So my current situation is that I want to get a new car and I was thinking about getting an Integra as it is a really good platform for a great handling, turbo-capable, DD that's still alright on gas. So, I've seen a few for sale around me but I wanted to know if there's anything I should look for in particular considering GSRs. I've never heard any horror stories considering Integras but I wanted to know if there is any serious issues that plaque these cars before I dive into one. Thanks for your help in advance.

 

The owners are the main trouble spot. These cars are very reliable if treated well, but like any car they can be problematic if they are abused.

That said, they are also old, so even though they age very well you need to look out for problems with any wear item. Some issues that come off the top of my head:

- transmission synchros, in particular 2nd and 5th I think have troubles
- oil leaks around the cam seals (not hard to fix)
- bushings failure due purely to age
- clogged idle control valves
- worn distributers
- rusty brake and fuel lines

For perspective my car is 16 years old and I have only recently started on major maintenance. Until now aside from maintenance all I've needed to do was to replace a rusted exhaust, a radiator leak, and a clutch.

Of course, abuse can cause any number of problems...

 

Bring a compression tester with u, do a wet and a dry test

Small investment well worth it. I'd say bad rings is what scares me the most, anything else can be replaced, but a rebuild should be avoided.

I paid 1300$ for a 95 Gsr, 150k miles, rust everywhere, water leak, bad thermostat, but my comp test results were 210 210 215 210, so I was pleased.

 

As has been mentioned, these are "older" cars, [at least 10 years old] so keep that in mind.

When I look for a used car I look for a car with a body/chassis that is in very good to mint shape, [no rust no accidents] good paint is just a bonus, everything else can be repaired or replaced, rust on the other hand is like cancer, once you have it, it is hard to get rid of completely.

The most common rust "problem" the Integra has is at the rear wheel arches, even if it looks good pull the arch protectors, [#10]... http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...ystemcomp=List All&vinnoT=&trim=&trans=&view=normal and inspect the arch "lip" for signs of rust, if the arch protector is full of dirt, it is a good bet the arch lips are already starting to rust, if they are not too bad, cleaning and some Rust Bullet... http://www.rustbullet.com/?source=ad...FQNShwodzlbzBA will fix it.

The other thing I do once I find a car that I am interested in, I will take it to a mechanic and pay him the $50-$100 it will cost to go over the car with a fine tooth comb and give me a list of things that need doing, immediately, as soon as possible and will need to be done.

I would rather spent the $100 now to find out I need to spend $500 or more right away then find out after I buy the car, the "list" is also a very good bargaining tool, EG; if mechanic finds you need to do $500 worth of work right away, I would expect the seller to knock that off the asking price, the mechanic may also find something that would cost you big $$$ to repair, so spend a $100 now to save 1000s later is a very good investment and if he finds nothing, [car in very good shape] no worries.

If a seller is not willing to let you take it a to shop, [of your choosing] walk away, don't look back, no matter how good the car looks, he/she is hiding something. 94

 

the ONLY problem i have with integras, is the damn water leak problem. i have had to fix it in both of my integras. ones a 94 dc2 gsr and the other is a 96 ls db7. just do some research on that. look in the trunk under the spare tire, look around the antenna, sunroof, taillight seals, and drain tubes for the sunroof. water leaks in all these areas.

other than that like mentioned above, integras are great cars, vary reliable, but it all comes down to the previous owners and how the treated their car.

 

this is not very scientific but avoid a gsr with EXCESSIVE soot on the tail pipe. If you can find one that has a light coat of carbon or none at all, the motor is likely in very good condition and burns little to no oil. excessive soot is usually the result of seeing high rpms.

something that looks like this is good

dirty:


again, this does not indicate the actual condition of the engine's piston rings, but its a good starting place to see if the motor is abused or not.

If you search around, there are lots of owners with BLACK bumpers and its usually due to burning LOTS OF oil. check itr forums lol