ITS or other performance vehicle?

[sayonara]

I started looking in June and my two local dealers were asking $15k and $10k over MSRP. I told them both to call me when a Tiger Eye Pearl was available and I was only buying at MSRP. I got a call October 4th that one was in and they would sell it to me at sticker. I drove it home that night. Don't pay these crazy asking prices, search around.

 

[VarmintCong]

Mazda 3 hatchback near luxury interior for around $32k.

more of a Sport Touring competitor if you’re talking about the 6mT Premium.

 

[VarmintCong]

I bought an Apex blue/Ebony ITS in early December. I was on two wait lists (#30 @ 100 miles away & #15 @ 40 miles away) at dealers in the area that were selling @ MSRP. My local dealer was selling @ $7500 ADM. They emailed me and said they would be willing to sell at only $4000 ADM because I was a previous customer. I said I was unwilling to pay over MSRP. Two weeks later, I get an email about "having a conversation" about them selling one of two cars in stock @ MSRP plus $1000 for "luxcare" and $129 for wheel locks. I went in to look at it on the showroom floor, because I had never seen one in the flesh before. I still said I was not willing to buy at that price. The sales manager said he would knock off $200 off the Luxcare price and that it was "a really good deal". I said I would sleep on it and left. Three days later, I get another email asking if I had any questions. I said, not really and that I would still be a buyer @ MSRP. They countered with MSRP plus $129 for the wheel locks. I said you have a deal, figuring that if I waited until the next year, there was a chance Acura would increase the base price from the factory.

I think the fact that I was willing to wait for an honest dealer to get me one in the coming months/years facilitated them willing to deal. I would never pay an ADM for this or any car. And if you are having to pay around $62k, I'd opt for the BMW. Out of all the cars on your list though, I think the Golf R @ MSRP is the best value. It was on my list, but the haptic buttons/infotainment were a deal killer for me, leaving the ITS as my choice.

2025 GTI gets steering wheel buttons but loses the 6mT, I’d guess the R does also. GTI manual sucks anyway.

To the OP, unless you bump up to $70k for a CTS4V Blackwing there’s really no 6mT alternative. I’m sure the Cadillac dealers are total aholes too.

 

[IntegraSpeed]

2025 GTI gets steering wheel buttons but loses the 6mT, I’d guess the R does also. GTI manual sucks anyway.

To the OP, unless you bump up to $70k for a CTS4V Blackwing there’s really no 6mT alternative. I’m sure the Cadillac dealers are total aholes too.

I actually can't believe VW is heading down this road of automatics only. Shitty non tactile buttons, dumb sliders, having to go into menu's just to change the fan speed. It'll be like starting my washing machine, having to up the fan speed ! Well the one silver lining is that life long VW fans, such as myself, have turned their nose at the brand, and looked elsewhere. Hence my new ITS ! The company is heading down some weird path. Have you seen the reflectors on the side of their fenders? i had to look away in disgust lol

 

[bandit81]

You made a good choice. I am waiting for my ITS, 2 weeks ago I put a deposit on one, supposedly today Jan 27th they are starting to build it. Using that site previously linked it looks like there is a severe shortage of blue integra’s, type-s and non type-s. The paint is amazing. I am waiting for a black interior version. Columbus Acura sold at MSRP + wheel locks. Btw the msrp did go up after the new year, I think about $400. I too waited until I could find one at msrp or less, but I am not waiting a year or two either, life is too short for missing “smiles per gallon” driving.

As for manuals,I assume it is similar to the aspec or si’s, if not better. I miss my 2007 Si Sedan, I always tell folks that was the funnest car I ever owned. Not the fastest, but most engaging and confident feeling all around driver. Shifter wise, if you can get behind a 4th gen Camaro/trans am with the t-56 topped with an MGW shifter, you will experience 100% the very best shifter - only regret selling my 2000 Trans Am is that shifter. I have been told nothing is as crisp and solid as that combo. The factory shifter GM used was ok, not quite as good as my old 2007 Si, but the MGW it was like I was directly connected to the transmission, no slop, just complete precision and well balanced. This is not a fair comparison though, the shifter for the 4gen fbody goes directly into the transmission.

Let’s talk clutches, I wonder how the clutch feels on the ITS. Similar to the aspec?

 

[TheRas900]

I just test drove my first Type S a few days ago. The clutch seemed similar in throw length, slightly heavier in weight, than my A Spec with 10,000 miles on it. Others who have spent more time with both models might have additional input.

 

[JesseP]

I took delivery of the blue ITS with black interior yesterday in the rain. It has about 2800 miles. The paint looked perfect from what I saw, but I need a closer look now that it's dry outside. Three of the four wheels have some sort of curb rash or chip in them. It's not bad and only noticeable if you are looking for it. I'm just trying to figure out how someone bought a brand new, $54k+ car and curb rashed it in less than 3k miles. There were also three different smart phones connected to the car. This tells me someone from Carmax must have been using it to joyride.

Apart from expected outcomes buying a "used" car, I'm really happy with it. The black interior is still really nice and will hide blemishes over time much better than a lighter interior. My white interior Tesla can attest to that. Comparing the manual gearbox to my ND2 Miata and I instantly noticed the difference. Short throws and almost impossible to miss gears. Very smooth transitions. The Mazda gearbox is also one of the best, so that's saying something.

I have not had much of a chance to open up the throttle, but the response feels great so far. It's not an all-wheel drive electric car, so it will never launch as fast as the Tesla, but it's certainly fast enough for spirited driving between stop lights and around corners. It feels very planted and balanced for being FWD. I had a 2010 Camaro SS and I'll tell you it's more enjoyable driving a lighter car with decent power than a heavier car with more.

Although the sound system is "good", it's not as good as the Tesla. It's a fair comparison because they are now similarly-priced vehicles. Maybe I need to dial in the treble, mid and bass to my liking, but I will most likely add aftermarket solutions at some point.

I'll get some pictures once I have the chance to detail, but it looks great right now. Even the delivery driver mentioned he noticed the car when it drove around the lot to be loaded on the flatbed. He said he'd never seen one on the road before that and was considering getting one himself now. It's a great-looking car and I'm really happy with it so far. Buying "used" saved me at least $3k, but realistically more like $5k-$10k when considering accessories and other dealer markups.

 

[PizzaGuy]

I took delivery of the blue ITS with black interior yesterday in the rain. It has about 2800 miles. The paint looked perfect from what I saw, but I need a closer look now that it's dry outside. Three of the four wheels have some sort of curb rash or chip in them. It's not bad and only noticeable if you are looking for it. I'm just trying to figure out how someone bought a brand new, $54k+ car and curb rashed it in less than 3k miles. There were also three different smart phones connected to the car. This tells me someone from Carmax must have been using it to joyride.

Apart from expected outcomes buying a "used" car, I'm really happy with it. The black interior is still really nice and will hide blemishes over time much better than a lighter interior. My white interior Tesla can attest to that. Comparing the manual gearbox to my ND2 Miata and I instantly noticed the difference. Short throws and almost impossible to miss gears. Very smooth transitions. The Mazda gearbox is also one of the best, so that's saying something.

I have not had much of a chance to open up the throttle, but the response feels great so far. It's not an all-wheel drive electric car, so it will never launch as fast as the Tesla, but it's certainly fast enough for spirited driving between stop lights and around corners. It feels very planted and balanced for being FWD. I had a 2010 Camaro SS and I'll tell you it's more enjoyable driving a lighter car with decent power than a heavier car with more.

Although the sound system is "good", it's not as good as the Tesla. It's a fair comparison because they are now similarly-priced vehicles. Maybe I need to dial in the treble, mid and bass to my liking, but I will most likely add aftermarket solutions at some point.

I'll get some pictures once I have the chance to detail, but it looks great right now. Even the delivery driver mentioned he noticed the car when it drove around the lot to be loaded on the flatbed. He said he'd never seen one on the road before that and was considering getting one himself now. It's a great-looking car and I'm really happy with it so far. Buying "used" saved me at least $3k, but realistically more like $5k-$10k when considering accessories and other dealer markups.

Big congrats!

 

[Dpolidori]

I’m really struggling with whether to get an A-spec (manual) or Type S. I had a late 1990s Integra and loved it. I like the look of Type S a lot better than A-Spec but I’m not an aggressive driver at all and am unsure how much more fun the Type S will be to drive for me. My local dealer won’t let me test drive the Type S, so any thoughts people can offer here would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[KindaACarGuy]

I’m really struggling with whether to get an A-spec (manual) or Type S. I had a late 1990s Integra and loved it. I like the look of Type S a lot better than A-Spec but I’m not an aggressive driver at all and am unsure how much more fun the Type S will be to drive for me. My local dealer won’t let me test drive the Type S, so any thoughts people can offer here would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

I didn’t test drive the Types S before arriving at the dealership to take delivery. I could see from all of the videos, posts, and articles that it was the one for me. I have absolutely no regrets about getting the Type S. The looks, plus having the power and handling there when I want to have fun or need to use it makes the Type S worth it. If you can afford it, then you won’t have regrets about getting it.

 

[ckone2030]

I took delivery of the blue ITS with black interior yesterday in the rain. It has about 2800 miles. The paint looked perfect from what I saw, but I need a closer look now that it's dry outside. Three of the four wheels have some sort of curb rash or chip in them. It's not bad and only noticeable if you are looking for it. I'm just trying to figure out how someone bought a brand new, $54k+ car and curb rashed it in less than 3k miles. There were also three different smart phones connected to the car. This tells me someone from Carmax must have been using it to joyride.

Apart from expected outcomes buying a "used" car, I'm really happy with it. The black interior is still really nice and will hide blemishes over time much better than a lighter interior. My white interior Tesla can attest to that. Comparing the manual gearbox to my ND2 Miata and I instantly noticed the difference. Short throws and almost impossible to miss gears. Very smooth transitions. The Mazda gearbox is also one of the best, so that's saying something.

I have not had much of a chance to open up the throttle, but the response feels great so far. It's not an all-wheel drive electric car, so it will never launch as fast as the Tesla, but it's certainly fast enough for spirited driving between stop lights and around corners. It feels very planted and balanced for being FWD. I had a 2010 Camaro SS and I'll tell you it's more enjoyable driving a lighter car with decent power than a heavier car with more.

Although the sound system is "good", it's not as good as the Tesla. It's a fair comparison because they are now similarly-priced vehicles. Maybe I need to dial in the treble, mid and bass to my liking, but I will most likely add aftermarket solutions at some point.

I'll get some pictures once I have the chance to detail, but it looks great right now. Even the delivery driver mentioned he noticed the car when it drove around the lot to be loaded on the flatbed. He said he'd never seen one on the road before that and was considering getting one himself now. It's a great-looking car and I'm really happy with it so far. Buying "used" saved me at least $3k, but realistically more like $5k-$10k when considering accessories and other dealer markups.

Congrats on the purchase. Now go and enjoy it around GA mountains and you will see why this is an excellent purchase! Hope to see you around and check out the GA Civic Type R group in FB as there are some of us ITS owners too.

 

[ckone2030]

I’m really struggling with whether to get an A-spec (manual) or Type S. I had a late 1990s Integra and loved it. I like the look of Type S a lot better than A-Spec but I’m not an aggressive driver at all and am unsure how much more fun the Type S will be to drive for me. My local dealer won’t let me test drive the Type S, so any thoughts people can offer here would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

It really depends if you want more bells and whistles like memory seats, sun roof, power passenger seat, etc. Or if you want a driver performance car that is a joy to drive whether to work, grocery store or through winding roads, or even to the tracks.

Also, look for comparison videos on YouTube. I know there are several videos that can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each of the car.

 

[Dpolidori]

I didn’t test drive the Types S before arriving at the dealership to take delivery. I could see from all of the videos, posts, and articles that it was the one for me. I have absolutely no regrets about getting the Type S. The looks, plus having the power and handling there when I want to have fun or need to use it makes the Type S worth it. If you can afford it, then you won’t have regrets about getting it.

Thanks — very helpful.

 

[bandit81]

I test drove a 2023 aspec manual, was ok but it's definitely toned down in comparison to a 2019 Si which I also drive on occasion (my dad's car). I expected the same if not more umph feeling but it wasn't there, you have to really push an aspec to get it to perform. I suspect with some mods voe vernoy would meet your needs.

 

[JesseP]

I took delivery of the blue ITS with black interior yesterday in the rain. It has about 2800 miles. The paint looked perfect from what I saw, but I need a closer look now that it's dry outside. Three of the four wheels have some sort of curb rash or chip in them. It's not bad and only noticeable if you are looking for it. I'm just trying to figure out how someone bought a brand new, $54k+ car and curb rashed it in less than 3k miles. There were also three different smart phones connected to the car. This tells me someone from Carmax must have been using it to joyride.

Apart from expected outcomes buying a "used" car, I'm really happy with it. The black interior is still really nice and will hide blemishes over time much better than a lighter interior. My white interior Tesla can attest to that. Comparing the manual gearbox to my ND2 Miata and I instantly noticed the difference. Short throws and almost impossible to miss gears. Very smooth transitions. The Mazda gearbox is also one of the best, so that's saying something.

I have not had much of a chance to open up the throttle, but the response feels great so far. It's not an all-wheel drive electric car, so it will never launch as fast as the Tesla, but it's certainly fast enough for spirited driving between stop lights and around corners. It feels very planted and balanced for being FWD. I had a 2010 Camaro SS and I'll tell you it's more enjoyable driving a lighter car with decent power than a heavier car with more.

Although the sound system is "good", it's not as good as the Tesla. It's a fair comparison because they are now similarly-priced vehicles. Maybe I need to dial in the treble, mid and bass to my liking, but I will most likely add aftermarket solutions at some point.

I'll get some pictures once I have the chance to detail, but it looks great right now. Even the delivery driver mentioned he noticed the car when it drove around the lot to be loaded on the flatbed. He said he'd never seen one on the road before that and was considering getting one himself now. It's a great-looking car and I'm really happy with it so far. Buying "used" saved me at least $3k, but realistically more like $5k-$10k when considering accessories and other dealer markups.

After the car was dry, I did find some light scratches and imperfections in the paint. You have to look for them and they are not noticeable at a distance. I guess that's par for the course buying a "used" car. I suspect a young person bought this car, found out they could not afford the payments, and traded it in shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, they didn't take care of it all too well since they knew they were parting with it. I also suspect someone at Carmax realized the car was about to be sold and took it for a couple of days to drive. Either that or they let a customer take it for a couple days. I know this because after I started the buying process, they told me the car had 2670 miles, but then I received it at 2865 miles. It was delivered on a flatbed, so this was not delivery miles.

I'm just letting everyone know this in case you are sensitive to minor damage buying a used car. If you are uncertain, definitely go look and test drive the car first. I snagged this one because it may be months before I could find another blue ITS for sale at a non-marked up price. I also saved over $3k under MSRP with delivery.

Another issue I have is pulling into my driveway. I have a steep incline coming off the road. Pulling it straight in drags on the plastic under the frame to the back of the front bumper. I had starting backing it in, but scraped two of my exhaust pipes last night. I found if I pull in slowly at an angle I can get the car in nose first. I had a similar problem with my ND2 Miata, but that car was lowered on aftermarket suspension. The ITS is a low car (as it should be).

The power is great with just a bit of turbo lag. You would not notice the turbo lag if you did not previously own a naturally aspirated sports car. It still gets up and goes when you give it the beans. I'm thoroughly happy with acceleration even after owning a Model 3 Performance. The exhaust sounds great wide open, but you barely hear the pops while inside the car at speed. The insulation prevents some noise, but I prefer that to hearing everything. My wife also mentioned she was surprised how much rear seat space there was considering it's a sub-compact car. The car looks smaller in person from the outside than pictures and videos let on. Very sexy design, but you all know that already.

I'll give another update when I have something to share.