Does getting older blunt one’s tendency toward impulsivity? It might seem so, given the months-long process of research and endless test drives that finally resulted in the purchase of this new Acura TSX Sport Wagon. But when it came to getting this car home, which was bought from a dealer in Boise, Idaho, I pretty much topped myself in terms of making a spur of the moment decision. Coming from me, that’s saying something.
Those of you who have read about my previous new car purchases will know that every one was highly impulsive; one of them even happened on the way to work one morning, which made me only a little bit late (driving the new car). But I’m (definitely) older and (hopefully) wiser now, and as you’ve been reading here for way too long, we’ve been in the market to buy a new car to replace Stephanie’s 2000 Forester. That car was decided upon (without even a test drive), bought and driven home in a matter of about two or so hours. So why couldn’t we decide this time around, dragging the process out for months? Because nothing really excited us?
Part 1: The New Car Hunt
Is it because I’m a sexagenarian or is it the cars nowadays? In the past, I always had a mental list of the cars I was hot for, and when something triggered the decision to buy, I knew exactly what I wanted: 1983 Turbo Coupe; 1985 Jeep Cherokee; 1986 Mercedes 300E W124; 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan; 2000 Forester; 2005 xB (bought used in 2007). The pattern eventually fell into one every seven and a half years; one for each of us every 15 years. But this time? I was drawing a blank.
The obvious starting point was Subaru. Our Forester has treated us quite well; it’s only now developing a leaky (to the exterior) head gasket at 170k miles. Subaru says the piston slap it developed some eight years ago is “cosmetic”; well hearing it clatter like a on old VW diesel from the 70s every morning is like being confronted with a bad case of acne in the bathroom mirror each morning. It may be cosmetic, but it’s ugly and it gets old. Go away already!
The XV Crosstrek was a good place to start looking, and in many ways very compelling. There were two strikes against it: its luggage compartment is too small for the dog and other possible bigger loads. But the deal-breaker was this: this is the red-hot car in Eugene now, and they’re popping up in driveways this spring like weeds. After enduring almost 15 years of look-alike dark green Foresters (the hot car here back then), Stephanie just didn’t want to do that again.
The Forester would have solved the first problem, but not the second. I just can’t adequately explain how insanely popular Subarus are here. It’s been the case for a long time, but it’s becoming almost comical. Everyone who’s buying a new car either has one of these, the Outback, the Crosstrek, or maybe the occasional Prius. If Toyota made a jacked-up AWD Prius, they’d have a real winner here.
So the Forester was the logical default choice, and we came close a couple of times. But then I decided we really didn’t really need an AWD car. I’ve yet to find a back-country US Forest Road that has stumped my xBox, and a set of snow tires is just as good as AWD with M/S tires, I’m now convinced. What we really wanted was a car that would be nice for longer road trips, as the Xb is a noisy tin can. So that opened up another prospect: station wagons. Just one problem: there are hardly any to be had.
The Passat wagon would have been a logical choice, but it’s long gone, so we checked out the Jetta SportWagen. Nice car, but somehow it just didn’t ever stir us. Never mind that there wasn’t a gas engine version to drive; TDIs are very popular here, and that’s all the dealer stocks. A diesel just didn’t make sense for us, given the low annual mileage this car will get. Aside from the additional $2k or so upfront, and the 15-20% higher fuel costs, my concerns about whether all that expensive high-tech hardware will last 15 years without a major failure took the TDI out of the running. The gas version was still a contender, but it would have been nice to actually drive one. Still, it rose to the top of our list, by default.
But there were nagging questions, since we’re going to presumably keep this one a long time (15+ years). I wanted something that had decidedly better than average odds of avoiding expensive repairs. Which meant that our next test drive was a waste of time.
The Fiat 500L had some compelling aspects, including a roomy, tall package and styling that is not exactly cookie-cutter, except for the obvious tribute to the Countryman. Its interior, in the higher-trim version, is also rather appealing. We both love the little 500’s looks, and while the 500L is not as cute, it has some genuine flair, and certainly doesn’t look like another Forester.
But a test drive confirmed what I’d read: the drivetrain is a disaster. The little 1.4 L turbo four has lag like the bad old days, and the jerky twin-clutch auto-manual transmission does it no favors; it’s an unfortunate forced marriage bound to end badly. I’m sure it’s fun enough with the stick and heavy foot, but a manual is out of the equation: Stephanie no can do. Old-time Fiat prejudice aside, it’s hard to see this as a long-term keeper.
We drove the Prius V, which had some compelling qualities. It’s very roomy, especially in the back seat and cargo area, and of course gets excellent mileage. I have an intrinsic soft spot for Prii, as they speak to the geek-efficiency part of my brain. But the nicely equipped one we drove had a $33k sticker, and although it drives well enough, it certainly isn’t an engaging car. More like a non-autonomous pod. If our left brains were doing the deciding, this could well have been it.
I thought it would be a waste of time (and I was right), but Stephanie wanted to check out popular CUVs like the CRV and new RAV4. Don’t get me wrong; these are well done, for what they are. But there’s something boring about them. They’re certainly not engaging to drive, and the CRV reeks of…middle-aged woman. Which is of course what Stephanie is, but who wants to shout it?
Back to wagons, which meant an obligatory trip to the Volvo dealer. The brand new V60 we looked at had a very nice interior (heated leather seats were a must for Stephanie), but its high-trim sticker was pushing $50k. No thanks. And that automatically applied to the German premium brands.
I should point out that this whole process was going on for several months. About two months ago, we decided that nothing really turned us on, and the plan was to put some money into the Forester and keep driving it, since we liked its boxy, glassy body, and it’s a decent driver. My cheap side was talking, and I was looking into rebuilt and used Subaru engines, or just putting in new pistons and head gaskets. But that’s a project in its own right, and meanwhile, the Forester developed a nasty intermittent hesitation when taking off; scary in some circumstances. Thanks to some googling, it turned out to be a bad knock sensor, and I found one for $10 on Ebay, which did the trick.
But that episode had Stephanie rattled, and reading up again. One morning over breakfast, she entered “sport wagon” in a Google search intending to pursue the Jetta some more, and up came this. She said, “Paul, what’s this Acura TSX Sport Wagon?”and turned her laptop screen to me.
“Jeez; I totally forgot that car existed. Hmmmm….”
I certainly hadn’t forgotten the first version of the TSX (2004-2008). An Acura-badged version of the smaller Japan-Europe version of the Accord, it was highly praised for its delightful high-winding 203 hp 2.4 four and slick-shifting six-speed manual, as well as excellent handling. I’d rather lusted after one for quite a while, but as there never was a wagon version in the US, it had no relevance in our actual driveway.
The second generation TSX got a bit fatter in every dimension, which made it a bit less athletic and thus somewhat less desirable in my eyes. And although I undoubtedly “knew” that the wagon version (Accord Tourer in Europe) existed at some point, it had obviously never made a lasting impression, underscored by the fact that it’s an incredibly uncommon sight on the streets.
A Passat wagon competitor made by Honda in Japan…intriguing. Why hadn’t I thought of that? And just how much are they? My rather predominant cheap side just couldn’t quite see spending more than about $28-30k on a new car, which had eliminated the rather similar V60.
Undoubtedly a reflection of Acura’s low sales volume expectation, the TSX Sport Wagon only comes in one flavor: very well equipped ($32,880 MSRP w/shipping), with the 201 hp four and five-speed automatic (no V6 or manual available on the wagon), sports suspension, premium tires, full leather upholstery, power front seats with memory, premium sound, sunroof, blah, blah, etc. The only main option is the Technology Package, for a whopping $3,650, which in my opinion is essentially a grossly overpriced iPad in the dash, with a hard drive, no less. No thanks; I do the hard driving in my car.
Only one problem: as uncommon as these wagons are to start with (only a couple thousand sold per year), almost all of them come with the Technology package, for obvious profit-boosting reasons. A search found only three in the North West: a used one nearby, a 2014 in Portland, and a new 2013 in Boise, ID.
The first step was to drive one, a Tech-Package version at our local Acura dealer. Short test drives are pretty frustrating, but this one clearly whetted my appetite: the Sport Wagon’s sport suspension made it feel like a genuine Sportwagen. Firm, yet not harsh; very connected to the road. And the seats were eminently comfortable, a big plus as we both have pretty serious back issues. I’ll get more into the actual driving experience later, but from the moment we slipped inside the TSX, we knew this was a substantial step up from the Jetta, which of course it is. (Alex Dyke’s review at TTC here)
Part 2: The Negotiations
I hate buying (and selling) cars, which may explain why I do it so rarely. And I’ve never negotiated successfully, having just avoided it in the past. The Turbo Coupe was paid for by my employer at asking price. The Mercedes was a company lease. The Jeep Cherokee was red hot at the time and we just sucked it up. Same for the ’92 Grand Caravan…I even bought that through a broker (at full price) to avoid interacting with the dealer. The Forester was an advertised special, and we just wrote a check for that and drove off.
But this time I was determined to get aggressive, and decided I wanted a TSX wagon for less than $29k, 100% bottom-line out-the door price (no sales tax in Oregon). That meant shaving off some $4500 from MSRP (including the inevitable dealer add-on “NW Protection Package consisting of little wheel-opening “mud guards,” cargo mat, floor mats, etc… ).
Stephanie found a used 2012 nearby with 20k miles offered at some $27k. It had a little ding in the hood and a scratch on the side. The Chrysler-Jeep dealer didn’t want to budge. Good bye. I’ve quickly learned that late model used cars are more profitable than new cars for dealers, as the margins are greater, the pricing absurd, and they tend to be obnoxious about them (this was all confirmed to me by the VW Sales Manager during the Jetta test drive, who shared his experiences selling cars, along with the rest of his life story; “Shut up already, so I can listen to the car instead of your incessant prattling!”). Another excuse to scratch the Jetta off the list.
The Internet Sales Manager for the Portland Acura dealer told me she had the last non-Tech Package wagon in the NW, and no more were coming (the TSX is now history, having been replaced by the smaller Civic-based ILX, and the new, bigger 2015 TLX, which will also replace the TL. No more wagons, in either case). The one she had was charcoal gray (too dark for our long gray winters), but her best price was still north of the $30k barrier. She let it slip that there was a white one in Boise, but that they didn’t trade cars with that dealer. And Stephanie had already seen that one in Boise on the web too. It was calling us.
So I called up Lyle Pearson Acura and was connected to Michael Baird. We instantly hit it off, as he’s a genuine car guy (here’s what’s sitting in his driveway; the ’70 Charger was his first car), and he was always perfectly gracious about my determination to meet my price objective. He just kept going back to his Sales Manager, who eventually relented, including his last-ditch effort to throw in a $399 “Doc Fee.” “Oh no you don’t!”
I finally got what I wanted: $28,999 (including the NW Protection Package). With a $14 Title fee, the grand total was $29,013. Plus, we took up Acura’s incentive financing offer: 0.9% for 60 months, worth about another $1,000. Signed, sealed… but not delivered.
Part 3: Getting There
Boise is 450 miles due east of Eugene, across the Cascades and a long stretch of high desert, river canyons, and a few tiny towns. Hwy 20 is a straight shot between there and here, and a superb drive, not to mention lonely one. I can’t imagine another highway that bisects the middle of a state that is so desolate, except perhaps in Nevada. I really wanted to drive it home on it.
The problem was getting there. Flights are pricey, via Seattle with an absurdly long lay-over. So how about the bus? Sure enough, Greyhound has a pretty good schedule, but out of Portland: leaving at 12:45PM, arriving at 11:00PM, for $70. And there’s a $12 Bolt bus from Eugene to Portland, with just barely enough time to connect. I was set to go Thursday, and had my schedule arranged accordingly.
Then I got a message late on Wednesday from Michael that Acura Finance red-flagged our application. Turns out I had memorized (and given them) Stephanie’s SS number one digit off! Dang… It’s been a longer, colder and more difficult winter than average by a long shot, and I was desperate to get out of Dodge, now.
Thursday morning first thing, I left the corrected number with the Business Manager, and asked him to call me as soon as he knew. But he got tied up, and the time to catch the 10:00AM bus to Portland passed. I decided it had to be put off a day, and got busy. I was at a rental house fixing a smoke detector when I got the call at 10:15: “Your application is approved.” I made a quick mental calculation: I could still drive up to Portland, and son Ed could meet me at the bus station, and take my xB, which he rather needed just then anyway (long story). But it would be cutting it razor tight.
I dashed home, asked Stephanie to pack me a sandwich, nuts and dried fruit, and I stuffed some things into a backpack. I backed out of the driveway at exactly 10:37, under a steady rain, and headed for I-5, which can get backed up in such conditions. The Greyhound bus left downtown Portland, 114 miles away, at 12:45. Theoretically, it was doable, but it left absolutely zero margin at all, never mind parking, buying the ticket, etc.
About ten minutes into the trip, I realized how absurd this was, and told myself that I was an idiot, especially when I looked at my gas gauge and saw that I had barely a quarter tank; not enough. A raging mental fight erupted, one side screaming “Turn back,” the other, “Go for it!” Aren’t I a little old for this?
image: pickuptruckdiaries
The adrenaline was too far kicked in, and the “Go for it” side won. But I decided that my usual tactic of setting the cruise control at 75 (ten over the limit) was too risky in terms of getting there in time, especially with a gas stop and the wet weather. So I threw caution to the rainy wind, put on my Bose noise-cancelling headphones, and gave the xBox the spurs. I pulled off at a quiet little country exit with a gas station right off the ramp, which worked out perfect: no other cars, and the attendant was right on it. It doesn’t take long to pump ten gallons.
I realized I had never been to the Portland Greyhound station, and knew it was near the train station, but I had no navigation or map. I’d been to the train station years before, so I picked what I thought was the best route, and almost nailed it, overshooting by just a few blocks, having to circle back around. There was an empty parking space right on the street a half block away as I approached it. I parked, and looked at the time: 12:05 PM. Much better than I could have hoped for; exactly 114 miles in 88 minutes, including getting out of Eugene and into Portland. Average speed: 77.19 mph.
Ted (as we know Ed) showed up just then, and I handed off the keys to him and headed back in to board the bus. Whew! And then the bus was delayed for a good twenty minutes. Hurry up and wait.
image:travelatusa.com
The ride up through the Columbia River Gorge is always a wonderful one, even on a Greyhound bus. Actually, the bus did little to diminish the experience, especially since I found a seat with a vast amount of legroom across the aisle from the handicapped door/lift. Yes, these latest buses have that, and it was even used on part of the trip.
The MCI D4505 45′ long coach was very quiet and rode along effortlessly, even up the grades, with its 425 hp Cummins diesel essentially inaudible. Quite the contrast from buses in the way-back days. I ate, napped, had an interesting conversation, and checked up on CC with the wi-fi. The only notable event occurred when someone obviously lit up some pot in the back of the bus. It took a while for the scent to reach the driver, who was not happy. He pulled over, made everyone get out for ten minutes, and really wanted the perp to confess and apologize. No response. He opened the two emergency escape hatches in the roof, and drove with them open for about twenty minutes, perhaps to air out the bus, but more likely to punish us all with the cold blast of air.
It felt good to escape the rain; the sun’s last rays lit up the golden grassy hills as we left the Columbia basin. I was glad to have brought my food along, as the fare on hand for the main supper stop was dismal, at best. Other than that, it was a pleasant enough ride, and we arrived in Boise right on time. I walked six blocks to the motel room I reserved while on the bus, and slipped into bed.
Part 4: Getting It Home, Quickly
At 7:30 AM I was awakened by a beeping text message: sales rep Michael wanted to pick me up, take me out to breakfast, and then send me off in my new car. He took me to Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro, the best place to start a bright sunny day in Boise, and hear about Michael’s two Mopar project cars.
There’s my new baby, still in the showroom, where it’s been for too long. Let’s face it, my “deal” was undoubtedly predicated on some desire to see the last of its big, round butt there. It even needed a hot-shot to get it started.
Michael let me skip the usual Owner’s Manual review, and I pulled out front for a farewell shot. Michael Baird is a car guy, a gentleman, highly knowledgeable, and a consummate professional in the very best way, and he deserves a plug here. Here’s his direct line: 208-703-7073 (Lyle Pearson Motors also sells Mercedes, Volvo, Jaguar, Porsche and Land Rover).
It was exactly 9:29 when I pulled out.
There are two ways to drive across Eastern Oregon on Hwy 20: set the cruise control for 65, thanks to the most absurd place in the world to have a 55 mph limit, and relax, big time. It’s what we do when we trundle across in our old motor home.
The other option is to throw caution to the high desert breezes, and take advantage of one of the best places in the US to drive fast. Was there really a choice?
Another car will come along the other way every once in a while, but otherwise the road might as well be your own private race track. Endless straights and long sweeping curves following the river bed. Painted hills. Clear blue rivers.
Occasional rises and ridges, with distant vistas. Sage brush and junipers. And the right car to savor it with.
Yes, ultimately, this is why I ended up with the TSX: a car to remind me of the joys of driving fast; I’ve always loved it, and I still do. And I’m glad to have a car again that is a very willing and able partner.
My main point of comparison is the white ’86 300E I drove relentlessly fast throughout California for seven years. I sold that car before moving to Oregon, as part of a major personal/familial “downsizing.” Not that I gave up driving fast, as just about any car is capable of that, even the Grand Caravan with the whole family aboard on this very same stretch of highway, on one memorable vacation trip. But it’s one thing to have a willing partner; another thing to have an enthusiastic and capable one.
And just how do the two compare as high-speed delivery systems? Well, the TSX is quite happy at speeds up to about 130, and 110 is a relaxed lope. But the 300E was an even more eager speeder, and the difference really comes down to gearing. The 300E had a four-speed automatic, with direct drive in top gear, and its final drive ratio was selected in the old classic German way to design such things, so that its top speed (140 mph) would perfectly correspond to just slightly above its power peak (177 hp @ 5700 rpm). That is of course necessary to wring out the maximum top speed of any car.
The Acura’s five speed automatic and gearing is such that it could likely never attain its theoretical maximum speed in its overdrive fifth. As it is, it’s electronically limited to 130 anyway. But its not quite as responsive and eager to get up there, as it’s well below its power peak at very high speed. Of course, I could have held it in fourth gear, which would have taken it up to its regulated 130mph at its 7000 rpm peak, but I just wasn’t wanting to flog my brand new car quite that hard. A gear in between would be theoretically ideal, but the very smooth and willing K24Z3 four was running right near its 4200 rpm torque peak (yes) at about 125 or so, which was plenty of beans to get it there and keep it going.
The Mercedes’ lack of an overdrive meant that its ultra-smooth inline six kept spinning pretty fast at freeway speeds (3750 rpm @ 75 mph). The Honda four is more relaxed, unless pushed fully. But on the other hand, the Acura’s suspension is overtly sportier than the W124’s, and exuded splendid confidence even in triple-digit bends in the canyons (no pics in the curves; sorry). The W124 was never out of its element either in these circumstances, but there was more body lean, and the smaller tires reached their limits faster.
In terms of straight line acceleration, the two cars are very closely matched, with a 0-60 time of some 7.5 seconds, depending on whose test results you go by. Not much progress for almost thirty years? Well, my ’85 300E stickered at $78k in 2014 dollars, almost triple the price of the TSX. And this essentially a Honda Accord; remember what they were like in 1985? The world has changed.
Not surprisingly, the TSX weighs some 200 lbs more than a 300E, despite the four cylinder engine. But its four makes a delightful sound as it climbs its long scales, and when it hits 7000 rpm on a full throttle upshift; well, a Honda four at 7000 rpm makes wonderful music, not totally unlike a muted Offy four at full chat. Muted, yes; but a big four at those speeds has a decided edge to it.
The engine is commendably smooth, as smooth as a four of this size can be. I wouldn’t have taken the V6 even if it was available, as 201 hp is plenty, since I’m not exactly planning on drag racing it and I prefer as little weight on the front of a FWD car as possible. It’s hard to even tell that its front wheels are driven; there’s just no torque steer, or any other tell-tales signs of “wrong wheel drive.” Time to put that worn-out expression out of its misery.
The five-speed automatic may be short a few gears compared to latest 23-speeders, but it works well enough. It’s easy enough to “shift with the throttle”; I never caught it once hunting for the wrong gear. There are paddle shifters too, and crossing the mountains I did use them, mainly for downshifting on the downhill sections.
Is it all hugs and kisses? In my one quick drive, the weakest dynamic aspect would have to be the electric steering. I’m a fan of old-school hydraulic power steering, and have not been enamored of the electric systems. I hear the latest generation of cars from the best makers is really getting there, but then this Acura isn’t exactly state of the art, given that it first appeared in 2008.
The steering is quick and accurate, and not too light, but there is the unmistakable awareness that an electric motor is playing along too. Slight movements of the wheel create a subtle artificial feedback; realistically, that was mostly provoked by deliberately looking for it, but it’s something that one just can’t find in the hydraulic steering of yore. My xBox’s steering is better in comparison; perfectly transparent, with genuine feedback.
The only town on this whole main stretch until Bend (other than a few dusty outposts) is Burns, and the Acura was ready for a fill-up, having left Boise with less than a full tank. I didn’t even bother to calculate or consider fuel economy, given the speeds I was driving. But I expect it will deliver about 25-27 mpg average, and around 30 in relaxed freeway driving. Much better than any of these big old Chryslers, in any case.
I also stopped to shoot this ’58 Continental Mark III, even though we just featured one here. It’s for sale, and I ended up having a lengthy chat with its owner about its colorful history. I’ll do a separate post on it, as this one is already way too long. My apologies… I don’t get a new car very often.
Both of us replenished, we hit the road for the second part of the wide-open stretch between Vale near the Idaho border and Bend, where civilization encroaches once again. It’s 244 miles between the two, and although I didn’t time it, it was undoubtedly the quickest 244 miles I ever put behind me while still on the ground. Soon enough, the white tops of the Cascades appeared in the distance; the Three Sisters dead ahead and shrouded in their own clouds, and Mt. Bachelor to the left.
A little further on, Mt. Jefferson appears to the north a bit, and even Mt. Hood was visible well over a hundred miles away. And another car sharing the road… Hi there!
Bend’s traffic on a Friday afternoon was a forced re-entry into reality, and the end of triple-digit cruising. Sixty suddenly felt like 25. The drive over McKenzie Pass was a bit busier than ideal, but the TSX took advantage of any opportunities to jump ahead of the queue.
At 3:30 PM we pulled in at home, 29 hours after taking off in the driving rain in the Xbox. We brought Idaho’s sunshine back with us, as well as deeply satisfied driving muscles and re-energized parts of my brain that had been dormant all winter, or even longer. I basked in the glow of a successful journey and the feeling of falling increasingly in love with this car after some initial doubts. It had been too long… and to think that Stephanie found it. And she’s glad she did, as she absolutely loves it. It’s never too late for a little role reversal in a long relationship; it keeps things interesting.
And Lil’ Man approves too. What’s not to like?
Paul, allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your TSX! As a fellow 2nd-gen TSX owner, I can confidently say that you’ll enjoy its comfort, fun-to-drive, and trouble-free reliability. I’ve been overwhelmingly happy with my TSX this past 1.5 years and enjoy it as much as day 1. I’ll bet with the extra weight over the rear, the wagon handles better in snow too 🙂
Paul: Thanks for a wonderfully entertaining story “ride”. I’ve never had the chance to drive in any of the NW states, but your commentary and pictures made it seem as though I was right there with you! BTW: I have an identical 70 Charger to the one beside the 68 Barracuda, except that my interior is bright blue metallic! 🙂
Sweet! Enjoy your wagon.
Congrats, Paul. This is the second of these I’ve seen – a coworker of mine has an identical one, right down to the color. Somehow I doubt that one has ever seen 130 mph 🙂
Sounds like you found the ideal car. A rather epic journey in retrieving it too. I’m a believer in relationships that start with a good story will be fulling and long lasting. Hopefully the Acura proves this out.
Great write up and congrats on the purchase. Just 2 days ago I was in an Acura dealer around here test driving an 07 TX 6MT. They have a black SportWagon that I really must say was sharp in person (first one I’ve seen up close). I really liked my 05 Mazda6 wagon 5MT and would have loved to replace it with one of these, but I’m still a stickler for a stick. I know I’m not Acura’s target buyer on this, but this will always be a 99.9% of the perfect car for me. Pity.
Congratulations Paul! I shuddered when I realized you only get a car on average every seven and a half years, to me, that’s just wrong. And sitting in front of the Acura dealer visible through the window is what appears to be Keith’s NEXT project, a newer Jag XJ8. For a minute I thought your deal may be a two-fer!
It also doesn’t look like you were ever “passed on the right” during your drive home either, not by the looks of that speedometer needle. There is nothing better than getting a new car from a long way away and driving it all the way back home, a magnificent way to get used to it and for it to get used to you.
Enjoy your (Stephanie’s) new car and I will be looking forward to the next installment – Seven and a half years from now.
Yes, we’re a bit different that way 🙂 I’m not sure exactly what to attribute that too; a combination of factors. One of them is the fact that we don’t really drive very much; neither of us works outside of home, and other then errands, we just use the car to get out in nature on the weekends.
I’ve also had an aversion to dealers…but this experience might cure me of that. Maybe it won’t be 7.5 years until the next time.
And I imagine when you do, you are probably in your F-100 working on a rental house.
Perfect story for the morning pot of coffee thanks Paul. I like these TSX wagons a lot, they are the right size and look “European”. The white color suits the car well.
Congratulations! Good color choice and handsome interior.
That’s one slick wagon, Paul. Wishing you many miles of enjoyment behind the wheel.
beautiful wagon. Beautiful seats, nice materials, fun engine. I have never met anymore that didn’t truly enjoy their TSX.
Don’t apologize for the length of this article – enjoyed every word. Road trip pieces are always fun.
Over a year ago friends bought a new 2013 Sport Wagon in Milano Red and have had zero problems and much pleasure with the car. Despite some growth over time, the TSX remained “right-sized.” I hate seeing these and other cars getting bigger and bigger again (compare the current E-Class to your W124) and you were smart to get one of the last of the TSXs. Also, having experienced the need to have the 7-speed automatic in the G37 “reflashed” to get it closer to being right for LA traffic, you will have no regrets about the “old-fashioned” but more than adequate 5-speed automatic.
Excellent choice and kudos to Stephanie. Looking forward to updates on mileage, performance, durability, and the pleasures of driving the TSX.
What a great read – I love the new (or new-to-me) car experience, and enjoyed coming along with you on this one. There is nothing happier than when your wants turn out be be exactly what everyone else DOESN’T want, and you get a great deal on your car.
This is an excellent choice. When I first saw this come up, my reaction was “damn, forgot all about these.” I recall reading about these at some time or other, and recall thinking that I might like it.
While I still claim the “dollars per pound” championship (I may be the last guy in the western world who got a 3 row, rear air, V6, automatic vehicle in the beginning of its model year for $19K out the door) you easily best me in the “fun per dollar” category. Congrats and enjoy!
Congratulations. A wonderful car.
Congrats on the new car! Enjoyed your road trip, and am envious of the empty roads.
I faced the exact same debate TSX wagon vs Jetta wagon.
I looked quite hard at a TSX wagon last fall. I started out very biased in favor of Honda due to the excellent service from my 98 Civic. The TSX’s downfall here in Michigan pothole country was the suspension, that, on our roads, passed firm and went to harsh. I was also a bit put off by the lack of a spare tire, as tire failures here are usually a result of a torn sidewall/broken wheel from a pothole, and the Acura’s can of sealer and compressor would be useless. A spare tire “kit”, actually two different kits, is available from Acura parts, iirc, it would have cost me over $1,000 to get an emergency compact spare, jack and the moulded plastic parts to hold them in the storage well in the back of the car. I perused eBay for tires and jacks culled from wrecked TSXs, which would have saved some.
I rejected diesel Jetta wagons for the same reasons you did. Fortunately, most of the VW dealers around here keep one gas engine wagon on the lot. What you missed on the gas engine Jetta is the throttle lag coming off idle, though I have gotten used to it and little notice it after about 6 weeks of ownership. The suspension is firm, without crossing the line to harsh, as I motor from patch to patch to hole, in the pavement. I share your concern about the amount and durability of technology VW puts in this car. My one consolation vs the Acura is, being the bottom trim wagon: fabric seats and plastic wheel covers, the price left me several thousand dollars to throw at repairs, if it comes to that. And it’s 5 cylinder is more than adequate on midwest freeways, where you’re constantly boxed in by 18 wheelers anyway. The all galvanized steel construction and 12 year warranty against rust through is nice in Michigan too.
The lack of a spare is a wee bit disconcerting. I may have to see about doing what you looked into.
My main concern about the Jetta TDI is the expensive ultra-high pressure injection system, over the long haul. The gas engine is rather low tech.
The Acura’s suspension is a bit firm, but fortunately, our roads out here are generally in pretty good shape, at the minimum.
The lack of a spare is a wee bit disconcerting. I may have to see about doing what you looked into.
The salesman at the Acura dealership didn’t even know the kit was available from Acura parts. Supposedly you can pull up the plastic liner in the storage compartment and the socket for the spare’s hold down bolt will be there. I found a place on line that offers the parts at a discount from Acura list. Another option I considered is getting the compact spare and jack on eBay, then the wagon specific plastic bits and the hold down bolt from Acura. Being notoriously tight with a buck, I also considered getting tire and jack on eBay, then jaming old throw rugs around the tire in the well to keep it from rattling.
our roads out here are generally in pretty good shape, at the minimum.
I am *so* envious. When I took the TSX for a ride, the salesman directed me over some billiard table smooth roads that were nice and twisty, and I appreciated how well nailed to the road it was. His grand plan blew up at the last moment though. We were almost back to the dealership and we hit a patch of more nomal Michigan concrete which set up an intolerable vibration and associated noise in the car.
My main concern about the Jetta TDI is the expensive ultra-high pressure injection system, over the long haul. The gas engine is rather low tech.
Yup. The TDIs have a history of fuel pump issues. VW keeps redesigning the pump, and they may get their arms around the issue eventually.
Thought about waiting for a 2015, but the next gen has an entirely new, and “innovative” gas engine. Given VW’s record, I told the salesman I don’t feel like being a beta tester for it.
The 5 cylinder has been around since 2005, and they got it’s timing chain issue resolved by 08. I feel better about it than anything else in VW’s stable.
I keep toying with the idea of getting the extended warranty, something I would not consider with a Honda. The Jetta is so complex, like using a vacuum pump, instead of manifold vacuum, to run the power brakes, and that vacuum pump has a history of leaking oil, and costing a *lot* to replace, that this car has an order of magnitude more ways to give trouble than my old crank up window, no A/C, 98 Civic.
No spare tire is a definite turn off for a car that I’d use for a road trip, less of a concern for a car that just makes local trips. At least this one can be fitted with a spare w/o just throwing it in the cargo area.
Nice choice of car!
They do/did sell the sedans out here (no wagons) with a full-size 225-width spare, so there should be space. Getting hold of a hold-down bolt shouldn’t be hard, eg from an older Honda as I can’t see them changing the thread.
I see they still have the ‘beak’, at least it is not as bad as some of the other versions. Here is the Honda version for comparison.
I have been a 1G TSX owner for 9 years and have been very satisfied with the car. It has been very reliable and economical to operate. But most of all, it is satisfying to drive – it is a 6-speed manual/no tech package. I have the same color combination – I don’t like black interiors (I keep a Swiffer duster stashed in the glovebox for quick use on the black dashboard).
I have averaged 27.94 mpg over 99k miles.
Fun stuff! And it sounds like the Northwest is made for the TSX. I test-drove one for a relative here in Pothole City and found the ride rather abusive.
“But then I decided we really didn’t really need an AWD car.”
Amen, especially with broader availability of traction control. Plenty of gas to be saved just by leaving all those extra spinny parts off J.Q. Public’s stuck-in-traffic-mobile.
Sweet journey, Paul! Congrats with your new toy.
Congratulations on the new car and the excellent drive home in it. That’s an experience I haven’t had yet. I love the empty roads in eastern Oregon and in Nevada but haven’t driven them in a brand new car – yet.
This.
…is what CC is all about. Great road trip story, and sounds like a great car. Wish I had been aware of them back when we bought the Routan, if only for comparison (we got a ridiculously good deal on the VW, and are very happy with it so far).
Sounds like its a nice car, wrong wheel drive is fine if its done well my FWD Citroen is a fine driving car the only real annoyance being up steel hills in 4th at our tedious 100kmh speed limit it will wheelspin in the wet if you try to accelerate, but I did try for as few electronic nannies as possible this time round. If you can climb out after a decent drive and still feel fresh its a good un.
Congrats! Lyle Pearson is a great dealership. Would have loved to have bought you a beer or three while you were in town Paul, especially since you walked right in front of my office. Oh well, sounds like a great trip. I bought our Accord on impulse in Houston, flew down and drive home to Boise. That Honda K24 is a gem for cruising and after 20k miles now, we regularly see 33-36mpg on trips to SLC, PDX, SF, and Anacortes. My wife’s typically averages 29-30mpg during the week and around town. Same drivetrain but maybe the final gear is different in the TSX.
Would have been nice, but I’m not sure when I would have had the time…a rather compressed trip. Next time!
Congratulations on the Acura, Paul. Of course, you are playing to the choir here. With an Acura, you get excellent performance at a great price, in a well built package that doesn’t fall apart after the warranty is up. These cars go for years. I also agree that a V-6 in most modern cars is simply a waste of time, resources and money. I used the potential of my V-6 Acura maybe a couple of hours a year.
I have had my 2000 TL for three years now. Contrary to the myriad of flames I got on my COAL about, the car has been flawless: nothing has gone wrong in three years and 50,000 km of driving. No brakes, belts, nothing whatsoever. I have changed the oil six times, replaced the ATF once and rotated the tires three times. Yes, I paid top dollar for it, at $9000, but now it is still worth $5500 and the business depreciation allowance in Soviet Canuckistan means I am now driving for peanuts compared to any new car.
Acuras are all about balance: they are not the fastest, coolest or largest, but they are compelling mix that make them excellent long term drivers. I used to change cars every two years tops; I have had my Acura longer that that. I have been looking around for a new ride, I just can’t find anything else I like as much that would justify the outlay, and my car has only 113,000 km on it. I am going to be driving it a lot longer.
A fellow at my office just bought an 06 TL with a 6 speed manual. I have gotten to drive it once, and it is very nice. They are hard to find, but this turned out to be a good reason go go CarMax – there were 3 in their system nationwide, and this one got shipped up from Virginia for a minimal cost. Anyhow, he is very happy with the car, and I can see why.
Canuck sums it up perfectly. Acuras might not lead any category, but are very close to the top in every one. The entire package makes for a very compelling vehicle. More than pleased with my 2010 MDX and the prior 2001 TL. Honda made engines are as smooth as sewing machines and totally bullet proof.
Great dealer support for these as well. Free loaners, rides, washes, coupons, etc. Only problem I ever had with the TL was the tranny going out at 90,000 miles. Long out of warranty, the dealer replaced it free with little hassle. Try that at your local Ford-Chev-Chrysler dealer, or Mercedes for that matter. Acura wanted a happy customer and they have one.
Now, if they could only get rid of the beak, although it seems to have been minimized in recent editions and the MDX and TSX pull off the look reasonably well.
Exciting story! I’m contemplating a long-distance purchase right now myself, so I read with interest. I’m also a 1st-gen TSX owner, and while I’m not a huge admirer of the 2nd-gen, the wagon is a different story. If I need a newer car (which I don’t) it would be near the top of the list of contenders. They certainly aren’t common, which is a good thing, and I think they’re very good-looking! Congrats.
Mazal tov! Like so many readers, my first reaction was “how did I forget about that?”
Which is especially embarrassing for me because I almost bought one.
It was a few years ago when we test drove a TSX wagon as a replacement for our Passat sedan (a low-trim 6MT model–a spectacular all-around car if you don’t intend to keep it beyond the lease). Anyway, the TSX was a lot of car for the money; in most ways, it simply had no competition.
But we didn’t go with the TSX. The one flaw that Paul noted is what turned us off: the steering feel was weird. Given that we went with a Hyundai Genesis instead, the things that make the TSX worthwhile (small, plush, economical wagon) would’ve been wasted on us anyway.
It’s a shame about the steering feel, since great steering has been a Honda hallmark since the beginning, and was one of the standout features of the 1st-gen TSX.
I agree–between me, my wife, and our families, we’ve had many Honda/Acura products and all were sharp and responsive. We walked into the dealership genuinely expecting to buy the car. The TSX’s response to inputs was almost unpredictable–it gave me the heebiejeebies.
It’s been awhile, but when I first got my TSX, I took it in for service and got an ’09 TSX (2nd gen) as a loaner. It was SO different in character. The newer car was much bigger and had more of a luxury feel, When I got back into mine, it felt like getting into a little sports car by comparison. I do like the bigger luxury feel, but I guess ideally they could somehow combine both in one car. Hard to do. I haven’t driven one of the newer wagons, but on a wagon I would be more willing to make a tradeoff in some driving attributes, than in another sedan.
Infiniti has ruined the G37’s – excuse me, Q50’s – steering as well. Because of the way they now package things, you have to get their drive-by-wire, direct adaptable steering if you want, for example, the back-up camera and sensors (which should be standard and were on the G37 Premium for years). And no one likes what the new steering system has done to what was a very fun to drive, great handling car.
Makes me wonder if the one you drove was “off” somehow. In direct comparison to a hydraulic PS, it’s not as good, but I can’t really say it is objectionable.
It’s certainly possible; I know other folks who have tested the TSX and didn’t have the same visceral reaction we did.
It would be a shame if we just happened to get behind the wheel of the wrong TSX, because the Genesis turned out to be quite an unsatisfactory choice.
The TSX’s response to inputs was almost unpredictable–it gave me the heebiejeebies.
I’m with Paul on this. The steering on the one I drove was a bit numb, but I had no problem directing it where I wanted to go. and the snug suspension preventing any kind of big American sedan style bobing, weaving and wander.
The squirlliest new car I ever drove was a Mazda GLC that, as it turned out, had had one of the rear suspension arms replaced, but had never been realigned. The net result was the front end caster was trying to get the wheels rolling straight, but the rear was so far out of whack, it wanted to go somewhere else, and correcting the fronts to offset the rears had me fighting the caster. That was one crazy ride.
What has gone wrong with the Genesis? Is it a sedan or coupe?
It was a 2011 sedan with the 3.8 V6 and the lower-level nav system (touch screen, not the higher-res knob-controlled system).
It had two major issues:
-The display screen (which handled the GPS, audio, and back-up camera) would freeze about 10% of the time. We had the whole unit replaced by the dealer, but later learned on the forums that “they all do that.” Or rather, many of them do that and there’s NO FIX. It was totally unacceptable to be unable to use those features.
-It quickly developed myriad squeaks and rattles. Unless the road was glass-smooth, it sounded like an old taxicab.
Smaller issues:
-As many people noted, the ride is poorly controlled. Very jiggly. Even compared to typical sport sedans (BMW 3-series), it was quite unpleasant. And all of that harshness didn’t even result in the car being fun to drive. This was kind of our fault: we should’ve taken it for a test drive on roads more typical of what we usually use rather than the well-paved roads near the dealership.
-Service was well-meaning but amateurish. Every time we went for an oil change (which was quite often–it had an old-fashioned 3,000 mile service interval) or an attempt to fix a rattle or the display screen, the car would come back with grease smudges on the interior or scratched upholstery. (We had the steering wheel replaced because it was scratched so badly.) After we complained, they would always clean the interior or fix the broken part… but it was a poor use of time and energy.
-The seat leather seemed to be wearing out quickly. It was getting saggy and warped.
-In spite of having a bazillion speakers, the stereo quality was just mediocre.
We got rid of it after 12 months.
It was a shame, because it did so many things well: spectacular engine and transmission (though it did not like to be shifted manually), quiet, spacious, good visibility, and lots of gadgets for the price. But the almost-daily annoyance of being unable to use the GPS or stereo just killed it for us.
I’m sure the Sales Manager said after Paul drove off, “Thank goodness that station wagon is outta here!. I thought we’d never sell it”
Congrats and good driving!
There is no need to apologize for the length of this article at all! I read every word and enjoyed the entire story. I have always had a soft spot for Acuras and wagons. Hopefully I can keep my Impala for a long time yet, but I may need to keep these in mind, or at least until the V60s get down in price.
Good choice Paul. We have the Honda version of the 1st gen TSX outside the window, so I’m a little biased though. I don’t think the hydraulic steering of our car offers particularly good feel, so you’re not missing too much ( I had to check for the fluid reservoir to make sure we didn’t have electric steering)
You might think about sourcing a grill from Europe or Japan though – the Acura grill does it no favours.
Well, this Acura beak is the least objectionable in the family. And the Euro-Accord isn’t all that much better; or?
And the Euro-Accord isn’t all that much better; or?
Or not. That was another thing I looked at when considering a TSX. Places on line offer the UK Accord grill, but I gave that a thumbs down. Found some aftermarket grills on eBay, more of a chrome or stainless steel mesh, but I didn’t like those either.
What I wanted to find was a grill just like what the 1st gen TSX had, clean and simple. No such luck.
The euro version looks a little less garish. At least it has been de-beaked, but Steve is right that the first gen grille was the most tasteful
+1
Just like Chevrolet’s big crossbar, the current Acura grille is my lone beef with them; this is definitely a little easier on the eyes. I wonder if the US/EU grilles are a straight swap for each other or if the surrounding fascia is slightly different. If I had one, I’d try to get that Euro Accord grille, but only if it was possible to de-badge it without having a big gap. Or if I could find a way to fit the big “A” in the middle of it instead of the Honda badge (because it would just be stupid to have that there).
The Acura grilles have always reminded me of a cigar cutter. I’m kind of weird that way…
And the burning question of the day: How does Stephanie like it?
She loves it! Although she hasn’t had hardly any left seat time yet 🙂 I just brought it home this past Friday, and today son Ed borrowed it for a four day drive through No. Cal. Aren’t I nice?
You are and my dad was the same – you’ll never regret it.
A classic CC! And quite a contrast to your (almost) LTD.
I haven’t driven around central/eastern Oregon much these past few years and I really want to get back. Here’s a pic I snapped of Warner Canyon near the Idaho-Oregon border.
I like this choice of car very much!
Your return trip is a route I would very much like to drive again. It definitely generated some memories – sadly, the old E-150 is incapable of running triple digit speeds in English units.
Buck-thirty on the way home….nice!
That is one cool looking mutt in the back. Congrats Paul.
He’s actually our “grandson”, but he’s living with us for the time being.
Congrats on the new wagon Paul! I have total wagon envy!!! I love the TSX and after owning a ’93 Accord EX 5-speed wagon for almost 12 years and 250 thousand miles I know you will have many, many years of driving enjoyment with the TSX. I would love to have replaced our Accord wagon with the TSX wagon. Honda makes a great product, no doubt about it. Our wagon was found on e-bay as the owner lived in Seattle, Washington and ironically was moving to Newport, Rhode Island. The wagon was being shipped across country and I couldn’t wait to see it. It was in mint condition and not a bit of rust (as it was from Washington State). It was love at first sight! In fact my mechanic (a master Honda mechanic) could not believe the condition when he first saw it. It gave us many years of enjoyable trouble-free driving. It was truly one of the best cars I have ever owned. I hope the same holds true for your new Acura!
Cool very cool. Can’t wait to embark on my own personal quest to find my next ride.
Hi,
Only issue I can see with this is the colour…..
My brother has a 2007 Euro Accord estate with all the toys and a turbo diesel mated to a 6 speed box. He swears by it.
Good luck, looks a sound choice. And what a way to bring it home!
The TSX is my favorite Acura, although I much prefer the size and styling of the first generation. Never cared much for the squid beak glued on to the front grille, but still a nice car.
Paul, huge congrats to you and a very warm welcome to the Acura family. I’ve been driving a 1994 Legend coupe for over a decade and the car has logged 528,900 miles on its original drivetrain. The Legend retired from daily duty when I got a 2013 ILX in mid-2012 (now with 70,000 on it). That kind of makes us brothers with our 2.4 liter, 201-hp Acuras. It looks like you (as well as Lil’ Man) are already getting plenty of grins out of the TSX Sport Wagon. It’s such an under-appreciated car and I bet you’re going to love it. Thanks for sharing your fun purchase & pick-up story, and I look forward to continuing to follow your travels. Give my website a drive-by if you like; I post regularly about road trip experiences in my Acuras. Cheers!
Tyson, great to see you here. I’ve posted your drivetofive website here a couple of times in the past – I really enjoy reading it.
Thanks. I didn’t realize the ILX had been on sale that long already…I’ve been hanging out with old cars too long, and not keeping up with the new ones.
I don’t know why Honda does not offer the ILX Sport with an automatic. If they did, I would certainly buy one. I don’t want to push a clutch in Vancouver traffic.
You’ve convinced me that Acura’s are underrated cars (among the luxo-buck buying crowd). As a buyer of a few long-search-odd-duck-back-of-the-lot-past-their-sell-date new cars, I appreciate your adventure.
And I totally agree that the price of late model used cars is insane. I’ve done this several times – look at the advertised price for a brand new Ford Fusion in your local paper. Go on Car Max’s no haggle website and look up a similar year old model. The new car (likely with further wiggle room) will have the lower advertised price. I guarantee it.
Sounds like you are off to a great start, and don’t forget to write off your trip as a business expense!
I’ve done some marketing for dealers. One was a GM Holden new/used. There was so little margin on the new cars, the guys I was dealing with would continuously talk about finding more Mazda 3s for the used lot.
Paul N.! Did I not predict this in my comment on your last automotive acquisition saga update? Excellent work and congratulations! I’ve yet to drive a TSX Sport Wagon, but if I were in the market presently, there’s a good chance I, too, would’ve snatched one of the remaining units (sans tech crap). Well done and awesome write up! Enjoy!
Jeffrey, You did indeed; congratulations! I had pretty much already committed to the TSX at that point, but didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag yet.
Well played! And thanks again for an extraordinary writeup complete with spectacular photography. I felt like I was along for the (high velocity) ride!
Excellent choice, and a great writeup. I love a good cross-country (or region) acquisition saga.
The TSX wagon has been on my radar for a while now. Acuras usually don’t appeal to me, but there’s something about the TSX’s more-Euro-than-Japanese character and style that really strikes a chord. It’s definitely not something you see every day. A test drive I should have never taken drove that home even further. It’s balanced, quick, stylish, comfortable, and useful.
Sometimes I find myself saying, “If only they made the TSX wagon with AWD and a manual…” then I realize that my current ’05 Element EX 5MT is just that (well, in profoundly vague theory). For my “active Northwest lifestyle™”, it’s impossible to beat the giant bulletproof rubber and neoprene AWD box, but the driving dynamics and accommodations are… a bit lacking. No reason to jump ship quite yet, but the TSX is currently on the top spot of the replacement list when the time comes. Looking forward to future updates.
No reason to jump ship quite yet, but the TSX is currently on the top spot of the replacement list when the time comes.
Don’t procrastinate too long. I asked at the Acura stand at the Detroit auto-show a couple months ago, and the “product specialist” confirmed the wagon is in it’s last year right now.
True. I think there are only one or two left around here, both (of course) with tech package. That should have read, “gently used” TSX is on the top of the replacement list. It will not be easy to find, and I’m sure the resale will be quite high, but I’ve had pretty good luck making a habit of buying my cars with about 50-60k on the clock.
That should have read, “gently used” TSX is on the top of the replacement list.
What got my TSX wagon shopping in high gear last summer was the dealer in Columbus, OH had about 10 of them just off a corporate lease with about 10K miles on them, for about $4,000 off the new sticker.
Right now, the Lincoln dealer in Grosse Point Park, MI has a 2012, no tech package, with moonroof, white with taupe interior, 35K miles asking $23,590. Closer to the neighborhood you had in mind?
Right now, the Lincoln dealer in Grosse Point Park, MI has a 2012, no tech package, with moonroof, white with taupe interior, 35K miles asking $23,590. Closer to the neighborhood you had in mind?
That’s a bit more like it, and I think as Paul’s pics well show, white with taupe is the one to get. The black interior found on all other colors is just a bit too drab for my taste.
According to my Acura sales guy, it’s essentially over. They’re not getting anymore, and I suspect there may be only a few more in the pipeline. Last call!
They’re not getting anymore, and I suspect there may be only a few more in the pipeline. Last call!
A quick search of the 4 dealers in metro Detroit turned 1 car, grey/black interior, with the tech package. 36 big ones.
Same thing with the Jetta wagon. The five cylinder engine is out of production now. The Passat, Jetta sedan and Beetle have already switched over to the “new and innovative” 1.8T. VW didn’t even bother bringing a Jetta wagon to the show last January. Somewhere, I think I saw a “last order date” for any sort of Jetta wagon in mid April.
Having narrowed down my choices to the TSX, or the Jetta, or keeping my 5 year old T-Rex with the increasingly funky acting power steering, I figured it was time to pull the trigger.
Superlative buy. I almost got one last year. It was a choice between your sweet ride and the Accord Sport 6 speed.
I wanted the manny tranny. But I still covet your car. Hope it serves you well.
Great story and a great trip. I’ve never been out that way, but now I want to get myself a TSX and take my wife for a road trip…specifically along that route.
I belong to a group of station wagon enthusiasts (and owners). We checked out the TSX Sport Wagon a while back and found that it was really just too small. We measured only about 24″ between the rear shock towers. That was significantly less that the distance between the shock towers of my ’99 Subaru Legacy wagon, which I never thought of as a big car.
I have not read the entire article yet, but this is a really nice looking wagon! I checked out a V60 at the auto show last month and it was very sharp in black with burnt orange leather, but it had much less glass area than my V50. Of course when the time comes, I won’t worry about the price as I’ve never bought new 🙂
I must admit I’ve become much more interested in Acuras after reading several of Brendan Saur’s Acura CCs. And the TSX wagon is a beaut.
Right now my wagon is running just fine and since getting the Lincoln my thoughts on the next car purchase have been all over the place: S60, S80, V60, MKZ, late model Town Car, late model Grand Marquis, Impala, LaCrosse, Chrysler 300S, Caddy XTS, Legacy Limited…I have a lot of thinking to do!
I checked out a V60 at the auto show
So did I. I’m a stickler for good visibility. The V60 failed due to the rising beltline at the rear. Between the high beltline and rear seat headrests, visibility to the rear quarters was terrible.
Well done, Sir! I really enjoyed the story of the trip, just slightly saddened the LTD wouldn’t fly. Please tell us you did photograph the ’56 Chrysler for a feature on the Hundred Million Dollar Look.
I got a few shots; I think we’ve done that already, at least the wagon. https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/curbside-classic-1956-chrysler-windsor-town-country-youve-come-a-long-way/
It wasn’t in a good location for getting proper shots.
Congrats Paul! Awesome choice! I test drove the Acura, and really loved it’s style and driveability. I ultimately went with the Outback for the AWD and ground clearance, big helpers in Houston with rain and flooding. Their side profiles are somewhat similar, especially the D pillar. You and Stephanie will have many years of great service, I assure you.
What a great road trip as well! I bought my car last June up in central Texas (the ’14s were starting production, and there was a new standard piece of equipment in the Special Appearance Package I didn’t want, so I grabbed one of the remaining ’13s), but didn’t pick it up until late July once I had room in the driveway with my retired Trooper now up on the East Coast.
I’ve subsequently been to Corpus, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Galveston, and look forward to next week’s Spring Break for my annual road trip to east Texas and Hill Country. Something about wide open winding hills, a good stereo, and a well-engaged car…I could cruise for hours.
Again, congrats – a beautiful car!!
Oh….don’t hate…..
Trust me, as a nearly native Oregonian I don’t hate anyone but us for the insanely low speed limits out here, not to mention WE CAN’T PUMP OUR OWN GAS.
/end rant
Glad you like your new ride, Paul. But just WTF is with Acura keeping the good stuff away from the wagon? The V6 is kinda ‘meh’ for me, since this is a fwd car but NO MANUAL?!?!?! Why did Acura even offer the car in the first place? Screwing the wagon buyers over big time and then claiming the car didn’t sell reeks of setting it up to fail.
When it came time to look for a new car at the end of the lease for Sue’s 2011 Forester, she was almost offended that I suggested that we shop around. A trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon during a raging snowstorm to the Alta Ski Resort to facilitate a meeting in her 2007 Impreza has made her a Subaru customer for life. As much as I like Subarus, and drive one myself, I would have trouble recommending one to someone living in an area without snow. The all-wheel-drive does take a toll on gas mileage, but the driving dynamics can make up for that. We will be making a trip to Oregon/Washington at the end of the month so I will probably finally get to drive Sue’s 2014 Forester. Hasn’t happened yet.
Nice car! I have to admit, I didn’t expect this one to be on your list!
The next question I imagine many of us want to know…what did you do with the Subie???
It’s still around, for now. Nobody wanted it as a trade in; it’s a bit beat up.
Which is why you shouldn’t keep this one for 15 years, since you’ve said you don’t like selling cars either. The sweet spot is to sell it either before it needs new tires or before it needs a spark plug replacement and the rest of the stuff that will run you $1000+ if done at the dealer.
I figured you would get something different then the norm. A 4 cylinder that can go 0-60 in 7.5 seconds that is non.turbo and speed limited to 130 MPH is amazing. Especially in a good size wagon. Probably will get better mileage then my old 90 HP 2400 lb Jetta, And about double what my Titan gets, though it is good on road trips. Between you and your son, it’s nice to know it is being gently broken in. A diesel would not be good if you do a lot of local, in town driving. They need to warm up completely and longer distance driving to be in their proper environment, especially with modern emission controls. Don’t cars without spares come with run flat tires? If that’s the case, and you have a tow program with your insurance, you should be OK without a spare. Modern tires are a lot less failure prone these days, run flats or not. I’m glad you had a good experience with the dealer, I worked for the dealership I bought my truck from, it took a month to get it for the 18k I said I would pay. Totally base, 2wd with no options and Copper color, it had been on the lot for almost a year but nobody else wanted it. With Nissan employee rebate and factory rebate, the fact the 05’s were out, I finally got my price. But what a nightmare, salesmen were chasing me around at work for a month! Happy Motoring, you got a great deal!
Unfortunately now many of the cars that don’t come with spares come with a “tire mobility kit” or something similar which usually is a can of goo, which means you can’t get the tire patched and possibly a compressor. What many of them don’t tell you until you dig into the owner’s manual is that the can of goo has a shelf life and needs to be replaced every 2 or 3 years.
Don’t cars without spares come with run flat tires?
Nope. All the TSX wagons seem to come with run of the mill Michelins. The sealer and compressor will work fine as long as all he hits is a nail or catus thorn.
…and you have a tow program with your insurance,
New Acuras come with free roadside assistance, among other goodies. The roadside assistance thing has become quite common. Of course, if you are far in the boonies and your cell phone doesn’t work, you’re stuck.
Even though I have a spare, I carry a tire plug kit and mini compressor. Sounds like that would be a couple of items that are inexpensive that Paul may want to consider carrying. I would trust a tire plug more then the goo.
Just curious, but what does the Owner’s Manual say about “break-in” period? I realize that isn’t the major issue it was decades ago, but I’m curious to know if your first trip was within whatever guidelines Honda might have set…?
I didn’t have time to read it 🙂
Just curious, but what does the Owner’s Manual say about “break-in” period?
Well….it’s broken in now, isn’t it?
I’ve been telling my Aunt that I can’t mosey down to Columbus to help her with car shopping until the Jetta is broken in. Manual says drive real easy for the first 600 miles, then just drive easy until 1000, that all means no engine speeds more than 2/3rd of maximum. I’m at about 450….but then winter hasn’t given up in Michigan yet either. Winter storm watch posted with 4-5″ of snow due Wednesday for Detroit.
I just checked the owner’s manual on the Acura web site. The only thing I can find about breakin is don’t tow a trailer for the first 600 miles, so Paul is golden with his 120mph cruise.
Uh oh; I forget to mention the 30′ travel trailer I picked up in Boise too. It tracked very well at those speeds 🙂
Drive it like you stole it !
But seriously…. With roller followers and cams you dont need to break in modern cars like the 60’s . But do not change the oil for at least 3500 miles as the factory uses a high zinc / non detergent oil for break in .
Also , keep an eye on your mileage for determining the grade of fuel used. If you drop to a lower octane at your elevation you may lose more in MPG than you save in the cost of fuel.
It’s all about volumetric efficiency……I’ve been dying to use that phrase ! Lol..
If you drop to a lower octane at your elevation you may lose more in MPG than you save in the cost of fuel.
Acura specs premium for the TSX wagon.
It’s all about volumetric efficiency
And Honda is the master of that art. My 1.6L Civic would absolutely run away from my 2L Escort, and get better mileage too.
I have run my Acura on 89, 91 and 94 sans deathanol. It runs much better on the 94 without the corn juice and the consumption is a good 10% better the higher octane fuel. The 91 contains 10% corn power, which has only have the energy of gasoline to begin with, so that will give 5% better economy right there. The 94 is only 3 cents a litre more, so worth it. It is really worth it in the long run, since I won’t be replacing hoses and injectors.
I have run my Acura on 89, 91 and 94 sans deathanol. It runs much better on the 94 without the corn juice and the consumption is a good 10% better the higher octane fuel.
We in the US don’t have a lot of choice as the corn ethanol industry has bribed the government into requiring a fixed amount of ethanol be blended into gas per year. Recently, the oil industry did some pushback complaining that falling demand for gas requires more ethanol be blended per gallon to meet the government mandate of a fixed number of gallons of ethanol be used, regardless of falling demand for gas.
One thing we can do is use so called “top tier” gas. “Top tier” is a level of gasoline additive to reduce fouling that exceeds the Federal standards. “Top tier” gas is recommended by Honda, VW/Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and GM.
List of refiners that meet the higher standards here:
http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html
‘course, it may only be hype.
@Steve, for the most part you can blame your state gov’t and/or the oil companies for the amount of corn in your tank.
Yes there is the RFS or renewable fuel standard which requires a certain amount of ethanol to be blended into the fuel supply but we are far far away from making it be in all gas.
A great example is my state WA. The tree huggers in OR state legislature passed an E10 mandate and the oil companies took advantage of that to force it on us in WA since the two states share a fuel distribution network.
Once the oil companies have invested in the blending equipment there are big advantages to the oil companies to put as much ethanol in as they can. Because of the octane boost that ethanol provides they can make 85 octane gas that turns into 87 with that 10% ethanol. The 85 octane is cheaper for them to make. While it fluctuates it is also usually cheaper for the oil companies to buy the ethanol than it is for them to make gasoline. They get the blenders credit against the federal tax. On top of it all it increases sales since most vehicles get worse MPG on E10 than on pure gas, this means that their sales go up. In short their are 4 ways that selling E10 increases the profits for oil companies.
@Steve, for the most part you can blame your state gov’t and/or the oil companies for the amount of corn in your tank.
Yes there is the RFS or renewable fuel standard which requires a certain amount of ethanol to be blended into the fuel supply but we are far far away from making it be in all gas.
Eric, some states have mandates for 10% ethanol content, usually in states that grow a lot of corn.
There is also a Federal mandate that requires a fixed amount of ethanol be blended. There was a lot of pushback, by the oil industry, against the mandate last year as the Federal blend mandate was on course to push the blend above 10%
Bipartisan push imperils ethanol mandate
Enacted eight years ago, the standard has increased steadily, requiring refiners and blenders to use 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2013. More than 13 billion gallons of this total will be met by the use of corn ethanol, the lawmakers said.
…responding to concerns about the so-called “blend wall.” As U.S. gas consumption declines, refiners face a point when the RFS mandate will exceed the limit at which ethanol can be blended into the fuel supply, critics say. The result could be higher fuel prices and a gasoline blend that could damage cars, they said.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energy-environment/192978-bipartisan-push-imperils-ethanol-mandate#ixzz2viqv2jRT
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
@Steve, I’m sorry you’ve been mislead by the anti-ethanol crowd. The reality is that many of the states that have or had E10 mandates are not large corn producers, say CA, OR, HI, FL, MO. In states that are large corn producers E10 is usually sold alongside unadulterated gas and they also have E85 widely available. In the midwest it is not uncommon to find 89 octane E10 for the same price as 87 octane pure gas or 87 octane E10 for less than 87 octane pure gas.
Yes on the surface the oil industry publicly claims that they are against ethanol but the reality is that is combined with the “it will cause gas prices to increase” which is just a ruse to increase their profits and blame it on the politicians. Publicly claim it will cause the gas prices to rise, self fulfill on that “prediction” and reap the rewards of a greatly increased profit margin by simultaneously lowering their cost while increasing the price and increased volume. Just follow the money the oil companies often launched anti E10 PR campaigns when there was pending legislation but didn’t send any money on lobbying against it.
I learned all about ethanol and what it will do to an old truck. My 1970 C10 started to run rough and die out, I had an old Airtex electric fuel pump under the tank. I could tap it with a hammer and it would run for a while. It finally would not run anymore. I took the carb apart and all the gaskets had turned to goo. The diaphragm in the pump was the same. I got a rotary type electric pump and new carb kit with ethanol resistant gaskets, and changed all the fuel lines as well. Then it was fine. Until it started dropping cylinders at about 95,000 miles. 3 cracked exhaust valves and burned seats. I’m sure the fact it did not have hardened seats for no lead gas contributed to that problem. After valve job with hardened seats, and new timing chain and gears it was fine until I sold it at 160,000 miles. But by that time it was burning a quart every 3 to 500 miles.
I learned all about ethanol and what it will do to an old truck.
We have to worry about more than just the rubber. At the Detroit auto show many of the manufacturers have models of their engines on display with the features labeled, lncluding “fuel lines made of 304 stainless steel to resist corrostion from ethanol”
Paul, congratulations! An excellent article and an excellent choice! You know I love my cars a little on the obscure side, and these fit that description and look handsome to boot. And it’s not another dull crossover!
It would be interesting if Buick had brought over the Insignia Sport Tourer. I wonder how that would’ve compared.
Great read Paul ! I was riveted !
Glad to hear your trip home was a journey !
I got fire in the hole tonight…!!! Not sure my neighbors appreciated a 20 minute breakin with open headers….lol
BTW , the 70 Charger was my first car. Had to bust your chops…..
You had me hooked at ” I’m going to hitchhike out there ” hahah…
Thanks for the good words. I will be out to visit.
Michael
Hi Michael. Yes, it was epic, to use an overused word.
Sorry about the mix up; I’ll fix that. My mind was on other things….:
Would have liked to been there, with my ear plugs 🙂
I blasted my buddy’s 2001 TL over Roger’s Pass at dawn one morning. That was truly epic. Had the Mounties gotten out of the Tim Horton’s in Golden, I would have been in jail. Blasting a Cadillac over the same pas was also epic, but a rather slower and less comfortable epic. I like the TL so much after that trip I went looking for one.
YAY! New Car glee.
Thanks for sharing Paul – and wheesht about the length, a cracking read as ever.
–
Those pictures and the description of the drive give me one of those occasional “I wish I lived in a big country” pangs. Really quite jealous here.
That said, the whole episode also set me happily reminiscing about belting down to Oxford to test drive – and ultimately buy – my old FIAT Coupe a few years back.
Long story short I’d been looking all over for a good 20VT and was dead set on getting it in the iconic broom yellow which (to my eye) suits it so well and is (coincidentally) my favourite colour. I’d driven a couple of sadly thrashed examples at garages nearby (in Fife and Lanarkshire) and a few in and around London that were either over-priced and/or in bad shape one way or another. Then I spotted an ad from an Oxford based specialist garage. They’d a great reputation on the owners’ forums and the car was both in my price range and had exactly the specs I’d been looking for. A hired Ford Focus and an overnight drive with a friend later I was test driving it and that afternoon drove it home to Scotland.
300 miles up the congested UK motorway network isn’t a patch on this though – even if it does get a little bit interesting and scenic once you’re north of the border. What I wouldn’t give to have that drive over, in that same Coupe on the 1000mile run you’ve described. *sigh*
Beautiful car Paul – exact color (exterior/interior) that I would have chosen. I’m approaching the same age range as you, and I have noticed a distinct change in my perception of wagons – don’t know if its an age thing or what – but I’m a big wagon fan now – and wish there were more here in the US.
Two that we don’t get that stand out are the new Mazda 6 (Atenza) and the Audi A4. The Mazda is just flat out gorgeous – the wagon capturing the superb flowing lines of the sedan. The A4 comes in an Irmscher performance edition – hunkered down and menacing (as compared to jacked up and cladded Allroad we get).
That ticks me off–I hadn’t realized you could no longer get the standard A4 Avant in the US any more. I hate the stupid jacked-up stance and ugly black cladding–much prefer the standard height, alloys and color-keyed trim.
Volvo did the same thing a few years back–cancelled the V70 but kept the XC70. Boo!
Paul, put me in the camp that forgot this car even existed but it is the perfect choice for what you’re looking for.
So what is the plan for the old Subaru?
Want it? 🙂 It’s got a couple of dents, one self-inflicted during our epic winter storm.
If you don’t want to deal with selling it, donate it to a charity. Around Detroit, there are a ton of charities that take cars. Someone that needs basic wheels can get one, and the donor gets a tax deduction.
Donated an 81 Mazda in 99. Called the charity, they asked “does it run?”, which it did. Then they set the appointment for their tow truck to come get it.
There used to be a ton of fraud in the valuations people were claiming for their cars. A coworker of mine donated a 12 year old Hyundai Excel, with 190,000 miles, a broken timing belt and bent valves, and claimed $4,000. I think now, you wait until the charity actually sells the car and you get a form giving the sale price for your deduction.
Nice choice Paul! Personally I was hoping you would go for a Forester XT (the ultimate Q-Ship), but even as a recent Subaru convert I can understand your not wanting the AWD in a locale where it’s not really needed.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a TSX wagon outside of an Acura auto show booth. Too bad it’s going away after this year.
One question is how long did the car sit at dealer? If it was in the showroom, that would keep it somewhat fresher than outside for a year.
Having moved to Oregon from New York I am annoyed that Oregon’s speed limits are even more archaic. In New York there are 55 MPH roads that you cannot go 55 on without crashing (unless you own a Corvette-like vehicle though you are still likely to crash) and it is nice New York gives you the option to make your own choice. If I have to travel long distances in Oregon I am bringing my radar detector with me because I have tasted the freedom of speed (Some at surface roads in the Southwest have a 65-70 MPH speed limit) and do not like being held back. Enjoy the Acura, maybe I will buy one someday.
Those Greyhound buses going to Portland are going to be full of Leather Tramps once the weather warms up, should be an interesting Summer with the police trying new tactics.
I really enjoyed this post, as I own a similar TSX (2011 in Charcoal Gray without the tech package). I bought mine in October of 2012 from an Acura dealer here in Orange County (CA) for just over 25k with 21k miles. It was in perfect shape, and was Acura certified. I love just about everything about the car, especially the stereo, which is better than the BOSE system in my prior car (2008 G35). It could use a slightly more powerful engine though. The turbo engine from the old Acura RLX would have been a good fit here.
I’m a big fan of wagons (I owned a 2005 Mazda6 Wagon in the past), and I don’t understand why these don’t sell at a higher number. It handles like a sports sedan, looks better than the 4 door version, and has as much room inside as many SUVs. I was able to get a good deal though since these don’t sell well (a bonus of liking wagons), and it is fun driving a car you don’t see every day.
Excellent!! I read this while sitting in the park on my lunch break today, the first nice day of the year (almost 60 degrees) after a winter of pure shit, and I was right there along with you. I could smell the new car smell and hear the upshift after the engine nearly clipped it’s redline for the first time, saw the green valley pass by out the window of a Greyhound bus and felt the miles of road passing beneath my feet. I love long drives and good cars. I hate – HATE HAAAAAAAAATEEEEEEE H8 H8 H8H8H8H8H8H8 car dealers, car salesmen, haggling, credit scores, loans, signing papers, paying bills, etc., so I’ve never bought a new car, but reading this kinda convinces me I’m missing out.
Love the car, too. I remember when these were first announced and thinking they were way cool, but I never remembered seeing any after that. I had completely forgotten they existed for the longest time. Then, about 6 months ago, I happened to come across one parked on the street and since then I’ve started noticing them all over the place. It’s really strange, actually – I dunno if I was just mistaking them for something else (wagons are still very popular here) or if everyone waited to start buying them until they were no longer being made. In any case, the TSX has been the best Acura since it’s been in their lineup as far as I’m concerned and I’d love to have one of these myself. I had always been a strict adherent to the 4 cylinder engine = needs manual transmission school of thought, but I think that logic may have finally become nonsense for modern cars. The last few 4-cyl/auto rentals I drove, which were mostly all garbage compared to this, were way beyond adequate in that respect. Automatics shift lightning fast these days and although I know many of my fellow commentators feel that anything beyond a Powerglide is fluff, I do believe that those extra gears make a world of difference. These cars are an entirely different experience from what was typical even ten years ago.
This is also the first Honda product you’ve had, right? From the many things you’ve written about what you like and what you don’t, I have a feeling you’ll end up loving the wagon even more as time goes on. Honda & Acura have taken some well deserved knees to the groin for certain things over the past decade or so, but at their core they’re still what they always have been, and this is one of their best recent efforts. Some of that is also due to the automotive press and blogosphorium becoming more obsessed with superlatives now than they’ve ever been, and as Canuck said so well up above, that’s not at all what these cars are about. No one else is better at turning necessary compromises into well-balanced assets. In my experience with (way too many) Hondas, they’re always fun (enough) to drive and they always do exactly what you want them to. What more can you ask?
I should go test drive one of these while they’re still in showrooms, just for shits and giggles. Sure would be nice to drive one off the lot and never come back… Tomorrow’s Forecast: 20 degree bullshit + chance of snow. Oh well… back to reality – thanks for a great little vacation from it, though! Congratulations and enjoy!
Tomorrow’s Forecast: 20 degree bullshit + chance of snow.
Sean, the salesmen will be desperate for someone to talk to. Go for it.
fwiw, the day I bought the Jetta was just like that. The best weather in Detroit in weeks: 20 degrees and heavy overcast with chance of snow, but the roads were clear right then. By the time I was driving the new Jetta home that evening it was snowing like crazy, roads completely snow-covered. Found out the much vilified cheapie OEM Bridgestones worked quite well in snow.
I would truly like to own one of these, but I’m only daydreaming here. Maybe one day in the not too distant future, though. I’ve grown to like my beater Buick for grunt work and long distance hauls (what a TSX wagon would do if I bought it), so it’s not going anywhere for the moment. That said, I don’t keep cars too long… I think 2 years was the longest, and I’m already up to 6 months on this one. Plus, you guys would all make fun of me like crazy if I bought the same car as Paul, LOL. I’m not trying to swagger jack anybody… that would be like showing up to homeroom with the same haircut the coolest kid in the class just got the day before.
For new cars in general, however, it does create an itch! Right now is really the first time in my life that the stars have aligned to fill dealer showrooms with some new cars I like and my pockets with enough money to own them, so it seems like the timing is right. But if I do sign my soul over to the man, it’ll be for something that’s more of a toy, but still practical. The short list is something like Fiat 500 Abarth, MINI Clubman and *gasp* the electric Ford Focus!
I like the Jetta wagon a lot, too! I’ve always wanted to get a ride in this kind. There’s only a few around and they’re all TDIs, or Hybrid if it’s a sedan. I’ve tried to flag them down many times, even if I didn’t need a cab, but no luck so far. If I catch one today, I’ll take it as a sign from the universe to buy a new car.
This TSX Wagon is going to be a future classic. Overlooked from its debut it is one of the best cars of the last 10 years.
Late with my comment, but let me congratulate you on an excellent choice of new car. So glad you love it, and it was Stephanie’s find! I think this bodes well for the marriage.
Daughter-in-law’s car is acting up, may need to give them the Corolla to finish college and have another look at those first generation TSX’s-have liked them since they came out.
This strikes me as a great choice, and one that would not have occurred to me. For some time, Acuras have seemed insubstantial and almost invisible… they generally don’t have the presence or gravitas of a European car. But this one hits the sweet spot at a good price… there’s even a bit of VW/Audi in the greenhouse and C-pillar to make me feel at home.
Great car. I’d have broken it in by the book though, since I keep my cars. Did you have oil consumption or head gasket issues with your Subaru?
I would like a car like that – perfect size for my uses. I often carry one bicycle, some luggage and at most one passenger.
But: no Focus wagon in USA; no Mondeo/Fusion wagon in USA; no Acura dealer within 100 miles; no Mercedes dealer within 100 miles and cost too much; Volkswagen is scary with reliability issues.
I drive in the wide open west at speed: Cheyenne to Scottsdale or Tacoma or Milwaukee or Bozeman are the usual trips. All of the above wagons, except a Ford, also scare me with the dearth of dealerships for warranty/repair in the high desert, high plains or mountains. Why can’t I have a Ford that is a proper station wagon?
Enjoy the Acura. It looks distinctive but very conservative. I admire the choice.
But: no Focus wagon in USA; no Mondeo/Fusion wagon in USA; no Acura dealer within 100 miles; no Mercedes dealer within 100 miles and cost too much; Volkswagen is scary with reliability issues.
The current Focus hatchback is pretty close to having the capacity of a wagon. The downside is Consumer Report rates the Focus’ reliabilityworse than a VW Jetta wagon.
Paul, congrats on the Acura. I think it would be a great vehicle to replace my wife’s Mazda 5. Took her to look at one, but she sat in it and decreed that the seating position was too low for her.
BTW, are you running Premium in your TSX? That’s the only thing that gave me pause.
We are, but it isn’t necessary. We don’t really drive that much, just for errands and pleasure, so fuel cost is not a big issue for us. We’re averaging 25+ mpg.
Great story and congratulations on a very nice catch! I saw one of the last week, shortly followed by an ILX. Both rare sights in this otherwise Acura-laden part of the US. Yesterday on my way home from work I followed a variation on that theme – a 1st gen TSX fully JDM (or perhaps Euro) badged as a Honda Accord, front and rear. An interesting twist on badge engineering. By the way, when we bought our Forester XT back in ’04 I looked longingly at the 6MT TSX, but we really needed a wagon. If the TSX wagon had been available then we might still have it.
Loved the story, hit all the right notes! Drove Hwy 20 to Bend a few years ago in my wife’s G35X – great fun, although I would have been hitchhiking back to Denver if I pegged triple digits! I couldn’t get over the 55 mph limit either; afraid I became quite the broken record. Reminded me too of my long search / decision to replace an old Saab. I’ve always been a wagon guy and finally decided on an ’07 Mazdaspeed3. It’s been a great car, and my DD for 4 years now. I found it online at a dealer in PA, negotiated w/ their Internet Sales Mgr, flew to Harrisburg, got the car and drove home to CO. Road trips and fast wagons, whoopee!
Paul, I read your story a few weeks ago when I was shopping for my wagon, and it was instrumental in my final choice. I gave my daughter my Mazda 3 six years ago when she graduated H.S. I replaced it with an 01 Saturn LW200 (Opel Vectre) with the 2.2 Ecotech and the fabulous Saturn 4-sp overdrive auto. It’s a well appointed wagon, a notch up from the Jetta or the Focus. Like Stephanie, I DID NOT want a Subaru, and over the past five years I’d been watching all the other mfg’s abandon their wagon lines. I camp, ski and have big dogs, so a wagon/hatch is a must. I almost bit on a Mazda 6 wagon w/ 40k mi a few years ago, but the dealer played hard ball on price and i walked away; I watched it sell >13 months later for less than I had originally offered.
So I too had been looking at low mileage Jettas and Volvos, when I discovered the TSX. When the economic cards fell into place, I began earnestly looking for ONLY this vehicle. I expanded my AutoTrader search radius to 500 miles and found a silver one in NJ w/ 3800 miles – it had been a service loaner at the Acura dealer in Turnersville. I got them down to $29k flat, out the door, with PA tags on it. I paid $400 to have it delivered to my work site, outside of Pittsburgh. Instead of getting to know it all at once, I had to sit in my office watching it out the window for >8hrs before I got to drive it the 6 miles home in the dark. And I’ve been putting in 10-hr days since, so I’m still looking for a reason to put some miles on it. In good time….
I’ve had it now for four days and I’m LOVING IT. Good luck with yours; your review was great and helped me make my final choice.
Congratulations. We love our TSX as much as ever, although a white interior in our muddy winters might have not been the most practical choice 🙂
It’s got 12k on it now, and of course totally without any issues. One oil change and tire rotation.
Enjoy!
Late comment, but…congrats on the new vehicle, and an enjoyable well-written piece on the journey.
Weird CC effect: my neighbor has a nice 2005 Accord coupe with a Lyle Pearson front plate! (I must learn about the backstory on the car.)
Do you still have that TSX? How about a five year update?
Yes. And I’ve been planning a five year update for a couple of months. Just haven’t gotten around to it, but will soon.
Fun read, thanks. I bought a used 2012 wag in 2017 and still love it. Plenty of go, comfy, good sound. The tech package gets a better sound system, nav, and a remote hatch opener, which I use all the time.