How reliable has your DSM been?

[Jay123]

mine has been nothing but problems put it this way ive had it for a year and have only put 4500 miles on it and its my daily driver

 

[TooFastTooG]

This has been said many times before and ill say it once again, this is a website geared to wards performance. Since people are creating more power with these cars then stock of coarse things will break from time to time, and thats why you see all the problems here on the forums.

If this was a Honda site you would see all the problems here with Honda's as well. Just do your basic preventive maintenance and do take any shortcuts and it wont be bad. Your going to have a lot of fun with these cars!

 

[1993eclipseGS]

Everyone says that they are unreliable. These people are the ones that have bought their car off of a teen or someone that has constantly beat on it and never kept up with the routine things.

 

[integraxtc]

If this was a Honda site you would see all the problems here with Honda's as well. Just do your basic preventive maintenance and do take any shortcuts and it wont be bad. Your going to have a lot of fun with these cars!

I'm on Honda-tech all the time, and that's the thing. While people that tend to modify especially with boost do have some issues, it just doesn't seem to be horror stories and ongoing nightmares where the car will work and go down 2 months, up 1 and back down.

 

[integraxtc]

Everyone says that they are unreliable. These people are the ones that have bought their car off of a teen or someone that has constantly beat on it and never kept up with the routine things.

yup, one of the tsi's I'm looking at seems to be bone stock w/ various maintanance items in the recent months. However, they want "3200obo must sell now" w/ 112k and '92

I have roughly 2500. You think I can work them down to 2800 or hopefully lower. Car looks good from pics though. It'll be a steal if I get it for that change.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

I would try to get them alot lower. I got mine from a 1 owner 50year old lady with 60k original miles, bone stock.. for $2,400. Mint.

 

[tranman91]

when i first bought my 1g i spent alot of money on maintenance right when i got it...t-belt, brakes, water-pump, alternator, tires, etc...but you'll probably do that do any used car unless the owner just had it done...and most of this type of stuff falls under preventative maintenance no big deal.

this was about a 2 years ago...i don't drive much and since then i've put around 10k miles on the car...my only problems since then have been a cracked manifold, t-housing, and bad radiator...

not bad for a car more than a decade old...my car's pretty stock...but everyday it starts right up...spools when i gas it...and get's me places no problem.

 

[TooFastTooG]

Take your time in looking for a good DSM, I know that exact feeling you have right now of wanting one, don't jump on the first dsm you go look at. There are alot of people selling there dsm's for ungodly prices right now, for some reason the prices of the are skyrocketing right now.

I look for my gsx for about 4 months, maybe I'm just too picky but waited till i found one with records of maintenance and i knew it was in good condition. The one i bought had a recent full tune up done and everything and it runs like a champ. Anyways you'll find a good one out there use all the resources to find these cars, autotrader.com, cars.com, dsmtuner classifieds,
midwestmadess classifieds, there are plenty out there

 

[Max-Eclipse]

mine has been nothing but problems put it this way ive had it for a year and have only put 4500 miles on it and its my daily driver

Wow... that's crazy... when my car was up and running I put more than that on in a month!

 

[adam355]

You will have more problems than your honda period. There is just much more on a turbo car than an n/a car has to make it run. More sensors, innercooler piping, coolant lines/oil lines, vacuum hoses, the turbo itself, exc. I recommend keeping the car stock for a while and do as much of the routine maintenence as possible before you start modding. It will still be much much faster then your honda stock. The reasons people have lots of problems is because they start modding before there car is running up to snuff in the first place.

 

[integraxtc]

I agree, w/ the above statement.

 

[cuttheduck]

Stock they are quite decent.
I replaced the timing belt as maintenance on my current turbo 2g and thats been it besides brake pads last month. Between me and the previous owner I know we're talking 5-6 years 60,000+ miles of hard driving and just putting gas in and a oil change whenever I remember too. *knock on wood,wait for my "engine spontaneously exploded into 10 pieces" thread later this week.


Lets put it this way, some people keep breaking parts while stock, other guys will run a low 11 on an untouched stock 6 bolt with 120k. You never know, seems like MANY of the breakage issues are people messing up tuning or doing something else dumb and learning the hard way. Plus as with all modified cars,whatever can go wrong will.

What are your goals anyway?

 

[talondude4]

mine has been nothing but problems put it this way ive had it for a year and have only put 4500 miles on it and its my daily driver

dude your car is a lemon, sorry man couldn't resist. At least its back on the road now.


oh by the way welcome to dsm's, what did you have for a Honda?

 

[integraxtc]

dude your car is a lemon, sorry man couldn't resist. At least its back on the road now.


oh by the way welcome to dsm's, what did you have for a Honda?

'91 DA stolen, recovered, traded(2nd gen Integra) love that bi***, wish I still had it. Maybe I'll get me one another day, when I'm ready to go all out, or this Honda theft dies out)

Current: '92 EG hatch. I was planning on going SOHC Turbo-Vtec. But there's just too much hating right now.

Power goals on a DSM?? I'm thinking maybe 300 or so horses at the crank or flywheel. Shouldn't be too hard to get there. But who knows, we get addicted to speed and power.

 

[MNGSX]

I would look at a 2g that needs an engine.. I like the 95-96 because there are fewer cars
with that nose and tail.. The GSX and GST models have a distinguishing paint scheme and the rear spoiler is the pre F2F tastefull low wing..

Then build a 6 bolt engine.

You will get the double wishbone cornering that you were used to in the honda and the 6 bolt engine durability..

2gs have better shifting transmissions and the dual synchro 1-2 gets even better when you swap conventional gear lube for synchromesh..

IMHO any cheap 1g will likely need engine and driveline work.. Any built up 1g will cost as much more than a early 2g + building it yourself...

There are so many little things that need to be done just right I would be leary of all but the most well put together modified cars.

 

[Game Over]

mine has been nothing but problems put it this way ive had it for a year and have only put 4500 miles on it and its my daily driver

I've got 1500 in the last year with my d/d. It ran for less then 3 months.

 

[bhop]

Mine is a lemon... but I still don't want to get rid of it.

 

[MNGSX]

I drive mine alot now that I have sold the DD beater..

No problems that were'nt easily solved and high HP related.

For example, I am putting in a new sintered iron clutch (sprung)..

Its been pretty solid and is running a massive turbo and fuel system for 85% alcohol fuel (ethanol)...

It takes time and research to build them right.. Well... general DOHC 4 banger tech experience helps too but there are little tricks and tips that make all the difference in the world on these..

 

[integraxtc]

I would look at a 2g that needs an engine.. I like the 95-96 because there are fewer cars
with that nose and tail.. The GSX and GST models have a distinguishing paint scheme and the rear spoiler is the pre F2F tastefull low wing..

Then build a 6 bolt engine.

You will get the double wishbone cornering that you were used to in the honda and the 6 bolt engine durability..
.

true but I'm only 19, live under my dad's roof, and I already did that w/ the civic. Doing this w/ my second car in a row will not fly. My dad knows cars and mechanical, he's just not an enthusiast. He doesn't get it.

 

[MNGSX]

1. If you have a friend with a garage build and swap the engine there..
2. Buy a forged longblock and swap it in in under a weekend..
3. Do a good clutch and flywheel while it is out..

The forged engine will run just fine on the stock turbo system, fuel system and EMS system.

You can do staged upgrades from there..

Some things you cant get away from.. You need a engine with good compression and a good clutch at minimum.. I know for a fact that any AWD dsm you buy with a OEM or substandard aftermarket clutch will need an upgrade. A forged motor will get you ready for any power level you will likely go for later...

 

[MyBeatGSX]

Hard for me to say, I've only had mine for 3 months. But I also have lots of Honda experience and while my GSX has never left me stranded so far (knock on wood) its still no Honda. Its had and got plenty of problems even though its not pushing big power, while my friend runs 10psi on a bone stock B16 and the thing hasn't even hiccuped (sp?) all year. Its not so much the reliabilty, but the ease of working on a honda. Everything is right there and so simple to get to and take stuff apart. Now I feel like I have to remove 30 parts just to get to anything. But that's just IMO and I still love my car. So buy one

 

[MNGSX]

What problems have you had..

There are little tricks for everything..

 

[98eclipseRS]

integraxtc: Just like everyone has said it all depends on the car you buy and how the car is maintained. I daily drive my 400+hp gs-t with zero problems except lighting my shitty stock brakes on fire anytime I do a hard run. However, this is my 4th dsm and I have been through the shitty car stage with dsms. Whatever you do DO NOT buy the first one you buy. These cars are just as reliable as a honda but they are way way way more tempermental. You have to be on time to the "T" on maintenance. Not a mile over 60k for the tbelt. Use synthetic oils and change every 2k miles. Check your coolant level everyweek. Check coolant and oil lines. I learned the hard way that I should have checke my coolant lines, I didn't, one burst and cost me an engine because the stock temp gauge didn't show anything until it was too late. If you have the energy, dedication, patients, and thoroughness to actually take care of a car I don't see why you can't own a dsm and have no problem with it what so ever.

With owning a dsm you cannot mickey mouse on anything that's how and why things break on these cars. Cheap is not an option when it comes to these cars. Good luck with yoru search for the car and if you have any other questions feel free to pm me.

 

[jastermerrel]

All in all, i wish I still had the ol CRX. 220k on original engine and tranny...still ran strong.
I have a love/hate relationship with my DSM (97 GST), its been nothing but trouble and it is still stock with 115k. Yea, i bought it used, so who knows what its been through, but since they are all used now its just a gamble. The love part only comes from the sexy 2G styling and the fact that it does have a turbo. It's my only vehicle, so I have an often used bicycle and a pair of New Balances for backup.

 

[integraxtc]

yup it's a crazy crapshoot (sp?). It's a pretty large investment to be F'ing around. As for Hondas I just don't think I can continue having my shit stolen, or broken into or whatever. But damn, I love them Hondas. I hate them ricers, that ruin it.

God, I'm so bewildered. I don't know what to do.