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Throwback Thursday: Meguiar’s HQ Meet 2008

Posted in California, Legend, Road Trip, Throwback on March 27, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,050

Odometer (ILX): 71,848

Anyone who’s ridden in my Legend knows that I’m a clean freak when it comes to my car. My friend Alex one time gave me a pair of booties that I could slip over my shoes before getting into the car. Was it a joke or was he serious? I guess I’ll never know. Years ago, I even bought a roll of protective “dealer plastic” on Ebay that I keep over the carpet on the door entry areas.

Here’s part of my current detailing arsenal.

From a young age, my dad instructed me in the ways of car finish maintenance. Our car care products were always Meguiar’s brand. Did you know that Meguiar’s has been around since 1901? It’s no wonder they’ve mastered the right types of products for keeping a vehicle looking its finest.

Six years ago, in March 2008, I traveled from Phoenix, Arizona to Irvine, California (roughly 800 miles round-trip) to attend a detailing seminar at the Meguiar’s US headquarters. There are some photos I captured while en route on westbound Interstate 10.

Upon arrival in Orange County, I met up with two fellow Legend fans: Penny and Steve.

Penny drives the Sherwood Green 1994 Legend GS sedan 6-speed, and Steve drives the Taffeta White 1995 Legend L sedan automatic. Believe it or not, Steve bought that Legend brand spanking new and he still drives it today.

Penny, double-chinned Tyson, and Steve.

Here are some photos from a similar meet that had been held the year prior.

What are your car detailing products of choice?

2 Comments »

Throwback Thursday: Hugie House, December 2003

Posted in Legend, Throwback, Utah on March 20, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 529,034

Odometer (ILX): 70,627

Check it out – an impromptu Acura ILX meet at a mall parking lot in New Jersey earlier this week. My friend Chris said he saw the opportunity to park its car next to a couple of siblings, so he took advantage of the photo opportunity.

Cool to see how Bellanova White, Silver Moon, and Polished Metal all compare in the real world. Thanks Chris for sharing!

This week, we’re turning back the clock just a little over a decade. I was 22 years old and proudly driving my 1994 Legend LS coupe that had only 120,000 miles on it. Somehow one day, we ended up with all my family’s cars parked out in front of the house on the street. Maybe dad was cleaning out the garage? He’s the only person I’ve ever known to mop the garage floor on his hands and knees. It’s no wonder I ended up with obsessive compulsive disorder.

St. George, Utah. Here’s what our lineup looked like in December 2003.

1996 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 5-speed – Dad’s
1997 Acura 3.2 TL – Mom’s
1994 Acura Legend LS Coupe 6-speed – Mine
1992 Toyota Pickup 4×4 5-speed – Bentley’s
1986 Acura Legend Base Sedan 5-speed – Payton’s

Of all those vehicles, my Legend is the only one that’s still in the family today. Dad’s Tacoma was traded out for a black 2004. Mom’s TL was sold when she got a black RL. Bentley rolled his pickup on its side and ended up getting into diesel pickups. And Payton went to a Maxima and eventually an IS300.

It’s been fun to see the evolution of my family’s car choices over the years. Our Honda driveway started out something like this in 1998, with my 1989 Prelude Si, my brother 1984 Civic S, mom’s 1993 Legend, and a project 1988 Legend.

November 2004 – Payton’s 1996 Nissan Maxima, Bentley’s 2001 Lexus IS300, and my “winter beater” 1991 Acura Legend. (The 1994 coupe was stored away while I attended school at Utah State).

By 2006, my brothers have moved into trucks. Pictured here was mom’s 2000 Acura 3.5 RL, Payton’s 1997 Toyota Tacoma, my 1994 Legend, and Bentley’s 2004 Dodge Ram. Monster truck madness.

The trucks kept getting bigger. In January 2009, brother Bentley had a 2008 Ford F-250 Powerstroke that matched the Milano Red paint on my mom’s 1994 Legend LS coupe perfectly.

I’ll have to see if I can get current pictures of some of the family rides together this summer. What’s in your family’s driveway today?

Tooting my own horn a little: On Tuesday night, I went to a meeting with the local automotive journalist group, called the Phoenix Automotive Press Association (“PAPA“). After some presentations, we saddled up in these karts and tore up the track for 10 minutes.

I ended up placing 2nd out of 8 participants. And Tim, the winner, was an SCCA-level (Sports Car Club of America) professional driver! So I didn’t feel bad at all losing to him. Haha. These karts were sweet – all electric, and FAST.

I might have gone a little heavy on the throttle on the way home after having floored that kart around the corners for 14 laps.

Finally, a little update on my story about the ILX roadtrip to Castle Hot Springs from a few weeks ago. Remember how the long-since-closed resort northwest of Phoenix was going up for auction? Well, apparently it did find a buyer. Stay tuned for further developments. Thanks, Leif, for the info!

I’m off to Los Angeles tomorrow for the weekend. Safe travels to one and all.

5 Comments »

Throwback Thursday: College Days at USU

Posted in Legend, Throwback, Utah on March 6, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,849

Odometer (ILX): 69,158

You know, I haven’t always lived where the palm trees grow. From 2004-2005, I resided in the far northern reaches of Utah where people actually experience four distinct seasons, unlike in Arizona. I earned my undergraduate degree at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. USU was established in 1888 as a small agricultural college but today has multiple campuses and a total student body of over 28,000.

“Old Main” is the oldest building on campus, which dates back to 1890. This photo was taken in August 2005.

In July 2012, my brand new ILX took its first trip to Logan.

Logan is about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City, and only 19 miles from the Idaho state line.

I had every intention of keeping my prized (then sub-150k mile) 1994 Legend out of the snow. I even bought a “winter beater” – a friend’s 1991 Legend L coupe 5-speed with 186,600 miles on it. Here’s a shot from October 30, 2004 – the very important key hand-off photo. He sold me the car for only $700.

It’s hard to believe that was 10 years ago. I wasted no time in getting the car cleaned up. It was fun to have two Legend coupes for awhile. Check out my dad’s collection of antlers in the garage!

I put that Charcoal Granite Metallic 1991 coupe to good use at college. I hauled hundreds of pounds of canned goods during a local Thanksgiving food drive. It was riding low on the suspension with all that weight in the interior & trunk.

Thanksgiving 2004 with my friend Heidi in Nephi, Utah on the way back to college after the holiday. Yes, those are 17″ wheels off a 2002 Lexus IS300.

Frosty winter morning in Cache Valley, northern Utah.

Unfortunately, my time with that particular coupe was cut short when it overheated on a date and blew the engine’s head gasket later that same year. At one time, I also had a 1991 Honda Prelude Si 4WS that I used in the wintertime.

Eventually, though, the 1994 Legend did have to report for snow duty. And it surely did endure some extreme weather. These were taken during & after one particular snowstorm in the winter of 2004-05.

Thank goodness for front-wheel-drive and a heavy car. The Legend did great in the snow.

Digging out

The good news is that during those winters, I lived close enough to campus to walk there and I didn’t have to deal with icy road conditions on a daily basis. Even though I don’t miss the weather, I do miss the sense of community and school spirit that was overflowing at Utah State University. Go Aggies!

3 Comments »

Throwback Thursday: “Cloned” Legend Coupe

Posted in Legend, Throwback on February 27, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,729

Odometer (ILX): 68,506

Get a load of that AZ sunset! For the next few Thursdays, we’ll take a look in the review mirror at some highlights of my hundreds of thousands of miles of car travel.

I’ve met so many great friends through my “car network” over the years. One of those is my buddy Branson from Salt Lake City, Utah. I first met him at a small Acura Legend meet in August 2003 in the city of Lehi. At the time, he was driving a pearl white 1993 Legend LS sedan.

A few years later, in May 2006 when my Legend coupe had 218,000 miles on it, Branson had moved on from his sedan and picked up an identical twin to my coupe. Well, sort of. Branson’s was a bit younger in miles – only 104,000 – and his had the 4-speed automatic transmission, as opposed to my 6-speed manual. But visually, we were almost exactly the same.

We had some definite fun cruising the streets of SLC with our Desert Mist Metallic Legends.

We also parked the cars inside a small used-car dealership where Branson worked at the time.

A few pics inside a parking garage for good measure.

A month later, Branson and I got together for some another photo-op. The date was June 24, 2006. He had just received his new “4CRUZN2” license plate from the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, so we took 4CRUIZN and 4CRUZN2 out for a day on the town.

The next two pictures were taken west of the city on Interstate 80 near Saltair.

It was weird to be following a car that looked just like mine.

Good times! I’ve continued to keep in close contact with Branson over the years. Today, he still has a Legend. We both entered cars in last year’s Hurricane Easter Car Show in southern Utah.

Here’s to many more years (and miles) of fun with him.

2 Comments »

Throwback Thursday: Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway & Area 51

Posted in Legend, Nevada, Road Trip, Throwback on February 20, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,689

Odometer (ILX): 67,694

Today, I’m digging way back into the road trip archives to bring you a vintage write-up from October 21, 2005. My Legend had “just” 194,392 miles on it at the time. I set out in the (very) early morning hours to experience a famous highway. Following is a post that I shared with the Legend forums nearly 10 years ago, and I still remember that road trip like it was yesterday.

“Four o’clock in the morning. Miles of road continue to unwind in the vast wasteland of southern Nevada. My headlights pierce through the pitch-black night and illuminate the painted road lines like neon against the asphalt. The road is Highway 375 – the famed Extraterrestrial Highway, so named for its proximity to Area 51. Destination: Rachel, Nevada. Rachel is the closest civilization to Area 51 and boasts a population of nearly 100. I’m getting closer but can’t help but be a little bit on edge because I am traveling unfamiliar highways in the middle of the night, and I haven’t seen another vehicle for the past sixty miles at least…”

This morning I traveled to Rachel, Nevada. The town is the closest you can legally get to Area 51. The round-trip was 400 miles.

From an online article about Rachel:

Rachel, Nevada takes us to a small town 110 miles from Las Vegas, site of a formerly secret US Air Force installation known as Area 51. The base develops new planes such as the stealth bomber. The secrecy shrouding Area 51 has given rise to suspicions over the years, earning the town of Rachel (primarily a collection of trailer homes) the title “UFO Capital of the World,” and Nevada State Highway 375 “Alien Highway”. The film focuses on the everyday people of Rachel, once left alone to service the military, now the center of tourism and a publicity boom. There are enough stories and photos to persuade even the most die-hard skeptics that something extraterrestrial may be going on.

There’s not much to take pictures of. There is the ever-famous “Little AL-E-INN” that I had to get pics of. And then there are the Extraterrestrial Highway signs which are pretty cool. I forgot to get a picture at the gas station, but it only had one pump and only 89 octane.

On to the pics I did take. I used the same backgrounds a lot because I didn’t have much else to work with.

No gas for 110 miles!

Rachel, Nevada

Population: Humans – 98, Aliens – ?

I wonder how much a room at the A’Le’Inn costs.

Prepared to take flight

LOTS of open space without any people, buildings, or anything!

The spaceship has landed!

And of course, I did park there!

When the movie Independence Day was filmed in 1996, they put a time capsule in front of the A-LE-INN. Here’s the placard and monument.

The next picture is (according to my map) one of the dirt roads that leads to Area 51. Had I gone any further, I would have been approached by armed security guards in Jeep Cherokees, and probably fined $600.

Current mileage as of today

That’s it!

On a related note, is anyone out there looking for a “500k-miler-in-training”? I’ve got a couple of nice options for you. First up is this absolutely pristine one-owner 1995 Legend LS coupe automatic in rare Cayman White Pearl with only 107,000 miles. My friend Josh from TSX Travels gave this one a look-see for us and took the below 3 pictures, as well as many others which I posted here on the Legend forums.

The other option is this “twin” car to mine. It’s a 1994 Legend LS coupe 6-speed in Desert Mist Metallic. It’s got a clean title and is only halfway broken in at 226,000 miles the odometer. Ebay shows the current bid at just $2,000.

Somebody buy it!

Check out this awesome 6-minute time-lapse video of a cross-country drive from Hollywood to DC. Thanks to my friend Ian for sharing it.

4 Comments »

“Kurumag” Magazine Interview

Posted in Arizona, Blog, ILX, Legend, NSX on February 2, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,597

Odometer (ILX): 65,849

Happy Superbowl Sunday. Here’s the score. I think you’re OK to look away from the TV for a minute.

About a month ago, I received an email inquiry about my availability for an interview with a Japanese automotive lifestyle magazine called Kurumag. The magazine’s third issue is under development and they wanted to include my story! I may need to call upon those of you who are fluent in Japanese to translate it, but I’m stoked to see how it turns out. This morning, I received a visit from the following:

Yujiro Otsuki, Motorsports Marketing Photographer
Shigeyuki Ishikawa, Managing Editor, Automobile Business Division

Here’s a sneak peek at the vantage point we were able to achieve with some strategic parking and a step ladder.

Mileage, by the way, for the cars in this picture was:

2013 ILX: 65,802
NSX: 97,567
Legend 1: 144,429
Legend 2: 528,562
Total: 836,360

Here’s an example of Kurumag, the Winter 2013-2014 Issue, featuring Ken Block

I’m pretty anxious to see what these guys come up with! The magazine is very widely distributed so maybe I’ll pick up a few followers from that side of the world. Many thanks to Yujiro and Shigeyuki for making the time to come visit with me. My Legend sedan turned over a memorable milestone while out & about today.

Here are a few shots of my ILX from a quickie trip up Arizona Highway 87 toward Payson yesterday. I found a concrete underpass that begged to have its picture taken.

The ILX has a menacing appearance from this perspective.

Go toward the light!

Wait, is that Harry Henderson painted on the wall back there?

This masterpiece, it appears, may have originated from two different artists. Oh, the many things you see when driving the road less traveled. “So Dope,” for sure.

The real deal (I had nightmares about this guy back in 1987):

Dang, broken foglight lens. Discovered it this morning!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

14 Comments »

Reader’s Ride: Walter’s 2015 Acura Legend Coupe Concept

Posted in Legend, Reader's Ride on January 23, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,547

Odometer (ILX): 64,856

Open your minds and your eyes to the creative masterpiece of one man who was determined to show Acura how it’s to be done. A V6-powered Acura coupe hasn’t been around since the 3.2 CL model of 2003. And Acura hasn’t made a 2-door vehicle at all since the 4-cylinder RSX sport coupe was discontinued after the 2006 model year.

One Acura fan recognized the void and took matters into his own hands by creating an Acura coupe of his own. Meet Walter and his 2015 Acura Legend coupe. What you see here is a unique ride that conveys the spirit of the Acura Legend in modern form. It started as a V6, 6-speed 2010 Honda Accord coupe equipped with a host of HFP – Honda Factory Performance – add-ons. But it’s since been transformed into a one-of-a-kind custom ride.

Walter’s affinity for Honda & Acura products began very early on. He purchased a 1995 Honda Accord brand new. Today, he still owns that same car and it has over 270,000 miles on it. Also in his stable is a black-on-black 2013 Acura RDX. That brings us to this car, his latest and greatest creation:

20″ Vossen CV3 wheels round out the package that is this extremely unique car. Check out the extensive modification list below highlighting the key upgrades that make Walter’s ride special.

Interior:

Woodgrain Upgrade: Dash & Console Matte Dark Cherry Wrap
2010 Acura TL Type-S Shift Knob
Full LED Lighting
Custom Perforated Nappa Leather Shift Boot & E-Brake Boot with White Stitching
2010 Acura TSX Switchblade Key
Custom-Made Aluminum Door Sills

Exterior:

Full Legend Badging (Authentic Acura Product)
2010 Acura TL A Badges for Front & Rear
Vossen CV3 Wheels: 20×10.5 Rear; 20×9.5 Front
Tein Street Advance with EDFC Full Coilover Suspension; 16 Way Adjustable
SPC 3 Piece Camber Kit Front, SPC 1 Piece Camber Kit Rear

Lighting:

Anzo Aftermarket Headlights: Custom Retrofit, Honda S2000 Projectors; Osram CBI Bulbs, Custom Shields, Euro Clear Lenses, Morimoto 50-Watt Ballasts for Low Beams
Anzo Full LED Taillights
3000K HID Fog Lights with 35-Watt Morimoto Ballast
Custom LED Turn Signals on Sideview Mirrors

Performance:

Greddy Spectrum Elite Exhaust, Burnt Titanium Tip
RV6 Custom J-Pipe
Takeda Short Ram Intake

Battery:

Optima Yellow Top, Big Three Upgrade Red & Black

Braking:

2012 Acura RL Calipers
2006 Nissan 350Z Track Rotors for Front Brakes
Stoptech Drilled Rotors
GoodRidge Stainless Steel Brake Lines

Photo Gallery:

A Greddy exhaust system gives the 3.5 liter V6 some growl.

Unbeatable shine. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen black paint so swirl-free. Walter says his detailing regiment consists primarily of products from Griot’s Garage.

Step inside, and you’re greeted with a custom Acura badge on the steering wheel and woodgrain trim throughout.

The shift knob & boot are pulled from an Acura TL.

Even the stainless steel door sills are one-off items with ACURA engraved on them.

I might have to have Walter build me one of these, too.

Here is a Q&A with Walter about his pride & joy:

Which upgrade that you’ve done are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the entire car from inception is to its creation and continued evolution. I am proud of the time and patience that was placed into the planning, staging, sourcing, and collaborating with local shops to have all the items installed on the car. I am extremely pleased with the final look of the car the uniqueness of it and the realization of my dream.

What was your vision for the Legend when you first started building it?

My vision for the car was to have a complete, unique, and one of a kind automobile, that would provide the overall Acura Legend experience that I coveted as a teen. I wanted a modern day representation of a car that was beautiful, timeless and not overwrought in its completeness like the original. My vision would need to encapsulate my personal expression, represent me as a true car enthusiast, and cater to the luxury sport equation in a 6 speed two door package, like the Legend Coupe before it.

Lastly I wanted my vision to represent my passion for having rare or one off things. A modern day Acura Legend would suit the bill as I have always wanted one. Currently I was financially able to afford such a vehicle however, Acura sadly did not make such a car. In my quest for a premium midsized coupe, I merged my wants with my devotion to my lifelong admired coupe and built it myself.

Acura’s former tag line of “precision crafted performance”, helped me to fully realize my childhood dream car as the reborn 2015 Acura Legend coupe (Special Edition).

Tell me a little about what got you into the Honda/Acura family.

I started with Honda and Acura back in 1993 when I first saw the NSX in person. I knew I had to have it or anything in its lineage. Later on I saw the stunning 2 door Acura Legend coupe and was hooked. In the year of 1995 I convinced my mom to purchase a loaded white Honda Accord sedan EX as a road car. At the time the build quality was impressive for the price along with its’ standard feature set. The car had great magazine reviews, but what intrigued me most was the spritely four cylinder that would sing as the revs climbed within in tachometer.

After 5 years my mom went to trade the car in but I saw potential and she gave it to me. I started with a full motor swap a year or so later on the car when it had approximately 180k miles on the chassis. I ordered an H22A with full prelude transmission. Once I completed that swap; one of the first in the Baltimore area, I was hooked. I spent countless time racing and, modifying that car. Today I still have the car with approximately 280k on the chassis.

Many thanks to Walter for sharing his automotive passion with me and with my readers. He told me he’s got some additional upgrades in mind, so we plan on getting together again in the near future for a follow-up. Drive on, my friend!

It’s fitting in this post to share this glimpse of what I think Acura NEEDS to build. Following is a rendering by Neal McDaniel of “Neal’s Fantasy Factory” that was shared yesterday on Temple of VTEC. It’s a coupe version of the recently-revealed 2015 Acura TLX Prototype. Can you imagine this car with a V6 powerplant, SH-AWD, and available 6-speed manual transmission?

Where do I send my check? I’ll take it.

19 Comments »

The Temple of Acura

Posted in Legend, Maintenance on January 8, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,429

Odometer (ILX): 64,275

Congrats, mom, on hitting 120,000 miles today in your 2003 Lexus GS430. Making me proud.

How’s everyone holding up in those frigid temperatures? Acura Legend enthusiast Brad Hespe posted this picture on Facebook of his 1994 GS sedan that survived negative-17 degree temperatures in Chicago.

Now that looks cold. Meanwhile, those of us in the Phoenix, Arizona area haven’t dipped below about 40. I took this picture on my commute yesterday afternoon in the ILX, driving through the Salt River – Pima Indian Community.

On Saturday morning, my friends Paul and Jack joined me on a pilgrimage to Tempe Acura, also referred to by Paul as the “Temple of Acura.” Adorned in our finest robes, we were greeted upon arrival by the polished floors and glistening steel idols. Okay, maybe that’s taking it a bit too far – but we did enjoy the amenities while waiting for some basic maintenance on my 1994 Acura Legend GS sedan.

Bit o’ history: My sedan had 132,555 miles on it when I took delivery on May 24, 2008 in northern Utah. Since then, it’s undergone quite a bit of maintenance which I highlighted in this post. As of today, under my ownership it’s had 11 oil changes with 5W20 conventional oil and I’ve driven it 11,848 miles over the past 6 years. That comes out to just 1,974 miles per year. My service advisor, Dana, said after I pulled into the Service driveway, “You need to sell this one.” I rolled my eyes and grinned.

In she goes!

Luis Sofre is one of my blog followers who works at the dealership.

The good stuff. Fresh baked cookies, every day. My favorite are the oatmeal raisin.

Paul, Jack, and I walked around outside to see what kind of cars were on the lot. There was a Bellanova White Pearl ILX 6-speed parked on the raised platform just outside the front doors.

This Silver Moon automatic had the bodyside moldings which I opted out of when I ordered my ILX.

Waiting for the oil change and entertaining ourselves.

And ready to roll again after an oil change and NO WASH. I always specify that I don’t want them to wash my car when I drop it off for service.

Clean bill of health received. The only note the technician made was that the Michelin Primacy tires (manufactured in 2007) are getting old.

Ending mileage when she went back into storage.

Later that afternoon, I took the NSX to a meet at Science of Speed. SOS is a performance shop in Chandler, Arizona that specializes in the 1991-2005 Acura NSX and the 2000-2009 Honda S2000.

In attendance were a few very special and rare S2000 “CR” models, including these two in Apex Blue Pearl and Rio Yellow Pearl. CR stands for Club Racer, and fewer than 2,000 S2000s were made in this trim. Shigeru Uehara was the man behind the S2000 design, and some of you may remember him as the man who signed my Legend’s dashboard. The S2000 CR has a lower ratio steering rack, stiffer suspension, and a body kit / spoiler that allegedly reduces the coefficient of lift by 70% compared to a stock S2000.

Finally, I wanted to share a few pictures from a recent trip to the local pick-n-pull junkyard with friends. For $2, the “Ecology” facility in South Phoenix will let you enter the yard with your own tools and scavenge for anything you might need. Here was the lineup of our vehicles in the parking lot – Nissan (x2), Lexus (x2), Acura (x2), Mitsubishi and Mini Cooper. My friends have pretty good taste in cars.

There were a few Legend sightings inside, including this Granada Black Pearl 1994 L coupe.

The guys pulled a few parts that Nick needed off an older Infiniti Q45.

It’s always entertaining to walk through the car graveyard and contemplate all the stories the vehicles would tell if they could talk. Some lived very short lives, while others appeared very used up.

If you haven’t already, swing by the Drive to Five Facebook page and give it a thumbs up.

Thanks for following along!

8 Comments »

Acura Accessories: 1994 vs. 2014

Posted in Brochures, ILX, Legend on January 3, 2014 by tysonhugie

Odometer (Legend): 528,333

Odometer (ILX): 63,890

I made the realization the other day that I’ve been driving for half my life. This year – my 32nd – is the only year I’ll be able to say that. It’s been fascinating to see how far automotive technology and style have come in the last couple of decades. We now live in an age where cars are far smarter than their drivers, and it blows my mind.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Devan came over to give me a hand with a detailing project. My buddy Jeremy recently picked up a 2004 Acura MDX that was absolutely covered in every possible dealer accessory. A few of those upgrades are tasteful, but for some reason those brown side moldings just didn’t do much for the look of the vehicle against the pearl white paint. Devan and I stripped the moldings off to give the MDX a cleaner look.

Before:

After:

I got thinking about all the ways people can customize a vehicle and how those styles have evolved in the last 20 years. The MDX had a gold emblem package (I thought those went out of style in the late 90’s!), moonroof visor, chrome wheels, and a bug guard. I remember how badly I wanted my mom to install these chrome fender flares on her 1993 Legend L sedan back in 1998:

For kicks, I pulled out some paperwork from my old Acura Legend GS. The shocker: The OEM (center console-mounted) cellular telephone was $1,143 in 1994. According to the Inflation Calculator, that’s $1,797 in 2013 dollars. Among other goodies on the list are sheepskin seat covers for $499 and gold exhaust tips for $130. I would love to get my hands on a set of the OEM fog lights since they’re long since discontinued, but $565? It’s no wonder they’re so rare to find on Legends today – they were spendy as all get-out! Let’s take a look at how the types of automotive accessories have evolved for Acura.

1994 Acura Legend Accessory Price List

2014 Acura ILX Accessory Price List

Gone are the days of gold emblems, sheepskins, and nose masks, but a few NEW things have made the roster. Mud guards are now called splash guards. Body side molding, which was standard on the Legend, costs $268 on the ILX. The price for an OEM car cover went from $175 to $242. And illuminated door sill trim was probably only a dream in the 1990’s, but can now be picked up for $499 in 2014.

My ILX is pretty highly optioned out. Here’s what I ended up with:

All-Season Floor Mats
Illuminated Door Sill Trim
First Aid Kit
Trunk Tray
17″ Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels
Decklid Spoiler
Front, Side, and Rear Underbody Spoilers
Wheel Locks

All-in, my ILX accessories (“installed”) would ring up at $5,140.28! That works out to 17% of the ILX’s $29,200 list price! Few people are likely to spend such an amount to dress up their vehicles.

This was a fun video that was put together in June 2012 in collaboration with Acura on the day that my ILX was accessorized at Acura of Tempe, Arizona. Most of you have probably already seen it.

What kind of accessories will Acura be offering in the year 2034?

I know I’ve got my friends well-trained when they’re sending me Acura “spy photos” from the road, like my friend Jack did awhile back.

Have a great weekend!

7 Comments »

2013 Year In Review: Top 5 Drives

Posted in ILX, Legend, NALM, Road Trip on December 31, 2013 by tysonhugie

It’s been a great year! Let’s close it out with some statistics for 2013, just for fun.

Views: 76,460
Email Subscribers: 55
Number of Posts: 128

Ending Mileage Readings

2013 Acura ILX: 63,602

1994 Acura Legend LS Coupe: 528,328

1994 Acura Legend GS Sedan: 144,382
1992 Acura NSX: 98,513

TOP 5 MEMORABLE ROADTRIPS

1) Moses Lake, Washington in the ILX

The highlight of this trip to the Pacific Northwest was the company. I had three very important passengers in tow: My grandmother, my aunt Jodi, and my mom. For several days, we resurrected old memories by visiting homes where my family members had lived half a century ago. At the same time, we created new memories by making special visits to one of the largest dams in the United States and reconnecting with family members at a reunion.

Trip Dates: August 9-13
Total Distance: 2,713 Miles
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

2) Asheville, North Carolina in the Legend

The National Acura Legend Meet is an event where I can feel totally comfortable “geeking out” about my obsession with the Acura Legend. The 9th annual NALM was held at the opposite end of the country, but that didn’t stop me from enthusiastically hopping back into the driver’s seat of my tried & true 520k+ mile Legend for this exciting adventure across 11 states. The reunion with friends along the way made it all worthwhile.

Trip Dates: August 21-26
Total Distance: 4,073 Miles
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

3) Mount Evans, Colorado in the ILX

One of several “Tyson-Jason” trips that I’ve taken with my fellow roadtrip warrior Jason from New Mexico, this one topped the charts – literally. Jason and I took our cars to the highest elevation paved road in North America, located west of Denver Colorado. The scenery was every bit as amazing as I knew it would be. Above 14,000 feet, we truly did feel like we were on top of the world.

Trip Dates: July 19-22
Total Distance: 1,941 Miles
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

4) Hell’s Backbone in Southern Utah in the ILX

The allure of conquering a remote backroad with “Hell” in its name was all the motivation I needed on this one. The fact that the route traversed over 50 miles of technical dirt terrain didn’t keep me from taking my Acura ILX where no ILX had gone before. My friend Ryan brought his Audi along for this one. Among our trip’s highlights were a ride on the Hall’s Crossing ferry at Lake Powell, and the experience of driving the Burr Trail.

Trip Dates: August 2-4
Total Distance: 1,083 Miles
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

5) Million Dollar Highway in Colorado in the ILX

Highway 550 between Durango and Ouray, Colorado has been a long-time favorite of sports car drivers and motorcyclists. For this multi-day adventure, I teamed up with my mom and my stepdad to explore some of southwestern Colorado’s most scenic roads and quaint mining & railroad towns, including Silverton and Telluride. The ILX made a perfect choice for carving the high-elevation canyon roads with ease.

Trip Dates: May 24-27
Total Distance: 1,195 Miles
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Honorable Mentions:

Here’s an Annual Report that was developed by WordPress with some other neat stats. Thanks to those of you who keep coming back for more. Keep those roadtrip ideas coming, because there’s much more in store for 2014. Happy New Year!

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