Making this car more raw?

[Superhatch]

This car is plenty fun, even in stock form if you're moving up into the CTR. If you're moving DOWN into a CTR I can see why people don't think it's fun. But it's a Honda that's likely going to go 200k+ if you do the right maintenance and you'll have very few issues, if any, along the way. It's also a 2.0L 4 cyl running 20lb of boost to make about 330+ hp it's not going to feel crisp under 4k rpm stock.

Even with 330hp it's still a momentum car and I think that a lot of people moving down into this car might not get what the overall ethos of a FWD Honda has been for the last 20 years. Also were in a different era of CTR. Gone is the AC/Radio is an option versions of these cars, and likely so is that 'raw' feeling unless you do a lot of work to it.

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[Toprarnen]

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[ctechauto]

I just had a revelation, buy a used EK9!

Yes.

 

[Rhorn]

I dont think theres much you can do tbh. I bought a BRZ a few months ago and now that I've spent alot of time in it, my CTR feels like a luxury car compared to it lol. The shifter alone feels pretty sterile because of the way its mounted. Its just how all new cars are now. I dont think people really will notice it unless you spend some time in a more raw car and keep driving the CTR back to back

I still love my car, but I don't really think you can do much without dumping a significant amount of money into the car and ruining it.

 

[Tougefl5]

I still love my car, but I don't really think you can do much without dumping a significant amount of money into the car and ruining it.

Why do you think you would ruin the car?

 

[jdezee]

Here’s what you need to make it more raw:

1. Rear Motor Mount - Hasport 70a, Torque Solutions or Wunderladen. PRL is too soft for what you’re looking for.

2. Spoon Rigid collars helps with maintaining alignment under load.

3. Hondata with their base tune or a custom tune which will clean up throttle response and get it to rev cleanly to redline.

4. Acuity, Hybrid racing or WK complete shifter to improve shift feel.

5. RV6 or TSP high efficiency downpipe, RV6 front pipe and the valved exhaust of your preference. Personally I’d go with the Magnaflow exhaust but 90% of FL5 owners settle for inferior quality on purpose when it comes to exhaust system idk why.

6. Hardrace Front Lower Arm bushing in conjunction with the Cusco full suite of Power Braces.

Add whichever reputable intake tickles your fancy, Top it off with a more aggressive alignment by removing the strut pins and that should get a decent step to being more raw.

if that doesn’t improve the raw feel for you, maybe you should be building a race car lol.

Do you have the Magnaflow Cat back? If so any video clips and do the tip extend far from the rear bumper. I have never actually looked at their offering currently.

 

[AspecR]

Do you have the Magnaflow Cat back? If so any video clips and do the tip extend far from the rear bumper. I have never actually looked at their offering currently.

I do not, I recommended it to a client of mine and he’s had nothing but praise for it. It sounds similar stock on startup just deeper. The middle tip sticks out a bit further than the other 2 but just a tad further out than stock. It’s the only exhaust on the market that uses V-band clamps, as well as the choice of a resonator or test pipe. It got a lot of push back due to being 2.5” diameter instead of 3” but 3” is unnecessary unless your goal is 600+ whp.

 

[caraholic]

This is ridiculous. You can't make the car into something it's not. Even breathing life into the concept it can remotely be in the same sentence as some of the cars you listed is just plain nuts, I'll be the voice of reason.

Clearly budget is no concern, so go get a CT5V Blackwing and put a loud exhaust and wild cam in it. Problem solved.

The CT5 Blackwing for me just didn’t do it. Drivetrain was fantastic but it just drives like a giant sedan. Not at all what I was looking for.

 

[Xmetal]

TOTALLY agree it's not going to be close to my previous cars. I'm ok with that. Just trying to spice this thing up as much as I can. Forgot to mention I have an intake too so at least there's some amusing noises when driving around.

There's not a whole lot of good cars with 4seats/doors, lightweight, manual that drive well. Next best car would maybe be the M3 but I can't stand the beaver toothed front end and not a big fan of BMWs in general.

The M3 isn't exactly lightweight nor "cheap". I highly doubt you will like the rubbery feel of the BMW shifter. I also considered the M3 before picking up the FL5. What you've indicated as a requirement fairly closely resembled mine. I've grown to like that beaver tooth but can't stand the stuck-on screen in front of me, which is what I see all the time! Funny enough that the biggest showstopper for me isn't how it drives or look. It was the integrated climate controls and how I have to do everything through the touchscreen

The only other car I considered when shopping was the 4BW

the 4BW might not be as fast in a straight line as the 5BW, but it is lighter, better handling than the 5BW

the 4BW is more fun-to-drive RWD, and even though heavier than FL5, the 4BW has better power to weight ratio.

the only reason I had to drop it from consideration was that it was too long to fit in my side of the garage. which left the FL5 as the only contender.

yet even if the 4BW did fit in my garage, the FL5 is more practical, more room inside and back, more reliable, cheaper, better resale value (though I doubt I'll ever sell my FL5) and better gas millage

Oddly enough, I had to drop a lot of cars off my list due to the same reason - can't fit into my garage They are making cars so damn big now! Even the FL5 is approaching the length of my 1994 CD7 Accord!

 

[Clark_Kent]

This car will be gone in less than 12 months, maybe sooner. I've seen this limited series many times over. I never understood the concept of modifying a car to the hilt, especially where performance is concerned. You'll never get it where you want it. If you are feeling the urge to go down this path, the universe is telling you to get a different car that can tick more of the boxes for you.

 

[ABPDE5]

This car will be gone in less than 12 months, maybe sooner. I've seen this limited series many times over. I never understood the concept of modifying a car to the hilt, especially where performance is concerned. You'll never get it where you want it. If you are feeling the urge to go down this path, the universe is telling you to get a different car that can tick more of the boxes for you.

Potentially, and I don't doubt that's usually the case... but there aren't a lot of options out there today, given OP's criteria, if you want a modern chassis / relatively safe vehicle.

"Raw" is a quality most modern manufacturers avoid as much as they can

 

[Miksfield]

Like others have said (like @ABPDE5) if you want a rawer suspension/steering feel, you can get some RV6 solid bushings. I put Whiteline Front Lower Control Arm Inner Rear bushings on my car and it added some texture to the steering but it did not change any steering resistance.

Heres a video of Jubbai driving an FL5 with solid bushings:

 

[ABPDE5]

Like others have said (like @ABPDE5) if you want a rawer suspension/steering feel, you can get some RV6 solid bushings. I put Whiteline Front Lower Control Arm Inner Rear bushings on my car and it added some texture to the steering but it did not change any steering resistance.

Heres a video of Jubbai driving an FL5 with solid bushings:

What was the impact like on ride quality?

 

[Rhorn]

Why do you think you would ruin the car?

Because some people go to far and make the car feel like a tin can

 

[atucker80]

The M3 isn't exactly lightweight nor "cheap". I highly doubt you will like the rubbery feel of the BMW shifter. I also considered the M3 before picking up the FL5. What you've indicated as a requirement fairly closely resembled mine. I've grown to like that beaver tooth but can't stand the stuck-on screen in front of me, which is what I see all the time! Funny enough that the biggest showstopper for me isn't how it drives or look. It was the integrated climate controls and how I have to do everything through the touchscreen


Funny enough, I had to drop a lot of cars off my list due to the same reason - can't fit into my garage They are making cars so damn big now! Even the FL5 is approaching the length of my CD7 1994 Accord!

Funny you mentioned that. I just bought a BMW and the salesperson flat out said if you've got a CTR you're not going to like a BMW manual. I definitely appreciated the honesty.

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