Car Purchase - Looking for Opinions

[detroadster]

Guys, I've been driving my 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS since 2000. Bought it with 7,000 miles, now it has 107,000. I still like the car but it's time for a change.

I'm considering a 2005 Acura RSX Type-S. I've read some generally favorable posts on the car from folks here. The only negative thing I've picked up on is the dangerous potential for a "boy racer" label to be applied to me. Aside from that, anyone know of any glaring negative issues with that car? Anyone have any first hand experience with one?

Thanks!

[pwhitersxs]

Whenever I owned one, I never had one problem with my rsx type S. very nice for a daily driver. good gas mileage and decent power. Plus it was fun. The interior lighting was nice to me and the seats were comfortable.

[detroadster]

Thanks for the first hand feedback! Still haven't heard a bad thing about this car. I like the lighting too....

After looking at a ton of pics online I'm really starting to like that orange/copper color they had. Seems tough to find though. Silver and blue are a dime a dozen.

[pwhitersxs]

I had a pearl white rsx type s...hard to figure out isn't it. The color looked really good clean, but ok when it was dirty.

I like that copper color as well. The redesign looks a lot better than the original too.

[detroadster]

Yeah, dirt is a concern. After owning a black car in New England....

I've owned white cars before and they do stay clean looking. As long as the filth is evenly distributed and you don't run your finger through it, it looks presentable. Silver is great for hiding dirt too, until you start talking about road salt, then it looks crappy. Not sure how the copper would do for cleanliness. If it's on par with silver I could live with it looking like ass in the winter.

When was the redesign? 2004 or 2005?

Any words of wisdom when looking at used ones? Things to stay away from? Must have options? Etc?

[pwhitersxs]

I think 2005 was the year of the facelift.

I didn't have my car long enough to know of any negative qualities. Overall for what it was, I liked it.

Are you buying from a private seller or a dealer?

Just follow the normal buying guide. Make sure that a private seller is not shady or acting weird. Make sure normal maintenance was kept up.

The rsx type S pretty much came with everything standard and didn't have many add on's to my knowledge. I would recommend the type S because other versions are just like normal cars. Atleast with the type S, it was a fun.

[detroadster]

OK, cool. Thanks!

Buying at the dealer. I want an Acura Certified used car so I can get the 7 year, 100K powertrain warranty and the 1 year 12,000 mile extended basic that gets tacked onto the remainder of the factory basic.

Not even looking at the regular RSX or the Type S without leather. I want all the creature comforts!

[M_TYPE_X]

OK, cool. Thanks!

Buying at the dealer. I want an Acura Certified used car so I can get the 7 year, 100K powertrain warranty and the 1 year 12,000 mile extended basic that gets tacked onto the remainder of the factory basic.

Not even looking at the regular RSX or the Type S without leather. I want all the creature comforts!

Snob ... :rolleyes:

[detroadster]

Snob ... :rolleyes:

And proud of it...

[miata007]

The only bad thing I can say about the car, is it's not the most attractive looking car. Can't complain about the handling, and comforts.

007

[Nismo]

Hard to go wrong with an RSX Type S. They're nice and quick, but the suspension is a little too 'dumbed down' for my tastes (there's that negative comment you were looking for). With the RSX, Acura switched from the Integra's all-around wishbones to having struts up front and modified a-arms in rear with shorter lengths (provides more trunk space but slightly hurts racetrack handling). The TSX has a better suspension setup than the RSX.

Ok, with all that negativity towards the suspension out of the way, I offer this: the RSX Type S is a great car and should provide you with a great ownership experience. :)

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

RSX is a solid choice.

You don't want to go bigger?

May I recommend the Outback 2.5 XT?

http://www.subaru.com/shop/overview.jsp?model=OUTBACK&trim=25_XT_LIMITED&command=overview


243bhp and you can get a manual if you want.

[detroadster]

Hard to go wrong with an RSX Type S. They're nice and quick, but the suspension is a little too 'dumbed down' for my tastes (there's that negative comment you were looking for). With the RSX, Acura switched from the Integra's all-around wishbones to having struts up front and modified a-arms in rear with shorter lengths (provides more trunk space but slightly hurts racetrack handling). The TSX has a better suspension setup than the RSX.

Not planning on taking the car to the track. Just need a daily driver that's got enough suspension to be fun zipping around corners but is also forgiving enough for the crap ass New England roads.

RSX is a solid choice.

You don't want to go bigger?

May I recommend the Outback 2.5 XT?

No, I like small cars. Most of the time it's just me, the GF, and the dog. We rarely have backseat passengers. I have my beater pickup for carrying stuff so I don't need the interior space of something like the Outback.

[07G35S]

I think its a great car... I'd buy one for my teenage daughter

j/k. :p

[SHIFT_6speeds]

Have you tested the 06-07 Civic Si's? I did and bought one! :)

Many Honda/Acura loyalists say the new Civic Si's are superior in many ways to the RSX's. I never owned an RSX, but have driven many, most being the Type-S's. From memory, I prefer the new Civic Si's. And I believe the Honda badge gives lesser insurance premiums vs the Acura.

I would surely compare the two before buying.

[kam5927]

I prefer the Type - S to the SI, but i guess it comes down to a matter of opinion.

What I really adore about the RSX is that there's alot of mod's out there for it that are cheap and give much bang for the buck.

[detroadster]

Driving the Si is on my list. Maybe this weekend. From what I've seen though, I can get a little more bang for the buck by going with a slightly used RSX over a new Si. Don't forget, I gotta have me them heated leather seats....

[kam5927]

does the si come with heated leather?

[SHIFT_6speeds]

This is where we differ, I don't like leather interiors, I like the way they "Look", and samell and theat's where the love ends. They are too slick for hard driving for me. I have had leather before, just don't care for it. The Si does not have leather available as an option, but if you are in canada, I believe you can get heated seats in the Si though.

I love this car. It pulls .91 g and the damn thing reminds me so much of my 91 SE-R I had to have it. Of all 5 Nissan's I have had since 1985, the 91 SE-R, as plain jane as she was , is still the Nissan I love to most. I compare everything I drive to that.

I am still waiting for the neo-510 concept to become reality (or a new Silvia), then back to Nissan I go!

http://www.freshalloy.com/site/cars/nissan/concepts/se-510/002.jpg

THIS IS THE NISSAN I WANT!!!!

[bakedlays]

rsx is a nice car. i used to work for acura so i had to drive them around every now and then.

only thing i'd be worried about is the insurance.
my friend had an rsx and a BMW..his rsx insurance was higher than his bmw. like..wayyy higher. lol

other than that..i liked driving it around. fun car.

[detroadster]

only thing i'd be worried about is the insurance.
my friend had an rsx and a BMW..his rsx insurance was higher than his bmw. like..wayyy higher. lol

You guys got me worried! I called up my insurance company with a sample VIN from an 05 Type-S. My rates would go up by $36 a month, assuming equal coverage. Didn't seem too bad till I did the math and figured out that my Subie is only costing me $55 a month. Damn! A 65% increase! It's not really a deal breaker but it's nice to know that's coming so I don't get surprised by it.

[07G35S]

You guys got me worried! I called up my insurance company with a sample VIN from an 05 Type-S. My rates would go up by $36 a month, assuming equal coverage. Didn't seem too bad till I did the math and figured out that my Subie is only costing me $55 a month. Damn! A 65% increase! It's not really a deal breaker but it's nice to know that's coming so I don't get surprised by it.

wow that IS a lot (IMO)... almost 100 bucks a month for an 05 RSX? Whats your driving record like?

[detroadster]

wow that IS a lot (IMO)... almost 100 bucks a month for an 05 RSX? Whats your driving record like?

Yeah, I thought so too. Record is spotless. I'm 32 years old so age should not be an issue at this point. It's probably my coverage that makes it a bit more expensive. $300,000 per person / $500,000 per accident in bodily injury, $100,000 in property damage, with an additional $100,000 in medical coverage per person. I don't F around when it comes to this stuff. Too many people out to sue you for all you have because you bumped into them at a stoplight. I'd rather pay another $20 or $30 a month and know I have good coverage.

[2Fass240us]

Coverage is largely based on the cost to replace parts. I found this out before I bought my 2001 ITR back in 2003, as it was as much to insure as a Corvette. My M3 is worse.

RE: Car choice...Is the TSX outta your range? I'd take that over a RSX any day.

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

Yeah, I thought so too. Record is spotless. I'm 32 years old so age should not be an issue at this point. It's probably my coverage that makes it a bit more expensive. $300,000 per person / $500,000 per accident in bodily injury, $100,000 in property damage, with an additional $100,000 in medical coverage per person. I don't F around when it comes to this stuff. Too many people out to sue you for all you have because you bumped into them at a stoplight. I'd rather pay another $20 or $30 a month and know I have good coverage.

Absolutely.

So do you have this coverage now? Is it simply the age difference between cars that caused the rate to go up by such a large margin?

I wonder if the RSX really does have a stigma with the insurance companies, or if it's something else that has them worried?

I think you should get out there and start driving some cars. Do you really want to get away from AWD in NE?

[detroadster]

Absolutely.

So do you have this coverage now? Is it simply the age difference between cars that caused the rate to go up by such a large margin?

I wonder if the RSX really does have a stigma with the insurance companies, or if it's something else that has them worried?

I think you should get out there and start driving some cars. Do you really want to get away from AWD in NE?

Yeah, I have that level of coverage now, otherwise I'd be paying probably $30 a month for my subie if I had the bare minimum. So, the $36 a month difference between the subie and the Acura has to be directly attributable to the car itself. Insurance companies are all about statistics. Must have some formula there that indicates that RSX-Type S's are more likely to get stolen, more likely to get crashed, and more costly to fix. You also have to figure that the RSX is worth $20k while my subie is worth maybe $7k. If I total the subie, they are out a lot less than if I total (or have stolen) the RSX.

AWD is not needed at all around here. We got a foot of snow today. Been out snowblowing the driveway 3 times already. The roads have maybe 1/2 an inch. They plow/sand/salt the piss out of it. Now, back in Oregon where the city of Portland shuts down if you get 2 inches of snow, AWD makes more sense. You get 8 inches of snow, and it just sits there until the city's 5 plows can get to it. Parking lots just stay buried till it melts. I'll keep my steel wheels and Blizzaks from the subie and use them on the Acura. Should be enough to get me by just fine.

Yeah, I really do need to go out and drive some more cars. I just hate the dealership sleaze. I drove a Scion tC, a Mazdaspeed 3, a Mazda 6, and a Mini Cooper S. Civic Si and the RSX are on the list for this weekend.

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

I just hate the dealership sleaze. I drove a Scion tC, a Mazdaspeed 3, a Mazda 6, and a Mini Cooper S. Civic Si and the RSX are on the list for this weekend.

What bothers you most? There's plenty of people here that can give you advice on how to keep them at arm's length.

Some better dealerships will let you take the car home for a day. Just keep control of them and you'll be fine. Just leave your checkbook at home and always say no.

[detroadster]

What bothers you most? There's plenty of people here that can give you advice on how to keep them at arm's length.


Ah, nothing I can't handle. I just generally can't stand dealing with insincere people.

[idrive]

i do know that with the release of the Civic SI honda addressed major suspension geometery issues that were apart of the RSX chassis. So thats why most SI owners/tester acclaim the handling. I cant really think of anything bad about them so its gonna be up to you, good luck!

[detroadster]

i do know that with the release of the Civic SI honda addressed major suspension geometery issues that were apart of the RSX chassis. So thats why most SI owners/tester acclaim the handling. I cant really think of anything bad about them so its gonna be up to you, good luck!

How bad are we talking? If its an issue that only presents itself on the track, while autocrossing, or on the street at the limit, I'm not too worried. However, if it's on the order of the early MR2 Mk2's (1990-1992) that kept spinning out and killing people who tapped the brakes in a corner....

[vale2489]

My sister has an rsx type s, +1 for most likely to be stolen or messed with. She has done nothing to the car...no aftermarket stereo or anything and twice it has been broken into and they tried to take the factory stereo! The last try they did try to steal the car but couldn't get it started (it wouldn't have been better off if they did with the amount of damage that was inflicted). She's driving her beater mx-3 around because she too afraid to leave the acura parked anywhere!

[SHIFT_6speeds]

RSX must have lots of claims. You can call your insurance and compare "symbols". The higher the Symbol, the higher the risk, the more they are to insure.

Insurance is the main reason why I never bought any of The RSX's I've test driven.

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

Maybe it's just easier to break in to.

I remember that an Audi S4 was cheaper on insurance than my CTS partly because of it's anti-theft features.

[turtl631]

How did you like the Mazdaspeed 3? I really like the interior of the 5 door Mazda 3s with leather, but haven't driven one. The turbo one sounds pretty quick, but no leather available.

That's pretty cool that you put 100k miles on the 2.5RS. How reliable was it for you? I love the styling of those cars, I may get one eventually as a daily driver just for the looks and the AWD in winter. Some turbo swap would be cool, but I'd rather just keep it stock and reliable.

For Si vs. Type S, I'd go Type S for a nice street car. The interior is laid out so nicely with good materials, whereas the Si interior looks retarded IMO. Plus...leather. Not great for hard driving, but definitely a bonus for a daily driver.

[Nismo]

If its an issue that only presents itself on the track, while autocrossing, or on the street at the limit, I'm not too worried.That's it. It would probably take an experienced driver at a track or autox to notice much of a difference. It's not a bad design--all BMW 3-series, including the M3, use a similar suspension design--just different from what it used to be, which was slightly more performance oriented. That said, the K20 engine more than makes up the difference when you talk about performance overall.

[detroadster]

RSX must have lots of claims. You can call your insurance and compare "symbols". The higher the Symbol, the higher the risk, the more they are to insure.

Good call. I didn't know about that. I'll see what they have to say about the RSX vs. the other cars I've been looking at.

Maybe it's just easier to break in to.

I remember that an Audi S4 was cheaper on insurance than my CTS partly because of it's anti-theft features.

Funny, the very first question my insurance company asked me after I gave them a sample VIN was "will this vehicle have an anti-theft device with engine immobilizer". Not far after that came a question about Lo-Jack. I'm seeing a trend here.

How did you like the Mazdaspeed 3?

Loved it! Nice interior, even without leather. Fun to drive, lots of cargo room. Price was a bit more than I want to spend but not too bad. I like sitting up a little higher like I do in my RS. The Mazda 3 was good for that. Only complaint, I just can't get past the exterior styling. I really really want to like the car but I just don't. It's like that chick you meet with the awesome personality, great job, has her sh*t together, but she's 6 on the looks and you find yourself a little embarrassed to be seen with her.

That's pretty cool that you put 100k miles on the 2.5RS. How reliable was it for you? I love the styling of those cars, I may get one eventually as a daily driver just for the looks and the AWD in winter. Some turbo swap would be cool, but I'd rather just keep it stock and reliable.

It's 100% stock and has had it's share of problems. Headgasket leak at 20,000 miles. Engine replaced under warranty due to piston slap at 38,000 miles. Presents itself as a nasty knocking sound for the first few seconds after start up when it's cold out. Now it's doing it again. Doh!

Just dropped $1,500 at the dealer for a new clutch. Subaru doesn't do clutch replacements. They are famous for clutch chatter and recommend that the clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, and throwout all be replaced at once. Master cylinder seals were starting to go as well so I told them to do the master, slave, and line. Aside from the engine it's been fine. Just normal stuff you encounter in 100,000 miles of driving: 1 starter, 2 wheel bearings, couple headlamp bulbs, plug wires. That's about it. If you get one, hold out for the 1 owner ultra low mileage one. If it's got more than 75,000 on the clock I'd say keep looking. Oh, interior carpet SUCKS. It is cheap, thin, and starts to look like shag carpet as it wears. Terrible stuff.

For Si vs. Type S, I'd go Type S for a nice street car. The interior is laid out so nicely with good materials, whereas the Si interior looks retarded IMO. Plus...leather. Not great for hard driving, but definitely a bonus for a daily driver.

That's how I'm leaning. Si if I wanted to hit the track and really tear it up. I'm more for street comfort, DD fun. If my p*nis is feeling small I can head out in the roadster and embaress some hairy chested, middle aged, gold medallion wearing, Corvette drivers.:D

Thanks for all the feedback guys!!!

[turtl631]

The Mazdaspeed 3 styling could be better. I really like the back end, and the front is fine, but from the side it just looks so lame. I think its just impossible to make a good looking 5 door hatch, as it just ends up being some kind of little truncated wagon.

Sounds like the 2.5RS gave you the typical BS- HG problem, clutch, etc. They seem like a fair amount of work for a pretty slow car, but hey, they're unique.

[detroadster]

Well, I went for some drives this weekend:

Civic Si - No frills front wheel drive performance. Handled great but felt a bit nervous and jumpy on uneven pavement (of which we have plenty here in New England). Can't stand the dash. If I was all about performance I would consider this car but I'm wanting more luxury these days.

RSX-Type S - Lacked the balls out performance of the Si but offered a better ride and had a more refined air about it. Back seat is a joke. Even though it was dead stock I still felt like folks were expecting me to have a hat on sideways and be all JDM tyte boyeeeeee.

TSX - This is the car for me. Go ahead, laugh, call me grampa. I loved this car. Exterior styling is a bit of a snooze but OMG the interior is beautiful. Black leather with aluminum accents, heated seats, sliding moonroof, etc. 6 speed manual was a dream to shift. The 2.4 liter offers up more torque than the RSX and the same Hp. Obviously the car is much bigger than the RSX but performance felt on par with what I'm used to in my 2.5 RS. The ride was definitely performance sedan in nature but still soaked up the bumps well.

Anyway, the test drive and interior really sold me on the TSX. It felt like the BMW 3 series I can't justify buying! With the Acura certified warranty (5 year 62 k bumper to bumper and 7 year 100k powertrain) and a sticker price in the low 20s for a 2005 model, it's tough to beat. Oh, my insurance will go up $9 a month as opposed to nearly $40 a month for the RSX. Now they just need to find me one in silver with a 6 speed manual!

RE: Car choice...Is the TSX outta your range? I'd take that over a RSX any day.

I now understand why and agree with you! The TSX is only a couple grand more than the RSX on average. Well worth it in my mind. The dealers are keeping the clean used RSX's very close to original MSRP where the TSX's are dropping by 5 to 6 grand. Must not be selling well. That's good news for me!

[2Fass240us]

Glad to hear you finally came around. The mention of creature comforts, my impression of you not wanting something too "young," and the fact that you have a weekend car fun enough to not want something too "racecar-like" to drive every day.

I used to own an Integra Type R and was tired of people always trying to race me and also wanted something a tad more comfortable. This experience and driving my sister-in-law's base model RSX led me to recommend the TSX. And with its racecar brethren, you have plenty of options open if you want to bump the performance a little.

Let us know if you end up buying, and include some pictures.

[07G35S]

Friend of mine has a TSX and he loves it. Wants an Avalanche now, but he's had the TSX for about 3 years. His only gripe is related to the fact he's 6'5". Glad to hear you're insurance isn't going to go up so much too. Sounds like you got it made. I think the RSX is too chick car personally.

[detroadster]

Yeah, I should have listened to you guys earlier about the TSX!

I'll post pics once I buy one. Not sure when that will be. I told the sales guy I would like to wait another 2 months or so until winter is over. You know, finish up the salt season on the old Subie, then switch over to the TSX. So, I'm not going out of my way to search for one now. Come April or so I'll really scour the dealers withing a 100 mile radius. However, if my local dealer calls me up next week and tells me they have the right car for the right price, I'll bump my plans up accordingly!

[turtl631]

I do love the interior on the TSX, and the exterior is pretty sharp IMO. The FWD thing really gets me though when you compare it to cars like the Legacy 2.5GT and the G35. They cost quite a bit more, however. Having an extra set of doors and a real backseat will be cool too.

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

Its good to hear you're off the idea of the RSX. That was just a disaster.

[detroadster]

RSX is a solid choice.

Its good to hear you're off the idea of the RSX. That was just a disaster.

Well, which is it?:p

My GF actually brought up the point that sold me on the TSX. She asked me to picture how often I would be driving the TSX and thinking "damn, I wish I had that extra X% Performance." Then picture driving the RSX and how often I would be thinking "Damn, I wish I had that extra X% luxury."

Bottom line, I'll enjoy the extra luxury EVERY moment I'm behind the wheel of the TSX but I don't think I'll miss the extra performance of the RSX much. I just don't drive that aggressively on the street anymore.

[WhereHaveYouBeen]

I think I was just trying to be nice.

[detroadster]

Finally, finally, finally. After driving several RSX's and 1/2 a dozen TSX's, I found just the right TSX.

It's a 2004, Carbon Gray Pearl, Ebony leather interior with aluminum accents, Factory Nav system, 6 speed manual, 25,000 miles. I didn't do a whole heck of a lot of wheeling and dealing. I'm more of a "Don't waste my time, here's my offer, if your counter offer isn't close I'm walking out, you have one chance to get this right" kind of guy. We settled on $22,800. Was on the lot for $24,999. At my insistence they also threw in new factory carpeted mats, factory all season mats, trunk liner, and the factory rear wing with install. I probably could have got them lower on the price but the way I see it, they tossed in a grand worth of parts that I would have bought anyway and it cost them probably $400. Everyone wins.

Well, I LOVE the car! Thanks to all the folks who gave their opinions. The RSX was a nice car but for my purposes you guys were right; TSX all the way. With the factory warranty remaining until 2011, I should have loads of happy worry free motoring ahead of me.

http://photos.freshalloy.com/gallery/d/21189-1/CIMG4605.JPG

http://photos.freshalloy.com/gallery/d/21192-1/CIMG4602.JPG

[07G35S]

Sweet ride man. Congratulations. Sounds like you got a good deal too. I think you need to tint those windows though.

[M_TYPE_X]

VERY cool.

[detroadster]

Sweet ride man. Congratulations. Sounds like you got a good deal too. I think you need to tint those windows though.

Ha ha ha! You're not going to believe this. They dropped the car off at about 1:00 PM. I finished up working at 4:30 and was at the auto sound/detaining/tint shop by 4:45, asking about tint.:D

Here in lovely NH it's illegal to tint the driver and passenger windows. I can only tint the rear glass and the left and right rear door windows. I think it might look silly not having the front driver and passenger side windows tinted as well. Not sure what to do at this point.

[Dave562]

I think it might look silly not having the front driver and passenger side windows tinted as well. Not sure what to do at this point.

You're right, it will look silly. Tint all of them and deal with the ticket if you ever get one. On a new, nearly luxury car like the TSX the cops aren't going to pull you over for tint.

[Riffster]

Guys, I've been driving my 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS since 2000. Bought it with 7,000 miles, now it has 107,000. I still like the car but it's time for a change.

I'm considering a 2005 Acura RSX Type-S. I've read some generally favorable posts on the car from folks here. The only negative thing I've picked up on is the dangerous potential for a "boy racer" label to be applied to me. Aside from that, anyone know of any glaring negative issues with that car? Anyone have any first hand experience with one?

Thanks!

http://photos.freshalloy.com/gallery/d/21233-1/33663558911_0_ALB.jpg
2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe

I was iffy on the styling until I saw some better shots detroadster, but 330 HP, new brakes, bigger sways, better interior .... need I say more.

Yeah, sure it's a bit more coin than you might want to spend .... but look at it. Okay, so I'm drooling (I'll stop.)

- Riff

[detroadster]

You're right, it will look silly. Tint all of them and deal with the ticket if you ever get one. On a new, nearly luxury car like the TSX the cops aren't going to pull you over for tint.

I'm kinda thinking that. I want a very light tint anyway. It may end up looking factory. Also found out that if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to light, you can get a sticker from the DMV that allows you to get full tint on all the glass (even the windshield!). All you need is a doctor's note. Hmmmmmm, the GF is a doctor....:hsdance:

Good call on the G37 Riff. I'll look at that in 2010 when I can get a good used one. Dang I'm cheap!

[2Fass240us]

You're right, it will look silly. Tint all of them and deal with the ticket if you ever get one. On a new, nearly luxury car like the TSX the cops aren't going to pull you over for tint.
Unless you're rollin on chrome rimzzzz.

Congrats on the new ride, and not just because I was advocating the TSX. :cool: I like the feature choices and colors.

[Dave562]

Also found out that if you have a medical condition that makes you sensitive to light, you can get a sticker from the DMV that allows you to get full tint on all the glass (even the windshield!). All you need is a doctor's note. Hmmmmmm, the GF is a doctor....:hsdance:

You can get a pass from the doctor for skin cancer too. :(

[kgoetz97]

Lil late to the party but I have a '04 TSX....I like it alot for what it is.....a nice and economical commuter that can provide some spunk when you need it.

Mine is exactly like yours...'04 SSM/Ebony, except it's an automatic b.c the wife cannot drive a stick and it makes it MUCH easier when she can drive either car.

Good luck w/yours!

Check out acurazine too....

[ivorypearl]

while i am biased toward infinitis, i think you got yourself a really pretty car there. congrats!