drivetofive

Odometer (Vigor):  110,000

The final chapter (for now!):  After two whirlwind trips from Phoenix to the San Francisco Bay Area — one to bid on the Integra, and another to pick it up, I finally had the car back home at my garage.  Of all the cars in the collection, it needs probably the most work – both mechanically and cosmetically.  The long list of to-do items will be addressed in due time – a long time – as the Integra will probably only be driven occasionally.

I wasted no time in heading over to the self-service car wash and getting the undercarriage and wheel wells all shined up.  I spent time that same day on the door jambs, the interior, wheel covers & tires, and trunk.  I’ll leave a complete engine bay detail for a later date – that task can take up to an entire day in itself.

The results achieved after just a simple one-step cleaner/wax with Meguiar’s are pretty remarkable, so I’m happy about that.  I’m waiting for my California title to arrive in the next couple of weeks so meanwhile I’m rolling around on the existing tags until I get it registered in Arizona.

Here’s a list of things I’d like to have addressed on the car:

• Bring maintenance up to date
• Register with historic plates
• Engine detail
• Paintless dent removal
• Source factory stainless steel exhaust tips
• Add GS trim wheels
• Tint windows
• Source front bumper license plate plugs

Meanwhile I’m thrilled with the little project for the time being and it fits well in the garage.  Color coordination was not 100% intentional, but I did end up with 2 greens, 2 reds, and 2 tans.  Here’s a 13-minute video on how my detail day went.

Just for fun:  I thought this would be kind of a cool time to share some scans and verbiage from my vast collection of Acura literature.  Below are a few things I pulled out.

You’re not likely to find two cars more dissimilar than the Acura NSX and the Legend.  One looks like it could break the sound barrier standing still.  The other looks like it was built for royalty.  You’re also not likely to find two cars so dissimilar built by the same carmaker.  We’re not sure why, but it probably has something to do with “tradition” and a certain inflexible thinking about how things “should be done.”

Some automakers, even those claiming a hundred years of experience, feel there’s safety in doing the expected.  Even fairly new arrivals in the luxury car market don’t deviate much from fairly rigid boundaries.  At Acura, we operate under a different set of rules.  Actually, there are only three rules.  Build the best.  Be at the leading edge, and pour all your passion into it.  Apparently, it works.  The Acura NSX has been called “the best driving experience available from anywhere in the world.”  It’s amazing what a car company can accomplish when it refuses to follow the same old ruts in the road.

Acura tailored each of its vehicles at that time to cater to a certain attribute or goal.

NSX:  It takes just one word to express the unique philosophy that inspires every Acura automobile:  NSX.  Conceived as the ultimate exotic sports car, the NSX was designed to achieve the razor-sharp response, breathtaking performance, and delicate balance of a Formula One race car, but with the poise, reliability, and ergonomic excellence of a world-class grand-touring automobile.  The result is one of the most acclaimed exotic sports cars ever offered to the public.

1992

1993

1994

Legend Sedan:  In designing the second-generation Legend sedan, we made a courageous decision, especially in light of the stunning success of the original Legend sedan.  We started over.  After five years of intensive research and engineering, the completely new Legend sedan emerged, a combination of the best in automotive design.  It is graced with precise, sure-footed handling, developed from lessons learned designing the scalpel-sharp NSX.  Exhilarating acceleration, motivated by an aluminum V-6 with an impressive Grand Prix pedigree.  An elegant interior environment of intelligent design and painstakingly developed ergonomics.  And the high levels of sophistication, dependability, and safety for which Acura has become justifiably famous.

1992

1993

1994

Legend Coupe:  One look at the sculpted shape of the Legend coupe tells you what this automobile is designed to do:  knife through the wind with speed, poise, and grace, leaving only a murmur in the air to signal its passage.  In Europe the Legend coupe will be called upon to cruise at speeds over 130 miles an hour, a level of performance that magnifies the significance of even the most subtle advance in aerodynamics.  From its steeply-raked windshield and backlight to its flush-mounted windows and low-profile grille, the Legend coupe is much more than beautiful – it is the product of countless hours of wind-tunnel testing.

1992

1994

Vigor:  The design goal for the 1992 Vigor was a supremely challenging one:  to combine the best of automotive technology, creating a uniquely satisfying personal performance sports sedan.  Start with the confidence-inspiring dynamic balance of the NSX.  Add the distinctive style and interior ambience of a sophisticated touring coupe.  Factor in the responsiveness and agility of a lightweight sports sedan.  Incorporate the security and elegant practicality of a four-door luxury automobile.  And bring together these qualities in an aggressive, yet eminently usable, personal sports sedan – delivering the excitement and performance of a world-class sports coupe, but with the universal appeal of a four-door road car.

1992

1993

1994

Integra:  Since their introduction, the Integra 3-door and 4-door sports sedans have earned a reputation for stirring performance, exhilarating agility, extraordinarily refined road matters and intelligent ergonomics.  Many automakers would be reluctant to change such an impressive automobile, one labeled “… a superb car” by no less an authority than Car and Driver magazine.  But not Acura.  The 1992 Integra has been substantially improved, with significant advances in engine power, driveline smoothness, interior detailing, and aerodynamics.

1992

1993

Every Acura automobile has been meticulously inspected and tested to ensure the high levels of reliability and durability which the Acura name has come to signify.  Many car companies claim to build satisfying cars, but the Acura Division has an impressive record of top rankings in both short-term and long-term customer satisfaction surveys to back it up.  Most recently, Acura has ranked best in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Performance Index (VPI), a survey that measures the operating performance and overall comfort of a vehicle after three full years of ownership.

The interesting thing was to consider the demographics of Acura’s customers at the time.  This is a chart found within a massive, boxed “Dealer Kit” I got my hands on many years ago.  The average NSX owner was 44 years old with a $230,000 household income.  That’s $396,000 today.  Big money.

1994 was the change-over to the “bug eye” Integra in the full-line photo below so that’s why my collection is better described as 1991 through 1993 era, even though the Legends and Vigor are 1994.

Thanks for reading!

This entry was posted on March 24, 2018 at 6:08 am and is filed under Detailing, Integra. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.