1998 Acura Integra Type R — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $45,000–$90,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.
Kestrel Take
A holy-grail front-drive icon — the DC2 Integra Type R's screaming B18C5 VTEC engine, hand-ported head, and razor chassis make it one of the greatest driver's cars ever, and values have gone stratospheric. That's the catch: originality and authenticity now hugely affect value, and many were modified, tracked, or crashed. A verified-original, documented, un-abused Type R is a blue-chip collectible; get an expert inspection and verify the VIN, engine, and history in detail.
What we checked
Checked against public records, 2026-09-25
Federal complaint records thin out badly before about 2000, so there is little here to check against. What follows is our own write-up. Treat a short list as us having less to go on, not as the vehicle having fewer faults.
Known Issues for the 1998 Acura Integra Type R
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Values are high enough that fakes, swaps, and heavily modified cars abound; verify the VIN, engine numbers, originality, and get an expert inspection. Authenticity drives value.
Repair cost: Not a repair — an ownership-cost warning, not a mechanical fault
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Many were tracked, modified, or crashed; inspect for damage, swaps, and mods.
Repair cost: Not a repair — an ownership-cost warning, not a mechanical fault
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Inspect for rust in the usual Honda spots, especially on non-southern cars.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: not yet checked against public records.
The VTEC engine revs hard; verify diligent maintenance and compression.
Repair cost (estimate): $500-$3,000
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Questionable authenticity / VIN
- ✗Track/crash damage
- ✗Rust
- ✗Non-original engine/mods without disclosure
Good Signs
- ✓Verified-original, documented car
- ✓Expert-inspected, matching numbers
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Found a specific Acura Integra Type R?
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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