LOH's 2016 Civic Type-R, contains spoilers**

[mattyc69]

750turbo said:

Just beware of VAG Fanboy Polojoe

It had to be championship white for me!

As a 10 year old I remember seeing Norwich Honda had a brand new integra in their showroom in the local paper, I crazed my Dad to take me to sit in it. That's when my type r obsession began!

I have got an ep3 type r in the garage! 2002 25k on the clock had it 10 years now. I was always gutted they never came in white for this country so had to settle for Milano red.

I will be making sure I don't get involved in any races with the much superior polo gti!!!

[Martin_Hx]

[LaurasOtherHalf]

I'm terribly bad at updating these threads so apologies for the delay. But we continue to Spa......



What do I ay about Spa? The plaudits gush forth when speaking to most track-day'rs, epic scenery, epic track etc etc. I love the place and have some very fond memories of the trips we've enjoyed around here but on track? Drumroll please.....

I don't actually enjoy it.

It's without doubt one of my favourite motorsport venues, and i do love to watch the F1 boys around there and there's nothing like driving the same hallowed tarmac as your hero's but as a track day for me personally, I just never enjoy it as much as I probably should. Strange.

Now before everyone says I'm mental (they may have a point) I've actually done some thinking as to why this is for none other than the purposes of this thread and I think I know why it doesn't quite appeal to me as much as it should, there are a couple of reasons for it..

1 It always seems to fall after a 'ring trip and the 'ring is so challenging, so exciting etc that unfortunately for me the grand old place that is Spa just feels a bit mickey after the 'ring.

2 it's fking hard on your car. My first ever trackway was at Spa believe it or not and I still recall setting the brakes on my 350Z on fire (amongst other misdemeanours!)

3 the best corners are fast and ballsy. eau rouge, blanchemont, pouhon etc yes they're a massive challenge and I totally get that, but with corners this fast you have to be going at epic speeds to make them come alive and I personally know 3 people who have written off their cars there. The excitement outweighs the risk.

4 the big one. You know what makes Spa really fun? Having a fking really fast car. GTR, GT2, GT3, this is fun at Spa. My modified shopping cars? not so much as it happens. Some folk might think this is sad but in all honesty I revel in the fact that I can outpace some serious machinery at the 'ring with my vastly inferior cars through driver skill. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination the quickest, but I can hold my own and there's a thrill in that. At Spa, without some serious hardware you are simply going to get passed. A lot. My best ever time there was years ago in the R26.R when it rained biblically and we stayed out lapping and passing for fun. Every other time, well I guess I'm just a bit slow.



So there you go, I've kind of decided I won't bother much with Spa any more. I'll probably still do it in the 911 with Steve should the opportunity arise again but in my own car, until I get back into the "Supercar" realms again I don't think so.

Here's some footage;

https://youtu.be/ez_TZp4btQI

We took quite a lot more, but looking back on it I don't think it makes for really that exciting viewing. We did have a couple of laps racing with a stripped out e36 M3 race car from holland but didn't manage to film it, the most fun I had was in the 911GTS unsurprisingly.

So not to finish on a downer, it's just some reflections after a few weeks of getting back home after the trip. The car was great on track and it was a total buzz with the attention it got. We were yet again running late for the ferry and even though we were the last ones on we couldn't get to our cabin as we had to show the dockers around the car;



They loved it unsurprisingly as one actually had an EP3 Type-R and was waxing lyrical about how much he wanted one of these new ones.

Edited by LaurasOtherHalf on Sunday 10th November 21:12

[jmate]

Just wanted to day what a excellent write-up. You should sell these for Honda because I think you've captured more then what they have for the nature of this car.

Makes me want one !

[Thunder18]

A great read, well done and congrats.

I'm told the Concept Devil Horn Spoiler would not pass EU Homologation, i.e. the specific rules on which car must be compliant when built for EU. Also I'm not sure it was ever wind tunnel tested either so maybe it was just never going to happen...

Do you know if anyone put 18's on theirs as yet, or even as the vs RS thread may have suggested, putting Michelins on to see how it fares out??

[Demanvilles]

Have you considered spacers on the rear wheels?

Great machine! I've just noticed the rear wheels look a little lost on this particular model.

Good luck with it! Looks brilliant fun!

[atom111]

Great posts, enjoyed reading about the type R,

[LaurasOtherHalf]

jmate said:

Just wanted to day what a excellent write-up. You should sell these for Honda because I think you've captured more then what they have for the nature of this car.

Makes me want one !

Thanks very much Funnily enough someone said the same in my old MINI GP thread

Thunder18 said:

Do you know if anyone put 18's on theirs as yet, or even as the vs RS thread may have suggested, putting Michelins on to see how it fares out??

I'm not on any Honda specific forums but when I've been doing a little googling I have found one where people mention the Honda winter tyres that are 18' but apparently the stock sizes are a really cooky offset so finding some 18s to throw on is a little difficult.....

Standard wheel spec;
Size - 19"
PCD - 5 x 120
Width - 8.5
Offset - ET60
Centre Bore - 64.1mm
Weight - 11kg
Part Number - 42700-TV8-E93

FK2 Type-R on OZ 18s;

Demanvilles said:

Have you considered spacers on the rear wheels?

Great machine! I've just noticed the rear wheels look a little lost on this particular model.

Good luck with it! Looks brilliant fun!

Cheers The rear wheels do look daft I know and I have looked at spacers BUT, my issue is how will they effect the handling? The problem is, the damn car just drives so bloomin' well I really want to upset all that just for aesthetics?

I think what might be more effective is to go down the 18' route as Thunder18 says but using a wheel with a different offset to increase the track that way. It all sounds a little bit too much suck it an see to me and I'd be a fool to spend a couple of grand on wheels and tyres to end up with a car that handled worse but looked better.

I have spoken to TDi North briefly about it and probably need to investigate further as they're working on FK2Type-R mods now. My enquiry was along the lines of increasing the camber as well as the offset to get a better set up but I think it's still a work in progress for them. I'll keep weighing up the options I guess...


Anyways, as mentioned we had a night out with the car last night. Readers of my previous threads will know I used to have a couple of 911s so I did used to pop along to the local Porsche Club nights, not my usual scene but they are run by a mate and they are pretty welcoming to all makes of car. Another mate who lives up the road from us suddenly arrived in a lovely V8 Vantage on Saturday (after trading his equally mint DB7 Vantage in for it) and as we were looking for an excuse to take the cars out we decided to go to this months meet.

The weather has been perfect up here in the north for the last few weeks so I even managed to get the car washed and waxed and looking it's best

There's something about HD Wax that I like, probably that it makes the car easier to clean as I'm lazy

I love the look when it's all applied but get that sinking feeling at the thought of buffing it all off again! Would one of those machine polishers make it easier?
I really need to move those gas bottles too when I get a spare couple of hours

Regardless, last night.....


Everyone met at ours for the trip over towards the lake district for the meet, as the Aston was new and the weather was beautiful I wanted to passenger in that so Ross (who came to the 'ring with me last month) drove the Type-R with one of his mates in the passenger seat. Plus as I wasn't driving I could have a pint



Isn't it nice seeing your car on the road?


We drove down in convoy and got to the hotel where the meet was happening, not a huge affair but some nice cars all the same











As I said, a very different crowd to what I'm used to, The Porsche lot are more into their polishing and talking where I'd normally be into the driving side of things but each to their own. Did the Type-R get much of a reaction? Not much at all I'm afraid but I guess this reflects on the different people that go to say these events and trackways for instance and I don't mind having a look over other peoples nice cars.

Where it may be different though is at the 'ring for instance, if someone is taking a look over my car I'll open it up, let them have a seat in it and start the engine and rev it, maybe even offer them a passenger lap or something. At these events it's all a little more reserved shall we say, there aint much interaction between owners and any new arrivals (I had't been to this meet for a couple of years and two of our party had never been at all), maybe the oiks in the souped up shopping trolley weren't to be fraternised with! It's maybe a generational thing.

One thing I will say however is they keep their cars bloody shiny! Mike, the lad who organises these things has the mintest porsche I've ever seen, you look through the wheels and even the ball joints are pristine. How he can be bothered I'll never know but it's nice to see, if not what I'm in to!

After a couple of pints we headed home in the Aston, god I love these V8 Vantages. I've looked at a few over the years but never gotten one bought, maybe one day.... I know people slate them for being a bit heavy and underpowered but I don't see it myself, plenty fast enough for me and I think with a few subtle mods it would make a great euro-tourer and 'ring car.



Ross followed us in the Type-R most of the way but decided to overtake for the final stretch and it was lovely to see the car on the road in front of us, something you never usually get to see I guess. It really does look mean! Very, very aggressively styled obviously but it seems to look even more so when in motion, the colour brings it all together too. I know the wheels look a little lost when static but when it's on the road in front of you the wide arch look all comes together, it really looks like it has just driven off a rally stage or touring car race.

I think I've made the right choice in car

Edited by LaurasOtherHalf on Wednesday 8th June 09:50

[Martin_Hx]

I know what you mean about these type of car meets, look i like a clean car and mine is always pretty clean but there is a limit i will go to

If its taken me more than 30 mins its taking too long in my book!

I should stop looking at this thread as it keeps making me want one...

[Wh00sher]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I'm terribly bad at updating these threads

Yes, you are

I really enjoyed reading it though, thanks for taking the time to update it. I always thought these looked a bit OTT, but actually, in this colour they look pretty good. Very capable car too !

[iphonedyou]

Thanks for the update.

Your experience of meets sounds the same as mine when I used to attend a few years back. Lots of people standing around and the only ones speaking fairly cliquey.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Wh00sher said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I'm terribly bad at updating these threads

Yes, you are

I really enjoyed reading it though, thanks for taking the time to update it. I always thought these looked a bit OTT, but actually, in this colour they look pretty good. Very capable car too !

I'm claiming dispensation for having a four month old toddler! (ok, I'm just a little lazy!)

The meet last night was fun enough as I attended with good friends and there's always a couple of people who have a bit more craic about them so I hope I haven't made it sound like a total downer! I guess a lot of folk aren't the sociable types.

One thing that did occur to me when writing was if anyone wanted anything put in the thread? It might be a bit ghey but would people like;

a walk around of the car?

start up of exhaust note or something?

drive by?

photos of the boot, interior etc?

All suggestions welcome enough

[liner33]

Photos of the rear seats might be useful , i have been looking at these today online

Can an adult sit in the back ?

[Demanvilles]

I hear you on not wanting to compromise the handling!

Different wheels could be interesting, although against the grey perhaps the originals in silver would bring back a little more depth.

Always enjoy your threads!

Cheers

[JonnyTenny]

Thanks for the write up, easily the best colour!

[Matthew Poxon]

I enjoyed reading your thread, thanks for posting.

Never seen one in that colour before, looks really good.

[mattyc69]

Mine has just arrived at the dealers,

Role on Saturday cannot wait!!

Its because of this thread I bought one, plus the cracking deal I got helped convince the Mrs!

Edited by mattyc69 on Tuesday 14th June 16:12

[samoht]

jmate said:

You should sell these for Honda because I think you've captured more then what they have for the nature of this car.

Makes me want one !

mattyc69 said:

Role on Saturday cannot wait!!

Its because of this thread I bought one

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Off to a christening today so I thought I'd press the Civic into family duties today, if you need to try and convince your other half that the Type-R is the sensible family option, feel free to show her the video of a very chunky pram getting fired in.

If I'm honest, the civic has more interior space than the wife's BMW X1 4x4


https://youtu.be/OKlnO7ydB_U

[Diesel Meister]

You dastardly man. You're getting freebies from the big H for sure!