Honda Integra Type R: PH Carpool
Fast and frantic Honda the apple in the eye of this week's PH Carpooler
Car: Honda Integra Type R (DC2)
Owned since: November 2011
Previously owned: None!
And our man was going to buy a TT...
"Rave reviews of this car everywhere. The only negative(ish) comment I saw was in the Knowledge section of Evo - 'Too raw for some'. Brilliant, and true.
"My original intention was to buy a TT, but I also wanted something a bit more exciting and special. A 306 GTI6 (or Rallye) and Celica T-Sport were both on the list. This came up at Church's Performance Cars in West Sussex and after seeing it in the showroom I was convinced immediately. They'd actually sold it to the previous owner so had knowledge of it already. I'm very glad I didn't buy a TT."
What I wish I'd known:
"Nothing really. There are loads of buying guides and lots of info online.
"Although saying that they do rust. Badly. The rear arches rust from the inside out, so unless you strip the interior out to have a peek, you only find out once half the rear panels have fallen off.
"Also these cars are now getting old, so parts are beginning to fail. I've had a new clutch and brake master cylinder in the last year, both of which hurt in the wallet."
Small but perfectly formed zinger
"Everything. The engine sounds ballistic from 6,000rpm when the higher cam lobe comes on, and the way it keeps going right up to the redline, getting louder and more banzai. It sounds like a racing engine and cries out for more revs. Opportunities to hold on to second and third gear never come often enough...
"Also I love the outrageous rear wing that completely obscures the view out the back. And the bright red front Recaros. Everybody likes red seats."
Things I hate:
"Other people in crap cars, who always assume I want to race at every set of traffic lights. I blame the outrageous wing on the back. Q-car this is not."
Costs:
"I regularly get 30mpg-plus, insurance is reasonable and parts are widely available. I've recently rebushed the suspension with stiffer items, which would have been an expensive job to have done but given how easy the car is to work on I just did it myself. Being Japanese it actually goes back together, unlike my brother's Renault... It's serviced by TGM in Fleet, who know these cars inside out - strongly recommend them."
Not bad for a first car - Sam we salute you!
"It's my daily driver so happily goes to work and back all year. It's been on a few longer slogs across the country, and choosing back roads over motorways is always good fun. I've recently done a trip out to Wales, which was ace, and other PHers have always shown interest at Sunday Services this year."
What next?
"As my first car, it's been awesome, and I can't imagine selling it. Unmodified examples are getting very thin on the ground, and modern cars just don't seem to deliver thrills like this. Although if an NSX-R popped up for sale...
"Hopefully the next addition to the fleet will be a TVR, either Cerbera or Sagaris. Or an E39 M5. All a few years away I expect, and definitely a big step up in power."
t bI had a DC5 for 8 months a couple of years ago. Ridiculous car for bashing up and down lanes in. Never got it on track unfortunately. Probably my second favourite car over all behind the S13s I've owned.
as an overall package a wonderful car , four seater big boot lovely engine , awesome gearbox, its in my top 3 cars i have owned . it has a purity about it that is intoxicating , a practicality that is unknown , it was voted the best handling front wheel drive car of all time and i concur. you cannot fail to smile as you drop into second and the vtec screams
I'm not over having to sell mine yet, and this is not helping a bit. They just feel so satisfying to drive. I exchanged it for cash and an MX5, and the PH hero, whilst good fun in its own right, can't hold a candle to the "silly white racing car" as my nephew called it.
One day I'll have another one, probably when they're twice the bloody price.
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