I've never driven one, but would be interested to know whether, motoring hacks apart, they are driven as the maker intended. i.e. 7000rpm+ on a regular basis...
And are they a pain to drive at low revs?
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I drove one of the first - a 1991 CR-X V-Tec. It was great to drive and had a real surge about 5,500rpm, although it was already very fast at those revs.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I currently drive the 2.4 i-VTEC and it is a brilliant engine.
When I first test drove it I expected it to be very 'torque-less' low down the rev range which was not the case, but once you hit 5500ish rpm the kick in the back is amazing (3rd gear between 50 and 80 mph). The engine is also very smooth with a chain cam that will last for ever if serviced correctly. Reports on a US Honda owners website talk of 250K to 350K plus mileages with no problems.
Also you have to remember that Honda have now built approx 15 million VTEC units without a single failure.
Try one - they are fantastic engines.
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I've been running a Civic Type-R for 3 years now. After frustratedly running it at below 4,000 revs for the prescribed 625 first miles, I revved up in eager expectation of this famous kick in the back. It never really came. Yes, it does surge slightly at 6,000 and the engine note becomes pleasingly aggressive - maybe I was just expecting too much.
Great car, lots of fun, but you do have to keep it screaming to keep your grin in place. I've been embarrassed by lesser but more torquey cars at the lights when caught with my revs low. And a Renault Clio 182 kmore than kept up with me accelerating from 30 to 90 the other day, despite me giving it everything.
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Mattster
Boycott shoddy build and reliability.
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My Prelude 2.2 potters around beautifully and pulls like a train from quite low revs if required. But when it passes 5.2K it takes off like the proverbial. Even though I'm not really that sort of driver any more I do try to wring its neck regularly and it seems to thrive on it. It doesn't seem to have the sometimes-mentioned thirst for oil, either.
The best thing about it is the way it winds up the backwards baseball cap brigade in their 'tuning' 206s and Saxos. When they see the VTI badge they always seem to want to have a go. I just smile at them and potter on.
I know it's childish but I keep looking at those fiver-a-time 'Type R' badges on Ebay, so I can put one on the back and wind them up even further...
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Yep, we drive our Shuttle 2.3Vtec up to the limit quite often, and it really starts to pull at about 5.5k, We also have a Prelude 2.3 without the Vtec and that pulls well, but the punch is more noticiable in the Vtec even though it is in a 7 seater!!!
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I give my 2 L vtec accord a blast quite often along the twisty B roads on my way in to work. I moved to Honda from a Pug turbo diesel so i had to adjust my driving style somewhat, but i have not really been bothered by the lower torque of the vtec. It may pull less from low revs, but strangely it is more tolerant of doing 20-30 mph in 4th in town than the peugeot ever was. Good fun to rev it to 7000 in 2nd and 3rd ( except only in the right circumstances as it will do 85+ in 3rd).
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I used to rev my old VVTi Lexus IS200 very high.
However it was a nuisance having to use so many revs to ensure a decent getaway.
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The whole point of the VTEC or VVT engines is that you can optimise the valve timing/lift for high rpm/high power and for driveability/efficiency at lower revs. so you would not expect gutless low end performance, rather the reverse. In my experience (CRV and 1.6 Civic) they are fine. I would say though that economy worsens markedly if you wander into the upper rev range.
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Taking this discussion a stage further, why hasn't Honda made a V8 VTEC for a road car?
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Good question - they do make a V6 VTEC and will be selling it in the new Legend when it appears in showroons in September.
It will also have the Honda SHAWD.
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