Rchive- An FL5 ownership journal

[CTR]

So either I have lightning-strike bad luck, or this is just something that happens with these cars.

I get it on mine sometimes when humidity is high and it's cold or damp outside. Condensation on the windshield can cause the cameras to freak out. It clears up after a few minutes of driving once the windshield has warmed up and cleaned off. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

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[Noize]

I get it on mine sometimes when humidity is high and it's cold or damp outside. Condensation on the windshield can cause the cameras to freak out. It clears up after a few minutes of driving once the windshield has warmed up and cleaned off. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks much for the reply. I’m going to stop being concerned about it.

 

[Noize]

I get it on mine sometimes when humidity is high and it's cold or damp outside. Condensation on the windshield can cause the cameras to freak out. It clears up after a few minutes of driving once the windshield has warmed up and cleaned off. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

To support this, I talked to the guy that bought my prior FL5 a couple months ago. Super cool dude, car guy through and through.

He told me he has never had an issue if this happening with the car! I’m beginning to think the windshield sensor doesn’t like something in my garage, or the fact I sometimes pull in so far to the left.

 

[Noize]

Ceramic coat day. Boost Blue is a bitch to get right.

 

[Sooner1]

What ceramic did you use?

 

[Noize]

What ceramic did you use?

JaxWax Graphene Pro 10H
Local shop support.

 

[Noize]

A better pic post coating.

 

[Noize]

Man, a few things I have really missed about or overlooked on this car the first time.

The ergonomics are super great. The walk back on the infotainment nightmare that was the 10th gen Civic is a revelation. The HVAC controls, in particular, are super intuitive and fantastic. With the VW, it was a nightmare to access the screen, and a pain when moving to adjust.

The simplicity. Another thing that made the Golf R a long term risk was all the parts: The DSG, the AWD system, the infotainment and electronics, etc. The leather was already starting to show a bit of wear on a 6 mo old car, and I take really good care of my cars. With FWD, a manual transmission, and a turbocharger, there isn't a lot to go wrong with this car.

The lack of a maddening start/stop system to reduce its carbon footprint. Granted, most manual transmission cars don't have this feature, but it's so good this one doesn't.

The old school hot rodding tricks. I'm sure I mentioned this earlier in the thread, and it also goes along with the simplicity, but this car is old school in how it goes about being fast. AWD, crazy transmission, tricky rear drive unit not needed. This is a big car, but it's crazy lightweight for its size. Add lightness, a wide body, and a crap-ton of tire = old school fast.

Another thing I have mentioned before is that it's hard to commit to modifying this car. It's been so obsessed over by the manufacturer to hit a price point with a lot of performance, that it would be easy to mess it up. 19"x9.5" wheels are perfection. The offset was chosen to quell torque steer as well. So while I think $5000 worth of 19" Volks, center caps, lugs, and hardware are as cool looking as the next guy, it sure feels like a big waste of money this time around.

The suspension, while pretty stiff, is still acceptable in comfort mode. If I get aftermarket wheels that are +45 or lower numerically, that's going to cause Ohlins and a proper setup. Can you say a total waste of $8000 (including the wheels) to properly setup the car and make it handle 0.5% better in the name of aesthetics? I sure can't.

Anyway, she's pretty stock. I ceramic coated it, my radar detector is in there, and I ordered the Type R cargo tray to keep the hatch floor carpet nice, but I'm going slower with this one this time 'round.

I guess Hondata has fixed that awful excessive intake cam timing advancement on warm up, but they came here last year for jailbreak, so I don't expect it to happen again. Also, the car can utilize its power with current available traction as stock. Tuned makes it more of a challenge to drive; it will only be great in higher gears and require judicious traction management in the bottom three gears.

A place I might look at this time is the audio system. I know the factory speakers are 2 ohm. The power from the Bose amp is ok, but the door speakers and tweeters are just awful. I have some sweet Focal components I can throw in there, but they are 4 ohm. Don't want to have to add an external processor and amp like I did on my FK8, so need to research this a little more. Plug and play front speakers would be so nice.

 

[RUNN1N]

The lack of a maddening start/stop system to reduce its carbon footprint. Granted, most manual transmission cars don't have this feature, but it's so good this one doesn't.

Not so fast about the start/stop system--Honda/Acura have removed that feature from the FL5 and DE5 only, the Si and A-Spec + Tech Integra both have it despite having a manual and it is a PAIN. That probably goes for the manual Civic Hatchback/Sedan as well.

It wasn't uncommon for the engine to suddenly shut off as I was doing something routine which requires light clutch/gas alternation (like creeping up for a chance to turn at a light) and you'd have to press the clutch completely to the floor before it'd kick the engine back on. It's basically an OEM feature to remind you what it was like to stall your car.

 

[Noize]

Not so fast about the start/stop system--Honda/Acura have removed that feature from the FL5 and DE5 only, the Si and A-Spec + Tech Integra both have it despite having a manual and it is a PAIN. That probably goes for the manual Civic Hatchback/Sedan as well.

It wasn't uncommon for the engine to suddenly shut off as I was doing something routine which requires light clutch/gas alternation (like creeping up for a chance to turn at a light) and you'd have to press the clutch completely to the floor before it'd kick the engine back on. It's basically an OEM feature to remind you what it was like to stall your car.

This is a writeup about the FL5. I think the Si and A-Spec are a tier down. The Golf R DSG of course has stop/start, but the manual does not. The SS 1LE manual doesn't either.

Regardless, that alone would stop me from buying an Si.

 

[TypeRD]

Can you not easily turn off start/stop?
Our MDX has it and I hate it. Thankfully there’s a button by the transmission selector knob to turn it off. It is simply a habit for me to push the button as soon as I get in and start the vehicle. No problem.

Now…if you have to dig thru menus and crap to turn it off, that’s a whole different level of irritation. It would definitely make me angry…and perhaps even get rid of the vehicle.

 

[RUNN1N]

Can you not easily turn off start/stop?
Our MDX has it and I hate it. Thankfully there’s a button by the transmission selector knob to turn it off. It is simply a habit for me to push the button as soon as I get in and start the vehicle. No problem.

Now…if you have to dig thru menus and crap to turn it off, that’s a whole different level of irritation. It would definitely make me angry…and perhaps even get rid of the vehicle.

It's a button next to the shifter, so it's easy enough to turn it off, but it's something that needs to be done every time the car is started--same with setting the car to Individual mode, it doesn't remember that either.

For what it's worth MikStore has a memory putting for Stop/Start, I believe it's ~$100. I never installed it, but I know some of the Integra bunch did it.

 

[TypeRD]

@RUNN1N A button to turn off start/stop is par for the course. Thanks big government.?

Seems like an oversight on Honda’s part that you’d have to select individual mode every time. That’s really goofy and probably fixable with a simple firmware update.

 

[Noize]

So I am back on the "I want wheels" train.
But it's a huge problem. Here's the work flow:
1) I want to buy some cool new wheels!
2) Most all the wheels for sale are 18s.
3) The FL5 is too big for 18s at stock height.
4) I live in an area with aggressive driveways, and I don't want to scrape- lowering is not an option.
5) Go back to #1

The other issue I am finding is that boost blue is a finicky beeotch when it comes to colors. I think black looks great, very dark gunmetal or gray is ok, and silver might work in a pinch. But bronze, gold, and white are hideous to me.

Maybe the best play here is to just leave it alone. The stock wheels on this car are far from ugly, and the +60 offset was engineered to aid the lack of torque steer for the whole platform.

Thoughts?

 

[Timmmmmm13]

So I am back on the "I want wheels" train.
But it's a huge problem. Here's the work flow:
1) I want to buy some cool new wheels!
2) Most all the wheels for sale are 18s.
3) The FL5 is too big for 18s at stock height.
4) I live in an area with aggressive driveways, and I don't want to scrape- lowering is not an option.
5) Go back to #1

The other issue I am finding is that boost blue is a finicky beeotch when it comes to colors. I think black looks great, very dark gunmetal or gray is ok, and silver might work in a pinch. But bronze, gold, and white are hideous to me.

Maybe the best play here is to just leave it alone. The stock wheels on this car are far from ugly, and the +60 offset was engineered to aid the lack of torque steer for the whole platform.

Thoughts?

Buddy I feel exactly the same. Following to see what you come up with. Good luck.
Supposedly next year 19" ce28 is coming. Probably my dream wheel, but idk if I can stomach what will probably be 5k.