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Acura RSX (All years/types)

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Comments

  • eludwigeludwig Member Posts: 82
    Personally, I would be shocked if dealers don't mark the Z up a few grand. I'm basing this on the amount of buzz around the Z and the pent-up demand. I'd say it's similar to the S2000's situation.
  • rk888rk888 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks you and others for the advice.

    robertsmx>

    That formula you gave me will be very useful. Just wondering how far from the original overall diameter can one get? I mean, how many inches or fraction of inches can you deviate from the original number? Thanks.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    Well I'll be...if I had 26 for a car right now...
  • varmitvarmit Member Posts: 1,125
    Great Gohgly Mohgly! I was expecting 29-33K for the Z. Either it's grand theft auto at 26K, or it isn't going to be everything that it's cracked up to be. I'd definately wait and see.
  • BlakJackBlakJack Member Posts: 18
    $26.6 k for the 350Z !?!? This is going to be a hot ticket unless they start exploding or catching on fire or something. If the car is as good on a track as it looks good on paper, id might have to reconsider saving for that S2000. 8^o
  • drewdrew94drewdrew94 Member Posts: 19
    Just wanted to thank you guys for all the help....I am the proud owner of a 02 RSX Coupe.
    I paid $19K out the door.
    It's only add is the rear spoiler and to beat it all they gave me 11.3K for my 5 yr old mitsu spyder!
    If anyone wants an Acura in Metro Atlanta I strongly recommend Acura Carland in Duluth, they are very professional and no nonsense.
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    We look forward to hearing about your ownership experience. Happy Motoring! ;-)

    Revka
    Host
    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    congrats! Is it a auto or manual? I hope that you'll gently break in your car.... good luck!
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    Drove a type-s the other day. I'm in the market for a new commuter - the RSX is relatively fuel efficient and green while still being quick (aren't those guys at Honda great!), and should be quite crash-worthy (look at NHTSA and IIHS test results for its close cousin, the Civic Coupe), so the RSX might fit the bill.

    I hear some complaints about the lamented switch in front suspension lay-out, and I agree with those complaints - to a degree. The car handles well, and I don't particularly want to modify the suspension, so no major problem there. It does crash better now, too, as promised with the new front suspension. Of course, other changes might be at play here as well as the suspension change.

    I don't like that the type-s has to be had with leather, unlike the base, but could probably live with that - or find a base with cloth and swap?

    As for the looks, I want a commuter, not a racer, so I'll take the rather bland (but still stylish IMO) looks and less attention from law enforcement and those who just want to race that I hope comes with it.

    BTW, congrats to drewdrew94 on the purchase.
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    it would be better if they make a four-door version for the RSX as well. It would be easy since it is based on the Civic platform. I know that my brother would buy it in a heartbeat to upgrade his wife's Civic :)
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    Ooh, yes, absolutely. Better if they build one, at least for me (and your brother). Acura of America, are you listening?
  • cyranno99cyranno99 Member Posts: 419
    Yeah.. I hope that Acura will as well. They might listen since they will have the 6 speed for the CL type S :)
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    The 4-door Integra never did well on the market.

    I'd be happy if they upgraded the suspension on the Canadian-only Acura EL to make it handle like an RSX-S, switch the Civic EX engine with the Type-S, and bring it to the U.S.
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    I wanted to get 4-door Integra GSR, it was just too rare to wipe the smile off salespeople, so I dropped the idea.

    rk888:
    Thanks. The greater the difference, the greater the speedo error would be, I would say less than 1%. Still, some others here might be of more help on the issue of different tires.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    I agree that a car needs more than just character lines, but my point was not that I want RSX *just* to be a looker. I wish Acura styled it to match its impressive performance (at least the Type S seems to have impressive performance when compared to similar vehicles). I'm *not* saying the car should be all bark and no bite; i.e., to look fast but drive like a golf cart.

    "evolutionary simplicity"? LOL, sounds like euphemism to me :) I admit that the RSX looks nice from the rear and front, but from the side, it just doesn't do it for me. I recently parked my Integra adjacent to an RSX (Type S). I am still partial to the round Integra headlights; from the rear, I preferred the RSX-S (although my spoiler made my car look sportier than the un-spoilered RSX). However, from the side, the RSX disappointed; the Integra looked sleeker.

    Note that I'm not knocking the RSX-S' performance; its 200 HP would have embarrassed my Inty's 140, but I openly admit that.
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    Acura/Honda character lines are usually very subtle, unlike fake scoops, lots of curves etc. you'd normally see in some other cars. It would ultimately come down to personal tastes. Here are couple of pictures that I found to compare (both are Type-Rs to be fair),

    2001 Integra Type-R

    2002 Integra Type-R


    Honda is following a styling trend by removing side molding which gives a feel of a higher car (started with Prelude, followed by Accord coupe, then Civic Coupe and Civic hatch). That is about the difference I notice.

  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    Thanks for the links. The 2002 ITR looks like the RSX; I'm assuming Acura is retaining the Integra name in Japan. The pointed snout of the RSX (2002 ITR) looks nice. Tires look better. But again, from the side, the 2001 Integra had a line; no such line exists in the 2002 picture. I agree on not wanting to see the flamboyant or obviously fake scoops and superfluous curves (latter statement applies to the original Tiburon).
  • splishsplish Member Posts: 5
    Just want to say how much I enjoy my new RSX, (leather, automatic)...I read many of the comments on this web site before I made my decision. It was helpful to hear what other people thought about the car...It is absolutely the nicest car I've ever had the pleasure of driving. I got a terrific deal on it too...
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    Yes, I do believe that in Japan the vehicle kept the Integra name instead of switching to RSX as it did here in the US.

    As a side note, the new Japanese Integra (RSX) comes in a four door version - meaning it would be relatively simple to bring a 4 door RSX to the states. As pointed out before, the 4 door integra sold poorly here, though. The RSX, as many have pointed out, is a different car though - more refined. Maybe a 4 door RSX would work better than a 4 door integra?
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    The new Japanese Integra comes in 4-door versions? Do you have links to photos?
  • g8trdaveg8trdave Member Posts: 5
    At first, it was a tough decision. As I wrote in an earlier post, my '96 GSR was stolen and I had to replace it. When the RSX first came out, I also thought the styling was a little bland, but I found worse faults with other cars in it's class. I like the Preludes exterior, but the interior is really bland. Besides, that car is being discontinued, and the resale value (not to mention it will look very outdated shortly) would be horrible. I never drove the Celica or WRX because of their appearance. The Celica has too much "boy racer" flare. Too much bark-not enough bite. It needs to be streamlined a little bit. It looks fat, and I hate those triangle wedge tailights ever since they came out originally on earlier Preludes. I hear the WRX has a lot of punch, but when I viewed those cars on the dealer's lot, they looked too boxy and void of any luxury items. That car is made for a no thrills-only bang for your buck-driving. The interior is cheap and plain. This car is not a good commuter car. I also considered settling for a 1.8T Jetta with leather. These cars look refinded, but were only priced about $2k less than the RSX. The turbo gave it some boost, but the car starts off real slow due to the turbo lag and heavy weight. This car rode ok, but wasn't really fun to drive. You sit up high in the car-the shifter is long-and it doesn't feel that nimble. I also had concerns about VW's reliabilty and the turbo giving out. My only other choice was to save some money and buy a Civic EX until something better came along--Until I test drove the RSX. Being used to my 175hp GSR, I could not go back to a 127hp Civic. The 200hp RSX was just too sweet. The power comes more linear instead of that big VTEC jump which is awesome. It also seems quieter than the screaming GSR. That 2L makes a big difference. The shifter, just like my old GSR is short and sweet. This is why the car is fast. And with 6 speeds?? What more can you ask for? It definitely is a lot funner to drive than the other cars I tried including my old GSR. It is very quick and nimble. The brakes seem very responsive also, even though I read it's scores for braking lag it's competitors. The big difference is the interior. The interior looks and feels sportier than the old GSR. It has a small leather steering wheel. You feel connnected to the road when you drive. The dials are white with red illumination at night. It has cool a/c vents and nice accents. It looks sporty and luxurious at the same time. The seats are awesome. There's nothing like new leather bucket seats. Also, it's looks are starting to grow on me. It's looks are refined. I think it will age very gracefully. You can keep this car forever. That's another thing. Who can go wrong with Acura Quality? I had my old GSR for 5 years and never not once had to go to the dealer-just oil changes and 2 minor tune ups. And then, when my insurance company settled my stolen claim, I got back almost 60% of what I paid for it over 5 years ago. That gave me a nice chunk of cash to throw down on my new car. I'm sure this car will hold it's value just the same. Simply put, this car is the best value out there if you like a fast sharp sophisticated yet sporty reliable car. It comes loaded-200hp 6 sp.-leather seats-sunroof-6disk bose stereo-power locks/mirrors-keyless entry-alarm with kill switch all for $23K. Forget about the over priced BMW, Audi and S2000. With my old GSR, I had to add a CD player and alarm. This has it all-no need to change a thing. If your in the market, this is the car to buy. It's fun to drive-very reliable-and it will keep it's value. If you decide to get rid of it in a year or so, you'll get more money back from an Acura than anything else except perhaps a $60k Mercedes in which case you don't really have to worry about getting money back if you can afford that anyway. Also, it's great to have the latest newest style. This car is unique. There just isn't that many of them on the road. Don't worry about the styling, it will grow on you. Nobody thinks it is ugly, just not as sporty as some might want, but it is better to look like a kitty cat and bite like a tiger than vice-versa. For some cars, simple styling goes a long way-just like the Audi's. That car looks plain, but classy and refined (Just like the RSX, it won't look outdated and ugly soon-can you say Eclipse?)
  • splishsplish Member Posts: 5
    grt8dave, I couldn't agree with you more on each and every point you made! It is a great car...I test drove and looked at many in the same price "class" and found that none of the others even came close in terms of overall quality, with respect to the interior features and power...I also really like the understated sporty exterior...and security related features.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    I hear it's a very hard decision between the RSX and the C-Coupe.
  • fxashunfxashun Member Posts: 747
    But there are a few details sway toward the Acura. Check the gauge cluster, the "feel" of the interior and the price after options are added.
    It is RWD though and has safety features galore. But the supercharger has long term reliability questions also.
  • g8trdaveg8trdave Member Posts: 5
    I NEVER DROVE THE C COUPE. I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW IT EVEN EXISTED UNTIL I SAW ONE ON THE ROAD THE OTHER DAY. IT LOOKS LIKE I NICE CAR. IT HAS NICE STYLING, EXCEPT IT KINDA LOOKS LIKE THEY CHOPPED OFF THE REAR OF A NICE MERCEDES TO MAKE THIS ONE. ALSO, AS SOMEONE SAID, THE CAR JUMPS UP IN PRICE AFTER YOU ADD COMPARABLE OPTIONS. WITH THIS HIGHER PRICE, IT STARTS TO PUT IN YOU CLOSE TO A DIFFERENT CLASS OF SPORT CARS THAT YOU'D PROBABLY CONSIDER BEFORE THE MERCEDES. I ALSO WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT DRIVING A POOR MAN'S MERCEDES JUST LIKE THOSE LITTLE BEEMERS.
  • mistery33mistery33 Member Posts: 6
    i've been to the dealer twice over the last three month because the check engine light came on and they had to reprogram the computer to the more updated program. the fix held for seven weeks, and then the check engine light came on again two days ago and they reprogrammed the computer program again. any one else have this problem ? was it rectified for good? thanks... i think this is a great car but this problem is vexing.
  • splishsplish Member Posts: 5
    mistery33, are you talking about the RSX? I have only had mine a few days but no problem here...I haven't seen anyone mention that problem before on this forum either
  • splishsplish Member Posts: 5
    BTW Does anyone find there is a bit of extra "play" in the steering of the RSX? Mine seems to have too much wiggle, most noticable at 60+ MPH. Plan to have it checked at the dealer.
  • mistery33mistery33 Member Posts: 6
    dear splish,my car is a base rsx. I picked it up on 9/9 and as i stated, the computer has had to be programed at the dealer two times. the first time was soon after delivery as the check engine light came on and the dealer told me the computer program needed to be upgraded by honda. the fix held for two and one half months and then four days ago, the check engine light came on again. i took it to the dealer again and they downloaded the same program from honda again. any one else have a similar story? did they replace your car's computer? did the download hold? thanks,mistery 33
  • drewdrew94drewdrew94 Member Posts: 19
    Hey Guys and Gals,

    Sorry I haven't checked in for a few days, I have been out driving my RSX, everywhere!
    To those that wanted to know it is a manual, there is no way this car in my opinion could have that feel that the driver is connected to the road in an auto, sorry!
    The dealer also said that he is having trouble moving the autos,even here in metro Atlanta!
  • rsxerrsxer Member Posts: 1
    mistery33, I'm taking my base model to the dealer for the 3rd time because of the 'check engine' light. The 1st time, they sent the wrong code to Calif. and the technicians never responded. The problem was not fixed. The 2nd time, they replaced the oxygen sensor. I drove it 40 miles and the light came on again. This is getting a little irritating. I'll let you know what they replace this time.
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    I stand corrected - I checked into the Japanese Honda Integra (US Acura RSX) and couldn't find a 4 door model. I guess they got rid of it there, too. I still have hope, though - the sister car Civic has a 4 door. On the other hand, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for one. The market for the 4 door Integra was small, so I'm guessing we won't see a 4 door RSX.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    Please do *not* sell the RSX as a sedan. It looked awkward on the Integra and will look equally as bad on the RSX. It is simply too short a car to comfortably and aesthetically fit 4 doors. I thought the 4-door Toyota Tercel was really horrible - remember those? On the same note, extra long coupes are another no-no. I still laugh when I see those 1970s/1980s "boats" that have a door so large it requires two parking spaces of room just to open.
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    What do you think of the Civic 4-door? An RSX 4-door should have approximately the same proportions. I don't think the Civic 4-door looks too terribly out of proportion. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, though.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    Good question. You're right: the 4-door Civic doesn't look so awkward as the Integra sedan did (and still does). Maybe I need to rephrase and say if the car is "sporty", it should be a coupe/hatchback. A Civic, while a sound economical choice, looks anything but sporty. And while many folks in this forum think the RSX is an upscale Civic, I still think the RSX looks more sporty than a Civic; hence it should remain a coupe.
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    So many of the new sedans coming out look as sporty (or even sportier) than two door models. Many of the reviewers have been mentioning this. The Volvo sedans come to mind, Audi to a degree, there are others I'm sure. IMO
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    beowulf7 - how about a 5-door? Preserve the hatch looks, but add two more doors? That would be even more useful than a sedan.
  • notaconnotacon Member Posts: 5
    How does the Type S compare to the older Type R.
    Has anyone driven both? If so what do you think?
    I gave up my Type R at its lease end (wish I hadn't) cuz I was going to get the new BMW M3... but I bought an engagement ring for my Fiance instead (priorities lolz). So now that most of my income is being saved for our wedding I must get something a lot less expensive for now. My options are either to look for a used Type R or get the Type S... Does anyone know if or when RSX R will be imported here? Any advice would be appreciated!
  • dkneedsnwcrdkneedsnwcr Member Posts: 35
    I've heard is coming in 2003 or 2004. All rumours. So take that with a grain of salt.

    Couldn't help you in comparing the S to the ITR. Sorry.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    dms6, I still think that would look awkward for a car that short in length. I've seen some 5-door (sedan hatchback) wagons around, but those autos are much longer. So it makes sense for those kinds of vehicles. In terms of styling, a 5-door hatchback would look ridiculous on the RSX, IMHO. Also, what good are the rear doors when there is barely enough any room for a person 5'6" or taller to sit back there? What about kids, you ask? They're probably agile and nimble enough to easily climb behind the passenger seat. For a bigger car where it is practical to make use of the backseat for reasons other than storing luggage, I would be all for having a backseat, especially for the really long cars.

    carguy62, yes, there are some sporty looking sedans (some Dodge/Chrysler cars come to mind), but those cars are so long it would look awkward if they did *not* have 4 doors. If dms6 doesn't mind, I'd like to reword one of his posts as the following: "'sedanizing-ability' is in the eye of the beholder."
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    I can agree with you to a degree. The RSX is probably too small to look acceptable with four doors. But it isn't just the big Dodges that look sporty with four doors. Plenty of sedans in the 180-190" range look very good with four doors.

    On a side note and I hope I don't ruffle too many feathers but even though the RSX is bigger than the Integra it replaced it looks smaller. Too small IMO. Yes there is good room inside but I just can't get over how small it looks from the outside (and I like small cars).
  • jwacurajwacura Member Posts: 16
    Hi All--

    I've just completed my sales training today to sell Acuras at a local dealer(I know; I went over to the dark side). But, coincidently enough, the topic of 4 doors RSX's was discussed. According to the instructor, the Honda Prelude was discontinued so it wouldn't take sales away from the RSX. The RSX won't come out in a 4 door, so it won't take sales away from the 4 door Accord.

    I haven't confirmed it with another source, so for now, I'll take him at his word.

    Let me know if anyone wants help on any dealer oriented questions.

    Thanks,
    John W.
  • bottgersbottgers Member Posts: 2,030
    Just curious if any of you have test driven the new RSX type S with the 200 hp engine. I guess I could've read through the 800 and some posts in this topic, but that would've taken a while. If any of you have, I'd like to hear your impressions. It's a sharp looking ride! Thanks.
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    John, since you work for Acura, do you know what they plan to change (if anything) for the 2003 version of the RSX? I realize it's a relatively brand new car, so there won't be wholesale changes. However, will Acura fix the alleged engine bug (super-delicate break-in of the engine), add a console between the driver and passenger seats, introduce new colors, tweak any styling issues, etc.? Finally, when will the 2003 model come out, July (like in 2001) or in Sept. along with most of the other 2003 makes? Thanks for your willingness to help us out with dealer-oriented questions.
  • jwacurajwacura Member Posts: 16
    beowulf7-

    Sure, no problem. I'm glad to help. I return to work on Monday and I'll see what I can find out.

    John W.
  • only1harryonly1harry Member Posts: 1,140
    Why don't you go test drive the RSX-S?
    You 'll find that they 're pretty comparable in acceleration, although when fully broken in (6-10k mi.), an ITR can do 6.2 0-60 and 14.6-14.8 in the 1/4 (Motortrend TV tested a '00 ITR with a few thousand mi. on it). In the handling dept. you 'll find that the ITR is better. Simply because it's lighter, has no sunroof and one of its main purposes was to be an excellent handling car, primarily built for auto-x and road racing.
    '99 Integra GSR
    '06 Civic LX coupe
    '11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
    '13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
  • rjm12rjm12 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I purchased a base model RSX. The check engine light kept coming on. The car had some wierd code and they couldn't make sense of it so they reprogrammed it. The programming did not hold so it had to be reprogrammed again. Now it has happened again for the 3rd time. I have let the service department where I purchased the car and the HQ of Acura know and I have heard nothing. This is annoying.What are you going to do about it.
  • mistery33mistery33 Member Posts: 6
    dear rjm12, i have a similar situation with my base model. i have had the computer reprogramed two times for the same reason: check engine light came on. the first time it took for about three months then came on again.so far it has held. what is the last six digits of your vin? mine is 4664 meaning it is the 4,664 rsx made and maybe there is some relationship to when the car was made. good luck and let me know if anything else is done or happens. thanks mistery 33
  • galaxygrrlgalaxygrrl Member Posts: 21
    Hi all!

    My name is Beth and I'm debating between the S-type and the automatic (because of my bad knee).

    My first question is for those of you with beat up knees how does the stick shift feel. Right now I'm in a VW Cabrio and my knee is pretty unhappy with the standard trannie, but the RSX shifts so beautifully, I think it maybe it might be ok. I live in super hilly San Francisco and there is a lot of shifting.

    Second, If I do go with a standard RSX (which I don't want to do, but...)I still want the S-type head unit ( It's pretty!). I found some one to sell one to me along with sub woofer. I figure I will put in better speakers, so it sounds better.

    My question is, don't I need an amp? Does one some with the S-type. Is it seperate from the head unit or is it in the head unit? Do I need the Acura amp or can I buy a better one some where else?

    Thanks in adavance for your advice.

    Cheers,

    Beth
  • sevaryn17sevaryn17 Member Posts: 3
    Acura seems to make reliable cars so rjim12, and mistery33 you guys must have a couple of lemons. Rjim12 so far if you have had 3 problems within that short span of time I think can get another car because it is protected by the lemon law make sure you look that up. I kept my Acura for 9 years and when I sold it it was rusted but still ran so they make good cars unless their quality went down the drain real quick but I doubt that. PLEASE NOTE: first years new models always have problems. The manufacturer always works out problems later and sends out information to correct faulty designs. Hope you guys get your cars fixed for good.
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