|
Quote:
Yes, the road noise on a Honda is greater than a luxury brand, but a good set of tires and a couple hundred dollars worth of sound deadening goes a long way towards improving that. One of the reasons that a Honda is less expensive and more fuel efficient than a luxury car is that they are significantly lighter, its a trade-off, luxury comforts and practicality don't mix. If you want a practical DD to beat on and save fuel then I'd say go with a low displacement Honda, given that the expenses associated with owning a low end sports car would likely result in your transportation costs increasing when your initial intent seemed to be decreasing them. |
Drove a 1.8T GTI today and a Prelude. As much as the VW is rather staid looking and boxy, they're actually really nicely appointed, solid, pretty quick and not bad looking, with the right rims, color and stance. You can get these (2000-2002/3) for around $7-8K. I actually wasn't overly impressed with a prelude I drove. Granted, it wasn't a creampuff, but the interior was just too blah and it just seemed too disconnected, for being a sporty car? Decent power but seemed you needed to work it to feel it. I looked at a very nice RSX-S and I actually kind of like these the more I see them. Nice snug body, attractive interior and (reportedly) decent power. I've yet to test one but look forward to it. The Civic is def. not a consideration...sorry. And the BMW 318ti just looks awkward, even compared to the 'shoebox it came in GTI!' lol Will keep you posted! |
mk4 1.8T for sure. even better if you can find one of the special editions like the 337s or the 20AEs. :) a chip and you're good to go for a DD with enough kick in the pants to not be boring. it definitely won't be a star at the autoX but for city/highway driving, it'll do just fine. as for mileage, i get 450km of mostly city driving per 50L fill-up (when the light comes on). |
If you want something cheap to maintain, stay away from European cars. Look into an Integra GSR,170hp, lighter than a Prelude and stylish exterior. |
http://http://www.revscene.net/forums/fs-2009-chevrolet-t632155.html I know its a bit of a stretch since your looking for something around 9000 range. But I only want 4000 upfront and the rest is fianced at 0 percent. Car is extreamly reliable and still has full warranty. 400kms to the tank and will run mid 13 in a 1/4 mile. |
From what I've experienced in the past, Euro cars really aren't expensive to maintain so long as you know of the decent shops around town...and for VW's and even BMW's, there's a lot locally....now Porsches - as I have found out!...not so much $$$$ I'm looking to pay cash for a car so no financing but thanx for the heads up and good luck! ~T~ |
get a prelude.. the only honda i like |
I've had my 01 Prelude SE for exactly 10yrs now, few tips: - Double-wishbone suspension on all 4 corners. RSX & newer civics uses MacPherson struts to cut cost. - stay away from auto and SH. Auto tiptronic & SH ATTS are $$$ to repair. - Prelude burns engine oil, check every month for oil level and you'll be fine. - lots of aftermarket parts & online resources. Some parts interchangable with other hondas of the same era. - Steering & gear-change are very precise, its wide & lower stance makes it perfect for highway cruising speed. FYI in 2001 (last yr for Prelude in Canada), Honda offered the Special Edition which is a base model + SH rim + leather heated seats + electron blue pearl paint. SE is the only model u should consider. Goodluck! |
my buddy had a 2000 prelude 5 spd and just like guy above me said, it burnt alott of oil, constant electrical problems and it was pretty much a nightmare to him with all the problems.. but who knows maybe his was in worst condition than many others headlight condensation was also a big problem with his prelude and one day it messed up the headlight wiring harness assembly as well with all the water built inside.. other than that, he loved the visual appearance, power and the fairly smooth 5 spd |
If you want a reliable DD/beater, stay away from Preludes SH. Instead, opt for the latest 'SE' model you can find (SE= comes with leather, heated seats, SH wheels) Has insurance gone down on the Preludes? I remember back in 2004, a Prelude costs almost $500 more to insure than a RSX-S.. (both of which were much higher than my 02 WRX back then) |
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
i'm going to have to say prelude>gti in terms of being a honda, reliability, and less maintenance (ofcourse it will be a 5speed) the GTI is a nice driving car, but you dont want to deal with the VW repairs. Mass air flow sensors are common and expensive fail points. Timing belts & waterpumps are a PITA and expensive, the engine is sometimes really retarded to work on. If you are looking at a looking at a GTI make sure the oil change has always been done on time and that there is no gunk in the coolant. These are sludge prone engines. having worked on my sisters b6 audi a4, i will tend to stay away from vw/audi. It is a nice car at the end of the day though. I guess the ideal car here would be an Acura TSX. |
318Ti's are dope, like someone said here. there are a few on CL and they are awesome to drive and look great and RWD ;) |
Quote:
they do look good with some m3 bumpers, and some ds1's or ds2's. i believe CG motorsports has built a few of them with s52 e36 m3 motors in them :) |
Quote:
My reply is in bold. |
^if you ever want to tune your prelude, or plan on going FI, dont go SH. |
gti decent power and economical at the same time game set and match |
I've narrowed it down to either an RSX-S or a 20th AE GTI or 337 GTI.....just gotta fine tune which! ~T~ |
I'm not a car expert but every single person in my family has a Honda... because they are REALLY really great cars. Reliable, great on gas, last forever etc. Good luck! |
i have a prelude. it is a nice cruiser.. stable on the hwy, adequate power when you need it... i also have an ep3 civic.. i use the civic more in the city.. revs quite high on the hwy,, and compared to the other civics i've owned (ek si, eg si), no where as efficient. but it has a high fun factor.. |
Off-Topic, but shit like this really pisses me off about ads: http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/bn...265468525.html wtf is an auto SH? FUUUUUUU |
Quote:
I agree with the majority opinion: the Prelude is probably your best bet for your needs. |
Quote:
Getting the SH for ATTS also means 1. higher asking price 2. Less parts availability, SH uses different spring/strut and exhaust pipe length. |
Quote:
Ive never heard of the spring or struts being an issue, just buy the right ones, price does not differ very much. Exhaust pipe length is not even an argument, extended a base exhaust by a couple of inches and it fits, or just by the right one for the SH. |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:50 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
SEO by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.
Revscene.net cannot be held accountable for the actions of its members nor does the opinions of the members represent that of Revscene.net