9.9.17 : Five Years With An Acura RSX
(*... base automatic)
September 2017 marked five years with my RSX, so I thought I’d do a sort of long-term ownership review on what is surely to become a very common tuning platform in the next few years as depreciation makes it more attainable for younger drivers. I picked mine up with a bit over 96,000 miles on the odometer. Mechanically, it was in excellent shape, albeit a bit rusty underneath thanks to previous ownership on the east coast. Its problems were mainly cosmetic, and it wasn't until quite a ways into ownership that I noticed just how bad the body and paint were - the dealer I bought it from must have polished the hell out of this thing. I noticed obvious issues like the wrinkle in the hood, and a few other dings around the car when it was sitting on the dealership lot; I didn't mind those so much. But after a few months, whatever polish they used began to dull and the entire driver's side of the car began to look trashed. I was suddenly noticing chips along the edges that I hadn't before, and discovered hints of body filler and crappy clear coat. This being the first car I went out and purchased myself (only my second car ever), it was definitely a lesson in pre-purchase inspection. I was actually bent on getting a fifth gen Prelude Type-SH at the time, before I remembered this car that I had adored when it launched in my teen years. Having been a part of the forum world already, I immediately joined ClubRSX.com for maintenance help as well as getting a feel for how to modify these cars. I'd always recommend joining a forum dedicated to your car if you're interested in those things, or even to get to know a chassis you're looking at buying in the future. But despite the aesthetic problems, I grew a real attachment to my RSX and plan to rescue it rather than ditch it for something else. |
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Half a decade and more than 110,000 miles later, it has held up pretty well. I’ve only had one major mishap: a differential gear broke and blew a hole in the bottom of the transmission. I’ve never heard of this happening to anyone else, and my only guess on the cause is the worn engine mounts - maybe the extra movement of the motor allowed too much axle movement, which stressed the transaxle. Who knows, but if you already have one of these cars and hear a grumbling every time you let off the throttle while driving, try taking a stethoscope to the tranny case. A grumbling is more likely just axles, but you can never be too careful...
I'll just compile a list here of every problem I can remember the car coming into. It's worth noting that unless welding or press-fitting is required, I do of all my own work. So while parts prices are given, most labor was free. I also like to use OEM parts as much as possible, and buy from AcuraOEMParts.com - third-party parts can be found much cheaper, if you're willing to trust them.
- Said transmission & engine mount failure; I found a used transmission for $300 or so, and four new OEM mounts came out to just shy of $400.
- The bearing in the half shaft started to grumble around corners; it may have been related to the transmission/mount failure. New OEM bearing with associated clips and seal came out to about $45, plus whatever it cost to have a shop press it onto a half-shaft I removed from the car and took in to them. I went ahead and replaced the CV axles as well just for peace of mind; $130 from AutoZone.
- Check Engine Light from a failed fluid pressure switch on the transmission (super easy external job, and a new OEM switch was $45)
- CEL from either a failing VTEC solenoid, the oil pressure sensor attached to it, or the gasket (another easy DIY job; $116 to go ahead and replaced the whole thing)
- CEL from a failing cat (I've yet to fix this; OEM cat is $840 w/core and I'm not sure who I want to go with for a much cheaper aftermarket cat)
- CEL from a failing knock sensor. $66 OEM.
- The starter wore out at some point in there. $120 or so from AutoZone with a friend's employee discount. While I was in there, I replaced the wiring harnesses coming off the battery. Most of it wasn't strictly necessary, but Honda, in their infinite wisdom, seem to love leaving a section of ground wire exposed to the elements to corrode; had the same thing on my old Accord. $23 for at least that OEM ground harness.
- Air conditioning pump seized. With A/C failures, you're usually replacing most of the system, so I haven't cared enough to fix this one yet either.
- Passenger door lock actuator died early on in ownership (if it ever worked at all for me; can't remember), and the trunk lock actuator is on its way out; neither has been replaced yet.
- Recently, at around 200k miles, the handling has started to feel a bit squirmy. Shocks and springs were replaced a while back with Mugen coilovers because I wanted better handling anyway, but now I'm beginning to tackle bushings, ball joints, and tie rods just to freshen everything up. The large bushings on the front of the front lower control arms (aka "compliance" bushings) are especially common wear items on these cars. I just went full polyurethane with my bushing replacements; the ride is a bit rougher, but the car handles better when the suspension geometry doesn't move around so much.
If you're hoping for advice on what to look for when shopping around for an RSX... rust and a straight chassis, I guess? I hang around Club RSX quite a bit, and the only thing that comes to mind as being specific to the RSX (aside from that bushing) is rust under the spare tire in the trunk, which is believed to be caused from expired taillight gaskets. The quarter panels will eventually start to rust as is common on pretty much any Honda, and the frame rails underneath the car, where the different metal stampings meet up, should be inspected. Otherwise, Honda built the RSX very well. I just got unlucky with a previous owner being from an area notorious for road salts and rust, and a likely collision that wasn't properly repaired but hidden well enough for the sale.
We need to talk modifications for a minute. This chassis has so much performance potential, after all. Whether you're into straight-line racing or road courses and autocross, the RSX can wear many hats and look damn fine in all of them.
- Said transmission & engine mount failure; I found a used transmission for $300 or so, and four new OEM mounts came out to just shy of $400.
- The bearing in the half shaft started to grumble around corners; it may have been related to the transmission/mount failure. New OEM bearing with associated clips and seal came out to about $45, plus whatever it cost to have a shop press it onto a half-shaft I removed from the car and took in to them. I went ahead and replaced the CV axles as well just for peace of mind; $130 from AutoZone.
- Check Engine Light from a failed fluid pressure switch on the transmission (super easy external job, and a new OEM switch was $45)
- CEL from either a failing VTEC solenoid, the oil pressure sensor attached to it, or the gasket (another easy DIY job; $116 to go ahead and replaced the whole thing)
- CEL from a failing cat (I've yet to fix this; OEM cat is $840 w/core and I'm not sure who I want to go with for a much cheaper aftermarket cat)
- CEL from a failing knock sensor. $66 OEM.
- The starter wore out at some point in there. $120 or so from AutoZone with a friend's employee discount. While I was in there, I replaced the wiring harnesses coming off the battery. Most of it wasn't strictly necessary, but Honda, in their infinite wisdom, seem to love leaving a section of ground wire exposed to the elements to corrode; had the same thing on my old Accord. $23 for at least that OEM ground harness.
- Air conditioning pump seized. With A/C failures, you're usually replacing most of the system, so I haven't cared enough to fix this one yet either.
- Passenger door lock actuator died early on in ownership (if it ever worked at all for me; can't remember), and the trunk lock actuator is on its way out; neither has been replaced yet.
- Recently, at around 200k miles, the handling has started to feel a bit squirmy. Shocks and springs were replaced a while back with Mugen coilovers because I wanted better handling anyway, but now I'm beginning to tackle bushings, ball joints, and tie rods just to freshen everything up. The large bushings on the front of the front lower control arms (aka "compliance" bushings) are especially common wear items on these cars. I just went full polyurethane with my bushing replacements; the ride is a bit rougher, but the car handles better when the suspension geometry doesn't move around so much.
If you're hoping for advice on what to look for when shopping around for an RSX... rust and a straight chassis, I guess? I hang around Club RSX quite a bit, and the only thing that comes to mind as being specific to the RSX (aside from that bushing) is rust under the spare tire in the trunk, which is believed to be caused from expired taillight gaskets. The quarter panels will eventually start to rust as is common on pretty much any Honda, and the frame rails underneath the car, where the different metal stampings meet up, should be inspected. Otherwise, Honda built the RSX very well. I just got unlucky with a previous owner being from an area notorious for road salts and rust, and a likely collision that wasn't properly repaired but hidden well enough for the sale.
We need to talk modifications for a minute. This chassis has so much performance potential, after all. Whether you're into straight-line racing or road courses and autocross, the RSX can wear many hats and look damn fine in all of them.
First, your options native to the US market:
2002-2006 base model: 160hp/141lb-ft, 5-speed auto or 5-speed manual transmission
2002-2004 Type S: 200hp/142lb-ft, close-ratio 6-speed manual only
2005-2006 Type S: 210hp/143lb-ft, close-ratio 6-speed manual only
2002-2006 Type S A-spec: Type-S with dealer-installed aesthetic & handling package
For those with really deep pockets, a few people opted for dealer-installed & warranty-backed Jackson Racing superchargers, and those examples are still popping out of anonymity once in a blue moon.
If you plan on sticking with out-of-the-box performance, the A-spec is the clear winner, but there are also several legally-imported Honda Integra Type Rs in the States that you could keep a patient eye out for. Just be aware that the Type R came without creature comforts such as the sunroof and sound deadening in an effort to shed weight.
Adding power is where you need to really think about your goal. Due to the higher compression, the Type S engine responds very well to bolt-on modifications - i.e. intake and exhaust, preferably accompanied by an ECU tune to take advantage of the improved breathing. The common result with these simple mods is in the neighborhood of 220whp. If you're good with that number, you MUST get a Type S. You won't get anywhere near that with the same mods on a base model because of how the K20A3 is built internally. If you want to turbocharge, just get whatever car you can find cheapest that's in as good of shape as possible - which is most likely the base (with the manual transmission that can actually withstand more power). Higher compression helps power whether you're into all-motor or boost, but with either car you'll be wanting to replace at least the rods and pistons with stronger parts anyway to retain any sort of reliability.
Back to my experience: what about between all that, frankly, typical maintenance work? Have I enjoyed living with the RSX? Definitely. The purpose of this car for me has been that of a reliable daily driver that is also fun to take into the local mountains. In keeping with that reliability, I haven't modified the engine at all. Everything I've changed has just been to make the car look better (at least to my eye) and to improve handling. Since I've changed up the exterior, I love walking out to my car, and it has attracted several lingering looks and compliments from random people. And with my modifications focused on handling, it doesn't seem to have a problem hanging with AWD cars on windy roads. Yet when I'm in town, going back and forth to work or running errands, it gets up to 32 miles to the gallon (about 35 on the freeway). At almost 210,000 miles, the engine is still running smooth and passes emissions with ease, and all I've really had to do towards that is keep up with oil changes and those few check-engine lights. It's been to the top of Pikes Peak three times now, and breezed through a seven-hour round trip to the middle of Wyoming with the cruise control set to 90 for a good chunk of the way. As it's been my only car these past five years, it sees every kind of weather and soldiers through the worst of it.
It's not all peaches and cream, but the things about this car that annoy me are relatively small:
- The seat belt is an almost daily frustration. Want to parallel park or reverse into your driveway? Nine out of ten times that you get on the brakes to slow down (not even hard, mind you!), the belt's inertia reel locks up and you're sitting there jerking back and forth in your seat, almost swearing at the damn thing to let go of you so you can turn around to watch where you're steering. And then when you unbuckle to get out of the car, it doesn't reel itself back up (or does so incredibly slowly), flops into the door jamb, and you close your door on it. Chips in the paint pile up over the years, eventually followed by tiny rust spots. Maybe my reel is just worn out, I don't know - there's something to look for pre-purchase, I suppose.
- The ride isn't the most comfortable, but I knew that getting into a car that was clearly marketed as a sports coupe. The factory suspension is fairly firm even on the base model, as are the seats. However, the padding was improved a bit when the RSX got its mid-generation face lift for the 2005 and 2006 model years, so it's worth seeking those out - exterior styling preference between the two is on you. I can tell you that long trips in the '02-'04 seats aren't the most forgiving to your tailbone, but when I finally made the switch to '05-'06 seats I found in a junkyard, that problem was eliminated almost entirely.
- The K20 in factory form is not an engine for overtaking and snatching gaps in traffic. The base model RSX is only down 40hp from the Type S, and the peak torque is the same for both models. In actual fact, in the space on the tach before the Type S hits VTEC, the base has more torque across more of the power band. Really, though, that's just Honda for you. Until just recently, they've been very stubborn about sticking to their tradition of high-revving, naturally aspirated four-cylinders that perform best above 4,000 rpm... and don't really do much of anything at all below that in stock form.
- Not for audiophiles. The RSX's stock speaker setup is small and shallow, so there's some cutting and spacing required to make any good aftermarket equipment fit. Even the Bose system in the Type S isn't all that great from what I hear. But then again, I suppose if you're serious about audio, odds are "custom" is not an alien concept.
- The A-pillars (and to a lesser extent, the C-pillars) provide very annoying blind spots. Crawling around parking lots, I'm constantly craning my neck back and forth to see around the A-pillars because they can hide whole pedestrians. The C-pillars, with the way the rear-quarter windows sweep up along the bottom, can also block headlights in the right lane at night.
This review must end on a high note, so here are some little things that I absolutely love about the RSX:
- The dash board design, in my opinion, looks bad ass. The materials aren't top-shelf, but Honda's always been pretty good with interior design, and certain models, like this and the S2000, have this almost cockpit vibe to them that do a great job of making you feel like you're in a focused performance car. Personally I love the simple, functional look of this dash; it's not plastered with buttons and unnecessary tech. Swapping out the factory stereo for a double-DIN screen does a lot for that clean look, as well.
... as you can see, the wheel and driver's seat are showing their age. The black carpet was something I chose to swap to for some contrast, and I'll be working on the rest of the interior as well, including replacing the leather seats with cloth.
- The seat belt is an almost daily frustration. Want to parallel park or reverse into your driveway? Nine out of ten times that you get on the brakes to slow down (not even hard, mind you!), the belt's inertia reel locks up and you're sitting there jerking back and forth in your seat, almost swearing at the damn thing to let go of you so you can turn around to watch where you're steering. And then when you unbuckle to get out of the car, it doesn't reel itself back up (or does so incredibly slowly), flops into the door jamb, and you close your door on it. Chips in the paint pile up over the years, eventually followed by tiny rust spots. Maybe my reel is just worn out, I don't know - there's something to look for pre-purchase, I suppose.
- The ride isn't the most comfortable, but I knew that getting into a car that was clearly marketed as a sports coupe. The factory suspension is fairly firm even on the base model, as are the seats. However, the padding was improved a bit when the RSX got its mid-generation face lift for the 2005 and 2006 model years, so it's worth seeking those out - exterior styling preference between the two is on you. I can tell you that long trips in the '02-'04 seats aren't the most forgiving to your tailbone, but when I finally made the switch to '05-'06 seats I found in a junkyard, that problem was eliminated almost entirely.
- The K20 in factory form is not an engine for overtaking and snatching gaps in traffic. The base model RSX is only down 40hp from the Type S, and the peak torque is the same for both models. In actual fact, in the space on the tach before the Type S hits VTEC, the base has more torque across more of the power band. Really, though, that's just Honda for you. Until just recently, they've been very stubborn about sticking to their tradition of high-revving, naturally aspirated four-cylinders that perform best above 4,000 rpm... and don't really do much of anything at all below that in stock form.
- Not for audiophiles. The RSX's stock speaker setup is small and shallow, so there's some cutting and spacing required to make any good aftermarket equipment fit. Even the Bose system in the Type S isn't all that great from what I hear. But then again, I suppose if you're serious about audio, odds are "custom" is not an alien concept.
- The A-pillars (and to a lesser extent, the C-pillars) provide very annoying blind spots. Crawling around parking lots, I'm constantly craning my neck back and forth to see around the A-pillars because they can hide whole pedestrians. The C-pillars, with the way the rear-quarter windows sweep up along the bottom, can also block headlights in the right lane at night.
This review must end on a high note, so here are some little things that I absolutely love about the RSX:
- The dash board design, in my opinion, looks bad ass. The materials aren't top-shelf, but Honda's always been pretty good with interior design, and certain models, like this and the S2000, have this almost cockpit vibe to them that do a great job of making you feel like you're in a focused performance car. Personally I love the simple, functional look of this dash; it's not plastered with buttons and unnecessary tech. Swapping out the factory stereo for a double-DIN screen does a lot for that clean look, as well.
... as you can see, the wheel and driver's seat are showing their age. The black carpet was something I chose to swap to for some contrast, and I'll be working on the rest of the interior as well, including replacing the leather seats with cloth.
- The cup holder. It's a small thing to rave about, but coming out of my '92 Accord, the RSX's is so friggin' cool! In the Accord, you're given this pathetic pop-out tray with two holes in it that crams your drinks in right up against the stereo. But in the RSX, even with a drink in tow you've got plenty of space (so long as you avoid XL drinks, but there is another cupholder with infinite 'headroom' between the seats), and the whole thing is almost hidden away inside the center console. It also doubles as a neat little tray to set your sunglasses or something on.
- Trunk space is INCREDIBLE! I know it's a hatchback, and trunk space is what hatchbacks do, but to have such a sleek-looking little coupe that seems like it wants to be a pickup truck when it grows up is so perfect for my own lifestyle. As you can see in one photo, I can fit my 26" mountain bike in there even with the Mugen strut bar, subwoofer, and privacy cover all in place. On a related note, back seat room isn't horrible. You still wouldn't want to shove someone you care about back there for more than a quick trip, but it's got more room than any other four-seater coupe I've ever been in. Certainly more than the Preludes I was looking at.
- The transmission's pretty good for an automatic. I don't care much for putting up with a clutch in traffic, so I don't mind driving an auto (especially considering my project car is manual). And I'm not one of those insecure macho types that thinks being able to operate a manual transmission is a rare skill exclusive to 'real drivers.' Autos can frequently be annoying in their own way, but the RSX's has a clever enough system. First, there's the sequential manual mode, which obviously gives you better control over gear choice - it will downshift automatically to keep from stalling, but will actually hold redline until you tell it to shift up. It's not quite the experience of a manual transmission, but I like basically having the option for both depending on the situation. What I really appreciate, though, is the Grade Logic Control. It's an excellent feature for a mountainous area like Colorado. When driving uphill in full automatic mode, it will hold onto lower gears longer, even to the point of not shifting up at all if the grade is steep enough and you still let off the throttle, to keep from hunting back and forth between gears. Then when going back downhill, it does a similar trick, using the gearing to slow the car rather than force you to risk overheating your brakes. It's kind of cool when you hit the brakes a bit on a decline and feel the transmission drop a gear or two for you. I assume the computers look at vehicle speed (acceleration or deceleration) and compare it to the position of your throttle or brake pedals, compensating appropriately.
- Best of all, at least in my area, the RSX is something of a rare bird. I honestly see more Hellcats of either Charger or Challenger variety than I do this little eco-box Honda. Type S or base, stock or modified, spread over six model years, and there are still more of those 700hp cars on my local streets. I like sticking out from the crowd a bit, and despite my long-time love for the Subaru Impreza (just to throw out an example) I am so tired of seeing six-plus modified WRXs/STIs a day. I might see a couple other RSX drivers in a month, if I'm lucky.
Through the years, as a massive car enthusiast that is a stickler for practicality, this car has given me so many more smiles and sighs of relief than it has headaches. To anyone else, the RSX has the versatility to serve so many different purposes, be it a spacious stuff-hauler or having the aftermarket support to be turned into an all-out track toy. I love that I get to daily this thing. This car's got some high-mileage maintenance due, and I'm currently building an engine for another car, but follow me on here and you'll see it transform into something far beyond just 'former glory.' Big changes are coming.
Through the years, as a massive car enthusiast that is a stickler for practicality, this car has given me so many more smiles and sighs of relief than it has headaches. To anyone else, the RSX has the versatility to serve so many different purposes, be it a spacious stuff-hauler or having the aftermarket support to be turned into an all-out track toy. I love that I get to daily this thing. This car's got some high-mileage maintenance due, and I'm currently building an engine for another car, but follow me on here and you'll see it transform into something far beyond just 'former glory.' Big changes are coming.