[DanTheMan]

Hey guys picked up my first Acura last week and figured I'd join your community. I purchased a 2014 2.4 6mt Premium
and I am definitely loving it so far! Was shopping for a new car because I totaled my 2011 Scion tC a little over a month ago. Was primarily looking for a compact luxury car but shopped for a new CLA-250, Audi A3, Accord EXL coupe, Kia
Optima, VW GLI, Mazda 6, Civic Si as wells as CPO 328xi, 128i, C300, A4, G37, and TSX.

Decided I didn't want to go with another German car because my stage 2+ MKV GTI was a nightmare after 80,000mi, and that a new car with a good warranty would be the best move. The ILX seemed to offer the best mix of features for me
and being able to get a standard was a huge plus since my last four cars were all stick. The CLA was nice, but the
interior felt kind of cramped. Also, the $43,000 version I test drove was awesome, the $29,990 version I went to look at left much to be desired, no manual transmission, MB service and repair bills, and the dealers weren't really budging on the price.

My ILX had a sticker price of $30,095 and I got it for $25,700 including destination but before tax and tags with 0.0% for 60 months. I agreed to not do much modding but looking thru the forum is giving me the itch. I know I'll be taking the
ILX badge off the trunk, 35% tint, 2500k PIAA fogs, LED tag lights, and some other little thing. Really would like to get some coilovers, 18" wheels, RV6 DP and the rest of the exhaust probably cut the rear valance to ditch the dolphin tail, intake, and a tune. I guess most people go with Hondata for tuning? If you go with a catless downpipe can you get rid of the CEL with that software and pass an OB2 emission test? I had a catless DP on the GTI and my APR software let me do that, would be cool if Hondata was the same way.

Sorry for rambling, I'm very happy with this car so far. I am hoping to cash in on Hondas legendary reliability by keeping the ILX for a while. That was my plan with the tC, which was very meh but I bought it because it was cheap and reliable, but our relationship was cut short after only two and a half years and 40,000mi.

Here are some pics since I'm sure no one around here has seen a stock silver ILX before :001_tongue:







A couple of my recently owned cars





Finally why I got my ILX

 

[Popeye]

Congrats & welcome

 

[ILX6speed]

Welcome! You will definitely enjoy the ILX! I know I have

 

[ilxluv]

My ILX had a sticker price of $30,095 and I got it for $25,700 including destination but before tax and tags with 0.0% for 60 months. I agreed to not do much modding but looking thru the forum is giving me the itch. I know I'll be taking the ILX badge off the trunk, 35% tint, 2500k PIAA fogs, LED tag lights, and some other little thing. Really would like to get some coilovers, 18" wheels, RV6 DP and the rest of the exhaust probably cut the rear valance to ditch the dolphin tail, intake, and a tune. I guess most people go with Hondata for tuning? If you go with a catless downpipe can you get rid of the CEL with that software and pass an OB2 emission test? I had a catless DP on the GTI and my APR software let me do that, would be cool if Hondata was the same way.

When they ask you to not mod the car you should be perfectly fine with 35% tint, maybe ask the dealer to do it as an option. As well as the lighting you mentioned and wheels should be no problem with the dealer even on a lease.
Coilovers, downpipe, exhaust, tune any cutting into the car, intake, etc can void your warranty so dont let the dealer see any of that done.
What do you mean cut the rear valance to dtich the dolphin tail? You car doesnt have a rear valance and I like the dolphin fin?

Yes mot people go hondata for tuning. A catless downpipe will not pass smog with or without a proper tune. To pass smog you will need a carb exempt downpipe and catalytic converter. Rule of thumb, anything BEFORE and INCLUDING the cat must be oem or have a carb legal sticker. But yes with a tune on hondata you can clear any CEL you may be throwing but you will not pass smog.

 

[DanTheMan]

Thanks for the welcome so far guys!

I own the car, well financed a bit but have already paid over half. I plan to drive this car till it's ran into the ground over many years that's why I made sure to get something that should be reliable, the rest of my top 3 were Germans, CLA and GLI.

I think I might just be using some foreign terminology. By "dolphin tail" I mean the exhaust after the muffle, how it is behind the rear bumper with a downward curve. When I said valance I just meant the lower recessed part of the rear bumper. I know I saw a pic of an ILX somewhere that had I believe an aftermarket exhaust, possibly for an si, with modifications done to the rear bumper to allow the tailpipe to show. My restrictions on modding the car are just things I've set in my mind, nothing I have necessarily made any agreements to abide by.

The warranty thing is questionable, techniqually nothing voids your warranty in full, a repair would only be denied if the aftermarket equipment was shown to cause the failure. If I boost and throw a rod or put springs on and blow my struts yes that wouldn't be covered. But if I put a full catless exhaust on with modifying the rear bumper to accommodate a normal tailpipe they can't refuse to fix an issue I may have with the electric system. Tunes are much more of a gray area which is why I want to be sure if I put aftermarket software on that I can return it to stock if need be to avoid issues. Although, I'm not the asshole to try and get the dealer to fix an issue I legitimently caused. Having the service manager be a rally buddy definitely helps though.

Luckily I do not live in a state that tests for smog. I know my APR tune on my GTI gave my ECU a false reading from the o2 sensor which allowed me to pass emissions since we only have to get plugged in thru the OBDII port. Tune and downpipe will probably be the only engine mods I do for a while as long as I'm under warranty or until I get a backup car. I don't want to destroy the reliability, just make it a little more fun and my own. I need to stalk out the 9th gen civic forums some to get more educated on the whole hondata/flashpro thing since I have a lot of questions.

 

[Boosted]

Well done on the negotiations, what state are you in? Smart decision making, the reliability of Honda/Acura pawns the German cars. Enjoy the car.

 

[Tyson]

Congrats Dan, and welcome aboard. You did well on the price. Look forward to seeing where you go with this one.

 

[DanTheMan]

^ Thank you! I'm probably going to go slow at first and only do some small cosmetic things the first year or so with the exception of picking up a flash pro soon and maybe a downpipe. It's definitely begging for a drop but I don't know if I'm ready to do it just yet although looking around the forums at pics, especially ilxluv, I'm really getting the itch to get low and lose the 4x4 look lol. I still have my Volk TE-37s from the GTI and I think they'd look great on the ILX but they're 5x112 so I might just sell or trade them for some 5x114.3s. I'm definitely lowering it before doing wheels though.

Well done on the negotiations, what state are you in? Smart decision making, the reliability of Honda/Acura pawns the German cars. Enjoy the car.

Thanks man! Yeah my last German car became a reliability nightmare after 80,000 mi and I had come so close to owning a Honda, Civic EX coupe, Si coupe, and Accord coupe, the last several times I purchased new cars, so this time I finally pulled the trigger. I was actually shopping for a CPO second gen TSX but when I realized I could have a new ILX for only a few thousand more I was sold, I had an offer of $23,550 for a 2014 base 2.0. I liked the 2.0 a lot but when I test drove the 2.4 I had a shit eating grin on my face the entire time. I had driven the 2.0 three times before I drove the 2.4 because I thought the 2.4 was out of my price range but my dad convinced me to give the 2.4 a go since he knew I would miss driving a stick, I've driven a stick for the past 7 years. Even when I got to the dealership I actually thought I was going to pick up a white 2014 base 2.0 but my dad offered to loan me 2k after driving both again so I could afford the 2.4. I'm actually paying $30 less a month after insurance is factored in from my 2011 Scion tC that was totaled. Insurance gave me 17k for it which was only 2k less than I paid which is why I was able to spend almost 10k more this time around since I only had 8k left on my loan for the Scion.

I am in Maryland but got a quote from the "world's largest Acura dealer" in NOVA. Than I had a dealer in Maryland match their quote so it wouldn't be as much as a hassle having to buy out of state and I was able to avoid paying a $500 dealer processing charge lol.

 

[ilxluv]

Thanks for the kind words.

I hear people can safely fit 5x112 wheels on a 5x114 with wobble nuts.
Never done this myself or spoken with anyone who has first hand knowledge so I would do some research and see if they are indeed safe.

From what I understand is the threading inside is free floating in the lug nut.
So each individual lug nut when secured has about 2.4mm of play but once all 5 are secured they wont budge.

Re drilling is also a more costly option but I myself would either check out the wobble nuts or sell/trade.

 

[DanTheMan]

You're welcome man, you're ILX looks great dude! You're on just H&R springs right? Do you feel any performance enhancement? If you don't mind me asking, did you do the install your self or at a shop? If at a shop what did the labor run you if you happen to remember?

Yeah I don't know if I trust the wobble bolts. I know a lot of the MKV guys used them to run 5x114s on our 5x112 but I never really trusted them especially at high speed. I participate in a road rally every summer for charity as well as some other events around the year which gets me some track time every now and again. Last year I got to do 4 laps around Watkins Glen in my dad's '06 GTO and got up to 135MPH which was an absolute blast, and the year before we drove Taladega. This year we're driving rt 50 from MD to Reno NV.

I thought about running the Volks on the tC, which was also 5x114, and found some 15mm adapters but that would put me at a +28 offset. I might just go the sell/trade route and try and get something like LMs or another set of TE-37s in 18" because I think 19"s might be a bit to big on the ILX since the stock 17"s look pretty damn good and have skinner rubber than the stock 17"s that my GTI had.

 

[ilxluv]

H&R Springs, correct. And I did the install myself. Only thing I will be taking my car in for a shop to do will be a tune in the far future, as well as anything electrical.. I don't do electrical. Or wraps/tinting. lol

I did feel a big performance difference. The car is 1.5 inches closer to the ground so my center of gravity has been lowered. The car doesnt roll as much and feels more like a go kart.

Personally, Id stay away from the wobble nuts if I could help it. But if I had a set of 5x112 laying around I wouldn't wait. I tend to jump the trigger like that. haha
Both LMs and TEs would look great. I did a chop if LM style wheels in my thread, probably more of a 19in sizing but I personally think 19s look good too. They are big but they give a more VIP luxury look. I think 18s are perfect for those that to fill the wheel wells and 17s are perfect for that becauseracecar vibe.

In the end, the ILX will be a car of many faces.

 

[13-Premium]

Welcome, nice car man, this is actually my second Acura, I owned an '89 Legend Coupe for awhile when I lived in NY but I came from an 07 Si myself. I'm really hoping to enjoy the ILX for quite sometime