Ok so I've been shopping around and found a tasty little 300 ZX I'm considering buying.. but living in Ohio there is no way in hell I'll drive that beauty (it is FLAWLESS) during the shitty weather we at times have here. So through a friend I got an offer for a typicak "shitty weather" car, namely an old Acura Integra. It is old (1994) but with only 70K miles, one owner and driven by a woman since it was new. The paint job is bad (flaking on the ceiling) but all services have been followed and it is in good technical shape. I plan to take it in for a check-up before making my decissions.
So my question ls: Anyone know much about older Integras? I know zip and zero about them to be honest. All I care about for this car is that it will get me from A to B heh since the real car (and the car I know much more about) will be the 300 ZX.
Any input would be appreciated She is only asking $2500 for it and the timing of when she wants to sell it is perfect, so...
Acura = Honda, so if she followed the recommended maint. (this includes more than oil changes) it should be in good shape. Check to see that she followed the schedule, and if she was taking it to a Honda or Acura dealer for service. If she was taking it to JoeBob's Qik Loob, I might pass.
"There is at least as much need to curb the cruel greed and arrogance of part of the world of capital, to curb the cruel greed and violence of part of the world of labor, as to check a cruel and unhealthy militarism in international relationships." -Theodore Roosevelt
Kelshara it really is worth it to spend the 20 or so bucks and get a carfax report.
carfax.com will list major repairs accidents etc. Also I would look at Edmunds.com and check out reliability ratings, typical repair expenses etc for the vehicle. You can start at http://www.edmunds.com/used/1994/acura/ ... m1.0.acura*
True Market Value on these appear to be running 4-7k which would make this a decent value.
She Dreams in Digital
\"Led Zeppelin taught an entire generation of young men how to make love, if they just listen\"- Michael Reed(2005)
Yeah I will do a Carfax report on it. Going to take a closer look on the car this coming weekend as well. All services were done at a dealer.
I also did browse Edmunds about the car and saw a lot of positive feedback, yet none of it really fit this car right. It is OLD but with very low mileage.. and it hasn't been cheated with either, I know that for sure.
I checked a lot of prices for it varying from Edmunds to Ebay and they seem to be around $3000 but with a LOT more miles. Although usually with a better paint job heh.
Kelshara wrote:Yeah I will do a Carfax report on it. Going to take a closer look on the car this coming weekend as well. All services were done at a dealer.
I also did browse Edmunds about the car and saw a lot of positive feedback, yet none of it really fit this car right. It is OLD but with very low mileage.. and it hasn't been cheated with either, I know that for sure.
I checked a lot of prices for it varying from Edmunds to Ebay and they seem to be around $3000 but with a LOT more miles. Although usually with a better paint job heh.
10 years ago I would have sweated the paint job, in Ohio though, I would have rather had reliably running heh, winter is no time to be broken down.
She Dreams in Digital
\"Led Zeppelin taught an entire generation of young men how to make love, if they just listen\"- Michael Reed(2005)
Before I bought my current car, I drove a 92 integra.... Its a Honda... thing was reliable as hell, and never failed to go from a to b... If your looking for a beater... that would be a safe way to go.
There are actually two I am looking at.. a '95 red Convertible and '96 black TT. Most tempted to go for the TT to be honest, convertible is nice but well.. it has it's downsides as well. Will see what happens.
Acura's have excellent ratings in consumer reports dating back to '96 (8 year graphs only). If I remember correctly, the thing was always recommended since it's release in the late 80's. As far as reliability goes, 80k is pretty much nothing. Probably hasn't had the timing belt replaced, but other than that, it should be pretty decent.
Now I wouldn't call the Integra the quintessential all-weather car but I know you live for sporty over all else. If I was looking to trudge through all weather situations, I'd probably look for a used Subaru. Some of them aren't half-bad looking to be honest. But then, my tastes are a lot more conservative in general I think. Still, this http://www.nctd.com/review-intro.cfm?Ve ... viewID=355 can give you a general idea of where I'm going.
Ok learning to read before posting now.
I just got a 96TT...I'll get in touch with you tomorrow about it, I'm raiding ATM so cant type much now.
But short version = 96TT = OBDII. That sucks.
Its a TT, thats good.
TT believe me you wont be happy with an NA if you can afford the TT by all means get it!
Last edited by Sendarie on June 29, 2004, 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
The reason I'm going for the Integra is that it is a co-worker of a very good friend who is selling it so I get a damn good deal.. don't really worry about it being problematic in snowy conditions, I drove a sports car year around back home. Subarus would be excellent, they are damn good cars.. and if I could get a deal like this on one of them I would go for it in a heartbeat
Ok so, at least IMO if that 96TT is in perfect condition you would be crazy to pass up on it. Now I've never lived in Ohio so I'm not too familiar with your weather problems so I cant say much there.
As for ups and downs of the 96TT, well it all depends on whether or not your getting a 5-speed or auto. I was looking for the TT with the fewest miles and in the best condition I could find so I wound up getting a 96TT auto.
Next question, do you have any intentions of modifying the TT if you get it? By "modify" I'm only talking performence.
I haven't driven out to see the TT yet, but it has low mileage and is in perfect condition. Been in a heated garage during the winter etc. It is the one I am most tempted to get to be honest.. and it will be garaged by me here as well heh. No way I'll drive that beauty during the winter!
As for weather.. I live in the lake effect area of Ohio.. aka SNOW and lots of weather changes. Hence why I am looking for a crappy bad weather car
Are you planning on moding it or keeping it bone stock?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm a 300ZX addict. I love mine and learning, reading, looking at others. And of course spending money on it too.
The greatest thing about mine is the feeling I get driving it. Meaning, every time I even have to goto the store for gas or to work I just love driving it. Sometimes I'll even take the long way around places just to get another 5 minutes of tooling around in it.
About modding: It will look completely stock. I love the lines of the 300 ZX the way they are. The only thing I might do is change the rims on it, it has the stock rims and you can get nicer looking ones than those
Modding engine wise: Undecided. I plan to keep it for a LONG time so wont do anything that will risk the engine etc.
Transmission: Manual.
I am the kind of person who loves driving. I'll go for a drive just to enjoy a nice day etc. And I love the 300 ZX so.. perfect fit!
Well the 300 ZX has been put on hold for a while due to moving etc but going to pick up the winter car now.. been looking at a Subaru SVX and so far I like pretty much everything I've seen/read about it. Once that is done I'll go back to hunting for a ZX again now that I got covered parking!
This is true.. however, Subarus are fairly reliable as well and it is AWD which is nifty since I live in the lake effect area of Ohio.. which means lots and lots of snow!
Also, ever damn Integra I have looked at is automatic and they loose quite a bit of their spiffyness with automatic.
It's a front wheel drive Honda / Acura (acutally those Acura of the time were sitll made in Japan and seem to be built better than some of the American Hondas). It should have a very peppy engine that will late for another couple hundred thousand miles with little work, a paint job is cheap. I would get a carfax just to make sure it wasn't wrecked then nab it. They are great fun to drive (it probably also has a sunroon).
The Acura I was looking at I decided not to get.. and I regret it slightly although I did not really like the car. 4 door, paint was horrible on roof, hood and trunk, and there was some other minor defects on it. Very low miles and technically perfect though.. decided against it due to having to fly and pick it up and the 8 hours drive back. Yuck.
Also, read a lot about the Integra LS being underpowered and especially the automatic ones.. and after having driven that car I agree. It is very typical for their automatic with slow reaction to hard acceleration and transmission travelling a bit on highways.
Of course my friend over there decided to pick it up as his winter car so he doesn't have to drive his G35 Coupe in the snow.
I had a 96 integra special edition until I just bought my audi a4 a few weeks ago. The integra was nice for the most part. You can basically rest assured that your timing belt will go out in one of those things shortly after 100k miles, but other than that they arent a bad choice.
As a past owner and having my first car as a 94 four-door Acura Integra, I absolutely loved the thing. It was bought new by my dad and I bought it from him, the only problem I had with it was getting new belts on the engine and that was just because they were old. Great car, good look, takes a fucking beating and asks for seconds. IMO get that car it'll last you.
Funkmasterr wrote:I had a 96 integra special edition until I just bought my audi a4 a few weeks ago. The integra was nice for the most part. You can basically rest assured that your timing belt will go out in one of those things shortly after 100k miles, but other than that they arent a bad choice.
Honda's rule of thumb when selling new cars is to tell you that you'll have to replace the timing belt at 100k.. still, it's the first major maintenance you have to do on them.. I've never owned a car for 100k miles, so I don't personally see this as a problem.
Acuras, at least pre 2k, were very dependable and well-made cars (well maintained of course!)... having moved from the north to the south, I seriously can't comprehend ever owning a nice car up where it gets cold and snowy and icy and then saltie... it just does such a job on cars and you don't see it down here.
She is only asking $2500 for it and the timing of when she wants to sell it is perfect, so...
