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Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
6/14/16 11:16 a.m.

I'd say CVCC, but I'm weird.

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke SuperDork
6/14/16 11:20 a.m.
steronz wrote: Are you tall? I've not driven an EP3 with a helmet on, but the sunroof in the EK chassis was a dealbreaker for me. Other than the Type-R, every performance model Civic-ish Honda from the last 20 years is going to have a sunroof. It's a tough call, finding an unrusty 2000 LX with a manual is going to be tough, but that would be my pick. You only get 106 horsepower but it's a Honda, you can solve that easily enough.

This guy knows what he's talking about. I had to sell my EM1 (w/sunroof) when I realized that I wouldn't fit in it with a helmet on. I do fit in a 2007 Si with a helmet on so at least there's that.

kazoospec
kazoospec SuperDork
6/14/16 11:27 a.m.

I had, and loved, an EG hatch. I wasn't into modding or autoxing at the time, so I can't really give you any feedback on it from that perspective. It was a great driver, extremely (40mph) efficient on the highway, comfortable/large interior for such a small car and, with the hatch, you could move furniture in it. (My wife and I picked up a small "cafe sized" dining table with 4 chairs in it one time)

What you should probably be taking away from this is, if you can avoid rust and/or clappedoutedness, you can't really go wrong.

Coldsnap
Coldsnap Dork
6/14/16 12:32 p.m.

Arnt most 90s early 200s Civic Hatchbacks dead at this point I remember me and my friend were trying to replace his and everyone was either rusted out or modded to hell so instead he bought a Honda Fit

Mr_Clutch42
Mr_Clutch42 SuperDork
6/14/16 12:40 p.m.

Generally speaking, you should avoid an auto trans, rust, and ones with the a/c removed. Most of the continental U.S. gets too hot to even think about removing the a/c compressor. They are a little too underpowered for an auto trans, especially the older cars with sluggish automatics. I owned an EK3 and currently own an EP3 Civic. For a first car, you should probably go with the EP3 or newest chassis you can afford so you have the least amount of maintenance possible. Later on, sample the older, double wishbone cars.

NoPermitNeeded
NoPermitNeeded New Reader
6/14/16 12:45 p.m.

In reply to bmw88rider:

The insurance is gonna be the dealbreaker there.

In reply to: ProDarwin:

Noob Question: What does DWB mean?

In reply to steronz:

Average height I guess, around 6 feet tall.

NoPermitNeeded
NoPermitNeeded New Reader
6/14/16 12:48 p.m.

Does anyone know or can give me an estimate of how much more insurance would be if I got an si?

spitfirebill
spitfirebill UltimaDork
6/14/16 12:49 p.m.

DWB= Double wishbones or driving while black.

Coldsnap
Coldsnap Dork
6/14/16 1:03 p.m.

What about something like this civic?

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/5629731323.html

(I might look at this.. As I dont have a car and this could be a good around town wip..)

NoPermitNeeded
NoPermitNeeded New Reader
6/14/16 1:07 p.m.

In reply to Coldsnap:

That looks really clean, other than the rear end. Something like that would be a great car.

Coldsnap
Coldsnap Dork
6/14/16 1:17 p.m.

I'm going to look at it haha..

Rear end junkyard swap bumper swap? Or does that special edition have some different trim? That could be a lil project I can do while I have the car

It does show two accidents. But both seem minor.. Who knows

oldsaw
oldsaw UltimaDork
6/14/16 1:21 p.m.
bravenrace wrote:
kevlarcorolla wrote: EF....lock the thread please.
QFT

I just sold my EF for a dollar-per-cc; about as much as I could reasonably hope to get. It's going to good home with a lot spares and goodies in the hatch. After 26yrs, I'm a bit sad its' not mine anymore but it paid for the shipment of my other unicorn with plenty left over.

NoPermitNeeded
NoPermitNeeded New Reader
6/14/16 1:21 p.m.

This makes me feel funny in all the good ways

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH MegaDork
6/14/16 2:35 p.m.

The EF is the best even if it's incredibly old and/or unobtainable...the E30 of Civics.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
6/14/16 2:40 p.m.
NoPermitNeeded wrote: Does anyone know or can give me an estimate of how much more insurance would be if I got an si?

I'd say ask you agent.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
6/14/16 2:42 p.m.

For $5k, this one looks good. When is the last time that you saw one with stock wheels?

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke SuperDork
6/14/16 3:26 p.m.
NoPermitNeeded wrote: This makes me feel funny in all the good ways

I agree that the front end looks good on those cars. Unfortunately they are considered the darkest days of the civics. No wishbones and a weird 1.7 liter engine not shared with anything else.

clutchsmoke
clutchsmoke SuperDork
6/14/16 3:29 p.m.
David S. Wallens wrote: For $5k, this one looks good. When is the last time that you saw one with stock wheels?

That one does look good. The EP3 chassis in my area are always for sale with a ton of issues. I wrote off finding a decent one years ago.

chiodos
chiodos Dork
6/14/16 7:21 p.m.
NoPermitNeeded wrote: This makes me feel funny in all the good ways

A friend had one of these, spongy when stock but he added eibach swaybars and springs with koni yellows and i was really impressed with its handling, any lower than that(an inch maybe) the geometry gets wonky. Motor was okay for a eco minded motor. He put on an ebay header and magnaflow full exhaust and added a tiny bit of hp maybe 5 10 but sounded better. He sold it to get a rsx type s and said its 10x a better car and the type s was stock. Rsx has the same suspension issues they dont like to be lowered.

Rsx is the civic you want. Or swap a ek, i put a b20 vtec (b16 head with ctr cams) into an em1 and it was a damn quick car, handled decently too

calteg
calteg Dork
6/14/16 7:33 p.m.

Integra RS, if you can find one...and afford the insurance.

echoechoecho
echoechoecho Reader
6/14/16 7:55 p.m.

I say get a cheap civic and a cheap motorcycle(could be a honda also), in my state motorcycles dont require insurance. That way when you are fixing one you can drive the other.

plance1
plance1 SuperDork
6/15/16 2:43 a.m.

Not really sure what the hell an ep3 is, but I'd recommend an 89 sedan with the 5 speed. The later cars had chopped off trunks which looks stupid. But the sedan was fun without looking like a poser ricer.

collinskl1
collinskl1 New Reader
6/15/16 6:13 a.m.
chiodos wrote:
NoPermitNeeded wrote: This makes me feel funny in all the good ways
A friend had one of these, spongy when stock but he added eibach swaybars and springs with koni yellows and i was really impressed with its handling, any lower than that(an inch maybe) the geometry gets wonky. Motor was okay for a eco minded motor. He put on an ebay header and magnaflow full exhaust and added a tiny bit of hp maybe 5 10 but sounded better. He sold it to get a rsx type s and said its 10x a better car and the type s was stock. Rsx has the same suspension issues they dont like to be lowered. Rsx is the civic you want. Or swap a ek, i put a b20 vtec (b16 head with ctr cams) into an em1 and it was a damn quick car, handled decently too

I had one of these in college. It was similarly modded - all suspension and no engine/power upgrades because the motor just didn't respond well enough to spend the money.

It was a good little car - fun to drive and still got good fuel economy.

I will echo that the RSX is a way better car with a way better engine... but those 01-05 (EM2) civics are cheap.

rustysteel
rustysteel Reader
6/15/16 1:21 p.m.

I had an EM2 Civic coupe (2002) for 8 years and ran it in every autocross I could, didn't bat an eye. I ran R-comps and an RSX Type-S rear sway bar and it handled really well. Great fuel economy and reliability was great. I sold it to a friend of the family and she had it for years after. Mine was a DX so it didn't have A/C, came with wind up windows and a base AM/FM radio. Met my wife with this car, fond memories. I bought an '05 coupe a few years ago to commute and it ran well with almost 300Km on it but the input shaft bearing went on the trans so I traded for my R56 MINI. Still, a great car but not nearly as competent as an RSX or EP3. There was a 4 door SI model of that era that may be cheaper for you to insure. They came loaded and seemed to be a decent car as well.

Here's a pic of mine:

<a href="Me Civic">EM2

pinchvalve
pinchvalve MegaDork
6/15/16 4:15 p.m.

I started my racing hobby in a 1990 Civic DX Sedan with 95,000 on the clock. It received only parts from E-Bay and the junkyard. I autocrossed it for a few years, rallycrossed it, and even hit the track with it. I had fun driving it daily, racing it and wrenching on it. It never failed to start or give 110% despite the abuse I threw at it.

Whatever generation of Civic or Acura you get, you will love it and have fun with it.

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