Why a civic?

[Thourun]

Why do so many people mod civics? I don't understand the appeal of anything but a sleeper civic just for fun. I'm talking both cosmetic and preformance mods here. If somone could sum it up for me that would be great.

[Ace$nyper]

well the suspension is great i love autoXing in my civic but really other then the handling and cheap ness i'm not sure i mean no matter what you do its still a lil FF car but i dig mine. Hondas B series motor is amazingly well built the K seems to be catching on very well also.

[CivicSpoon]

Because with the additions of japanese motor swaps (which tend to be at least 10hp more and the Civic and Integra Type R motors), bolt on turbo kits, superchargers, Nitrous (blah); you can make a pretty damn fast car out of your cheep ass car. Imaging buying a car for $3000 or less, spending $10-15,000 in performance and being able to keep up with or beat $20-30,000 cars in races. With all the Civics and Integras out there, there is a HUGE variety of performance parts available for these "grocery getters." But then when you get into cosmetics there are 2 types of people; show car enthusiests (sometimes refered to "Ricers," all show-no go), and people who go for performance first and then when they're done getting the speed they want they go for looks. Basicially they are cheap, parts are cheap and plentiful.

[Thourun]

Gotcha, wish the aftermarket was 1/2 as good for the sake of my 3000GT, but front wheel drive sucks with the addition of power ( I know I have an SL lol ). Thanks for the response, I still prefer my 3000GT but to each his own.

[CivicSiRacer]

You can actually work on the suspension of a FWD Civic to a point that it handles fairly well. I know I've been autocrossing Hondas since 1996.

The other thing is the aftermarket for Civic is amazing as you mentioned. There is real no shortage of parts for a Civic and since there is so much competition that parts are cheap too.

The only thing I hate about Hondas is the lack of torque in factory trim. Even with all my mods I only have like a whimpy 111ft/lbs torque - ICK!

[lilslim]

People buy Civics because everyone else has a Civic. I wouldnt get it because its an FF economey car that wasnt made to race (but thats just me). If you want a Civic to be fast you gotta pay lots of $$$$ to do it. If you just put a intake, and exhaust then it STILL aint fast. Why buy a Civic when you can buy a good car like a TT 300ZX and with little mods and money make it fast.

[CivicSpoon]

Because you can spend the same amount of $ buying a civic, do an engine swap, buy a turbo and kill a TT 350Z in the ¼ mile. It doesn't cost a ton of $ to get a civic fast ($15,000 in a civic will be fast). Yes in autocross the FR cars have the obvious advantage, but a TT is NOT a cheap car. Personally I'd rather spend $18,000 for a tricked out civic than $27,000-38,000 for a 350z; that will do the same on in the ¼. And I'd rather have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I turned my slow as cheap car into a rocket, and didn't just buy it off the lot.

[exman98]

the best part about a civic is you can make it your car. there is so much out there to do differently from any other car, including other civics.
i can say for all on this forum even though we might have some disagrements-WE ARE ALL PROUD TO OWN OUR CIVIC'S
anyway they are cheap cars to buy-maintain and with a little money we do with it what we want. including making it faster than your car. it takes time effort and money (less than your expensive high maintenince and heavy cars) its about the pride you dont have that makes many civic owners better

[CivicSiRacer]

Originally Posted by CivicSpoon

Because you can spend the same amount of $ buying a civic, do an engine swap, buy a turbo and kill a TT 350Z in the ¼ mile. It doesn't cost a ton of $ to get a civic fast ($15,000 in a civic will be fast). Yes in autocross the FR cars have the obvious advantage, but a TT is NOT a cheap car. Personally I'd rather spend $18,000 for a tricked out civic than $27,000-38,000 for a 350z; that will do the same on in the ¼. And I'd rather have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I turned my slow as cheap car into a rocket, and didn't just buy it off the lot.

There is no advantage to a FR for autocross. My car setup in STS trim is loads faster than many other classes (including some like the S2000 and NSX).

But personally the 300ZX has always been known as the ticking time bomb. Plus it's a BIG HUGE PIG heavy car just like the 3000GT VR4. The cars are like 3500-4000lbs! My car weighs in at 2450lbs and it's going to be loosing another 150lsb with seat replacements, battery, newer wheels.

Also realize the Civics are a dime a dozen nowadays. So anyone with a little bit of money can buy one and mod it.

[emerge]

Better question:

Why do people post stupid topics?

[Miataracer]

Originally Posted by emerge

Better question:

Why do people post stupid topics?

Damn! You beat me to it!

[Kafziel]

For me, it wasn't about economy. I didn't buy a used civic for $3,000.00 and then drop a bunch of money to make it fast. I bought a brand new civic for $16,000 in 1997, and drove it stock for years. But every car comes to the point where it needs a new exhaust, or new suspension, or whatever, so I gradually started to replace that stuff with better parts. Then it became a hobby, and like so many others have said, it's better because I did it myself. It's mine. I could have sold it when it got old and put the money toward a new BMW or something, but this car has taken me all over the country without a problem, and I'm not just gonna ditch it for some factory speed.
Tuning little compact cars is nothing new. People have been turning Volkswagen beetles into dune bugs since the early 60s, and when you see a nice '67 with fording exhaust and monster wheels, it doesn't matter that it's not an 8-cylinder monster - it's still a classic. 40 years from now, ours will be, too.

[mason_RsX]

Where I am from (Toronto) these people buy their civics, add intake, Exhaust, body kit and their friends to think their the fastest drivers out there. And thats exactly they buy them. But, Idon't want to knock on the civic because there is potential in that car, just very few actually extract it. Plus it is true you can vary your civic so much and make it look entirely different than everyone else's.

[Kafziel]

Another good thing about civics - and lots of other compact cars - is that we regularly blow away Corvettes, Porsches, 350Zs, and S2000s. Not because our cars are better. It's because those guys pay out the ass for insurance as it is, and 9 out of 10 of them are too afraid to get a ticket. I pay $47 a month for insurance, and have zero car payments, so I can afford to get busted now and then.
If I had a nickel for every $50,000 sports car I've shot past on the Thruway...

I'd have a shitload of nickels.

[MexSiR]

Mmmm...You dont have to spend 10,000-15,000 $ on a civic to make it faster than 30,000 dollar sports cars.

Get a 99 civic Si. Drop a Greedy Turbo Kit, or a Vortech Supercharger which is 4,000 dollars and there you go...your in the high 13s on sea level.

You own 350Z, S2000, Audi TT, Bmw Z4, Mustang GT. At least in straight line acceleration.