Road Tests: Long-Term Test

Zipping in and out of L.A traffic was our Integra's purpose this month, a purpose it is well suited to. We did have to pull into the pits twice this month though to fix our little VTEC vortex. Pit stops and all, we zinged past the 40,000-mile mark and headed for the checkered flag, or the end of the month, as the case may be.

Our first speed bump was at Santa Monica Acura. We wanted our brakes inspected for warping, our exhaust system checked for the annoying rattle, and our gearbox checked for a potentially broken second-gear synchro. We dropped off our car, and received a phone call late in the day informing us that it would have to be kept overnight. The dealer offered us a rental car and we took them up on the offer while they attended to our ill Integra.

Later that day, we received a call telling us that the front brakes were indeed warped. We told them to go ahead and fix them. Also, they found that the entire exhaust system needed replacing, as it had rusted out. Santa Monica Acura did not have the parts in stock, but told us they were on order. Finally, we were informed that no problem could be detected with our transmission, and frankly, no other driver has made mention of a problem since it was first reported. We got another phone call telling us that our car's brakes were ready to go, and we could pick up our vehicle. Surrendering a whopping $437.62, we took possession of our Integra's keys, and were told we would receive a call when our exhaust system came in.

Several days later, the exhaust system had arrived. Yeah, we were irked by the wait, but at least it was going to be covered under warranty. We dropped off our car early in the morning, and were able to pick it up before 6 p.m. that evening, new exhaust installed sans rattle and hum.

Back on the road, all drivers again made mention of the black-on-black color scheme, and its poor fit in sunny L.A. Driver's comments included, "Sunlight turns this all-black-inside-and-out creature into an oven, and it doesn't cool off rapidly, even with the help of the air conditioner," and "OK, so black looks sporty, big deal. I like to be able to hang onto the steering wheel and shift knob when I get my car instead of waiting for the air conditioning to cool everything off."

We all found the hatchback to have ample trunk space, and even more so, when the rear seats were folded. Our drivers fit a wide array of stuff into the Integra including 8-foot-long construction materials, groceries, dry cleaning, suitcases, a patio table, and a set of chairs. Folding down the seats did make one driver notice that the driver's seat does not have a memory lever to retain the recline setting. He found it a pain to readjust his seat position every time he had to get to the rear of the car on the driver's side. Speaking of seats, we found that installing child car seats was a snap.

While we did like the placement of the digital clock, some gripes resonated this month with regard to the interior. The look of the upholstery on the seats led one driver to remark, "The tacky interior, including fuzzy black cloth resembling velvet, would actually be improved by the image of Elvis, were it to appear." In addition, a fetid odor has leached itself into our seats. Said one frowning driver, "The interior is a little reminiscent of a 'non-smoking' hotel room that you get into and realize that it probably wasn't always that way." Our car certainly wasn't always that way, and we suspect a naughty staffer or two has taken a few cigarette puffs in the Integra. Tracking down the culprit or culprits hasn't been easy, but we're still dusting for fingerprints on the cigarette lighter!

Other interior gripes ranged from a difficulty at finding a comfortable driving position to the placement of the horn. Quipped one driver: "I do not like the placement of the horn. Having just two small buttons on the steering wheel are just not enough when you have to quickly let some bozo know he is about to back right into you." A final complaint was issued by a pregnant spouse, as she had difficulty getting in and out of the little hatchback due to its low stance.

Handling and acceleration were topics again of much praise, as this pocket-rocket revs to its lofty 8,000-rpm redline. We find it to be one of our favorite front-drivers for taking spirited drives through twisty canyons. This month, we did make mention that a bit more power would be a welcome addition in third gear and higher. Drool starts to drip from the corners of our upturned mouths as we dream of driving an Integra Type R - till then, 170 ponies will have to do.

Those four little circular headlights drew some criticism this month, but not because of a lack of power. One driver simply said that they are beginning to look weird to him. Weird-looking or not, the Integra's a flingable little road rocket with a great engine and predictable handling. As an Acura, we sometimes expect that it will have a little more refinement, but then we zoom in and out of traffic, carve up twisties, re-enact "Speed Racer," and all is somehow magically forgiven.

Current Odometer: 40,608
Best Fuel Economy: 25.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.9 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $437.62
Problems: Warped front rotors, exhaust in need of replacement.