Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricochet48
Honestly really excited for this! It's essentially a Civic Type R in a tuxedo. The exterior is also very much improved with the aggressive front & rear touches as well as the fender flares (seriously transforms the car imo). As an audiophile, I've also heard great things about the ELS system which even trumps the upgraded HK systems.
As a RSX-S owner, I was hyped for the initial Integra release, but very let down as the base model is essentially a Civic Si with a dash of Acura 'luxury'. I quickly turned my gaze to the M240i (love me that Thundernight!) With the Integra Type S announcement though, I've taking a much more serious look back at Acura (which I'm sure won't be popular here on a BMW forum haha).
I'm guessing the ITS will land around $49K, which is the starting price of the RWD M240i; however, I would be looking at a fairly loaded xDrive model at $57K - $59.5K (depending on the Cooling/Tire Pack), so essentially a nearly $10K difference which is sizeable.
There seems to be quite a bit of unique 'features' for each that would prevent a lot of cross shopping and I'm well aware. If you want an engaging 6MT, the Integra is only option (aside from the M2 in another class)... if you want AWD & much more power, the BMW is the clear winner... if you want practicality the rear seating and hatch dominate (many would look at the M340i though)... if you care about badges the BMW is the way.
The 650lb weight difference can be felt all the time, while you can rarely utilize the raw power of the B58 in a daily setting. The lighter weight also translates into cheaper consumables and such (I would feel more comfortable tracking the ITS, etc.). Reliability wise, I think the K20C1 also has a slight edge on the B58 (although time will tell).
For comparison, my RSX-S is meant to be driven 9/10 almost all the time, you rev up a lot to get usable power (with a laughable 140tq these days)... any of these options would be a HUGE upgrade performance wise. I feel the ITS would be much closer of an experience with a 6MT and FWD that I would ring out a bit more. The BMW would be much heavier, less engaging (although the ZF8 is great!), but have LOTS of power for the rare instances I can floor it, etc. Living in Chicago, I would also LOVE SH-AWD on the ITS, but it I've gotten around fine in the snow with FWD & winter tires.
Brain dump/rant over haha. Honestly curious on some of your thoughts, if you had $50K to spend on either a new ITS or used M240ix and each would fit your use case, what would your move be?
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I appreciate you sharing your perspective on this because it takes me a back a bit. I owned a 2005 RSX Type S years ago and really, really enjoyed that car. I lusted after it as a kid after bearing witness to the "Who Loves Ya, Baby?" campaign. I was over the moon when I was able to buy one just a few years later as the first car I ever bought. I researched everything about that car and had so much fun on ClubRSX. Fun Fact: When Acura brought the RSX Type S to market in 2002, they estimated the target buyer to be 27 years of age, with a college degree and $60,000 in average annual household income. They also estimated the buyer to be "affluent, lead active lifestyles, and are trendsetters." Not sure that's how it worked out as it seemed many of the buyers didn't tick those boxes. At that time in my life, I was none of those things.
Anyhow, I simply cannot get behind the Integra Type S. Like BMW, Acura lost its way long ago and all the nostalgic feelings in the world cannot get me to like this car. Nothing about it works for me. The interior, especially the seats, is awful, the paint color palette leaves a lot to be desired, and the bolted-on fender flares look tacky. These are 'L's IMHO and I could continue. Couple that with a sticker price likely north of $50K, and that's a lot of money vis-à-vis what you're getting. I really wanted to like this car, but this is a hard pass for me. In the interest of full disclosure, I own an FL5. It's not perfect but it's a masterful creation. The rave reviews from various publications, journalists, and YouTubers are warranted and legit. To use a sports reference: Honda knocked the cover off the ball with the FL5.