1992 Acura Integra RS review from North America

Up until about 90,000 miles absolutely nothing went wrong with it. The only costs were ordinary maintenance, exhaust, and brakes.

At 95,000 the timing belt let go and took 3 valves with it. Also replaced the distributor and radiator (rusted out) at the same time the engine was rebuilt.

Replaced original battery 3 months later.

Replaced gas tank 1 year later as original rusted out.

Exterior rust is starting to take hold.

I live in Vermont and have driven this car daily for 12 years in all sorts of weather. The winters have taken their toll.

It's now starting to lose a transmission bearing.

In some ways this review is my eulogy for the car. I love it - it's the most fun car I have ever owned, it's been reliable and never left me stranded in almost 12 years of daily use except for the timing belt incident, it's great on gas, handles wonderfully, and can carry a surprising amount of stuff in the back with the seats folded down.

I could fit an entire bureau in the back of it, or 2 passengers, or my bike, or a rototiller with the handle removed.

I used it as a sports car/passenger car/economy car/truck combo and it did everything I asked of it well.

It was even good in snow. I have 4 snow tires for it on separate rims, and it can go through snow so deep the front air dam acts like a tiny plow.

I drove it cross-country 7 years ago and camped out of it (sleeping in it on stormy nights). On one leg of the trip I got 36 mpg. It gets great mileage if you don't wind it up too high.

It was the first new car I ever bought.

It's been fast, fun, reliable, useful, and my buddy for a long time. But the winters have done a number on it and the rust is taking over. It's also losing a transmission bearing and I'm not willing to put any more money into it as I need a 4 door with air conditioning at this point in my life.

I would buy another one in a heartbeat, in spite of the problems this one has had. Some of them may have been caused by lax maintenance on my part so I'm reluctant to blame the car.

I'm hoping I can sell it to someone who will turn it into a project and bring it back to its glory days. The idea of it sitting in a junk yard breaks my heart.