What do you think of Honda?
- Thread starter Joey D
- 357 comments
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RRReally!
My folks had an '89 Legacy wagon (new back then) and it was great. Subarus were real sparse everywhere I'd been up until then, most of them the old Justy's and whatever-that-old-boxy-shape-thing-is...lots of those. A few years later, Mick Dundee's got his mug on TV talking about this Outback thingy. Shoot, last Subaru ad I remembered before that was the Impreza "economy" car sponsored by Judge Reinhold -- yes, Judge Reinhold! Next thing I know, there's Outbacks everywhere, finally usurping Volvo as the #1 suburban car. Mind you, this is just before the real surge in SUV sales.Good thing it did, too. Wouldn't have my WRX today (which seems to really be putting Subaru in the spotlight in the US).
- 4,036
Yes, it is. The entire car was designed an built by Honda Motor Co.
Acura is merely a nameplate that Honda uses (and onlt in the US, I might add) because they felt that Americans would not accept the idea of an upscale Honda. I can't blame them, seeing how much stock people place in nameplates rather than the product itself.
Years of retail will teach you this ~
You know, after hearing you and Dudebusta make absolutely derogatory remarks toward Honda's 4WD system on these vehicles for several months, I've finally figured out that here in America, Honda doesn't even call them 4WD; instead opting for more likely what they really are, which is low-capability AWD.
Originally posted by Hooligan
RRReally!
Good thing it did, too. Wouldn't have my WRX today (which seems to really be putting Subaru in the spotlight in the US).
Yeah - the Forester was very successful also, and it played a part in Subaru gaining money, too. Still, they only mainly utilize one engine throughout the world and stay with three models here in America and four (Impreza, Legacy, Forester plus piece of crap Justy) in most countries....
....'93 was when sales turned sour for Subaru. I don't remember those Judge Reinhold ads, but do you remember when the Impreza used to have non-body coloured plastic bumpers!? I think they were only made for a few colours. It's a riot to see them on the roads now.
PS: To show the Outback's infinite reach, after that deadly bank robbery in a small industrial town in northeast Nebraska a few days ago, the thieves ran across the street and stole a getaway car for themselves, which was none other than an Outback LL Bean with OnStar (which actually eventually led to their capture). I got a chuckle out of that.
Ha! I heard about that - the cops were tracking them pretty well the whole way.
Just on the Honda 'Real-Time' AWD system - my main complaint is that AWD should mean AWD - all the time, not when some clutch decides you've got wheel spin, and I know from personal experience that you've pretty much got to be driving on ice or slick mud to get the rear wheels to get any drive. Volvo have just introduced a similar system for the S60 - it should be AWD on Demand, because basically without it the CR-V's just a 2 litre Civic wagon on stilts.
I must admit that the high level of atrocious drivers of CR-Vs in Sydney (who should be safely installed in Civic where they can do no harm) does colour my judgement here somewhat. I do hate those things with a passion, though.
Just on the Honda 'Real-Time' AWD system - my main complaint is that AWD should mean AWD - all the time, not when some clutch decides you've got wheel spin, and I know from personal experience that you've pretty much got to be driving on ice or slick mud to get the rear wheels to get any drive. Volvo have just introduced a similar system for the S60 - it should be AWD on Demand, because basically without it the CR-V's just a 2 litre Civic wagon on stilts.
I must admit that the high level of atrocious drivers of CR-Vs in Sydney (who should be safely installed in Civic where they can do no harm) does colour my judgement here somewhat. I do hate those things with a passion, though.
Just in contrast, my Liberty/Legacy (which is a manual) runs at 50/50 torque split front to rear, with quite an active shift of drive when either end slips. There's a favourite corner of mine near home (heading south, you drive under the Gladesville bridge to head west on Victoria Road) which is constant radius (and slightly banked!), except for the last quarter of the turn (it's 270 degrees in total) which tightens.
The big blue super Sube starts to understeer as the banking flattens out and the radius tightens, but if you hold your faith you can feel the drive ease away from the front and go to the rear, and the car tighten its line accordingly. It freaked me a bit the first time I felt it do it, but now I know it does it I tend to drive on it a bit, especially in the wet (which probably means I'll never be able to drive FF or FR again - I nearly looped my partner's brother's Falcon a month or so ago coming off the Anzac Bridge).
Actually, it's funny watching my partner drive it - she's generally pretty careful about speed limits but will try and hustle the car through corners, even though she has no idea about weight transfer. The Vectra very nearly bit her a couple of times (after severe provacation), but she hasn't provoked the Sube into doing anything yet - it just shrugs its shoulders and continues on.
She's already stated she will never go back to 2WD.
The big blue super Sube starts to understeer as the banking flattens out and the radius tightens, but if you hold your faith you can feel the drive ease away from the front and go to the rear, and the car tighten its line accordingly. It freaked me a bit the first time I felt it do it, but now I know it does it I tend to drive on it a bit, especially in the wet (which probably means I'll never be able to drive FF or FR again - I nearly looped my partner's brother's Falcon a month or so ago coming off the Anzac Bridge).
Actually, it's funny watching my partner drive it - she's generally pretty careful about speed limits but will try and hustle the car through corners, even though she has no idea about weight transfer. The Vectra very nearly bit her a couple of times (after severe provacation), but she hasn't provoked the Sube into doing anything yet - it just shrugs its shoulders and continues on.
She's already stated she will never go back to 2WD.
I've had it on the very high quality gravel roads near Berimah in SA - it's superb on gravel, you can look like a superhero.
It's a little freaky at first - I think the centre diff allocates more drive to the rear because of the reduced grip at the front, so any half decent cornering is done partially sideways.
Once you get used to it, it's huge fun, as constant throttle will hold the car at pretty much any angle you want, with the diff allocating drive to hold the car stable.
It's a bit ugly accelerating out of very tight corners, as the car can't make up its mind which end to put drive to, but anything from third gear upwards, you can look like Ari Vatanen.
It will also detect the loose surface and turn the ABS off.
- 2,660
nice. ive always wanted to take a proper all wheel drive onto gravel and test the oversteer abilities.
the commodore gets pretty hairy at times. ive learnt never to floor it on gravel or loose dirt, the back end immeadiatly steps out. its quite difficult to get it to stop fishtailing because of the weight.
im yet to try out the new LSD i had fitted last week.
the commodore gets pretty hairy at times. ive learnt never to floor it on gravel or loose dirt, the back end immeadiatly steps out. its quite difficult to get it to stop fishtailing because of the weight.
im yet to try out the new LSD i had fitted last week.
- 4,036
That should keep your ass in line. 
I'd actually like to run the Liberty/Legacy with the WRX set up, i.e with the diffs at both axles allocating torque across the axle, in addition to the centre diff - that would be pretty cool. I haven't driven a WRX on dirt, that would be interesting.
I'm generally pretty ordinary on the loose stuff, but decent AWD does help a lot. I remember driving an old turbo VL Commodore wagon on a gravel road up near Mt Buller in Victoria - that was a very unpleasant chassis on dirt, much worse than the VL sedan.
Car that was the most fun on dirt I ever drove was a mate's old RS2000 Escort - man, unless you were looking through the rear windscreen to see where you were going, you still get that thing back, it was brilliant - went like stink, too.
I'm generally pretty ordinary on the loose stuff, but decent AWD does help a lot. I remember driving an old turbo VL Commodore wagon on a gravel road up near Mt Buller in Victoria - that was a very unpleasant chassis on dirt, much worse than the VL sedan.
Car that was the most fun on dirt I ever drove was a mate's old RS2000 Escort - man, unless you were looking through the rear windscreen to see where you were going, you still get that thing back, it was brilliant - went like stink, too.
- 4,036
You just need a big hairdryer on the Super Sube.
I know what you mean about the feeling of AWD working. I test drove a 2.5 RS a while back and had to bang a hard left (almost a U-turn). It got to the point where most cars start to push a bit - and kept going. Right on past, tightening the line very neatly.
I only wish I'd been able to flog it more.
I know what you mean about the feeling of AWD working. I test drove a 2.5 RS a while back and had to bang a hard left (almost a U-turn). It got to the point where most cars start to push a bit - and kept going. Right on past, tightening the line very neatly.
I only wish I'd been able to flog it more.
- 2,660
Originally posted by risingson77
You just need a big hairdryer on the Super Sube.
real cars dont need turbos
my commodore is running a 3.8 fuel injected pushrod V6 and its tuned to around 250 ponies at present. ive been told i can get over 320hp without a blower.
250 is enough for me at present
N/A ALL THE WAY!
Originally posted by risingson77
You just need a big hairdryer on the Super Sube.
I know what you mean about the feeling of AWD working. I test drove a 2.5 RS a while back and had to bang a hard left (almost a U-turn). It got to the point where most cars start to push a bit - and kept going. Right on past, tightening the line very neatly.
I only wish I'd been able to flog it more.
If I was to buy an Impreza, it would be an RS - I'm not a fan of turbos at all, and I do like the Subaru 2.5 litre boxer.
- 4,036
Originally posted by
real cars dont need turbos
my commodore is running a 3.8 fuel injected pushrod V6 and its tuned to around 250 ponies at present. ive been told i can get over 320hp without a blower.
250 is enough for me at present
N/A ALL THE WAY!
But real trucks do...Cummins
Really, no car needs a turbo...they're just a lot of fun.
320 horses? With a decent idle and fuel economy....? :reallyodd
Turbos are kinda high maintanence....
- 4,036
Right, that's right now. I meant when you do what you have to to get 320 out of the motor. I'm assuming you'd need a much hotter cam.
I still don't think FI is cheating....
I still don't think FI is cheating....
Oh, it's not - I just don't care for the driving characteristics of turbo motors, although it must be said they're a lot better than they were ten years ago.
The current European low-pressure turbos almost drive like NA motors, except when you come off the throttle, you don't get the revs drop off like you do on a good NA motor.
The current European low-pressure turbos almost drive like NA motors, except when you come off the throttle, you don't get the revs drop off like you do on a good NA motor.
- 4,036
Really - I never realized that a turbo notor decelerated more slowly (never actually lived with one).
- 786
I like honda for one thing.....their engines. I love high-reving motors. I happen to like V-TEC also.
I HATE, absolutely HATE the interiors of all civics and accords (the integra is marginally better). They even ****ed up the interior of the S2000. They're "OK" interior designs, but I like...umm....no.....I LOVE interiors designed like cockpits, like the Eclipse, Supra, 300ZX and RX-7 interiors.
The Oddessey is a nice looking van, I like it a lot more than I like the Dodge Caravan and Plymoth Voyager. But they seem a big top heavy and "tippy". I thought the Ford Aerostar drove much better (especially on the windy roads up to Big Bear Mountian). I see the new Oddessey has a de-tuned 3.2L motor (same motor used in the 3.2TL and NSX) with around 240hp, so maybe the excess hp will make a difference.
I kind of like the exterior styling of the 92-95 and the 96-99 Civic's. It's nothing special, but it's nothing outlandish either. They both look very nice sitting a couple inches off the ground.
I'm very much a fan of the 5th Gen Accord...and even the 6th Gen Accord. I drove a 95 for quite a while, and while I loved the C27 V6, I was very much not in favor of the interior...again, the flat dashboard and lack of significant center console.
The S2000 is a capable car. It offers good proformance for the dollar, but is not a "top contender" unless you drop $2k on the suspension, and $2k on the motor. Upgrading the suspension with fully adjustable coilovers makes SUCH, SUCH, SAAAAACH a difference in the handling.....as the backend doesn't want to jump out so badly. The engine is fine above 7,000 rpm (accelerating on the freeway onramp...like a rocket), but below 7k, it's just "sluggish" and feels like you're running at half-power. A $2k Comptech Supercharger fixes that, but also brings the ability to break traction in the rear much easier than in stock trim......which is why you need a re-worked suspension. I thought the styling is ok....I really couldn't point out anythign I didn't like (I especially like the engine placement).
I HATE, absolutely HATE the interiors of all civics and accords (the integra is marginally better). They even ****ed up the interior of the S2000. They're "OK" interior designs, but I like...umm....no.....I LOVE interiors designed like cockpits, like the Eclipse, Supra, 300ZX and RX-7 interiors.
The Oddessey is a nice looking van, I like it a lot more than I like the Dodge Caravan and Plymoth Voyager. But they seem a big top heavy and "tippy". I thought the Ford Aerostar drove much better (especially on the windy roads up to Big Bear Mountian). I see the new Oddessey has a de-tuned 3.2L motor (same motor used in the 3.2TL and NSX) with around 240hp, so maybe the excess hp will make a difference.
I kind of like the exterior styling of the 92-95 and the 96-99 Civic's. It's nothing special, but it's nothing outlandish either. They both look very nice sitting a couple inches off the ground.
I'm very much a fan of the 5th Gen Accord...and even the 6th Gen Accord. I drove a 95 for quite a while, and while I loved the C27 V6, I was very much not in favor of the interior...again, the flat dashboard and lack of significant center console.
The S2000 is a capable car. It offers good proformance for the dollar, but is not a "top contender" unless you drop $2k on the suspension, and $2k on the motor. Upgrading the suspension with fully adjustable coilovers makes SUCH, SUCH, SAAAAACH a difference in the handling.....as the backend doesn't want to jump out so badly. The engine is fine above 7,000 rpm (accelerating on the freeway onramp...like a rocket), but below 7k, it's just "sluggish" and feels like you're running at half-power. A $2k Comptech Supercharger fixes that, but also brings the ability to break traction in the rear much easier than in stock trim......which is why you need a re-worked suspension. I thought the styling is ok....I really couldn't point out anythign I didn't like (I especially like the engine placement).
- 4,036
I dunno...Mitsubishi is offering one hell of a deal on financing right now....maybe I'll trade the Teg for an EVO.
Happy?
Happy?
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