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justin (@) deepdrift dot com
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Reasons why I've gotten rid of cars over the years
At the beginning of 2010, the Maxima I was previously driving decided it'd had enough.
- It wouldn't pass inspection, there was a check engine light on, probably from a bad sensor, or needing a catalytic converter, if not the exhaust.
- I think it needed a whole new exhaust, as the muffler underneath had quite a large hole.
- The starter was going, and for a couple of days in the cold, it wouldn't engage, so I took a hairdryer under the hood for 10 minutes and then it would start up.
- It probably needed a new battery as well.
- The front bumper was dinged and falling apart, and there was some clear duct tape holding a turn signal on.
- Someone had put a good sized dent in the rear trunk
So indeed one mechanic said that I should just trade the car in and get something more "reliable". Like the new honda insight. However there's part of me that won't ever buy a new car, always used, and the more heavily used the better. And the share of problems, The starter problem was particularly annoying. Imagine going out in the morning, and finding out the car wouldn't start. Then going back outside running and extension cord, to put a hairdryer under the hood and then starting it up 10 minutes later. It's hard to say exactly why this little trick worked. And it made me nervous that the car wouldn't start at all. So I hunted around for something else, then kinda on a whim traded it in, much to the dismay of my friends and family for something foolish - which well... was lighter and reminded me a lot of the prelude I had before.
'02 Acura RSX Type-S
So I got this car, and of course the same mechanic who told me to get rid of this car, saw the check engine light on, and said I should get rid of it. Sigh, luckily the catalytic converter was changed by the used car dealer who sold me the car, and that solved that. But the car had it's quirks, even when I bought it and I'm not sure I made a good purchase for $6000-ish. However the car did last me pretty reliably for 2+ years, although it definatley had personality.
Good things about it.
Light, 200hp/142lb-ft engine. VTEC cams kick in at 5800 rpm and the engine screams to a 8000rpm redline. Short ram intake makes it even louder. And a midpipe resonator deletion, made it buzzy. Although nobody would describe the engine as torquey. Took premium gas. Driving through a tunnel, sometimes I'd just roll down the windows and downshift two gears just to hear the echo. Although the sound and the speed was kinda spooky, if not nerve racking that I might wreak the car.
The blue color was distinctive, and kinda sporty looking without being too flashy like red or yellow. I managed to get two speeding tickets in 12 months though after buying this car. But it was an old car, when I got it it had 128K miles on it, and I did have to put new tires, brakes (including a rear caliper) and for some reason even spent $250 fixing a hood that wouldn't open.So the list of problems with this RSX-S
- Intake, modified short ram style, plastic cracking, sealed with duct tape- and it's loud, especially in the high rpms. Crank case exhaust tube didn't connect back to intake, or to a filter, just ended in the middle of the engine (not exactly great)
- Air filter for above intake needed changing, but not sure what size it might be.
- Exhaust - originally there was a very cheap exhaust, probably from a civic, but the middle of it seemed to have been bent to make it fit and it was hanging so low such that it scraped, and was cracked in places. I managed to get some sort of cheap Honda muffler (I think it was from a Civic Si, or maybe an old RSX-S) which mostly fit, and had an exhaust shop bend some 2.25" mild steel tubing and put it on. Whole thing costed $140 - overall result, probably good, but it did indicate a car which had a lot of cheap mods.
- After said exhaust was installed, when turning right at slow speed. Sometimes something in the muffler would bang against the body, never figured out just where that rattle was coming from.
- Since it's a hatchback, and the rear cover was missing - you heard all sorts of other rattles, exhaust, or anything you had put in the back there.
- Car hesitates when the accelerator is pressed between 1500-3000rpm (then screams).
- Dents, particularly in the front bumper.
- Rust starting to come up above rear wheel wells.
- Car was rear ended in a rainstorm. Rear bumper mauled, mechanic put it back as best as he could, but it doesn't quite line up now. Can see that the rear frame is bent and pushed in right above the tow hook, and into the spare tire well.
- Front Seats - aftermarket seats put it, never fit right, they rock slightly.
- Rear Seats, it wasn't that comfortable to begin with, now that the passenger side rear seat is stuck in the back position. It's totally inhospitable back there.
- Water leak in the rear - when it rains, it seems like some water pools in the trunk.
- Stereo had been taken out and put back in, CD player didn't work, amp under passenger seat wasn't bolted down, sub-wofer in trunk was missing. Speakers would start to buzz w/ alternator after 10 minutes.
- After fixing the hood that wouldn't open, the shop seemed to have lost the cap to the radiator fluid reservoir, so it was covered by a bit of duct tape.
So sadly I gave away this car to a friend. I think he was happy to have anything at all to replace the truck which wouldn't go into reverse. and I heard that he was kinda really excited about it, such that the first day he owned it it got a pretty good cleaning all the way around. Sigh, good for him, but I'm really gonna miss the little sports car.
However I'm back driving a '97 Honda Accord. Still a stick shift. In better shape than the RSX, even though there's a bit of rust above the rear wheel. And well it's the same age as the nissan maxima which I got rid of. Considering I drove a '92 Accord, which was an automatic and then got stolen, so I went back to the maxima. Maybe it's fitting, that I'm rather sad about cars right now.
October 4, 2012