VLJ
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2024
- Threads
- 8
- Messages
- 124
- Reaction score
- 108
- Location
- Northern California
- Vehicle(s)
- 2024 Civic Type R Boost Blue Pearl
- Thread starter
- #1
I've had the ITS module installed for a decent while now, which hasn't been easy. Normally with these types of comparisons I swap back and forth quickly and frequently, to get as many immediate back-and-forth impressions as possible. This time, however, I wanted to try living with the ITS for a decent while, to give it a real-world fair shake. One month with the CTR, one month with the ITS, learning their behaviors over all their settings.
Another reason I didn't want to do multiple back-and-forth quick switches is I soon realized I had gone into this thing with a strong bias of wanting the CTR module to win. Straight-up shallow ego. I wanted to prefer the pure, racier version to the supposedly more streetable, less edgy, "compromised" version.
'I want an affordable FWD GT3, not a super-civilized Acura Integra....'
On the other hand, the entire reason I bought the ITS module was to reduce the bounciness of the stock FL5 in real-world conditions, since the CTR's bounciness was sapping my confidence and slowing me down on many of my favorite roads, negating the whole "FWD GT3" ideal.
Well, now I think I have my answers.
First off, I still lean toward the emotional principles that drove the design of the CTR's damping. I can't help but continue to buy into that "racy" ideal. No matter how much I enjoy the car in its new form, I can't help but want to talk myself into manning up and letting the CTR be a CTR. 'It's character, not a flaw. It's pure, fun character. Celebrate it. Don't try to fix it. Let it be what it is.'
Then there's the flipside. I just helped move a girl into my place, which necessitated using my "FWD GT3" as a freaking CR-V. Honestly, it's absolutely astounding how much crap you can load into an FL5. I'd swapped a new Camry Hybrid and a new MX-5 to buy this Type R with a bit of $$ coming back my way after the exchange, and now I'm convinced I made the right call. I wanted a versatile, do-everything daily that would also scratch my itch for a pure sports car, and this thing has to be the best possible one-car solution on the market. Driving my girl around during the move, I had the suspension set to ITS Comfort mode, because she prefers luxury, not hard-edged sportiness, and damn but did this car virtually disappear beneath us. No complaints whatsoever from her about the ride quality or noise levels, and she drives a brand-new Acura MDX.
During one of our drives she mentioned that she didn't understand why I want or need a sports car since it seemed to her that I drive perfectly normally, so what's the point?
I tried to explain to her that no, running errands around town like we're doing now is not all I do in this car, and if you want to see what the other side is like, cool, come join me when I take her up into the mountains, which I just did again yesterday, and that run yesterday is what prompted this review.
Hate to say it, but my FL5 was damn near perfect yesterday, ripping aorund in the mountains. I've discovered that as before with the CTR, in which I used Comfort mode on our bumpier racy roads, Sport mode with the ITS module is my pick of the liter, which essentially approximates Comfort mode with the CTR...only with the ITS that equivalent level of stiffness and body control does not result in equivalent bounciness. The car is more planted and settled now, allowing me to stay on the gas and/or get on the gas sooner and harder than I did with the CTR.
I found it fairly enlightening. By the end of yesterday's run, I finally "got" my FL5. I felt the quality, and the precision. I understood the hype. The thing is an absolute weapon on a canyon road.
It's also fun as hell. I wasn't expecting that. All the reviews say it's so deadly serious, with none of the playfulness of its lesser competition, but I wasn't getting that yesterday. No, I was thinking, 'This is effing amazing. I could never attack this hard in my Miata, and it's obvious there is still so much left on the table with this thing. I'm nowhere near its limits.'
Then I drove home and took my girl out to do a big Costco run in the FL5.
I mean, wtf. How do you beat that?
So, my conclusion is that putting ego and hype and idealism aside, yes, the ITS module makes for a better FL5 in the real world, at least for most situations. If I were regularly driving billiard table-smooth roads and race tracks, sure, I'd stick to the CTR module. Otherwise, however, at least for my circumstances, the ITS not only makes for a slightly more comfortable ride, but also a faster one.
And isn't that the point? Isn't that why we bought a Type R?
I think I will stick with the ITS for a decent while longer now. I'm sure I'll eventually try swapping back at some point, just to sample that rawness again and confirm the difference, but I suspect that I will land on the ITS as my final answer.
Other notes...
When I first got this car, the amount of buzzing and rattling in the cabin was so bad that it had me questioning my decsion to buy this thing. I was seriously considering taking advantage of its killer resale value to get out of it, especially since I only paid msrp for it, with zero dealer add-ons. I did my research, learning how people attempt to quell the rattles and buzzes in the dash, the seatbelts, the infotainment screen, etc., and was prepared to give those solutions a shot before unloading the car.
A funny thing happened along the way, however. After a short while, the buzzing completely stopped. All of it. Everywhere. It's all simply gone. I no longer feel like I'm driving around in a very expensive shitbox. Now I feel like I'm driving around in a Japanese Rolex—a base model Rolex, to be sure, but a Rolex nonetheless.
I no longer fear the embarrassment of my Acura-owning girl noticing and commenting on how cheap and rattly my car feels. Nope. Instead, she said simply, "This is nice. It seems like a normal car. These seats are pretty comfy. The red in here is pretty. I like it." Then she hit me with the bit about not understanding why I need a sports car if it's just going to drive like any normal sedan.
That's a win, to me. A big win.
Swear to god, though, I want to take her up for a mountain rip and scare the panties right off of her. She freaked out when we took basic sweepers at 60 mph in the Miata, due to the way the Miata makes every speed seem way faster than you're actually going, but I still think the CTR would scare the living bejeezus out of her once unleashed in its natural environment.
She kind of deserves it now, too, having unintentionally insulted the Type R the way she did.
Or maybe she complimented it, and I'm just being an idiot. Whatever.
Otherwise, so far only one thing has gone wrong with this car, other than all the initial buzzing and rattling. The other night I noticed that the red LED ambient light strip in the passenger door wasn't working. I took it to the dealer, who fixed it no problem, explaining that the electronic clip inside the door hadn't been fully clipped together.
Anything I would change about this car, after having gotten to know it better now?
I'd give it at least five hundred more available rpm, if not a thousand more. As part of my testing all the modes, I've been going back and forth with the fake sound. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I want it off. My brother loves it, and won't let me turn it off. Well, during yesterday's solo run, I shut it off, and something immediately changed about the driving experience. Suddenly I was running into the soft rev limiter in second and third, coming out of every corner. I guess that fake sound was giving me cues that it was getting to be time to shift up. Minus that reminder, I discovered that I was running through the yellow--->orange--->red shift lights before I even knew I was up that high.
Yes, give me another thousand rpm, please. Better yet, make it two thousand more, like a GT3.
Along those same lines, okay, yes, I'd like a bit more engine and exhaust sound. I'm not willing to modify the car to get it, though, so I'll continue to tell myself that stock is its own virtue. Leave well enough alone, and all that.
I wish it had heated seats and a heated steering wheel, and lumbar control. I wish it had the Miata's adaptive headlights.
The AC is nowhere near as cold or powerful as it was in the Camry and Miata. I have to turn it up much more in this car, and still it's not as cold.
That's it. Nothing else on my wish list.
Things I like about this car?
The looks. Christ, do I love how this thing looks, from every angle. That's rare for me. Usually there is an angle or two that I find kind of meh on any car, but this car is 360-degrees gorgeous and sexy. That Boost Blue Pearl with the red accents is so damn good. I don't care if it's too Boy Racer for some people. I love it to death. Love the black wheels. Love the big wing. Love the open mesh grill. I want to stop and turn back and admire this car every time I walk away from it. Approaching it is always a special little thrill.
Man, do I love how it looks. I like it so much better than the ITS.
The shifter and tranny are as advertized. Yes, I still miss the mechanical feel and vibrations of the Miata's shifter, but there's something to be said for that Rolex-like precision of the FL5's shifter. I'm even coming to appreciate its utter stillness at idle, compared to the Miata's constant shake. I love them both now.
I really appreciate the quality of the automatic rev matching. As a result of my destroyed foot, heel-toe shifting is a bit of a bitch for me now, and the FL5's assistance there goes a long way toward making me not miss being able to do that anymore. It works great, and I still get to feel like a hero when slamming downshifts. So good.
The utility of this car is off the charts. Huge, roomy back seat. Cavernous cargo space. Rear seats fold down in two seconds. Cargo cover design is brilliant. Plenty of comfort up front. NVH is nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, especially with PS4-S tires. It honestly isn't a problem at all. What a welcome surpise.
I quite enjoy the changeability of this car. Sometimes I want the fake noise, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want the comfiest ride, sometimes I want Full Send. Sometimes I want the yellow needles and nothing else in the gauges display, sometimes I want the +R screen. Navigation, or one of those cool LogR graphics? The car has a wonderful chameleon-like ability to be anything I want it to be at any given moment, all stock. It never gets old.
Fantastic brakes. That's it. Just fantastic brakes.
I'm quite grateful that Honda recommends 91 octane for this motor, as opposed to Acura tuning the Type S iterant for 93 octane, which we here in California and many other states do not get. That fact played a large role in why I ultimately chose the FL5 over the Type S, or even a GR86, which also carries the 93-octane recommendation. Reduced power, lower fuel mileage, and potential knocking and pinging as a result of running lower-than-recommended octane is not my idea of a satisfying feeling.
Love the specialness of the car. My Miatas frequently received positive comments, especially when I had the Soul Red Crystal model. This blue FL5, though, woo, do people seem to love it. Most anywhere I go, someone is going to stop and stare, and often compliment it.
It's a small thing, or perhaps it's not so small, but maybe the one thing I've learned that I appreciate the most about this car is the seating position, along with the quality of the seat. I always wanted the Miata's seat to go lower, and for the wheel to be a bit smaller. The FL5 is ergonomic perfection. Everything is exactly where it should be, from both arm rests, to the shifter, to the location of the gauges within the open spaces of the just-right steering wheel. Even the pedal placement is ideal. Outward visibility is excellent, with those small A-pillars and all those wide expanses of glass. Great view out the back, too. The wing doesn't get in the way, and the rear hatch glass is huge. Helping things even more is the fact that all three mirrors remain crystal clear at any rpm, and those side mirrors are ginormous.
Now that the buzzes and rattles are gone, this car truly feels like a flagship Honda. Perhaps even peak Honda. It really is a jewel.
Another reason I didn't want to do multiple back-and-forth quick switches is I soon realized I had gone into this thing with a strong bias of wanting the CTR module to win. Straight-up shallow ego. I wanted to prefer the pure, racier version to the supposedly more streetable, less edgy, "compromised" version.
'I want an affordable FWD GT3, not a super-civilized Acura Integra....'
On the other hand, the entire reason I bought the ITS module was to reduce the bounciness of the stock FL5 in real-world conditions, since the CTR's bounciness was sapping my confidence and slowing me down on many of my favorite roads, negating the whole "FWD GT3" ideal.
Well, now I think I have my answers.
First off, I still lean toward the emotional principles that drove the design of the CTR's damping. I can't help but continue to buy into that "racy" ideal. No matter how much I enjoy the car in its new form, I can't help but want to talk myself into manning up and letting the CTR be a CTR. 'It's character, not a flaw. It's pure, fun character. Celebrate it. Don't try to fix it. Let it be what it is.'
Then there's the flipside. I just helped move a girl into my place, which necessitated using my "FWD GT3" as a freaking CR-V. Honestly, it's absolutely astounding how much crap you can load into an FL5. I'd swapped a new Camry Hybrid and a new MX-5 to buy this Type R with a bit of $$ coming back my way after the exchange, and now I'm convinced I made the right call. I wanted a versatile, do-everything daily that would also scratch my itch for a pure sports car, and this thing has to be the best possible one-car solution on the market. Driving my girl around during the move, I had the suspension set to ITS Comfort mode, because she prefers luxury, not hard-edged sportiness, and damn but did this car virtually disappear beneath us. No complaints whatsoever from her about the ride quality or noise levels, and she drives a brand-new Acura MDX.
During one of our drives she mentioned that she didn't understand why I want or need a sports car since it seemed to her that I drive perfectly normally, so what's the point?
I tried to explain to her that no, running errands around town like we're doing now is not all I do in this car, and if you want to see what the other side is like, cool, come join me when I take her up into the mountains, which I just did again yesterday, and that run yesterday is what prompted this review.
Hate to say it, but my FL5 was damn near perfect yesterday, ripping aorund in the mountains. I've discovered that as before with the CTR, in which I used Comfort mode on our bumpier racy roads, Sport mode with the ITS module is my pick of the liter, which essentially approximates Comfort mode with the CTR...only with the ITS that equivalent level of stiffness and body control does not result in equivalent bounciness. The car is more planted and settled now, allowing me to stay on the gas and/or get on the gas sooner and harder than I did with the CTR.
I found it fairly enlightening. By the end of yesterday's run, I finally "got" my FL5. I felt the quality, and the precision. I understood the hype. The thing is an absolute weapon on a canyon road.
It's also fun as hell. I wasn't expecting that. All the reviews say it's so deadly serious, with none of the playfulness of its lesser competition, but I wasn't getting that yesterday. No, I was thinking, 'This is effing amazing. I could never attack this hard in my Miata, and it's obvious there is still so much left on the table with this thing. I'm nowhere near its limits.'
Then I drove home and took my girl out to do a big Costco run in the FL5.
I mean, wtf. How do you beat that?
So, my conclusion is that putting ego and hype and idealism aside, yes, the ITS module makes for a better FL5 in the real world, at least for most situations. If I were regularly driving billiard table-smooth roads and race tracks, sure, I'd stick to the CTR module. Otherwise, however, at least for my circumstances, the ITS not only makes for a slightly more comfortable ride, but also a faster one.
And isn't that the point? Isn't that why we bought a Type R?
I think I will stick with the ITS for a decent while longer now. I'm sure I'll eventually try swapping back at some point, just to sample that rawness again and confirm the difference, but I suspect that I will land on the ITS as my final answer.
Other notes...
When I first got this car, the amount of buzzing and rattling in the cabin was so bad that it had me questioning my decsion to buy this thing. I was seriously considering taking advantage of its killer resale value to get out of it, especially since I only paid msrp for it, with zero dealer add-ons. I did my research, learning how people attempt to quell the rattles and buzzes in the dash, the seatbelts, the infotainment screen, etc., and was prepared to give those solutions a shot before unloading the car.
A funny thing happened along the way, however. After a short while, the buzzing completely stopped. All of it. Everywhere. It's all simply gone. I no longer feel like I'm driving around in a very expensive shitbox. Now I feel like I'm driving around in a Japanese Rolex—a base model Rolex, to be sure, but a Rolex nonetheless.
I no longer fear the embarrassment of my Acura-owning girl noticing and commenting on how cheap and rattly my car feels. Nope. Instead, she said simply, "This is nice. It seems like a normal car. These seats are pretty comfy. The red in here is pretty. I like it." Then she hit me with the bit about not understanding why I need a sports car if it's just going to drive like any normal sedan.
That's a win, to me. A big win.
Swear to god, though, I want to take her up for a mountain rip and scare the panties right off of her. She freaked out when we took basic sweepers at 60 mph in the Miata, due to the way the Miata makes every speed seem way faster than you're actually going, but I still think the CTR would scare the living bejeezus out of her once unleashed in its natural environment.
She kind of deserves it now, too, having unintentionally insulted the Type R the way she did.
Or maybe she complimented it, and I'm just being an idiot. Whatever.
Otherwise, so far only one thing has gone wrong with this car, other than all the initial buzzing and rattling. The other night I noticed that the red LED ambient light strip in the passenger door wasn't working. I took it to the dealer, who fixed it no problem, explaining that the electronic clip inside the door hadn't been fully clipped together.
Anything I would change about this car, after having gotten to know it better now?
I'd give it at least five hundred more available rpm, if not a thousand more. As part of my testing all the modes, I've been going back and forth with the fake sound. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I want it off. My brother loves it, and won't let me turn it off. Well, during yesterday's solo run, I shut it off, and something immediately changed about the driving experience. Suddenly I was running into the soft rev limiter in second and third, coming out of every corner. I guess that fake sound was giving me cues that it was getting to be time to shift up. Minus that reminder, I discovered that I was running through the yellow--->orange--->red shift lights before I even knew I was up that high.
Yes, give me another thousand rpm, please. Better yet, make it two thousand more, like a GT3.
Along those same lines, okay, yes, I'd like a bit more engine and exhaust sound. I'm not willing to modify the car to get it, though, so I'll continue to tell myself that stock is its own virtue. Leave well enough alone, and all that.
I wish it had heated seats and a heated steering wheel, and lumbar control. I wish it had the Miata's adaptive headlights.
The AC is nowhere near as cold or powerful as it was in the Camry and Miata. I have to turn it up much more in this car, and still it's not as cold.
That's it. Nothing else on my wish list.
Things I like about this car?
The looks. Christ, do I love how this thing looks, from every angle. That's rare for me. Usually there is an angle or two that I find kind of meh on any car, but this car is 360-degrees gorgeous and sexy. That Boost Blue Pearl with the red accents is so damn good. I don't care if it's too Boy Racer for some people. I love it to death. Love the black wheels. Love the big wing. Love the open mesh grill. I want to stop and turn back and admire this car every time I walk away from it. Approaching it is always a special little thrill.
Man, do I love how it looks. I like it so much better than the ITS.
The shifter and tranny are as advertized. Yes, I still miss the mechanical feel and vibrations of the Miata's shifter, but there's something to be said for that Rolex-like precision of the FL5's shifter. I'm even coming to appreciate its utter stillness at idle, compared to the Miata's constant shake. I love them both now.
I really appreciate the quality of the automatic rev matching. As a result of my destroyed foot, heel-toe shifting is a bit of a bitch for me now, and the FL5's assistance there goes a long way toward making me not miss being able to do that anymore. It works great, and I still get to feel like a hero when slamming downshifts. So good.
The utility of this car is off the charts. Huge, roomy back seat. Cavernous cargo space. Rear seats fold down in two seconds. Cargo cover design is brilliant. Plenty of comfort up front. NVH is nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, especially with PS4-S tires. It honestly isn't a problem at all. What a welcome surpise.
I quite enjoy the changeability of this car. Sometimes I want the fake noise, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want the comfiest ride, sometimes I want Full Send. Sometimes I want the yellow needles and nothing else in the gauges display, sometimes I want the +R screen. Navigation, or one of those cool LogR graphics? The car has a wonderful chameleon-like ability to be anything I want it to be at any given moment, all stock. It never gets old.
Fantastic brakes. That's it. Just fantastic brakes.
I'm quite grateful that Honda recommends 91 octane for this motor, as opposed to Acura tuning the Type S iterant for 93 octane, which we here in California and many other states do not get. That fact played a large role in why I ultimately chose the FL5 over the Type S, or even a GR86, which also carries the 93-octane recommendation. Reduced power, lower fuel mileage, and potential knocking and pinging as a result of running lower-than-recommended octane is not my idea of a satisfying feeling.
Love the specialness of the car. My Miatas frequently received positive comments, especially when I had the Soul Red Crystal model. This blue FL5, though, woo, do people seem to love it. Most anywhere I go, someone is going to stop and stare, and often compliment it.
It's a small thing, or perhaps it's not so small, but maybe the one thing I've learned that I appreciate the most about this car is the seating position, along with the quality of the seat. I always wanted the Miata's seat to go lower, and for the wheel to be a bit smaller. The FL5 is ergonomic perfection. Everything is exactly where it should be, from both arm rests, to the shifter, to the location of the gauges within the open spaces of the just-right steering wheel. Even the pedal placement is ideal. Outward visibility is excellent, with those small A-pillars and all those wide expanses of glass. Great view out the back, too. The wing doesn't get in the way, and the rear hatch glass is huge. Helping things even more is the fact that all three mirrors remain crystal clear at any rpm, and those side mirrors are ginormous.
Now that the buzzes and rattles are gone, this car truly feels like a flagship Honda. Perhaps even peak Honda. It really is a jewel.
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