I've been looking for a new car, since my civic was stolen and totalled, and I can't afford to rebuild it. I really love the eh/eg platform, but I can't justify the cost of another hybrid that's more likely to get stolen than not. While I've been looking for cars, I've come to realize why I like civic hybrids so much.

1.) Price - you can put together an EF or EG (incorrect chassis codes, we all know what I mean) with a sweet motor and suspension for less than $10k.
2.)Reliability - civic, integra, yadda yadda, they're all honda motors, plug and play for the most part.
3.)Practicality - a civic hybrid, especially a hatch, is still a civic. Civics can seat 4 comfortably, and you can put so much crap in a hatch its not even funny
4.)PERFORMANCE - what car are you going to build with an OEM motor that can put you in the 13's, or hang with big money cars with $1000 or less in suspension on the track. Many will argue s13, sr20det swap. Have you seen the video of an s-15 and itr drag racing? The itr came back to beat it in the end. I've seen track videos of silvias and itr's, and the silvias only won because of brute power on straights. The big advantage here with the civic is weight, even with full interior, you're looking at a 2200lb car MAX, given its a cx or vx of course.

This brings me back to the car search. I've considered and am still looking for a 2nd gen integra GSR. I feel that this car will not draw nearly as much attention as an eg/dc. Plus, there's no visual difference, other than badging between a G2 ls and gsr. The insurance for this car is $100 more a year than my 95 civic cx was.

I also considered a 90-97 miata, prefferably a 94-97 with the 1.8l engine. I've found some good deals on 1.8l models with hardtops. The miata is $300 less than my civic was for insurance, but it's slower and it's not even remotely practical. BUT. the whole 2300 lb, RWD, perfect weight dist. thing is really appealing to me. It's also VERY, VERY, VERY appealing that I can park my car anywhere and not worry about it getting stolen or vandalized. I used to work at the mall with my civic, and everytime I got off, I actually expected my car to be gone.

After the hassle that I'm still going through with insurance, a month after my car was stolen, and 3 weeks after it was found and totalled, I've decided to find a car that has a good motor to begin with. The problem there is that every car I consider, I have to compare to my eg. A G2 gsr is a great car, takes well to exterior mods, has a pretty decent motor from the factory, and same basic chassis as a DC or EG. However, it's not cheap, it's not AS practical, and it's beefy, well for the torqueless wonder of a b17a that's powering it anyway. The miata on the other hand is light, but its not nearly as cheap as a comparable honda, its not even remotely practical in any sense of the word, unless driving one friend is what you consider practical. ( I'm constantly driving around with car parts, luggage, bicycles), and the stock motor 1.6l or 1.8l is lacking in the power dept, PLUS its expensive to get any real power out of and it doesnt share motors or chassis with anything other than a kia (yes, the 1.8l miata powerplant can also be found in your favorite korean economy car)

This brings me to my point. (took me long enough to get there) The thing that makes civics and integra, and hondas in general so desirable to me, and most of you reading this in interchangability. I could take the drivetrain, suspension, brakes, interior, radiator, wheels, etc off of any DC or EG and put in on my EG. I could find most of these parts at junkyards, or used on the internet.

Now we all know the problem here. Why do our cars get stolen so much? Because thieves can interchange all of these parts so easily. The idea that draws me to hondas so much, is the idea that draws me away from them just the same. In the past 10 months, I've had one integra and one civic stolen from my house. If I decide to get another honda, there's a very, very good chance that I'm going to get dropped at the end of the year by my insurance co, which just so happens to be one of the best and cheapest around. (NJMIG)

94-97 miata 1.8
Pros:
lightweight
RWD
looks
handling
RWD
lightweight
cheap to insure
no worries about theft/vandalism

Cons:
still $6000+ used with 120k+ miles, and 8-10 years old
weak motor
expensive to modify
small
not practical (see: small)

G2 GSR:
Pros:
good chassis
good motor (well, for the price)
interchangable
practical
parts arent quite as expensive as newer integras

Cons:
too heavy for amnt of torque
VERY hard to find a decent one for a reasonable price
on the border of being expensive to insure
interchangable
Still a honda, so paranoia comes with the car (see above)

Well, I don't think I've typed this much in a couple of months, so I'll shut up. I doubt anyone is still reading this. . .

Edit: I suck at grammar and spelling.
Edit2: Damn, I still can't spell.


[Modified by 743, 11:10 PM 1/17/2003]


[Modified by 743, 11:12 PM 1/17/2003]

 

Aww shucks, I meant to post this in the member's corner.

Tom - move this if you feel it neccessary.

 

well some of us are boored and still reading

Yeah it sucks how Thieves always target Honda and Acura I think its the most stolen cars in the USA

might i also sugest that MX6 or a 626 i have a friend that has the 2.0 RX7 motor in a mx6 i think he paid $1950 with turbo and all for it.

Yes it runs and no he has never been to a Track




[Modified by ace1875, 4:19 AM 1/18/2003]

 

Wow, never heard of that swap before. Sounds pretty cool, but I'm really looking for a car that isn't going to require a swap. I'm going through hell trying to get money from insurance for a hybrid, and I don't want to go through it again.

BTW - My next car has to be my daily driver, but I'll be at as many auto-x's and hpde's as I can afford to go to.

 

have you thought about an mr2 turbo? not practical but...

 

im in the same boat as you. im looking at newer cars, but i dont think i will be able to afford it. which brings me back to hondas. i would love to get a EG or a DA but im scared it will be stolen just like my EK was from in front of my house. it sucks here in jersey.

 

It's a tough choice...when my honda got stolen i couldn't stand seeing it sitting in the salvage yard so i had to rebuild it, but i also had teh luxury of having another car so i could take my time with the rebuild(its been over a year now and still not done)and i know the odds are it will jsut get fucked with again...the price/performance/realiabitly of honda's is really hard to beat...if i had to pick a car in your price range if would either be honda with swap, s14 with sr20det, or my preference, especially now owning a BMW, E30 bmw wiht e36m3 engine..

 

Hah, what's up Terry. I would like to get a mr2 turbo, but I can't afford a decent one, as far as I have seen at least. I won't really know what I can actually afford until I get a check from my insurance co, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm not looking to make payments on a car while I'm in college.

 

You guys are correct. Of the top 10 most stolen cars in the USA, Accords are #2 and CiViCs are #4. This is what the CCC has to say about it:

 

miata =

a guy on here put together a turbo kit for his miata for like 2thousand including a new clutch......he said it puts down about 200hp......200hp RWD 2,300 lbs =

 

so many of us are having our cars stolen..in the future more likely than not ur street racers getting bust d will have some of our parts in they re cars..

as much as i love honda s..cuz of the relialbily and fun they have give to me in the past..ive consider d so many other cars now..each time a new model comes out, they just run circles around what honda has to offer today

 

just my .02 but i think miatas are *****. setting their performance on the back burner, if you get in accident in one of those you could be in alot of trouble too. plus they are extremely impractical.
if i were in your situation id get an ef civic hatch and seriously keep the piece a sleeper, like oem paint, wheels, exhaust...everything. then get new springs/shocks, brake pads and tires. put itn for a sick swap and your done. total sleeper with peanuts for insurance, a 89 civic on the verge of rusting will more than liekly get overlooked by car theifs.
i understand about not wanting to do a swap and stuff, but theres just nothing else out there worth driving imho... maybe an older vw jetta or golf.

 

all anyone needs is to put more time and effort into another honda and have it jacked again...if they new his last honda was swapped im sure they would assume his next would be to... i dont see a honda staying in his driveway to long with the chop shop down the street. I would definatly look into another brand of car unless your going to keep it totally stock or dont mind losing what you put in it. I found a 93 MR2 Turbo for $5600 and thats what im driving now. It was definatly a deal because the guy didnt know what it was worth, but if you wait long enough you'll come across something

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I really really want a DA, and I actually believe that it would be less suspected than another eg or dc, but it's still a honda, and apparently the car thieves around here aren't as dumb as I once thought they were. I've basically accepted that with the money I get, I'm getting a very crappy car until I get out of college, or I'm taking out a loan and getting something better. I'm kinda looking at impreza 2.5RS's right now. Only problem is their performance stock is **** poor, and if I have to get a loan to afford it, I won't be able to modify it too much, especially not during this sememster, as I have a busy schedule at school. Heck, I don't even have a way of getting to half of my classes without a car, but in order to stay on my insurance policy, I have to be a full time student. Catch 22.


[Modified by 743, 4:16 PM 1/21/2003]

 

damn, that sucks about the car. I don't hear about too much theft in my area (knock on wood). I think that a 4g 4door civic would be a good bet. I just can't really see anyone stealing one unless it has body kit, wheels, and the owner shows off his swap. Plus, if you leave it stock while your in school, you will get 40+ mpg, at least thats what my friends 88dx gets. And, come on, how can you not like the 4g 4door?

 

5.slow.....

They are hatches and have enough torque to move there portly asses. Plus, they respond very well to mods. But, that's just my opinion looking over everything you posted.

 

I was in the same boat as you. I've been lucky for the most part as this Honda hasn't gotten stolen yet.

I honestly think that I'm looking to get either a S13, or RX7 next. After I try to get a bike this year I might just break down and buy a slightly used EVO in a year or 2 after they come off lease.

Hard decision. I'd get the DA because you can still do stuff with it. And you'll still have Honda reliability.

 

You can swap in a 5.0 v8 motor into the miata.