Can moderately TALL people drive Integras? (Acura Integra Headroom)
Fred Hamilton
I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
up straight my head hits the roof.
I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
Integras?
What gives? I WANT TO BUY THIS CAR! Somebody tell me there's a secret
height adjustment somewhere or something. ANY tips appreciated.
This is so frustrating!
-Fred
Jason M Page
In article <fred-01039...@fredh.bayarea.net>, fr...@yonkitime.com (Fred Hamilton) wrote:
Try inclining the seat a bit. I'm 5'11" and all I have to do is put the seat
three notches back and I'm set. My 6' 6" buddy has no probs in the passenger
seat when he inclines it far back.
Jason M Page
(replace abuse with diablo1)
ab...@worldnet.att.net
Outlaw Spamming!!
I don't drive fast, I fly low.
Scott&Diane
Fred Hamilton wrote:
> What gives? I WANT TO BUY THIS CAR! Somebody tell me there's a secret
> height adjustment somewhere or something. ANY tips appreciated.
>
> This is so frustrating!
>
> -Fred
Did you try reclining the seat back?
Oside98
>I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
>GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
>hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
>up straight my head hits the roof.
>
>I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>Integras?
>
>height adjustment somewhere or something. ANY tips appreciated.
>
>This is so frustrating!
>
>-Fred
>
>
>
cut your hair even shorter
Jake Schmidt
Fred Hamilton wrote in message ...
Did you test drive one with a sunroof? That might cut the headroom a little.
Jake
>-Fred
Tripp
On Mon, 2 Mar 1998 02:56:29 -0600, "Jake Schmidt" <sh...@netins.net>
wrote:
head room. Don't forget, you're not driving a bus - lay the seat back
and cruise:)
Michael Laird
Fred Hamilton wrote:
> I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
> GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
> hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
> up straight my head hits the roof.
>
> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
> marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
> Integras?
I just bought a '95 GS-R, and I'm 6'2". I fit okay, but I do have to
recline the seat a bit more than I'd like. I'm willing to do that to
enjoy the car's performance though :-). I do have very long legs, so if
you're taller in the torso you might have more problems. Oh, and for
those who asked about a sunroof, it's standard in all GS-Rs, so mine has
it and any that Fred looks at will too.
I do wish Acura would allow some height adjustment to better accommodate
tall people like me. But I like the car even with the limited headroom.
-- Michael
============================================
Michae...@avid.com
Sr. Software Engineer, Effects Group
Avid Technology, Tewksbury, MA
Jason
I recall company that does seat lowreing kits, unfortunaly i don't
recall the company's web page. It was more for racing applications so
the rally drivers can sit with helmets, but i'm sure you can adapt it to
your car. Look on the net is your best bet, or get a friend who can
weld,. Get him to cut the seat mounst and re-weld them higher up in the
seat.
Fred Hamilton wrote:
>
> I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
> GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
> hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
> up straight my head hits the roof.
>
> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
> marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
> Integras?
>
> What gives? I WANT TO BUY THIS CAR! Somebody tell me there's a secret
> height adjustment somewhere or something. ANY tips appreciated.
>
> This is so frustrating!
>
> -Fred
Lee Bailey
In rec.autos.driving Fred Hamilton <fr...@yonkitime.com> wrote:
> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
> marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
> Integras?
What I found unacceptable about the Integra was the thigh support. Yeah
sure, lean the seat back... I found myself slipping out the bottom because
there was so little seat to "catch" my butt and support my legs. I'm 6'4"
and the Integra is off my list.
The Celica has better seats and better cornering, but less power. But
there are things you can do about that.
You might also consider the Talon/Eclipse. I found it to be very
comfortable. Plus it is *both* quick and flat in the corners. And you
can get it in AWD if you want :)
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Fight Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE)
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Brandon Sommerville
Fred Hamilton wrote:
>I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
>GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
>hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
>up straight my head hits the roof.
>
>I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>Integras?
>
I'm at 6'2" and didn't have a problem. The fit was tight, but it felt
like I was wearing the car. :)
Does it have a sunroof? I can't remember if the one I drove did or
not, but chances are a sunroof will remove an inch or more of headroom
unless it's the kind that slides off the top, like the old CRX's did,
IIRC.
Brandon
All generalizations are false.
Tim Hu
My brother has an Acura Integra, too. We're both exactly the same height
(6ft). He as no problems sitting in the drivers seat, but my head rubs
against the headliner. I have to lean the seat *way* back.
I don't think our problem is our height, it's *where* our height is. I bet
you're like me - most of your height is in your body, not your legs.
When I get in his car after he gets out, I find I can't reach the pedals.
So he's got longer legs than I do, but I got a taller body (which is
probably why I weigh more than he does :) ).
Cheers,
Tim
In article <6demvh$6...@examiner.concentric.net>,
Lee Bailey <skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net> wrote:
>In rec.autos.driving Fred Hamilton <fr...@yonkitime.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>> marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>> Integras?
>
HAccordH
>>Did you test drive one with a sunroof? That might cut the headroom a little.
Jake
<<
Sunroof is STANDARD on the GS-R.
Rexven
fr...@yonkitime.com (Fred Hamilton) wrote:
>I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
>GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
>hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
>up straight my head hits the roof.
>I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>Integras?
>What gives? I WANT TO BUY THIS CAR! Somebody tell me there's a secret
>height adjustment somewhere or something. ANY tips appreciated.
Welcome to the world of the modern car buyer. Eclipses, Mustangs,
Integra's, etc. They all seem to think that the perfect drivers are
5'6" 140lbs and don't kill. They are not alone, in most cases it seems
that they are downsizing the cars while touting larger interior
spaces.. The heck with more elbowroom! Give us headroom! Btw, reduce
your height if you hope to have a sunroof.. That also sucks!
Options: If you are not worried about retaining the car as stock, you
can opt for a racing seat! These are designed to slightly lower the
seat both to give you a lower center of gravity (even moving the
driver down an inch and in some cases to the inside of the car helps!)
as well as giving you a little more room for that all important 2"
room for the helmets (if you race).
Alternate option, look into a bracket kit for the seats to lower them.
Make sure if you lower one seat (or give it a racing seat) that you do
the passenger side as well or it will never look balanced).
I'm going to assume that a great many will suggest you turn your car
into a barcolounger (IE: drop the seatback about 30 notches until you
might as well turn your hat backwards, drop Daytons on the car, and
crank up the bass on your stereo. There is a big downside to this
(beyond an aching back if you spend any time on the freeways or in
lots of traffic), you lose the road feel that comes with driving a
spirited car. It's this road feel and increased performance that you
are buying the GS-R for in the first place. That failing, you could
opt for the 4-door as I *think* it has a little more head room.
If you need suggestions for seats and companies as well as prices I'm
sure I could manage to furnish a few things here and there.
Good luck and enjoy the car!
Two things are universal: Hydrogen & Stupidity!
http://www.mindspring.com/~vdragon
Remove *nolamers* to e-mail.
Rexven
tri...@hotmail.com (Tripp) wrote:
>I'm 6 foot tall and drive an Integra with a sun-roof. No probs with
>head room. Don't forget, you're not driving a bus - lay the seat back
>and cruise:)
Don't forget, you're not driving a hooptie, fix the seat supports and
keep the back in a proper driving position <grin>
Rexven
skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net (Lee Bailey) wrote:
>In rec.autos.driving Fred Hamilton <fr...@yonkitime.com> wrote:
>> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>> marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>> Integras?
>What I found unacceptable about the Integra was the thigh support. Yeah
>sure, lean the seat back... I found myself slipping out the bottom because
>there was so little seat to "catch" my butt and support my legs. I'm 6'4"
>and the Integra is off my list.
>The Celica has better seats and better cornering, but less power. But
>there are things you can do about that.
>You might also consider the Talon/Eclipse. I found it to be very
>comfortable. Plus it is *both* quick and flat in the corners. And you
>can get it in AWD if you want :)
If the lad can't fit in the Integra there's no way in hell he's going
to find an Eclipse comfortable. Not without decapitating himself at
the shoulder and the ankles! Coming from an Eclipse GSX ('97) the
Integra GS-R feels like you just got into a Jeep as far as roominess!
Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
Lee Bailey
In rec.autos.driving Rexven <nolamer...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net (Lee Bailey) wrote:
> >You might also consider the Talon/Eclipse. I found it to be very
> >comfortable. Plus it is *both* quick and flat in the corners. And you
> >can get it in AWD if you want :)
> If the lad can't fit in the Integra there's no way in hell he's going
> to find an Eclipse comfortable. Not without decapitating himself at
> the shoulder and the ankles! Coming from an Eclipse GSX ('97) the
> Integra GS-R feels like you just got into a Jeep as far as roominess!
> Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
> enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
> then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
> around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
I guess every*body*'s different. I found OK head room and legroom, but it
was cramped in the shoulder and for checking my blind spot.
Why, do your Eclipse/Talon owners feel it goes "stale". No longer fun to
drive, or are there mechanical reasons?
______________________________________________________________________________
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Fight Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE)
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Rexven
skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net (Lee Bailey) wrote:
>In rec.autos.driving Rexven <nolamer...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>> skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net (Lee Bailey) wrote:
>> >You might also consider the Talon/Eclipse. I found it to be very
>> >comfortable. Plus it is *both* quick and flat in the corners. And you
>> >can get it in AWD if you want :)
>> If the lad can't fit in the Integra there's no way in hell he's going
>> to find an Eclipse comfortable. Not without decapitating himself at
>> the shoulder and the ankles! Coming from an Eclipse GSX ('97) the
>> Integra GS-R feels like you just got into a Jeep as far as roominess!
>> Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
>> enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
>> then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
>> around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
>I guess every*body*'s different. I found OK head room and legroom, but it
>was cramped in the shoulder and for checking my blind spot.
Pretty punny, pretty punny <grin>. I found the headroom nonexistent
though most owners over 5'10 seem to think it should be driven in
lounge chair position.. never figured that one out? Btw, the Eclipse
blind spot is not nearly as bad as a 300ZX.. Anything past the
shoulders is best dealt with by the right foot.
>Why, do your Eclipse/Talon owners feel it goes "stale". No longer fun to
>drive, or are there mechanical reasons?
Actually a combination of both.. More that the experiance goes stale.
There is plenty of power but it's not driving the wrong wheels. The
steering is isolated and vague (overdampened to deal with the power?)
The seats while nice tend to pack down over time. The car just seems
to lose that magical fun-factor. Those are a few reasons I've heard
but in general they are consistent. I'm figuring the GS-T Spyder
would be better, but they should have offered a GSX version as well as
an AWD variant without the turbo (insurance reasons and to bring it in
at a lower cost).
Steve Sheldon
skyfish2@_!UC...@concentric.net (Lee Bailey) writes:
>What I found unacceptable about the Integra was the thigh support. Yeah
>sure, lean the seat back... I found myself slipping out the bottom because
>there was so little seat to "catch" my butt and support my legs. I'm 6'4"
>and the Integra is off my list.
I'm only 5'8" and the Integra seat is too short.
Honda Power
Also, I have heard from a Chrysler/Eagle mechanic that current-generation
Talons/Eclipses are VERY unreliable. He says that all he sees all day at work
are Talons (we don't have the Mitsu in Canada yet) coming into the shop for
repairs.
Josh Wingell
>
> >> I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
> >You might also consider the Talon/Eclipse. I found it to be very
> >comfortable. Plus it is *both* quick and flat in the corners. And you
> >can get it in AWD if you want :)
>
> If the lad can't fit in the Integra there's no way in hell he's going
> to find an Eclipse comfortable. Not without decapitating himself at
> the shoulder and the ankles! Coming from an Eclipse GSX ('97) the
> Integra GS-R feels like you just got into a Jeep as far as roominess!
I'm 5'11" and I fit perfectly in my Eclipse. And I have the moonroof
which cuts off some headroom.
> Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
> enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
> then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
> around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
Well, now you have met someone who has enjoyed their Eclipse for more
than 6 months.
I have to ask this. How many Eclipse/Talon owners do you know?
Did they have the turbo and AWD?
I LOVE my car. I can't wait to get up every morning and drive it.
Hearing the turbo whine and the blow off valve pop on every shift...
man there is nothing like it! In the snow, the AWD takes me
wherever I point it. Or I can get on the gas around a corner and
do a nice 4 wheel power drift. Awesome. Or in the dry you can rev
up the engine to 4500 RPMs slip out the clutch and hold on for
dear life, cuz the tires don't spin. You just GO!
That isn't even getting into the modifications you can do! For
a relatively cheap amount of money (under $1000...probably like
$600) you can raise the horsepower by like 30-40hp! You could probably
do the same thing for less money, actually. God damn what a blast!
Plus the fun in actually doing the modifications. The turbo engine
in the Eclipse is SEVERELY detuned. In Japan, the same engine in
the Lancer EVO IV has 280 hp (which is a low estimate). So whereas
190 hp in an Integra is really pushing the envelope, 210 hp in an
Eclipse is just the start :-) There are people pushing 450hp out
of these suckers!
If you want, you can goto http://www.dsm.org/ and meet 3000 other
people who love their Eclipses! :-) And I guarantee you you will
meet some people who have had their Eclipse for more than 6 months ;-)
I have heard many other car owners say that they wished they had
a car club like Club DSM.
Simply awesome cars. And the best car club to back them up!
Josh
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Terbo
Rexven wrote:
<snip>
>Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
>enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
>then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
>around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
Consider yourself having found a second owner of a GSX that still enjoys his car
well after 6 months. (Who is well over 6 foot tall btw)
Terbo
Honda Power wrote:
>Also, I have heard from a Chrysler/Eagle mechanic that current-generation
>Talons/Eclipses are VERY unreliable. He says that all he sees all day at work
>are Talons (we don't have the Mitsu in Canada yet) coming into the shop for
>repairs.
No doubt you heard this but it is important to qualify it with which engine. If
it is a turbo or a 2.4 litre in the spyder, its a Mitsubishi engine. If its
anything else, its a Chrysler engine. I'm very happy with my extremely reliable
GSX. Had it been a Chrysler engine in it, I would have reconsidered the
purchase.
John Alexiou
nolamer...@mindspring.com (Rexven) writes:
>fr...@yonkitime.com (Fred Hamilton) wrote:
>>I'm looking for a new car. I've totally fallen in love with the Integra
>>GS-R, but my head is less than 1/2 inch from the headliner! My (short)
>>hair is constantly rubbing against the roof, and when I hit a bump or sit
>>up straight my head hits the roof.
>>I'm only 6' tall! Is Acura giving up on the entire 6 foot or taller
>>marketplace? Are there any 6'+ people out there who fit happily in their
>>Integras?
Strange. I am 6'2" and fit fine. Make sure the seat is adjusted properly.
Actyally the integra has excellent headroom compared to eclipses, MX6,
and saturns. It seems that in the driving position you feel comfortable
in you tent to sit up high. Get a more relaxed posture, and take the
seat back a bit. The car has excellent visibility and therefore you
do not sit as high as in other cars.
j
--
---------------------------------------
| John Alexiou. ja...@prism.gatech.edu. |
---------------------------------------
Ali Nabeel
Terbo (sm...@wyldwild.net) wrote:
Talons sold in Canada are identical to US Talons, i.e. mitsu buil engines.
Most problems I've heard of with these cars are not engine related,
usually electrical or the occasional tranny needing replacement, By and
large, they are pretty tough cars.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Once you have their money, |Nabeel Ali
never give it back" |
|al...@magellan.umontreal.ca
--The 1st Rule of Acquisition |http://alcor.concordia.ca/~stali
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rexven
sm...@wyldwild.net (Terbo) wrote:
>Rexven wrote:
><snip>
I think we have a theme here.. GSX owners love them, the GS-T's and
lower are the ones that are tending to go stale.. See what happens
when it drives the rear tires as well as the front? <grin>
Btw, out of the groups of owners that I know of, only one Turbo has
had any mechanical problems and they were pretty severe. No
explination was given and I'm not sure the details but they were all
handled under warranty. The odd side is that he babies his car.. I'm
considering this one a fluke. The GS/RS one's aren't faring as well.
Bill Stanton
A ~6'2" friend of mine was looking at Eclipse Spyders. He REALLY
wanted a GS-T Spyder but he just... didn't... fit. He wound up staring
dead on at the top of the windshield. The only way he could sit in it
was to recline the seat to the point that he had to really stretch to
reach the wheel.
And this guy was SET on this car, and he wound up getting a Jeep Grand
Cherokee Limited (and paid $1K less than my new '95 300ZX TT cost a
year before, too).
Rexven
Josh Wingell <wingell@zip*nospam*link.net> wrote:
>Rexven wrote:
>I'm 5'11" and I fit perfectly in my Eclipse. And I have the moonroof
>which cuts off some headroom.
How far do you recline the seats? That makes a big difference. I'm
sure anyone can fit in the car if they crank the seats back far
enough, however this is not even remotely a proper driving posistion.
The seats themselves are comfortable, they just need a bit more head
room!
>> Besides, I have yet to find an owner of an Eclipse/Talon that has
>> enjoyed the car for more than 6-months.. the first 4 months are great,
>> then they sorta go stale the fifth month, then they start shopping
>> around for ways to get out from under it on the 6-7th month..
>Well, now you have met someone who has enjoyed their Eclipse for more
>than 6 months.
>I have to ask this. How many Eclipse/Talon owners do you know?
>Did they have the turbo and AWD?
I know 7 Eclipse owners (not one went for the Talon. They didn't like
the idea of losing an extra 15-20% resale on the identical car just
because of the brand name nor did they care for the boomerang rear
wing). Four of the owners have GS-T's, two have GS's and one has an
RS. If you count the last generation there are nine (the extra two
having GSX's. They love the car, but they also love having more
headroom!). The GSX is such a rare car here in Florida (Special order
if you are lucky). If I could find a way to make the Eclipse fit
comfortably I'd not mind going for a GSX myself. The GS-T, however, is
quick but grows stale quickly.
>I LOVE my car. I can't wait to get up every morning and drive it.
>Hearing the turbo whine and the blow off valve pop on every shift...
>man there is nothing like it! In the snow, the AWD takes me
>wherever I point it. Or I can get on the gas around a corner and
>do a nice 4 wheel power drift. Awesome. Or in the dry you can rev
>up the engine to 4500 RPMs slip out the clutch and hold on for
>dear life, cuz the tires don't spin. You just GO!
Hehe, know the feeling. I've driven a few GSX's (though I was a bit
more gentle on them since I didn't own them) and they can be fun.
Alas, I've not been able to find a '97+ GSX anywhere here in Fla.
Something that's as uch a blast to play with is the 993 Twin Turbo,
but that's a little different category! :)
>That isn't even getting into the modifications you can do! For
>a relatively cheap amount of money (under $1000...probably like
>$600) you can raise the horsepower by like 30-40hp! You could probably
>do the same thing for less money, actually. God damn what a blast!
>Plus the fun in actually doing the modifications. The turbo engine
>in the Eclipse is SEVERELY detuned. In Japan, the same engine in
>the Lancer EVO IV has 280 hp (which is a low estimate). So whereas
>190 hp in an Integra is really pushing the envelope, 210 hp in an
>Eclipse is just the start :-) There are people pushing 450hp out
>of these suckers!
I'm well aware of what the aftermarket potential is for these cars.
However, a great many owners don't modify the cars beyond
wheels/tires. Some of them are more interested in fending off that
rediculous insurance rate levied against the Eclipses (it is one of
the highest insurance cars out there, period! That sucks!) and trying
to pay their way through school etc. Two of the owners (both GS-T's)
have leased their cars and won't touch them. Btw, the 450hp cars
don't fall under the reliable category anymore.. hehe.
>If you want, you can goto http://www.dsm.org/ and meet 3000 other
>people who love their Eclipses! :-) And I guarantee you you will
>meet some people who have had their Eclipse for more than 6 months ;-)
>I have heard many other car owners say that they wished they had
>a car club like Club DSM.
And here I am stuck in this meager little Miata Club.. hehe, talk
about ownes who covet their cars and look for any excuse to drive
them! "Uhmm.. you just went to the store two miles away.. and it took
you three hours?" "Long lines.." "Then explain why your hair is mussed
up and you have this shit eating grin on your face?" "Uhmm.. Air
conditioner in the building blew up..err.. it was funny?" "Where did
half a tank of gas go??" "Uhmm.. siphoned?" etc. To bad they don't
make the Eclipse Spyder in a GSX variant. That's a car that would
solve the headroom problems AND the power delivery problems.
They should also consider a GSX variant that is NOT turbocharged! That
would give the handling capability to those who can't stomach the
Turbo's insurance premium and it would also make a great sporting car
for the northern climates who have to deal with snow.
Josh Wingell
Rexven wrote:
>
> Josh Wingell <wingell@zip*nospam*link.net> wrote:
>
> >Rexven wrote:
> >I'm 5'11" and I fit perfectly in my Eclipse. And I have the moonroof
> >which cuts off some headroom.
>
> How far do you recline the seats? That makes a big difference. I'm
> sure anyone can fit in the car if they crank the seats back far
> enough, however this is not even remotely a proper driving posistion.
> The seats themselves are comfortable, they just need a bit more head
> room!
I click the seat back one notch to get comfortable. But even in the
full upright position I still fit just fine. The 6-way adjustable
motorized seats have height adjustments, too. In the back, mine is
all the way down, and in the front, it is partway up. Its a really
comfortable position. I can reach all the pedals just fine. The
stickshift is right at hand. In fact, every control is right at
hand! Even the furthest knobs on the HVAC. The Eclipse has a
very ergonomic interior...I would go as far as to say it is one of
the best I have ever seen. Plus I love the cockpit type interior.
> I know 7 Eclipse owners (not one went for the Talon. They didn't like
> the idea of losing an extra 15-20% resale on the identical car just
> because of the brand name nor did they care for the boomerang rear
> wing). Four of the owners have GS-T's, two have GS's and one has an
> RS. If you count the last generation there are nine (the extra two
> having GSX's. They love the car, but they also love having more
> headroom!). The GSX is such a rare car here in Florida (Special order
> if you are lucky). If I could find a way to make the Eclipse fit
> comfortably I'd not mind going for a GSX myself. The GS-T, however, is
> quick but grows stale quickly.
Well, people on our mailing list do think that the GS-T grows stale,
but only because they find out how much more fun the GSX's are :-)
There seems to be a constant upgrading thing going on.
Oh, since you mentioned the Talon, I might as well add that the Talon
can generally be found for a couple $1000 less than a comparable
Eclipse. Probably because they don't sell as well.
> Hehe, know the feeling. I've driven a few GSX's (though I was a bit
> more gentle on them since I didn't own them) and they can be fun.
> Alas, I've not been able to find a '97+ GSX anywhere here in Fla.
> Something that's as uch a blast to play with is the 993 Twin Turbo,
> but that's a little different category! :)
Don't get me wrong, if I could have afforded a 911 Turbo, I would
be driving one now. But I can't, so I chose something with 2 less
cylinders, and the engine in the front. I suspect that a GSX might
be a bit more fun than the 911 for me, becuase:
a) I have a bit more money to spend AFTER I buy the car ;-)
b) I can spend that money on modifications to the car, and have
even more fun putting the stuff on.
c) I don't have to worry about dinging a >$100,000 car in a parking
lot. (Heaven help you if I catch you dinging my Eclipse though!)
> I'm well aware of what the aftermarket potential is for these cars.
> However, a great many owners don't modify the cars beyond
> wheels/tires.
I try to steer as many Eclipse/Talon people as I can to Club DSM.
Most people don't know that there is a race proven engine sitting
under their hood!
> Some of them are more interested in fending off that
> rediculous insurance rate levied against the Eclipses (it is one of
> the highest insurance cars out there, period! That sucks!) and trying
> to pay their way through school etc.
I am a step 10 in auto insurance (damn new stop sign). I am 24.
And I pay about $1000/year comprehensive. I added a few things
though, and that brought it up to $1100 or so. And that is in
MA.
Not really that bad.
> Two of the owners (both GS-T's)
> have leased their cars and won't touch them. Btw, the 450hp cars
> don't fall under the reliable category anymore.. hehe.
No, of course not. I wouldn't peg any 10 second car in the reliable
category :-) But I would say that low 14s and mid 13s can be
done reliably in an Eclipse over a long period of time.
I am a great proponent of car upkeep. Change the oil every 3000,
make sure everything is in perfect working order at all times, do all
scheduled maintainance, and most any well made car will treat you
well in return.
> And here I am stuck in this meager little Miata Club.. hehe, talk
> about ownes who covet their cars and look for any excuse to drive
> them! "Uhmm.. you just went to the store two miles away.. and it took
> you three hours?" "Long lines.." "Then explain why your hair is mussed
> up and you have this shit eating grin on your face?" "Uhmm.. Air
> conditioner in the building blew up..err.. it was funny?" "Where did
> half a tank of gas go??" "Uhmm.. siphoned?" etc. To bad they don't
> make the Eclipse Spyder in a GSX variant. That's a car that would
> solve the headroom problems AND the power delivery problems.
I understand completely :-) Nothing like just going out for a
drive. Nowhere to go, just drive.
> They should also consider a GSX variant that is NOT turbocharged! That
> would give the handling capability to those who can't stomach the
> Turbo's insurance premium and it would also make a great sporting car
> for the northern climates who have to deal with snow.
Well, they made a Galant GSX that had the 2.0L engine without the
turbo and had AWD. They also made a Galant VR4 that had the turbo
and AWD. Now that is a sleeper! Unfortunately, they only made
about 1000 of the VR4's. So if you find one, its a very rare car.