Delivery UPDATE: After 1+ year of debate...FL5 incoming!

[zumbooruk]

Likes

• The shifter...no surprise since that was one of the main reason why I decided to buy a FL5
• The vehicle's dynamics is truly excellent - I would say gives me the same high-level ethos as Porsche GT cars
• First mod was the ITS ADS module and wow, the module really smooths out the bumps. Although, I was also pleasantly surprised with the stock unit and it also was not too bad

Dislikes

• Interior noise was louder than I expected on highway speeds...yes, I know it is a performance car, but cabin noise while cruising was close to a GT4
• Horrendous noise when a rock got stuck in brakes...or rather how easy rocks were able to get into the brakes
  • Second day on the roadtrip, I kept hearing a small noise that sounded like metal on metal grinding. It progressively got louder to a point I was worried I needed a tow. While on my way to the nearest dealership, luckily whatever was there dislodged and I was back to my original schedule
• Rear seat height misalignment (see pictures); Although I was informed this may be normal...

So here is the QC issue...anyone else have this misalignment? The single passenger seat back sitting higher than the other?

First, congratulations!

Only an hour is super fast... I spent over three hours, going over all the paperwork, etc.

My rear seats align perfectly. It is not a "normal" thing, looks pretty bad, I suggest that you go back and have them adjust the rear seats.

The shifter is indeed excellent, so is the clutch, yet it is even better with the Hybrid Racing short shifter and shift cable bushings...

ITS ADS module is a must in my opinion. +R was teeth rattling harsh and bouncy, for a recent discussion see:

https://www.civicxi.com/forum/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-fl5-today.51962/post-960709

as was removing the fake engine noise generator, I could not stand it...

I do not find the interior noise to be too loud, but see this if you want to make it quieter:



https://www.civicxi.com/forum/threads/sound-deadening-project.54327/

I don't believe that I ever had a rock in my brakes, but I do hear a faint metallic noise when coasting downhill from my home when the car/brakes are cold. disappears when I accelerate.

Enjoy your new car!

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[Clark_Kent]

Congrats brother! It's been a long time coming. You did it the right way torture testing everything about this car before making the move. Also awesome you're nearly through break-in. A couple of items:

• Road Noise - Depending on the road surface, this vehicle is quite loud inside. I'm surprised this isn't mentioned more in the millions of reviews out there. It's primarily the Michelin PS4S tires and limited sound deadening material in the car. And yes, completely agree, it's nearly as loud inside as the GT4 shod in Cup2s or Dunlop Sport Maxx Race 2s. And I only say nearly because it's difficult to divorce road noise from the tires and the flat 6 immediately behind the driver's seat.
• Rear Seats - As we discussed, my rear seats are also misaligned, but perhaps not as badly as yours. I noticed it just after I got the car off the truck and chalked it up to an early production MY23 issue. My car and yours having a similar issue cannot be a coincidence. I don't want the dealership messing with the seats so I'll leave them as-is. See a couple of photos below, one pre-back seat removal and one post. FYI - I know you've seen these, but may be helpful for others.

Looking forward to seeing what you have planned for the car. Enjoy it in good health.

 

[JCZ5]

@zumbooruk - Thank you for all your great suggestions. Previously, you also suggested RokBlokz, so I may look into those as well.

Tell me more about the Hybrid short shifter / bushings, how can the shifter be improved haha. I did hear some folks install a RMM which had the side benefit of stiffing up the shift action. But using it as a "daily", I do not want to introduce any more NVH with the RMM.

@Clark_Kent - Thank you for all your support and answering all my question throughout the journey.

Regarding the rear seats, I did schedule a service appt. for Monday. Hopefully there is a way to "adjust" the seats to make them flush. Or I guess a path for resolution vs. the dealer saying it is within the tolerance for "normal".

Also @PointByPatrol, thank you for the awesome DIY video on the ITS ADS module. For someone that is not too handy, sure beats having to remove the seat bottoms

 

[zumbooruk]

@zumbooruk - Thank you for all your great suggestions. Previously, you also suggested RokBlokz, so I may look into those as well.

Tell me more about the Hybrid short shifter / bushings, how can the shifter be improved haha. I did hear some folks install a RMM which had the side benefit of stiffing up the shift action. But using it as a "daily", I do not want to introduce any more NVH with the RMM.

@Clark_Kent - Thank you for all your support and answering all my question throughout the journey.

Regarding the rear seats, I did schedule a service appt. for Monday. Hopefully there is a way to "adjust" the seats to make them flush. Or I guess a path for resolution vs. the dealer saying it is within the tolerance for "normal".

Also @PointByPatrol, thank you for the awesome DIY video on the ITS ADS module. For someone that is not too handy, sure beats having to remove the seat bottoms

Sorry, I cannot really tell how it improved the shifter on the FL5...

I had the Hybrid Racing Shifter and bushing on my 07 Si FA5 and loved how it improved the shifting

I pretty much drove the FL5 home, then maybe 100 more miles then on the first and second weekends I installed:

Hybrid Racing Shifter and bushings (later topped with Mishimoto round walnut shift knob, which took a while to get used to, but I love it now)

PRL RMM (very slight vibration with AC on while idling at stop lights)

swapped the ADS module with the ITS/DE5 module, this is the only mod where I could easily feel the difference... no more teeth rattling at +R, but I still mostly keep it at ITS comfort.

added throttle pedal relocator bracket (Acuity?)

removed the fake engine noise maker

for the first 1,000 miles I drove slow and easy like an old day, shifting slowly and deliberately to build up muscle memory for the shifter and the clutch

which means that now that I am driving more normally/aggressively, I have no recollection how it shifted stock...

the RokBlokz are not "pretty" (aka ugly/bulky), but seem very durable (thick) and functional (fairly long and wide)

 

[FL5HondaGuy]

Rock thing is common. Gets in behind the dust cover caliper/rotor area. Happened my first day driving home from dealership. Easy to dislodge but kind of annoying. Interior noises are a thing in this car so get used to it (squeaks etc.) . Do what I do just turn up the radio- lol. Drive it more and all of the little dislikes will fade into the background.

 

[JCZ5]

Rock thing is common. Gets in behind the dust cover caliper/rotor area. Happened my first day driving home from dealership. Easy to dislodge but kind of annoying. Interior noises are a thing in this car so get used to it (squeaks etc.) . Do what I do just turn up the radio- lol. Drive it more and all of the little dislikes will fade into the background.

what’s your trick to dislodge rocks in brakes? I tried for a bit and it was not until I made up my mind to go to the dealership while driving on the highway, it finally came out. But that noise was truly painful.

 

[FL5HondaGuy]

I turned the wheels and used a stick to dislodge it. It was lodged in that dust cover area. - lol

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