This is my first honda and really i'm just looking for some guidance into making it a respectable DD. It's had a little bit of things done here and there to it.

How it sat when i purchased it



Bone stock with around 174000 miles besides an exhaust tip and cold air intake P.O. installed.
Had transmission issues when i bought it and went out a couple weeks after purchasing and sat for about 3 months until i got around to sourcing a new transmission and getting it installed. after that i had a cv axle go out and replaced that myself and new radiator and thermostat as well.

I cut the stock muffler out because it had a hole in it and welded in a little fart can i got off a buddy.


i needed new tires pretty bad and got some 17" wheels for under 200 bucks with decent tires and threw them on there


traded those for some black 16" wheels, installed yellow foglights as well


got the windows tinted 5%, put some new tires on the steelies (walmart broke my oem hubcaps too.... :/) replaced the hood and fenders due to dents, and got an oem hood bra


got ground control coilovers with koni yellow shocks, and traded the steelies for fat fives, and this is how it sits today. 99-00 rear tail lights, and a full pioneer stereo system. probably going to end up raising it a little bit more though not sure if i like it this low





basically, just looking for suggestions of what to do now to it. I'm new to hondas, and still young with not much mechanical background. I've done all work to this besides the transmission install. I'm about to be a student in a trade school and am trying to learn everything i can before that.

 

Raise it up before you blow the shocks. You're on the bumpstops right now.

What did you have before, a VW?

 

Blown shocks, bent up tie rods,, twisted LCA's, distorted bushings, scraping your exhaust on everything and bottom out in the shallowest of things.

I do not understand why people drop their cars so low. It looks stupid and it ruins the reliability and functionality of the car. To each his own though, it's your money you are throwing out the window OPie.

 

If either of you had read, I said i plan on raising it up more. It's my first set of coilovers and I didn't know where to adjust them. and the day after we installed we got hit with snow and ice and i haven't had a chance to readjust. it was driven to work one day like this.

 

It looked better when you first got it.

You want it to look respectable?...
Take off the ridiculous tow hook that screams I'm a teenager.
Get rid of the embarrassing, "**** this" sticker.
Raise it up (i know, I know...I can read)
Chop off that fart can.
Buy tires before you purchase anything else.
And if you have time...get a better motor.

 

Since I've been warned/got an infraction about being too harsh lately, i'll save you my regular quotes. Cmon man the sticker and tow hook make it look way to generic...do something outside of the box

 

You should lower it more.

 

Figure out your goals for the car and a budget. Go from there. The sticker and tow hook scream "I'm a kid, please pull me over officer".

Next few things should be anything safety wise, your tires look bald, I would start with them. After that install some security.

 

I'll pretty much echo what some of the other posters said:

Ditch the fart can. You can replace it with straight pipe for cheap and it will still be loud without looking and sounding terrible.

Raise the car a little bit.

Dented panels look better than unpainted ones...

I don't hate tow hooks but I'm not feeling the gold...

99-00 tails were a nice touch. Maybe go with a 99-00 front end too.

If the motor runs fine then just leave it for a while.

 

Paint is planed. Fart can was only put on because it was all free. Motor is good. And I have contemplated a swap but being the motor runs well and just had a new transmission put in I don't think it's worth a swap right now, rather just buy a 5speed for that. Besides the flaming thanks for the replies.

 

I dont see a single post here of anyone flaming you. You asked for suggestions, and people responded. Sorry people didnt tell you what you wanted to hear.

 

I didn't realize it was an auto. That would be #1 on the list of things to change. I know you just got the trans replaced but I don't see how anyone could stand to drive an auto civic.

 

Auto gsr swap