Bought A Cheap Accord, The Sequel: Acura TSX

[Huskyguy68]

Nice car! I wanted a TSX back when new, but was a bit too much money. I ended up buying a 2004 Honda Civic Si 2dr coupe (Canada Si.....only had 127 hamsters, I mean horsepower) ...this was the 1.7L engine /torque was only

[email protected] ''row , row, row your slow Honda boat!'' with a five speed manual. I was sorta younger man in 2004. I had some spending money, eventually I had a DC header installed, Magnaflow cat back exhaust/ CAE cold air intake. It did actually sound pretty nice and it had a wee bit more oomph, but no pocket rocket. The TSX , in hindsight, would of been perfect right outta the box. It had 206 Hp and torque 166 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm. Would be really no need to spend more money as I did on my Civic, but I probably would of if I did buy the TSX. I had put down $10,000 on my Civic and financed another $12,000. Canada prices more expensive, plus add the shipping/freight/taxes, etc,,,I was trying to keep my financing reasonable per month/plus I had a small monthly condo mortgage /car insurance/monthly bills/groceries.....decided to just buy the Civic. Kept it till 2015, did the timing belt in 2013, I think. Super reliable, very little went wrong, easy fixes. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15134657/2004-acura-tsx-road-test/

 

[JoeDirt41]

Here's our beloved '06
View attachment 341571

Beautiful car! 2006 must be a good year, because there’s three of them here!

Nice combo. The autos are terrible but the k24 and 6 speed is peak Honda reliability

Thanks!

What else needs fixing?

Well, besides the shift knob (lol), the next few items on the agenda that I know of are-
1.) finish polishing the paint and wax it
2.) replace the front grille
3.) replace the air intake hose
4.) flush the coolant (the previous owner replaced the radiator very recently and informed me that he topped it back off with mostly water)
5.) clean the throttle body
6.) replace the air filter
7.) change spark plugs
8.) replace some of the hose clamps
9.) detail the interior
10.) get inspection and emissions stickers

I’ll probably go through all the fluids eventually and complete some other maintenance items. It could probably use rear rotors and eventually I’d like to do something about the paint on the hood, roof and deck lid. The idle is a bit rough when the AC is on and I’m hoping that cleaning the throttle body and doing an idle relearn will help with that, but for right now it’s mostly just getting caught up on maintenance.

 

[bdc101]

I almost bought one of these around 2011, still love the look of them.

Looks great. You must get rid of that awful shift knob!

Indeed, seems like Job #1 is get one of the wonderful OEM shift knobs. If I remember correctly they had the same excellent leather/aluminum knob that the S2000 had.

 

[JoeDirt41]

I almost bought one of these around 2011, still love the look of them.



Indeed, seems like Job #1 is get one of the wonderful OEM shift knobs. If I remember correctly they had the same excellent leather/aluminum knob that the S2000 had.

There’s a billion OEM-type knobs on eBay, most of them are claiming to be genuine but I’m gonna guess a lot of them are probably knockoffs based on the price and where they are shipping from. For something like a shift knob, it doesn’t matter all that much. The original shift knob for this car looks like this, and all the ones I’ve seen are very expensive-

I have seen some that look like this for about half the price, and I like these quite a bit-

 

[researcher]

I'm definitely in to watch the progress in this thread. I'm amazed that a car that shows Texas registration still has a dash that's not cracked! And what's really nice, no rust underneath! That should definitely help out in Pennsylvania! With this engine I bet it's going to be much more fun than the 97 Accord engine!

The only thing that was an issue, was the cracked upholstery, which shouldn't be hard to correct. So far, looks like a great example that you bought! When you were searching for the TSX were a lot of them in bad shape? Or did most of their owners take care of them?

 

[cpayne5]

Nice. The dashboard is solid, no cracks.

The TSX doesn't suffer from the dashboard cracking like the TL.

Nice combo. The autos are terrible but the k24 and 6 speed is peak Honda reliability

The auto in the TSX is very reliable. One of the highest mileage 1st gen TSXs has over 620k miles and its original automatic transmission is still going strong.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The auto in the TSX is very reliable. One of the highest mileage 1st gen TSXs has over 620k miles and its original automatic transmission is still going strong.

I've done a simple 3 quart spill-and-fill on our '06 TSX, every 30K. About 245K right now.
Sometimes I even swap the warsher cuz I have about a hunnerd in the tool box... Trans, and car, are perfect.

 

[cpayne5]

I've done a simple 3 quart spill-and-fill on our '06 TSX, every 30K. About 245K right now.
Sometimes I even swap the warsher cuz I have about a hunnerd in the tool box... Trans, and car, are perfect.

Smacked a deer with mine this morning on the way to work.

Dented the front right fender just behind the headlight. Could have been a lot worse.

 

[researcher]

hey @JoeDirt41 its ok maybe you missed it.. was asking when you were looking for a TSX were you finding some rough examples for sale or were they in good shape? I think you also said most were automatics? Just wondering..

 

[dubber09]

Acura TSX was sold in Japan as Honda Accord, just an FYI

 

[JoeDirt41]

hey @JoeDirt41 its ok maybe you missed it.. was asking when you were looking for a TSX were you finding some rough examples for sale or were they in good shape? I think you also said most were automatics? Just wondering..

Yes sorry! There were a few very clean examples, but the majority were about what you’d expect for a 20 year old car- still driving but definitely had issues. Very few with manuals. Probably 90+ percent of the ones I saw were automatics.

 

[JoeDirt41]

Spent a lot of time working on the car today, although nothing really exciting, in fact, quite boring. I worked on the paint correction that I started a few days ago. Personally, this is my absolute least favorite task to do on a car. It’s very time consuming and tedious, there’s too many different product/pad/machine combos, every car is different so there’s no tried and true method for doing it, and the results are something that more than likely, only I will notice.

Like I said in a previous post, I’m really not concerned with the sun-faded top surfaces, I just want to work on restoring and preserving the paint that is still good. I may go back and play with the top surfaces later to see if I can get any improvement, but that’s low on the list of priorities.

The scratches and swirls were pretty bad, so I started with a wool pad and 3M Perfect It 1 Step Polish on a rotary. This combo cuts through the defects really fast and leaves a good gloss, but it leaves very noticeable holograms. After that, I went back with Meguiar’s M205 and a foam ultra-fine polishing pad on my DA polisher to remove the holograms. This usually works perfectly and is a method I’ve used on neglected paint jobs multiple times in the past. However, the paint on this Acura must be very soft, because the M205 left buffer trails of its own that were really only visible in the direct sunlight after I backed the car outside.

At this point I got a bit frustrated. I had a handful of different products and pads on my shelf, and tried some different combos. I’d try one, back the car outside and check, pull it in the garage, try another, back it outside and check, etc etc. Nothing really worked. I got online and did some research and read that Meguiar’s M210 is a newer product with diminishing abrasives that is designed to work with softer paints where M205 didn’t finish nicely.

So I drove over to Harbor Freight and purchased a bottle of M210 and one of their Grant’s black finishing pads. Gave it a shot, pulled the car outside in the sun, and it looks like I finally found a combo that removed the holograms. I did a couple more panels, backed the car outside again, turned it around, checked it from a few different angles, and from what I can tell, it looked good. The sun was going down at this point and without it I can’t really check my work, so I stopped for the day, but I should be able to finish up tomorrow and get the car washed to remove any polish residue then wax it.

Hopefully this job is almost over and I can start working on something more interesting!

 

[JWC86]

Spent a lot of time working on the car today, although nothing really exciting, in fact, quite boring. I worked on the paint correction that I started a few days ago. Personally, this is my absolute least favorite task to do on a car. It’s very time consuming and tedious, there’s too many different product/pad/machine combos, every car is different so there’s no tried and true method for doing it, and the results are something that more than likely, only I will notice.

Like I said in a previous post, I’m really not concerned with the sun-faded top surfaces, I just want to work on restoring and preserving the paint that is still good. I may go back and play with the top surfaces later to see if I can get any improvement, but that’s low on the list of priorities.

The scratches and swirls were pretty bad, so I started with a wool pad and 3M Perfect It 1 Step Polish on a rotary. This combo cuts through the defects really fast and leaves a good gloss, but it leaves very noticeable holograms. After that, I went back with Meguiar’s M205 and a foam ultra-fine polishing pad on my DA polisher to remove the holograms. This usually works perfectly and is a method I’ve used on neglected paint jobs multiple times in the past. However, the paint on this Acura must be very soft, because the M205 left buffer trails of its own that were really only visible in the direct sunlight after I backed the car outside.

At this point I got a bit frustrated. I had a handful of different products and pads on my shelf, and tried some different combos. I’d try one, back the car outside and check, pull it in the garage, try another, back it outside and check, etc etc. Nothing really worked. I got online and did some research and read that Meguiar’s M210 is a newer product with diminishing abrasives that is designed to work with softer paints where M205 didn’t finish nicely.

So I drove over to Harbor Freight and purchased a bottle of M210 and one of their Grant’s black finishing pads. Gave it a shot, pulled the car outside in the sun, and it looks like I finally found a combo that removed the holograms. I did a couple more panels, backed the car outside again, turned it around, checked it from a few different angles, and from what I can tell, it looked good. The sun was going down at this point and without it I can’t really check my work, so I stopped for the day, but I should be able to finish up tomorrow and get the car washed to remove any polish residue then wax it.
View attachment 341849
Hopefully this job is almost over and I can start working on something more interesting!

That panel sure looks great anyways!

 

[researcher]

Yes sorry! There were a few very clean examples, but the majority were about what you’d expect for a 20 year old car- still driving but definitely had issues. Very few with manuals. Probably 90+ percent of the ones I saw were automatics.

thanks for the info.. i'm glad you found what you did. The one you found might have some issues but they're something you can work with.

And that meguiars m205, I've used the m105 before when I've had heavy scratches in the clearcoat, but I'm thinking you're correct in using the m215, more of a polish instead of a heavy cut. That panel you showed at the end, just wow! Looks much, much better. I'm betting you got it, once you see it in the sunlight.

 

[JoeDirt41]

That panel sure looks great anyways!

Thanks! It’s definitely been a process! Can’t wait to have it over with!

thanks for the info.. i'm glad you found what you did. The one you found might have some issues but they're something you can work with.

And that meguiars m205, I've used the m105 before when I've had heavy scratches in the clearcoat, but I'm thinking you're correct in using the m215, more of a polish instead of a heavy cut. That panel you showed at the end, just wow! Looks much, much better. I'm betting you got it, once you see it in the sunlight.

Yeah, I’m very happy with it. A running car with a manual and no rust is something I can definitely work with. Really the issues it has are very minor and mostly just cosmetic and maintenance related. I don’t think this car needs nearly as much as the Accord did.

The I’ve used M105 and M205 as a combo in the past with great results. I’ve since switched out the M105 for the 3M Perfect It 1 Step because it’s a bit less dusty and seems to be a bit easier to work with a rotary and wool pad, which is my preference for heavy cutting, but the result is more or less the same. The M205 usually works great and it looked good until I pulled the car out of the garage. I guess the paint on this is just a bit too soft for it. In my research I read that Hondas are notorious for soft paint.

 

[mitsuman47]

That taped intake hose. I’ve seen so many of those. Glad you’re going to fix it properly.

Most people go the lazy route when they change the air filter in these by removing the screws on the airbox and then cranking the cover back with the intake hose attached.

 

[JoeDirt41]

That taped intake hose. I’ve seen so many of those. Glad you’re going to fix it properly.

Most people go the lazy route when they change the air filter in these by removing the screws on the airbox and then cranking the cover back with the intake hose attached.

Yeah I’m not a fan of seeing tape over the intake hoses. I mean, I guess it’s better than just leaving a big rip in it, but I’d rather just fix it right. I was looking at some of the aftermarket ones online and they all seem to have reviews of poor fitment, being too tight on the throttle body side. I had a Dorman one on my ‘97 Accord and it fit perfectly, and Dorman makes one for the 04-05 TSX, but not the 06-08 with the larger 64mm throttle body. Might have to bite the bullet and go OEM on it.

 

[The Critic]

Thanks! It’s definitely been a process! Can’t wait to have it over with!

Yeah, I’m very happy with it. A running car with a manual and no rust is something I can definitely work with. Really the issues it has are very minor and mostly just cosmetic and maintenance related. I don’t think this car needs nearly as much as the Accord did.

The I’ve used M105 and M205 as a combo in the past with great results. I’ve since switched out the M105 for the 3M Perfect It 1 Step because it’s a bit less dusty and seems to be a bit easier to work with a rotary and wool pad, which is my preference for heavy cutting, but the result is more or less the same. The M205 usually works great and it looked good until I pulled the car out of the garage. I guess the paint on this is just a bit too soft for it. In my research I read that Hondas are notorious for soft paint.

M205 has never finished down well on soft paints. M205 and a Microfiber polishing pad is actually a great combo for cutting on softer paints.

 

[JoeDirt41]

M205 has never finished down well on soft paints. M205 and a Microfiber polishing pad is actually a great combo for cutting on softer paints.

Good to know. I’m not a detail guy, like I mentioned before, I kinda loathe this stuff. I grew up doing autobody and learned with a rotary where our main goal was cutting the orange peel out of new paint jobs with the same clear on every car, and I knew how thick the clear was so I knew how aggressive I could be. We had a 2 step process that we always got great results out of. Working with old paint with unknown history from different manufacturers is a whole different world to me.

 

[JoeDirt41]

Finished up with the paint correction yesterday. Polished the remaining panels, took it outside, washed it with soap and water, dried it and parked it in the sun, and no more holograms! I pulled it back in the garage and put a coat of Collinite 845 wax on it and the paint looks as good as it’s probably capable of looking. These photos are after wash but before wax-

Also, I ordered a new grille right after I purchased the car and it arrived today. It’s a non-OEM eBay special, (oddly enough it was fulfilled by Amazon) and you guys probably know how I feel about aftermarket parts, but a new OEM one is over $600 by the time you get all the parts, and there were no used ones locally on Car-Part.com, so aftermarket was the logical choice.

The chrome trim ring and the center bar looked fine, however the main grille itself was the wrong color (the original is painted a charcoal color, not quite the same as the body, the eBay one is gloss black) and was made of some really chintzy plastic, almost like styrene.

So even though my original has some scratches and rock chips, I cleaned it up and swapped the chrome pieces over.

Removing the grille is easy, it just has 5 clips on top and has slotted tabs that pull out from the bottom, but reinstalling it is a bit of a pain. There are 4 clips that hold those slotted tabs to the bumper and it’s very hard to get them in because they are blocked by the bumper rebar and the grille itself. At first I struggled and tried to just pop it back into place the way it came out, but it was clear that wasn’t gonna work. Here’s those slotted tabs-

Technically the Honda service manual way says to remove the bumper cover and install the grille, then reinstall the bumper cover. I contemplated doing it the “correct” way, but I knew if I did, I’d likely break a bunch of 20 year old clips and maybe even tabs on the bumper and then I’d be really mad at myself.

So I set the grille into place, and was able to work my giant sausage fingers behind the bumper and flex the tabs and the lip of the bumper up just enough to get the clips in by installing the two pieces separately. It wasn’t easy, but it was easier and safer than pulling the bumper cover.

The “new” grille really looks great. Here’s some pictures from this morning after wax and with the new grille installed. That isn’t wax left on the doors, that’s condensation from how humid it is!