To get something else or not.
Discussion
Chaps
I bought a Civic 2014 1.8 recently. 10.6k, personal loan with 238pcm over four years, 2.5 year warranty with servicing and roadside assistance. 140bhp. Decent mpg, will cost buttons to run in terms of maintenance. All seems very sensible.
However, I really wanted an FN2 Type R when I was looking, test drove a few, but was talked out of it by my folks (expensive to run) and my girlfriend (hated the bucket seats, thought I'd look like a bam, and thought I'd kill her round a corner).
However, three months later, I am beginning to get the itch for something quicker. Just did a 750 mile road trip and although the 1.8 is relatively nippy, I was yearning for a little more power at times. Considering selling up (maybe get 10-10.3k if I did) and buying either a Type R or an S2K (very impractical however). Was also considering a WRX and a 350Z, but the running costs seem too much to bear.
However, I was also thinking of downsizing to something cheaper. I am 25, earn enough money that the Civic is perfectly affordable, however it does impact on my ability to save for other things (namely a deposit). So I have now been looking around at cheaper cars (MX5s, Celicas, things like that). However, I have no mechanical ability, or the time or facilities to do repairs, so everything would have to be done through a garage, and not sure if it would work out all that much cheaper in the long run (especially when you take into account lower mpg).
I probably do 5-10k miles a year, but it's all road trips or back and forth on the motorway to see my missus who lives in the next city over, on the weekends. I cycle to work and barely drive through the week.
Any thoughts on my predicament?
I bought a Civic 2014 1.8 recently. 10.6k, personal loan with 238pcm over four years, 2.5 year warranty with servicing and roadside assistance. 140bhp. Decent mpg, will cost buttons to run in terms of maintenance. All seems very sensible.
However, I really wanted an FN2 Type R when I was looking, test drove a few, but was talked out of it by my folks (expensive to run) and my girlfriend (hated the bucket seats, thought I'd look like a bam, and thought I'd kill her round a corner).
However, three months later, I am beginning to get the itch for something quicker. Just did a 750 mile road trip and although the 1.8 is relatively nippy, I was yearning for a little more power at times. Considering selling up (maybe get 10-10.3k if I did) and buying either a Type R or an S2K (very impractical however). Was also considering a WRX and a 350Z, but the running costs seem too much to bear.
However, I was also thinking of downsizing to something cheaper. I am 25, earn enough money that the Civic is perfectly affordable, however it does impact on my ability to save for other things (namely a deposit). So I have now been looking around at cheaper cars (MX5s, Celicas, things like that). However, I have no mechanical ability, or the time or facilities to do repairs, so everything would have to be done through a garage, and not sure if it would work out all that much cheaper in the long run (especially when you take into account lower mpg).
I probably do 5-10k miles a year, but it's all road trips or back and forth on the motorway to see my missus who lives in the next city over, on the weekends. I cycle to work and barely drive through the week.
Any thoughts on my predicament?
Until you said the type of journeys you do are mostly long trips, I was going to suggest a type R at half the cost of your current civic. You'd get decent reliability and a quicker car, with 5 grand change.
But personally, as much as I love revvy cars with hard suspension, I don't think I'd want to regularly do long distances in one. You might find it fine though!
But personally, as much as I love revvy cars with hard suspension, I don't think I'd want to regularly do long distances in one. You might find it fine though!
CX53 said:
Until you said the type of journeys you do are mostly long trips, I was going to suggest a type R at half the cost of your current civic. You'd get decent reliability and a quicker car, with 5 grand change.
But personally, as much as I love revvy cars with hard suspension, I don't think I'd want to regularly do long distances in one. You might find it fine though!
Hundred mile motorway round trip, twice a month, plus weekend road trips on fun country roads. But personally, as much as I love revvy cars with hard suspension, I don't think I'd want to regularly do long distances in one. You might find it fine though!
I really do think I prefer naturally aspirated, revvy cars - test drove a Seat Leon FR and didn't like the hefty turbo lag. The only thing with the Type R is that fuel economy is pretty crap, but I think they probably are reasonably reliable! Anything else with a high revving engine around 200bhp that would be more comfortable/better mpg than a Type R?
md4776 said:
Interested to see what others think but if you really like the free reving n/a engines then for FN2 money you can't really go wrong with the honda. The cars are very reliable, but you'll struggle to see 30mpg. This is the trade off, newer smaller engined turbo officially improve mpg with less emissions, hence why even the new type R has a turbo.
I has a couple of years of type R fun, still miss the engine note change when the second set of valves kicked in.
For the ride stick to the standard 18s , the upgraded 19 rage alloys unsettle it. One point to note is it's a special engine and it's not cheap to service. You can dig around online but 4 years ago the main dealer was quoting me 450 for a major (2year) service.
Have a good look around and drive many of them, they've not all been looked after.
Cheers. I have driven quite a few actually, when I was initially looking. I echo your sentiment about them not being looked after. Of the ones I viewed: (i) battery dead, smelled of smoke, body damage, (ii) smelled of smoke, a lot of paint chips, (iii) paint chips (seems to be a common problem) and a bit worn, (iv) immaculate condition, but the dealer was a bit of a knobber, it had an aftermarket exhaust and air filter which suggests it maybe got ragged despite the dealer insisting it was owned by a careful older guy in his fifties, and a very, very low biting point (I am not sure what that means, but I stalled it repeatedly - worn clutch?), and 5+ owners. I has a couple of years of type R fun, still miss the engine note change when the second set of valves kicked in.
For the ride stick to the standard 18s , the upgraded 19 rage alloys unsettle it. One point to note is it's a special engine and it's not cheap to service. You can dig around online but 4 years ago the main dealer was quoting me 450 for a major (2year) service.
Have a good look around and drive many of them, they've not all been looked after.
Edited by md4776 on Tuesday 20th June 13:11
The positive is there is absolutely loads of them about. Difficult to put a price on one - seem to range from 5.5k with 80k miles all the way up to 10k for a 2009 with 60k miles.
Maybe I will stick my current car up for the price I paid for it and see if any bites. I got a pretty good deal and it has a warranty, so perhaps. I have done 3.5k miles on it though!
Depends what you consider bad mpg, out of my FN2 Type R the best i have managed was 38 on a steady run but 33-34 seems to be my average with commuting and the odd hoon. Plenty of VTEC and it soon drops
If you can live with the very firm ride and close ratio gear box then its fine on longer journeys, you could consider a Clio 197/200 or a Celica 190 but the engine and gearbox in the Civic really are fantastic if you want high revving n/a
I find running costs to be very reasonable
If you can live with the very firm ride and close ratio gear box then its fine on longer journeys, you could consider a Clio 197/200 or a Celica 190 but the engine and gearbox in the Civic really are fantastic if you want high revving n/a
I find running costs to be very reasonable
CivBrum said:
Maybe I will stick my current car up for the price I paid for it and see if any bites. I got a pretty good deal and it has a warranty, so perhaps. I have done 3.5k miles on it though!
If it's a VTEC-S like the one you can buy on 18,000 miles from a Honda main dealer for £9,000 then trying to sell privately for £10,600 might be a struggle.Andy
andyalan10 said:
CivBrum said:
Maybe I will stick my current car up for the price I paid for it and see if any bites. I got a pretty good deal and it has a warranty, so perhaps. I have done 3.5k miles on it though!
If it's a VTEC-S like the one you can buy on 18,000 miles from a Honda main dealer for £9,000 then trying to sell privately for £10,600 might be a struggle.Andy
The S is the lower trim (no cruise control, no premium audio, no bluetooth).
md4776 said:
If you can get decent money for your current car then maybe consider the type r EP3 and hit a couple of your criteria: cheaper to purchase so you can save plus a hoot to drive (same engine as the FN2). Theres a huge price overlap for the best ones with the FN2, and between them it looks like it would hold value better into the future.
E.g.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
That one isn't but if you're looking then keep a look out for the final 'premium' trim on the last 2005 models, a few nice extra touchs to the interior.
Definitely considered it, problem is it seems that, as you say, a decent EP3 is pretty pricey and all the cheap ones have very high mileages and/or are in pretty poor condition and have probably been ragged about by 19 year olds. Plus the ride is meant to be extra rough and raw and my girlfriend is already very against the Type R ... E.g.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
That one isn't but if you're looking then keep a look out for the final 'premium' trim on the last 2005 models, a few nice extra touchs to the interior.
Edited by md4776 on Tuesday 20th June 16:43
md4776 said:
In that case I recommend a Civic 2014 1.8 , including 2.5 year warranty with servicing and roadside assistance.
Heh. The plan is to see if I get any bites with my advert, and if so, probably sell and keep an eye out for a decent FN2 or EP3. I can go without a car for a while if need be.
I did get a message this morning on my advert. "9000". That was it. Car buyers can be rather blunt can they not.
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