# Help, Acura TSX **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** acura, gasoline\ **Created:** [January 30, 2015, 8:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875 "2015-01-30T08:47:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HK365](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ebca7d/32.png) [@HK365](https://community.cartalk.com/u/HK365)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 8:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/1 "2015-01-30T08:47:22Z")
I’m thinking of buying either an 05 or 06 Acura TSX. I was just wondering if the need to use premium unleaded was an absolute 100% required necessity or can I just use regular. Has anyone had any problems? ---
**Author:** ![idiot666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@idiot666](https://community.cartalk.com/u/idiot666)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/2 "2015-01-30T18:43:29Z")
Yes! Premium will give the best mpg and give a smooth running engine. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/3 "2015-01-30T19:16:21Z")
The OP should take the time to look at the Owner’s Manual that should be sitting in the glove box of those used Acuras. If it says something along the lines of “premium gas recommended”, then it will be okay to use regular–even though that will degrade both the power output and the gas mileage. On the other hand, if it says “premium fuel required”, you would have to be very foolish to use anything but the high-octane stuff. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/4 "2015-01-30T20:09:30Z")
Use the premium. Your car will run better. And if you do the math you’ll see that any savings using regular is really negligible, less than a cup of coffee per week. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/5 "2015-01-30T21:59:50Z")
If you don’t want to use premium fuel why even look at vehicles that require or recommend it? ---
**Author:** ![MarkM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@MarkM](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkM)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/6 "2015-02-04T15:04:59Z")
I’m a little suspicious of a premium requirement on a TSX, because it uses essentially the same engine as gazillions of Accords and other models. Of course, it may be tuned differently in the TSX, so I’d still feed it premium (I could afford it) , but I think there is a good chance this engine may not need it as much as those in other premium cars. In most of the world the TSX is just their Honda Accord. I always liked the TSX, especially the first generation, as it was a handy size. I also liked the wagon, but I’m a sicker for a good looking wagon, and it’s one of a very few from Japan (along with the Subaru Outback and maybe the Venza.) ---
**Author:** ![jimster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@jimster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jimster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/7 "2015-02-05T01:58:50Z")
I drive a 2010 TSX with a 4 cylinder engine which had 5k miles when I bought it. Based on advice from Click and Clack, I decided not to use premium. It seems to be quicker than most when taking off from a stop light with another vehicle beside me going the same direction, so doubt it’s made the output of power any less (certainly fast enough for me) and in the 60k I’ve driven it, no issues. ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/8 "2015-02-05T02:10:31Z")
I’m assuming premium is only “recommended” for the 2010 TSX. ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/9 "2015-02-05T02:16:40Z")
Gasoline is at the lowest price in many years. Why are several posters suddenly wanting to justify using regular grade in premium grade vehicles? I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/10 "2015-02-05T02:20:04Z")
[http://owners.acura.com/vehicles/information/2005/TSX/specs#mid^CL9685JW](http://owners.acura.com/vehicles/information/2005/TSX/specs#mid%5ECL9685JW) you’ll notice that premium is recommended it clearly states that non-premium fuel will result in reduced performance That would be defeating the purpose of buying the TSX in the first place That would be like going to the best steakhouse in town, and just ordering a garden salad ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/11 "2015-02-05T03:57:33Z")
_jimster wrote: It seems to be quicker than most when taking off from a stop light with another vehicle beside me going the same direction, so doubt it’s made the output of power any less (certainly fast enough for me) and in the 60k I’ve driven it, no issues._ Did you measure how much fuel economy you lost when the engine needed to retard your timing to compensate? It’s possible that you’ve saved no money here overall. ---
**Author:** ![jimster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@jimster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jimster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/12 "2015-02-05T04:11:42Z")
I consistently get 34 mpg with regular gas which is far better than what the dealership suggested I’d get (or Acura for that matter). BTW, here’s what Click and Clack say on this very website about this very topic: “Using regular gas in a car designed for premium will definitely damage the engine…Myth…We don’t believe that any modern engine that claims to require premium will be damaged by using regular unleaded judiciously. Neither do any of the sources we’ve checked with - including the American Petroleum Institute, the American Engine Rebuilders Association - even a chemist (who would rather go unnamed) at a major gasoline company.” ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/13 "2015-02-05T04:12:24Z")
Seems to be quicker than most — not exactly a scientific test ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/help-acura-tsx/88875/14 "2015-02-05T04:44:41Z")
**"Seems to be quicker than most — not exactly a scientific test "** Plus…if being “quicker” is really important to that person, his/her car would undoubtedly have been…just a bit…quicker… if he/she had used the recommended grade of gasoline.