My sister is getting a car for graduation. So theres a few months left. I have been recommending Civics and Accords but an Acura Integra seems good also.

Should I stay away from these or are they good. Is there any years to stay away from, any problems to look out for. My father is buying it for her and while he wants to spend around 5K he will probably spend 8K for the right car.

Also any other cars you would recommend in the 5-8K range would be great.
Thanks in advance.

-Patrick

p.s. Are these expensive to fix, were staying away from VW's, Saabs and the like because of it. Oh, and she can drive stick!!!

 

I have the perfect Integra here. Seriously though, I don't know if you sister wants to get into modding Integras or not, but 8k will get you into a fairly nice stock GSR or a very nice LS/RS. All the years are fine, but remember ob2 is 97+. 98+ got the new bumpers. LS/RS = 140hp where as the GSR is the 170hp vtec version with tighter gearing. The type R is the one to get, but is out of the given budget.

If your sister wants to haul people, then I would probably swing her towards a 4 door accord. If she wants something fun with a very useful hatchback then a 2 door Integra is a good car.

 

Integra GSR's kick ass. I had a '97 before I got the S2000. I miss it sometimes, actually. Zero issues (by '97 they had it sorted out really well) and the best shifter made after the S2000's...

I think '99 Civic Si's might be in that price range too...

 

My wife has a '95 GS-R with 126k on the clock. Other than regular maintenance, it has had two repairs: thermostat ($35) and cam seal (about $75 I think). The freakin' thing is bulletproof, and besides that is an absolute blast to drive. Gets pretty good gas mileage, too.

Also, with the rear seat folded down and hatch open you have an 8000 rpm pickup truck. It will haul as much lumber as my friend's Ford Ranger and I have had nine or ten bails of pine straw in the hatch at once. My wife uses it for hauling furniture or antiques or other weird sized stuff that girls buy.

The only downside is the insurance cost, which is related to the high theft rate and the fact that punk kids like to wreck Integras frequently. I pay about $750 per year for the S2k, while the GS-R costs about $1,000. Go figure.

 

Stay away from used Teg's... they are a target for car jackers cuz of the engine swaps. Not as prevelant these days, but you never know. Rogue Civic owners want your b18's.

 

I second all the good comments. I had one for three yrs and it was faultless. Okay, there are a couple of minor things that plagued the first yr of the last gen ('94). A rattle from the rear hatch and there might have been something about window motors. Not a big deal. They are very fun, good mpg, hatch can hold a fair amount, and pretty bulletproof. The 4-door has a longer wheelbase and better rear accomodations. The 2-door has the usual low-slung roof making for a mediocre back seat.

Unless she is really into cars, just get the LS. Here's a breakdown:
RS: base model, no sunroof, no ABS, no PL, steel wheels, a/c was an option
LS: adds all the above, though some yrs were steel wheels.
GSR: Adds 170 hp VTEC. But requires [edit: premium, duh] unleaded. If she isn't a car nut, I'd say not worth the extra $
Type-R: Yes, the hot setup. But if she isn't a racer, she'd be wasting her money and hate the hard setup. Really not a car she'll consider.

Again, a great car!

 

i had 2 integras for 8 years. one was special edition and one was type R. they are awesome. do regular oil change and they will last forever. great cars.

 

okay thanks for the input

What she needs can be found in a base model Civic. I just figured these were nicer.
Alloys mean nothing to her, she would like a sunroof, and power everything is pretty much a must (locks/windows/steering).

So it seems we will be looking for a LS model and above. Thanks for all you help.

---------

I just realized that my original post said she can drive stick. SHE CAN'T CAN'T CANNOT DRIVE STICK!!!!!

 

I LOVE 'em. Got a 94 Integra GSR four door. Bulletproof. Had it serviced ONLY at Acura dealerships including all oil changes. Have all service records. Car, and I'm not even kidding here, drives like new. It's my wife's car, and she's a kindergarten teacher, so she hardly, if ever, V-tec'ed it. I did a couple of times and, for a four door, she moves. The car is totally stock.

It's a five speed. So i guess you are not interested. But it is for sale. It's quite nice.

 

My '95 GSR was an awesome all-around car and I beat the heck out of it for 80K miles without serious mechanical problems. Highly recommended.