What got me to buy my 89 Si hatchback is the diverse number of performance upgrades that can be done. (It's now got a B18C in it)

It seems to me that Honda financially benefits by the interest placed on these cars, and yet they seem to offer no incentive, and actually go in the other direction. (in a conversation with one of the writers for a magazine that deals with Tuning Hondas, it was stated that Honda doesn't even like to talk to them)

And so the question is; Would you buy your (early) Honda if you could make no
performance modifications. This means; no engine or suspension changes.

Wes Vann

 

Yeah I would still purchase a Honda. But Not just anyone. I like the way the 88-91 Civic/Crx Si(only) feel sporty even in stock form. Plus they good looking cars. Other than that it would have to be an S2K

 

Proper;

So, what you are saying is that you would only buy an Si version.

That's interesting due to the fact that if "modifications" were not allowed, the price for an Si would go through the roof!! Basic supply and demand. An Hf would quickly go to the crusher.

Wes

 

I would buy one, the Si is still a imppressive car.

 

Yes I would still buy one, but I wouldn't have bought as many as I have over the years.

91 CRX Hf (wouldn't have)
88 CRX Si (would have)
90 CRX SiR (yes... SiR... and yes... would still have bought it!)
88 Civic Std (nope)
90 Civic Std (nope)
90 Civic Std (nope)
90 Civic SiR (yup)
88 CRX Hf (yup... it is one my favorite EF's to date, love how light it is)

Wow... now that I've sat here and really tried to remember the EF's I've owned, I forgot there were so many.

 

Yeah the price would be pretty steep but if you think of all the money you drop on performance parts, engines, etc. It would probably level out.

 

just cause you can't buy perfomance upgrades doesn't mean that you can't still do some stuff to it.(right?) I guess it would still be like the old days and you just have to figure stuff out yourself.

either way yes I would have.

 

there is no way that i would have a honda in stock form. people would be shitting on u all over.

my crx is a sleeper. before i had hondas i had an 88 cougar with a 5.0 cobra swap in it and an eaton supercharger. sleeper.

theres no way i would drive a stock honda, barely able to keep up in the fast lane of the highway.

i <3 my honda, but i love it because ive made it my own, not because of the factorys finishing touches.

 

I think it'd be fun to mod a old 1300 wagon just to be different. There's a olive green one with a b-series that i've seen rollin around.

 

I think I would have left the EF and ponied up the cash for a GSR, Type R or even a newer Lude.

 

I don't like most Hondas in stock form. The fact is that they are slow economy cars and I would want something better. The reason I did buy one is that it has great potential, it is a good place to start for having a fun, quick car. Race cars do have a lot in common with economy cars (light weight, missing useless parts) plus the double wishbone suspension and whatnot....throw in some mods, a new engine and I have my dream car. Keep it stock and I'm very dissatisfied.

 

I think the whole "honda tuning" thing sprang up independently from Honda and Honda has no interest in it financially or otherwise. That's why they don't actively cultivate the market.
I believe they are semi-embaressed about it to some extent, yet happy that in some ways there is a cult of brand loyalty, that keeps pepole buying NEW Hondas, not neccasarily "tuned Hondas".
I'm not old enough to remember the "original California Hot-Rod guys", but from what I've read about them the "honda tuning" movement has alot of paralles to it.
Formerly popular cars in abudance in junkyards, etc. And new technology engines (OHV) or old tech engines(flatheads) that could be tinkered with on a small budget. and bought relatively inexpensively. And personalized.
I don't remember reading about Ford or Chevy actively cultivating the Hot-Rod market then, Just as honda does not now.
OH, and to answer the question, I would buy another OLD honda. But I haven't liked the new ones for years.
And when I first drove, and then bought a honda there WAS NO tuning market and swaps had not been thought of yet. The Honda high-water performance mark at that time WAS the Civic S. period. There was no DOHC, etc,etc.

 

I would love to find a clean CRX Si as my daily driver. It has ALOT my standard doesn't, plus I would just like to have an EF hatch and CRX. So to answer the question yes I would

 

yes, I have three. One of wich is heavily modified. the other a simple motor swap, nothiong else. And the last bone stock.

 

my rex is a blast to drive, bone stock as it is. I took it to some ice races up in NH over the winter. It was my first time at that event, and I beat out some cars that are generally considered far superior. MSPs, Mini Ss, etc. I was even pulling better times than some WRXs. I've done rallycross before, so I know how a car is supposed to feel sideways, but never in a FWD car. I only ever rally-x'd my impreza. so I was pretty new to this too. I'm sure some of it was driver skill, but this is a downright respectable car all around. between the gearing and the weight, it does more with ~110 hp than any other car I can think of.

 

a crx si would be the only older honda i would own if i couldnt modify it. def the sportiest and fastest classic honda. but if i couldnt modify a honda id prob have my 2nd gen mr2 ive waited for years now.

 

So far the spread doesn't seem that far off, however I'm surprised that it's more weighted toward purchasing a stock one.

I think what would weigh it differently would be to make it more clear in what I'm asking.

The question is based on the idea that you CAN'T do any performance modifications. Changes to the appearance of the car are not included. And it has nothing to do with what parts are commercially available. In other words, you can't put a D16Z motor into a 4G Civic. Just whats in there stock.

Wes

 

All my Hondas ARE stock.
I love them all, just the way they are.
If my options were taken away I would STILL keep the ones I have or buy more.
I never bought any of them with the intention of any modifications in mind.
Although I'm not averse to some modifications in the future.
I bought them for what they ARE, not what they COULD be made into.
Regardless of what is or is not "available".

 

i would get an 85 crx si in black... of course it would have body panels that didnt crack and no rust standard...

 

Think im going to get a del sol just to share with my gf and drive. So yeah i would buy a stock honda but nothing pass 94. Dont really like the new headlights and stuff. I love my crx though. Its a hf and still stock but man its cool getting good gas mileage especially now. I dont care if every one walks my car...i know its not that expensive here compared to west coast but 191 is alot for 87 grade.

DEF

 

For a daily driver, without a doubt, for anything else, no.