A bargain - hurry whilst stocks last (Honda Integra TypeR)

Member Name: sidneygee

Product:	Honda Integra TypeR
Date:	20/10/00 (1019 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Power, performance, handling

Disadvantages: Noise, low/narrow seating

We were looking for a new car, a car for us, (but mainly for Heather, my wife), that would not involve consideration of the children, who now don't live with us (it is remarkable how our cost of living has fallen !). So we both had a test drive of the Honda Integra R.

Why this car ? Well, for a start, at the moment, you can buy one from a Honda dealer for under £17,000 new, wheras a year or so ago you could not get a discount from the £20,500 new price. It has the looks and performance figures that the wife says she is looking for, and being 'over 50', the insurance premium quoted has not caused apoplexy.

We took a test drive in a 1998 R registered model that had done 12,000 miles. Championship White, they call the colour and most of them are this colour (but we would want a red one, if we do buy one). Heather had first shot (with me in back).

I noted that the suspension was quite 'hard' and there was a bit of road noise, but I found it quite acceptable. So how was it for you, I asked ? She grimaced slightly, so I 'had a go' myself. I was enthralled !! OK, it will not win any awards for quiet running, but the steering really is 'pin sharp', the acceleration is 'like a rocket', and the handling superior to anything I had driven before (including several Mercedes and Alfa Romeos).

At the end of my 20 mile run - along the Edinburgh By-Pass- I was convinced that I wanted one, and assumed Heather felt the same (after all, this was one of the cars on her short list, and it was 'her turn' for the new car). She told the salesman that "we will think about it", and we then discussed our opinions. Oh did we differ !!!

The Recaro seats that I found gripped my bum and kept in its place, she found 'far too narrow', and the engine feel and sound that I found "enthralling", she described as "an unpleasant vibration". She also had diffi
culty getting in and out of the seats (so did I, but my main difficulty was having the inclination to get out of the driver seat !). She reckoned that she could not contemplate having to drive down to Chester or Sheffield in something so lacking in refinement !

I can't say that I totally agreed with her, and a car purchase is something that we must agree on, but it did demonstrate how important it is to have a long test drive - we were out for over an hour in total.

So it's back to the drawing board, it seems. We wanted to see an Accord Type R, but this dealer did not have one (see opinion on this model). And what about that Alfa Romeo 156 with the V6 engine ? Well, we eventually bought an Accord Type R, but I preferred the Integra. Apparently the reason for the price reduction is that they cannot meet the emissions regs from 01 Jan 2001 and that is why most Honda dealers have some at this discount. There will be a new model in about a year, but the Integra R has 'classic' looks.

But if it was only me making the decision on THAt afternoon - I was compeltely "sold", and an order (for a red one) would have gone in that afternoon.

Since writing my original opinion on this model, there are a number available at Honda dealers at the price indicated (£16,995), mainly in Milano Red and Championship White. Indeed one Edinburgh dealer has 2 red ones in stock (!). Three months ago, he was telling me that they were "very difficult to get" (but he did have a new white one in stock (!?). The Black colour is definitely more difficult to find.

This 'run-out' pricing should have an effect on second hand prices. The 2 year old one for our test drive was listed at £12,950, but I would bet that it would now be possible to get one of that age and mileage at under £10,000 for cash/no px. Some kind of bargain, if you are athletic enough to cope with getting in and out and can live with the
noise. In this respect, I found it no worse than the Imprezza that I tried.

If you are in the market for a coupe, try this one and compare it with the offerings from Ford and Vauxhall - I'm certian that you won't be disappointed. And if it is a second hand one that you are looking at - then BARGAIN HARD !!

Footnote.

If you find the integra too raucous, then even better deals are availble on pre-registered Preludes - £15,450 for either manual or automatic now at our local Honda Dealer (Chathams Edinburgh www. chathams.co.uk) That would have tempted me 2 months ago.

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