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Acura Integra - (All years/styles)
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Comments
I am wondering if any of you have any experience with this different size.
By the way, this has been a terrific car. Absolutely bullet proof in the five years she has had it.
I went thru 2 sets of Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires in 205/50-15 size, and really loved 'em on my GS-R. They're quiet, very grippy, and have a comfy ride (at the expense of some steering sharpnes). Treadwear is somewhere around 300 -- I was able to get 60K miles from each set of four.
www.tirerack.com has them for around $90 each, I think. Worth a look.
The Dunlop SP5000 or even SP4000 are excellent All Season tires and are also classified as high performance at the same time (not ultra-high perf). Although I 've never owned them I 've heard nothing but good things about them. I plan on getting a set for my '01 Civic soon.
BTW, I don't believe the Dunlops (or most tire companies) make the 195-55 so you 'll need to get the 205-50-15". It's the better size anyway. A little wider and is almost the same circuimfurance as the 195-55 size so your speedometer won't change much. It 'll only be off by 1mph. It'll show 1mph faster. So you will actually be going 64mph if the speedo reads 65. Don't tell your wife that so she won't compensate for it and get a ticket :=)
You can order the Dunlops from Tirerack.com too or shop around, and then get them mounted and balanced (usually costs $60) at a Firestone or reputable tire shop. They have pretty good prices. If you go to Mavis Tire or others you might pay $30+ more per tire, so shop on line if you can..
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
By the way, I am wondering what pressure you (plural) run in the 205/50 tires. I have run the recommended 35 front/33 rear on the 195/55 Michelins. They are wearing uniformly, albeit too quickly. Michelin did tell me that they no longer make the 195/55, and they recommended the 205/50.
Thanks to both of you for your help. I get to drive the Integra more now (it is my wife's car) since she took delivery on her new BMW 325Ci in February. Otherwise, I drive a Mazda pickup.
Pressure-wise, I usually ran them a little high at 38psi front and rear. This pressure worked well for me because I was primarily doing highway miles and 38psi gave me slightly better mileage. The SP5000 is a reinforced tire (very strong) that will max out at 51psi, so the extra pressure didn't bother it.
If you're just zipping aroung town, there's nothing wrong with running 33psi in all 4 tires. You will be impressed with the additional grip (particularly in the wet), I promise!
I have an 92 Acura Integra RS, manual, 158K. I had been very satisfied with it until the last year. It just could not start in the summer while it was left under the sun for the day. But after the car is cooled down, no probloem with the start. Since I am living in Cleveland and it is ok if I parked the car in the shade. But I will go to Texas soon and I am sure it will be a very annoying problem. Does anybody has the same experience? I was told by a friend it is a sensor problem. Could anybody tell me in more detail what could be wrong?
Whatever the problem is, I'd suggest you let a Honda/Acura specialist take a whack at it.
These tires surely have received rave reviews from Tirerack customers. Everyone said they are much better than the Michelin XGT.
The service from Tire Rack was terrific. The tires arrived at the installer a mere 27 hours after I ordered them. In fact, the installer told me that he buys a lot of tires for customers from Tire Rack and that they are the most knowledgeable tire folks he has ever dealt with. He also said that Dunlop has improved their tires over the past few years; he even complimented me on my choice.
Thanks to all of you for the advice. Read my next post for another question.
PS--Keep them happy: remember to rotate them regularly (every other oil change or every 5,000 miles, whichever works best for you).
Looking forward to your suggestions.
Springs, adjustable coilovers, cold air intake, brake pads, underdrive pulleys, exhaust header, etc. It all depends on what your priorities are.
The only major thing I did to my GS-R was add a DC Sports 4-2-1 ceramic-coated header, which made the car feel like it grew an extra cylinder.
I would suggest you check out the Integra forum at www.honda-tech.com
You can ask questions directly, or just lurk and pick the brains of others. It's a good resource.
I will need to pay attention to the tire rotation on the Integra as you mention.
By the way, I was in your fair city a few years ago visiting the Miller brewery in the area. They were a customer at the time, but I recall hearing that Miller closed it. I was there in January, but the weather tolerable.
All this would be OK, but my wife has a spare key made at a mall (not a genuine Honda Key) and it worked fine until the beeps came alive. Now whenever the spare key is used the alarm goes off. I somehow think all this time the alarm was in off mode or valet mode or whatever, I can't seem to set the alarm back to the noiseless mode (no annoying beeps locking and unlocking). I seriously doubt my car will get stolen anyway, so if anyone knows how to reset the alarm system back to "silent," please advise.
You didn't mention if the alarm system is the Acura dealer-installed unit or an aftermarket. However, your description of the remote matches that of the Clifford Arrow system on my daughter's Laser. If it is a Clifford, holding down the II button while pressing the I button will silence the beeps. Regarding the use of a spare key...I suspect you had inadvertently turned the valet mode off and on. I don't have the manual, so I can't help with programming.
In either case, I would assume that an Acura dealer could help you with the Acura system. If it is an aftermarket system, I could only suggest contacting a local vendor.
-AEM CAI
-better tires?
-AXXIS Ultimate front pads/Valvoline Synpower fluid
-Koni Yellows/H&R, Eibach, Ground Control, etc.
-if money left over, DC Sports JDM 4-1 header
Wicked mods.
Seems like a pretty reasonable deal to me, could probably get similar car for $16K in a private trade but am not having much luck finding one in Houston.
Sounds like the dealer wants to get rid of it quick. Try to work them for another couple hundred bucks off around the end of the month, or have them install mats or flaps for free. Hey, it never hurts to try!
Good luck.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
The recent discussion (esp. about the tires) has been VERY helpful to me. I just bought a 1997 GS - in awesome condition but needing 4 tires and brakes.
Which brings me to my question: Do I need to be careful about what kind of brakes I put on my Integra? Do you recommend any brands/any kinds? I started looking on the web and saw some green and red brake pads that looked like they were for high performance. I'm not a racer, so it's not about that. But I do want to get stuff that lasts and does the job well. I'm not sure how careful I have to be about picking brakes. Are they all the same? Well, I hope some of you all have some advice for me! Thanks, wise ones....
As far as pads go, your best best is to stick with the OE Honda/Acura part. They're cheap, quiet, and leave hardly any dust. Paired with the Brembo rotors, the stock pads will give you improved performance over the factory pad/rotor combo.
I see you live in Michigan - GO BLUE!
If BMW and Honda had a kid (gender: FWD! >;p), it would look like an Integra/RSX and grow up to be a CL. People gripe all the time about Acura... hey, if you want the BMW, get the BMW, it won't offend me whatsoever.
My Integra is an automatic, and I'd get an automatic in my next car unless I suddenly feel like shifting gears in traffic. But other than that, your wife makes perfect sense to me. A five-year-old Integra is a good trade for a new BMW 3-Series. Hopefully she figures out which one she wants more, and if she does opt for the Bimmer, make sure the Integra gets into good hands!
I wonder what will happen in the rivalry between these two when Bimmer starts selling that 1-series here - it will be the first four-cylinder and the first BMW to undercut RSX pricing in a long time.
Seems that in the past the four-cylinder BMWs were always the ones with problems - I think I would still get the RSX vs the new 1. But a three or four year old 330i, now that is a whole other story!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
She did look seriously at the RSX. She really liked the S-type, but there would have been a long wait to get one. She said that the standard model drove too much like her Integra. We both agree that the RSX is a great deal. If it proves to be as reliable as the Integra, Acura will surely have a winner for years to come. I think the RSX will be the most formidable competitor against the BMW Mini.
BMWs are expensive. But, as persons who like performance cars, we think they are worth the price.
MINI is a fadmobile toy. Hardly practical or sensible. Sporty? Hah, whatever.
Upgrading from an Integra/RSX, you will get into Acura CL, BMW 3-Series coupe, or Infiniti G35 coupe territory. If Lexus and Audi (it is rumored that they will somehow, probably based on IS300 and A4) would join the fray, then there would be plenty of choices.
Acura TSX will fulfill the entry-level sport sedan segement sorefully missing in the Acura lineup. As I said, of course it will be FWD. If you want RWD, get the BMW or the Nissan-Infiniti and stop complaining about Honda-Acura & FWD specialization. With TSX, the 3-Series looks less 'necessary' (not that there is anything 'necessary' abotu the 3-Series... it is the Ultimate Driving Machine).
If I wanted a four-door entry-level sport sedan, I would have probably gone with the rock-solid reliable Infiniti G20 which I like (Integra sedan, I don't like as much as the coupe). Upgrade from Integra to four-door? Well, you have Audi, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti to pick from... and Acura TL as well. Nothing is compelling at this time.
I have a 99 Integra LS. When i go to the parts counter at Honda, do i just tell them that i have a 99 civic? And do all civics use the same filter too, or should i specifiy a certain model (LX, EX)
Thanks for the input!
BTW- Just bought my teg used from a dealer. ~34,000 miles for roughly $14k. i was pretty happy with the deal. There have been no modifications done to the car, and it already went through acura/honda's 'glittery 150 point inspection.' Life is good when you get rid of your old college beater car and can drive something fun.
I'm wondering if anyone knows of any ways to make the Integra's ride less bumpy and quieter than it is in stock. I have a 97 GS.
I figure good tires will do a lot - anything else?
While the Integra suspension is rather stiff, I did find that replacing the original Michelin XGT tires made a big difference. I replaced them with Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires in 205/50-15 size. The ride is still firm but not nearly as harsh. The Dunlops are much quieter, and the handling is significantly better. They look better on the car since they are wider. And the effect on the speedometer is about 1.5 mph at 70mph (the speedometer reads high).
I ordered the tires from Tire Rack, and they arrived the next day at the installer. I am very pleased with them.
Nerd's suggestion about tires is a good one. Those Dunlops offer major grip and are much easier to live with than most ultra-high performance tires. If I could get them in the size my Prelude requires, I would.
I've been doing my homework and it tells me that while being $7-$8 cheaper than the 5000's (and I am strapped), the A2 got higher marks in every department at Tirerack. Also, the A2 has a 50k treadlife warranty and its treadwear rating is 420, while the 5000's is 340. The only thing that falls short is the speed rating.
Any thoughts on this tire?
(Thanks for the Dynamat suggestion!!)
They're superior in every way I've tested to the OEM Firestones, if you have any experience with those. Wet traction, dry traction, noise, ride, milage... I'm happy all around. The one thing I have yet to do is drive them in snow.
I suspect the 5000's would be a bit sportier, the A2's might be a bit better in snow and have a bit longer treadlife. But that's just from driving on A2's and comparing reviews of the 2 tires on tirerack.
I don't think the speed rating is going to make much of a difference.
Since price is a big concern for you, following Ranald's advice is likely your best choice.
Decide whether grip or treadlife is more important to you, and vote with your wallet.
Thanks for the info and comments. Totally appreciated. I'm so happy these boards are around!
I expect to reach the 200K mark by December this year. This car has been asbsolutely bullet-proof. The engine is rock solid and has had no noticeable power loss since it was new. The only negative has been the distributer failing every 45-55K miles. Other than that I have replaced normal wear items such as brake rotors, cv boots, spark plugs, etc. I did upgrade the suspension to KYB struts and Eibach Pro-Kit springs. These springs lowered just enough to get rid of the huge gap between the fender and tire. I didn't go for the low-rider look. Handling although very stiff, is still a great improvement over stock, which i felt was a bit loose, though not bad.
The original michelins did suck! I initially upgraded to Bridgestone Potenza RE71 which greatly improved handling in dry and wet. They stopped making those in my size 14", so now I use Yokohama AVS Intermediates, which are still a big improvement over stock, and the price is very attractive also. By the way did I say the factory Michelins suck?, they are horrible, i can't believe Honda puts such a bad tire on this care including the Gsr's.
I plan on upgrading to 15" wheels soon. I shall probably switch to Bridgestone Potenza RE730, 205-50. does anyone have experience with this tire?. I have looked at the reviews on TireRack and they seem very positive.
Anyone else with a very high mileage teg? What have your experience's been?