Hello everyone, new to the forums. Great info on this site! Been searching for an EM1 as I plan on buying one within the next couple months. It will most likely be my daily driver as I have a far commute and I want to give my E90 a break. I am big on DIY and do not mind getting a car that I will have to put some work into. I been wanting to pick up a hobby as my work schedule is pretty awesome and I have a bunch of time. My one question is, for an EM1, is it necessary to have all the vins matching? I know it's a concern when it comes to the ITR world but I don't really see what the big deal is with this car. Perhaps its a mechanical issue? I am not sure. What are the main mechanical things to look for in an EM1 as well. Any information will help. Thanks. Kev

 

Matching VINs on rare/collector cars help value. That's about it.

 

From what I've seen, the EM1 isn't really a collectors car.

The chassis is the same as other Civics, where the ITR had a chassis that was stiffer than other production Integras.

Having matching VINs on an ITR is a much bigger deal than on an EM1.

 

Yes the vin must match or else you might end up in some deep ****. You should read up on the thread where a type r owner was lucky enough to recover his engine because the VIN's match his R. So unless the previous owner has all paperwork showing he got the motor legit I would suggest you stay away.

 

You mean in the situation where the car was to get stolen right? (That's for tony)

Yeah I figured this is a basic car compared to the ITR so I shouldn't go too crazy. Just need to something to kill some time and commute till I can afford an m3.

Thanks for the responses. Wanted to make sure I wasn't making a mistake or anything

 

Missing or non matching VINs on body panels means they have been replaced.

Missing on non matching VINs on drivetrain parts mean they have been replaced.

Whether or not that matters to you is personal preference. I think a VIN matching EM1 is a rarity, and will likely fetch more money.