oblio98

Freakin' thing is SWEET!!!

It will never 'look' this good (black car - December in New England), but it's dark now so I can't take any pictures - but will do some tomorrow.

First impressions from the ride home: Very responsive, pretty good visibility. I thought it would be worse with the small back window, but on highway and back roads it was not bad at all. I do have to install some small rectangular blind spot mirrors on the side mirrors, as I'm used to having them and have grown to expect them.

The Bluetooth system is far more advanced than my older Acura's. Link up was very fast, and the thing sucked in the entire phone directory from my Nextel i890 phone and it's now in the Acura Phonebook, sorted alphabetically with all numbers! That was impressive.

According to my salesman, they no longer give you a sampler DVD-Audio disc, but he gave me one "from the back", and the system sounds great. I can't wait to get to my stack of store-bought and home made DVD-A's to see how the sound in the TSX.

This weekend I will experiment with the iPod connection, USB stick and Hard Drive. This will be new for me, as my past Acura's had none of these features.

The back up camera is very nice. There is a yellow grid that matches my driveway perfectly, and I could back out without turning my head by just keeping the driveway in the lines!

Argh, Front Wheel Drive. It's been a while since I had a car without four wheel or All Wheel Drive. I stopped at the top of my driveway because my garage door code has yet to be put in the HomeLink buttons of the car. I had to jump out and use the keypad on the house to open the door. Because there was snow this week, and the driveway still has some packed snow and ice on it, I could not just drive into the garage, as the wheels spun!

I had to go down to the start of the driveway and build up steam to get in the garage. (Just like I had to do with my old TL's!)

Fit and finish are top notch. The interior is solid as a rock, and the auto up and down hatch on the back is very nice.

It's a lot lower to the ground than I am used to (now), but that's easy to get used to. On the whole, I really like it!

More later, but if you're looking for something like this car, check it out because it looks SO MUCH BETTER in person than it does on the website and in the brochures.

:-jon

krblgc

congrats...how much did you get it for?

007Acura

congrats!! cant wait for pics

i'm glad they decided to put a power tailgate in it like the euro spec one

ed_423

ccongrats! pic now!!haha

taepo

Please post some pics of the interior! Thanks in advance. Does it have woodtrim?

pbhak002

Jealous lol Congrats

White92

He has the tech package. Only the base has the wood trim.

oblio98

Not sure, exactly. What I mean by that is that they put the 'flexibility" in my trade-in,
while the write up had the car pretty much at list price. I did manage to get the
trade-in price increased by $1500 after receiving the first quote, so either that was
the "discount", or I got effed on the trade in!

I will post pictures tomorrow of the interior. As for wood trim, no. It appears to be black (it's dark out)

4dr4bangrAccord

Congrats, it is a nice car. I saw it went i went to go pick up coolant.

oblio98

OK. Here are some quick pictures. Nothing fancy. I'll try and do some detail interior shots when the light gets right.

tobwac

congrats looks awesome

fallacy

ur the first on the forum with one! Congrats!

And if only that thing was awd.

ttk5

Looks Great man!! Very sleek looking car. I really like the new front end too.

kgs

it's beautiful - congrats and enjoy!

rondog

iTrader: (1)

Awesome, enjoy!

BlacK_HawK10

Congratulations on your new TSX Wagon. Enjoy!

Simba91102

I agree it looks good (and as one of the few that tried to assure the rest of you that the wagon would look great, you can congratulate me now). But........ I'd gladly trade the power hatch for the 50 or so pounds that it costs. The thing is a boat anchor as it is.

ed_423

i like the interior man! wonder if we can swap out our easily scratched cupholder/shifter part to these new ones!

09TSXTech

Congrats and welcome.

I am a bit jealous as we don't get the wagon up here in Canada. Nice looking car, may need to go on a road trip down to the states to see the wagon in person.

cjhighway

Congrats on the new car.

CJ

nj2pa2nc

very nice looking-like it better than the SUV's

xenonhid

Holy S*** that a good looking sport wagon!

Now add SH-AWD and I'll buy one in a heartbeat.

oblio98

Thanks guys for all the nice comments!

I spent the day yesterday trying things and took a short trip for a "family visit". The car is surprising brisk on the highway. I didn't peg it, but when I needed to get around a moron it did quite well for a 4.

I tried a bunch of stuff with the audio system. I administer a surround sound website so the surround sound aspect of the ELS system has always been important to me. Since I've owned an 04TL (First ELS system), an 05 RL (Bose surround system), 07 RDX (2nd Gen ELS system) I am always curious about the differences. Now with this 3rd generation ELS system I gave it a real test. Some disappointments ensured.

First off, I was hoping that with the "death" of DVD-Audio, they would have removed the watermark (copyright protection) circuits from the deck so that it would play copies of DVD-Audio discs. Many new home players (Oppo for example) do not have this circuitry and will play DVD-A copies. Unfortunately, the ELS system still has this crap in it, and a copied DVD-A stops and ejects after 10 seconds or so (as it should).

I tried putting a DTS encoded .wav file on a USB stick, and on my iPod. I soon found out that the USB stick must have an .mp3, .wma, or .aiff file in order for the unit to see the files. It won't read a .wav file. I then tried converting the .wav file to .aiff, but the resulting file did not have ID3 tags, so again it would not play. I then imported the .wav file into iTunes, put it on my iPod, and tried to play it from there. All I got was the 'static" that you get when you play a DTS file without a decoder. So, that did not work either. I guess I won't be making USB sticks full of DTS files!

However, I was impressed with the iPod connection. I have 2197 tunes stored in Apple Lossless on my 64Gb iPod, so on first try, I was presented with an alphabetic listing of all 2000+ tunes. That was a bit overwhelming. However, it was very easy to get to the 'Playlists', 'Artists', 'Albums", etc selections just like the iPod menu works. All on the NAVI screen.

Once I turned the Dolby PLII on in the ELS system, the sound was pretty good. Of course, it's file dependant, and some tunes sound better than others. Still, the iPod connection sure beats those old iPod adapters that were available for the earlier ELS units. (The ones that never worked! )

I own a lot of DVD-Audios, and have many that I've made (and others have made) from Quadraphonic recordings of the '70s. These all sound great. The home created discs play fine, and the surround presentation in the TSX is far superior to that of my RDX.

The RDX put the front channels in the rear doors, which really distorted the surround field. The large(r) speakers in the back support columns of the wagon fire straight back at the driver/passenger, and the front/back separation is terrific. I created a DVD-A test disc that put audio sweeps in each channel, and except for the very low frequencies, the factory speakers did a great job and there were no rattles at all.

The early ELS players had problems with DTS CDs, but this unit played store bought and home created DTS CDs with ease. So for that it gets high marks.

The one thing I haven't tried yet is the internal Hard Drive. It really makes no sense to me. Reading the manual, it appears that it reads in EVERY CD you put in the player! And, that's the only way to put files on the Hard Drive. With the USB and iPod connection, I think I would have preferred a multiple disc changer in place of the HDD. Time will tell.

Can anyone here elaborate on using the HD? Seems odd to me.

Anyway, rambling on here, hope this info helps others, and I'd love to hear your experiences with the audio system. I am really liking this car and it's only been a few days. Thursday I am having the back up sensors installed which is something that I am used to having, even thought the camera is great, the Back Up Sensors really help when backing into a garage, as you get one tone for what's behind you and one tone for what's on the side. Very helpful.

Thanks again for the kind words about the wagon. (I'm still a bit in shock that I bought a STATION WAGON!!! YIKES!)

Newplay1

Black really gives that nice sleek look to junk in trunk wagon body. Id hit that lol.

ostrich

What a great looking vehicle! Oh, and that trunk looks HUGE! Congrats!!!

ryancampbell

I've got a new silver TSX wagon. I've had pretty much the same experience with 5.1 material. I couldn't get WMA Pro, DTS wav files, or multichannel AAC to play over USB or iPhone.

I was successful backing up my watermarked DVD-A titles to DTS-CD. Not much loss of fidelity, but it's limited to 90 min. DTS-CD doesn't seem to check for the watermark. It's quite a hassle, and costs $249 for the DTS encoder.

The other thing that's pretty lame is that it won't play DVD-V. A lot of concert material is coming out in this format. I've been able to convert my favorites to DVD-A. Also a hassle, but at least DVD Audio Solo only sets you back $45.

I went for the $65 ultra version, but so far I haven't found any of the upmixing features useful, I'd recommend sticking with Solo. The center channel on this system is definitely not full range, so pushing any of the main channel sound through it sounds awful. 4 channel stereo front to back clone sounds pretty powerful, but I slightly prefer the ELS built-in virtual surround, and it's a lot less hassle.

What are your audio settings? I find the rear surround a bit loud and bright. I've settled on fader +2, center -2, bass +2, and everything else level. Frequency sweep shows this about 3db low above 10KHz, and the sound stage is compressed a bit toward the front, but with everything flat the system sounds too tinny and harsh to me. I might try putting some small resistors on the surrounds and put the eq. back to flat to restore the soundstage.

SLIKRIK

that actually looks pretty good. congrats!

oblio98

Ryan,

Sounds exactly like my situation. On some DVD-A conversions (from quad tapes) I have, I get the tinny and harsh sound.

It does suck that the head unit will not play a DVD-V audio track. I can't figure out why it's such a big deal to include it. It's been a common complaint with the ELS system since 2004. Heck, you can't go into a store and buy a DVD-A anymore, but you can get tons of concert and audio DVD-V's.

Sure. You can rip the DTS tracks from a DVD-A and make a DVD-A or DTS CD, and you don't lose that much. It's just another step you have to go through. I am using DiscWelder Chrome for my DVD-A's which costs more that DVD-A Solo but can be "found" if you look around.

I dropped off a copy of the Dark Side of the Moon DVD-A for my salesman today and he's going to use it for demo rides. It should turn some heads in the car!

Good luck with the wagon! Mine was in today for Back-Up Sensor install and they gave me a 2010 MDX Tech, which was my other option for purchase, and I can honestly say from the heart that I am totally glad I went for the TSX over the MDX. The MDX drives like a bus, the TSX Wagon is so much more a car it's no contest.

The more I drive this car, the more I love it. If they do a 6 speed AWD version in a few years, I'm signing up now!

cp3117

Congrats on the purchase.

Your wagon looks awesome and it looks like they did a very good job on the cargo capacity. I wouldnt be surprised if sales exceed their expectations much like when they originally released the 1G sedan.

I heard they might not be releasing the TSX wagon here in Canada. That would be sad if they dont.

ressling

Love it. Love the color combo and the cargo capacity!

In my opinion, the TSX wagon would do very well if it had a 6MT and SH-AWD; hopefully that's Acura's next move. If Acura offers those options, expect sales to skyrocket, especially out west.

I was in Colorado over the New Year and was reminded just how many wagons there are on the road. Somebody's gotta compete with Subaru, Audi, and BMW in the wagon-market!

taepo

My only concern with the cargo area are the rather large humps behind the rear seats. Any chance you can measure the clearance between the humps? I want to gauge the widest cargo that fits there.

oblio98

ONE MONTH UPDATE:

I've lived with the car for a month and now have 1400 miles on it. So far, I can say that I still love the car.

The only issue I've had is that the drivers side door doesn't always close. I found out the hard way the second day I had it as I shut the door, left it overnight, and the battery was dead. It's just a matter of the door seals being tight, and now I make sure that I slam the damn door.

The other thing that takes a while (for me) to get used to is that the car is small, by that I mean low to the ground compared to the vehicles I've been driving lately. It's been a while since I had my 02 TL-S with the ComTech springs.

It's especially hard here in CT with 10-12 foot snow banks at intersections, it's hard to see who or what's coming. On the other hand, the car does pretty well in the snow and ice for FWD with the factory installed tires.

I've had 4 Acura's with an ELS surround system in them, and this car BY FAR has the best sounding surround system of them all. I have around 200 DVD-Audio discs, and many more home made, and they sound amazing in the car. The rear speakers are mounted high and aimed right at the driver, and this creates a terrific sound stage for 5.1 and 4.0 material.

The iPod connection is very nice, however it's a pain because I have a 64Gb iPod Touch, and it's almost full. I have so many songs and artists that it takes forever to "spin the wheel" to get to the higher alphabetic artists. The most annoying this with this iPod control is if you spin to, say, 'Steely Dan', play a few tunes, then want to go to another artist, it takes you back to the top of the list!! ARGHH!!! I wish it dumped you back to the 'S's. That would make more sense to me. The voice commands for the iPod work at times, other times they're off.

There is not much storage space in the cabin. It's hard to get into the 'between the seats' storage bin when you're in the car, and the 'not an ashtray' bin is small and hard to get coins out of. The Glove Box is small as well, taken up by the Acura binder.

All in all, like I said, I love this car. I am sure that if they come out with an AWD version in a few years, I'll trade this one in for one, as long as it still has an ELS surround system in it.

For the record, I've purchased 3 tanks of gas and am getting 27.6 MPG.

Not bad at all, I'd say.

lightjak_tsx

congrats!

KillerG

Sir, i need you help with 2 things.

how the fuck are you making dvd-audios?
and

would you check your car ECU info for us?

Chewbach

Thanks so much for the update, Oblio98! My Sports Wagon w/Tech Package (in Graphite Luster Metallic) should be here this coming weekend. To say the least, I'm eagerly awaiting the transaction....

I noticed the lack of storage as well. I'm thinking about relegating the Acura binder to one of the hidden compartments in the back, just to free up a little space in the front.



That's really encouraging to hear. What's your mix between city & highway?

s40 driver

I really like it! I would prefer a V6 and since I bought 2010. the loss I'd take wouldn't be worth it on trade-in. Enjoy your new ride, its really nice looking!

hornyleprechaun

I test drove the graphite colored Tech package last weekend and it was nice. Once I get my tax refund $$ I'm going to purchase the black on black at my dealership (if it's still there!).

oblio98

If you tell me how to check my ECU, I'll tell you how to make DVD-Audios!



Actually, you need a few things for your computer. I depends how deep you want to go. I administrate a quadraphonic web site that has entire sections devoted to creating DTS CDs and DVD-Audio. There are lots of folks there into SACD and DVD-A as well. I don't want to appear to spam, so I won't get carried away. (I've been around this forum since 2001, so I don't think anyone could say I was 'spamming"! The site I run is quadraphonicquad. We don't have ads or anything that generates income)

The least expensive program is called DVD Audio Solo:

http://cirlinca.com/products.htm

You can create stereo DVD-A's with this, but for HD surround from 4 or 6 channel sources, you'll need a lot more "stuff".

If you're really into it, I'll be glad to help.

hornyleprechaun

OP Do you mind saying how much you paid?

ryancampbell

I'll second (or third) everything Oblio98 said a month into my wagon.

Some other random things I've noticed:

• It's quiet! The sound damping is easily better than the 2004 Audi allroad I came from. I don't even hear the my 4 bike mounts on the roof on the freeway.

• The cornering feel is fantastic. Very little body roll and good balance. The only downside it that's so confidence inspiring it's easy to hit the .82g cornering limit.

• The audio system really highlights the deficiencies of over-compressed music. The difference between a 128K and 192K MP3 is readily apparent. I think I'm going to have to cancel XM, after listening to a lossless track on my iPod, switching over to XM sounds like a muddy mess. Switching directly from DVD-A or DTS CD to XM can cause a gag reflex.

• The all-weather (rubber) mats are a good upgrade. I think they even look better than the stock carpet. I also like the look of the body colored splash guards, they give the car a more aggressive look without impacting ground clearance.

• I wish you could turn Bluetooth Audio off. If you leave your iPhone in the car or connect it before BT initializes, it steals the audio away from the USB dock every time. The sound quality is noticeably inferior to the USB connection and you lose the search features.

• Voice commands are really nice for car functions. With the button overload on the dash I find it nice to not have to search for the AC controls or sound inputs. A simple "Passenger temperature 72" or "XM channel 47" gets me there quicker and without taking my eyes off the road. It's been pretty much 100% accurate on controls. Searching the iPod or phonebook is more hit and miss.

• I do wish it could take navigation and phone controls in sentence format like it does with temperature and audio. You're forced through a cumbersome menu structure with nav/phone.