NEW car

T

tensors22288

New member
alrite guys, i have to thank you all for your comments an advice in my last post. After my recent SAT scores and gpa, my parents are VERY happy and decided to pay for a large part of a new car (used of course) as a present. Im actually upset by this but im forcing them to let me pay for atleast 5k of it. OF course this won't be happening until the spring as long as i keep grades up before college, its never too early to start planning. Right now im thinking a 2004-2005 acura rsx type s. I've read reviews that loved it, and it came in first in serveral mutliple car tests in C&D. Also my dad has an acura and loves it so he sees it as a possibilty. Im planning to put about 5k-8k of mods into it.



----First question i Have is are bolt on exhausts any good? i've seen a greddy kit thats about 600. Are they reliable? i really don't know much about bolt on's so anyone can fill me in.



Intake is covered, i know plently about them. im guessing a cold air injen or something along those lines.



I also saw a turbo kit for about 600-800 that said (240) hp next to it. i dont know if that means it adds that much hp which i doubt, or if it takes it up to that much hp. again, anyone is welcome to fill me in.



Im not gonna touch cams or anything like that. I think i'll be satisfied with those three things. i believe the 0-60 is already around 6.



As for exterior i'm not gonna rice it out. I found a set of clean looking euro taillights that i think look really agressive with the carbon fiber ring around the bulb. also i'll probably looks for a spoke type wheel, maybe 17 or 18. Ill plan on tinting 35 or so because having any is illegal and i've heard 35 doesnt draw much attention. Ill also probably clear out the front signals and blinkers and call it a day.



So thats my ideal car in the future. any input on mods or ideas is greatly appreciated. multiple people suggested rsx in my last post and you guys picked a great car
 
Keep the stock tail lights. Get some black housing headlights or the JDM units. I'm partial to the HKS Hyper exhaust as I have one myself and like the tone.
 
alrite, ill keep the exhaust in mind. did you notice a significant hp gain? and is it a loud ricey tone or just a deep "growl" lol. I dont want an obnoxious one. this page has some other tails.



http://www.2kracing.com/index.php/cPath/1_115_1270



i like the bottom one, especially on a black car. i saw a of a black rsx with it an it really looked clean. but its not 100% for now so we'll see. also describe those headlights too, any links?
 
a bolt on exhaust isn't going to give you any significant gains except on the butt dyno. the basic 3, header/exhaust/intake will net you about 10-15 hp, not very much for the amount of cash involved for the parts. if you want significant gains, you will have to work the engine...eg) new cams, valve springs, port polish, etc. tuning hondas for big gains isn't cheap, but it is rewarding to squeeze power out of an NA engine. i wouldn't suggest turboing the k20 unless you have access to a good tuner garage for maintenance. go visit superhonda.com, clubrsx, etc and read up on members' dynos with their mods. if you're set on getting bolt ons, consider Mugen or Spoon headers, and RS*R(Ex-Mag) and Mugen exhausts if you want a nice tame tone without sounding obnoxious. that's what i had in my old GS-R and Prelude Type-S.



oh yeah, check out icbmotorsport.com, inlinefour.com, importselect.com, kingmotorsports.com, and japanparts.com for some of the better JDM pricing/selection. that should give you a good feel for the cost of quality parts. BTW, stay away from greddy exhausts, they just look dumb...grapefruit launchers.
 
I really hope the last C&D where the Acura RSX Type S took the prize didn't fool you. If your looking to get "cheap speed" as the competition was named, an RSX Type S really won't get you there. Even though some of the competitors lacked the design and luxuriousness as the RSX, they all performed the same if not better than the RSX. I really think C&D has their priorities mixed up and are a little Honda biased... :nervous:



I love my car because it accomodates me very well, and the styling is great. I don't consider my car or even a Type S a really fast car though. Sure you can make them fast, but for all the money you drop in it you can get something to perform way better than it. Not trying to shy you away from the RSX, just letting you know there are options out there.

btw if your bent on speed and hp I would consider an 05+ over the previous styling because the Type S has 10 more hp over the 02-04. That is if you don't mind the styling, I personally like the older styling a little more than the redesigned, but thats subjective.
 
JohnnyDaJackal said:
I really hope the last C&D where the Acura RSX Type S took the prize didn't fool you. If your looking to get "cheap speed" as the competition was named, an RSX Type S really won't get you there. Even though some of the competitors lacked the design and luxuriousness as the RSX, they all performed the same if not better than the RSX. I really think C&D has their priorities mixed up and are a little Honda biased... :nervous:



I love my car because it accomodates me very well, and the styling is great. I don't consider my car or even a Type S a really fast car though. Sure you can make them fast, but for all the money you drop in it you can get something to perform way better than it. Not trying to shy you away from the RSX, just letting you know there are options out there.

btw if your bent on speed and hp I would consider an 05+ over the previous styling because the Type S has 10 more hp over the 02-04. That is if you don't mind the styling, I personally like the older styling a little more than the redesigned, but thats subjective.
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I agree completely with DaJackal. The RSX is a very fun and rewarding car to drive, but there are others for the money that are faster than the Acura in a straight line. However, the interior appointments, exterior styling, reliability, and dealership experience with an Acura is heads and shoulders above any others in the same price range. I would look into the Type-S, and the new WRX, as they have tamed the bug-eyed styling that some loved, others hated, and increased the displacement this year. It's only got slightly more power, but it is more usable in daily driving than the previous iterations.



I would personally be all over a newer RSX Type-S, but if you're dead set on a turbo, why not go with a car already built around a turbo, like the WRX? Both are great cars.
 
tensors22288 said:
alrite, ill keep the exhaust in mind. did you notice a significant hp gain? and is it a loud ricey tone or just a deep "growl" lol. I dont want an obnoxious one. this page has some other tails.



http://www.2kracing.com/index.php/cPath/1_115_1270



i like the bottom one, especially on a black car. i saw a of a black rsx with it an it really looked clean. but its not 100% for now so we'll see. also describe those headlights too, any links?
Click to expand...



I'm not feelin the clear taillight look but it's not my car so....



My exhaust is deep with no hint of being raspy. The lights I'm talking about are here----->

http://www.optionsauto.com/prodinfo.asp?number=OAS-HLDC5
 
yea thanx for the link spoil. i checked out clubrsx.com which is an awesome site and found every mod i could want on there. the ones in the pic on ur link are the amber ones, i think i like the clears a little more but they would look great on a black car so thanx for suggesting them.



also i live in NJ. i have a guy i go to for wheels and stuff but hes a bmw specialist and i feel weird taking a acura to the guy. he knows my dad well so he usually helps me out but are there any more shops that deal with more modern mods for all cars in nj? i know jackel is from jersey but anyone else who has suggestions are greatly appreciated.



and i really am leaning towards the rsx. yes there are cars with more power for that price as a first car i want one with everything sunshine mentioned in its post. I just don't no if i should go the NA route or FI. i see superchargers for the rsx that add about 50 whp for 3.3k. on the other hand, an exhaust, headers, intake, chip, and cams may be an alternate route. i just don't know how reliable SC's are.
 
Being an Acura owner, if I did it all over again, I'd do:





-OEM Lip Kit

-Eibach ProKit

-Type R Swaybars

-Comptech Icebox

-Comptech Header

-Carsound Cat

-Comptech Exhaust

-Forged 17's or 18's





Honestly, there is so much junk out there for these vehicles. I would stick to the big names and even OEM. There are a couple very clean looking RSX's on this site, start poking around.
 
Sean, I couldn't agree with you more on picking the "known" manufacturers of goods. There's truly tons of junk out there for these cars. I saw a short shift kit for like 19 bucks! Tell me that's a quality piece!



The OEM stuff like the lip kit are very nice pieces. I got the front lip for my car(same as the '98 Type R) and it looks very nice while still being factory. It's a rare sighting (GS-R's in general seem to be) and it didn't cost a whole bunch of money. Oh yeah, they also come painted so no need to get them matched.



HKS, Greddy, AEM, Spoon, Comptech and a few others will give you some long and trouble free miles. The only place I differ from Sean is that I would choose the H&R OE Sport springs instead of the Eibach's. They just seem to place the car just right. Think Type R with the amount of lowering or really how they all should have been done from the factory.



Enjoy putting it all together and driving a car that is lots of fun to drive!
 
I just prefer a little lower car than usual. Personally the ProKit doesn't look low enough for me, but its a nice mix between race springs and OE. Match it with a nice set of struts and your car will outhandle most vehicles on the road and have a great feel.
 
At the risk of sounding like real drag/old fart, I'd say to spend some time and money on a few driving schools before spending it on mods to a car that will already outperform the abilities of most drivers ;)



But more directly on-topic, I'd *drive* a car that was modified the way you're planning before making up your mind. A lot of modified cars read a lot better than they actually drive if you get my drift. How often do you read/hear about somebody spending a few grand to modify a car and then admitting that they wish they hadn't done it? Nobody wants to 'fess up to making a mistake but if it were *that* easy to improve [any car] the factory would offer the upgrades as an option, as they sometimes do. Of the countless cars I've modified, maybe two-thirds of them were really improved. The others just stimulated the economy :o
 
Why not consider a WRX or SRT-4? It's way cheaper to get more speed out of an already-turbocharged car than a NA one.



The RSX is a very fine car, though, but I agree they're not THAT fast. Lots of revving before you reach the 'butter zone'. You get major refinement with the RSX, and that you won't get from any others in this price range.



Personally, I'd take the WRX because it's more practical day-to-day, but that's just me. I usually end up dragging people around to places with me, and a sedan is way easier than a coupe.

And as BlackSunshine said, the dealership experience is probably going to be MUCH better than with the other brands, and that may/may not be a selling point.



Good luck with whatever you end up with, and post pics immediately!!:bigups
 
acura rsx type S is a really nice car. But if you're planning of modding it to go fast, it's not going to be cheap. I have a factory turbo mazdaspeed miata and for the price you'll pay for header/exhaust/intake to get you 10-15 Hp it'll buy me twice the HP you'll get from yours. A WRX, SRT-4. or even the mazdaspeed protege turbo are good candidates. If you have a chance go test drive these cars and then pick one that you like.



Also about the greddy exhaust, it won't give you any significant HP/TQ gains but the sound is very nice. Don't get those cheap knock off brand that will make your car sound like a fart cans. And ditch the euro lights, leave to stock ones. They look so much nicer.
 
its mainly a "safety" thing. my parents hated the idea of me buying a stang so i doubt a dodge is going to go over any better. as for wrx, i've jus never been a fan of the styling. i don't know why. would having the power of an sti be insane? yes but i just don't think my parents would like that idea either.

And yes, i'd love a driving school cause i need to learn stick. but i have 15k saved up and more coming with about 150 bucks a week coming in soon, so im not too worried about spending a little more on better quality.

an honestly, i live in jersey. i dont have THAT much opportunity to gun the thing, especially because most of the roads around here are 25 which i refuse to go over 40 on anymore after a ticket. i just want some stuff to take the factory restrictions off. even just an exhaust, intake, and reprogrammed ecu can put out over 30 hp, for about 2k, not even that much. compared to my pos pathy which is 0-60 in like 20 seconds, any car is going to feel extremely quick to me. im not saying theres nowhere to go fast, but just not like out in the country where the roads are clear. honestly, once i've made my mind up about a car, in this case the acura, theres not much to say to pursuade me otherwise after reading up on them. sure its not the quickest for the range but its what i need in a first car.



and this is tuned towards you honda or acura guys, everyone talks about Hondata K Pro on the boards. Is it just a system management comp? like it says you can control certain things with it, but does it act as a chip for hp? if anyone can clear this up i'd appreciate it. i know a reprogrammed ecu will tune the existing ecu to improve hp and torque but im still confused on k pro
 
I'd wait until the 2006 Civic Si comes out and see which one I like better. I can tell you that everytime I have driven an RSX-S I was wishing and hoping for an LSD.
 
tensors22288 said:
its mainly a "safety" thing. my parents hated the idea of me buying a stang so i doubt a dodge is going to go over any better. as for wrx, i've jus never been a fan of the styling. i don't know why. would having the power of an sti be insane? yes but i just don't think my parents would like that idea either.

And yes, i'd love a driving school cause i need to learn stick. but i have 15k saved up and more coming with about 150 bucks a week coming in soon, so im not too worried about spending a little more on better quality.

an honestly, i live in jersey. i dont have THAT much opportunity to gun the thing, especially because most of the roads around here are 25 which i refuse to go over 40 on anymore after a ticket. i just want some stuff to take the factory restrictions off. even just an exhaust, intake, and reprogrammed ecu can put out over 30 hp, for about 2k, not even that much. compared to my pos pathy which is 0-60 in like 20 seconds, any car is going to feel extremely quick to me. im not saying theres nowhere to go fast, but just not like out in the country where the roads are clear. honestly, once i've made my mind up about a car, in this case the acura, theres not much to say to pursuade me otherwise after reading up on them. sure its not the quickest for the range but its what i need in a first car.



and this is tuned towards you honda or acura guys, everyone talks about Hondata K Pro on the boards. Is it just a system management comp? like it says you can control certain things with it, but does it act as a chip for hp? if anyone can clear this up i'd appreciate it. i know a reprogrammed ecu will tune the existing ecu to improve hp and torque but im still confused on k pro
Click to expand...

they didnt want you to get a mustang even though thoes are slower than the rsx-s? the v6 is anyway.. if i redid my mods i wouldn't of went with all the boltons, i probably saw 15hp from them and spent a grand or two. save up for a turbo kit
 
tensors22288,



Seriously, if you think you'll ever want so much power that you'll be looking at a turbo kit, consider starting with a car that's already turbocharged. Throwing a turbo on a N/A motor is rarely simple or inexpensive, especially if you're starting with a motor that already has a fairly high compression ratio.



You mentioned not caring much for the looks of the WRX . . . how 'bout the new Legacy? There's a lot of potential for more power there just through intake/exhaust upgrades and a reflash.



Tort

(Subaru evangelist :D)
 
tensors22288 said:
..yes, i'd love a driving school cause i need to learn stick. but i have 15k saved up and more coming with about 150 bucks a week coming in soon, so im not too worried about spending a little more on better quality...
Click to expand...



OK, cool. You can get a good driving school experience for around $2000. Just factor that in when you budget for upgrades. Learning how to do stuff like heel & toe downshifts will make every drive in a stickshift car a lot more fun (and will give you better control, which = safety, tell the parents ;) ). Guess I'm such a fanatic about the driving schools because good training has kept me any my wife out of *so* many accidents.



.. the roads around here are 25 which i refuse to go over 40 on anymore after a ticket. .. sure its not the quickest for the range but its what i need in a first car. ..
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That sounds very sensible :2thumbs: Getting the right first car (right = best to get off to a good start) is something important. Having a whole lot of insane power isn't the right way to go (I, and many others, learned the hard way). Your parents aren't just being stodgy about the safety thing, at least half the people I know wrecked their first car.



Just be careful to get good quality parts that'll go on easily and work right. You don't want to have to pay somebody to sort out parts that they're not familiar with.



Oh, and what're your winters like? If you get snow you'd better budget for a set of snowtires too. Cheaper than an insurance deductible ;)
 
Accumulator said:
OK, cool. You can get a good driving school experience for around $2000. Just factor that in when you budget for upgrades. Learning how to do stuff like heel & toe downshifts will make every drive in a stickshift car a lot more fun (and will give you better control, which = safety, tell the parents ;) ). Guess I'm such a fanatic about the driving schools because good training has kept me any my wife out of *so* many accidents.







That sounds very sensible :2thumbs: Getting the right first car (right = best to get off to a good start) is something important. Having a whole lot of insane power isn't the right way to go (I, and many others, learned the hard way). Your parents aren't just being stodgy about the safety thing, at least half the people I know wrecked their first car.



Just be careful to get good quality parts that'll go on easily and work right. You don't want to have to pay somebody to sort out parts that they're not familiar with.



Oh, and what're your winters like? If you get snow you'd better budget for a set of snowtires too. Cheaper than an insurance deductible ;)
Click to expand...









yea winter in jersey is horrible so i'd deffinitly get some snow tires. as for the driving school, i didnt know it was 2k! i thought it would be like 500 or something. and the reason for parents not wanting a mustang is because of reliability and safety. they don't use american cars and its not a question of power, they just don't see ford as a company up their in quality with acura and others.
 
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