1991 Acura Integra GS 1.8 from North America
Summary:
High maintenance
Faults:
The ball joint on the front right tire broke when I was driving on the highway. The car caught on fire in a parking lot and was completely destroyed. It even damaged cars that were around it.
General Comments:
This is a very good car. I liked the feel of it. But I had quite a few problems with it. It handles very well, but beware if you buy it, it may catch on fire.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 20th February, 2005
29th Jul 2005, 09:14
Sorry to hear of your Integra woes. I am in the process of purchasing a high mile 1991 Integra GS 4 door 5 speed with an immaculate service history. A few questions/comments about your fire and the ball joint issue that you had.
Was the stereo a factory installation or was it an aftermarket one? A previous owner may have hacked the factory wiring harness to install an aftermarket stereo, and not followed safe installation guidelines including a fuse or fuse block within 12 inches of the battery. If any aftermarket electrical items were installed including fog lights I suggest a relay and fuse block arrangement to isolate the "accessory" electrical system.
Regarding ball joints, an old Civic wagon (the telephone booth type) pretty much did the same to me. The lesson learned is to make sure that the suspension, steering, and braking systems are regularly inspected by a Licensed mechanic, and not rely on "free be" inspections done by unqualified personnel at tire shops and such. WalMart usually doesn't employ qualified technicians (I am not saying that all technicians employed at WalMartare "bad" but for the most part are not Licensed, at least here in Canada-- or that you had any work done by any of the large retail service centres).