Need help with a potential purchase!

[Steve95]

I have just been to look at an Integra, and it looks good for the money! A few things are bothering me though:
No fog light at all?? It has had three mots previously and no mention of it, wouldn't it fail without one?
Clocks still in khm, can this be converted easily?
Apart from the Japanese service history and booklets, log book and previous mots, no paperwork? Should there be more with an import?
And it pulls to the left, not drastically but i did notice that it had odd tyres on the front, a nearly worn out Bridgestone on the left and a new cheapy one on the offside, could this could cause this?
Also when booting it out of a corner, i can feel the diff pulling quite hard, is that normal? I have never had a fwd car with an lsd!
Thanks lads!

 

[Steve95]

Oh and it has an aftermarket Japanese stereo, a "carriozi" (i could have that slightly wrong Haha) double din with all the text in Japanese, and a small silver box in the glovebox, looks like an old memory card reader? Any ideas what that would be for?

 

[dann04]

Yes odd tyres do cause this problem with LSD, pulls one way when acellerating, this will also explain why you feel the diff pulling. I run the same tyres all round. hope this helps.

 

[Rob_94]

I have just been to look at an Integra, and it looks good for the money! A few things are bothering me though:
No fog light at all?? It has had three mots previously and no mention of it, wouldn't it fail without one?
Clocks still in khm, can this be converted easily?
Apart from the Japanese service history and booklets, log book and previous mots, no paperwork? Should there be more with an import?
And it pulls to the left, not drastically but i did notice that it had odd tyres on the front, a nearly worn out Bridgestone on the left and a new cheapy one on the offside, could this could cause this?
Also when booting it out of a corner, i can feel the diff pulling quite hard, is that normal? I have never had a fwd car with an lsd!
Thanks lads!

Hate to say it but every car I've owned I've got what I paid for.. If it seems too good for the money it probably is.

The clocks in KM sounds dodgy to me - maybe trying to pass off higher miles as KM? (ie, if its 150000km its only like 90k miles, if its actually 150k miles thats a lot)

Oh and it has an aftermarket Japanese stereo, a "carriozi" (i could have that slightly wrong Haha) double din with all the text in Japanese, and a small silver box in the glovebox, looks like an old memory card reader? Any ideas what that would be for?

I had a carrozzeria in mine when it was imported and you couldn't change the language to English unfortunately, and it didn't work with english radio stations. Just went racecar spec with a blanking plate instead.

 

[Chewy]

Small sliver box in the Glovebox is probably for toll payments in Japan.

Japanese stereo is usually common in a fresh import.

Imports paperwork can vary, sometime it's just the log book, sometimes you get a stack of paper work, it's all in Japanese anyway so 99% of people can't read it, but it's nice to have.

Front fogs were an optional extra, but only usually found in Type-S and IS refinements, not many Type-R's have them as we have brake cooling ducts instead.

Japan doesn't tend to use rear fog lights, they have flares in the passenger footwell instead. Depending upon the company/Person importing they either have an external rear fog light attached to the underside of the rear bumper for MOT purposes or most commonly a dual filament bulb is used and a aftermarket switch installed to the right of the steering wheel where the mirror adjustment is.

Other than the above, same process as buying any normal car, Lack of UK history is inexcusable.

 

[Steve95]

No the mileage is correct, as in still showing km so no messing about trying work work out km/miles!
It pulls slightly when just cruising, all the time to the left. I am quite happy to get the spanners out, the only things i can think of is odd tyres and possibly a bent tca. How easy are tca's for these to source? (Oem used)
It does have jdm history, and one stamp here , although it has only been in the country 3 years.
It has no fog light at all! Are they easy to retro fit (under the bumper)?

 

[p1tse]

Any link to the car as members on here may be able to point out other things

If the speed is in mph, then the clocks on trip meter will be a mix of km and mph I think?

Pulling to the left could be tracking
Are the tyres worn evenly?

 

[Steve95]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F323139816320

The Speedo reads in kph, so the odo reading is what it is.
The tyres are:
Nearside mostly worn Bridgestone (maybe 2-3mm)
Offside nearly new cheapy crap.
I am going back today with a jack and swap wheels around, and drive it again. That and the paintwork is putting me off, although it is no where near gleaming as it is in the pics, i think it just needs a good t- cut and polish. Oh and the scratch on the skirt is a dent in the skirt, almost as if someone had dropped off a kerb and banged it from underneath. if i buy it i want to replace that.

 

[p1tse]

If so many things putting you off and some issues such as paint work and side skirt dent, pulling etc. I would say walk away unless it‘s cheap for a project

Near £9k can and should get a nicer example

Black is rarer to find, if that‘s what you want but personally with what you have mentioned I would continue the searches

Even if you do get a discount, add up potential costs to get it right too, even tyres etc. Worth putting that and increase the budget and have a great budget for a great Dc5 imo

 

[GIBLETS]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F323139816320

The Speedo reads in kph, so the odo reading is what it is.
The tyres are:
Nearside mostly worn Bridgestone (maybe 2-3mm)
Offside nearly new cheapy crap.
I am going back today with a jack and swap wheels around, and drive it again. That and the paintwork is putting me off, although it is no where near gleaming as it is in the pics, i think it just needs a good t- cut and polish. Oh and the scratch on the skirt is a dent in the skirt, almost as if someone had dropped off a kerb and banged it from underneath. if i buy it i want to replace that.

Walk away, it‘s screaming bad example even from the sofa at good car money, if you‘re seeing all these faults on the forecourt you‘re guaranteed to find more once you get up close and personal with the car.

There are seemingly good examples available within £500 of your budget, just travel further afield....