Comments: 1-15, 16-20
Windshield Vibration
Door Squeak
Overhead console light burned out
Overhead console squeaks
Brake Rotor warped
Clutch wore our prematurely
Rear bearing went bad
Seats wearing out
Console/Radio lights went out
wire harness replaced (mfg. recall)
This car is very fun to drive and handles well. However it is built very poorly and has unacceptable manufacturer and dealer support. If this car was build well it would be a great buy and I would recommend it, but I've been to the dealer too often for repairs for a new car.
The TSX was not offered for sale until 2004, so you do not own a 2003. The recall you mention involves re-routing the trunk lid wire harness- not replacing any harness. If the clutch wore out already, you abused it. You list way too many "problems", and I suspect this is a bogus review.
I concur with the original review. This car has major problems. If you have one, get rid of it before you have the problems we had. We previously owned a manual Integra with which we never had a problem. That was the best car ever. Our TSX was bought 2004 brand new, except for the 20,000Kms due to the fact that it was a demo. It is now at 27,000Kms. (to show you how much we drive it). Only handled by acura dealership. Had all the visits on time at the dealership. We bought the extended warranty. Now, the transmission is broken (has been in dealership for more than 6 weeks), and they just contacted us saying they found more problems with the car, and that they're not willing to cover ANY of the repairs. It's easy. Your transmission is gone? blame the driver. Except the only 2 drivers of that car with more than 20 years of driving experience (on manual and automatic cars) were NEVER faced with that kind of problem before.
Obviously the list of defective parts on the original review is simply incompatible with a Honda left alone an Acura.
The owner got a salvaged wreck, or lost his job at Acura!
From the person who posted on June 22:
"Our TSX was bought 2004 brand new, except for the 20,000Kms due to the fact that it was a demo."
I wouldn't consider a demo car with 20,000km a brand new car. People who test drive cars usually drive it really aggresively to see if it is worth getting. The car probably didn't have a good engine break in. There is a reason many people avoid buying demo cars.
I personally have a 2005 automatic TSX non-NAVI with 6,000 miles, and it drives as smooth as the day I bought it.
Who ever keeps responding and defending Acura must not actually own this car. Just because you have driven it a couple of times, does not make you a valued customer (with a true sense and feel for the car) like REAL owners are.
I have a 2004 TSX. For the most part I like the car. But within the FIRST MONTH of ownership, I had to take the car in twice for brake/rotor/pad repair.
Then, before I could make the first payment on the car I got into an accident because the brakes/rotors/pads were not set properly. And the dealership wants over $6000 to fix the repair. It is because of them I got into an accident, and now they won't even repair it. I will probably never buy another Acura again.
I bought this car because I had an Integra and LOVED it. I never had any problems with it. I guess the craftsmanship has gone down the tubes over the years.
I agree with all of you. The 2003 model is a 2004 model purchased when it first camr out in late 2003.
Rule # 1 never buy a car the firs year it is out. Cars usually have more problems until they can work the kinks out.
Rule # 2. Never buy a demo that has excessive miles on it. 20000 miles in the first year means that several people tested the car. Accelerate, stop and turn quickly. Not everybody drives the car nicely. There was no break in period. Testers most likely abused the car for 19000 of the 20000 miles.
I agree about the first year stuff, but being a Honda, it has a better than average chance of being more reliable than say a new Chevy. My 1994 Accord, the first year for that design, is quite reliable and has 236,000 on its ticker. Almost everything is original, and a friend of mine has 270,000 miles on his, and has had the same experience.
We have a 2004 TSX, purchased in July 2003. My wife previously had an Integra, which still ran like a top with 65,000 miles. We now have 27,000 miles on the TSX (in Oct 2006, and, while it runs fine, it just doesn't seem to have the build quality of the Integra. It's a bit noisy for the price range, the ride is rough, and the tires are just about gone. The lighting in the center console for the clock, radio station, and temperature settings went out. The dealer was supposed to order a replacement 2 months ago, but still nothing. The last time the dealer changed the oil, they left the oil plug loose. We drove 400 miles before we figured out the problem. The engine never ran dry and the oil light never came on, but it was definitely leaking all over the carport. Took it back to the dealer, they looked at it, and said an oil sensor had gone bad and they were replacing it. Funny that we never got a receipt for our records showing that an oil sensor had been replaced under warranty.
I have owned a 2004 TSX since August '04. I didn't mind the slightly noisy interior (that's what music is for) or the rough ride. I do mind the fact that the clutch has already gone out. While this appears to be happening with alarming frequency (from what I can see in Acura forums) the dealership and then corporate Acura decided that this could only be caused by down shifting at high speeds a la street racing. Never mind that I'm a middle-aged woman who has never raced in her life. I won't buy another Acura.
I purchased a 2004 TSX 6MT almost two years ago with 17k miles on it. Now it has 59k miles, and it is still running smooth. I love the car.
On the downside, I have had to replace a few things. The front rotors warped, the driver's seat mount was loose, the center console went dark (no back lighting), and a little insulation popped out of the windshield side of the dashboard. All of these issues were quickly fixed by the dealer under warranty and without question.
On the upside, I love my car. It is fun to drive and I consider these issues minor that can happen with any car. My first set of tires lasted 54k miles (what they are rated), and I now have new Yokohama tires that are great. Any car that is driven hard will have items wear out. That is a fact. Just remember that all cars have things that go wrong. Show me another car in the price range of the TSX that has better overall reliability and buyer appeal, and I will buy it.
You want another car in that price range that tops the TSX? SUBARU LEGACY with or without turbo. Opt for the non turbo and save yourself some cash with better than average performance. Go for the turbo GT and smoke the TSX in absolutely every department. Period!!
Until the Legacy's interior falls off in your lap while your driving I will be happily driving my Acura in one piece.
Go ahead, follow the crowd. Don't forget to rev 'till 8500 rpm before you feel any power. I'm sure that's how most of us drive around town -isn't it?
Least I know my Honda will not catch on fire at 8500rpms... I have 250,000 miles and in the past 50k of driving it loves to red line.
Owned the car since its first release. There have been a couple of issues.
1. Premature discoloration of tail pipes
2. Rotors warped, replaced under warranty
3. Radio/console light died, out of warranty, but replaced out of good will.
4. Rattle near trunk. Could not isolate.
Other than that, the car is mechanically sound. I really don't under stand how people can rant and rave on the car with these relatively minor problems.