I'm thinking of buying a GSR
10-07-2010, 11:26 PM
#42
One of the best and cheapest ways to protect your car itself it to do a fuel pump cutoff setup. Simply cuttng the power flow going to the fuel pump stops the cars dead in its tracks since it doesn't have no go juice to move. Parts consist of some wire (about 16-18 gauge I suggest), a simple on/off switch, and on something this vital for the car to operate, I highly suggest soldering the connections. Looking at the diagram to the left, you see that we simply cut the OEM wire going to the pump, wire our switch inline and then we can control whether the pump is allowed to operate or not. Hiding this switch in a well concealed location will delay the thief in getting your car operational to be able to steal. Looking for more information? check out this huge and informative thread on doing this. Personally I don't recommend the locations initially brought forth in that thread (first place a thief goes: towards the steering column/fusbox), but rather really conceal the switch somewhere good.
huge and informative thread:
http://www.team-integra.net/forum/di...&TopicID=11658
10-07-2010, 11:32 PM
#43
It's quite bad in Oregon (fellow resident here), the police will follow you if you're in certain types of vehicles. I had a '91 Prelude and simply did not like the attention, the tailgating and the idiots trying to start something. My RL gets completely ignored and I love it.
couple weeks ago, i was going south on murray. cop was stopped on red light going east on tv hwy. as i crossed the intersection going 40 on 40 limit, this cop makes sudden right turn and followed me for about a half mile. oh.. and i was driving my 240sx.. i get no attention when i'm in my infiniti fx though.
10-08-2010, 12:16 AM
#44
Whether or not police profile based on appearance is up to debate but they DEFINITELY profile based on vehicle/vehicle appearance.
10-08-2010, 11:52 AM
#47
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So here goes nothin'...
I used to own a '97 GS-R Sedan White/Black, which was totaled in a hit-and-run accident in August of 2002.
Since then I always wanted another, so I picked one up in January of 2008. It is a '98 GS-R Sedan White/Black which is the one that PPLAPW showed. I bought it bone stock and modified it along the way. So that's the backstory in case you were wondering. I've learned a lot from owning the first (bought brand new), and buying the 2nd, bought used.
Commonly known problems with the Integra:
1) Depending on how hard the previous owner drove the car and if it were lowered, the rear trailing arm bushings will probably need to be replaced at some point, and it's not that cheap of a repair. IIRC, approx $400-500. It's not a repair you can do yourself either unless you have the proper tools. I have the tool, so if you want to tackle this lemme know and I can lend you the tool. Contact dallison about the repair details and process. I lent the tool to him so he can do the repair on his Integra.
2) cheap oem radiator - The OEM radiator, while performing well, is not built well. It has cheap plastic end caps that are very well known to fail. In fact, both of my Integra's required the radiators to be replaced because the end caps just failed. And there was no visible sign, at least in my Integra's that they were going to fail.
3) Window Regulators - If you didn't notice, the Sedan version of the Integra does not have door frames. While looking very awesome, is very bad for the window regulators because of the shock to the window from repeated opening and closing of the doors. The regulator's aren't cheap either. You could probably tackle doing this repair yourself, but the hard part is ensuring the regulator is installed correctly so that it is properly aligned. if it isn't, you're going to go through regulator's very quickly.
5) Oil - burning oil when in VTEC is a well known issue. It's just the nature of the beast. For some reason some integra's burn more oil than others. Don't know why. So keep an eye on those oil levels. My hopes are to install an oil pressure gauge in mine to help keep me on top of it so I don't have to do the manual checks as often.
6) Theft - Although i list this last, it's a tie for my top concern of owning an Integra. All Integra's have the same problem of theft; however, I feel the sedan's have it worse. My first Integra was broken into twice. How you say? Well that's really easy. Remember the lack of door frames on the sedan? Well, you simply slide a hanger between the rubber seal and the window and unlock the door. It's really that easy.
Another issue is the location of the hood latch cable. It can be accessed from the air inlet on the front bumper. Many owners relocate the cable to be under the hood instead and through the wheel well as extra protection, but if it breaks, makes for an interesting situation to get your hood open. 
So those are the common things that I can think of off the top of my head you should be aware of when it comes to owning an Integra. But don't let them scare you away. There's a reason why I wanted to own a second and why so many people, 9 years after the last model was produced, still rave about this little car. It's not the fastest of the bunch in any way, but with the right mods, it's a lot of fun to drive.
Now my experiences with buying a used Integra.
There certainly are a lot of things you can do to avoid problems with buying a used car. Here's a list of things that happened to Integra #2 after I bought it.
1) 105K service needed to be done (timing belt, water pump, etc) - I had no idea if the previous owner ever did it, so I played it safe and did the service.
2) Clutch/Flywheel needed to be replaced - when I test drove the car prior to purchase, the car felt fine. no slipping whatsoever. Within the first year of owning the car it started to go. So I replaced the Clutch with an OEM GS-R Clutch, OEM Type-R Flywheel (they cost the same as the GS-R Flywheel), and a Russell SS Clutch Line
3) Radiator needed to be replaced - I was at work one day an smelled coolant coming from the vents. That morning didn't smell a thing. Checked under the hood and sure enough, the top end cap was leaking and had spewed coolant everywhere.
4) Trailing arm bushings needed to be replaced - Found out about this problem when I did a used-car inspection at the dealership I go to after I bought the car. Dealt with it for as long as I could.
5) Engine needed to be rebuilt - one day I was driving home, hit vtec and the engine cut suddently and the CEL light came on. Got home and checked the code. Reported a V-TEC solenoid problem. Checked the oil and sure enough, I was down 2 quarts and I had just had an oil change done 1000 miles ago.
Needless to say, the leak-down and pressure test I had done after I bought the car didn't return any negative results so I thought the motor was fine, boy was I wrong! I ended up having the motor rebuilt. I'll leave it at that. If I ever mention that again, my wife will kill me. 
6) Brakes needed to be serviced - one of things EVERY person should do after buying a used car is get the brakes serviced. Get the system flushed and put in some new pads and get the rotors resurfaced. That's my opinion. I don't mess around with brakes simply for me and my loved ones sake. So shortly after buying the car I had the brakes serviced and while I was at it, put in Hawk HPS pads, SS brake lines, Brembo Blank rotors and had the system flushed. With how light the Integra's are, a minor brake upgrade makes a huge difference in brake performance.
These issues don't take into account all of the mods that I performed and the regular services that I did. You can read about the all the mods and my unlucky fortunes in my Integra thread that PPLAPW posted. But this is a quick brain dump of what I know and love about the Integra. Don't let any of my experience deter you, because it truly is a great little car to own for commuting and for the track.
I was able to get 34mpg on the freeway with my first Integra with only intake and header upgrade. How many performance oriented cars do you know of that can do that?
I used to own a '97 GS-R Sedan White/Black, which was totaled in a hit-and-run accident in August of 2002.
Since then I always wanted another, so I picked one up in January of 2008. It is a '98 GS-R Sedan White/Black which is the one that PPLAPW showed. I bought it bone stock and modified it along the way. So that's the backstory in case you were wondering. I've learned a lot from owning the first (bought brand new), and buying the 2nd, bought used.Commonly known problems with the Integra:
1) Depending on how hard the previous owner drove the car and if it were lowered, the rear trailing arm bushings will probably need to be replaced at some point, and it's not that cheap of a repair. IIRC, approx $400-500. It's not a repair you can do yourself either unless you have the proper tools. I have the tool, so if you want to tackle this lemme know and I can lend you the tool. Contact dallison about the repair details and process. I lent the tool to him so he can do the repair on his Integra.
2) cheap oem radiator - The OEM radiator, while performing well, is not built well. It has cheap plastic end caps that are very well known to fail. In fact, both of my Integra's required the radiators to be replaced because the end caps just failed. And there was no visible sign, at least in my Integra's that they were going to fail.
3) Window Regulators - If you didn't notice, the Sedan version of the Integra does not have door frames. While looking very awesome, is very bad for the window regulators because of the shock to the window from repeated opening and closing of the doors. The regulator's aren't cheap either. You could probably tackle doing this repair yourself, but the hard part is ensuring the regulator is installed correctly so that it is properly aligned. if it isn't, you're going to go through regulator's very quickly.
5) Oil - burning oil when in VTEC is a well known issue. It's just the nature of the beast. For some reason some integra's burn more oil than others. Don't know why. So keep an eye on those oil levels. My hopes are to install an oil pressure gauge in mine to help keep me on top of it so I don't have to do the manual checks as often.
6) Theft - Although i list this last, it's a tie for my top concern of owning an Integra. All Integra's have the same problem of theft; however, I feel the sedan's have it worse. My first Integra was broken into twice. How you say? Well that's really easy. Remember the lack of door frames on the sedan? Well, you simply slide a hanger between the rubber seal and the window and unlock the door. It's really that easy.
Another issue is the location of the hood latch cable. It can be accessed from the air inlet on the front bumper. Many owners relocate the cable to be under the hood instead and through the wheel well as extra protection, but if it breaks, makes for an interesting situation to get your hood open. So those are the common things that I can think of off the top of my head you should be aware of when it comes to owning an Integra. But don't let them scare you away. There's a reason why I wanted to own a second and why so many people, 9 years after the last model was produced, still rave about this little car. It's not the fastest of the bunch in any way, but with the right mods, it's a lot of fun to drive.
Now my experiences with buying a used Integra.
There certainly are a lot of things you can do to avoid problems with buying a used car. Here's a list of things that happened to Integra #2 after I bought it.
1) 105K service needed to be done (timing belt, water pump, etc) - I had no idea if the previous owner ever did it, so I played it safe and did the service.
2) Clutch/Flywheel needed to be replaced - when I test drove the car prior to purchase, the car felt fine. no slipping whatsoever. Within the first year of owning the car it started to go. So I replaced the Clutch with an OEM GS-R Clutch, OEM Type-R Flywheel (they cost the same as the GS-R Flywheel), and a Russell SS Clutch Line
3) Radiator needed to be replaced - I was at work one day an smelled coolant coming from the vents. That morning didn't smell a thing. Checked under the hood and sure enough, the top end cap was leaking and had spewed coolant everywhere.
4) Trailing arm bushings needed to be replaced - Found out about this problem when I did a used-car inspection at the dealership I go to after I bought the car. Dealt with it for as long as I could.
5) Engine needed to be rebuilt - one day I was driving home, hit vtec and the engine cut suddently and the CEL light came on. Got home and checked the code. Reported a V-TEC solenoid problem. Checked the oil and sure enough, I was down 2 quarts and I had just had an oil change done 1000 miles ago.
Needless to say, the leak-down and pressure test I had done after I bought the car didn't return any negative results so I thought the motor was fine, boy was I wrong! I ended up having the motor rebuilt. I'll leave it at that. If I ever mention that again, my wife will kill me. 6) Brakes needed to be serviced - one of things EVERY person should do after buying a used car is get the brakes serviced. Get the system flushed and put in some new pads and get the rotors resurfaced. That's my opinion. I don't mess around with brakes simply for me and my loved ones sake. So shortly after buying the car I had the brakes serviced and while I was at it, put in Hawk HPS pads, SS brake lines, Brembo Blank rotors and had the system flushed. With how light the Integra's are, a minor brake upgrade makes a huge difference in brake performance.
These issues don't take into account all of the mods that I performed and the regular services that I did. You can read about the all the mods and my unlucky fortunes in my Integra thread that PPLAPW posted. But this is a quick brain dump of what I know and love about the Integra. Don't let any of my experience deter you, because it truly is a great little car to own for commuting and for the track.
I was able to get 34mpg on the freeway with my first Integra with only intake and header upgrade. How many performance oriented cars do you know of that can do that?
Last edited by Sly Raskal; 10-08-2010 at 01:39 PM.
10-08-2010, 11:52 AM
#48
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By the way, sorry for the long post, but just wanted to help you out. 
Here's a link to my Integra in my Garage if you wanna learn more about mine and see all the pics ...
https://acurazine.com/forums/garage/...SlyRaskal.html
Here's a link to my Integra in my Garage if you wanna learn more about mine and see all the pics ...
https://acurazine.com/forums/garage/...SlyRaskal.html
Last edited by Sly Raskal; 10-08-2010 at 11:55 AM.
Hopefully mine will one day be in that good of a condition.
10-08-2010, 02:22 PM
#50
Quick update (don't have much time)
Tickets are booked, going to pick it up with my friend, flying in on Wednesday night into Atlantic City and going to pick up the car Thursday.
Hopefully everything goes well and I'm satisfied with the car.
Will report back soon.
Thanks for all the info guys.
Tickets are booked, going to pick it up with my friend, flying in on Wednesday night into Atlantic City and going to pick up the car Thursday.
Hopefully everything goes well and I'm satisfied with the car.
Will report back soon.
Thanks for all the info guys.
10-08-2010, 03:22 PM
#52
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Good luck!
If I were you I'd research some reputable shops in the area, see if you can make an appointment to inspect the car while you're in town.
If I were you I'd research some reputable shops in the area, see if you can make an appointment to inspect the car while you're in town.
10-17-2010, 01:29 PM
#54
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10-17-2010, 08:37 PM
#55
Three Wheelin'
Nice pick up. Fix that rust and make it look nice... but not too nice. Even the most secure Integra's get stolen in only a few minutes. Thieves have got it down to a science.
Fix that rust and make it look nice... but not too nice. Even the most secure Integra's get stolen in only a few minutes. Thieves have got it down to a science.
10-17-2010, 08:49 PM
#56
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Lojack and/or Alarm
Removeable Steering Wheel
Fuel Cutoff
Relocate hood release cable
Relocate door lock switches
Lots of things can be done to improve security.
Removeable Steering Wheel
Fuel Cutoff
Relocate hood release cable
Relocate door lock switches
Lots of things can be done to improve security.
Last edited by Sly Raskal; 10-18-2010 at 09:33 AM.
10-18-2010, 05:43 AM
#57
Someday, an RS6 Avant+
If you get rid of the rust, spray it in a primer color, put steel wheels on it (no hubcaps either), and rip the stereo out, no one will take it. Really.
10-18-2010, 11:02 PM
#60
So far:
1. Getting rid of the ridiculously low drop (they're skunk2 springs). I'm getting Eibachs put on for more of a conservative drop.
2. Timing belt service, belt, water pump, tensioner, and thermostat, oil change, valve cover gasket
3. Spark plugs + wires
4. Getting rid of Greddy exhaust can, currently looking at axleback options.
5. Rear trailing arm bushings were toast. New ones by Energy getting put in.
6. Seafoam, can't wait to see the billowing smoke haha
Anything else you guys can think of to get this into good running condition? The brakes and tires are brand new, clutch is new, etc. Radiator is new as well.
Oh ya, the body panels don't exactly look good. Lots of clear coat coming off and oxidation, so I will be sending it in for paint after a few months, but first, I wanted it to be in sound mechanical condition
1. Getting rid of the ridiculously low drop (they're skunk2 springs). I'm getting Eibachs put on for more of a conservative drop.
2. Timing belt service, belt, water pump, tensioner, and thermostat, oil change, valve cover gasket
3. Spark plugs + wires
4. Getting rid of Greddy exhaust can, currently looking at axleback options.
5. Rear trailing arm bushings were toast. New ones by Energy getting put in.
6. Seafoam, can't wait to see the billowing smoke haha
Anything else you guys can think of to get this into good running condition? The brakes and tires are brand new, clutch is new, etc. Radiator is new as well.
Oh ya, the body panels don't exactly look good. Lots of clear coat coming off and oxidation, so I will be sending it in for paint after a few months, but first, I wanted it to be in sound mechanical condition
Last edited by thevikas87; 10-18-2010 at 11:08 PM.
10-18-2010, 11:08 PM
#63
I was flipping through the manual and a Lojack card fell out. It has the car's VIN on it and the name of one of the previous owners. I'm going to call Lojack and get details, but I assume it must have some sort of system already installed. One of my friends is going to do a few other things for added security.
10-18-2010, 11:09 PM
#65
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If I were you, put in new shocks while you're putting in new springs.
I would also suggest putting in a new PCV. Check the brake and clutch fluids to see if they are dirty to see if you need to have the fluids flushed/exchanged. Also, when was the last time the previous owner did an alignment? after you swap springs (and shocks???) wait a few months, see how bad your alignment is and get a camber kit and have it aligned. Last thing you want is for those new tires to prematurely wear.
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
I would also suggest putting in a new PCV. Check the brake and clutch fluids to see if they are dirty to see if you need to have the fluids flushed/exchanged. Also, when was the last time the previous owner did an alignment? after you swap springs (and shocks???) wait a few months, see how bad your alignment is and get a camber kit and have it aligned. Last thing you want is for those new tires to prematurely wear.
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
10-18-2010, 11:23 PM
#66
If I were you, put in new shocks while you're putting in new springs.
I would also suggest putting in a new PCV. Check the brake and clutch fluids to see if they are dirty to see if you need to have the fluids flushed/exchanged. Also, when was the last time the previous owner did an alignment? after you swap springs (and shocks???) wait a few months, see how bad your alignment is and get a camber kit and have it aligned. Last thing you want is for those new tires to prematurely wear.
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
I would also suggest putting in a new PCV. Check the brake and clutch fluids to see if they are dirty to see if you need to have the fluids flushed/exchanged. Also, when was the last time the previous owner did an alignment? after you swap springs (and shocks???) wait a few months, see how bad your alignment is and get a camber kit and have it aligned. Last thing you want is for those new tires to prematurely wear.
Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.
I will look into the PCV. I know the brake and clutch fluids are both fine because of recent services that were done.
I'll do an alignment as soon as the new springs are installed. Do you think a camber kit is really necessary? If so, which one do I buy?
10-18-2010, 11:31 PM
#67
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Shocks are 5 months old, so I won't be replacing those/
I will look into the PCV. I know the brake and clutch fluids are both fine because of recent services that were done.
I'll do an alignment as soon as the new springs are installed. Do you think a camber kit is really necessary? If so, which one do I buy?
I will look into the PCV. I know the brake and clutch fluids are both fine because of recent services that were done.
I'll do an alignment as soon as the new springs are installed. Do you think a camber kit is really necessary? If so, which one do I buy?
Nearly every car that is lowered requires a camber kit. The kit you buy depends on how much your car is lowered as each have varying degrees of camber correction that they can perform. I purchased an Ingalls Polyurethane camber kit for the front and rear for my GS-R. The polyurethane bushing version squeaks A LOT, but it is a stiffer kit supposedly providing a stiffer ride. If you don't want the squeak, get a rubber bushing version. There are many styles of kits out there. You gotta choose the one that matches what you want/like. Skunk2, Ingalls, and I think Eibach are just a few that make camber correction kits.
10-19-2010, 11:27 AM
#68
Regarding the shocks, I understand they may be new, but be aware that running lowering springs on stock shocks will cause the shocks to prematurely wear = blown shocks earlier and/or degrading suspension performance. If that doesn't bother you for now, then no biggie, just replace them when they blow out or get to the point where they don't perform as they should be. But the other thing to remember is that a stock shock reacts completely differently than a sport shock. A sport shock will help keep your car from bottoming out; whereas the primary function of the stock shock in most cars is to provide a smooth ride, which in most cases requires more travel = bottoming out in some conditions.
Nearly every car that is lowered requires a camber kit. The kit you buy depends on how much your car is lowered as each have varying degrees of camber correction that they can perform. I purchased an Ingalls Polyurethane camber kit for the front and rear for my GS-R. The polyurethane bushing version squeaks A LOT, but it is a stiffer kit supposedly providing a stiffer ride. If you don't want the squeak, get a rubber bushing version. There are many styles of kits out there. You gotta choose the one that matches what you want/like. Skunk2, Ingalls, and I think Eibach are just a few that make camber correction kits.
Nearly every car that is lowered requires a camber kit. The kit you buy depends on how much your car is lowered as each have varying degrees of camber correction that they can perform. I purchased an Ingalls Polyurethane camber kit for the front and rear for my GS-R. The polyurethane bushing version squeaks A LOT, but it is a stiffer kit supposedly providing a stiffer ride. If you don't want the squeak, get a rubber bushing version. There are many styles of kits out there. You gotta choose the one that matches what you want/like. Skunk2, Ingalls, and I think Eibach are just a few that make camber correction kits.
I'm also throwing in the new PCV that you recommended.
10-19-2010, 11:39 AM
#69
man makes me want to look for some integras... i remember back in college my friend pick up one... it was stolen in 2 days... serves him right for parking it on the street in Newark... police found it a few days later stripped bare... it was bone stock...
maybe i should have took the frame off him... there wasn't any rust at the time...
maybe i should have took the frame off him... there wasn't any rust at the time...
10-19-2010, 12:16 PM
#70
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Check valve clearance while you're doing spark plugs, and maybe the spark plug seals. Transmission fluid change/flush, that's all I can think of for now.
I'd get the security stuff taken care of as well before you start anything cosmetic at all.
I'd get the security stuff taken care of as well before you start anything cosmetic at all.
10-19-2010, 12:17 PM
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And I kinda like the drop. It doesn't look right now because the body isn't in perfect condition, but I think once the exterior's taken care of the drop will compliment it. I'd suggest holding off on changing them until you see how it looks with everything taken care of. If you still don't like it, switch out.
10-19-2010, 12:18 PM
#73
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And speaking of paint, have you tossed around ideas as far as colour? Or will you just e paint matching the damaged panels?
10-19-2010, 12:29 PM
#77
And I kinda like the drop. It doesn't look right now because the body isn't in perfect condition, but I think once the exterior's taken care of the drop will compliment it. I'd suggest holding off on changing them until you see how it looks with everything taken care of. If you still don't like it, switch out.
10-19-2010, 12:43 PM
#79
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As far as suspension though, depending on what shocks the guy is running already, you may want to invest in a Ground Control setup so that you can fine tune the height you want while still using the shocks you already have. I suggest this because you gotta buy new springs anyway and it will be worth your while to do this now.
I regret not getting a Ground Control setup when I dropped my GS-R because I have shocks that are compatible with their systems and it would have saved me all the trouble I have with each corner being at a different height.
I'm currently running NEUSPEED Sport Springs with the NEUSPEED version of KONI Yellow Shocks (they have 5 spring perches instead of 3)http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/index.php
Last edited by Sly Raskal; 10-19-2010 at 12:49 PM.
