Acura Integra - (All years/styles)

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  • sanchez5sanchez5 Member Posts: 1
    Now that we all know about the new Integra RSX, what about Acura's 2002 Type R. Does anyone know when it will be realesed ? and the specks along with it ? Also, does anyone think it will be worth the wait ?
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I, too, am looking forward to testdrive this car. And yes, hopefully, the salesman doesn't come along.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    There is a button you need to press to reset the "maintenance requried" blinking light. It is located under the dash way down to the right of the steering wheel. Put your hand down there and feel around, you 'll find it. You can always look at the owners manual too.
    Don't get your oil change at Jiffy Lube. Their oil filters suck. Buy some Honda filters at www.hparts.com (look at the specials) and bring in your own oil filter to where you have it changed. Honda oil filters were rated the best by an independent study and proved to clean the oil the best. Don't trust Jiffy Lube's $1 filters to protect your engine!
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    I think my '87 LS may have just developed the same leak. While driving in the rain, I also heard a hissing noise like water dropping onto a hot surface (only when I had the heat on). I don't want to drop any more money on this car, but I'd like to know if you find anything out. Someone guessed I might need a new heater core, but I don't know what that entails.
  • boston14boston14 Member Posts: 111
    low? I went to the car show and I just cant believe Acura would design the Integra's radio so so low. It reminded me of something from the 80's. I test drove a 97 3.0 Cl and the transmission is the worst in driving history. The shifts were felt from Seattle to New Jersey to me. I know Acura are great in general but damm I am sticking with Mitsubishi for 30% less money.
  • sgrd0qsgrd0q Member Posts: 398
    Hi all,

    My girlfriend has a '90 Integra that has lately developed a problem - whenever the engine is idle the temperature (according to the gauge) goes up. It actually gets fairly close to the red line. Then whenever the car is driven again the temperature drops back to normal. Also, even if the car is not driven - as long as you rev the engine the temp goes down.

    What is surprising to me is that this happens very quickly - the temperature goes up only in a few seconds, and then when driven (or when revving up the engine) it goes down again in a couple of seconds. I wonder what that may be. Also, and again surprisingly, the fan blows cold air when the temperature goes up...

    If anyone can shed any light on this I will greatly appreciate it!

    Thanks!
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    Thermostat (cheap) or water pump (expensive)

    Only1harry: Does SCCA allow plus-zero (slightly lower/wider) tires of same OEM diameter for STOCK class cone bashers?
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    definitely, the thermostat is all it is. I doubt it's the water pump because you 'd be having some leaks with that.

    fjm1: In the stock classes, you 're allowed to go with any size tire you want as long as you keep the original rim size and diameter. You can have aftermarket rims (lighter ones) but they have to be 15x6" or whatever the factory dimensions were. As far as tires you can put wider and lower profile street tires if you wish or race tires which are called R compound tires and are also street legal but you only get 4-5K mi. out of them. These are usually Kumho (V700), Hoosier, BF Goodridge (G-Force) or Goodyear in order of popularity.
    So yes, you can go to any tire you want as long as you keep the factory wheel diameter. For example most g3 Integras come with 195-55-15". You can put 205-50-15s or 215-50-15's or 225-50s or even 195-50. As long as they 're 15" tires, they 're allowed in the GStock class. The other thing you can change and still stay in stock class is shocks believe it or not. Most of the National champs have custom valved Koni shocks (big bucks) or you can go with any aftermarket shocks like Bilstein, Koni, Tokiko & KYB. You can also change the air filter with another performance drop-in filter (no intakes, just the filter in the factory housing). And lastly you can change the axle-back (not catback) exhaust with a straight pipe (if you can, axle-back exhausts usually have 1 bend on them) but you have to have a muffler, any kind of muffler.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    Yeah now with the Type-R and Audi TT out of G Stock, the GSR, Prelude and Celica GTS will be competing for the trophies. Everytime I went auto-x racing with my brother who has a stock '98 Type-R, you see people's dissapointment on their faces there were in GS because they knew they didn't stand a chance against an ITR. I 've never seen a GSR, Prelude or GTS beat a Type-R, especially one with Kumho or Hoosier R tires on it. The only time my brother lost was to another Type-R or an Audi TT with race tires. But he was able to beat that TT again and again and then the TT would beat my brother again once in a while. The TT is an excellent handler, has a lot of torque, AWD, and 17" wheels! The TT gains about 1/2-1sec. on the ITR just on the launch alone, where the ITR spins the tires for about a second on take off, the TT just takes off with almost no wheel spin due to the AWD. So the ITR has to work harder to make up for that time lost on the launch. I was surprised my brother even beat TTs the way they were taking off from the start line.

    And his ITR has 205-50-15s on compared to 225-50s or 225-45-17" tires on the TT. Those tires are much wider than just the 20mm (which is about 1") because the TT wheels are much wider than the 6" ITR ones. I think the TT's are 7.5" wide so the tires have a lot more contact with the pavement. Anyway, here 's a pic of me 3-wheeling while auto-xing :-) but my suspension is by no means stock..

    image

    but my suspension is by no means stock.. target=_blank
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • texashombretexashombre Member Posts: 13
    I had my Acura dealer install an Alarm/Keyless Entry on my 2000 Integra. I would say it works fine around 95% of the time. But that 5% is a killer especially at grocery store parking lot on a cold windy day, struggling to get into my car. I wind up opening the door with a key, alarm goes off and keeping hitting that unlock button hoping it will deactivate. It takes about 30 seconds (feels like an eternity though) then it's okay.

    I have an Accord LX with dealer installed Alarm/Keyless Entry. I never had any problems it works 100% of the time. Any suggestions? Thanks.

    P.S. Do you all pay $27.95 for an oil change at the dealer? So far I've but it bugs me as my Accord at the Honda dealer cost only $14.95. They say they'll service all Acura cars as well. I'm very tempted to take my Integra there. Thanks.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    to the Honda dealer!! All Integras and Civics use the same oil filter!
    $14.95? Where do you live? I get my oil done at the Honda dealer once in a while when it's on sale for $19.95, otherwise I buy Honda oil filters for my '97 Civic & '99 Integra (which is the same filter) and go to other shops that charge $15.95-19.95 and give them the filter so they subtract like $2 for that. My Acura dealer wants $32.95!!! What a ripoff, and they use the same Honda oil filter as the Civic does. It's not that I can't afford it but it's the principle. I don't like getting ripped off or overpaying for things like this.
    I like taking my Integra to my Honda dealer for oil changes because the mechanics look at my car to see what new mod I got and we talk about different upgrades and stuff. They also have given me some good advice. The Acura mechanics are not too talkative and seem to work like dogs without resting or taking brakes. The Acura shop looks like a sweat shop because it's the only Acura dealership in a 30 mile radius so they 're always busy and they have a huge shop with like 20 lifts and there are at least 15 guys working in there. It looks like a airport or airplane hanger when you go inside. The service advisors (there are about 5-6 of them in cubicles - nice working area outside the shop) and manager are very curtious though and they have nice loaners plus they wash your car every time.. Their donuts are good too :) At the Honda dealership, they have 3-4 old torn vinyl chairs in the 5x7' waiting room and the 13" TV barely works, but it beats paying $33 bucks for an oil change at the Acura dealer even if they have a 27" TV w/cable, coffee & donuts, and leather couches in their waiting room.

    Hey, what happened to my pic? I must 've moved it to another album, let me test it again..

    image
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • civichbcivichb Member Posts: 4
    I have a 99 Civic HB with slight modifications. I'm looking into purchasing a 96 Integra SE. This is only a thought. I'll make the decision on whether to buy it or not based on how well I can modify the car. The SE has 72k miles on it. But I would like to know what an intake system could do for the car(hp,torque) And I know little about Thermal exhausts. I was recommended to add this to it if I purchased it. Can anyone update me and tell me how I can benefit from adding that?
  • zacurazacura Member Posts: 13
  • zacurazacura Member Posts: 13
    I have a 2000 GS coupe, and I was wondering if anyone who's taken it in for an oil change at their Acura dealer has received a loaner car for it?? I would'nt mind paying about 10 bucks more for an oil change if I could get a loaner and run it around town all day.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    A Cold Air Intake will you the most bang for the buck. The AEM CAI goes for about $180 and will give you about 10-12hp and 6-7 ft-lbs of torque.
    I would not get an exhaust alone since it will only give you about 2-3hp. You need to get a header (DCsports, Comptech, Mugen-expensive, etc.) Header & exhaust together will give you another 7 or so HP and more torque.
    The intake alone will make the car noticeably faster and the header & exhaust will give you more power in the mid-top end (RPMs) and you will also get a higher top speed. To see any "real" power though you 'd have to do an LS/VTEC conversion and that 's about $3K. You will get an extra 40-50hp though and your car will be faster than stock GSRs. Just make sure you get it done at a race shop where they 've done a lot of these. But why buy a 140hp SE and $1K+ on Intake, header & exhaust? Why not get a '96 GSR if power is what you mainly want? Modding the GSR will give you better gains anyway. Just add an AEM intake to the GSR and you 'll have 185+hp at the flywheel (I gained 12.5hp and 7.5ft-lbs of torque at the wheels with the AEM, that's almost 15hp at the crank/flywheel). Then spend some of the money you 'd spend modding the Se on suspension mods for the GSR. It's a lot more fun and safer driving an Integra with a nice tight suspension.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I got an oil change once at the dealer when they were running a special but I got there early and waited about 1hr for it. I didn't ask for a rental. You normally get a rental if you 're getting scheduled maintenance done like at 15k or 30mi. (which can be $200 or more) or your car is there for warranty repairs.
    I got a rental from them after I brought the car in about 10 days after I bought it because it was pulling to 1 side and asked them to check or do a wheel alignment. They said the car wouldn't be ready till the afternoon, so I just said, "then I 'm getting a loaner right?" and they guy said sure we 'll get you one. The lady before me had just gotten the last Acura loaner they had so they send me accross the street to the Chevy dealer which they own and gave me a Cavalier POS rental. Worst car I ever drove and it only had 2k mi. on it. It felt like it had 150k on it and I wouldn't want that car even if they gave it to me.. I learned my lesson now. Next time I went back at 7-7:30 and was the 2nd person there and they gave me a '97 Integra LS auto. They seem to give the CLs and a TL they have to TL and RL owners only.. They only have about 4-5 Integras, 1-2 base CLs and 1 TL to loan out from what I can tell so it's first come first serve.. Late comers are send accross the street for cheap Chevy crapola rentals.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • texashombretexashombre Member Posts: 13
    Here's the website for the coupon I was telling you about.


    http://www.hondacarsofmckinney.com/content/coupons.htm


    I'm tempted to confront Acura dealer about why costing so much for an oil change for a same Honda oil filter. $14.95 at the Honda dealer is a great deal, which all so includes a free (so-so) car wash.

  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    The Koni sport shocks have an adjustable spring seat supposedly allowing ride height to be lowered up to 3/4 inch.

    If I utilize this feature will my car be too low to qualify for Solo Stock?
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I think your car still qualifies to be in the stock class. I 'm assuming you 're talking about SOLO II (auto-x) racing?
    I wouldn't really lower the car by the shock. Springs is the best way to lower your car. I have my springs on the middle ring on the Konis which means stock height, but my springs are about 1" lower anyway. Most people with race springs (2.5-3" drop) use the upper ring on the shock to increase the height because the springs are too low and their tires rub. From what I remember, the rings (grooves) on my Konis looked like they were about 1" apart. Could be 3/4 but it looked more like a full inch.
    The problem with using the Konis to lower the car is that the spring will be now constantly compressed by 3/4-1" and your ride characteristics will be affected. The best way is to get aftermarket springs that are 1" shorter but they 're designed that way. BUT if you want to race in the stock class (GS) you gotta leave the stock springs on. The best mod you can make, not that Konis is not a good move, is to get yourself some R compound tires or another set of wheels with R tires on them. You should do very well now in the absense of ITRs and TTs (they got moved to DS class because they were way too good for GS), assuming you 're talking about your '00 Bimmer. Wait, did the 3 series move to DS too? I think they did. Well with R tires and the Konis set a little stiffer than normal you should do pretty well and should be able to give those ITRs and TTs a run for their money. If you 're a really good driver you can beat an inexperienced ITR driver. Last year in G Stock, there is a very good driver with a 328i ('99) and R tires that beat 1 or 2 Type-R with fairly new drivers but succumbed to the more experienced ones, and he was only about 1/2 sec. behind my times and I 'm in DSP..
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    I might campaign the Bimmer upon occasion but the primary cone warrior will be a '92 Integra LS. I have looked at the classes and while the BMW would be fun, I don't think it would be competitive. The class that the Integra is in looks like a better match. I'm not neccesarily in the game only to win, but given the choice of a class/car that could win versus one that probably won't I pick win. Plus, the tires for the Teg are MUCH cheaper!

    I've got access to a shop that I can do the work myself. I'm going to try compressing the stock springs slightly (1/2-3/4") and see how it affects handling. The stock springs have probably settled 1/4" or so since new anyways. Worst case scenario is a few extra hours switching them all back to stock height.
  • jkidd2jkidd2 Member Posts: 218
    The Daily Auto Insider
    Top Choice of Thieves: Acura Integra
    March 15, 2001
    Page 1 of 1

    The Acura Integra was the most frequently stolen 1999 model-year vehicle during calendar year 1999, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) preliminary report. The report is based on vehicle thefts reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and auto-production reports filed with the Environmental Protection Administration.

    Almost two of every 100 Integras from model-year 1999 were stolen in that year, nearly double the rate for the number two choice of thieves, the Mitsubishi Mirage, the NHTSA said.
    Of the 201 vehicles rated for theft frequency, the Plymouth Neon and Dodge Stratus came in third and fifth place. The Mitsubishi Montero was fourth. The theft rates for those vehicles range from 0.85 to 0.9 per 100 cars produced.

    The NHTSA report said total thefts of 1999 models during 1999 amounted to 2.89 per 1,000 vehicles. That rate was 14 percent more than the 2.53 per 1,000 1998 vehicles during 1998.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    Not just the '99 Integras, all g3 Integras from '94 on up are the most frequently stolen cars! 3 of my friends have had their GSRs stolen in the past year and 2 of my friends' Type-Rs. They were all stolen from their driveway at home while they were sleeping. It's really sickening. I say if you don't have a garage or other cars to block your teg in your driveway, don't bother owning one. I have a garage but my wife has filled it up with junk. So I park my Civic behind the GSR and then my wife's Galant behind that. If they want it, they 'd have to break into 2 other cars plus cut the club in the GSR, and hopefully by then I 'll hear something or they won't even try considering it 'll take too much time for them to do everything. I also make sure I 'm not followed home when I drive the GSR and don't have food deliveries at the house.
    The best thing you can do, is not give your home address when you go for an oil change or a repair. Most of the time the thieves are either grease monkeys or give out your address to their friends or other car thieves for a few bucks. I just don't give anyone my address, they don't need it and you don't have to give it out.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • bmann2bmann2 Member Posts: 2
    The after market for Integral has to be one of the largest of any. The fattest and cheapest way to gain a lot of power is Nitrous, correctly installed by professionals of course. Why spend $1000 on Intake, Header and Exhaust (plus installation) for a 15 up gain when you can get a NOS kit for $500 for a 70 up gain? True, forced induction will compromise the reliability of the engine (severely) but then if you were primarily concerned about reliability then you'd leave the car stock. LS/VTEC also has shown great gains in power but is relatively new, expensive and often done incorrectly from what I hear (leading to a lot of "grenading"). In my opinion, save up for a turbo kit (or supercharger kit, if you don't have a g2 Integra like me) and build up the engine for high pressure.

    Theft depends on geography. Even though the Integra may be the most stolen car in the country, mine's never been broken into or stolen in the 3 years that I've owned it in Milwaukee (downtown/eastside). In other cities, like Appleton WI, I almost wouldn't even worry about leaving the doors unlocked. Almost. But it depends where you live.
  • exsailorexsailor Member Posts: 8
    Im planning to buy my son a 1997 Integra LS 3 DR Hatchbackwith 48000 miles. With the following goodies AC, Moon Roof, 6 disk CD, new tires, Not familar with Intergras. Asking price is $10,000 the test drive is great seems no major problems excepts lil dings here and there. I would like to know if this is a good price. KElly BB asking price is bout 14500. What ya all think. Advice appreciated. Thanks
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    I agree with both only1harry and bmann2. Although vehicle theft frequency is based on geography, it does help practising preventive measures like only1harry said. Making it harder to steal the car is a good deterrent. However, if someone is hell-bent on stealing it, they will steal it.

    And it's always best to keep cars in garages, instead of junk in the garage. Remember, when someone sells a house, they measure the garage on a per car basis, like 1-car, 2-car or 3-car garage, not a 20-box, 30-box, or 40-box garage. IMO, if you cannot park your vehicles in the garage, then you either have too many vehicles or too much junk that you can live without.
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    here's that Acura Integra theft report from Edmunds.com's news: Acura Integra hottest car with thieves in '99: report. If you don't have a garage, an alarm is a good idea. IMO


    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks Message Board

  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    Alright! See, I wasn't making this stuff up :-)

    The Koni Yellows is the best non-custom valved shocks you can have for auto-xing and racing in general. And like I had said before, you can adjust the rear ones so you get slight oversteer and eliminate understeer. The only thing is though, if you 're running stock (GS I assume) class, the shocks alone are not enough to beat a Prelude SH or an Eclipse/Talon AWD turbo. The Prelude SH performs very well in auto-x (with a good driver) and 3-wheels on command. The DSM turbos are just too fast and get excellent traction with the AWD. You should be able to do very well though with some R compound tires. Still, even without the Type-R and TT in G Stock, the GSR in stock form is still not one of the leading cars in GS. A BMW 328i with Konis and R tires can kill a GSR as well as the others I mentioned above. In the absense of these 3-4 cars, your GSR will kick butt (you 'll have A4s for breakfast). Just make sure you get another set of wheels with R tires or just get R tires. VW VR6 is also a formiddable opponent. Good luck with your new shocks!
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    a GSR. I have an LS. The class I would be in for stock have GTI's and Prelude S. Both formidable. Eclipse and Talon would be non-turbo. Also Del Sol and 240SX. Stiff competition but close enough match that a Teg LS might squeek out a few regional wins if I ever learn how to drive.

    Anybody know about driving schools in the N.J., N.Y. and PA areas?

    Pocohantas: Why can't I see the post I did yesterday? I didn't swear or berate anyone, honest!
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    Your post included some very valuable information, but unfortunately, it had to be deleted because of one word that's not within the guidelines of our terms of use. Recently all hosts were given a word list, so we have specific guidelines we have to follow... in terms of what's allowed. There is an explanation in the email I sent you. Okay?

    For your convenience, I did copy/paste your post onto the email, so you can re-edit it and post it back into this discussion. Feel free to email me if you have any further questions. Thanks for your participation. ;-)

    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks Message Board
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    This is a repost (out of sequence) because I did swear. Smack. Sorry Pocahontas, et al.

    Put in the yellows myself last weekend. Have had several days to test them out and here is my .02 on install and performance:

    Install: If you've got a floor jack, jack stands, and a spring compressor it is not very
    hard to do. I had the left rear control arm bushing freeze on me so I had to get a new bushing and press it in. If that had not happened I could have replaced all 4 struts in about 5 hours. The bushing replacement took me an extra 2-3 hours. The shocks come with pretty good instructions but you will need the car's shop manual as well for install/removal. Oh yeah, you will need a big drill bit to bore out the dust
    cover hole as the Konis are larger diameter than stock.
    I did use the stock springs but set the Konis spring perches for lowering springs. The stock springs had to be slightly compressed but ride height has barely changed. I haven't noticed any unusual rebound or handling characteristics using
    this setup. I stayed with stock springs so I could Autocross in Stock class.

    Performance: Wow. Response and control are dramatically increased even on softest settings. On softest setting ride comfort and noise are better than stock. My ideal settings are 3/4 turn (40%) up front and 1 turn (55%) at the rear. Now if I pre-load coming into corners I can get the rear to swing out just a bit. Helps defeat cronic understeer.

    I've gotta thank Harry for giving feedback. You helped me out alot. I often find it hard to justify extra cost/benefits versus some cheaper parts. I can say I think I made the right choice with your help.
  • steven975steven975 Member Posts: 5
    I'm installing a set of Koni yellows today and Saturday. I saw the instructions about the drilling of the dust cover, and everything else looked straightforward. I installed H&R OE Springs myself so these should be no problem...5 hours I'm estimating.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    One word of advice but it 's up to you to test it out: I found that 3/4 of a turn up front was a little too stiff for auto-x. I 'm at about 1/2 turn now and 3/4 in the rear. 50% or more stiff in the back and the tail was coming out a lot when auto-xing. BUT, I have an aftermarket sway bar and stiffer springs in the back, as well as a rear upper tie bar, you don't. So probably all the extra stiffness in the rear made my car oversteer more. You may not have this problem because your rear is pretty soft stock. Also when I went 3/4 (also tried 1 full turn in the front) my car pushed too much and caused it to understeer or react much slower in the slalom and I couldn't go through the slaloms fast enough (same if your rear is too stiff, the tail comes out and my car would go through the slaloms sideways!). Anyway, I found that around 30% firm in the front made the car much more agile (added a tiny bit of body roll and a little more shock travel but it was fine and it improved my times) and I was able to take the slaloms and all turns much faster as far as response and speed goes. It made a big difference that 1-2 red lines on the knob (from 3/4 down to 1/2 turn). The car became very neutral with no understeer or oversteer which is when I first experienced the 3-wheeling. 3-wheeling is a good sign that your car is pretty well balanced and doesn't push or fishtail on the turns. Of course if you go too fast on the turns or brake too late, the whole car will slide sideways, which is why with every run you push the car harder to find its limits on the turns and slalom (usually there is 1 or 2 slaloms somewhere in the course, usually around the begining and the end). But I have a different suspension setup than you so my settings may not work as good for you. You also have a smaller front sway bar than a GSR and no front upper tie bar. LS/GS have a 22mm front sway. GSRs have 24mm front sway bars, so it looks like you would need a bit more firmness on the Konis to compansate for that. After about 1-2 weeks the Koni shocks settle as well so you may need a wheel alignment (the race shop advised of this as well). I noticed after 2 weeks I had more negative camber in the front but I didn't mind because the car handled better when auto-xing. A little extra negative camber doesn't hurt and improves handling. I eventually got a wheel alignment after about 1-1.5 mos. Racing makes the whole suspension of the car settle more rapidly than others.. Get some good ZR tires or R tires. That's probably the most important mod for auto-xing.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • steven975steven975 Member Posts: 5
    Yes, the GS/LS has a 22mm front sway bar. The GSR's is 24mm, plus the GSR has an upper strut bar (Acura calls it a strut brace) AND a front lower tie bar (Acura calls it a performance brace). For 2001 though, all Integras have the same stock sway bar diameters...24 front, 13 rear.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    about the front lower tie bar that the LS/GS doesn't have. I thought '98+ Integras have 14mm rear sway bars. 13mm was pre-98. Anyway, 13 or 14, they 're still tiny.
    I bet they put the same diameter bars on LS/GS as the GSR because they need all the help they can get to sell them! This is the 8th year of production with a new model coming out in 2 months. I bet you can get an LS really cheap right now, under $17K shouldn't be a problem. Beats a Civic EX that sells for $16k.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • steven975steven975 Member Posts: 5
    the GSR's rear is 14mm, the LS/GS had a shade under 13mm...12.something.
  • chem123chem123 Member Posts: 272
    Harry, just curious what are your experiences with the VW GTI VR6 at the track and anywhere else. How do those that auto-x hold up? If deciding between that and a GS-R what would do (beisides smiling to yourself)? Thanks.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    Well when I first started racing in G Stock my car was totally stock and had the factory street tires. The only 2 VW VR6s that were there were in GS with race tires so they would beat me by about 1 to 1.5 sec. Now I was a novice then and these guys weren't. These were older VR6s like '94-95 models. The older VW VR6s were lighter than today's VR6 ('99+) and slightly faster. Today's VR6 is kinda heavy and weighs around 3,000lbs. The VR6 is not a bad car for auto-xing because it has good low end torque which you need at low speeds to exit the turns fast but it's weight also makes taking turns fast very tricky. Stock to stock the VW VR6 should be slightly faster than a stock GSR but it also depends on the course. On a very low speed course I try to stay in 1st gear as much as I can because the GSR is very fast in 1st gear courses, it takes off and exits turns like a bullet. If it's a low 2nd gear course where the GSR doesn't go like above 6500rpm, the VW usually has the upper hand because it has as much torque or more at 3K RPM, etc. Modified GSRs though with R tires, a bigger sway bar and a good set of springs & shocks or coilovers will beat a 2900-3,000lbs VR6 becase of the weight advantage. The suspension mods for VW and Integras are very similar and many use the same components/brands of aftermarket parts (Neuspeed, H&R, Tokiko, Koni, etc.) The only thing I 've seen that's bigger on a VW is the rear sway bar which can go up to 24-25mm, where most modified GSR's have 21-22mm. But again due to the extra weight of the VR6 a bigger than 22mm sway bar is justified where the lighter Integra can get away with 19-22mm ones. Weight plays a big role in auto-x which is why CRX, Miatas and MR2s are some of the best auto-xers in the Street Prepared classes. They only range from 100-130hp but can kick the crap (even in Stock form) out of any VW and GSR and sometimes do better than Type-Rs. Imagine if you took the same mods you have on a GSR or VR6 and put them on a 1950lb CRX or 2200lb Miata. It's a no brainer.
    I 'd say if you 're going to race in a Stock Class get the VW VR6 but this is not to say that the VW VR6 dominates the G Stock class. Stock Preludes (base and SH) usually destroy the VW VR6s. The WRX with 227hp AWD is also going to be in GS this year (to test it out, they move it out if it does too well). Eclipse/Talon Turbo AWD will always beat a VW VR6 in G Stock with equal drivers. BMW 328i with R tires usually beat the VW VR6 as well. Type-R and TT (if they 're still in GS, they 're supposed to be moved up to DS) usually destory all others in GS. So what I 'm trying to tell you is that the VW VR6 has a lot of competition in GS which is why most GSRs and VWs get out of that class and go to Street Prepared or Modified classes to compete better. In DSP where I run I 've only raced against 4cyl. GTIs and have beaten them. No VR6 yet.. I 'm not sure if the VW VR6 is in DSP, gotta look into that.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    be sure to check out Edmund.com's True market Value Deals of the Week for information on the 2001 Acura Integra LS 2dr Hatchback. Happy Shopping. ;-)


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  • basher55basher55 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone here ever drove cross country with their integra. I want to drive to New Jersey from San Diego (2800 miles). I will be in Nj for a few months and want a definate source of transportation instead of sharing cars with my family. Is this a dumb idea?
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    For those interested in discussing the 2002 Acura RXS, please join us in this new discussion: Acura RSX (2002). See ya there! ;-)


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  • vesuviusiivesuviusii Member Posts: 32
    I guess we'd all have to understand the context in which you're asking your question: If you're asking it in a reliability context, I've taken my '90 Integra across the country twice (Atlanta--S.F--Atlanta) with no problems whatsoever -- it's a SuperCar. If on the other hand, you're asking security/anti-theft wise, I can't answer your question.
  • vesuviusiivesuviusii Member Posts: 32
    I'd mentioned this problem in an earlier post:

    My car's foot well carpet gets wet on the passenger's side and creates a nasty, musty smell. More than a few sources have suggested that there's a plugged A/C reservior (leaves??) behind my firewall and to flush the exterior "drop-down" tube by forcing either air or water upwards through the tube and blowing whatever the obstruction is away...

    This is a good idea, but I have two questions:
    1) How large is this reservior? Coffee cup-sized? toaster-sized? The reason I ask this is that I need to know approximately how much water to expect to flow out (presumably along with other "gunk") in order to gauge success.

    2) As opposed to water or air, does anyone see a problem with stuffing, say, an oil dip stick up the tube and clearing it that way?? This seems a much more direct/effective approach to solving this problem.

    Thanks in advance,
    V
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I don't see a problem with sticking a wire in there but make sure it's clean and not sharp. You don't want to cut or pierce anything!
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I don't see why it would be a problem to drive the Integra from West to East coast. I 'm not sure I understand your question. If you 're going to spend a few months in NJ, you might as well have a car to get around. Public Transportation is not that great in Jersey, only if you 're going into NYC, then it's ok but even then, buses only run till about 11pm. Drive your car to Jersey and have fun. Go to the Meadowlands Stadium on Saturdays and I 'll probably be there auto-x racing in parking lot 5 or 6.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    Put on new Kevlar brake pads. EBC Redstuff up front and Greenstuff out back. Very sticky. Putting on the Greens (higher friction rating and lower action temp) allowed for better rear braking bias. It always seemed that my Teg relied to heavily on the front causing it to lock up sooner than I would expect. Could have been brake booster or balance controler I'm thinking. Well when I put on these new pads the braking balance evened out.

    Stops like a dog on a chain now. No squeeling and no dust. Pricey though. $60 for front set and $50 for back.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    I got AXXIS Metal Master Pads all around. Paid $%$55 front and $35 rear. Car stops really well. The AXXIS do dust a little, and I know EBC Greens dust too! Just wait a couple of days and then look at your rims. A few of my friends had the EBC greens and they all dusted. BTW, be careful, the EBCs heat up the rotors really well so don't keep your foot on the brake pedal at a stop light and don't use the parking brake after moderate-heavy breaking or you 'll warp your rotors. Cool them off evenly all around..
    BTW, I also got Brembo rotors on all 4 corners (OE diameter, not the big ones). Car stops about 10ft shorter from 60mph.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • shteveyshtevey Member Posts: 4
    I've inherited a '93 gs-r with about 280,000 kms on it. What are the best things to do in order to restore it's performance and fuel economy?
  • charlestonguycharlestonguy Member Posts: 9
    As my endless search continues, I just came across a 95 Integra GSR. White, black cloth, nice little car. Its got 92K miles on it, and they guy will take 8500 for it. Edmunds has private market at 8300 or so for this car. I thought this was an ok deal, since these cars don't seem to be too common. Do you think this is a fair price or a good deal, or....? Also, how is this car's insurance? DO you all find it higher that average? Any problem areas? Anything else to look at when considering this car?
  • fjm1fjm1 Member Posts: 137
    Thanks for the advice harry. Gotta disagree though, haven't seen hardly any dust. Haven't been babying it either. Did my brake bed in routine of running the car up to 70 mph or so and clamping full force. Run. Repeat. Several times.

    shtevey: Restore performance? That's not that many miles for an Acura, you shouldn't have to do much to the engine to be getting peak performance. Change plugs, rotor, wires, fluids, etc. normal wear items. Then rev the snot out of it! If your not farmiliar w/Honda/Acura don't be afraid to rev high. They thrive there.

    charlestonguy: Make sure they changed the timing belt. Usually they do the water pump at the same time.

    If the seller cannot prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that the timing belt has been changed you need to evaluate the car as if it were abused/neglected. Take it to a Acura dealer or mechanic and have them check it.

    How can I say that it's been neglected if the timing belt hasn't been changed? Easy, grab the owners manual and check out the service interval for the timing belt. 75K if memory serves me right.

    Overall, it's hard to go wrong w/used Acuras and Hondas. Insurance is higher though.
  • uge123uge123 Member Posts: 100
    I'm sad. I have to say goodbye to my formerly trustworthy 90 Integra GS. We've had 126,000 decent miles together. She hasn't been perfect, though. I had to replace the clutch at 75,000 miles, and I'm not that agressive a driver. The ABS has been acting funky ever since she turned 100k miles. Fortunately, they work anytime it's humid (i.e. raining or snowing) but die when it's dry. My mechanic and the dealer mechanic couldn't find ANY electrical faults or problems. The brakes are in decent condition but may only last another 10k or so.

    However, I had two major failures in one week, and one could have killed me. The first was no big deal. The first was a ignition coil failure, while I was on the inbound express lanes during rush hour, no less! That was replaced for about $200. The second was catastrophic. I had JUST gotten off the highway and was driving up the parking garage when the left front end collapsed and the car skidded sideways with a metallic screech. At first, I thought that I had a catastrophic tire failure and that I was riding on a rim. On closer inspection, I noticed that the left front wheel was completely disengaged from the steering mechanism and suspension and was sitting askew in the wheel well. I shudder to think what might have happened if this occured 5 minutes earlier on the highway.

    My mechanic showed me the failed part later. It was a failed front ball joint which then cracked the left drive shaft. Apparently, this is a sign of old age for a car. It's just a matter of time before the right one goes as well. This car has been well maintained, by the way. I've taken it for all its major scheduled maintenance and oil changes. However, it did get parked on the Chicago city streets for 4 years in a row, though snow and salting.

    After reading so many testimonials of the "little car that could" I have to wonder if my car was a dud. I used to think that it was nearly invincible but not so anymore. I can't afford the risk of another serious failure. So I am trading the car in for something new. Any thoughts?
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