uge123: Let me get this straight--you're kvetching about a ball joint failing after 11 years on potholed, Mid-west roads? You're joking, right?
While I can understand your immediate concern over the wheel becoming partially detached from the car (and I'm glad that you weren't injured), you must realize that ball joints are a wearable part that will eventually fail (sometimes suddenly if you don't take the time to inspect them twice a year).
Your car suffered from a condition known as "daily use." Regular maintenance only prolongs the inevitable.
As far as new rides go, I think you'd have a tough time finding a better car than a WRX, particularly when you consider this last winter. You could probably find a really good deal on a new Prelude right now, since it's dead after this MY. And there are going to be fire-sale prices on all 2001 Integras come July/August, courtesy or the RSX with its bonehead McStruts up front--(Memo to Honda--Up yours!) If gas prices in your region have you bummed, look for an Insight. It may not be a backroad burner, but with the money you save on gas, you could buy a cycle or jetski. Or some stocks.
Me? Kvetch? You must think that I was mishuga (sp?) to kvetch about such an expected event. But this goyem was taken by surprise as I had the wheels aligned and inspected not long ago and nobody commented on any kind of wear on the ball joints.
Well...in any case...looking for a new ride anyway...perhaps a bimmer this time. :-) My wife has the other Honda. I'm a life long Honda fan but I'm not sure if I can resist the beauty and fun of the 325i. I drove the WRX and I'm just not enthused with it's tinniness.
I agree about the stupid struts. Honda was already warping time-space to make the inside bigger than the outside on it's cars (kinda like the Tardis), why ruin the suspenion to gain a tiny bit more?
129k city miles and 11 yrs later, it's normal to for a ball joint to go. Normally it warns you though. Didn't you have any noises coming out of the front? any grinding, or metalic sounds? thumping? scraping? Unfortunetly wheel alignment shops and most mechanics don't check all the suspension components carefully. To troubleshoot a ball joint or most suspension problems, you have to grab the car by the wheel hubs or control arms while it's up on the lift and shake the hek out of it and listen for unusual noises. I just got a wheel alignment too because my '97 Civic DX HB had been pulling to 1 side and when I turn the wheel half way or more to the left (left turn) I hear a little bit of grinding kind of sound. I told them to check everything including ball joints, CV joints, bushings and look for bent control arms. Well the couldn't do a complete wheel alignment. The caster was off (which I suspected) and they can't adjust that. They just adjusted the toe a little because I was out of spec. So I said how does the suspension look or the ball joints? "Well we just glanced at them quickly and they look ok, but you 'd have to come back in and make another appt. to check everything out very carefully since the caster is not within spec.." I 'm like wtf? They probably want to charge me to check everything out. They suck. they just wanted me outta there because they had others waiting for wheel alignments. I 'm going to a "frame & axle" shop that specialize in this stuff and have them look at things. My Civic has 130k mi. It 's very common for the ball joints to go on a Civic between 120-140k mi when doing a lot of city driving. My car was in a bad accident with all suspension damage! They had replaced the lower control arms and the LCA bushings, nothing else. I 'm sure as a result of that accident (drove over a truck's axle at 65mph! and then went airborne and landed with a lot of force, plus the airbags came out and slapped me in the face), my ball joints and other things will go prematurely.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Thanks for your comments. I unfortunately did not have any forwarning that the ball joint was wearing. There were no unknown noises coming from the front end. In fact, the car was pulling slightly to the RIGHT (the left one failed) when I had the wheels aligned in January. You're right, though...the mechanic perhaps did not do a good job checking them or did not check them at all.
On a different note...what platform was the 90 Integra based on? I thought it was a Civic but somebody else told me that it was based on the defunct Accord Hatchback...which would account for the suprising room and width of the car (compared to a 90 Civic).
I too, am enticed by the 3-Series, but have so far been able to resist due to concerns over insurance and maintenance costs. I realize that they include free service, but at the rate at which I rack up the miles, I'd burn thru the warranty in 8 months.
Pretty sure the 90 'teg was based on the Civic running gear, even though they might not have shared the same floorpan. The late '80s Accords all had IRS, not a beam axle. Honda probably killed the Accord hatch in an attempt to position the car up-market, in a time when hatches were viewed as a lesser breed. Maybe Honda will re-think that fateful decision when MB lands the C-class sportcoupe over here. (Yeah, right!)
Here's an idea: Imagine a new CRX, built on the same light-weight (under 2,000 lbs.) design principles as the Insight, with the 2.0 160hp motor from the 2002 Civic Si in it (or the Type-S engine from the RSX). Shoehorn in double-wishbones at all 4 corners, a LSD, and a 6-speed tranny, and then price it under $21,000.
Gee, I wonder if Honda could make a few extra bucks with THAT? At least it would give enthusiasts on a budget a reason to shop Honda again!
Now THAT would be a site to see. As for my 90 Integra, I'm quite sure it has IRS, not a beam axle. I believe that it's double wishbone all around.
As for the Bimmer...I checked with my insurance company...a 2001 325i wagon will add about 33% onto my insurance cost. Considering the insurance for my Integra was quite cheap (even with State Farm), it isn't too bad. Probably because it's a 4 door wagon versus my old 2 door hatchback/coupe.
If Honda made that dream vehicle you were speaking of, I might not be so quick to leave the brand.
One of the Harry's out there, I think it was Only1Harry, wanted to know when my G1 '87 Integra reached 300,000 miles. Well, it happened this week. And my beloved Integra still keeps going strong. The darned thing just won't quit. I almost wish it would so that I could get my next car.
I spend about $1000 per year in maintenance, which is still far less than car payments. It had been leaking oil at a small rate for a while, but now is beginning to show signs of burning some oil. Still though, it is dependable transportation. I am putting close to 1200 miles a week on it now. So as long as I'm putting that many miles on a car, I see no reason to switch to a newer car now.
I saw the discussion in this forum a while back about whether high RPMs are good or bad for the engine. Well, most of my 300K are highway miles (higher RPMs). My current weekly commute has me going 70 - 80+ mph for hours at a time. No problems here. This car was made to be driven!
My bad. I got cornfused about your car's model year. It must have been the gen1 cars w/ the beam axle. Did the gen2 cars debut in '89 or '90?
The 3 wagon sure looks sweet, and you can't beat the practicality of a 5-door. As I think about the WRX wagon, it becomes more difficult to find a reason to stay in the Honda/Acura family, other than the outstanding reliability.
I did check out the Subaru and I must say...the Integra is still a much better handling car...and a much better compromise between handling and ride. The only thing it really needs is better sound insulation. The Subaru Impreza WRX is just too hard riding for me...not a good compromise...and it's tinnier than the Integra. However...that being said...price for price...the WRX has more room than the Integra and it has AWD to boot.
It'd probably still get the Integra...although I'll reserve judgement on the new one.
The gen 2 Integra came out in 1990...the year I bought mine. It was the LAST model year to lack a hood ornament and the last year to have the Integra decal suck on the back of the car. Also...leather was an aftermarket option, and no power doors were available in the 2 door.
I also have an 87 Integra but with only 215K miles (no mods). I do have some minor mechanical problems but it runs great. I just ordered a Subaru Impreza Outback Sport which obviously is no WRX but I did not find it tinny at all. My Integra rides much rougher which I thought was par for the course, and then there's the NVH. I thought the OBS felt tight, much like a VW Golf i test drove. I guess I am comparing apples to oranges, 1987 vs. 2002. I do have new appreciation for my Integra's handling tho. It definitely handled better than the Golf. (Except in the twisties, if I take the turns a little hard my car "wobbles", and I am not an aggressive driver. I am not dropping any more money but I assume an easy fix is possible) It was much easier to drive than the Subaru, but then I wasn't used the the Subaru's clutch, etc.
hprickettx: I know what you mean, I felt "guilty" buying a new car because my car still runs. I will keep her until something expensive needs replacing.
Yes, I asked you about 6mos ago to let us know when your Integra hits 300k miles, wow! Congrats! Any rust yet? $1,000/yr is ok but I wouldn't go much higher than than because you 're still driving an older car, and what if you just spend $1K on it and then the motor ceases? or the tranny? But it seems that it has worked out very well for you. You certainly saved a few thousand $$ a year from not owning a new car every 4-5 years. Keep it going! Now let us know every 10k mi. increments how it's doing :-) If you hit like 350k mi. I 'd go to the Acura dealer or call up Acura and tell them how you have really high mileage and would they like to use you in any advertising that they do and you might get a new car out of it. You have to talk to the right people at Acura though. Good luck!
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
How much do you think I could get for my 90 integra gs hatch with 126k miles, a few rust spots (but no rust through), a decent engine, new timing belt, new left ball joint/axel, otherwise good running gear. Kelly Blue book states about $2000-$2700 trade in, depending on actual status of the car. I'm not seeing that, though. So I'm considering selling it. I'm seeing all sorts of prices for the 90 GS in Chicago..from $1500 to $4000+.
Way to go on the new OBS! For ~$20K, it's a very well-rounded package.
uge123: From the sound of it, your '90 is in good shape for its age (low miles, too). I'd start the asking at $4500 and see what kind of response you get.
Thanks for your input. I'll try that. Btw...I buckled and ordered the Bimmer. Funny thing is that I like the 325i wagon for many of the reasons I liked my Integra...sporty drive, decent hauling capacity (but not great), and the ability to really surpise people at the stoplight. :-)
We still have one Honda...and I'm expecting that one to last at least as long as my Integra.
uge123: Aaaarrrgh! How will you ever get used to the sweet song of that inline-six after all these years of humming along with your Honda? I'm sure that the RWD will help some! Great news for you--what color did you go with? Was there a Sport Pkg available for the wagon?
Carol: Based upon my observations gathered while visiting various acounts on the Island, I'd have to say that the most popular car for your area is a late-'80s Camaro, done in a rich hue of primer gray. (Attempted humor)
I 'd start at $3995 and work your way down. If you 're offered around $3-3.5K take it and run. The car is 11 yrs old, and although 129k mi. is not a lot for the motor, other things can go because of its age, such as radiator, wheel bearings, ball joints rust and brake (can be very dangerous), CV joints, Air Conditioner, Catalytic converter, stereo, more rust, and other annoying little things that break with age not mileage. My Civic has 130k mi. and I think one of my ball joints is going on the front left too! I 'm hoping the tapping I hear is a crushed/cracked bushing but when I crawled under the car, the lower control arm bushings looked ok to me, could be the shock too but Hondas are notorious for ball joints after 120k mi.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
himiler: Actually...after years of listening to the song of my DOHC I-4 (which does sound sweet), the turbine like smoothness of the I-6 really shocked me. Nothing like the grunt of a V-6. I've forgotten how nice they are. Actually...I ran into the rev limiter so many times on my test drive because the engine is so smooth. My wife had problems as well because we were so atuned to the F1 sound of the Honda 4. I'm going to miss my little Integra. :-) At least we still have the VTEC in my wife's Accord. (mated to an automatic, alas!) My new car (yes, I know it's an integra discussion). Steel Blue Metallic. and yes...got the Sport package for the wagon. BEAUTIFUL! If you want more info, e-mail me since this is an Integra discussion. I don't want to offend or bore people. uge123@yahoo.com
only1harry: Thanks! My ad was for $4500 and I'll see. Retail is right around 6k, but considering the minor rust and work that needs to be done (brakes in about 10k miles, possible R ball joint, etc) I thought that $4500 was a good place to start. I'll let ya'll know how things work out.
I have a '91 Acura Integra RS, And I was wondering what are some good low cost mods I could do. I've heard a cold air intake is a cheap effective way, but I also heard it can cause water to be sucked into the engine. Can anyone set me straight.
No major rust yet. I don't live in the "rust belt". There are 3 minor rust spots. Two where the rear bumper meets the sheet metal just above the bumper, and the third spot is one of the striker plates for the hatchback.
Even if it dies immediately after spending my yearly $1k on it, I'm still ahead of the game with respect to car payments, insurance, etc. And of course, can't predict when a total loss wreck might ocurr either. But in the meantime, it just keeps going and going and going
Thinking of buying a "96 SE 2dr hatch. standard car with 70K miles. Seems reasonable wear& tear and maintenance ( will take to mech. for another opinion)
Does anyone know if the paint on the 1990 Integra GS has a clear coat? I need to wax, and noticed there were two kinds of waxes - for clear coat and for regular paint.
Doesn't sound like a bad deal. The SE came with a GSR suspension, meaning with upper and lower front tie bars, 24mm front sway bar and 13mm rear sway. RS/LS/GS didn't come with front tie bars, only had 22mm front sway, and 12mm rear sway.
I hope this is a 5-sp.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I'm in the market to buy a 95/96 900 SE Saab coupe vs a 96' Acura Integra. Both cars run about the same price; however, there appears to be more concern over upkeep on the Saab. I live in Chicago so most driving will be city miles. Any and all opinions would be appreciated!!
an almost definite possibility that you will spend more money to maintain the Saab and keep it running. A co-worker just spend $1150 on his '93 Saab with only 73k mi. on it! It needed to have the power steering rack fixed which leaked (not sure if they replaced it or not), a new voltage regulator and some other stuff. Oh and I believe he already had the radiator replaced. He also spend hundreds of $$ before when the car had around 58-60k mi. on it for some other repairs and says he 's spend about $2K so far on the car. That's REALLY high for a car that's just broke 70k mi.! By the time you spend $2K on an Integra, it will have over 150k mi. on it, counting maintenance items too like timing belt, tune-ups, brakes, etc.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Why don't you buy a new Acura CL Type-S (260hp)? You guys are supposed to make good money, aren't you? unless you 're just starting out.. My uncle used to lease a new Porsche every 2yrs and bought a new BMW every 3 but he was surgeon.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
The GS-R TMV is currently 19,367 including S+H. I checked jsut a couple weeks ago and it was about $2000 more! Do you think the GS-R will continue to have its price lowered as the summer draws closer for the RSX to debut? Im thinking about buying, but am drawn between it and the Celica GTS. Any suggestions?
You can touch a GTS for low 19's. Maybe low $21's but not 19s so you 'll save a lot by buying a '01 GSR but you gotta get what you like best. I can see the GSR dropping a few more hundred $$ but not much more. That's a really good price and over $3,000 below sticker. I paid $19.8K for my '99 GSR when there was a $1,000 factory to dealer incentive. They must have a $1500 or $2K one now. Check the Edmunds Rebates & Incentives section.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I had the same question as post#185. Now that I know what the TMV is, what's the most practical way of approaching a dealer?? I'm buying the car right out, no financing. I've heard of people faxing in offers but I'm not sure how well that works. BTW, I live in NY and there our a lot of dealerships in my area. Thanks
Hello, again. I'd go ahead and start calling your local dealers and find out who'll sell you the GS-R for $300 to $500 over invoice (or wherever you'd like to start--I never pay more than 2% over invoice). If you approach them straight-up about it, you'll find someone hungry for the deal. Start shopping around the 21st day of the month, and hold out hard for your price--walk away if needed. By the time the 28th rolls around, you'll be getting a call from a salesperson anxious for one last "hit" that month. Then you'll know that you're in charge. Happy mindgames!
I bought my GSR from Curry Acura in Scarsdale, not far from you since you live in the same County. The way I did it was through www.carsdirect.com in June of '99. I went to 3 dealers first and the lowest price I could negotiate at the time was $20,500. I then looked up the price at carsdirect.com and it was $19,898. Filled out the application. They called me back 24hrs later and told me they 'll start searching for my car at dealers in my area. Another 24hrs later they called up and said they made a dealer with a local dealer. I went to Curry Acura (or Scarsdale Acura), test drove the car, signed the paperwork and bought it. Carsdirect makes like $200 but that comes out of the dealer's profit. You don't pay it directly to them. It was very painless though. They do all the negotiating for you and they have to find you the car at the price they advertise on their web site. The only problem I 've heard with that is, that some people told me they would send them to dealers where they had Integras with like 100mi. on them, or the dealership would be 100mi. away. When I contacted them, I made it clear to them that I wanted the car to have less than 10mi. on it, I wanted it to be from a dealer outside of NYC (too many potholes in the city and didn't want to worry about a crazy taxi driver hitting me) and that I would travel up to 60mi. to get it. The lady was very nice and said we 'll do our best. Now I think they may want you to pay the $200 up front before you even buy a car but I 'm pretty sure it's fully refundable if you 're not happy with the car they find you or you decide to back out. I was at Scarsdale Acura about 3 weeks ago and they had at least 15 Integras in the lot, but only 1 GSR. GSRs are kind of rare around this area and it's a small percentage compared to the LS & GS models. I waited 6 weeks for one of the dealers to take delivery of a red GSR. 1 other dealer didn't have any GSRs and another only had a black one. I 'm sure by the end of June you 'll be more eager to meet your price on an Integra if the rumors are true that the RSX is coming out in July.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I recently purchased a 1995 Integra SE with an automatic transmission. That being said, there has been a number of problems with the car that I have been unable to figure out.
1-Whenever it rains, there seems to be a puddle under the passaenger mat. I've followed the water trail and it seems to be coming from under the dash somewhere, but I have no idea what's under there or what can be causing the leak.
2-There seems to be this annoying rattle and squeak coming from the rear. I can't tell if its the suspension or the hatch.
3-There seems to be this rattle coming from either inside the dash or in the driver's side door. It sounds like a small plastic piece, and you can only hear it when I brake (not so much when I go over bumps).
4-When I first got the car, the ABS light would stay on all the time, but now it doesn't. Does that sound like an electrical problem, or a brake problem?
I know these are minor problems, but its driving me crazy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I am thinking about buying a new Integra. The TMV of a new Integra is hundreds less than invoice--this is even before subtracting the current $2000 rebate. How is this possible? A brand new 2 door LS 5 speed would only cost $14,835 using TMV. Is anyone getting this type of deal on a new car? Thanks.
Just bought a 96 integra ls auto. When the driver's window is down, and i shut the door, it "clangs" and is noticeably louder than the passenger door. When the window is up, no problem or noise. Most likely, of course, something is loose in the track that causes the window to rattle upon closing when its in the down position. Does anyone have any advice or experienced this problem? I am assuming that its not a regulator or motor problem since it works fine going up and down. Is it most likely a quick fix (take off door, fix track or tighten loose screw or whatever?)? Also, doesn't make any noise on driving. Only noise is when shutting the door.
The TMV price does include the dealer rebate. It does not include tax and other fees. I just bought a GS-R this morning. The TMV on that is $19,367. I got mine for $18,860 (with almost no negotiating). So there are definitely some good deals to be had. The dealership I went to said the RS-X's are literally on the truck on the way to the dealership and that they are being instructed to move the Integras out. By the way, I'm loving the car so far! It's a fun, sporty little car, even if it is "a little long in the tooth"!
swynn, where did you get ur GSR at? and what kind of insurance rates are you getting? I just bought mine last nite...im learning to drive stick, so hopefully i can learn it soon enough so that i can enjoy the car. mine is red...last GSR on the lot.
I'm about to pick up and '96 Acura LS with 60 k on it for 8400. What does anyone think. They are the original owners and the car is like new. I'm new to acura's. It's an automatic, are they really that slow? I wanted the stick but was unable to come across one.
If you can wait and look a little longer I 'd get a 5-sp. The autos are pretty slow or at least compared to ones with the manual tranny. Especially when you 're saying "I wanted the stick..". You 'll regret getting the auto, not that it's a bad car, it's just the acceleration factor.. Same with Celica GT-S 6-sp vs. auto. The Celica auto is almost 1.5sec. slower. So it's not just the Integra, most cars with auto are slower than their cousins with a manual gearbox.
'99 Integra GSR '06 Civic LX coupe '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
HELP! I have a 97 Integra and I am having a problem with the antenna. It has stopped working. It is stuck in the up position. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there any remedy? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
My antenna has been frozen in the "up" position for about 16 months. I'm not worried about replacing it becuse the dealer wants ~$300 to fix it. You can go aftermarket thru Crutchfield for a cheaper unit, but chances are it'll just break again. Be glad it's stuck in the extended position, and replace it if/when some punk snaps it off--that's my plan.
wiwang, congrats on your GSR! I got mine at Proctor Acura in Tallahassee, FL. I got the silver, though I really liked the red also. I think 2001 is the only year they've made the GSR in silver, so I thought that might make it kind of unique. To tell you the truth, I haven't gotten my insurance switched over yet from the last car I had. I didn't get to sign the papers on the Integra until late Friday, so I will be taking care of insurance tomorrow. I've been out all weekend driving the car, what a blast! By the way, anyone in the North Florida or South Georgia area looking for a GSR, Proctor Acura in Tallahassee has 3 left, silver, red and black (as well as four door GSRs in black and titanium). And they have a few GS and several LS models as well.
Hi, did anyone buy an Integra recently with 2K rebate? How much below invoice do you pay? I am interested in getting a LS or GS, but not sure usually how much dealer charge?
Comments
Let me get this straight--you're kvetching about a ball joint failing after 11 years on potholed, Mid-west roads? You're joking, right?
While I can understand your immediate concern over the wheel becoming partially detached from the car (and I'm glad that you weren't injured), you must realize that ball joints are a wearable part that will eventually fail (sometimes suddenly if you don't take the time to inspect them twice a year).
Your car suffered from a condition known as "daily use." Regular maintenance only prolongs the inevitable.
As far as new rides go, I think you'd have a tough time finding a better car than a WRX, particularly when you consider this last winter. You could probably find a really good deal on a new Prelude right now, since it's dead after this MY. And there are going to be fire-sale prices on all 2001 Integras come July/August, courtesy or the RSX with its bonehead McStruts up front--(Memo to Honda--Up yours!) If gas prices in your region have you bummed, look for an Insight. It may not be a backroad burner, but with the money you save on gas, you could buy a cycle or jetski. Or some stocks.
Well...in any case...looking for a new ride anyway...perhaps a bimmer this time. :-) My wife has the other Honda. I'm a life long Honda fan but I'm not sure if I can resist the beauty and fun of the 325i. I drove the WRX and I'm just not enthused with it's tinniness.
I agree about the stupid struts. Honda was already warping time-space to make the inside bigger than the outside on it's cars (kinda like the Tardis), why ruin the suspenion to gain a tiny bit more?
Unfortunetly wheel alignment shops and most mechanics don't check all the suspension components carefully. To troubleshoot a ball joint or most suspension problems, you have to grab the car by the wheel hubs or control arms while it's up on the lift and shake the hek out of it and listen for unusual noises.
I just got a wheel alignment too because my '97 Civic DX HB had been pulling to 1 side and when I turn the wheel half way or more to the left (left turn) I hear a little bit of grinding kind of sound. I told them to check everything including ball joints, CV joints, bushings and look for bent control arms.
Well the couldn't do a complete wheel alignment. The caster was off (which I suspected) and they can't adjust that. They just adjusted the toe a little because I was out of spec. So I said how does the suspension look or the ball joints? "Well we just glanced at them quickly and they look ok, but you 'd have to come back in and make another appt. to check everything out very carefully since the caster is not within spec.." I 'm like wtf? They probably want to charge me to check everything out. They suck. they just wanted me outta there because they had others waiting for wheel alignments.
I 'm going to a "frame & axle" shop that specialize in this stuff and have them look at things. My Civic has 130k mi. It 's very common for the ball joints to go on a Civic between 120-140k mi when doing a lot of city driving. My car was in a bad accident with all suspension damage! They had replaced the lower control arms and the LCA bushings, nothing else. I 'm sure as a result of that accident (drove over a truck's axle at 65mph! and then went airborne and landed with a lot of force, plus the airbags came out and slapped me in the face), my ball joints and other things will go prematurely.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
On a different note...what platform was the 90 Integra based on? I thought it was a Civic but somebody else told me that it was based on the defunct Accord Hatchback...which would account for the suprising room and width of the car (compared to a 90 Civic).
Pretty sure the 90 'teg was based on the Civic running gear, even though they might not have shared the same floorpan. The late '80s Accords all had IRS, not a beam axle. Honda probably killed the Accord hatch in an attempt to position the car up-market, in a time when hatches were viewed as a lesser breed. Maybe Honda will re-think that fateful decision when MB lands the C-class sportcoupe over here. (Yeah, right!)
Here's an idea: Imagine a new CRX, built on the same light-weight (under 2,000 lbs.) design principles as the Insight, with the 2.0 160hp motor from the 2002 Civic Si in it (or the Type-S engine from the RSX). Shoehorn in double-wishbones at all 4 corners, a LSD, and a 6-speed tranny, and then price it under $21,000.
Gee, I wonder if Honda could make a few extra bucks with THAT? At least it would give enthusiasts on a budget a reason to shop Honda again!
Wishful thinking.
As for my 90 Integra, I'm quite sure it has IRS, not a beam axle. I believe that it's double wishbone all around.
As for the Bimmer...I checked with my insurance company...a 2001 325i wagon will add about 33% onto my insurance cost. Considering the insurance for my Integra was quite cheap (even with State Farm), it isn't too bad. Probably because it's a 4 door wagon versus my old 2 door hatchback/coupe.
If Honda made that dream vehicle you were speaking of, I might not be so quick to leave the brand.
I spend about $1000 per year in maintenance, which is still far less than car payments. It had been leaking oil at a small rate for a while, but now is beginning to show signs of burning some oil. Still though, it is dependable transportation. I am putting close to 1200 miles a week on it now. So as long as I'm putting that many miles on a car, I see no reason to switch to a newer car now.
I saw the discussion in this forum a while back about whether high RPMs are good or bad for the engine. Well, most of my 300K are highway miles (higher RPMs). My current weekly commute has me going 70 - 80+ mph for hours at a time. No problems here. This car was made to be driven!
The 3 wagon sure looks sweet, and you can't beat the practicality of a 5-door. As I think about the WRX wagon, it becomes more difficult to find a reason to stay in the Honda/Acura family, other than the outstanding reliability.
It'd probably still get the Integra...although I'll reserve judgement on the new one.
hprickettx: I know what you mean, I felt "guilty" buying a new car because my car still runs. I will keep her until something expensive needs replacing.
$1,000/yr is ok but I wouldn't go much higher than than because you 're still driving an older car, and what if you just spend $1K on it and then the motor ceases? or the tranny? But it seems that it has worked out very well for you. You certainly saved a few thousand $$ a year from not owning a new car every 4-5 years. Keep it going! Now let us know every 10k mi. increments how it's doing :-) If you hit like 350k mi. I 'd go to the Acura dealer or call up Acura and tell them how you have really high mileage and would they like to use you in any advertising that they do and you might get a new car out of it. You have to talk to the right people at Acura though.
Good luck!
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I'm in Chicago, by the way.
uge123:
From the sound of it, your '90 is in good shape for its age (low miles, too). I'd start the asking at $4500 and see what kind of response you get.
We still have one Honda...and I'm expecting that one to last at least as long as my Integra.
Imprezas are unpopular here on LI, I've only seen one 2002 on the road so far, and I was the only one checking them out at the dealership.
Caroline
Carol: Based upon my observations gathered while visiting various acounts on the Island, I'd have to say that the most popular car for your area is a late-'80s Camaro, done in a rich hue of primer gray. (Attempted humor)
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
My Civic has 130k mi. and I think one of my ball joints is going on the front left too! I 'm hoping the tapping I hear is a crushed/cracked bushing but when I crawled under the car, the lower control arm bushings looked ok to me, could be the shock too but Hondas are notorious for ball joints after 120k mi.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
My new car (yes, I know it's an integra discussion). Steel Blue Metallic. and yes...got the Sport package for the wagon. BEAUTIFUL! If you want more info, e-mail me since this is an Integra discussion. I don't want to offend or bore people. uge123@yahoo.com
only1harry: Thanks! My ad was for $4500 and I'll see. Retail is right around 6k, but considering the minor rust and work that needs to be done (brakes in about 10k miles, possible R ball joint, etc) I thought that $4500 was a good place to start. I'll let ya'll know how things work out.
Even if it dies immediately after spending my yearly $1k on it, I'm still ahead of the game with respect to car payments, insurance, etc. And of course, can't predict when a total loss wreck might ocurr either. But in the meantime, it just keeps going and going and going
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
Should be able to get it for mid to high $8K.
Any thoughts, gotchas, caveats?
Thanks in advance.
Any help will be appreciated.
I hope this is a 5-sp.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
David Guelich MD
By the time you spend $2K on an Integra, it will have over 150k mi. on it, counting maintenance items too like timing belt, tune-ups, brakes, etc.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
My uncle used to lease a new Porsche every 2yrs and bought a new BMW every 3 but he was surgeon.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
I can see the GSR dropping a few more hundred $$ but not much more. That's a really good price and over $3,000 below sticker. I paid $19.8K for my '99 GSR when there was a $1,000 factory to dealer incentive. They must have a $1500 or $2K one now. Check the Edmunds Rebates & Incentives section.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
1-Whenever it rains, there seems to be a puddle under the passaenger mat. I've followed the water trail and it seems to be coming from under the dash somewhere, but I have no idea what's under there or what can be causing the leak.
2-There seems to be this annoying rattle and squeak coming from the rear. I can't tell if its the suspension or the hatch.
3-There seems to be this rattle coming from either inside the dash or in the driver's side door. It sounds like a small plastic piece, and you can only hear it when I brake (not so much when I go over bumps).
4-When I first got the car, the ABS light would stay on all the time, but now it doesn't. Does that sound like an electrical problem, or a brake problem?
I know these are minor problems, but its driving me crazy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
jim
$14,835 using TMV. Is anyone getting this type of deal on a new car? Thanks.
Thanks
By the way, I'm loving the car so far! It's a fun, sporty little car, even if it is "a little long in the tooth"!
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
You guys got some great prices on them! Enjoy!
Now all you gotta do is throw out that POS 14mm sway bar and get a Comptech 22mm one to improve handling (and some decent ZR tires too).
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
How much below invoice do you pay?
I am interested in getting a LS or GS, but not sure usually how much dealer charge?
Any infos are appreciated.