Hey HT, whats up? I've been away from the honda scene for a few years now, but I'm in search of a new car. I found a clean STOCK 99 EBP EM1 (w/ 100k) that I'm considering picking up, but I live in an area of high theft (seattle) and have been witness to many friends/family lose their civics to thieves. I've thought about running a engine/fuel line kill switch along with an alarm if I decide to go with the Si.

Aside from the EM1 I've been looking at a 2004 Saab 9-3 Linear (w/ 81k, AT, base model nothing fancy). I'm a student but have a well paying internship and need a reliable car as a commuter, that won't be a money pit, which makes the Si a more likely choice, but with theft issues I'm not sure I want to risk it (no garage either).

Anyone have any insight or want to share their 2 cents? I'm aware I might get some biased answers here, thanks.

 

I've known a few friends with Saabs and they're pretty unreliable and really expensive to fix. The Si would be a cool reliable car you could leave stock and it would be pretty fun to drive. You could remove the dohc vtec decals when you get it in addition to your alarm and kill switch and maybe get some locking wheel lugs. But if you decide against it for fear of theft, I wouldn't choose a Saab, they're nice looking but just break down a lot.

 

Thanks man thats some good info. We've got friends who specialize in Volvo's and have a dealership so thats how I even got to looking at Saab's (since I've had an S60 for the last couple years). I can imagine that parts will get more expensive now that GM sold them too.

 

i dont mean to scare but if i did have a nice honda and was in college (where i lived on campus and parked my car ona public parking lot), i wouldnt be able to sleep at night

if i had the money i'd get a 350z or something that doesnt get stolen as much as hondas do

 

yeah i feel you on that. I don't live on campus, I have a house with a bunch of friends and we have our own driveway, and 2 of the spots are behind the house (hidden from the street). Otherwise I would never consider.

 

You're looking for a commuter car that you don't have to worry about much at all.

Stay away from '92-'00 Civics.

Get yourself a '90-'93 Accord or such and leave it stock. You want a low profile car if it has to be parked in school parking. Something that you're okay with getting door dings and sodas poured on, etc. Basically something that won't upset you as much if it gets ****ed with.

I wouldn't leave my EX parked behind your house, even if it isn't visible from the road. You need a garage plus other theft prevention measures.

An Si is going to get stolen or screwed with fast.
An Electron Blue Pearl Pearl Civic Si with it's DOHC VTEC stickers removed isn't going to be any less attention getting than an Electron Blue Pearl Civic Si with the stickers.

There's really not enough security out there that makes me think it's a good idea for you to park a blue Si in Seattle outside of a garage.

 

well i will tell you my experience. I had a 99 black EX (totaled) and a 2000 EBP while I was at UCLA for 4 years.. I parked it in the student parking lot when I lived on campus for 2 of the 4 years. My dorm room was not close to the parking lot either.. Anyways, the first year I lived on campus I had the 99 black EX and they stole the jdm sidemarkers I had on it twice. that was it. Then I went out one night and someone hit me and totaled my EX. Then I got a stock Blue Si (except it had lowering springs) and had that while I was at ucla. I parked it in a parking lot far from my dorm. It never got stolen or messed. I had an alarm on the 99 EX and an alarm on the EBP and kill switch and lug nut locks.. just my experience..

 

put in the driveway and block it off with your friends cars?
pager alarm? kill switch make it as secure as possible
but my opinion if they really want it they will take it.

my 99 si coupe got stolen had alarm steering wheel lock and pedal lock
and i use to block it off with my brother and dads car
couldnt block it off one day they bent my pedals to remove the clutch lock and next morning my car was gone

 

wow that suck...

i live in seattle and my si almost got stolen once. just 2 months after i got the car too. if i were u spend a lot of money on security if u go for the Si. backup battery and siren save my car. just get any decent gas saving car that thief wouldn't want to steal cough not honda. yup GL

 

If your gona be in the honda game you know your car might get broke into or stolen one day..all you have to do is take it somwhere to install 1 or 2 kill kill switches professionaly done not something you did yourself, get an alarm one of the with a little controls that vibrates and wen u put the alarm on the car dont put the horn on so the thieves dont get warned that u know they are tryin to steal it....oo and by the way im sure my area is way worst and i have a honda civic ek.just get that em1 its a fun car.

 

I have to agree with NOFX on this. That Si, or any 92-00 Civic for that matter is just an eye catcher for thiefs. I have had my car stolen, it was recovered but stripped and I don't EVER want to go through that again. To this day I will not go park at a mall..which means I never go to the mall unless its with my girl and we are in her car. I am paranoid as hell. I don't even like parking at Wal-Mart and when I do I have a list wrote down and get in and out AFAP.

I was at Wal-Mart last week and saw a Blue 99-00 Civic Si sitting in the parking lot, way away from the building, far out in the parking lot and it made me cringe. Don't know who the owner was but I figure it won't last long like that.

And for those that think a simple fuel kill switch will "stop" them. Most likely not. By you a min while they run a wire to your fuel pump but they know to look out for this stuff. If you do get that EM1, look up some of the older posts about theft prevention, theres tons of info about how to address and fix up layers of security on you car to try and prevent it.