ProDarwin wrote: Depends where you live. I can't use the thundering 124hp my Saturn makes during my DD commute. Even 1st gear (auto) will exceed the speed limits most areas, and for most of the commute, WOT for anything more than 1 or 2 seconds is just going to put me into the bumper of the car in front of me.
Sounds like you need to relocate. 
szeis4cookie wrote: Last generation Celica? EDIT: My dad's got one of these, GT trim, stick. Pretty good to drive.
We have a 2000 GT. Requires mid-grade fuel, gets 34+ mpg hwy, comfortable, not too noisy, reliable. Only issues we have found are the dampers go soft at 40k miles and the typical Toyota AC evaporator leak that costs $$$$. I accidentally offered to sell it to a coworker and am currently hoping he will back out. It is more comfortable and practical than my Miata for DD duty and I'm getting tired of having SUV's and P/U's try to change lanes into me on a weekly basis.
Vigo wrote:The power is all in the top end, and you may find that for DD it really isn't that usable - or not.Its not like a 500 lb ft rwd that wont go WOT and straight ahead at the same time.
So it's no fun at all?
poopshovel wrote: Will do. Thanks guys. In other news, I'm trying to buy a limousine this weekend.
Not sure about your size constraints, but a prelude may fit the bill as well. I'm not 100% on the mpgs though.
I actually would rather have a Prelude or a TSX over an RSX.
Secretariata wrote:szeis4cookie wrote: Last generation Celica? EDIT: My dad's got one of these, GT trim, stick. Pretty good to drive.We have a 2000 GT. Requires mid-grade fuel, gets 34+ mpg hwy, comfortable, not too noisy, reliable. Only issues we have found are the dampers go soft at 40k miles and the typical Toyota AC evaporator leak that costs $$$$. I accidentally offered to sell it to a coworker and am currently hoping he will back out. It is more comfortable and practical than my Miata for DD duty and I'm getting tired of having SUV's and P/U's try to change lanes into me on a weekly basis.
I read that as you had a 2000GT and was really excited.
Then I realized...
EvanB wrote: I read that as you had a 2000GT and was really excited. Then I realized...
+1
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:bravenrace wrote:You're WRONG because one person told me otherwise at some point and you clearly have no idea what you're talking about!92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I'm not your favorite forum sparring partnerWhat? That is so untrue! I LOVE YOU, MAN!!!!
That hurts dude. That really hurts.
Loved my Prelude, but the RSX is more practical. Requires premium, small trunk, doesn't get over 27mpg on an all highway tank.
LJD wrote: The previous generation TSX with a 6-speed matched to that brilliant 2.4L is hard to beat for a fun/economical/practical DD. I still regret not buying the one I test drove a few years ago. Find one and drive it before you make a decision. You may have to stretch the budget to $11-12K though.
This. It's a better car than the RSX in just about every regard. I simply detest the EP/RSX front suspension--and the rear isn't much better---at least when lowered to a reasonable ride height.
On the other hand, I think an EP hatch would make an outstanding rally car for G2 (or whatever they're calling NA 2WD cars these days) as it's a huge cabin and the steering/shifting/clutch/etc are simply brilliant. Maybe the suspension geometry works better raised.
TSX is a much better car. The RSX, TO ME/MY OPINION, was not that great a car. It feels really doggy below Vtec in the -S, the base car feels doggy EVERYWHERE. No center armrest, at all. Dash layout is ho-hum. Seats are nice. Engine and 6spd are ok as long as you keep the revs up. Otherwise it feels like my 90hp 2200lb Accent. And that is not a good thing to be compared to. The Suspension sucked. Stock, it was OK. But OK isn't good enough to me and I've not been in a modified one that I feel I could live with daily.
Yeah, if you want to be mean to an RSX base just say it's an EP3 with more weight, because that does NOT paint a pretty picture..
I would also rather drive an equally nice prelude than an RSX, but frankly the gearing in the Prelude is even more irritating on the highway. The thing has great torque for a 4cylinder.. so WHYYYYYYYYY does it need 4k rpm on the highway? It would do fine at 2k, unlike most other 4cyl hondas.
I just got rid of my 05 Type S (Miata really was the answer!). +1 on everything Bobzilla said, although I was never able to find a decent seating position in 18 months of ownership, and I was too busy sliding around on the leather seat to really see what the suspension could do. You have to drive the car like it has a rotary to get it to go. The OP mentioned a child seat, but I don't think an RSX's dungeon of a back seat would really lend itself to one. Maybe one of those booster seats that a small kid could climb into under his/her own power, but a backward-facing seat would be a major PITA to get a kid into & out of. I thought the car was at its best on the highway at about 80. It would have been a great road trip car, if it had better seats and an arm rest. Around town, it was a dog.
Interesting. This looks nice. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/3076550940.html
In reply to poopshovel:
For what it's worth, I once got a TSX loaner from the Acura dealer while my TL was being serviced. I had it for two days, and the only things I didn't absolutely love about it was it seemed under powered and it had an automatic trans. Of course a manual trans would likely liven it up a bit, which may have made it much better. Overall I thought it was a great car.
The manual TSX that I drove have a lurchy driveline snatch at around 35-40 mph. Getting on and off the gas (as you frequently do in traffic) upset the chassis noticeably, and was irritating. This was a bummer, as I really liked pretty much everything else about the car.
This may have been a flaw in the car I drove, but it would be a good idea to drive one in traffic before taking the plunge. I can't say I'm a fan of the RSX in base or S form. They don't seem to do anything particularly well.
poopshovel wrote: Interesting. This looks nice. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/3076550940.html
I missed out on one IDENTICAL to that fgor $4500 that needed a trans. I missed it by 5 minutes.
If you've owned a foxbody or Sn95 mustang, you're ahead of the game in terms of rsx/ep3 suspension knowledge: Poor front camber curves, very limited caster, varying toe angle over the suspension travel, relatively limited travel; the rear has limited travel, horrendous motion ratio and binds when compressed a significant amount. Tire width is also fairly limited on both ends.
The base and S k20's have nearly identical power/torque until the S's 'real' vtec activates, as others have said on a track it's nice, but not so much for DD/commuting, ditto for the S requiring premium gas.
Bottom line, as others have said, just get a tsx.
EvanB wrote: I read that as you had a 2000GT and was really excited. Then I realized...
Sorry to confuse everyone. 
The manual TSX that I drove have a lurchy driveline snatch at around 35-40 mph. Getting on and off the gas (as you frequently do in traffic) upset the chassis noticeably, and was irritating. This was a bummer, as I really liked pretty much everything else about the car.
Sounds like it needed a stiffer motor mount or mount insert, the kind of thing that becomes available almost immediately for everything that could be considered an enthusiast platform and can easily be built at home for those cars that arent considered that at all..
Although some 'premium' cars have irritatingly expensive motor mounts that might dissuade one from trying to improve them.
Joe Gearin wrote: The manual TSX that I drove have a lurchy driveline snatch at around 35-40 mph. Getting on and off the gas (as you frequently do in traffic) upset the chassis noticeably, and was irritating. This was a bummer, as I really liked pretty much everything else about the car. This may have been a flaw in the car I drove, but it would be a good idea to drive one in traffic before taking the plunge. I can't say I'm a fan of the RSX in base or S form. They don't seem to do anything particularly well.
You said "snatch." huh huh.
poopshovel wrote: Interesting. This looks nice. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/3076550940.html
I'll say.
I have owned a RSX S for 4 yrs and put over 100k on it. I autocross it in ST and now STF, it is my DD. My wife and I prefer to take it on vacations due to the comfortable seats. It has decent power you just have to keep the rpms up there, I typically run it between 3 to 4k. I believe one of the best 2 liter fours every built. With a willing rev happy motor and six easy shifting gears you can always find vtec. It is truly fun to run it hard and row thru the gears. I am very competitive in autocross, once you understand the suspension limitations you can do things to help minimize the effects of the bad geometry. I like the gear ratios, with hondata enhancement, it will run 62 in second which is very good for autocross. I definately wouldn't want any lower gears, without limited slip you can't put the power down anyway. 4k at 80 doesn't bother me a bit, I have run 12 hrs straight on the interstate, the motor sounds great and pulls good at that rpm. I originally purchased it to hold me over for a year but I really like it. I have never owned a car more than 3 years up until this RSX S.
Wrong coast.
Asking $6300 OBO
2001 Toyota Celica GT-S VIN: JTDDY32T310040027 Works good 77.000 miles 6 speed manual 1.8 liter 4 cylinder Power windows Power door locks Cruise control Clean title
http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/3138387260.html
Vigo wrote:The manual TSX that I drove have a lurchy driveline snatch at around 35-40 mph. Getting on and off the gas (as you frequently do in traffic) upset the chassis noticeably, and was irritating. This was a bummer, as I really liked pretty much everything else about the car.Sounds like it needed a stiffer motor mount or mount insert, the kind of thing that becomes available almost immediately for everything that could be considered an enthusiast platform and can easily be built at home for those cars that arent considered that at all..
assuming they used the same mount setup on the K24 as the K20, i'd say that was the issue. except i put energy suspension inserts in mine, which were great except that with the a/c on it would rattle your teeth out at idle. i considered a hondata custom reflash just to raise the idle even. i had an 04, which was supposed to be one of the better ones, since they had the better double valve spring valvetrain (apparently almost the same as the s2k) and a few other creature comforts like heated side mirrors, but still had the K20a2, which was compatible with hondata's kpro.
it didn't do so well in autox partly because it came with crap tires and partly because of the 3-channel abs system. both rears were on one channel so if you lifted one tire, it would halt any and all trail braking mid-corner, which was frustrating.
i really liked it for highway cruising and backroad driving with the very responsive suspension. when i moved to houston the stiff suspension on the crappy roads and stop and go traffic made me hate it. i traded it towards the mazdaspeed3 that i had for two years.
all that said, the seats were comfortable, you get used to the no-armrest, i really liked the fully automatic climate control, and all the other "wow, that's really neat" things in the car.
things like: i hardly ever had to adjust the temp setting, it knew when you started the car and it was cold as hell out, you wanted the defroster on, BUT it would wait a few minutes until the coolant started to warm up before cranking up the fan. worked really well
the wipers, when on intermittent, when you came to a stop with your foot on the brake, the wipers would stop. when you took your foot off the brake they would wipe once, and then go back to the delay setting you had them on. there was also an setting that would run the wipers as if they were "on" but still stop the wipers when you stopped. really neat.
things i didn't like: the headlights were kinda weak, and they hazed over in the year or so i had the car.
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