Fell out of love with my FK8...

RepyT

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It was initially but hasn't seen a true update in something like 10-12 years.
Yep, Nissan finds the bow wave that works and tries to ride it across land to the next ocean. Altima is nice (yawn).
Reminds me of wife’s Lexus GX, minor changes only in, I think 15 years.
 
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I was fortunate enough to drive my friends 2019 CTR, which led me to wanting it. It is definitely very hard to buy a car without driving it, and so I can see potential disappointments. Luckily for me, I was able to buy mine with knowing how it performed on the street and in the back roads.
 

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i feel you at times.
not because i feel underwhelmed but I don't think i drive my car nearly enough so i get the thought of selling it every single time when it sits.

the feeling does go away for a while when i do take it out for a drive though.
this for me. In almost a year I’ve only put 750 miles on my R, not including the 800 miles from the dealership to home. I sometimes wonder why I bothered getting it but then I drive it and remember.
 

samji

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I think the problem with the hype of the CTR is that everyone has to remember that different people have different tolerances, and the hype it gets is mostly by journalists who don't have the car for more than a few days at most. For many people, this could be the one car that does it all, but for others, it probably won't be.

The Golf R is a great more sedate CTR alternative - with an ECU tune those things are shockingly quick but the Golf R doesn't handle as good as the CTR. It's all about trade offs.

Also, most people who bought a CTR didn't/couldn't test drive it first, so the only thing they could do is rely on reviews/hype/word of mouth.

My girlfriend has a Golf R and I actually had substantial seat time in it even before I got into a CTR. A "sedate" ver. of CTR is a good way of putting it.

Steering is much more lighter than the CTR (Race stiffness is about as stiff as CTR's comfort), and if you try to throttle out of corners at the same angle as the CTR, you will plow into the guardrail. Both engines are equally good with minimal lag with the CTR a touch smoother. But I think the Golf R has the major edge in power potential. It will also probably put down the power much better than the CTR, so if you plan on going big power mods, the golf is the way to go.

Handling is where the CTR just pulls miles ahead.
Even with similar tire compounds, the Golf tends to want to push as the front tires get overloaded. The car doesn't feel as nimble (if you drive it after your drive the CTR), and I found I had a hard time getting the car to rotate. The shifter is very weird as well, and though I know some people prefer it, I personally would take the DSG over the manual, at least in stock form. Clutch delay is almost as bad as the new wrx's and the clutch pedal feel is springy and non-linear unlike the CTR's. It feels okay moving around town, but once you try to drive it spiritedly, the clutch delay is pretty horrendous. If I didn't know either platforms, I would think the golf R is FWD based on how much it understeers.

To put it simply, the golf is "exhausting" to drive on a twisty road at the same intensity as the CTR. I don't get the same kind of "flow", "zen", "ultra instinct (lol)" feeling. Whatever that calm/focused state is driving the CTR, you absolutely don't get in the golf. It's almost like I'm arguing with the car to get it to go where I want it to. I think it's a combination of weight (its almost 200 lbs heavier than the CTR), clunky suspension, annoying shifter in the upper RPM's, and a numb rubbery shifter, that makes me feel like theres a lot to be desired at the end of the day for me.


HOWEVER,

The Golf R blows the civic out of the water in terms of amenities and fit/finish. I think its much better built, and the delta in sound system difference is probably even greater than the handling delta between these two cars. I wont even get started on the infotainment for the civic as you all probably already know.

Similar yet very different cars and I wish I could just merge these two cars together to get my "ideal" car lolol
 


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  1. Just to note OP started this thread and hasn't bothered to reply to it.
    Lmao... sorry, I was reading everyone's comments trying to decide what to do. I think I've had a change of heart. I took it on a spirited run thru some twisty roads and was reminded why I bought the car in the first place. It may not be the fastest from a dig, but that's not what it was designed to be. It has good power from the factory, it handles like a dream and I will keep it. I really like the OEM wheels (I think they look better than any aftermarket set up I've seen so far) so I'm thinking of going with 255/35R20 michelins to provide added comfort and to protect the wheels a little more than rubber bands it came with. As far as the exhaust goes... I will need to do my homework, the last thing I want is a fart can attached to my car. R #30563 will stay with me for the foreseeable future. Thank you guys for your input!
 

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  1. Lmao... sorry, I was reading everyone's comments trying to decide what to do. I think I've had a change of heart. I took it on a spirited run thru some twisty roads and was reminded why I bought the car in the first place. It may not be the fastest from a dig, but that's not what it was designed to be. It has good power from the factory, it handles like a dream and I will keep it. I really like the OEM wheels (I think they look better than any aftermarket set up I've seen so far) so I'm thinking of going with 255/35R20 michelins to provide added comfort and to protect the wheels a little more than rubber bands it came with. As far as the exhaust goes... I will need to do my homework, the last thing I want is a fart can attached to my car. R #30563 will stay with me for the foreseeable future. Thank you guys for your input!
Thats what the community is for, good luck man.??
 

samji

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  1. Lmao... sorry, I was reading everyone's comments trying to decide what to do. I think I've had a change of heart. I took it on a spirited run thru some twisty roads and was reminded why I bought the car in the first place. It may not be the fastest from a dig, but that's not what it was designed to be. It has good power from the factory, it handles like a dream and I will keep it. I really like the OEM wheels (I think they look better than any aftermarket set up I've seen so far) so I'm thinking of going with 255/35R20 michelins to provide added comfort and to protect the wheels a little more than rubber bands it came with. As far as the exhaust goes... I will need to do my homework, the last thing I want is a fart can attached to my car. R #30563 will stay with me for the foreseeable future. Thank you guys for your input!
Right on brother, meatier tires will definitely make it more livable if you're daily driving it.

Just know there is no perfect car at the end of the day. A lot of CTR owners came from cars that are faster and much more expensive. So the probability of you being disappointed on a car thats "objectively" better is just as high as the CTR. Just try to remind yourself why you purchased it from the start, and go from there. If it takes you going out to the twisties every month then so be it :) it was what the car was designed for!
 
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  1. Lmao... sorry, I was reading everyone's comments trying to decide what to do. I think I've had a change of heart. I took it on a spirited run thru some twisty roads and was reminded why I bought the car in the first place. It may not be the fastest from a dig, but that's not what it was designed to be. It has good power from the factory, it handles like a dream and I will keep it. I really like the OEM wheels (I think they look better than any aftermarket set up I've seen so far) so I'm thinking of going with 255/35R20 michelins to provide added comfort and to protect the wheels a little more than rubber bands it came with. As far as the exhaust goes... I will need to do my homework, the last thing I want is a fart can attached to my car. R #30563 will stay with me for the foreseeable future. Thank you guys for your input!
No need to change your opinion because of peer pressure man. I feel the same sometimes. The problem is the type R sets the Nurburgring record, and when it first came out, it was hyped up by the media, and a many YouTubers jumped on the bandwagon and raved the about the car. Then many people rushed to buy it and willing to pay 10K-15K additional mark up thinking it will be comparable with a 50K car without even test driving the car. Then the realized it’s not a great as they thought it was. The R is a great car in the sub-40k category and does incredibly well for what it is, but it also comes with a lot of short comings.
 

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The R is a great car in the sub-40k category and does incredibly well for what it is, but it also comes with a lot of short comings.
And I think the shortcomings are much more readily apparent and obvious if you use the car as a daily driver. It's a great daily driver, but that doesn't mean it's perfect for everyone. Of course, there are shortcomings in the track performance too - overheating issues, eating tires like mad, etc.

Still, for a sub $40K car the performance the CTR offers is virtually unmatched for cars in it's price range (not counting used ones).
 


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I agree and it's not just the CTR that was hyped - I mean it seems like most enthusiast's type of cars are hyped these days. Between the CTR, the Supra, C8 Corvette and the GT350 when it first came out - dealers are adding markup, won't allow for test drives so you are correct - the consumer only has YT reviews and car mag reviews to go by before they buy the vehicle.

When I think about it - I do see myself being a Nissan fanboy - I've owned 2 Zs and 1 G35 coupe so I know when the new 400 comes out - dealers will be acting like its a Ferrari or something and will be adding markup to it as well. And for me (and I'm assuming a lot of people on this forum), having a hatchback which can perform as well as the CTR or the GolfR - it's great - I mean, you have a great performing vehicle but yet the practicality of carrying more than 1 passenger and a hatch to throw a lot of things in the back. Personally, I miss my VW MK6 bc of this - fun car for sure but after repairs hit a certain point - had to trade it in.

Right now, not to hijack the thread - i'm on the fence as to trade in my Z for a CTR. I don't think the tradeoff in performance will be worth the extra $$ and that is what prevents me from doing so; although the idea of having the practicality of a hatch and still a solid performer is intriguing to me haha. But since I don't have kids and I'm single - having the Z kinda fits both the budget and the fun factor :)
If you don't need the extra interior space I would definitely keep the Z. I don't think the CTR can offer anything more than marginal performance gains and its probably no quicker than your Z in a straight line (possibly slower lol). This is why I'm transitioning the civic to do daily duties later this year, which is where I think the civic outshines its competition.
 

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I like happy endings (sigh).?

Daily driving appreciation reality test:

Go about 70 mph on the highway, hopefully it has a matching speed limit. Recognize that even stock, you can go about another 100 mph faster, not that we would anywhere but track or Texas. Now find another $37k car that does that, and turns instinctually.
Prolly can’t. Long live the R.??
 

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I like happy endings (sigh).?

Daily driving appreciation reality test:

Go about 70 mph on the highway, hopefully it has a matching speed limit. Recognize that even stock, you can go about another 100 mph faster, not that we would anywhere but track or Texas. Now find another $37k car that does that, and turns instinctually.
Prolly can’t. Long live the R.??
how is the z a faster car lol or even a g35
 

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My girlfriend has a Golf R and I actually had substantial seat time in it even before I got into a CTR. A "sedate" ver. of CTR is a good way of putting it.

Steering is much more lighter than the CTR (Race stiffness is about as stiff as CTR's comfort), and if you try to throttle out of corners at the same angle as the CTR, you will plow into the guardrail. Both engines are equally good with minimal lag with the CTR a touch smoother. But I think the Golf R has the major edge in power potential. It will also probably put down the power much better than the CTR, so if you plan on going big power mods, the golf is the way to go.

Handling is where the CTR just pulls miles ahead.
Even with similar tire compounds, the Golf tends to want to push as the front tires get overloaded. The car doesn't feel as nimble (if you drive it after your drive the CTR), and I found I had a hard time getting the car to rotate. The shifter is very weird as well, and though I know some people prefer it, I personally would take the DSG over the manual, at least in stock form. Clutch delay is almost as bad as the new wrx's and the clutch pedal feel is springy and non-linear unlike the CTR's. It feels okay moving around town, but once you try to drive it spiritedly, the clutch delay is pretty horrendous. If I didn't know either platforms, I would think the golf R is FWD based on how much it understeers.

To put it simply, the golf is "exhausting" to drive on a twisty road at the same intensity as the CTR. I don't get the same kind of "flow", "zen", "ultra instinct (lol)" feeling. Whatever that calm/focused state is driving the CTR, you absolutely don't get in the golf. It's almost like I'm arguing with the car to get it to go where I want it to. I think it's a combination of weight (its almost 200 lbs heavier than the CTR), clunky suspension, annoying shifter in the upper RPM's, and a numb rubbery shifter, that makes me feel like theres a lot to be desired at the end of the day for me.


HOWEVER,

The Golf R blows the civic out of the water in terms of amenities and fit/finish. I think its much better built, and the delta in sound system difference is probably even greater than the handling delta between these two cars. I wont even get started on the infotainment for the civic as you all probably already know.

Similar yet very different cars and I wish I could just merge these two cars together to get my "ideal" car lolol
I had a MK6 GTI, and I agree with your assessment on the Golf R 100%. I prefer the rubber shifting of the German cars than the mechanical feeling to be honest. To me, that’s refinement. The Golf R is a better daily than the type R, but I wish VW has Honda reliability. My GTI was in the shop 3,4 times during the 1 and a half years I had it. 1st time was cooling leaking, and second time was the radiator cracking due to stress. That was part of the reason why I got rid of it, but the real reason was because I wanted an Evo which was the most unrefined car I’ve owned LOL

And I think the shortcomings are much more readily apparent and obvious if you use the car as a daily driver. It's a great daily driver, but that doesn't mean it's perfect for everyone. Of course, there are shortcomings in the track performance too - overheating issues, eating tires like mad, etc.

Still, for a sub $40K car the performance the CTR offers is virtually unmatched for cars in it's price range (not counting used ones).
Yeah! Depends where you drive the car daily too. If you drive it in the metro areas, you’ll probably going to hate it, but if you drive in the suburbs where roads are smooth and less traffic, you’ll love it.

If you don't need the extra interior space I would definitely keep the Z. I don't think the CTR can offer anything more than marginal performance gains and its probably no quicker than your Z in a straight line (possibly slower lol). This is why I'm transitioning the civic to do daily duties later this year, which is where I think the civic outshines its competition.
I had 2 G35’s, and 04 and 07, the latter which I still have today. I took the type R to Ikea once, and it reminds me I made a good choice getting it because it could fit so much in the back with the seat down. The Z has more top ends due to the NA V6, but I think it can go either way between the Z and the type R. However, the Z is a true RWD sport car and there’s something about the RWD sport car platform that makes it more satisfying to drive IMO.
 

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I had a MK6 GTI, and I agree with your assessment on the Golf R 100%. I prefer the rubber shifting of the German cars than the mechanical feeling to be honest. To me, that’s refinement. The Golf R is a better daily than the type R, but I wish VW has Honda reliability. My GTI was in the shop 3,4 times during the 1 and a half years I had it. 1st time was cooling leaking, and second time was the radiator cracking due to stress. That was part of the reason why I got rid of it, but the real reason was because I wanted an Evo which was the most unrefined car I’ve owned LOL



Yeah! Depends where you drive the car daily too. If you drive it in the metro areas, you’ll probably going to hate it, but if you drive in the suburbs where roads are smooth and less traffic, you’ll love it.



I had 2 G35’s, and 04 and 07, the latter which I still have today. I took the type R to Ikea once, and it reminds me I made a good choice getting it because it could fit so much in the back with the seat down. The Z has more top ends due to the NA V6, but I think it can go either way between the Z and the type R. However, the Z is a true RWD sport car and there’s something about the RWD sport car platform that makes it more satisfying to drive IMO.
it's funny bc I would say half the cars I want are hatchbacks. One doesn't know the practicality they offer as well as the ability to tune and make them little gokarts; I still remember lowering the backseats in my MK6 and helping a friend move - he was shocked how much one could put in the vehicle since it looked so small from the outside. haha.
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