I've had it! i'm done with my DSM! Honda here i come.

[laserspeeddemon]

Well everyone basically said it:

DSMs look better
DSMs engines are built for boost
DSMs go faster for cheaper

Integras look ok, but need Rice to be a head turner
Integras only go fast with boost, but engines aren't designed for it
Integras will cost you alot of money to boost
Integras egines are not reliable when boosted

So if you add it all up
Reliablity:
Boosted integra = stock DSM
Cost:
Boosted integra > stock DSM
power:
Boosted integra = stock DSM
power potenial:
Boosted integra < stock DSM
Bang for Buck:
Boosted integra < stock DSM

 

[bigjangin]

I feel your pain too. I love my car, its quick as hell, but everytime it breaks it makes me want a corvette .

 

[dsm4life]

well my look on it is like this. DSM's are semi reliable as long as you dont "hook" them up. but the thing is that there is so much potential in these engine that you just cant help your self . and they look sweet as hell. I was even thinking about going to a 1G like a 93 bosy style. I love the look of the car just dont like the way the dash looks.

 

[jbillakdsm]

I found the best solution to this whole "reliability" problem. Go out and find yourself a nice used Civic that only needs a couple little things and use it as a weekday car and save your DSM for the weekends and recreational driving. I bought a 94 Civic EX 4-door with a dead auto tranny for 500 bucks, spent 250 on a good auto tranny with 10K miles on it, and 50 bucks plus two cases of beer for my friends to put it in (and yes they do know what they are doing). Granted it's no speedster, but the gas mileage is great and it's a nice change of pace from the DSM, reminds me that there are cars out there that won't pin you to the seat when you floor it.

 

[98spydert]

Man, I just went the opposite route. Had a 91 CRX HF with B16. Ran a high 12 low 13 and was fun to drive but shit broke on it and I just got tired of trying to perfect it. The move to a newer DSM would have been a good move for reliability but I started modding it so I'm probably gonna end up right where I left off if I keep on going with bigger, better, faster, stuff.

Anyways, to give my little honda some credit; it was a decent car. fast as #### for a n/a honda but the only problems came from sticking a JDM engine in it. From there the hard poly mounts started messing up the suspension and breaking things sometimes, the MAP broke and the second one went crazy because of the fuel and air mods including crower stage 1 cams. I just couldn't tune it no matter what I tried. A stand alone or Hondata would have been the only sure fix. It just turned into a nightmare just like I've heard so many DSM owners say. If you mod anything for speed like your current car or my old CRX, it's gonna bring a ton of problems unless you're one of those tuning gods who's tried it all and know's which route to take.

You shouldn't be looking at what car is most reliable modded but whether or not you want any modded car. I'm sure all of them will bring the same problems we've had.

on another note, I hate all the Honda=rice stuff. No one mentions n/a eclipses and talons as rice because it hits too close to home. But a non turbo eclipse with an aftermarket wing and big wheels running in the 15s is just as ricing as a honda doing it...

 

[tylerdurden801]

Yeah, what's up with DSMers calling rice? Some of the riciest piles of shit I've seen have been DSM's. What does that mean? Uhhhh, nothing. There's a LOT of civics out there, and thus a LOT of chances for them to fall into the wrong hands. I'm also surprised at the number of people who think head turning ability is a criteria to buy a car. Makes no sense to me, but whatever.

Honda's are very reliable, can be made very fast, even without boost (K20 in a 5th gen would be a completely reliable low 13 second car with bolt ons and minor weight redux), handle extremely well, and get great gas mileage. If I wanted a roadrace car, it'd have an H on the front (not necessarily because it'd be faster, but because there a huge Honda roadrace community, cheap parts, lots of racing series where they are competetive, etc.).

 

[Jason84]

well the stuff you have replaced is normal dsm maintence... not really that bad of stuff wait till you get crankwalk....... heh alot of dsm slave/master clutch hydros dont last to long.. i was just talking to a guy i know today that owns a local shop(Went to pickup my water pump) he is replacing his second set of clutch hydros this week. ones in a 98 with only 53k........ and he just did a set last week to...

i mean thats just cheap stuff youve been replacing.. tranny tob is pretty simple to replace and cheap... buy a haynes manual if you dont know to much about the car itll help alot...

and yes there are some fast hondas out there... there is a little 94 HB in town w/ a gsr motor and a nice supercharger... redlines at like 10 grand...(and thats how much hes got into the motor to) that thing goes like a rocket.....


and yes there are ALOT of ricey dsms to.......(one kid in town here has the spinner hub caps on his 1g )

 

[9d2TSi]

Just keep it. If it's running 12's you definately won't get out of it what you put into it. I myself would keep it and fix what breaks. Drive something else to work and what not and keep the power for fun driving. If you want a Honda, buy one. You will get reliability, good gas mileage, and your g/f won't have to worry about any other self-respecting women hitting on you in a Honda......J/K Honda owners.

Good luck with your decision.

Stacy

 

[xxconvict]

Well you all make great point. Yes, the b18 isnt good with boost. if I did end up getting one it would probably be minor mods and no2 for my speed. But one thing i'd have to put up with is getting beat and i really cant take that. My g/f and my friends all said "you would be so pissed off when u get beat!" and they are right, i'm not used to losing and i would hate it.. And true, it will never be as fast as my dsm! I just cant afford to keep fixing it and when its down i fee like i have a limb missing! I hate it! And i'm sure everone has gone through it. Oh well, after reading all of these posts and talking to my friends more i'll probably end up keeping it unless i get a good offer then its out the door! j/k! thanks guys

 

[dsm4life]

one thing that i wouldnt miss if i sold my dsm is the insurance payment , every time i see that bill i

 

[ALP584]

Hey , I was reading all these posts and stoped a second to think about my car , and what all had happend , I bought it with 150XXX and it ran good since it belonged to a old lady , well by 155XXX i blew a hole in my tranny the size of a dinner plate got a new tranny, and at 160XXX my engine jumped timing and bent valves and messed up all the pistons , and not once did i think of getting rid of it......

Good luck

 

[Sk8er07999]

HA HA HA! I didn't even have to read this before I knew what to say. DO NOT BUY A HONDA! Sure they are good ass cars. My girlfriend has one with 238,000 miles on the od with no major work. Here is an example. My friend has a 95 civic coupe with a b18c1 swap. He even got the option for the lsd tranny. After spending over $4,000.00 his car ran a best of 15.9. To this day he kicks himself in the ass for buying a honda. He hates it seriously. Don't buy a Honda man.

 

[HyperGSX]

Try posting on one of the Honda boards, you'll run into most of the same issues we have here. People spending too much money on fixing their car and trying to go fast

 

[98spydert]

One thing, don't base your decision off of these horror stories of 10,000 rides running 17 sec 1/4s or gifted cars running 13s with only an intake and exhaust. I willing to bet the car you end up getting(if you get one) will be just average and if you know how to tune already then you won't have problems. I can honestly say, all of the people I know who bought hondas and tried doing engine swaps or just lots of bolt ons didn't know what they were doing and went by magazine ads or whatever the "tooners" in there area were doing. If you already know cars and you research the vehicle specific mods, you'll be fine.

 

[xxconvict]

Originally posted by 98spydert
One thing, don't base your decision off of these horror stories of 10,000 rides running 17 sec 1/4s or gifted cars running 13s with only an intake and exhaust. I willing to bet the car you end up getting(if you get one) will be just average and if you know how to tune already then you won't have problems. I can honestly say, all of the people I know who bought hondas and tried doing engine swaps or just lots of bolt ons didn't know what they were doing and went by magazine ads or whatever the "tooners" in there area were doing. If you already know cars and you research the vehicle specific mods, you'll be fine.

Yea i know, I know a "honduh" will never be that fast. Oh well. it probably wont happen anyway..

For anyone who wants to see the car and the mods check out the page i threw together for it. Later
http://www.thumbs-down.com/TLS/tlsmain.html

 

[gsxtasy]

Haha, hey man i feel ya. I have had my car(1995 GSX) for almost 3 years.....ive put uh 5,000 on it and its my daily driver! Yea, 3 days after i got it, SNAP, bye bye valves. So i rebuilt my 2g head. Then few months later i toasted my clutch, expected. And shortly after i had that fixed i spun a rod bearing! Guess what, built 6 bolt comin my way and i never even thought of selling it. Considering i havent even tapped the potential of this engine. Just keep pluggin away and enjoy it. By the way im only 17 now talk about money issues. Thats why i do all my own work.....everything, mechanic hasnt touched my car. Good luck.

 

[Eclipse96Ryder]

ya....even my 2gnt was a pain in the ass to maintain. clutch went twice, belts snapped like 4 times....exhaust leaks all around..., but i never thought of selling it. and my 1g awd is probabaly gonna start going through some major issues...tranfer case, timing belt, etc....but thats ok, keep it....these engines are incredible

 

[xxconvict]

Well i'm convicned. I'm gonna keep her. Now all i have to do is get her back on the road. But i'm thinking of buying a beater honda like someone suggested just to drive around. Thanks guys!

 

[HyperGSX]

Good choice! A beater car will definetely make things easier

 

[paranoidTSi]

Originally posted by xxconvict
Yea i know, I know a "honduh" will never be that fast. Oh well. it probably wont happen anyway..

For anyone who wants to see the car and the mods check out the page i threw together for it. Later
http://www.thumbs-down.com/TLS/tlsmain.html

Yeah, definitely don't get rid of it, that thing is iin good condition inside and out. The only thing I suggest exterior-wise is new rims and a new front chin (get rid of the smiley face bumper)

 

[chad92turbo]

i feel your pain and belive me so do a whole lot of other people,just buy a beater, dont sell your pride and joy

 

[NAT01]

"I think you should keep the car and when you do get it running perfect buy a beater or just be easy on the car. That's just my .02. Anyways good luck"

That's what I have, a "daily driver". This way I drive the DSM on the nice days, or in my case, just not in the Pennsylvania winters, arrgh.

 

[G-zuz]

It seems alot of the problems people listed were maintenace and some of the problems could have been avoided with a rebuild instead of just replacing one part like a pump. I'm just suprised no one mentioned that honda boys are trying to compare natuarally aspired reliability to something that is turbo charged from the factory. I wouldn't even consider a honda. I would go with a 1987-90 mustang hatch with 281/4.6 conversion with the rods replaced. It could take a beating of 1000 HP. Just remember, I win with a head butt.

 

[JusMX141]

Good job, grave digger.