FN2 Type R - An acquired taste? What are your experiences?

[Casadicoupe]

I've just bought one of these. A friend approached me to take it off their hands as a kindness after the previous owner passed away.

I assumed a high revving Honda would be right up my street.

I drove a original UK Integra years ago and loved it.

I've owned/own similar cars such as RX8, Golf MK4 GTTDI, Fiat Coupe 20VTs, MX5 NC Sport, TT, Primera, Mondeo ST220, 106.

Driven lots of other hot hatches too.

And owned/own lots of "proper" sports cars and sports saloons.

I just can't gel with the FN2.

I know some cars take time to appreciate. E.g. RX8's need for revs, Fiat Coupe's sharp and light steering,

Are my expectations too high?

Or does it take time for a FN2 to show its abilities?

It feels slow, top heavy and a little pedestrian.

Good bits so far are build quality, its quiet if not in vtec, stable, and good on fuel.

[RandomCarChat]

Our of the box they lack some potential, but with mods they become different gravy.

I drove a friends FN2 that had a remap/rev limit raise, lowering spring, spacers and some lightweight wheels. It was fantastic, spent a couple of days driving the wheels off it in Scotland and fell in love.

[Vsix and Vtec]

I loved my FN2, if you ever find WU10XES out there in the wild, know that it wanted for nothing and had a very fat lever arch file with it when I part exchanged it.

Its more grown up in character than the old EP3, and because of its better attention to NVH, feels more removed and more civilised, but it still handles well and is just as fast as the old EP3. I enjoyed the way it would potter about during the week on cruise doing decent mpg, and then I could hoon it at the weekends at Honda meets at places like seven sisters. If you're looking for raw, you'll probably have to undo some of the work Honda did making it more capable of the daily drive (so a remap to lower Vtec point, intake and exhaust mods etc).