Faults:

The CV joints have cracked a couple of times and needed replacing, but I drive over a cattle grid twice a day so not surprising. The boot leaks slightly during the wet season (around the lights) and has been tough to fix. Otherwise car still looks pristine both in and out, but it's all a matter of effort expended!

General Comments:

I fell in love with Honda cars when I bought a 1987 Honda Civic back in 1990, and I've always pined after an Integra because of its looks and performance. I have not been disappointed.

Although the Type-R was my preferred choice, the VTi-R is still a monster engine that is fantastic fun to drive. If you're changing gears consistently below 5,000 rpm you're not really driving it, though! Push the car and it rewards you. Perhaps needs more torque at low revs, and fast starts aren't this car's forte, but when the revs rise you'll awaken the beast.

Handling is also excellent, and it's a smooth and responsive car to drive in various conditions.

In-car road and engine noise is moderate to high, but you'll enjoy hearing the engine rather than wince.

Seats are comfortable, even for long journeys.

The cabin isn't too spacious, but then this is a sports car. Rear seats are a squeeze for larger passengers, especially if the front passenger or driver have their seat well back. Visibility from the driver's seat is good, and you feel relatively close to the road when driving. The boot / trunk is surprising large, and with the folding rear seats you can get a reasonable load in there. But height is a problem if you want to pack tall objects in there.

Overall I love this car. I still want a Type R, but until I can afford one I am very happy.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car.

The only trouble I face in this car is that when passengers ride in the back, I have to be very cautious around corners otherwise the 17" 215 tyres rub against the guards.

General Comments:

The car handles beautifully.

The steering wheel permanently talks to you and gives you the confidence to throw the car into corners.

When Vtec kicks in, its music to any car-junkie's ears.

I always tend to maintain low-revs for the first 5 minutes of the ride, but once she's warmed up - she doesn't disappoint.

This car can be economical as well as a fuel guzzler. Its all up to how heavy the driver's foot is. Its very tempting to keep it at 5000 revs and then floor it just to hear the Vtec sing.

The brakes are great. I am always amazed by the stopping distance on this car.

The interior is nothing out of the ordinary. Plenty of room in the front, however you won't be too popular with your mates if they're stuck in the back on a long journey.

Modifications:

- I've replaced the stock-standard air box with a Pod filter.

- The factory muffler has been replaced with a Lukey muffler.

- I removed all the stereo components that came with the car and have started from scratch.

- The previous owner had replaced the standard mags with those from an early Integra Type R. Seeing the white mags on a black car took a bit of getting used to, but as long as I clean them regularly, they seem to have grown on me.

I noticed an instant difference in the noise levels when I changed the filter and a further change when the muffler was replaced. The exhaust note makes a good rumble at lower revs and sounds fantastic when the Vtec kiks in.

There's no limit to the number of modifications that can be made to the Integra.

If you are getting an Integra, all I'd suggest is that you get a warranty as you'll find yourself forking out a lot of cash if something goes wrong with the Vtec engine. Other than that... prepare yourself for a kick-arse ride.