but for in town driving it is useless.

Kronos595

TSX Rod

Wow. That's a lot of cars to go through.

Alee:)

I agree that that IS350 is very uncomfortable. I think the seats are one of the worst ones I've had to sit in. Even for a ~15 minute drive.

Hugh9269

Great List!

I just left my CTS to go back to Acura. Just picked up a TSX Non-Navi 6MT. The 2nd choice was a Honda Accord Coupe 6MT. Tryng to save some $$$.

You owned just about every car I thought about or owned. I was very close to a G37S, but the engine refinement wise was such a set back in my older mind compared to a TL, my slush box CTS was not the answer at all and the 6MT lacked a ton in that car. The TL 6 speed not being perfect was much better than the Infiniti. I disliked the clutch pull on the TL compared to my past RSX Type S, but the shift action was very good. I thought the G37 lacked in both.

nice past garage!

thetaylor310

Great review

And echoing what some have said earlier, these are all the cars that i've personally thought of and considered before getting the TSX

Although it isn't really the same, my mom had a 2010 IS250 and i drove it around a few times when she wasn't in town. i really didn't like the car because the drive felt so staid, felt claustrophobic (and i am 5'4"!!!! haha) and just all around boring. In the end, even my mom parted ways with the IS (it was fully paid off in the first year) LOL

i also agree with how the look of the TSX is so differentiated than the other cars of its segment. It's still a very underappreciated car and i rather get excited when i see another fellow 2G TSX on the road. To my knowledge, i'm the only 2G TSX owner amongst those i know

And yeah, Graphite Luster Metallic is the bees knees

pickler

why do you like the TSX so much? you rated it higher than the is and g37.

odus

iTrader: (1)

apparently you did not read through the post because he explained why

STEVEN05

next car you should try gs or ls460.VERY comfortable i have own many acura but after bought gs 350 for my wife never go back to acura again unless they making coupe .my next car ls460 after my TL hit 100k

Newplay1

Totally love that accord coupe, and the mods you did are spot-on!