GTI

[Integra23]

https://www.cars.com/articles/10-bi...ss-outclasses-acura-integra-vw-golf-r-449846/

Lol compare it to a S class another clickbait article

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[Integra23]

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/05/04/2022-audi-rs3-price-revealed/

Audi RS is seeing at 3k price hike from last year. Welcome to the new norm

 

[Integra23]

I'm sure I'll just have to do the leg work on this, but are there any articles comparing fully loaded trims instead of base MSRP?

Kirk has a decent spreadsheet in this video

 

[bnuttz]

That GTI comparison isn't looking so bad now, huh?

In all seriousness, I ended up picking up a 22 GTI S trim over the weekend. Really enjoying it. Saved several thousand over the A-spec tech I had reserved. Will I miss the extra space, nicer seating and stereo? Time will tell. I do love this drivetrain through.

 

[Hondabob]

That GTI comparison isn't looking so bad now, huh?

In all seriousness, I ended up picking up a 22 GTI S trim over the weekend. Really enjoying it. Saved several thousand over the A-spec tech I had reserved. Will I miss the extra space, nicer seating and stereo? Time will tell. I do love this drivetrain through.

If it wasn’t for the touch screen shit I wouldn’t even be looking at the Integra, GTI SE would have been in my driveway by now lol.

Hoping the ITS will give me a reason to stay in the Honda family tho

 

[Integra23]

How about the 4cyl stinger

 

[bnuttz]

If it wasn’t for the touch screen shit I wouldn’t even be looking at the Integra, GTI SE would have been in my driveway by now lol.

Hoping the ITS will give me a reason to stay in the Honda family tho

The S trim honestly isn't that bad. It has volume and tune knobs. The haptic buttons are not a problem at all. I do wish it had a standard climate control panel, but other than that, I have no complaints. After a day or two the system is second nature. The larger touch screen looks more frustrating.

That build of the Stinger is also the exact build that had my attention.

 

[Desert Driver]

I had a 2017 GTI Sport and it was great fun to drive, and also a terrific car for urban driving, even with the 6MT. I traded up to a Tacoma and I’m now looking to going back to something more engaging, hence the Integra. The lack of buttons on the newer models, plus a pretty notable price increase in this market, has got me looking at other options now. But I would otherwise buy one again.

Have you thought about the GLI? Not a hatchback of course but perhaps a bit more in similar to the Si or Integra.

 

[bnuttz]

After watching reviews, I think I'm glad with my choice to go with the base model GTI. Don't get me wrong, the Integra looks nice and more luxurious to be sure. But I think driving dynamics and engine in the GTI might suit me better. I will hopefully find a time to test drive an Integra for myself sometime. In the meantime, I think I may want to start saving and wait for the potential type S. That could be the sweet spot if it is attainable and not insanely overpriced.

 

[PerceivedShift]

As a owner of a 17' GTI Sport, something to consider is tuning potential of the ea888 engines. Its a closed cast iron block, with a stock bottom end good for up to 450ft/lbs of torque. Stage 1 (tune only) can net you around 300whp, while stage 2 FBO will net 330-340whp. I dropped in an EQT Vortex turbo early this year and made 426whp on a conservative tune. (Expecting 440whp when I dyno it this fall)

Though the stock shifting experience of GTI is awful, so some bushing upgrades are needed to make it not suck.

As for the autos, man...why on why did Acura use a CVT....arrrrggg! GTIs automatic is equiped with VWs crazy fast and responsive DSG, also good for up to about 550whp.

I agree with some other posts here though, if you want Honda reliability, solid manual transmission, and plan on keeping it mostly stock...the new Integra might be a good choice over the GTI. Though...I'd probably still tune it for a small boost in power.

 

[BKK Jack]

I had been planning to get a Mk8 GTI since I heard they were upgrading it. Doing my due diligence, I researched as much as I could, including joining the VW Vortex forum and the Mk8 FB group.

Things started going awry early. I think it was February, when VW announced a recall on the engine cover, because it could fly off it's mounts while driving and end up wedging itself against moving parts and cause a fire in the engine bay. Not sure how you mess up something so simple, but VW did it.

There are multiple issues with the infotainment system, sensors, and back-up camera. These can either be just a nuisance, or they can leave you stranded. A least a few owners have had to have their entire head unit replaced.

Back on the mechanical side, it appears that at least one generation ago, VW decided that plastic clips were sufficient to fix the radiator in place. Perhaps the same moron who upgraded the engine cover worked on those clips, because there are multiple reports of the radiator either not being properly mounted during assembly, or coming loose and shifting backwards and putting a coolant hose in contact with the serpentine belt. When that happens, it's not long until the belt eats through the hose, your coolant gets dumped on the road and your car gets towed to the dealer.

Another severe and unfortunately not as uncommon as it should be problem is an issue with the manual transmission. I've never heard what the exact problem is, but it is reported to start as chatter in the clutch pedal and ends up with your car sitting at the dealer waiting for a new transmission. With the current current supply chain issues, none of these problems are quick fixes; brand new GTI's are sitting in dealers' shops for weeks waiting for parts to repair issues that never should happen on a brand new car.

There are also reports of paint bubbling and peeling off and manual transmission shifter knobs cracking or coming completely off the shaft. And, because of the chip shortage - last I saw - all SE's and Autobahns were shipping without the Harman Kardan audio upgrade. Although, if the posts I saw were to be believed, the HK system isn't that great and VW does knock an entire $375 off the top for the inconvenience.

I love VWs. This would have been my fourth, but I just can't justify throwing all that money at something that appears as though it's a crapshoot as to whether or not all - or even any - of it is actually going to work properly. So, I had the VW dealer refund my deposit and the two cars left on my short list are the Civic Sport Touring manual, or an Integra manual.

Oh, and a GTI is closer in size to a Civic hatch, despite being about 10" shorter. Because it's more of a "hatch" than the more "liftbacky" nature of the Civic, it is much closer in interior volume to the Civic than the much smaller Corolla.

 

[1tointegra]

I had been planning to get a Mk8 GTI since I heard they were upgrading it. Doing my due diligence, I researched as much as I could, including joining the VW Vortex forum and the Mk8 FB group.

Things started going awry early. I think it was February, when VW announced a recall on the engine cover, because it could fly off it's mounts while driving and end up wedging itself against moving parts and cause a fire in the engine bay. Not sure how you mess up something so simple, but VW did it.

There are multiple issues with the infotainment system, sensors, and back-up camera. These can either be just a nuisance, or they can leave you stranded. A least a few owners have had to have their entire head unit replaced.

Back on the mechanical side, it appears that at least one generation ago, VW decided that plastic clips were sufficient to fix the radiator in place. Perhaps the same moron who upgraded the engine cover worked on those clips, because there are multiple reports of the radiator either not being properly mounted during assembly, or coming loose and shifting backwards and putting a coolant hose in contact with the serpentine belt. When that happens, it's not long until the belt eats through the hose, your coolant gets dumped on the road and your car gets towed to the dealer.

Another severe and unfortunately not as uncommon as it should be problem is an issue with the manual transmission. I've never heard what the exact problem is, but it is reported to start as chatter in the clutch pedal and ends up with your car sitting at the dealer waiting for a new transmission. With the current current supply chain issues, none of these problems are quick fixes; brand new GTI's are sitting in dealers' shops for weeks waiting for parts to repair issues that never should happen on a brand new car.

There are also reports of paint bubbling and peeling off and manual transmission shifter knobs cracking or coming completely off the shaft. And, because of the chip shortage - last I saw - all SE's and Autobahns were shipping without the Harman Kardan audio upgrade. Although, if the posts I saw were to be believed, the HK system isn't that great and VW does knock an entire $375 off the top for the inconvenience.

I love VWs. This would have been my fourth, but I just can't justify throwing all that money at something that appears as though it's a crapshoot as to whether or not all - or even any - of it is actually going to work properly. So, I had the VW dealer refund my deposit and the two cars left on my short list are the Civic Sport Touring manual, or an Integra manual.

Oh, and a GTI is closer in size to a Civic hatch, despite being about 10" shorter. Because it's more of a "hatch" than the more "liftbacky" nature of the Civic, it is much closer in interior volume to the Civic than the much smaller Corolla.

Ive had too many friends/family with vw & Audi (techs at dealerships) as luxurious and great they are the maintenance and electrical issues are always the same story so I've always stayed away and kept with Honda/Acura reliability sure there are a few lemons/built on a Friday jokes but definitely far less that all the stories I've heard personally.

On the flip side if you lease/don't plan on keeping it definitely a great buy

 

[PerceivedShift]

Maybe I'm lucky, I put a flawless 101k miles on a 2012 Golf TDI and just rolled over 80k on my 2017 GTI, I've had very little issues, even now heavily modded. My brother has a 2017 Sportwagon with the 1.8T which has been reliable as well.

Though it does seem VW has done some cost cutting on the MK8, someone at VW should be fired for thinking a foam engine cover is a good idea. Not uncommon for new generations of VWs to be plagued with issues, never buy a first year VW. Though they better fix their infotainment stat, I have a feeling they are gonna be hit hard by consumer reports from that alone. MK7 and MK7.5s are definitionally the best GTI models to date and it'll probably stay that way until the MK8.5 comes around to fix the MK8's glaring problems.

 

[bullitt]

Personally, I think no matter what car I get, almost everything to me anymore needs 2 things:
1) Mild tune
2) Springs and bars

Then its more than quick enough to get out of its way and have fun with and is more than capable for fun on the backroad twisties without putting much added strain on any of the other components or their long term reliability.

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