RE: Honda Civic Type R (EP3): PH Heroes
Discussion
Gee Whizz said:
List of £23100!! lmfaoI paid £16000 for a brand new Premier Edition with a couple of options in 2005
Dunno where they get that from tbh. In fact now I recollect wasn't a big deal made of the fact that 200bhp was available for under 16k at the time? Basic CTR list was £15995.
Edited by JMF894 on Saturday 2nd June 11:46
Gee Whizz said:
That does look nice.Can't say I look back on mine all that fondly, all that high revving to get anything out of it grew tiresome after a while and it just became a shopping Civic to me.
Apart from the one above, evey one I see these days seems modded in the sort of way I'm not exactly keen on and making a s
t noise. 
df76 said:
I’ve just bought one as a hillclimb / track project. It’s not perfect, but will spend the next couple of years developing it as a project. So many bits available and all good value.
If I had £6k to spend on one, I’d be looking at a fresh JDM import.
So have I with topless360 - it was a bit of a wreck (but got for £3k with a new cage and bucket seats plus adjustable coilovers) but it seems to be almost ready now!If I had £6k to spend on one, I’d be looking at a fresh JDM import.
Any information/tips would be great in terms of mods!
I've had two. I had a night hawk black 30th Anniversary from new back in the day. Great car and I loved it (but my girlfriend's Mk6 GTI was better in every respect except the perfect B road. Civic was faster though - just.) Steering was always an issue, especially just either side of straight ahead.
A year ago I bought another black 30th Anniversary which is my all round clubman's competition car. At the end of the month its doing a sprint at Snetterton on the Saturday and a rally on a disused airfield in Suffolk on the Sunday.
What exactly are the stiffer suspension and steering mounts described in the article, by the way? I've never been able to conclusively find out.
A year ago I bought another black 30th Anniversary which is my all round clubman's competition car. At the end of the month its doing a sprint at Snetterton on the Saturday and a rally on a disused airfield in Suffolk on the Sunday.
What exactly are the stiffer suspension and steering mounts described in the article, by the way? I've never been able to conclusively find out.
Edited by Norfolkandchance on Saturday 2nd June 13:49
Glosphil said:
I had a 55 reg "family man's" version - the Type-S. 2-litre 160hp with a slightly longer wheel base that allowed 4 doors, more rear seat room and a slightly larger boot. Only rev'd to 7000rpm.
I used to have one of those too, regret selling it as hatchbacks with some power but also comfortable suspension are a rare breed these days.MattM135i said:
So have I with topless360 - it was a bit of a wreck (but got for £3k with a new cage and bucket seats plus adjustable coilovers) but it seems to be almost ready now!
Any information/tips would be great in terms of mods!
I'm at the very beginning also. Some mods needed to make it competitive, but northing too ridiculous. Suspension looks pretty second hand and could do with a complete overhual and coilovers. Hondata and then a map after intake and exhaust upgrade needed. And some proper sticky tyres.Any information/tips would be great in terms of mods!
I bought one new in 2002 and kept it 5 years. Fantastic engine and gearbox and the standard brakes were the best I had tried.
Unfortunately, I bought it after I sold a 1971 Lotus Elan Sprint, because I had young daughters. The Elan comparison highlighted how bad the steering felt. It was accurate, but dead. My daughters hated it too
When I sold it, I bought two cars: a Citroen C1 and Caterham. I wouldn't want to go back to the Civic, but I do miss it sometimes and rate it as the fourth best car I have owned.
Unfortunately, I bought it after I sold a 1971 Lotus Elan Sprint, because I had young daughters. The Elan comparison highlighted how bad the steering felt. It was accurate, but dead. My daughters hated it too
When I sold it, I bought two cars: a Citroen C1 and Caterham. I wouldn't want to go back to the Civic, but I do miss it sometimes and rate it as the fourth best car I have owned.
I’ve had my EP3 Premier for 12 years and still find it fantastic to drive. It’s definitely at its best on B roads, up and down the brilliant close ratio gear box, and very chuckable round the twisties. Had great fun on the Spa track a few years ago with fellow Type R owners. It’s been extremely reliable and cheap to maintain over the years. It is still on the original exhaust, brake discs, and suspension. The original battery packed up only 3 months ago. Honda really do make high quality cars in an unassuming manner. Nowadays, mine is just used occasionally, but this article has reminded me of why I held on to it for so long, resisting temptation to replace with a Scirocco around ‘08. It now has a Thule bike rack on the roof and has a huge boot for trips to Calais for wine. Current used prices are very reasonable compared to Fords and VW’s which have more of a cult following. Decent XR2’s can fetch £7k which makes the EP3 a bargain in the current market.
I might just be remembering incorrectly (though there's also a chance I may be correct), but the hard limiter was 8600rpm, not 8250. I do recall hitting it on a few occasions, though that was some time ago.
VTEC isn't for everyone, but part of me misses something about it. The gearbox isn't good for a hot hatch, it is just great regardless, which as it is the equivalent of fishing with a 400ft pole, is one hell of an achievement.
Also, the seats were rather good, but the reliability occasionally wasn't. Mine was flaky, but at a sensible price, I'd go back down that road. It was good fun, though I'd be more inclined to go S2000.
VTEC isn't for everyone, but part of me misses something about it. The gearbox isn't good for a hot hatch, it is just great regardless, which as it is the equivalent of fishing with a 400ft pole, is one hell of an achievement.
Also, the seats were rather good, but the reliability occasionally wasn't. Mine was flaky, but at a sensible price, I'd go back down that road. It was good fun, though I'd be more inclined to go S2000.
It was the first Honda where they started to take the piss (dodgy chassis, terrible front wheel traction and no LSD for UK models) and trade off their brand and motorsport image. Still a cracking a car but also the start of their decline for the next decade when they decided to concentrate on the beige market.
fido said:
It was the first Honda where they started to take the piss (dodgy chassis, terrible front wheel traction and no LSD for UK models) and trade off their brand and motorsport image. Still a cracking a car but also the start of their decline for the next decade when they decided to concentrate on the beige market.
The rumour I heard was that the bean counters got their way in the last minute and removed the LSD from the EDM spec cars. The engineers then had to soften the front end in a bid to quell the understeer, obviously affecting the handling. Not sure if the above is true or not, however I enjoyed mine regardless. Owned it from 2005 until 2007 when company car forced sale. It was a fabulous car which sounded so good under WOT, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I did have an AEM induction kit fitted though! Here’s mine...
I know we'll never see the like of this type of engine again because 'european emissions' but what about the rest of the world where these or similar regulations don't exist? (or maybe they do, excuse my ignorance).
Also aren't Porsche still making screaming NA motors? I guess its not worthwhile for more mass market manufacturers to do the same?
Also aren't Porsche still making screaming NA motors? I guess its not worthwhile for more mass market manufacturers to do the same?
Glosphil said:
I had a 55 reg "family man's" version - the Type-S. 2-litre 160hp with a slightly longer wheel base that allowed 4 doors, more rear seat room and a slightly larger boot. Only rev'd to 7000rpm.
Was also the most reliable car I have ever owned - 7 years/85K miles cost £350 for repairs outside servicing and usual replacements (wipers, brake pads, etc.) fido said:
It was the first Honda where they started to take the piss (dodgy chassis, terrible front wheel traction and no LSD for UK models) and trade off their brand and motorsport image. Still a cracking a car but also the start of their decline for the next decade when they decided to concentrate on the beige market.
Yep, I agree. Engine and box lovely - rest of it not so.I test drove one of these when I had my Clio 182 some years back. In all honesty I preferred the Clio. The Civic just seemed to lack a certain something, even though it was objectively superior in most ways. I didn’t buy it. In fact, I preferred the FN2 despite the haters. It had a similar character in most respects, maybe a smidge less raw and resolved as a drivers car but was vastly better looking, a nicer place to sit and had better steering and a slightly better engine note. I also had a DC2 and neither of these cars could compete with that. It just felt so much more uncompromising. That said though, you can get these pretty cheap at the moment and with a few well chosen mods would be a very good buy indeed.
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