I currently have a 2003 Mini Cooper. Which I love, but enough rattles to drive me crazy. Yes, I have been very hard on it.

So I'm looking at the new Mini Cooper S as well as an Acura TSX.

About the same cost when equal items. Leather, Nav, XM, Xeon Light and so on.

Also about the same horse power (well the TSX win here).

So any thoughs, any previous Acura owners, anyone drive the TSX.

 

See https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&highlight=tsx

 

Man, how did I miss this.

It does seem odd to post it here. The over all feel is that the TSX is a great car. Other then style.

 

I 've spent hours behind the wheel of TSXs. Very boring, imo.

 

I test drove the TSX before buying my MC, and thought it was a car where you don't get too involved in the driving. I felt like I was just along for the ride. With the MINI you sit more upright and have a command of the road. The TSX was a good car and all and had plenty of power, but you sit low and far back in the car, and it was not for me. I had a rental car that I drove up in that was a Suzuki Aero hatchback that I just loved the way it drove, similar to the MINI in feel (but not handling of course), i.e., sit upright, good visibility, easy to make lane changes, etc. So, compared to that the TSX did not cut it. Then I drove the MC and just loved it! :smile:

 

No offense, why do we see this thread every other week? It is kind of getting old, there are thousands of posts here on this question .

As far as I'm concerned, Acura TSX is cheap, boring, fugly piece of s...... I hate every single bit of it, no personality, just a car, glorified Accord.

If you are comparing an Acura TSX to a MCS, you are on a big mistake, totally different cars. There are much better cars for the same price.

If oyu are upset at me, sorry buddy, you asked for opions .

 

AMEN..

I would buy typs-s over tsx anyday..

 

By Type-S, do you mean RSX Type-S?

I'd take the TSX. Sorry, but the RSX (re-badged last generation Civic) is a piece of crap.

 

TSX is a nice looking car...if you do the aero pieces, lower the ride, and
get some nice looking 18's.

but it's still heavy and kinda slow for its segment. not enough torque.
you might want to add a ZEX kit or something... 55+shot nitrous.

MCS is a nice package out of the box.. add the body kit and wheels, etc
it will turn out to be an awesome package.

If it was MCS vs RSX-R (doesn't exist), it would be a hard choice.

MCS vs TSX, just get the MCS.

 

TSX, no torque below 5 to 7k rpms.....spending all day over 5k is fun....for about an hour....daily, no thanks, I'll take my MCs....and yes, I did cross-shop the TSX....it just was a slug in daily use....nice interior though

 

If you have driven both and are actually undecided, then just get the TSX and save the MCS for someone who appreciates it.

 

I raced a 2005 TSX on the streets 3 weeks ago. I beat it. I beat it good.

Then I beat the EVO 8 a week later. (Same driver)

Street racing is bad though, so dont do it. :smile:

 

What have you done to your MCS to get it to beat an Evo 8? That is very impressive!


Ryan

 

" raced a 2005 TSX on the streets 3 weeks ago. I beat it. I beat it good.

Then I beat the EVO 8 a week later. (Same driver)"
Grown men should not spend so much time playing video games!!!!!!!

 

LOL =)

 

Sweet quote.....I like it

 

same question, new clowns.

to the thread originator, read that other thread, it had a good comparison. obviosly the TSX must not be a piece of s... if people keep cross shopping it every week

I own both cars (my 2004 TSX, wife has a 2005 MCS) and while the MCS is good at certain things (peppy, great handling, quirky styling), its horrible at other things (stereo system, stiff ride, terribly uncomfortable seats). To sum it up, we autocross her car, we travel in my car. If I had to choose one, I'd take my TSX, but since I get both, the MCS fits in nicely

 

I agree. The looks of the MINI are so distictive that I would think you either love it and have to have it, or....if you're undecided between the MINI and something else, you probably need to go for the something else.

 

I don't know how someone could actually compare the two cars.

One is horribly boring to look at and drive, but offers more comfort.....the other is the complete opposite.

 

Just 15,Intake,Exhaust, actually not much at all. I was just lucky because it wasn't a race from zero. It started at my 2nd gear redline (whatever speed that is) and I was redlining waiting, and the S has a better box, so my changes were quicker, 3rd redline went good to, reeled him in, change to 4th was quicker then his change, so he gave up as I started pulling away in 4th redline, this was all big curves by the way, then the road turned into a freeway, so we took it easy from there.

Having said that, last week I was beat by a completely stock 2005 MCS the same way. .

 

If you really pick on TSX, you better to get an Accord and save you couple grands. Since there is nothing good in the TSX, no memory seat, 4 ways seat?! (what a lux car), tiny roof, no torque, lots of wind noise (comparable to the rattle in your MCS). If you are thinking Acura, paid couple more grands for a TL, lots better car.

Anyway my 05 may be in better build.. There isn't any rattle rally bothers me. May be you should consider the 06.

 

I test drove the TSX today. It is much better then the Honda Accord. They have a list of all the things that make it better and what the Accord does not have. It's a pretty big list. In fact, almost like why the Mini kicks *** over most cars....a good list of things that you just get.

The funny part, because it's 200 HP, and the MCS is only 170 they seem about the same speed. But the MCS handles like a dream - but everyone knows that. The back seat has a lot of room, the trunk is huge compared to a Mini, then again everything is But you don't get a Mini for the trunk.

The inside of the TSX is sweet. The ouside maybe boring but it's one of the best looking Japaneese cars I have seen. It's needs a few mods (like a spoiler).

They are two different cars. I wish I could have both. I wish I could get the TSX now and the MCS 2008 (I feel they will finally get everything rockin by then - new engines, fast, and better build quality).

I'm also a little upset that Mini is looking at making a 4 door. It totally kills what Mini is all about.

I love how people look at the Mini, it makes all of use feel special (I know weird). That would be missed.

 

I have both. A 2005 TSX and a 2005 MCS. They are two totally different cars. I drive the MCS when I want to whip around town and have fun. I drive the TSX when I want something a little more refined and comfortable. The TSX is still a decent performer and handles well at the same time. It certainly isn't an MCS in that sense, it wasn't intended to be.

You buy them for different reasons, only you can decide which will suit you better.

BTW, anyone who says a TSX is a piece of junk is a moron. Honda and Acura's track records speak for themselves. They are very reliable, well put together cars. Posting comments like that just makes you look ignorant.

 

I used to be a big Honda/Acura fan back in the day (owned 6 Accords and 2 Acuras) but while they are good, decent cars, I am sooooo over them. To me Honda hasn't put anything worthwhile in my book in the last 8-10 years, save the S2000 and the ancient NSX. The TSX/TL would have been interesting cars riding on a RWD or AWD platform, but why the heck do I want a heavy FWD family sedan sold as a make believe "sports sedan"?

I have driven the current TL (a friend has one) nice, smooth but too sedated for a "sports" sub $30K sedan. it is after all, a souped up US Accord. The TSX is the smaller/lighter Europe/Japan Honda Accord, but it is the same thing.

Honda/Acura have legions of fans that will defend the company and its products against any tide of criticism, but unfortunately Honda's refusal to make Acura a worthwhile and serious contender to Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, BMW and MB has long been missed. Acuras are mostly wanna be cars for people that are sick and tired of the mundane Accords and Civics and want to step up to a Honda product with more pizzaz, luxury and whatnot but yet can't afford THE REAL ARTICLE Trust me, I was once one of those wannabes when I traded my '95 Acura Integra for a '97 Acura 2.5TL which was a bigger Japanese Accord (Called the "Inspire" sedan in Japan) with a 5-cyl 176HP engine and an american style steering devoid of any feeling or feedback .

If I were shopping for a Japanese/German sports sedan, my picks would be the Infiniti RWD sedan (Not the M45), the BMW 3 series or even the Audi A4.

Honda is a misguided company that produces good enough appliances but can't make a car with character even if their lives depended on it

When Honda's founder died in the early/mid 1990's, Honda became a dull car company. Now they make SUVs and fugly as sin pick up trucks. I remember the days when Honda was an innovative manufacturer that would only produce the sweetest cars for the masses, chock full of technology and design prowess. I remember (and long for) the days of the original Civic hatchback, the AWD Civic wagon, the 4 wheel steering Prelude Si and the CRX Si. What the heck happened to the company that made me drool as a teenager? Whatever happened to the company that use to be risque and make cars that not only looked good, but were well put together, handled better than anything in their day? What happened to the car/engine company that became an SUV/Pick up truck *****, just like everyone else?

Why is it that Honda refuses to bring over their Type-R cars? It has been 8 years since Honda brought over the lighweight and fast Integra Type-R coupe? Where is the Prelude? Replaced by a 2 door family sedan?

Oh my!

I can go on and on and on. I remember back in March of 1986 when Acura was the first ever Japanese premium brand with the Legend/Integra to then be totally beat by Toyota's Lexus in 1989 and have not been able to recover ever since?

Honda, you need help. Your blind followers, need help too.

 

"Refined and comfortable" sounds like marketing copy for the Lincoln Town Car. Why would you want to do anything other than "whip around town and have fun?" Having fun is good. Not having fun is bad.