Digestible Collectible: 1998 Acura Integra GS-R
I have absolutely no idea how the B&B does it.
WordPress gives me notifications every time someone comments on something I’ve written, and the volume of your posts is overwhelming. Please don’t consider this a criticism — far from it. I appreciate everything the B&B has done to welcome me to these virtual pages over the last eight months, and I try to read and I do appreciate every comment you make.
This week, as I looked at German Hatches of the ’90s, I counted at least ten comments asking why anyone would consider an BMW E36 hatch or a VW Corrado over the contemporary Acura Integra GS-R. Perhaps I’ve been trying to hide my inner Honda/Acura fanboy, but I’ve relented to the wisdom of the TTAC hivemind and went shopping at the temple of VTEC.
I’d thought that every ‘Teg had succumbed to the Sport Compact Car trends of the past decade, but I’ve found at least a dozen across the web that appear to be reasonably solid. I even found one car in Houston with over three hundred thousand miles on the odometer. It clearly has had some bodywork, but for under $2000 it would likely make a perfect track day car.
Some might ask about the lightweight elephant in the room: the Integra Type-R. I’m looking at the GS-R today because it possesses about 90 percent of the Type-R’s performance, it’s more comfortable and usable in daily traffic, and I’m a cheapskate who has trouble fathoming the prices. Recall the Type-R that pulled $43k this spring? Yeah, I can’t justify that kind of cash.
No, today I’m looking at a time capsule 1998 Acura Integra GS-R. At $11,800, it’s not cheap, but it’s nearly new with under 32,000 miles. The paint still looks fresh, the leather interior isn’t ripped or cracked, and the crinkle-finish paint on the valve cover hasn’t flaked off. I’d prefer a color other than red — Dark Violet Pearl is my favorite by far — but this is perfect otherwise.
So, thanks readers for suggesting a wonderful car. I’m open to suggestions for next week and beyond. I’m rather disappointed that I’ve had few calls for French metal.
Some enthusiasts say they were born with gasoline in their veins. Chris Tonn, on the other hand, had rust flakes in his eyes nearly since birth. Living in salty Ohio and being hopelessly addicted to vintage British and Japanese steel will do that to you. His work has appeared in eBay Motors, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars, Reader's Digest, AutoGuide, Family Handyman, and Jalopnik. He is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and he's currently looking for the safety glasses he just set down somewhere.
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These were great cars, probably just about as reliable as a 90's Japanese car could get. A great value for someone that wanted a quality "sort of" sporty luxury car for about the same price as a loaded Mustang. This one though is way too high in price, and the worst part is, how do you really enjoy driving it because when it gets more miles, the value is going to fall off a cliff. I'd rather have a $3,000 one and just not worry about it. You can still find ones that don't look like an extra from Fast& Furious.
I had a '97, first new car I bought out of college. It was fantastic. Best stick shift I've ever driven. Revving the wee out of it was the whole point, and all the fun. It handled great. Plenty of space, good mileage. I wish I still had it.