Some love for the ITS

[pweizman]

Positivity thread.

Now that the ITS has been widely publicized and people have seen the price, performance, looks, etc...

I have seen a bunch of negativity around the web about how much it costs and it isn't even that great of a car.

I firmly disagree. I don't think you can compare it to an M2 or RS3. Even at Demo prices those two cars are likely $10K more and very difficult to find. The M2 comes in manual, the RS3 does not.

My point? I have put 1600 miles on my ITR. It just keeps getting better. I absolutely love the car. It looks great, drives great, and sounds great. I don't care what the haters say. Yes, it was a bit more than I wanted to spend, but man is this car fantastic.

I have had a ton of sports cars and I will say this is the best balanced car in every respect. Balanced in driving and the fact that it is usable.

So...just some positivity on Friday. If you have an ITR, forget the haters, go drive.

Patrick

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[Bzal1122]

While the RS3 is a better car , it is also most likely with mark up 15-20k more than an ITS. The M2 does not compare well to any car at any price point , because it’s the ugliest car I have seen since the 80’s.

 

[nix6speed]

The ITS is a niche category since it's only available with a manual. The German sedan competitors are only available with an auto and the M3/CT4/5 Blackwing cost significantly more. M2 comparison comes up frequently but is a high demand low supply vehicle and sticker can vary from $65-80k. Also it's tiny compared to sedans. Really the closest CTR/ITS competitor is an Elantra N given it has the same ethos, Hyundai is known to provide great value for their pricing, and it's much cheaper than the ITS/CTR twins.

Most of the complaints I see are regarding the ITS not having enough luxury or features at the price which is fair. Lack of any optional equipment doesn't help it's case either. However, the buyers want a fun entry level luxury sedan that exhibits good street manners with utility and a manual which leaves it siloed from anything else.

 

[NoelPR]

Really the closest CTR/ITS competitor is an Elantra N given it has the same ethos, Hyundai is known to provide great value for their pricing, and it's much cheaper than the ITS/CTR twins.

I was following the Elantra N very closely. Joined social groups to have an idea of how is doing in terms of reliability and mods.
Lost interest once I saw a rise in fuel system issues that required parts replacements.
The dreaded octane learning that makes the engine run in a conservative tune until the owner does some specific procedure after each fuel up (some reset after a start-up).
Dealers servicing these cars without following manufacturers' guidelines by putting the wrong oil and bitching about it if you show them the manual.
Seats showing peeling after some minor usage.
Exhaust valve requiring replacement. (Very common)
Body panels peeling due to rubbing in their contact points.
Knock sensor that might go bad after a rain/car wash/engine wash.
Swollen wheel lug nuts

Too many things going on with that car that clearly show all the signs of cost cuttings.

 

[Integra23]

I was following the Elantra N very closely. Joined social groups to have an idea of how is doing in terms of reliability and mods.
Lost interest once I saw a rise in fuel system issues that required parts replacements. The dreaded octane learning that makes the engine run in a conservative tune until the owner does some specific procedure after each fuel up (some reset after a start-up).
Dealers servicing these cars without following manufacturers' guidelines by putting the wrong oil and bitching about it if you show them the manual.
Seats showing peeling after some minor usage.
Exhaust valve requiring replacement.
Body panels peeling due to rubbing in their contact points.
Knock sensor that might go bad after a rain/car wash/engine wash.

Too many things going on with that car that clearly show all the signs of cost cuttings.

Lot of bang for the buck figure something would have to give

 

[NoelPR]

The number one complaint of the FL5/DE5 is the acceleration performance.
I was in that boat too until I realized that these cars aren't made for that.
Once you appreciate their strengths the car is a great deal.
Out of the box is a strong track performer.

 

[pweizman]

The number one complaint of the FL5/DE5 is the acceleration performance.
I was in that boat too until I realized that these cars aren't made for that.
Once you appreciate their strengths the car is a great deal.
Out of the box is a strong track performer.

Totally.

And, it can be driven around town like a regular civic, has a usable back seat, looks great, gets decent gas mileage....

And when you want to, you can go carving on twisty roads or just put it in Sport + and make cool exhaust noises!

Patrick

 

[Quinn Regis]

M2 is very heavy, small, and a 2-door. RS3 is small. Both are more expensive - can't imagine the repair bills in the future. Good luck trying to find a somewhat reasonable $ mechanic to work on those. ITS provides the complete package of performance, space/usability, reliability, and low depreciation. Peace of mind.

 

[RCX]

Thats why I considered the M2 but could not see myself buying one: cost of ownership.

This purchase was the car I would keep into retirement. I know it will be reliable and affordable to maintain and repair.

And I knew I would love the car, coming from 5.5yrs with an FK8.

 

[VtecBuddy]

The number one complaint of the FL5/DE5 is the acceleration performance.
I was in that boat too until I realized that these cars aren't made for that.
Once you appreciate their strengths the car is a great deal.
Out of the box is a strong track performer.

As someone with a BRZ, I don't get how people could complain about the FL5's acceleration. I've driven an FK8 and I thought it was great how it was in a sweet spot of quick but not so quick that you can't beat on it on the street.

 

[meki22]

I always have the same answer for anyone who asks me why I didn't get an Audi or BMW:

I don't want an Audi or BMW.

Fortunately, I've received nothing but praise for the ITS. It's only on the internet that people tend to be very vocal about a car they don't plan on buying.

 

[optronix]

While the RS3 is a better car , it is also most likely with mark up 15-20k more than an ITS. The M2 does not compare well to any car at any price point , because it’s the ugliest car I have seen since the 80’s.

But the RS3 is actually not a better car. Not just because it doesn't have a manual, but the overall driving dynamics are just not as good. It is probably objectively faster, but I'm not entirely convinced that isn't mostly just due to the all-wheel drive traction from a standstill and the inherent advantages of a dual-clutch vs manual.

It is very much not an objectively "better car"- might be for some people, might not be for others. I don't know why so many people default to this. Here's a great vid on the topic, but it's the FL5 vs the RS3. Arguably the DE5 is "better" in many regards from a "luxury" perspective vs the FL5, so it's even more compelling.

The number one complaint of the FL5/DE5 is the acceleration performance.
I was in that boat too until I realized that these cars aren't made for that.
Once you appreciate their strengths the car is a great deal.
Out of the box is a strong track performer.

I've long been turned off by the insane power and acceleration capabilities of modern performance cars. I first realized just how much of a "blue-balls inducing" situation having a car like that is with my F82 M4. It's just not that fun to drive until you're going illegal speeds, and even if you were stupid enough to do that on the street you literally CAN'T because there are other people there.

The ITS IS still fun to drive at normal speeds and very few cars can match that, and they generally cost 2x as much, to start and are nowhere near as practical (718 comes to mind).

 

[Azkyrie6]

Positivity thread.

Now that the ITS has been widely publicized and people have seen the price, performance, looks, etc...

I have seen a bunch of negativity around the web about how much it costs and it isn't even that great of a car.

I firmly disagree. I don't think you can compare it to an M2 or RS3. Even at Demo prices those two cars are likely $10K more and very difficult to find. The M2 comes in manual, the RS3 does not.

My point? I have put 1600 miles on my ITR. It just keeps getting better. I absolutely love the car. It looks great, drives great, and sounds great. I don't care what the haters say. Yes, it was a bit more than I wanted to spend, but man is this car fantastic.

I have had a ton of sports cars and I will say this is the best balanced car in every respect. Balanced in driving and the fact that it is usable.

So...just some positivity on Friday. If you have an ITR, forget the haters, go drive.

Patrick

Why just “some” and not “all love”?

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I choose to get the ITS because I love it and I find great joy in it. I’ve seen mostly positive reviews but even if I did not, external opinions are not important. If we like it, our family likes it and we enjoy it. That’s more than enough.

ride on with those 1600 miles and have a blast

 

[VinnyDaFish]

Why just “some” and not “all love”?

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I choose to get the ITS because I love it and I find great joy in it. I’ve seen mostly positive reviews but even if I did not, external opinions are not important. If we like it, our family likes it and we enjoy it. That’s more than enough.

ride on with those 1600 miles and have a blast

Very, very true -- the right tool for the job. My last two cars were a Camaro SS 1LE and C8 Z51. Different uses for different tools (and really had to be on a track to extract the fun quotient the ITS has on a drive running everyday errands). The ITS obviously isn't a drag wondercar, but its relatively low weight and tons of torque in the right gear make it a never-ending smile machine through twisty roads. I'm breaking out my map app all the time looking for the most turns to run those errands.

 

[Hakmamba]

People will always love to compare (just like who's the nba GOAT....kobe), but in the end its what you want out of a car. I had a 2019 RS3, outside of both cars having 4 doors and both cars having turbocharged , they are apple to oranges. Excluding the delta in cost between the two cars, they are very diff animals for different purposes. I still miss the insane power delivery at time but in the end i wanted a manual. Variety is the spice of life, i wish everyone had all the means in the world to have as many cars they can afford. There is no one perfect car.

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