A VTEC Story (Onehots2k Opinion)

Wanna listen to my VTEC story, huh!

I have a confession to make. I was very unfamiliar with Honda about 6 years ago. Heck, I was not even a fan. I would hear about this vtec thing and not get it. It would be scribbled on the side panel of some Hondas as if it was something special. The cars with the lettering were obviously 4 cylinders. Big whoop I thought to myself. I did not truly “get it” until I drove an S2000.

I can see many timid test drivers still not seeing what the big deal is. They would drag the car up to about 4-5000 rpm and shift. I know this because everyone I let drive do that. It’s quite funny when they pretend to be impressed while doing that. We’re all aware to truly get the effect you must mash the throttle hard and it will hit at 6200 depending on your application.

To this day, I still believe it is a spectacular feeling. I’ve been in several situations where I believed vtec saved the day. Some of you know what I mean. You pull into traffic with a sea of cars behind you quickly catching up. Wait for it….wait for it……WAAAAM!! Vtec saves the day. I’ve driven 500hp V8’s before. My best friend had a dragster Camaro back in high school. I’m quite familiar with tire shredding thrust. Today, our 237 stock horsepower seems quite dull on paper. The devil is in the details. It is and always be fun how they are delivered to us. I will always remember how my British pal from college described my car: Barry, this car is BLOODY manic man!! I love it.

You want VTEC, I got it...look no further 😛

Let us not be mistaken here, not all Hondas that slap vtec on their engine are created equal. Wait for it in a Ridgeline and I promise it will never come. It’s almost the same deal with the Accord. They can be quite punchy but it’s almost as if vtec came back from lunch and doesn’t want to work. I have to say that my favorite incident was when I got smacked. I was driving a girl I was seeing to dinner and I pulled out of a corner and went straight through two gears at full blast. She freaked out and smacked my arm. It was a playful smack but she honestly was alarmed and asked if I was hurting the car. Yes, you heard right. Hurting the car. That is when I leaned over and said “this car was made for this.” We didn’t last very long but I digress.  Has  your lowly 237hp car every alarmed a passenger?!?

-Onehots2k

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