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Honda Del Sol?

sikkinixx

sikkinixx

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 10, 2005
2,062
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Rocketing through the sky!
Anyone around here own/ know someone who owns a Honda Del Sol? I am looking to sell my current car (a 1991 Celica) because I am well...bored of it and it will be needing some repairs this year and I don't wanna put the money into a car that I am not going to keep much longer.

Anyway, I don't have a bucket load of cash but I still wanna get something sporty. So I started looking at a VW GTI, around 95 or so but they are kinda plain jane and there are so much Golf's around. Then I went to an MR2 but they are pricey as hell, so are 300zx's (and a gas guzzler to boot) but I found Del Sol's and I was really taken by the look. I have seen them before, but kind of passed them off as chick cars. After reading more and more about them I'm starting to think I could live with driving a little sporty car.

Any experience with them? Good? Bad?
 
from what I head they are not really that fast and have pretty little power under the hood. They look great do not get me wrong there and I love how they have that sporty look but just never though they had the engine to back it up.

Another car you could think about getting that I had that was pretty reliable and quite a bit to fun to drive is a Nissan Sentra SE-R '91-'94 (other wise known as the classic SE-R) or a 200SX (drive one and I enjoyed it. For a while they ran on the same proven engine that was in the SE-Rs) The classic SE-R are all 2 doors and do have a sports look to them and are a blast to drive. I still miss my old 92 SE-R she was my first car. Hardest part on the SE-R is they are hard to find.
 
They're efficient little cars based on the Honda Civic, which I regard highly for their fuel efficiency and reliablility. I haven't experienced the del Sol version, so I'm not privy to any issues unique to it, compared to the sedan. However, if it performs anything like its sedan counterpart, I wouldn't quite consider it "sporty". I don't particularly care for the look either.

While the '95 GTI looks a little plain, IMO it's a much more fun vehicle to drive. In fact, that particular generation of the GTI, along with the Corrado VR6, are my favorite VWs. Heck, you might look at a Corrado too! If you can find one, that is... :(
 
The Civic del Sol wasn't much more than a 2 seat Civic with a removable top that replaced the CRX, I believe. It wasn't exciting but looked nice and didn't hold much.

It's fuel efficient, just like the Civic of the time since it was based on it. If anything went wrong, it would have to be with the roof seals.
 
I've driven a delsol several times and they're pretty fun if not particularly fast. However if you get one with a manual transmission it is certainly fast enough and extremly reliable (I've seen one with well over 200000miles on it). You might also want to consider a miata or if you can find one a later model alfa spider veloce or possibly a 164 sedan (early to mid 90's). I loved my alfas and they are more reliable then they get credit for.
 
I had looked a Corrado before, I really liked them too. But when I was buying my first car, my uncle who is an import mechanic (mostly Mazda's I think..) told me that he has had a few friends that had owned Corrados and found them to be a bit prone to problems and expensive to repair, especially for a non-car repairer like myself.

I like the Honda's since they pretty much get universal praise for reliablity, fuel economy and ease of repair. And since I drive a lot (100+km a day) good fuel economy but having a fun drive is a major consideration.
 
The Corrado is a fantastic car and rare enough that you won't bump into anothr one too often. It will not be as reliable as a Honda but are well built and quick.

The Del Sol is a chick car...not that there's anything wrong with that. It will handle well and get good mileage. I seriously looked at Civics when I bought my last car, but had two problems with them. First, their engines (particularly the old 1.5 and the 1.6) while very smooth and bulletproof, make no torque whatsoever. Second, they are rather tight for rear seat passengers.

The Del Sol has even less space...so that kinda keeps me away.

If was going Honda I'd look at the late 90's Civic Si coupe or an Integra GSR. For exciting but very cheap and anonymous looking transport, a 1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R will do 0-60 in 7.4 seconds and has handling to match.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
The Del Sol is a chick car...not that there's anything wrong with that. It will handle well and get good mileage. I seriously looked at Civics when I bought my last car, but had two problems with them. First, their engines (particularly the old 1.5 and the 1.6) while very smooth and bulletproof, make no torque whatsoever. Second, they are rather tight for rear seat passengers.

The Del Sol has even less space...so that kinda keeps me away.
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Yeah the lack of torque kinda sucks, although being a Honda I have read that it is pretty easy (and unexpensive) to tweak the crap out of it.

And for me, size isn't an issue. Just me and my girlfriend with not chance (god I hope) of kids for a while. My Celica has a back seat, although if you are above 5'8" you barely fit in it, especcially behind the drivers seat since I need to push it almost all the way back, so having a two seater (I always wanted a two seater) would be perfect for me.
 
If you are going to tweak a Honda engine, ignore all the riceboy turbo kits - what the torque-challenged Honda engines need is a supercharger, and Jackson Racing makes some great kits. You'll drop significant cash on it, but oh, the difference. A friend of mine has an Integra GSR with a Jackson Racing kit and it is a whole new animal.

One other car you might consider - a Nissan 240SX. Advantages: a torquey 155hp 2.4 liter four, rear-wheel drive (so rare these days), and a nice agressive shape.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
One other car you might consider - a Nissan 240SX. Advantages: a torquey 155hp 2.4 liter four, rear-wheel drive (so rare these days), and a nice agressive shape.
Click to expand...

My dad has a 1993 (I think) 240sx all decked out that my grandpa bought new and eventually sold to my dad. I actually learned to drive on it. I like them but at the same time I don't. I can't really describe why, it just never felt as nice as it should. Maybe it being an automatic killed the sporty mood, but I dunno, just not huge on them...

On a side note, I found a 1995 Corrado V6 for sale locally with 105,000Km, original owner, all records, etc. but for a steap $13,000 *sigh* WAY too out of my price range...
 
another one for the nissan Sentra SE-R / 200SX... I used to have an Australian one, (Pulsar SSS)... after copious modifications and a lot of spilt blood, I modified it to produce around 300 horsepower. It could out manouver and accelerate past most porsches on the track it was that well setup. Had to let it go *sigh* it was too much of a handful, too hard to drive on the street, and too much work to maintain!

I picked up a 2007 Subaru WRX last thursday... nice ride :)

honda del sol's are whimpy. get an MR2 if you want looks + performance
 
Lord Blackadder said:
If was going Honda I'd look at the late 90's Civic Si coupe or an Integra GSR. For exciting but very cheap and anonymous looking transport, a 1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R will do 0-60 in 7.4 seconds and has handling to match.
Click to expand...

hell yeah on the SE-R. I used to own a 1992 SE-R. Fast quick and well just all around fun to drive. I know they made car and driver top 10 all 4 years running. A ton of low end torque that pulled all the way to redline. It does handle like a dream and really for the frount seat passengers there is plenty of room. As for the back seat passengers.... well who cares about them.

A thing a lot of people do who get a 93 or 94 SE-R is they get the ECU re flashed so the rev limiter is raise from 7000-7500 (up to what it was the first 2 years)
My SE-R was replaced at 12 years old and when it was replace the car still ran great and had relatively few problems. Only things I had to replace where minor (alternator, a few sensor, the clutch and the cat) Pretty much parts that on any car that old would just finally wear out.

Now I drive a 2004 Sentra SE-R Spec V but I still dearly miss my old one which was also my first car.
 
Something sporty that you dont see around everyday...

Find a 91-95 Acura Legend Coupe

They had a lot of nice luxuries for a car that's 16yrs old. Heated Seats, Heated Mirrors, ect. The best thing is that their rear windows roll down. On a coupe!

I love my 92 LS, (that isnt mine pictured)

You can usually find one on ebay from about $2500 - $5000

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Cybix said:
honda del sol's are whimpy. get an MR2 if you want looks + performance
Click to expand...

I do love MR2's (1991+, the 80's ones just gross me out...), that was the original car I was going to buy last go around but unfortunately the ones available were way too out of my price range and/or too riced out to begin with..I would like a stock (more or less) so I can do stuff if I want or I can just leave it the way it is. Oh yeah... and most for sale seem to be Right Hand drive :(
 
sikkinixx said:
On a side note, I found a 1995 Corrado V6 for sale locally with 105,000Km, original owner, all records, etc. but for a steap $13,000 *sigh* WAY too out of my price range...
Click to expand...

An insultingly high asking price, but maybe representative of the perennially high resale values of V-dubs in general, and this is one the rarest models of the last 20 years.

If I found one at a reasonable price I would be highly tempted - but I wouldn;'t buy unless I could get it with enough cash left over for an immediate head gasket job plus either a clutch replacement, brake job or some major electrical work. They are needy cars.

four years ago I had the opportunity to buy a clean Porsche 944 turbo for $5500. God I wanted that car after I drove it. But the reliability and maintainence costs made me stop dead. At this point in my life I need a car that will run for 5 years with no major problems.

starflyer said:
Something sporty that you dont see around everyday...

Find a 91-95 Acura Legend Coupe...
Click to expand...

A great looking coupe with a nice engine (though heavy).

Around where I live the "bling factor" drives prices on these up too high and though they supposedly can have one I've never seen one in a manual. Ever.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
An insultingly high asking price, but maybe representative of the perennially high resale values of V-dubs in general, and this is one the rarest models of the last 20 years.

If I found one at a reasonable price I would be highly tempted - but I wouldn;'t buy unless I could get it with enough cash left over for an immediate head gasket job plus either a clutch replacement, brake job or some major electrical work. They are needy cars.

four years ago I had the opportunity to buy a clean Porsche 944 turbo for $5500. God I wanted that car after I drove it. But the reliability and maintainence costs made me stop dead. At this point in my life I need a car that will run for 5 years with no major problems.
Click to expand...

But they are so rad looking, you never see them around anymore. Ah well... I can't afford a needy car, I have University and not to mention electronics to pay for ;)
 
The IS series suffers from one of the same issues as the Legend - you'll almost never see one with a manual. Of course, if you don't mind driving a slushbox it's a a very nice car otherwise - powerful, with rear-wheel drive.
 
The ones I've seen most often are a champagne beige, but white is comon. I saw a red one once. One of my former co-workers had a very late model that was all black with gold trim, and he babied that car. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't good-looking, but everyone would think you were a gangster. :D
 
As a former Del Sol owner I must say that I really miss the car and have thought about picking another one up - Great gas Mileage 38+ and I had no problems flying around at 100+ miles an hour. Sucked because I had no idea I was going that fast.
I loved storing the top in teh trunk and the roll down window in back.
I had leased it an dmoved to NYC which is why I gave it up.
I really miss that car though.
 
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