New England B.S. Thread

I used to have a blob, if I'm buying another its definitely gonna be another blob (yeah right hahaha). Its definitely shitty that you have to set aside blown motor money to even consider it but hey, I like what I like

 

Pics? Spec sheet?

I had seen these as potential Integra spy shots


and I had high hopes that this would be the coupe version. That with even the 10th gen Civic Si motor with some tweaks would be a FUN car. My friend has a 10th gen Civic Si with a few bolt ons and a Hondata 9 PSI tune and it rips for what it is. He had a 2006 WRX wagon he bought new that he tuned to like 20 psi and ran it like that for 200k (on the original clutch, no less) and he said his Civic doesn't feel much slower.

 

That's what we all hoped it would have been, a true Integra or even RSX successor (the spy photos make it look like the latter with current lighting treatment). 200 hp in a small coupe is very different from 200 hp in a ~180" long sedan, regardless of transmission available.

 

Exactly. I never liked the RSX name, especially since it was still the Integra in other markets (hell the Legend name stayed around in Japan for years), but it at least aligned with whatever dumb thing Acura was doing at the time.

That being said, the fact you can even get a manual in the Integra is a win since Honda quietly discontinued the manual in the Accord in 2020. My friend wanted a 2020 Sport 6MT but dragged his feet too long and there were none left when he finally commited to buy.

 

Those 2.0T 6MT Accords were great cars. The V6/6MT Accord Coupe was seriously underappreciated, too. Honda has made some real gems over the years. Unfortunately the new Integra doesn't look to be one of them, or at least not until a Type-S/Type-R lands.

 

Meh. If you told me that was the new kia/hyundai/subaru/honda/toyota/GM/dodge/Tesla I would say "yeah looks like it". But, performance and looks are different. I like it but I am way too utilitarian for the luxury brands. I like to get the base model, for me it's an A to B machine. Fancy is fancy but I couldn't care less, I think my TRD Off Road will be the highest trim I'll ever buy of something. That's because I've wanted a white Tacoma TRD OR since I was like, 12

I do like the Golf. But, same as above, I would just get a whatever hatchback. I had the Mazda 3, I got the 2.5 "sport" trim, S GT, that thing had leather heated seats and a sunroof. Both requirements buying my first big boy car, and getting better MPG than the Jeep I had. It got 23 city/27 highway (Not significantly better than the Tacoma, at least), was fun to drive but - I got back into a truck.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I have been looking at a beater 4 banger NA something, like a Mazda 2 or Corolla as a shared vehicle for me and the wife. Something that I can use when my truck has a blown radiator mostly, but same when hers is down for brakes or whatever. Something cheap and simple.

 

That’s good to know , thanks.

Thanks for the offer and I’ll keep it in mind. @Taco01863 863 and @tacobell007 have these and have offered. Gotta get rolling on this but first order parts

 

This was years ago, ill have to dig around on Instagram but it was bone stock except for a couple things here and there. Still miss driving that thing

The golf allsport was a consideration while I was looking for something new before the taco. Small, quick, manual, ticked a lot of boxes for me. Buddy of mine has a bolt on+tuned golf r for a daily, let me take it for a rip and I've been jonesing for a fun car ever since lol

 

You just gave me tingly loins talking about the WRX hatch...there's been rumors they were coming back but doesn't look like it based on any recent teasers for the upcoming redesign.

 

I did actually find a spoiler of the engine online

Spoiler: Spoiler

 

Yeah - I had the 2.5 Mazda, auto. I should have just kept it as our third vehicle, I didn't get a big chunk of change at trade in, could have been a pretty fun car to keep around. But I'll probably look for something dinky, cheap, efficient, and wicked easy to maintain. It was nice - didn't have a backup camera or a complicated screen in the dash. I DO like the simplicity of my wireless carplay, but there was something to be said. And tiptronic instead of this stupid sequential. And a transmission that would behave.

...WTF why do I have a tacoma

I think a WRX would be too much for me. Not that I couldn't handle it, but just that - even a 2.5L NA AM, one of the reasons I got the tacoma was that, it wasn't a sports car but it was zippy. I was keeping up with someone passing traffic on RI 114. It's a 45-50 limit, where we were at the time was a 45. We were passing in the left lane, the right lane was probably 5-10 under us. Then we absolutely blew the doors off this one guy, figured he must have been going I dunno, 20? Way too slow for the road. Looked down - we were clocking along at ~80.

....40 over the speed limit isn't pay a 50$ fine and be on your way. That's like, there's a chance I'm riding my bicycle to work for a few months. I am not a speed connoisseur, to be sure, but that car was very easy to just get zipping. But, that said, it was fun...and when faced with actually buying another car, I'll probably get the sport trim automatic again, easy to drive, enough zip but not enough that it's a "statement".

I DO like the hatchback though. Man, my dog didn't LOVE being in the hatch, but that was so easy. Bay water, mud, whatever. Hop on up doggo, hang out back here for the ride home. Longer drives she would get a blanket in the back seat or the seats down and curl up, but a short jaunt down to the bay so she could swim, I do miss that. Now she's in the cab right behind me, and I don't have any bed setup for her to hang out in. Depending on if she gets sprayed by a skunk I can jerry rig something with her harness and leash though, haven't had to yet.






....I am easily distracted, I guess.

 

Sad noises

 

I wish you could still buy cars a la carte. I could care less about trim designations, just let me select the features I want. I hate that there's bundles, especially when some of the weirdest lock-outs exist. That being said, depending on the purpose of the vehicle, the desired options can change a lot. Never in a million years would I have wanted a power liftgate in a vehicle but after having one and having kids, it's a great option. Basically my only requirements in a vehicle is the best technology headlights they have available from OEM, heated seats, and a sunroof. Anything else I can fix. It's a shame that Toyota has locked the heated seats / sunroof behind the leather seats these days. I have zero desire to own a vehicle with leather seats and even when I redid them in the Vette I wanted a cloth option, but there wasn't one readily available.

I'll hold my thoughts until I see the new cars in the flesh, but the photos I've seen are rough. I don't understand the cladding. I mean, I know the old GTIs and the old Euro hot hatches had them but it reminds me too much of the Crosstrek (although they missed that opportunity to throw the WRX motor in that).

In stock form the WRX isn't all that fast, at least compared to most modern cars. That being said, automatic immediately removes a car out of contention for me. A Mazda 3 in stick or even a Corolla hatch with a stick seems entertaining, but swap that for an autobox and it might as well be a minivan. It's why the new Supra doesn't really land on my aspiration list and while I had given thought to a GTI with the DSG so my wife could drive it, I feel like it would eventually eat my soul.

That being said, I get the speed thing. My STi was only really fun to drive when the tach went past 3,500 and I started getting into boost. The problem is a 2-3-4 pull would easily push me over 90 MPH. My street is just about a half mile long, 1/8 mile residental, 1/4 mile commercial, 1/8 residential. It wasn't difficult to plant it in 2nd gear at the beginning of the commercial and hit 90 mph before hitting the binders before my house. I only did it once, but that would be a "step out of the vehicle sir" scenario. It's one of the reasons I sold it in 2016. I'm just starting to miss it again. The Vette is a fine replacement, but the stigma is wearing on me. The forums are unreadable.

I don't know if I went back down the rabbit hole with a WRX if I'd end back up with a car too quick to enjoy. That's with a Fiesta ST is appealing because while it's quick and nimble, it's not stupid fast.

Beautiful MY04! I always heard those were the rawest of the GD cars, although they must be a pain to get parts for since there's a lot of one year only pieces. I've posted these photos a billion times of my old MY06, but here we go again!

Copy of DSC01116 by Mike M, on Flickr
50119180816_50d874be92_o by Mike M, on Flickr

and the brief rally car look era

IMG_1140 by Mike M, on Flickr

 

Hellas look good on anything, STI very much included.

 

Getting any body parts was garbage bc I had Java black instead of OBP, but i can attest to it being the rawest feeling sti offered. Bare bones, didn't even come with a radio, no excess weight, eventually even swapped to a CF hood, I kept it stock because I was never yearning for more in that thing. 300 horses was plenty for my use case and I rarely got to use all of it, but what I did have was such a blast to drive through the Hudson Valley with. Started looking at the fiesta st myself recently, but its a Ford so I'm a little hesitant lol

Edit: gorgeous example on yours too, I love a clean stock look sti. Too many people do too much to these cars and sour the beauty

 

I did have a stereo system which added weight but I was very much in the same boat. I had a Cobb down pipe and a tune, but it was otherwise stock. I put down 280 WHP on DentSport Garage’s dyno which recorded 200-215 WHP on a stock one. I went with a conservative tune rather than being a numbers guy.

I focused on longevity stuff, like the KillerB oil pickup and oil change analysis every change. I briefly ran the GR 18 x 8.5 BBS, but the tires that came with it were so loud that I had to chuck them so I went back to stock wheels and Pilot Super Sports. One wheel balanced with a single tab of weight, it was amazing.

Gah, now I’m missing it again. If I did a 2011-2014 hatch, I’d likely do a subtle drop and a set of 04 BBS and call it good. My old one had the SPT catback and it was loud, I don’t think I need that anymore. I’m too old for a TurboXS RFL and hellaflush wheels.

 

Guys the GR corolla is coming soon enough lol. Also a GR yaris has made about 475HP on stock internals. I believe it was tune, fuel pump, map sensor, and intercooler

 

Yeah I wouldn't go for public enemy loud but I do love the rumble so a little more volume wouldn't hurt. I was a continental guy but my last set were pilot Supersports and those were absolutely fantastic. Actually I take back what I said, I would LOVE a gc that I could gut and build up into a go-kart, my dad had one back in the 90s and that thing was crazy fun

 

But subaru go brblbrblbrbl

 

Tell me about it - I wanted heated seats, but did not want leather or a sunroof. You can do your own heated seats, that's my plan if I go down that rabbit hole. I am a generally warm person though, so I usually only use them for a few minutes. So doesn't seem worth it. Especially if my seats are cloth instead of leather, doesn't seem worth it to get heated seats now that I have lived without them for 2 years.

You can still sort of do the a-la-carte thing, depends what you're looking for. Also without doing that, it makes manufacturing a butt-load easier, and in theory, cheaper. That cost savings just isn't passed along to the consumer That said, I like the method of just buying the BASE trim with the safety stuff you want, and do it yourself. Other than a sunroof, but I don't want one anyway. IE: I wanted adaptive cruise when I was buying the tacoma (what a f'in mistake that was, as a top level requirement, on a truck...I like it, it's been useful, but not "this needs to be there" useful), the Ford Ranger it was an up-trim option, and similar in the F-150. Some people have added it to F-150s but that seemed kind of sketchy, and cost a couple grand anyway.

But now after owning my Tacoma, my future plans will be baaaaase trim and DIY from there. Seats, radio, lights, etc as needed.

No, but - it's fast enough, and even if you're going, say, 35 in a 30 and pass someone on a two lane road, doing it in a Tacoma or Mazda is whatever. Do it in a WRX and people just get angry and think you're driving agressively whatever. Actually that story from above - I'm pretty sure I was keeping nick with a WRX

Depends on the use case. Daily driver, automatic. Shared w/ wife, automatic. Getting a miata to tool around in for like 30 days/year - standard fo' shizzle. I know it's more fun but sometimes when you're driving all the way to Maine or whatever, you just don't want to deal with it - I know, I know....

The corvette scene is ... not for me. I also like the basic nature of it. My mazda was nothing special. I mean, there's a small "fan base", similar to but smaller than tacomas, but not anywhere near like the Corvette gangs

I work with a guy with the Focus ST, that thing is sweet.