DC5 Overpriced?

[Warcloud36]

Struggling to replace my FN2,

Had plans of a 1 series until I realised they are PSA engines with a lot of heat related failures, after a remap the problem gets worse. (116i 118i 120i upto 2014)
VW Sirocco and Audi TT, Oil burners, DSG issues. .
Basically the German cars seems plagued with issues that are very expensive to fix.

I have been looking at the GT86, it's similar performance to the FN2 but with RWD, less tax to pay and slightly better MPG. A lot of people say it's slow but 6.4 to 60 is enough for me, 200hp is fine, it's designed for driving pleasure in the bends.

Also have been looking at the Type R DC5 but these are going for £7500-10k for nicer ones, for a 2001-05 Honda? Sounds like some expensive rust to me but I don't know a huge amount of info about them, k20, LSD, well specced JDM, that's about it.
They look cool and look like fun but I was concerned about them dropping in price, or do these old Honda generally just keep climbing in price?

Then there's the FN2, it's an 07 so lacks the LSD but wouldn't want to spend £1500/£2k getting to DC5 power and spec because it will still be a FN2 and seems like a big waste of money.

[GreatGranny]

Not all Sciroccos and TTs are auto diesels.
The TFSI (?) engine seems pretty robust and can be mapped to 250+ bhp.
What about a 135i?

[Donbot]

Good ones have been steadily climbing in price for the last 6 years or so.

They aren't overpriced in the sense that people are willing to spend that much money to buy them. But they are overpriced compared to an EP3 if you just look at it in terms of what you get.

The FN2 feels like a very different car to that age of Honda. So you will have to drive them to see what you think.

Edit - Having said that, good EP3s have been going up in value as well.

Edited by Donbot on Tuesday 17th March 15:00

[thatdude]

Integra Type R's have a bit of cult status wrapped around them, much like the early Civic VTi's (that we got official in the uk) and the import-only civic type R EK9's. As a result, they have a premium tagged onto their sale price.

Out of that lot, I think you'd go well with a GT86. They are a nice car, very much a drivers car but still comfortable and easy to live with. Forget about those 0-60 times, they only matter at santa pod. Its how you feel when driving the car on a track day or on a fast road on a quiet sunday morning.

[Mikee19]

I think the GT86 will depreciate a lot more, they are still fairly new. They haven't been well received and will probably go the way of the Celica.

DC5's are very much a dream car for a lot of people in the PlayStation generation and have fairly low running costs, as jap cars go. Stocks are running low in Japan and it's getting harder to find a good one. You then need to ship it half way around the world and pay import tax, so the price is justified in my opinion.

[Xcore]

8p s3,

[lewis87]

I bought a DC5 in the past year and at £7000 it didn’t feel overpriced to me but I’m a JDM car fan and have had a DC2 before and love Hondas.

Yes it is a bit of a civic type R in a dress but for a few grand more than an EP3 you get a better spec, better looks imo and amazing condition underneath being a fresh import.

[ZX10R NIN]

What about an FD2 Type R as half way house it's more modern & still a very good steer, or you could just go for a Megane RS.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Civic-Type-R-FD2-...

[rallycross]

Mikee19 said:

I think the GT86 will depreciate a lot more, they are still fairly new. They haven't been well received and will probably go the way of the Celica.

DC5's are very much a dream car for a lot of people in the PlayStation generation and have fairly low running costs, as jap cars go. Stocks are running low in Japan and it's getting harder to find a good one. You then need to ship it half way around the world and pay import tax, so the price is justified in my opinion.

DC5's are rare in this country and they have been going back up in value (slowly) not over priced, good ones command very strong money.

GT86 looks like its reached is depreciation slow down point, again, low numbers sold in UK, popular used once down to £10k.

I would add the 130i to your list of look at cars, 265 bhp, bullet proof engine, great little rear wheel drive hatch, but again rare, and good ones hold strong values, OK they are getting old now as only available 2005/6 but very well made, still feel good to drive today.

Edited by rallycross on Tuesday 17th March 17:44

[designforlife]

I had a DC5 for two years, it was worth every penny of the £9k I paid and drove like a car half its age or newer.

Then i sold it, for exactly what I paid.

Can't really knock that - so IMO, no not overpriced at all, a fantastic drivers car and appreciating classic.

[Butter Face]

designforlife said:

I had a DC5 for two years, it was worth every penny of the £9k I paid and drove like a car half its age or newer.

Then i sold it, for exactly what I paid.

Can't really knock that - so IMO, no not overpriced at all, a fantastic drivers car and appreciating classic.

Ah yeah, but you did have yours resprayed



Twice?

But seriously, they are more money but they do hold it very very well.

[Warcloud36]

ZX10R NIN said:

What about an FD2 Type R as half way house it's more modern & still a very good steer, or you could just go for a Megane RS.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-Civic-Type-R-FD2-...

I have looked at the Megane RS previous based upon your recommendation and I like them, it will be a car I will look at closer to the time, seems a good all rounder although the interior is a bit lacking (maybe that's just a renault thing)
FD2 is cool but I'd just be after a 3 door vehicle/coupe.

GreatGranny said:

Not all Sciroccos and TTs are auto diesels.
The TFSI (?) engine seems pretty robust and can be mapped to 250+ bhp.
What about a 135i?

My bad, I literally meant they burn a lot of oil, the petrol tsi/tfsi up to around 2013 can burn as much as 1ml of oil per mile.
Some carbon deposits build up and cause the oil ring to fail and that's the end of the cylinders, was a big lawsuit about it the US & probably why you can pick up a A5 S-line 2.0 for £5k.

I have looked at 130i and 135i, I just don't find the BWM's visually appealing.

Donbot said:

Edit - Having said that, good EP3s have been going up in value as well.

That's why I opted for the FN2, it was about £1000-£2000 more for the equivalent EP3 to my FN2 in terms of history, mileage and general condition.
FN2 is great value.

lewis87 said:

I bought a DC5 in the past year and at £7000 it didn’t feel overpriced to me but I’m a JDM car fan and have had a DC2 before and love Hondas.

Yes it is a bit of a civic type R in a dress but for a few grand more than an EP3 you get a better spec, better looks imo and amazing condition underneath being a fresh import.

That's good to know, I expect them to be rusty. I read in Japan the atmosphere isn't really good for rust to build up so they only underseal them when they export them.

Edited by Warcloud36 on Tuesday 17th March 21:13

[mnaylor]

Having owned a DC5 and a GT86, I would go for the DC5 every single time. Pay a bit more for a fresh import, get it undersealed, you won't lose any money on one. The DC5 is faster, looks better and handles better in my opinion. It also feels more special when driving it and is a lot rarer.

[Warcloud36]

mnaylor said:

Having owned a DC5 and a GT86, I would go for the DC5 every single time. Pay a bit more for a fresh import, get it undersealed, you won't lose any money on one. The DC5 is faster, looks better and handles better in my opinion. It also feels more special when driving it and is a lot rarer.

Are there any places you recommend to use for importing?
I have seen some UK people selling "fresh imports" that they had for a year, I guess something like that could potentially be a money saver.

[designforlife]

Torque GT come highly recommended by many, they bring a lot of DC5s over and know their stuff.

As you say, buying one that's been here a year or two is a cheaper route.

[TommoAE86]

Warcloud36 said:

That's good to know, I expect them to be rusty. I read in Japan the atmosphere isn't really good for rust to build up so they only underseal them when they export them.

Edited by Warcloud36 on Tuesday 17th March 21:13

Maybe they were talking about cars from the northern island as they can be bad? From my experience Japan doesn't really underseals their cars at all mainly because they don't need to. Cars do limited mileage and they don't cover the roads in the cheap salt that our useless councils do.

Both of mine have been in better condition from Japan than any of the cars I've bought UK wise. TorqueGT will underseal on arrival if you go through them, this was my Skyline which was 21 years old when I imported it.

[mnaylor]

Warcloud36 said:

mnaylor said:

Having owned a DC5 and a GT86, I would go for the DC5 every single time. Pay a bit more for a fresh import, get it undersealed, you won't lose any money on one. The DC5 is faster, looks better and handles better in my opinion. It also feels more special when driving it and is a lot rarer.

Are there any places you recommend to use for importing?
I have seen some UK people selling "fresh imports" that they had for a year, I guess something like that could potentially be a money saver.

As others have said, Torque GT have a very good reputation. I have personally used them, and would recommend. Guy Francis Specialist Cars have good reviews also and seem to be a little cheaper than Torque GT, but there might be a reason for that, I don't know.