FN2 Civic Type R - The one they love to hate.

[HorneyMX5]

A bit of background.

For the last 18 months I've been toiling around in this:


IMG_5008.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

I get a £5.5K pa car allowance and I wanted to maximize what I got in my pocket as the company I work for stated that all I needed was 4 seats. It's been a great car and done sterling service along side my other wheels. The MX5.


IMG_2844.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

Last month I got a payrise and an increase in my car allowance. While the MG has been brilliant I just don't like diesels very much and i was itching for a change. I can't remember what prompted me to look at a CTR but I posted a thread up asking if I was mad to consider doing 16K miles + a year in one. You can read it here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

In short the PH masses concluded that it was a perfectly sane thing to do and the search began. After looking at some that were over priced or just not the right car I eventually found the perfect one. Sadly it was a 7.5 hour round trip to go and see it. I couldn't spare a whole day just to look at one car. The seller then mentioned he was working just down the road from me the following week and if I was really, really, really interested he would take the Civic for the week. Clearly it was meant to be. Fast forward 3 days and a deal had been done and the car is parked outside the flat.


IMG_4705.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4706.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4708.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4711.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

It's a 2007 on 32,000 miles with a complete and very detailed Honda history. Spec is GT with added parking sensors and ipod cable. He described the car as nearly mint and he wasn't kidding. I've since had it up on a ramp and the only defects are a handful of stone chips which is common on these. The interior looks, feels and smells like that of a brand new car. It's got an HKS induction kit which makes the Vtec even more addictive. I paid £7700 which I think is a pretty good price for the miles and condition.

3 days in and I have done £120 of fuel and over 600 miles in it with a permanent grin on my face. It's also sporting a PH smiley on it's rump. Future plans are not a lot. Probably a flash Pro and maybe the highly recommended 15mm wheel spacers. Many people complain about the ride but it seems fine to me, stiff but fine.

Next stop, the Sunday Service at MBW this weekend for it's first car meet.

Edited by HorneyMX5 on Friday 8th November 19:43

[HorneyMX5]

Fonzey said:

Enjoy it

Oh I am. Just got back from a pointless drive via a Costa Drive Through.

[HorneyMX5]

Most of my driving is pretty good A and B roads once I'm out of town and the main roads in Basingstoke are for the most part not too bad. I have found the concrete sections of motorway a little tiring but they're bad in any car. A truly hateful road surface.

[HorneyMX5]

Love a bit of Forza on the xbox so it would have been rude not to:


GAV2 by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


GAV1 by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Cheers. I'm planning on getting it fully detailed and protected in the coming weeks.

Popped out earlier and grabbed some snaps as I've added a Carbon Mugen gear knob and a couple of stickers.


IMG_4719.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4722.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4725.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4726.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4735.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4743.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4745.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Cheers for the pic Alex.

I do like the GP kit and it's on my wish list. The back one I really like, the front I can take or leave.

[HorneyMX5]

[HorneyMX5]

It does look nice in blue.

[HorneyMX5]

dmitry said:

You're a bad bad man Nicholas. Having an MX5 and thinking what to get as a new daily instead of an E36 I've stumbled upon your "...am i mad" topic and it ended with me buying an FN2 yesterday.
On a serious note, thumbs up for your collection and photography skills!

I'm glad I could be of service!

[HorneyMX5]

As recommended by Civinfo forum I've bought and fitted some 15mm Eibach spacers that improve the stance, the wheels look a bit lost in the arches before. I'm not going to replace the wheels as I love the OE ones so this was the best way to get a bit of width.

Before Spacers:


IMG_4853.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4854.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

The spacers:


IMG_4855.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

After spacers:


IMG_4856.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4857.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4858.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4859.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4860.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4861.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4862.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Cheers, I'm really chuffed with what a difference they've made. Been out and taken more photos. As you can see it BADLY needs a machine polish which will get in the coming weeks.


IMG_4863.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4864.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4865.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4866-Edit.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

wilbo83 said:

That's looking great. I assume that's a private plate as i thought these were 2007+. Can I ask what sort of mpg you are seeing?

Yes, the plate belongs to Gav who I bought it from. Paperwork is in process for it to be returned to him and the car back on it's original 57 plate.

MPG wise I've done 2000 miles in the 3 weeks I've had and it's averaged 31 over that period. I've had it as high 39 on a long run driving like Miss Daisy and as low as 16 driving like a twunt. My Normal drive to work is 60% Country A road, 20% DC and 20% town traffic and with normal driving and the odd squirt of Vtec I'll see 34 to 35 for the day. It seems a couple of MPG more frugal on Vpower Nitro Super Hero Not Quite Free Lego Juice.

[HorneyMX5]

Thanks Hayward!

The ride is pretty hard, I've never had a road car with linear springs. It suits the character of the car though and it doesn't bother me.

Had it machine polished today and it looks awesome. Will get some pics and post them but here's a quick one from spazbook.

[HorneyMX5]

IMG_4930.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4932.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4933.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4934.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4937.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4938.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4943.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4951.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

IMG_4962.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4964.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4965.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4967.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4968.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

The machine Polish was done by The Detailing House who you can find on Facebook. Top chap if your in the north Hampshire/surrey area.

Spacers were £200 brand new, they don't come up used very often.

[HorneyMX5]

Massive stone + Motorway speeds = New windscreen required. bks.

[HorneyMX5]

rossub said:

Good opportunity to check for rust along the roof where it meets the windscreen though.

Yeah I thought that too to be honest although it did have it's annual corrosion check up with Honda in September and past with flying colours. One of the reasons I bought this one.

[HorneyMX5]

Naional Winscreen man arrives. Looks at the Civic, looks at his worksheet, looks at the civic, looks at his worksheet "It's not a 2003 model is it? We've ordered the wrong screen."

Pants.

[HorneyMX5]

HJMS123 said:

I don't mean to nit-pic but in your last pic of the rear of car theres still looks like there is a lot of swirling to the right of the number plate

There is some yeah, the paint is really soft on these and my friend who machine polished it wanted to take it easy. We're going to do it again in the spring. Compared to who it was before it looks like a different car!