Hey guys, ive been reading this board for about 6 months now and ill post every once in a while if I spot an ITR or suchforth.

I have wanted to get an ITR for a while and ever since I saw this board and read more about it I have wanted it even more. I love it for its looks, handeling, its speed and because its a front wheel drive car and the fact thats its a I4 makes me more impressed of all among other reasons.

My problem about getting an ITR is not the price, I have the money to buy a used one if I were to sell my car now, but more in the morality of buying it. I will start with the fact that im 18 years old and the car i've been driving for the past 2 years is an automatic and I don't know how to drive a stick well (except for learning a little on a friends 10 year old toyota truck which is impossible ).

So the issue comes in, would it be right for me to buy an ITR at the age of 18 and not have ever owned my own stick. Most people I think would say that the ITR is soo much raw power and too raw for me to drive. The thing is, I want a car with some speed to it, I don't want a big v8 muscle car nor do I want a civic ex. I felt the ITR was a good buy for me to look for. I would eventually put some mods into it but initally I would just be driving it daily on the streets for fun and no I woul dnot street race it, hell I dont even know any people in the south hills here that street race(except the rices in south park but thats a diff story).

So anyhow im going to cut to the chase and ask if you guys think I should still look into buying the ITR or not for reasons above. If not what do you think I should go for? I dont want a RWD car because they are tougher to drive in the winter than fwd. So thats what limits me.

thanks

Bryan

 

if i had the cash and was 16 (gettin close 8 months) i would buy it
1. stick is easy to drive and much more fun i tried it and got it on my first try and im only 15
2. itr's are sweet cars and the inshurence rate isnt that bad prob because it is only a 4 and a hatchback
3. to get right down to the point get the car and you will learn and enjoy driving a stick


just my .02

 

well an itr isnt the best car to learn how to drive a manual on. if i were you, i'd learn how to drive stick first before i'd buy an itr, so that way you could enjoy it from day 1 and not risk ******* up the tranny.

 

Get the ITR and save a little extra in case you need to buy a new tranny

 

I dont think I would mess it up THAT bad that I would need a new tranny. The first day I had it I would drive around all the back streets getting good at a stick, no tough stuff.

Bryan

 

To learn, find a friend who has a honda that is stick and practice and PRACTICE. Its what i did, when i finally got the R i drove it no problem even though i had never owned a stick car before. Dont buy the R cuz you think its fast and whatnot, buy it for what it is.

 

I think ITRs and 18 year olds are pearls before swine.

Most of us with ITRs love them; many intend on keeping them forever. If it's your muse, I wouldn't say you shouldn't get it because of any of its faults (raw, noisy, theft magnet, lift-throttle-oversteer, etc.) - many of us find these traits "charming".

However (puttin' on the old man hat, here) many young people without too much experience (i.e. you) tend to find their concept of a thing and its reality to be quite different. Not having driven a manual, you may find it's not for you and then your ideal of an ITR will fall short. You may grow tired of not being able to hear yourself think at 80mph over the noise and wish for a Camry.

Go ahead and buy one, if you find it for sale and it meets your price point. Just don't expect a magical experience. For that, you really have to have a frame of reference (i.e. a bunch of shitty cars driven to the limit and a few close calls or worse from being stupid) to appreciate an ITR.

Oh, and on the subject of LTO... an ITR can be twitchy and she'll turn on you in a heartbeat if you're indelicate or careless - word to the wise.

 

If you've got the cash, why not buy an older 5-spd Accord or Prelude and learn on it? Get smooth, sell the other car, and buy your Type R. Or, if you can swing it, keep the other car as your beater

Hondas are stupid easy to learn how to drive (manual, that is). I once made the mistake of teaching a girlfriend and her sister how to drive stick on an '86 Jetta *shiver*

 

I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure you have enough cash for a new clutch.
I learned on my mustang. Killed the clutch in the process, but no big deal.

 

ITR is my 4th car (all Honda's ). And, like what people said, you can only appreciate it when you have a frame of reference. IMHO, get it if you can be a responsible driver on the road (i.e. no RICE racing.). Also, take into consideration what you'll be doing next year or two. If you're going away to a college and you won't have a secure parking spot, save yourself a headache and get a different car. The car needs to be pampered and looked after... otherwise, it'll not meet your expectations and it'll be gone in a sec.

 

Hehe.. another Pittsburghers looking for an R...
18 eh? I was 20 when I 1st look at that 96 JDM SPEC ITR...
anyway, my comment is to get a Civic SI or a GSR... here's my reason for you NOT to choose an ITR:
1. It is better for daily driving..especially in Pittsburgh road(potholes, etc)
2. Don't tell me you're not gonna street race.. I don't, but if you know the nature of the beast, you eventually will want to go fast(in Liberty tunnel for example)..
3. You've never really drive a stick.. (and I've never really drive an automatic)..
ITR clutch is a little different.. it is not as smooth as normal Honda, meaning that if I drive my friend's SI, the passenger won't even notice that I shifted up or down.. but with my R, boy that's a little hard..(and I've been driving Honda manual for 12 years)

Here's my reason for you to just GET the R:
1. I was paranoid for my R, but Pittsburgh seemed to be (knock on wood) safe for ITR. People who knows what it is gives a , if not they just think it is just another integra with wings(and yellow)..
2. You have the $$ to get one.. so why not?
3. ITR is a great car... even GSR is on the top 10 for several years..and ITR is it's big sister...

so.. it's your call... but if you want an ITR just because you'll look cool, just forget it.
FYI, I waited 5 years to get my R.. (back then, I was in college, poor and no $).
Now after waiting for such a long time, you know how I really appreciate the R!.

let us know if you decide to get (and can find) one..
and make sure to:
1. Not put Altezza tails on it
2. join us at the AutoX..
3. Never go to Spitzer for service.. they SuckeD! Baierl all the way!

 

I assure you guys, I will not be RICE racing/Street Racing or whatever you want to call it. I think the itr as a whole is a very impressive car, I have not found a FWD car that comes ANYWHERE near its magnificance(sp?).

If I were to get an ITR I would drive it this year untill I left for my freshman year of college (most of my choices wont let you drive a car freshman year thought I could rent a garage nearby and take it out on the weekends) then I would leave it garaged at home safe and sound.

I don't intend to autoX or race it for at least a year after ive had it to get to know the car.

I am not really interested in getting an older accord then selling it and getting the ITR. Too much overhead in selling 2 used cars for one and its work selling 2 used cars for good prices.

Thanks for your opinions guys!

Last, Someone did recomend to me before that getting a GSR then modding a GSR later on would be a good idea. I was thinking of possibly doing that.

Bryan

 

You got the money?

Then Go get some freakin ***** and buy the R man!

Quit worrying about everyones opinion here. If you really want to be a good driver then take a Driving class or school and /or go to the track and learn what the R is really about!

Get it, learn to drive Stick on another standard car, then have a blast in your new found friend. And for Chrissakes stop whining and concerning yourself with what OTHER people think and if they Think you deserve one car or another! You buy it, you got IT! Have FUN, End of story...


Nuff said Ehh?

A.

 

My itr is my sixth car that I have owned, all being sticks too. My suggestion would be to wait and get something that you can learn on and also, like what Cosworth said, "you can only appreciate it when you have a frame of reference." I am 23 and waited 3-4 years to get my R. Mainly because I couldnt afford it and also because I wouldnt fully appreciate the car. I also really didnt have the proper means to take care of it, I lived in the dorms for 2 years. I am glad that I waited to get an itr. I am older and more mature to fully appreciate what the car has to offer and how much fun it is too drive. I wouldnt feel this why if I had the car a couple of year ago. If you going to go school and liveing in the dorms, its not worth it, it will stolen or messed with. My suggestion would be to wait for awhile.

 

What are u smokin???? ITR's atleast in North America are 2 door only. and by Insurance are considered a sports car and so priced as one. for an 18 year old full coverage no tickets your looking at about $3000 insurance a year that's what it was for me if it were in my name.

 

Ah, dont worry about it, like others have mentioned there are problems here and there but nothing major. If you cant drive a manual you will have a but of grinding for a bit and maybe your clutch will burn, but really its nothing difficult to drive. You can even stay away from 6000 and it may as well be anything. If you have the cash go and get one, then do some track time.

 

Totally...My GS-R's insurance is insane, and it isn't even in my name! I think the 4 was referring to cylinders, but that doesn't mean a thing to insurance bitches

 

Here's my take on things:

I just turned 19. I got the R on memorial day. Its been 5 months or so.

In that time, I was transformed from a punk kid who wanted to drag race and only drag race to a (hopefully) more mature, dare i say young adult? Its basically just reading and posting on this board that helped me become who i am now...getting yelled at for asking dumbass ?s, but hey I learned....i know know how to heel-toe, double cluctch, rev match, all that fun stuff...

got 3 trips to the drag strip and 2 autocross events under my belt, and now i finally understand and love the ITR suspension...

I learned to drive stick on my dad's 85 jeep commanche. Get this...its so old, u dont even have to press the clutch to start the car.....now that's old...

stick isnt really that tough to learn, but i've noticed that the type-r cluch is sorta hard..my roommate has a nissan stanza..1990 i think...and i drove his car the clutch is so un communicative, and when he tried to drive my car, he stalled...oh well....dont let the fact that u dont know how to drive stick dictate if u should buy the car or not...ur not going to mess up to the point of needed a new tranny...(i would hope not anyway)
so...yes, get the R. u'll love it. screw that its too much power bullshit...what about those 16 year olds who get 320 hp RWD trans ams?