2000 Honda Integra DC2 Type R 1.8 NA from Australia and New Zealand
Summary:
Lightweight, agile & quicker than your average car, but no match for a Porsche if you can afford one
Faults:
Had a bad smell after using VTEC when the car was new, that completely filled the cabin. This disappeared when I started using Mobil 1 synthetic 05W-50 engine oil.
Had a clicking clutch pedal. Fixed easily however.
Thermostat failed. Replaced and is OK now.
Noisy thrust bearing in clutch required expensive clutch replacement, including machining of the flywheel. Clutch pedal was much easier to actuate after clutch replacement however. Noise was also eliminated.
Leaking water through the rear lights when it rained. Fixed by dealer using a silicone sealer. Car smells like vinegar now as a result.
Gearbox has become noisy. Gears are very easy to select however. No problems as long as genuine Honda MTF is used. I had gear selection problems when I changed the gearbox oil briefly for a synthetic substitute.
Noise from gearbox has been identified as probably being the 'Input Shaft Bearing', which was not very well made by Honda. The replacement part for this will be a better design, but will be expensive to fit as it requires about six hours of labour.
I've had a squeaky rear sway bar for years, and it just seems to get worse with age. Lots of other rattles are now obvious as well. These tend to ruin the driving experience somewhat.
The front wheel bearings sound like they are starting to deteriorate and whine when I execute full-lock turns in either direction.
I've got an annoying whistle coming from the alternator I think. This may also need replacing.
Fuel pumps have always cut off too easily when trying to fill this car with petrol. This has always been frustrating.
General Comments:
It's a great design, and looks better than 95% of new cars on sale today.
It's difficult to drive fast, as you need to keep the revs of the engine above 5800rpm to get any real torque at all, and when you do - you only get 178nm.
The car's light weight saves it here, and its performance can be enhanced by removing the peripherals in the cabin to lighten it further.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 21st September, 2011
17th Jun 2016, 13:36
Obviously you are missing the point of owning the Integra Type R when you complained about noise levels in a lightweight, street legal race car stripped of sound deadening. There are softer cars with a good balance of comfort and performance like the Accord Euro offered by Honda.
If you do not enjoy performance driving and track days, the Type R is not the car for you.
I have owned the DC2 Type R for 16 years and found that the car has worked perfectly as intended. Its gearshifts, braking capability and handling are among the best among the competition, engine power delivery is smooth and progressive all the way to 8,500 RPM, and the car is utterly reliable despite about 50 track days over the 180k km so far.
Yes the car's interior does rattle and the stock clutch does smell after hard driving. I also had to replace the clutch throw out bearing. All the major hardware are very durable and reliable though. The engine does not burn any oil under high revs bar except when turning long corners whilst full throttle in race tracks (where oil from pan gets thrown to the side by cornering forces and gets sucked up to combustion chamber).
Seriously, how many cars can withstand so much constant racing and remain 99% reliable?