Ack Attack Post 45: Fin

This concludes my rant on Acuras. Hopefully you have learned all there is to learn about Acuras and can apply your knowledge to Acuras as well as all cars in general. I hope to have enlightened you on some things you did not know existed, such as lighting, tuning, etc.

If all goes as planned, your love for cars has grown and you now wish to further your knowledge and do some research for yourself. Go to a car show or two, watch the Speed Channel. Learn a new thing or two and see where it takes you. I know I've learned a lot through this whole process and hope that you have, too.

Ack Attack Post 44: Branding and Debadging

All cars come with the brand and type of the car on the exterior. There are different emblems that you can buy if you want to add them to the car. Some people are tacky enough to glue an emblem on the dash to show their "car pride". If you get your car painted, it is generally debadged, meaning the emblems are taken off in order to paint. Some people like to debadge their cars so that other people will not know what they are driving. Some people put extra emblems on their car to show off. If there are additional emblems in the grille, it still looks alright, but in my opinion, they shouldn't go on the back with the stock emblems. When people take off their badges and put better ones on (ie. put on a 3.0L emblem to a 2.2L car), that is just WRONG. False advertisement is ridiculous and makes the car and the driver look stupid when an opponent beats them in a race when their car is slower than presented. Keep the stock badging, if you have to paint the car, replace the badging. There is no need for the stealthy unmarked car or the car that's a hoax.

Ack Attack Post 43: Nice vs. Rice

Among the tuners, there is a saying: "Nice, not rice". Ricer cars have cheap, crappy looking mods and have generally become the most despicable cars on the planet as far as tuners are concerned. Ricer cars have mis-matched paint, have the loud exhaust pipes, and the redneck drivers. Tuners prefer nice cars because they keep the car with the style and grace it was intended. Tuners everywhere make fun of the ricers cars and make fun of the drivers and the cars themselves. Keeping the car the way it was intended is of utmost importance to real tuners rather than adding everything you can to mod out the car. Save your money and buy a nice car rather than adding on 500 crappy mods to make people think your car is all "tricked out".

Ack Attack Post 42: Window Tiniting

Window tinting can come stock on some vehicles and generally does on Acuras, but some people like for the tint to be darker than what the manufacturer recommends. There are all kinds of small shops which can put tinting in cars, you just have to make sure they can do it right. If you put the tint in wrong, there can be bubbles, lines, etc. which makes it hard for the driver to see. I would definitely recommend letting a professional put on the tint because it's just too easy to screw up.

Tint comes in all kinds of colors and shades. Keep in mind though, some tint that it considered too dark is also considered illegal. Most people who install tint will get a shade of black or blue - like in a Mercedes. Others, who are a bit more adventurous, go for the shiny colors or the silvers, pinks, and purples. In my opinion, that looks absolutely horrid and should never have been made. Just keep in mind what other people are going to think of your car once you have the tint on. Yes, tinting does help to keep your car cooler and the leather seats from burning you quite so badly, but if it's too dark, you'll get a ticket for it.

Ack Attack Post 41: Exhaust Pipes

Exhaust Pipes are an easily customized option for drivers. They come in different sizes, shapes, colors, and some even light up. There are many different brands of exhaust pipes and in addition to the pipes, so people buy the entire system which includes the piping that goes under the car. The pipe is fairly inexpensive, ranging from $50-about $250 in price. If you want a while system though, it's going to cost you a considerable bit more. Many people choose exhaust pipes that make a really loud sound and annoy the life out of many people, so these pipes can in fact get you a ticket if you come in contact with the right police officer. I would recommend staying away from the noisy pipes. Also, some of the people who have loud pipes have a sound system. Now this is just stupid. They cancel each other out and the car just sounds like a hot mess. Pick your mods carefully or else your car will just end up as a loud moving box.

Ack Attack Post 40: Conversions

Variations to cars can easily be made by way of vehicle conversion kits. For example, a Honda Civic can be turned into an Acura RSX or an Acura Integra can be turned into a Cl. This way, cars such as the Civic and the Integra can be "turned into" more expensive cars with body lot additions. While the kits are fairly costly even before paint and installation, they are still much cheaper than the difference between the two cars would be if the consumer was to buy the more expensive car to avoid the conversion. Conversions are nice for people on a budget or for people who want the look of a different car without the interior feeling of it. The Cl is much larger than the Integra, so the 'teg is lighter and technically faster than the Cl though with this conversion kit, it would look as though it was a Cl. The Civic is slower than the RSX but also much less expensive. Civics are also very common, so the tuner who wants to add a little spice to their car might consider adding the conversion kit.

Ack Attack Post 38: Recalls

Over the years, Acura has had a number of recalls, but no more than the general car maker. The Cl's have been recalled on their electrical system/ignition switch, front suspension, automatic transmission, and engine cooling system. The Integra has had recalls on its exterior lighting, front seat belts, and windshield wipers. The Legend had recalls on the front seat belts, front air bags, and exterior lighting. The MDX recalled the front suspension, automatic transmission, engine and engine cooling system, and fuel tank assembly. The NSX only had one recall on the front seat belts, so it was the least recalls on any given car. The RL recalled the automatic transmission, front suspension, brakes, and the fuel pump. The SLX recalled the rear seat belts, service brakes, and power train. The TL recalled automatic transmission and front suspension as well as the electrical system, front air bags, engine and engine cooling system, fuel pump, and finally, the entire electric system.

Ack Attack Post 37: The Coloring Book

Each new Acura averages about nine colors. Keep in mind that colors can say things about the consumer. Silver is discreet, yellow is never unnoticed, black is more for a mysterious presence and aggressive attitude, while blue is easily matched to accessories, and red is fast and young. White is for the perfectionist while darker grays accentuate every stylistic line on the car. Shades of green are for the calm person who simply appreciates the car for being an Acura. Do keep in mind that many cars which are still labeled "white" are not really white, but are more of a cream or a light metallic butterscotch.

Of course the younger audience will be interested in what matches. Rims can match the silvers, whites, or blacks, while chrome goes with everything. If the car is an elegant color such as the cream, burgundy, or green, keep the rims simple and classy rather than sporty. Also, keep the rims the same color as the emblems on the car. Silver emblems and gold rims look absolutely horrid together. Calipers are easily painted in gray, silver, black, red, or blue. If a body kit is desired, make SURE it is painted BEFORE it goes on the car. There is nothing tackier than a mis-matched spoiler or side skirts. Make sure the colors are matched - you really don't want a two-tone car. Just remember that metallic colors don't show damage as easily and white and black cars show dirt the most.

Ack Attack Post 36: Girls in the Car World

On the forums and at the shows, few females are to be seen unless they are models for the cars themselves. It's tough to be a female interested in cars because it is such a male dominated area. At races or special events most of the girls who go are either stuck going because of their boyfriend or father or go to pickup guys by wearing half of nothing. Very few girls go to the car shows because THEY are interested in cars. The forums will have a couple, but the guys don't value their opinions anyways. There are always a few guys who tend to respect the girls more based on the mere fact that they are trying. Some guys realize that it has to be tough to be a girl in the car world, while others try to keep it more male dominated by putting down the girls and making them look dumb. A lot of the girls on the forums and whatnot are honestly trying to learn and aren't there to talk to the guys with the "hot cars". Honestly, I could care less if you drive a Mercedes or a Suzuki as long as you can answer the questions I ask. It's sad that girls are seen as objects in the car world, just something else to get your picture taken with at the show.

Ack Attack Post 35: Ranking

It is relatively easy to be confused as to which Acura is the best and which are less expensive or less luxurious. Being that the newer Acuras seem to have a similar style, confusion comes easy even to those who have an experienced eye for cars. The base RL sedan is the most expensive Acura, ranging from $45,000 to $53, 000. The 2006 RL is more expensive than the 2007, but this can easily change depending on which additional packages have been chosen. The 2007 MDX starts at $40,000, making it the second most expensive base Acura. Coming in as a close third is the base TL. Packages can change the ranking drastically because they can be very expensive and if more than one is chosen, it adds thousands of dollars to the base price of the vehicle. The fourth most expensive car is the RDX. Though it is a small SUV, it is only a mere $500 more than the TL. Fifth is the TSX, which is only about $2000 less than the RDX. Though the RSX is no longer in production for the 2007 year, it is the sixth most expensive car which is still considered to be in the lineup.

Ack Attack Post 34: Keeping Up

Over the years Acura has made many changes to their lineup as well as making many additional accessories for their cars and changes to the cars themselves. As older cars have been phased out, newer cars have to stay at or above the bar. Older Acuras had smaller rims, basic lighting, and basic entertainment. Rims on newer Acuras are larger, shinier, and much more expensive and ahead of the game as compared to their older rims. New Acks have the brightest and optimum lighting in and outside of the car. As mentioned in a previous thread, Acura lighting is extremely bright and includes daytime running lights. Entertainment in Acuras has skyrocketed with the introduction of CD changers, GPS systems, and Blue Tooth. Acuras now basically come standard with CD changers. The GPS is a little more expensive, but it comes as part of a "Navigation Package". Blue Tooth is simply a button in the car which the driver can push. This button silences the radio and allows for the phone call to be heard and answered through the car speakers. While this does seem like it would be helpful for many people, I can't think this is marketed towards a parent. If you have children in the car, they probably aren't going to quiet down just because of the phone. Business people would really appreciate the simplicity of using the technology as well as the convenience of being able to answer the phone without having to pick it up. Acura is raising the bar by way of stylistic design, entertainment, and convenience which they incorporate into their vehicles. Hopefully other car makers will be able to "Keep Up With the Joneses".