To buy an Integra over other jap performance cars?
Discussion
I'm gonna get an evo 5, subaru r\ra, supra, skyline gts or integra dc2.
Right now I'm thinking of going for an integra dc2 because I heard lots of good things about it . people say it feels 'raw, racey, different from other jap performance cars' etc. From all the reviews I've seen it seems people are suggesting it's one of the more fun cars though it's not the fastest.
I haven't driven an dc2 and wanted to ask those who have what their experience was. for those that have experienced an integra and at least one other aforementioned car, which car was it and ignoring aesthetic reception, would you choose the integra over the other, if yes/no why?
if you haven't driven the dc2please give your thoughts too based on what you've heard though the former people would be better placed to answer my question.
Right now I'm thinking of going for an integra dc2 because I heard lots of good things about it . people say it feels 'raw, racey, different from other jap performance cars' etc. From all the reviews I've seen it seems people are suggesting it's one of the more fun cars though it's not the fastest.
I haven't driven an dc2 and wanted to ask those who have what their experience was. for those that have experienced an integra and at least one other aforementioned car, which car was it and ignoring aesthetic reception, would you choose the integra over the other, if yes/no why?
if you haven't driven the dc2please give your thoughts too based on what you've heard though the former people would be better placed to answer my question.
Edited by SpeedySpeedBoy on Sunday 26th November 04:24
Edited by SpeedySpeedBoy on Sunday 26th November 07:59
Just bought a dc2. Actually bought it in May but only picked it up from the importer in October.
All the buzz words are right - raw, visceral, darty, addictive. Very pleased with mine and glad I bought one after mulling over it for nearly 10 years (literally). Only done 600 miles before I put it away for winter but it's a really fun car and worth the (relatively) large price tag they command (for their age).
Really can't comment on how it will be compared to an Evo, STI etc. I've never been in a high powered jap car. Had never even sat in a Honda before the dc2! I have had an Astra GSI (mk4) and an Abarth 500 however and performance wise the 'Teg is in and around the same pace.
Unsure how the price of integras will change over the next few years, unsure if that bothers you but I find it hard to think they can go much higher.
What I will say about mine is it feels fantastic even though it is 19.5 years old - the seats, dash, gearshift, initial turn of the key, LSD. If you buy a well looked after one you should only really have to pay for tyres, disks and pads.
All the buzz words are right - raw, visceral, darty, addictive. Very pleased with mine and glad I bought one after mulling over it for nearly 10 years (literally). Only done 600 miles before I put it away for winter but it's a really fun car and worth the (relatively) large price tag they command (for their age).
Really can't comment on how it will be compared to an Evo, STI etc. I've never been in a high powered jap car. Had never even sat in a Honda before the dc2! I have had an Astra GSI (mk4) and an Abarth 500 however and performance wise the 'Teg is in and around the same pace.
Unsure how the price of integras will change over the next few years, unsure if that bothers you but I find it hard to think they can go much higher.
What I will say about mine is it feels fantastic even though it is 19.5 years old - the seats, dash, gearshift, initial turn of the key, LSD. If you buy a well looked after one you should only really have to pay for tyres, disks and pads.
Its too hard to advise one way or another.
I was after a DC2 for a while years back and imported one after a few Galant vr4's. Great car, really does feel special and as per the comments above but I just didn't "gel" with it like I thought i would. I know this sounds daft but it really didn't suit me in terms of the high revving engine, locally the roads are decent but it just felt like I was the local nuisance driving it
I think it just came down to a personal preference to turbos or larger engines. The 1.8 in the DC2 is a masterpiece, it really is. I prefer feeling faster at lower revs and having that feeling without needing to rev higher all the time. It might sound daft but that's just how it felt to me.
So sorry, but in summary its really a personal thing. I do still keep my eye on another Dc2 or maybe an Accord Euro R but mostly I'm drawn to the turbo (r32 GTR in the garage).
I was after a DC2 for a while years back and imported one after a few Galant vr4's. Great car, really does feel special and as per the comments above but I just didn't "gel" with it like I thought i would. I know this sounds daft but it really didn't suit me in terms of the high revving engine, locally the roads are decent but it just felt like I was the local nuisance driving it
I think it just came down to a personal preference to turbos or larger engines. The 1.8 in the DC2 is a masterpiece, it really is. I prefer feeling faster at lower revs and having that feeling without needing to rev higher all the time. It might sound daft but that's just how it felt to me.
So sorry, but in summary its really a personal thing. I do still keep my eye on another Dc2 or maybe an Accord Euro R but mostly I'm drawn to the turbo (r32 GTR in the garage).
The integra for ease of tuning, availability of parts, handling, raw driving experience. I've had subarus and evos currently have a 3. The v tec roar from a healthy b18 is addictive. They can take a good thrashing and almost thank you for it. In my experience when something goes wrong with a subaru or an evo they can be very hard on the wallet.
If you like darty, raw etc then the R33 GTST (I think thats around the same price range?) is not something you will like. I had one and its a straightline brute, tonnes of shove but not a rigid body and certainly carrying a few extra pounds. Epic car though, gets a lot of attention.
In a Celica ST205 now, gets hardly any mention but point to point on B roads is a fantastic piece of kit for around £5k
In a Celica ST205 now, gets hardly any mention but point to point on B roads is a fantastic piece of kit for around £5k
Bored at work so I'll give you my thoughts on some similar cars I've driven relative to each other, unfortunately haven't driven a DC2, only a DC5 (and only a few times 
)
All of the controls - steering, brakes (feel), gears are quite comparable on all the cars.
DC5 - easier than the others to get the most out of, but not less involving for it. It's not effortlessly quick, my ex had one and couldn't seem to grasp the concept of vtec so well, it was sometimes painful being in the car with her as it's lifeless below the top part of the rev range. I had a late night play with a 997 911 Turbo over a great road, the Porsche was far more capable. The only reason I kept him in sight was for the fact he clearly wasn't local. However, it sticks in my mind as one of my best driving memories. It's a great car to drive on the limit. Although it's slower than the Jap turbo alternatives.
Evo (tommi makinen) Hard to fault. This car was done right. Everything is in the right place in terms of controls. Feels like an event every time you drive it. Interior is 90's but for some reason I still find it a nice place to be. Very capable. Hard to find examples which haven't suffered from rust. Best to import with a reputable importer and get the underneath professionally sealed. These are very similar to the Evo 5 and 6 GSR's
R33 GTR - Ridiculously tuneable and fast. Prices unfortunately risen a lot in the last year or 2, but still the best value GTR. Also susceptible to rust but don't seem quite as prone as the Evo's. The most capable car I think I've driven, always feels as though it can handle more than you ask of it. Opening the bonnet and seeing that RB26 sat there is always a nice feeling. Gearing way longer than the Evo. Relative to the Evo, this is more suited to higher speeds and longer more sweeping corners.
Impreza - I've only driven a Hawkeye Sti, my brother had a mapped 2.5 with an (almost) straight through exhaust. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I could not get enough of the noise. It was nice to have the 6th gear, the others can get a bit drony when you're doing long 70mph stints. Very comparable to the Evo performance wise, not sure about the earlier years. The 2.5 sti engine was very unreliable, my brothers one blew the HG months after he sold it. The new owner forged it and encountered more problems. You can get the 2.0 JDM engine'd Hawkeye but they have the equal length manifolds so you lose most of the noise.
The DC2 is a completely different animal to the jap turbo cars. It sounds like you have your heart set on one? The pads/disks/clutches will all be cheaper I imagine. The old vtec engine cars have a unique appeal and going by the reviews the DC2 is the best of the bunch.
)All of the controls - steering, brakes (feel), gears are quite comparable on all the cars.
DC5 - easier than the others to get the most out of, but not less involving for it. It's not effortlessly quick, my ex had one and couldn't seem to grasp the concept of vtec so well, it was sometimes painful being in the car with her as it's lifeless below the top part of the rev range. I had a late night play with a 997 911 Turbo over a great road, the Porsche was far more capable. The only reason I kept him in sight was for the fact he clearly wasn't local. However, it sticks in my mind as one of my best driving memories. It's a great car to drive on the limit. Although it's slower than the Jap turbo alternatives.
Evo (tommi makinen) Hard to fault. This car was done right. Everything is in the right place in terms of controls. Feels like an event every time you drive it. Interior is 90's but for some reason I still find it a nice place to be. Very capable. Hard to find examples which haven't suffered from rust. Best to import with a reputable importer and get the underneath professionally sealed. These are very similar to the Evo 5 and 6 GSR's
R33 GTR - Ridiculously tuneable and fast. Prices unfortunately risen a lot in the last year or 2, but still the best value GTR. Also susceptible to rust but don't seem quite as prone as the Evo's. The most capable car I think I've driven, always feels as though it can handle more than you ask of it. Opening the bonnet and seeing that RB26 sat there is always a nice feeling. Gearing way longer than the Evo. Relative to the Evo, this is more suited to higher speeds and longer more sweeping corners.
Impreza - I've only driven a Hawkeye Sti, my brother had a mapped 2.5 with an (almost) straight through exhaust. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I could not get enough of the noise. It was nice to have the 6th gear, the others can get a bit drony when you're doing long 70mph stints. Very comparable to the Evo performance wise, not sure about the earlier years. The 2.5 sti engine was very unreliable, my brothers one blew the HG months after he sold it. The new owner forged it and encountered more problems. You can get the 2.0 JDM engine'd Hawkeye but they have the equal length manifolds so you lose most of the noise.
The DC2 is a completely different animal to the jap turbo cars. It sounds like you have your heart set on one? The pads/disks/clutches will all be cheaper I imagine. The old vtec engine cars have a unique appeal and going by the reviews the DC2 is the best of the bunch.
I go DC5 if I was you. DC2's are starting to wear a lot nowadays so many have be fleeced to death and rebuilds aren't out of the question on the B18 along with rust and suspension parts starting to go and gearboxes can be really ropey. For the money there are starting to make id expect engine and gearbox rebuild and near impossible to get a clean shell on them rustiest car i've ever owned.
Edited by dufunk on Tuesday 19th December 15:20
Edited by dufunk on Tuesday 19th December 15:21
What are the integras like for rust?
As much as I like Evo5 and STI Type R's (which are nothing like a Hawkeyes with a noisey exhaust??), they are now of an age where the lack of underseal when imported is making it hard to find a clean one.
Also, every single one has been modified by now, so no two cars will ride/sound the same.
IF, you can find a clean one though, the AWD grip when pulling away is very consistent in all weathers and you only notice the roads are wet when you get back in a 2WD car.
As much as I like Evo5 and STI Type R's (which are nothing like a Hawkeyes with a noisey exhaust??), they are now of an age where the lack of underseal when imported is making it hard to find a clean one.
Also, every single one has been modified by now, so no two cars will ride/sound the same.
IF, you can find a clean one though, the AWD grip when pulling away is very consistent in all weathers and you only notice the roads are wet when you get back in a 2WD car.
Hol said:
What are the integras like for rust?
As much as I like Evo5 and STI Type R's (which are nothing like a Hawkeyes with a noisey exhaust??), they are now of an age where the lack of underseal when imported is making it hard to find a clean one.
Also, every single one has been modified by now, so no two cars will ride/sound the same.
IF, you can find a clean one though, the AWD grip when pulling away is very consistent in all weathers and you only notice the roads are wet when you get back in a 2WD car.
DC5 or DC2?As much as I like Evo5 and STI Type R's (which are nothing like a Hawkeyes with a noisey exhaust??), they are now of an age where the lack of underseal when imported is making it hard to find a clean one.
Also, every single one has been modified by now, so no two cars will ride/sound the same.
IF, you can find a clean one though, the AWD grip when pulling away is very consistent in all weathers and you only notice the roads are wet when you get back in a 2WD car.
DC5s seem pretty good on the whole compared to other ageing jap metal, most are fairly recent imports, so rust free...some of the older ones start to go on the rear arches, but enthusiast owned cars have usually been looked after, most of the owners i know don't even drive theirs in the winter.
My dc5 has been in the UK 11 years, and i just had it re-undersealed, it was very good underneath, but it is low miles (70k).
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