FN2 Civic Type R - 16k miles/year

[WhyNotEh]

Hello PH.

My Cupra lease is going back in March, and I'm on the hunt for a car up to the value of £4k. I like frantic cars with decent handling, but also considering diesels for cost saving purposes. Ultimately the car needs to be reliable so I'm considering N/A hot hatches as well as diesels

At 16k miles per year, I've worked out that:

33mpg in a petrol will cost me £2685
45mpg in a diesel will cost me £2000

So the difference between a petrol and diesel will be around £1k a year if VED is also taken into account, which I'm happy with paying as long as the car brings a smile to my face.

I can't see past a Honda Civic Type R GT FN2 for my requirements - Japanese reliability, LSD, decent creature comforts, and they've aged quite well IMO. Even at 100k+ miles they're reliable. Is there anything else I should be considering?

Edited by WhyNotEh on Saturday 4th January 14:54

[Gareth1974]

I used a have a FN2 Civic Type R, but my job relocated and my mileage went up to around 15000 a year, I sold it soon afterwards as it felt really unsuited to a long commute, the suspension is rock solid.

[Gareth1974]

By the way, the only FN2s with LSD are the Championship White edition, or the final few cars made - my 2011 car had it, but you maybe struggle to find one of the newest cars at the £4k price point.

[WhyNotEh]

Gareth1974 said:

I used a have a FN2 Civic Type R, but my job relocated and my mileage went up to around 15000 a year, I sold it soon afterwards as it felt really unsuited to a long commute, the suspension is rock solid.

Thanks for the reply. I actually don't mind a bone-shaking ride, if anything my current Cupra is too soft even in Cupra mode which tightens up the suspension considerably

[WhyNotEh]

Gareth1974 said:

By the way, the only FN2s with LSD are the Championship White edition, or the final few cars made - my 2011 car had it, but you maybe struggle to find one of the newest cars at the £4k price point.

I see, I thought the GT pack had the LSD but I must be mistaken

[WhyNotEh]

MrGTI6 said:

I've been doing a similar annual mileage in a 306 GTI-6 for approaching three years now. It's been faultlessly reliable and it's surprisingly cheap to run.

As you say they the Civics are reliable cars. It's just unfortunate that many of them fell into the wrong hands and have been neglected/abused. Find a decent example and keep it maintained to a good standard, and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Yeah, regular oil changes are key on these, as was the case with the EP3. Need to find one with regular oil changes.

[ED209]

WhyNotEh said:

I see, I thought the GT pack had the LSD but I must be mistaken

No I had a gt and it definitely didn’t have an lsd

33 mpg sounds about right. My 2 type r civics both averaged about their official combined figure.

[ChrisH72]

I very nearly bought an FN2 type r last time but was a bit put off by the hard ride and the fact that it was similar to my Celica t sport I'd had and I fancied a change. I also looked at the Clio RS which had a good NA engine and great handling. If you're not too fussed about power and space you could also include a swift sport in your search.

In the end I went for a 3 series coupe with the 3.0 6 pot, mines a 325i.

Thinking about your situation you could do a lot worse as they are fun to drive, sound great and are good on a long run. I haven't looked but I'd be surprised if you can't get an early one within budget. It'll be the older n52 engine as well which has a good reputation for reliability.

[aka_kerrly]

Gareth1974 said:

By the way, the only FN2s with LSD are the Championship White edition, or the final few cars made - my 2011 car had it, but you maybe struggle to find one of the newest cars at the £4k price point.

Its the 2010 model year cars that can come with a lsd fitted, so likely to be 60 plate

[Lazydriver23]

Gareth1974 said:

By the way, the only FN2s with LSD are the Championship White edition, or the final few cars made - my 2011 car had it, but you maybe struggle to find one of the newest cars at the £4k price point.

The LSD was a £925 optional extra on the type R Gt from the factory so some may have them and some might not

[DickP]

I was doing around 20k a year for two years in my Clio 182 so I can't imagine the Civic being too painful.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want something with an LSD what about a Clio RS with the Cup Chassis

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[TameRacingDriver]

I had one, wouldn’t like to use it for 16K miles a year. Good fun on the lanes, and comfy enough to use on the motorway but it’s very loud as it’s short geared. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I dreaded a drive to my Glasgow office in it (130 miles each way) but I was never very refreshed at the end of it.

I replaced it with a Z4 Coupe which was much more pleasant. So I would suggest a 130i as it has the same engine and good refinement. Much faster than an FN2 in a straight line too, if that matters. And likely to be better on fuel - my Z4 was definitely more economical than the CTR.

[anonymous-user]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you want something with an LSD what about a Clio RS with the Cup Chassis

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

The cup chassis clios don't get an lsd. I think it's the cup chassis meganes that do.

[ZX10R NIN]

tom2502 said:

The cup chassis clios don't get an lsd. I think it's the cup chassis meganes that do.

Yes you're right I got the two mixed up i'd still recommend one though.

[anonymous-user]

TameRacingDriver said:

I replaced it with a Z4 Coupe which was much more pleasant. So I would suggest a 130i as it has the same engine and good refinement.

Having had to scrap my well maintained 130i at 97k miles due to the head cracking and quotes for repairs being more than the value of the car I wouldn't recommend one to anyone.

I believe the older iteration of this engine that runs a bit less power in the 3series to be a more reliable unit.

[TheAlastair34]

no way would i want a FN2 for 16k a year, as other have said you will soon tire of getting hammered through the suspension and ive owned one.

i mean by all means do as you please but high revving rough riding car for that milage isnt ideal i would rather used my elise than the FN2 for that milage

[aka_kerrly]

Elatino1 said:

Having had to scrap my well maintained 130i at 97k miles due to the head cracking and quotes for repairs being more than the value of the car I wouldn't recommend one to anyone.

I believe the older iteration of this engine that runs a bit less power in the 3series to be a more reliable unit.

Perhaps unlucky to crack a head, in less you let it overheat and continued driving. I sincerely hope when you say you scrapped it you mean you sold it for scrap value to another person so they could put a refreshed head on it. Being uneconomical to repair because you don't know how/have means to repair yourself is not a reason to think ALL of those same cars suffer the same fate.

For the benefit of the OP and others, the N52 series of 6 cylinder petrol engines was used in the e9* 3 series BEFORE being used in the 1 series. The later n53 direct injection variant that can be a little troublesome was never fitted to the 1 series.

In less you mean an even older e46 330i with the M54 which is also a proven reliable motor with very little to go wrong.

To be frank so many of those saying they couldn't handle driving a Civic all day must be turning into right softies.

[AndrewGP]

Lazydriver23 said:

Gareth1974 said:

By the way, the only FN2s with LSD are the Championship White edition, or the final few cars made - my 2011 car had it, but you maybe struggle to find one of the newest cars at the £4k price point.

The LSD was a £925 optional extra on the type R Gt from the factory so some may have them and some might not

Not strictly true, all UK FN2 Type R's ordered after May 2010 had a factory fitted LSD. I had one of the last FN2's made in silver and mine had one.

I'd definitely not want to do 16k miles per year commuting in one though. The interior was a nice place to be, but I couldn't get any more than 32-34mpg out of it even when trying to be very sensible. As mentioned already, they're not particularly quick, and the suspension is rock solid. Fine for a B road hoon, but I suspect it could get boring after a while on the motorway.

[RacingBlue]

Not much to add beyond what has already been said really. I sold mine after barely 18 months, mainly due to the ride, but the build quality was rubbish (rusting roof near the top of the windscreen, interior trim dropping off at will, loads of creaks and rattles - mostly brought on by the rubbish ride).

Great engine and looks though. I'd nearly bought one on two separate occasions before eventually taking the plunge, but overall it didn't live up to the looks. Not that fast either. A dissappointment.