Am I losing the plot C63 to Civic Type R?
Discussion
After running a 2017 Civic Type R for 3+ years and 50,000 miles - I changed it for a Mercedes AMG C63S wagon last year.
Most of the time the original Civic was in tandem with a "toy" for the high days and holidays but I loved it so much I would often take it for the fun stuff anyway.
Then having to go to one car for everything left me with the Honda and that was no hardship
But as is the way of us all , you never stop thinking about the next car , as you do,
In my case it came down to the M3/C63 and Giulia QF trio. Fast, prestigious, step up from the car I had etc.
Found a mint C63 , loved the V8 sound and vibes , and it's been great , don't get me wrong. It's always an event starting it and its fast, sorted and beautifully built.
But - to be the all-rounder I need it has to be the sort of car you get up at 6am on a Sunday morning to drive .......and the fact is the Honda is just more fun.
So the Merc has gone and a facelift Civic Type R is coming next week.
Most dealers think I'm mad
Most of the time the original Civic was in tandem with a "toy" for the high days and holidays but I loved it so much I would often take it for the fun stuff anyway.
Then having to go to one car for everything left me with the Honda and that was no hardship
But as is the way of us all , you never stop thinking about the next car , as you do,
In my case it came down to the M3/C63 and Giulia QF trio. Fast, prestigious, step up from the car I had etc.
Found a mint C63 , loved the V8 sound and vibes , and it's been great , don't get me wrong. It's always an event starting it and its fast, sorted and beautifully built.
But - to be the all-rounder I need it has to be the sort of car you get up at 6am on a Sunday morning to drive .......and the fact is the Honda is just more fun.
So the Merc has gone and a facelift Civic Type R is coming next week.
Most dealers think I'm mad
iphonedyou said:
Not a move I’d make - and I owned and loved a DC5! - but I hope you enjoy every minute of your new car.
ThanksI think the pre turbo Type Rs are rather different in character to the FK8 and FK2 for that matter. The newer cars are pretty relaxed when you need them to be, makes them very easy to live with.
Weekendrebuild said:
Personally I can’t just do one car.. one wife is fine. Cars I’ve got 9 now, I like a choice on a sunny Sunday 
Best I ever got to was 5 - that covered all the bases and , money no object, I'd still do that but its been pointed out that I may have spent the children's inheritance on cars over the years. I'm very good at "Man Maths"What I need is the O/H to not be so attached to her 1.5LMini Cooper , maybe we could tease her into something a little more interesting.
But this move is about a single car to do it all and not bankrupt me at 1.55/litre .It's an old , old debate , but what's the ideal car to
take 2 elderly adults out for lunch, take a load of bulky stuff to the dump, put a bike in the back of, do a road trip to France and bring back a load of wine, go to Le Mans with my mates , smash my local twisty B road on a Sunday morning and a track day or 3 - without costing the earth.
Glenn63 said:
I went 6.2 c63 to m140i, no regrets really. C63 sounded better and probably a better day to day cruiser and more space but m140 better to drive properly and on track. It’s actually probably one of my favourite cars Iv owned.
This is exactly what I'm getting at. The thing is the Civic is as roomy as the Merc , has better seats and actually has more kit on it - Like Carplay for example. But not much can match AMG for sonic drama and its very quick in a straight lineThe logical do-everything-with-one-car car has to be some sort of middle to largeish 4x4 SUV with an economical engine.
Something like a BMW X3 3 diesel probably covers it, or a Nissan X Trail if your self-confidence exceeds your badge ego. Flexible, and decent mpg (when I was looking for an X3 a while back they did over 50 mpg). You just have to ignore track days. And towing trailers over 2 tonnes.
I know what you mean though abut the C63 - I have had a Volvo XC 90 and an Audi A8, but am frankly happier running around in an old Saab estate (I have dogs as well as grandkids) or an X-Trail, which is my tow vehicle. Badge ego simply doesn't bother me any more, and it is hard to use serious performance on our busy roads. But I am probably 30 years older than you and like my licence to be cleaner than my cars. All my dailies cost under £3 grand, which helps them not to get nicked.
I do however have a V8 TVR for those early Sunday mornings and track days.
If I had to choose one of the above to have as an only car it would be the X Trail.
Must be time I got the pipe and slippers out.
At the end of the day, what matters is what makes you happy, not what anyone else thinks
Something like a BMW X3 3 diesel probably covers it, or a Nissan X Trail if your self-confidence exceeds your badge ego. Flexible, and decent mpg (when I was looking for an X3 a while back they did over 50 mpg). You just have to ignore track days. And towing trailers over 2 tonnes.
I know what you mean though abut the C63 - I have had a Volvo XC 90 and an Audi A8, but am frankly happier running around in an old Saab estate (I have dogs as well as grandkids) or an X-Trail, which is my tow vehicle. Badge ego simply doesn't bother me any more, and it is hard to use serious performance on our busy roads. But I am probably 30 years older than you and like my licence to be cleaner than my cars. All my dailies cost under £3 grand, which helps them not to get nicked.
I do however have a V8 TVR for those early Sunday mornings and track days.
If I had to choose one of the above to have as an only car it would be the X Trail.
Must be time I got the pipe and slippers out.
At the end of the day, what matters is what makes you happy, not what anyone else thinks
Back in the day, I ‘upgraded’ from a Honda Civic to a BMW 3 series. I missed the Honda a lot. Objectively the 3 series was better in every way, but I liked the Civic more. The control weights, the size etc all suited me better. Got rid of the 3 series within 2 years and my next car was another Civic. Things were right again.
I don’t think you are mad at all.
I don’t think you are mad at all.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 5th March 16:56
No.
One of my current cars is a F355 with tubi, so you would think I have the fun factor sorted.
However I recently had a drive in the CW FN2 type R, forgotten how much I loved those cars, I had the EP3 before it, very fun indeed on the rights roads, constantly searching for vtec.
I’ll be getting one again this year, I had the HKS RSK induction and flash pro to lower the vtec point in my last, so will be doing that also
One of my current cars is a F355 with tubi, so you would think I have the fun factor sorted.
However I recently had a drive in the CW FN2 type R, forgotten how much I loved those cars, I had the EP3 before it, very fun indeed on the rights roads, constantly searching for vtec.
I’ll be getting one again this year, I had the HKS RSK induction and flash pro to lower the vtec point in my last, so will be doing that also
wyson said:
Back in the day, I ‘upgraded’ from a Honda Civic to a BMW 3 series. I missed the Honda a lot. Objectively the 3 series was better in every way, but I liked the Civic more. The control weights, the size etc all suited me better. Got rid of the 3 series within 2 years and my next car was another Civic. Sad to say, for the first few months, I used to look back at it and just think it was excellent. Used to look back at the 3 series with puzzled curiosity.
I don’t think you are mad at all.
I can appreciate this. I think we often get hung up on which car is objectively "better", when the question we should really be asking is "which do we enjoy more?".I don’t think you are mad at all.
If someone says their favourite dish is fish and chips, people accept that and generally don't respond with "How can you say that when you've eaten fillet steak?!". But with cars, a lot of people are too hung up on the badges and the numbers.
Fortunately on PH I think those who are full on petro-sexuals outnumber those who think they are now a car person simply because they've bought what they read was a drivers' car.
Dblue said:
.It's an old , old debate , but what's the ideal car to
take 2 elderly adults out for lunch, take a load of bulky stuff to the dump, put a bike in the back of, do a road trip to France and bring back a load of wine, go to Le Mans with my mates , smash my local twisty B road on a Sunday morning and a track day or 3 - without costing the earth.
It's a hot hatch. Kind of why I've stuck with my Megane since 2017. They strike the best compromise.take 2 elderly adults out for lunch, take a load of bulky stuff to the dump, put a bike in the back of, do a road trip to France and bring back a load of wine, go to Le Mans with my mates , smash my local twisty B road on a Sunday morning and a track day or 3 - without costing the earth.
I can completely understand why you chopped in the C63 for another Civic.
I'd like to own a super saloon but it would have to be a daily driver. They are completely pointless as weekend cars (just get something more focused). Then I'm not sure of the VFM of running it daily. Then I think about the wear and tear I'd put on it using it on a Sunday morning. As much as I like the super saloons I don't think they would actually be better down a good B-road than a hot hatch.
It's obviously horses for courses. I think our requirements are fairly aligned in this respect though.
Maybe I just need to work on my man maths
A few months ago I got a M135i; the car to do everything, I thought. Yes it’s quick; but man it’s boring. Too many electronic nannies that didn’t do what I wanted, no lsd and a crap ride
I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
sideways man said:
A few months ago I got a M135i; the car to do everything, I thought. Yes it’s quick; but man it’s boring. Too many electronic nannies that didn’t do what I wanted, no lsd and a crap ride
I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
I experienced similar; on paper my M140i was perfect. Fast, pretty discreet, practical enough, cheap to run considering the performance etc. At first I loved it and ticked the boxes but I found myself getting bored very quickly, especially not using it much due to Covid. I took the opportunity of the nuts used prices to get shot last year.I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
I swapped it for an 130 Limited Edition. Most of my mates thought I was nuts going from a car that I’d owned from new to a 14 year old car that was slower, smaller etc. I don’t care and I’m genuinely much happier in the 130. It sounds better and I’ve enjoyed going back to a manual.
Based on experience OP, I don’t think you’re nuts at all. But what makes you happy even if it makes no sense on paper.
sideways man said:
A few months ago I got a M135i; the car to do everything, I thought. Yes it’s quick; but man it’s boring. Too many electronic nannies that didn’t do what I wanted, no lsd and a crap ride
I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
I've never driven a M135i/M140i but everything I've read suggests that they get quite a lot wrong in the driving experience.I’ve just sold up for a 5 cylinder Volvo V40. It’ sounds great, has a good hifi, and is comfortable with fab heated leather seats.
Does need a remap though…
The RWD, 6 cylinder power and german prestige sells them but they just don't have the thorough detailed sorting that comes with Renaultsport,Type R, Porsche - and at their best, genuine BMW M cars. On the small side for its class as well which limits its practicality.
I've had a few GT3s and the biggest compliment I could pay to Honda is that if Porsche Motorsport made a hot hatch it would feel just like the Civic Type R (though the Honda rides better than a GT3 )
Edited by Dblue on Saturday 5th March 14:35
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