Selling my AP2 S2000 to buy a GR Corolla? Have I lost my mind?

I get it.  The modern German cars are a huge PITA to work on.  Even the older ones can be problematic, as the Germans much prefer that you unbolt a bunch of stuff to gain access.  My E36 and E46 M3's were pretty easy to work on, I've been impressed with the logic involved in doing jobs on my 911.  Obviously the rear engine location on it causes some interesting space issues. 

I can't fault your logic for thinking its the evaporator, it's just good to know for sure, especially on a job like that.  I guess it boils down to how much you like the car.  If you like it enough, you'll fix the AC and won't mind paying someone else to do it.  Even if you want to sell the car, working AC is a huge selling point...

In reply to docwyte :

I've never owned an E36/E46 or 911. I've come close to pulling the trigger on a 987 Boxster/Cayman S a couple of times, but never went thru with it. The 987 S is one of the only cars I've ever driven that I thought had a similar overall fun factor to my S2000... with the difference being the S2000 is very easy to work on and parts are a bit cheaper (even if F22C engines have shot up drastically in value), which likely influenced my decision. When I saw the engine bay of the 987 it hurt my back just thinking about having to touch it with a wrench. By comparison, the 996/997's rear engine design looked a lot easier to wrench on vs the mid-engine 986/987, but I have no experience with either. 

I agree, it's better to know what the problem is up front. Being that it's January, I'm in no rush, but once I find out what's wrong, I'll have a decision to make. I agree that AC is a strong selling point, but I'll need to evaluate how much it increases the value of the car vs how much it costs to fix it. 

My issue is that of the folks who have had this problem, some of them ended up having to replace the evaporator more than once... Do I love the car enough to do this job? Maybe. Do I love it enough to do it twice? Absolutely not. I've felt fortunate that I've experienced no leaks, as I've seen what it entails to fix some of the more common leaks (oil pan and valve cover) on these cars- it's ridiculous. 

Having built and repaired a plethora of Honda's and Miata's over the years, my experience fixing all the things on this car has not been good. I will say I appreciate BMW's electrical connectors- they seem less prone to snapping plastic bits than older Japanese cars... and the simplicity of a strut front suspension makes things easier than fighting with wishbones, so that's a plus... but by comparison, the fuel pump, fuel filter and water pump/thermostat were all a pain in the neck... even changing the air filter is more of a pain in the neck (the whole box has to be removed and separated) and so are other maintenance items like coil packs/spark plugs (the engine covers, combined with an overly tight wiring harness make it take much longer than it should). With the exception of front control arms (very easy swap), everything else I've done on this car has taken me roughly twice as long as it does on most Japanese cars. I did appreciate one thing about the BMW though: when I swapped out the radiator, it will auto-bleed it's own water/coolant, which was a neat little party trick. 

We'll see how things turn out. 

Today I decided to go a bit off of the beaten path and drove both of the Ford ST hatchback amigos. I forgot to take a picture of the Focus ST. We drove the Xterra to the first dealership and drove a 2018 Focus ST w/50k miles on the clock. What can I say about this car? I like it, but it didn't set my hair on fire. Granted there was a salesman in the car and I wasn't really pushing it, just a bit of spirited playfulness a couple of times. I was mostly just trying to get a feel for how it would be as a daily. 

Full disclaimer: I actually owned a Focus ST, but it was a long time ago- I owned a 2014 Focus ST that I bought brand new for $19k (Ford was giving out massive rebates at the time). Imagine my surprise to find that many used cars with 50-100k miles are going for nearly as much as I bought a brand new one for a decade ago... I had fond memories of that car, even if it was only short lived in my garage. Well, it's not a bad car by any stretch, but after a decade, it's not as good as I remember it. 

To be clear, this car was very clean and appeared to be a bone stock ST1 package car. 

It has a grunty little motor and very sharp handling. I remember this car being a riot to drive on a canyon road... which, I have a feeling it would still be a riot to drive on a canyon road... but I wasn't driving it on a canyon road. 

The clutch is relatively light, although there's a delay in engagement when you let it up. It took me a few stop/starts to figure out how to drive the car more smoothly. It's not bad in the least, just a bit wonky at first. 

The shifter has some weight to it and I actually enjoy rowing the gears in the ST cars! There's a solid engagement going into gear that feels pretty satisfying. 

The seating position is just a bit awkward... I drove the base ST1 package car, which has the base non-Recaro seats. I drove this version on purpose, as I once owned the Focus RS that came standard with Recaro's and I don't care for them in these cars. You can adjust the seat height, but not the rake... there's a bit more rake than I would like, not as bad as the Recaro versions, but it almost feels like my body is pointed upwards, rather than at the wheel and as a result, with the seat back far enough to reach the pedals without cramping my legs, I felt more like I was reaching for the wheel, rather than the wheel falling to hand. Ergonomically it just doesn't jive well with my 6'2", 217 lbs frame, even though the car otherwise has plenty of space. 

The steering in this car is odd... on hard turn in, I like the ratio of the rack (I believe it's a variable ratio) and I really like how well the front end responds to quick steering inputs... but being an EPS rack, combined with what I can only assume is Ford's eLSD (brake based), leads to an odd, unnatural feeling to the wheel. 

To explain, these cars have 270 ft-lbs of torque in a FWD car with an open front diff. I'm pretty sure whenever I'm giving it gas in 1st/2nd, the brakes are activating, trying to keep the car in a straight line... as a result, the wheel feels more robotic. It feels like it wants to torque steer, but then corrects itself. I think a less hyper-sensitive driver would likely overlook it, but as someone who has built and owned some outstanding handling FWD cars, I'm not a fan. 

I understand that Ford was trying to keep the car affordable, but I disagree with the lack of a proper LSD in a car like this. I would almost prefer to turn the eLSD off altogether in the hopes the steering would feel more linear. 

The suspension was firm, but not harsh. Well, going over a rougher portion of beat up city roads, it was just a bit jarring, but nothing I couldn't live with. On the highway, the car was perfectly reasonable. I wouldn't mind a longer freeway trip in the little Focus, so long as the roads weren't too rough. 

With that said, I liked it just fine, but I don't want another one. That's becoming a real theme isn't it? Oh well, at least now I know. 


Fiesta ST: 

Later on in the evening, I was out and about and drove the Fiesta ST back to back with my Integra: 

^^^This little car is a super clean, bone-stock 2019 Fiesta ST that was Ford certified with 50k miles on the clock. It was also a base car with the base cloth seats. 

I'll come right out and say it: just like seemingly everyone else, I preferred the Fiesta ST over the Focus ST. 

Straight up, the FiST is just more fun than the FoST. 

In the FoST, it has a variable steering rack- I like how quickly the FoST turns in when you give it some wheel, but it's not terribly linear... the FiST has a very quick steering rack ratio (13.6:1 I believe) with no variation... the FiST seems to turn in even BETTER than the FoST without the variable rack! You point this thing in whatever direction you want and it just goes! 

Better yet: since the FiST has much lower torque (202 ft lbs vs 270 ft lbs), the eLSD is seemingly far less intrusive. The combination of the less intrusive eLSD and the linear rack make for a car that is more fun to drive! It feels like far more of a proper, more old school, hot hatch! With the exception of steering feel- like the FoST, the FiST also has a fairly muted EPS rack. Sawing away at the wheel is far more linear and satisfying vs the FoST, but since I own multiple hydraulic rack vehicles, I immediately pick up on the fact that something is missing, as the wheel turns too easily without much resistance. 

While it seems like I should prefer the bigger, torquier motor in the FoST, I actually felt like the little 1.6L in the FiST has more character! And since it doesn't seem to fight the brakes constantly, I thought it was a more appropriate amount of torque for a FWD car with an open diff. 

No matter what a manufacturer tries to do, there's no substitution for shedding weight. Driving both of the ST cars proves that. The FiST is ~500 lbs lighter than the FoST and it feels 500 lbs lighter. Pitching it around the FiST feels like you're driving a flea! It's a more smile inducing experience to say the least! 

I think the FiST might have rode a bit more harshly than the FoST (the rear torsion beam doesn't help), but on the freeway, I thought it was reasonably compliant.  

I'm bummed out that the FiST seemed to bother my right knee just a bit. Overall, I preferred the ergonomics of the FiST, other than the shifter- it was mounted a bit lower than I would like... but for whatever reason (I think because of the angle my right knee was pushed up against the center console), my right knee wasn't terribly happy about it. Otherwise, I really liked this little car. 

Sans the knee issue, the Fiesta ST is actually a car I would buy. There's only 1 more minor issue... 

My Integra is more fun to drive than both of them, while still being easier to drive in traffic and not riding any more harshly (it might ride a hair smoother if I turn the Koni's all the way down). Yes, the Integra is modified to my liking so it's not a fair comparison, but it is in fact a car I'm comparing it to since they're all FWD econoboxes. 

The Integra has a hydraulic steering rack (read: far more steering feel), a real LSD (full Type R gearbox), better shifter, smoother/softer clutch and revs to 8000rpm. Yes, the boosted machines make far more low end torque, but when revved out, the Integra feels faster and is far more exhilarating. I'm not sure if the Integra is actually faster than the ST cars (surely the boosted cars are quicker at my elevation, right?), but it definitely has a greater sensation of speed when rung out. Both of the ST cars have intake noise piped into the cabin that sounds very good... but my DC2 has a CTE (formerly Comptech) Icebox, Comptech header and Apexi WS3 exhaust (read: very streetable, no drone)- when the Teg hits VTEC (currently set at 5300rpm), that thing howls! 

As a fun experience car, I prefer my DC2 GSR over the ST cars... and sadly enough, I even prefer the Integra around town, as it's just so easy to drive. 

If I hadn't already sunk a boatload of money into my Integra, and it didn't bother my knee, I would be looking very hard at a Fiesta ST. 

Sent you an email...

Our 128i had the evaporator fail. An unpleasant bill from my beloved indie shop. :(

dyintorace said:

Our 128i had the evaporator fail. An unpleasant bill from my beloved indie shop. :(

Just curious, what did your indie shop charge you to replace it? 

So, yesterday I drove a 2015 Cadillac ATS AWD 3.6L 6AT coupe with 68k miles on the clock. This car had a bit of hail damage on the hood, but overall it appeared to have been very well taken care of.

Overall, it's a good car. My wife loved it! 

I'll start off with the interior: That car has a tremendous amount of legroom. Probably more than pretty much any car I’ve ever driven, ever. The seat bottom/thigh support also extends- but not nearly as far as the BMW’s sports seats, which extend an extra 1-1.5 inches further than the ATS' seats. I started my test drive out with a position that was closer to the steering wheel, so my arms were in a good driving position, which ended up causing me some knee pain... so, as the drive progressed (I probably spent ~45 minutes driving it), I kept moving the seat back and the craziest thing happened: the knee pain went away entirely. That’s never happened before. The legroom in the car is truly incredible and makes me wonder: why can't other cars follow suit? 

Unfortunately, with the seat far back enough for my legs, the steering wheel was a very far stretch, which made me feel like I had T-Rex arms stretched out so far that I couldn’t comfortably pitch the car around. Not a problem for cruising and not a deal breaker, but the wheel should have been able to telescope another 1-2 inches, like my BMW. Matt Farah complained about the exact same thing- and he was right. For reference, I'm 6'2", 217 lbs, 33" waist and 34" inseam. I believe Mr. Farah is about 6'3" and a good bit heavier than I am. For shorter drivers, this likely won't be a problem. Yes, the steering wheel was fully extended. 

This car has a ton of headroom and great visibility. Granted, this particular car didn't have a moonroof, but nonetheless, it had enough headroom that I don't think it would have mattered. Overall, I felt like the car had plenty of space in pretty much every direction. The back seats weren't huge, but fitting a smaller adult back there would have been just fine. 

The seats are adequate. Sitting in them, they’re pretty hard/not very cushy, without much bolstering, so I slid around if I tried to take a corner at speed. This is surprising, as I remember the seats in the "lowly" Camaro being far more comfortable and supportive. I drove my 128i down there, with both my wife and I agreeing that the BMW's seats were softer, more comfortable and far more supportive. The rest of the interior was nice, but the touch screen infotainment was rubbish and difficult to use while driving. I can see why everyone hates Cadillac's CUE system. 

The ATS 3.6L V6 is not fast, but with 321hp (bumped to 335hp in later years), she’s plenty peppy. The transmission is also fairly responsive (much better than the G37/Q40's 7AT). More than adequate power for passing. The transmission isn't as clever and responsive as the ZF 8-speed in modern BMW's and Chrysler products, but it's adequate and I didn't have many complaints about it. I believe the later (2016 maybe?) models got an 8AT, which might be more responsive, but I can't comment on that, except to say I didn't really have problems with the 6AT for daily purposes- it was just fine. Nothing impressive, but perfectly adequate. 

Overall the ATS has very responsive steering and a very solid chassis. I know it's built on the same super stiff Alpha chassis as the Camaro and you can feel the rigidity- it's like it was hewn from a solid block of aluminum. At around ~3600 lbs (in V6 AWD trim), she's not a light girl, but she actually hides her weight very well, feeling like a smaller, lighter car. Being an EPS rack, there's not a lot of steering feel, but I felt like the rack was very good for an EPS car- very direct and well weighted. The weight of the wheel is not excessively heavy as to be laborious, but not too light to the point where it feels darty and lacks feedback - the Goldilocks of steering weights. Solid work, Cadillac. 

Body roll was minimal, with the car being very eager to change directions, without feeling like it was going to get away from you. If it wasn't for the seating position, it would have been very confidence inspiring to pitch around. The ride was certainly firm, but not what I would call harsh. I would have no problem taking this car on a road trip, soaking up all the miles. 

For something in this genre of cars, I felt like the ATS was the right size. Small enough to get through traffic without much of an issue, but big enough that it doesn't feel cramped in the least. 

This isn't what I would call a crazy fun car, but I think it would make an excellent daily. My biggest complaint was the awkward seating position with the seat back far enough to quell the knee pain. Being so far away from the steering wheel, I didn't feel confident in controlling the car. I think that took away some of the fun factor for me. I don't think a shorter driver would have this problem. 

I deliberately sought out a 3.6L V6 to drive. Most of these cars are GM's 2.0L turbo, which, at my elevation, would have probably felt a bit more mid-range torquey (even though I didn't have a problem with the 3.6L)... but I haven't seen people having many problems with GM's LF/GX V6 on this platform, whereas there appeared to be a few issues with the 2.0T that I wanted to avoid. 

If I was shopping between the ATS and the Infiniti G37/Q40/early Q50 3.7L, I think I would get the ATS after driving them both. I think the biggest detractor from either of them would be the E90, which is in an odd spot. The E90 undoubtedly has better steering and ergonomics, but there's a trade-off. These cars, in AWD sedan trim are all of similar sizes and weights (3600-3700 lbs). The ATS and Infiniti's have bigger V6's, making 320-330hp... whereas something like a 328xi is comparatively underpowered with the 230hp N52 I6. Don't get me wrong, the N52 is a great engine- smooth as butter, sounds better and has a very linear torque curve... in my 128i 6MT, the N52 is great! But when placed in a 328xi: the 328xi adds 400 lbs of weight, AWD drivetrain loss and a power robbing slushbox... Which leads me to believe: I don't feel like the power would be adequate. 

I used to own a CPO'd E90 335xi many years ago. Under warranty. Power was not an issue in the least. But stepping it up to an old E90 335 is a tough sell, as the N54/N55 require far more wallet-breaking maintenance than the N52 cars. Based on that alone, I think for a reliable daily, the ATS or Infiniti 3.7L cars are a smarter choice. Hence why I haven't looked into an E90. For whatever inexplicable reason, I'm just not terribly interested in the F30. 

With that said, I think I'm going to hold off on buying something like this. My shoulder is healing up nicely and I drove my BMW down there... When I was done driving the ATS, I got back into my 128i and after pondering a bit on the drive back home, I wasn't convinced that I would actually drive it as much as I drive the BMW. The BMW is just very good to drive- it's more fun and more comfortable. I'm not convinced I would get much use out of the Cadillac. As such, as of right now, I can't really see the value in it and will likely pass. 

New plan, Version 9.76.1-E: sell the Integra (I don't drive it anymore) and just keep driving the other cars I have, which are all really only driven on the weekends. Keep the money from the Integra sale in the bank. If I find myself really yearning for a nice automatic cruiser, buy something more like this. Or if I switch units at work and end up without a take-home car (rare possibility), then look into an automatic for traffic purposes. Otherwise, accept that I have the cars I have for a reason: there's nothing else within reason I would rather drive for the money. It only took several months and countless test drives to figure that out. What can I say, I'm a slow learner. 

Folks:

My question to the forum: Is roninsoldier83 the new Frenchy??

Rog

In reply to boulder_dweeb :

I don't think so. Yes Ronin writes a lot but it's descriptive and he is brand "independent". 

And every berkeleying time he posts...  I go check out 128i's. I know I shouldn't. But lately I can't get this one out of my head.. convinced there must be something wrong. Is anybody local to St Pete and able to check it out? Are prices just that much lower in FL?

In reply to OHSCrifle :

Oh my word, is that a slick top?!? If it were a manual, I would consider buying it myself! 

I like it when you post.   I know I'm going to get a fun car review.   I'll be a little sad when I see the Integra for sale.   

roninsoldier83 said:

In reply to OHSCrifle :

Oh my word, is that a slick top?!? If it were a manual, I would consider buying it myself! 

I didn't even realize that. Even better.. just ten hours drive from me so I can't easily check it out. 

So, today I found something I haven't seen in a while: a near-stock, fairly well maintained (ish) 2005 Acura RSX Type S. I've been wanting to drive one of these things for a while now. I remember driving an RSX-S a few times way back in ~2006. I remember loving these little cars and considering buying one new at the time. As I've gotten older, I've driven several cars that I enjoyed when I was younger, only to walk away and realize they weren't as good as I thought they were. This is not one of those cars. 



This particular example has 171k miles on the clock, but no CEL's, everything works and one of the previous owners put a set of decent Continental tires on it, which tells me they likely cared about the car to some degree. 

Unfortunately, the car wasn't completely stock. Someone put a set of cheap aftermarket coilovers on it. They weren't the stiffest coilovers I've ever driven, but I couldn't help but think an OEM suspension would have been an improvement. With that said, they raised the coilovers up to OEM ride height, which also tells me something about the previous owner. The car might have had a fairly tasteful aftermarket cat-back exhaust on it as well, but beyond that, everything else appeared to be stock. 

I'm going to come right out and say it: I liked this car more than I thought I would. How much? I actually preferred this RSX-S over my DC2 Integra GS-R. I'm shocked to type that, but it's true. 

In Japan, the RSX was just the next gen, DC5 Integra, and, after driving it, honestly, it feels a lot like a better Integra. I know a lot of people complained about the lack of front double-wishbones- on track, I'm sure the Integra is a better handling car. Between this car and my DC2, there's no doubt, my DC2 would leave this car for dead on a twisty back road or autoX event. On the street, in traffic? I'll take the RSX-S. 

List of things I prefer about the RSX-S over the DC2 GS-R: steering weight, headroom, legroom, shifter height, shifter smoothness, clutch smoothness, the engine/power/torque, the seats and the interior. Yeah, like I said, it feels a lot like an upgraded Integra. 

Getting inside, the car grew ever so slightly in almost every direction. There's about an extra 1/2" of headroom (maybe slightly more) in the RSX-S vs the GS-R (with stock seats). There's probably an extra 1/2" or more legroom as well. This seems pretty incremental, but for someone my size who is constantly hunting for extra space in the DC2, this car fits me just about perfectly. My knee hurt when I started driving the RSX-S... but ~10 minutes into the drive, I felt nothing at all- which is a good sign, telling me this car is a good fit for someone my size. 

Sitting in the seats, they're comfortable, while being fairly supportive. They feel better than DC2 seats... honestly, they remind me a lot of my S2000's seats. The whole interior is a step up from the DC2- with all the interior control knobs being a bit bigger and giving more positive feedback when operated. It even has cup-holders that can actually hold cups (unlike the DC2's)! The only real downside is that there's no center arm-rest. Not a deal breaker- I imagine it would have gotten in the way of the shifter- but something negative to note nonetheless. 

Setting off, at first I thought it had an aftermarket clutch, as there seemed to be a lot of pressure needed when I first pressed the clutch in... I was pleasantly surprised that the car was remarkably easy to drive. The clutch engagement point is close to the ground, but very intuitive and not hard on the left leg in the least. 

The shifter is a cable unit that can't match the engagement of the old DC2's mechanical linkage... but even when the car was cold, it was very smooth and easy to operate. I never missed a gear and I don't think I ever would, as the gear spacing is very well thought out. Moreover, the shifter height is just about perfect! The low-mounted shifters in the old FWD wishbone Honda's have long been the bane of my shifting existence- I've essentially added an extension to every one I've ever owned... with the RSX-S, that's not needed in the least! It's like Honda listened to the ergonomic complaints of tall drivers around the world and actually made real, noticeable changes! 

The pedals were all well-spaced and easy to work. Everything just seemed very intuitive and easy. 

The engine. Oh my word. Listen. I know the Internet has a recent resurgence in the purity of the B-series, but straight up: the K-series is just a better motor. I might give the B-series the nod for making a better noise on VTEC, but everything else goes to the K. The K is a smoother engine, with substantially more mid-range torque and even with my GS-R's bolt-ons (S300 dyno tuned), the RSX-S felt faster. Not just faster at redline, faster everywhere. I didn't feel the need to rev the RSX-S out, as it had good torque in the lower/mid regions, but when I did rev it out, this little car is quick! Not muscle car fast, but peppy and downright fun to drive! 

I can't really comment on the handling front. This poor little RSX-S was running coilovers that didn't really agree with the uber-rough roads we were on and it sorely needed an alignment... it might have also needed a new bushing or tie-rod, or 2. It wasn't the tightest car I've ever driven and up against my extremely well-maintained, customized to my driving style DC2, it's not really a fair comparison. 

What I can say is that the steering is better than the DC2's. No, not "different". Not "I could see how some people could prefer it". No, simply better. One of my biggest complaints with the DC2 has always been how light the steering is. Which, the old wishbone Honda's come from the factory with a whopping 1* degree of positive caster (if you're lucky!), so it's understandable. With that said, the RSX-S steering weight is tuned perfectly. The RSX-S is one of the last of the sporty Honda's that still has hydraulic power steering, so there's no loss of feel, just a much-needed increase in weight. Honestly, it felt more like what I would expect of a FWD BMW, if such a thing existed (no, modern Mini's don't count). 

More important than everything else listed above: these little cars are fun to drive and easy to pitch around in traffic! They have good visibility and are still small enough that slicing through the stoplight races is a breeze. 

If it sounds like I'm singing this little car's praises, that's because I am! The car felt a lot like a mixture between an S2000 and a FWD BMW. You could say a car like this is right up my alley. 

What were the negatives? Well, this car in particular could use some work in the way of OEM suspension components, a suspension refresh, an alignment and some help getting it to not smell like weed when the heat kicks on. I got the feeling that the 1st/2nd owner(s) likely took excellent care of this car, but the most recent owner was a kid that got the car repo'd... If it were as well-maintained as my GS-R, I would likely say overall, I prefer this car over my DC2 in pretty much every way. I'm not sure if I could give it a bigger compliment. 

Counter point: my wife didn't feel the same way. She liked the RSX-S, but when asked, said she preferred my Integra. I think she mostly felt that way because of the stiffer/cheap suspension and the RSX-S feeling like it could use from TLC, whereas my Integra might as well be brand new by comparison (I've replaced just about every part you can think of on that car!). She also really loves the Integra, so there's that. 

Do I like it more than my 128i? Hold the phone. Let's not get crazy here. I don't think so. It's tough to compete with RWD and a smooth inline-6, even if the K20 is an absolute gem of a motor. 

Would I actually buy one of these cars? Yes. Am I considering buying one of these cars? Yes. 

My hesitations about buying an RSX-S: 

1. It's very tough to find a clean, non-molested RSX-S that hasn't been wrecked and modified within an inch of its life. 

2. Would I actually drive it regularly? That's a tough question. I don't drive my Integra right now... not because it's a bad car, but only because the BMW is better to drive. The RSX-S is also a better car to drive vs the Integra, but could I see myself grabbing the keys and leaving the BMW in the garage regularly? Man, that's a tough question. 

3. Do I want to continue maintaining and paying insurance on 4 cars? Well, no, not really. I suppose I've been doing it for quite a while and I'm somewhat used to it, so it's not a huge burden, but the thought of owning 3 cars (vs 4) is more appealing. Would I sell the Integra and BMW to get it? Absolutely not! The Integra? Sure. The 128i? As much as it's a money pitt, something about keys and cold, dead hands? 

4. Do I want to start over fixing all the things that yet another previous owner neglected to fix/maintain? After all the wrenching I've done in the past couple of years, that sounds exhausting and unappealing right now. 

So, where am I at? I really liked this little car. The thought of getting one right now doesn't sound terribly appealing... but if I sold the Integra... and I happened to run across a clean, unmolested example, I could see taking it home... but I don't plan on searching one out. I also wouldn't want a completely mint example either, as odd as that sounds. We only have a 3 car garage: my wife's Challenger and the S2000 are non-negotiable, they're not sleeping outside... and the more I drive and repair the BMW, the more I think the BMW should also stay in the garage, as I think the E82 is more or less the new E30 or 2002: the last of the analog, inline-6, RWD BMW's... and I wouldn't want to park a mint RSX-S outside year round. 

For now, I'm not going to seek an RSX-S out... but that doesn't mean it's a "no". Potentially just a "not right now". 

I figured I would update this thread, in reference to my BMW A/C woes. On docwyte's recommendation, I tried to take the car to Nick Yaritza/Yaritza Imports, but it would appear his shop has been renamed simply The Garage. I took it there this morning... they called me shortly thereafter, saying the only leaks they found were at the schrader valves... I was sweating bullets before then, planning for the worst! 

They called me this afternoon, saying they replaced the valves and everything appeared to be working just fine. I suppose there's always a chance that something else could be leaking as well... but as of right now, all is well! The A/C is now blowing cold! The bill for the job was less than 1/10th of what I was expecting to pay! Talk about a relief! 

I'll monitor to see if any other problems pop up, but right now I'm feeling like I got off pretty easy! 

In reply to nakmuayfarang :

Gutless makes roughly the same torque as a "torquey" Subaru but you don't have to upshift

And this is the 2 liter, not the 2.2.

In reply to nakmuayfarang :

Different horses for different courses.  It's two wheel drive so a nice drivable powerband is important, and per Colin Chapman, you can add lightness by not needing extremely heavy duty drivetrain parts, which also shift horribly and hurt acceleration. If you want a burnout machine there are plenty of other offerings.

nakmuayfarang said:

Comparing g everything to a gutless S2000 is nauseating 

Well, I suppose we have different taste in cars. To avoid nausea, I would recommend you avoid reading threads where S2000 is in the title. Or, you're welcome to keep reading until the glowing reviews of the little gutless Honda eventually win you over! 

In reply to nakmuayfarang :

"Superior" according to whom?

You'll find that around here, we like lots of different cars, and frankly don't engage much in the typical forum urinating contests. Just because we don't necessary always agree on things (other than trying to talk me out of buying an Alfa Romeo) doesn't mean we put other people's choices down.

In reply to BoxheadTim :

I think the only thing we ever agreed on is that a 3000GT VR-4 is a bad idea.

Not that being a bad idea has ever stopped anyone.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

The feedback on my discussion re getting a Giulia was pretty unanimous also . Not that it stopped me.

A 3000GT is kinda an automotive Amy, though.

nakmuayfarang said:

I agree 100%, just have a hard time with the logic that an s2000 is somehow a standard against which a superior car like a gr corolla should be measured.  The gr is superior in every way except to a person whom is trying too hard to justify their mediocre " appreciating" econocar.

I think you're missing the point. Although it's ironic that you're comparing a Corolla GR and an S2000 and referring to the S2000 as an "econocar"- I mean, this thing gets terrible fuel economy! Ironically, the S2000 is a 1-off chassis (not shared with any other model), that has double wishbones at all 4 corners, fully adjustable camber, caster and toe, front-midship design with a rearward weight bias (49/51), the most finely tuned shifter on earth (as per countless reviews), and an engine that held the world record for the highest output HP/liter ratio for a naturally aspirated production engine (120hp/liter) for years. It is a dedicated sports car that dominated various classes at autocross and time attack events for years (decades?)... by comparison, the GR Corolla is literally a Corolla with a turbo and AWD. A Corolla is not a dedicated sports car chassis- it's literally an "econocar"- an entry level, strut based, FWD vehicle designed for fuel efficiency, with a chassis that is also shared with crossovers... oh, the irony.  

I've had plenty of fast, torquey cars, with 500+hp. Hell, my wife has a Challenger Scat Pack 392 in the garage right now... it wasn't too long ago that my daily was a Telsa Model 3 Performance... I think I'm up to ~37 cars that I've owned in my life (not counting my wife's cars), most of which were boosted... I suspect you just don't get it. I also suspect you didn't make it to my equally glowing review (in this thread) of the ND Miata! I suspect you wouldn't understand that one either... 

We're not talking about which car is "teh F4staRRR" on the interwebs. We're talking about which one is more fun to drive. 

So, I will challenge you: go find a clean AP2 S2000. Drive it thoroughly. Then, go find a GR Corolla. Drive that one too. Then, when you're done, if you disagree with my assessment, write your own thread critiquing them yourself as a counterpoint. Anything short of that and you're just being an immature troll on the Internet that has no experience to draw from, as I suspect you've never driven either car and as such, cannot give a fair representation of either vehicle. 

Happy motoring!