When the Integra Type R first came to America I hadn't really gotten into Hondas at all. I was wondering what the hype was like.For example, when were the first rumors of it coming to America? What did people think of it when it finally was for sale over here? How much was it? How big of a deal was it to people? Did all of the car magazines get a hold of them and test drive them and all? I know when the 2006 Si came out there was a lot of talk of it. Was there even more over the R?

I was just kinda curious. Any input would be cool. Thanks guys.

 

To tell you the truth, i don't remember much hype at all until summer of 98. Thats when i caught on and bought my first one. Even then it was still only really known about by true enthusiasts. Then by 2000, forget about it. Stloen ITRs every week. Everyone wanted those parts.

 

I remember saying way back when it came out that it was a race prepped car for the street...

 

When the type R came out in 1997 Here in California it was just amazing. I was only 17 when it came out. Sport Compact Car magazine tested there own GSR that was modified with a header, exhaust, intake, lowering springs, tokico shocks, 17's rims and a body kit. They tested them in drag, track and skidpad. THE ITR WON every test.
Before that the ITR was only heard of read about in the magazine's when editors where in Japan. The JDM front end was . I never saw a 97 on the street back then. When the 98 Came out I tried to convince my folks to cosign for me but to no avail. When a ITR would roll up to the street races everyone feared it All the fast cars wanted to race it . It was a big DEAL around here in Southern California.

 

Hey just to give you an idea i am the second and final owner of 00 PY #1461. The original owner paid 43k in total with financing at a 21% which is not good. Back in 00 ofcourse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TypeR1461 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The original owner paid 43k in total with financing at a 21%</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wow. Now thats what u call getting it no matter what the cost is.

 

i remeber when i was only in 6rd grade(1998) the R was really hot in the Bay Area.
My brother was lucky enough to get one from the dealer. picking me up @ the school was Awesome, every ricer on the road wants to race it.

 

I remember when it came out. The hype was only really in the racing world. Real Time on Speed (vision) had them, and raced them. I remember that magazine article too, where they wanted to see if a "homemade" GSR-ITR could beat the real deal.

Not too many people really knew about them. The only way I found out about them "big time" was when I got my EG hatch in 98, and swapped in a JDM ITR engine. That was when I first started doing hella research. And of course, when I fell in love with the JDM front end. For a long time, I wanted it so bad, I wanted to put it on my hatch. (teh ghey imo)LOL.... I was a HUGE ricer.

 

Wow, that's really cool. It sounds like you really had to know something about Honda/Acura before you would even want to pick one up.

So you really couldn't compare it to the Si at all. I mean they have commercials and everything for that. But at the same time I guess the car scene was a lot different then.

 

when it first came out i was 14. every year it came out i requested a brocure from acura.com and i kept every single one. hha

it was my dream car to own at the time.

then my child hood dream came true when my uncle got a black 00 and he let me drive it around town. but my hatch was alot faster

it was pretty fun to drive a type r just to feel what honda did to it.

 

^

LOL, dude, I remember the first time I drove one. I was ballin' around in an H22 hatch at the time.

My friend who I had really just met, was racing my other friend with an EK civic coupe with nitrous (sohc VTEC) anyway, the coupe beat the ITR. I was like, no way did that just happen. My buddy was like, do you think you could do better? And he gave me the keys to the ITR.

Long story short, I beat the coupe, and then drove the car around most of the night. I was hooked. Had to have one. Been questing for one ever since. (well, at least until about a month ago )

 

Honda thought the ITR would flop over here, so only imported 500 white ones

when they sold out, they brought in another 1000 to sell in 1999 and 2000, 500 more white, and 250 black, 250 red (according to a reliable source who works for Honda)


anyway, cut a long story short, when i first saw a magazine article on one in 1998, i wanted one so badly. they were the stuff of legend and when i saw one on the road i got really excited.


then i bought one and haven't looked back

 

Lets see 1997, I was eleven years old

I went to my local ACura dealer becasue my dad was like you gotta come check this car out. ( iwas way to in to Honda's and Acura's for aneleven year old.)

They had the R surrounded by velvet ropes (like the nsx when it first came out) and there was a crowd standing around looking at it. They put all the accesories including the hats and shirts and key chains tumbler mugs all that. It was cool.

I remember wondering why the wheels were the same color as the car.

4 years later I got my PY.

 

OVERhyped? They still are today

 

In 97 in Rochester New York they had only 2 coming to the Dealer and they had a waiting list, my father was #2 on the list. But sold his spot because he bought a 4door M3 the same year.

I wanted that car so bad, it was going to be a track car for the both of us......I know the Auto X guys and BMW club guys loved the car.

Anyway, 97/98 saw a lot of good press and was priced at 23,350. I later was so hyped when the said in late 99 that Yellow and Black cars would be coming in 2000. So i had to get one .

The rest history: Best Handling FF ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best bang for the buck.... or at least in M3 E30 range .

So Hype yes, but for good reason

 

When the Type R came out in 97 I was 10 years old, naturally I was into cars but nothing more then the looks. I didn't even know that Acura's were Hondas. I was a late commer into Hondas about 3 years ago.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by neo_ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was a late commer into Hondas about 3 years ago. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Same here, I grew up in an American muscle &gt;** family, never paid attention to any imports, even Europeans. Then, I saw a black GSR sitting on a used car lot (turned out to be a crash rebuild with a LS/auto) and was hooked on 3rd Gen Integras. In just the past year or so (see HT, ITRCA signup dates) did I learn about the ITR. Sadly, I had a buddy with a *BP ITR at college and I never gave it a second look. He wiped it against a guardrail one night then it was stolen shortly after getting fixed up. NJ FTL. Never got to see an R in the showroom

 

I wish I saw one in the showroom. Dang. Hopefully if things go right I'll have one someday...

 

I read an early write up on the ITR in 1997 in C&D that inspired me to buy a white pre-owned '96 DB8 GSR.

That white 4 dr GSR was stolen from me in '98. I was well aware of what an ITR was, but I felt that getting one was a long shot. I went to an Acura dealer in CT looking for a GSR and bought a '98 ITR that had "lingered around" for a few weeks for MSRP. This was at a time that people in my area were paying thousands above suggested retail.

Then, after a year and 34K HARD miles, I sold my first ITR for what I paid for it. This was before people knew about the upcoming '00 R's and at the time 1-2 year old CW R's were still selling at sticker price from private parties and Acura pre-owned lots.

 

They started taking deposits December of 1996, and only certain dealers were suppose to get them, 1 or possibly 2.

Initial delivery date was supposed to be March 1997, but due to some issue with EPA, it did not happen until july of 1997. Since some of the dealers only got one/two, but took more deposits than they had of the Rs, they added a dealer markup. Some dealerships sold to the highest offer among those that had deposits. I heard of one that sold for 30,000 before taxes and fees.

1998, dealers got greedy(seing how well the 1997s did) and marked up their 1998 Rs and found out that they didnt sell and ended up selling some under MSRP because they have been sitting on the lot for too long.

I believe most 1997 ITRs were sold at MSRP and some with a hefty dealer markup.

 

What do you guys think about this deal. I might be an ITR owner very soon.

I found a 1998 CW integra type r with 36,700 miles for $20,000. Let's say the condition is immaculate--top-notch--doesn't-get-any-better with the optional trunk mat and floor mats in perfect condition. Should I do it? This car was in the hands of a collector. Is $20,000 too steep? Clean titled, always garaged, new tires, never modified, the whole nine. This thing is perfect. or


Modified by Spriggan! at 9:40 PM 4/9/2007


Modified by Spriggan! at 9:40 PM 4/9/2007


Modified by Spriggan! at 11:07 PM 4/9/2007

 

itr is the NA KING of the streets

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Spriggan! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Should I do it? This car was in the hands of a collector. Is $20,000 too steep?
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This is one of the prime reasons why our cars hold their resale value so high! Only this question can be answered by yourself. You are the one who will determine if the money is well spent or not. IMO... that price is not ridiculous, but about what someone may achieve who has the RARE of the RARE (not saying this car is). Each buyer decides what is and what is not in their price range, and exactly what kind of Type R they are looking for in particular. Best of luck with your decision.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4F_HANS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">itr is the NA KING of the streets</TD></TR></TABLE>

Huh?? That's crazy. There are plenty of NA cars that would destroy the R...both handling and in a straight line. This isn't 1997 any more.

And yeah, 20k is ridiculous IMO.

 

i remember the first time i laid my eyes on the 97 CW R. My cousin's friend got one and that bastard didnt even know how to drive manual tranny. haha. everytime we went out he was like oh if we arent taking my car can we park it in the garage. haha. at the time i was like this guy is ****.

whenever he took out his R everyone would give him so much attention. i didnt know what all the fuss was about either. but now after owning one...i understand. haha