A good car for £2000. I had a Rover 220 GTi before and that was reasonably quick pulling away. Anyway it was on it's last legs and I needed a mixture of performance, economy, added extras and reliability. I picked mine up for just under £2000 with FSH, full MOT & tax and 60,000 on the clock. First impressions were that is wasn't as fun away at the lights as the 220 Gti. But I've come to realise that it's a beauty of a car. Once it hits a certain speed it's not bad at all performance wise. It seems good on fuel too with the V-tec engine it would be. I haven't seen many rusty or broken down Hondas. For that sort of money if you can get a good one then I don't think it's a bad buy.
I've read a few of the comments on here and there is a feeling of resentment from some people because on the whole, VTi drivers are very happy with the performance of there cars. Therein lies the problem. I think some people can get carried away when describing there cars. The bottom line is for a 1.6 to produce almost 160bhp as standard without a turbo or supercharger is quite an achievement. Yes, it lacks torque and yes you have to rev it hard to extract the performance. If that's not 'your thing' then you'ld be better looking elsewhere. Me? I love revving the engine hard. The flip side is if you use restraint you'll get decent mpg, it is a 1.6 after all. The handling is sharp and the ride is acceptable. I wouldn't recommened Pirelli tyres though as the wet weather grip is poor. The interior is a bit plain and dull, although nothing will break or fall off. Overall, i like it!
Performance, economy, decent accomodation, looks, handling.
Dull interior.
Reviewing a 2000 model.
VTi Coupe
Owned for 4 years.
i have a 98 silver civic vti all thou its all stock its still a mean car i just want to know what performance parts are best for this motor and were can i get them from cheers
This is my 3rd honda now they are bullet proof got a 1.5sohc vtec, then to a sir 1.6dohc vtec and have an integra type r now 1997 jap import crazy power 200bhp, it corners like its on rails it clings you to the recaros rounding a bend. Had very little problems in these cars just all small things like drop links and back bushes. I regurly service my cars every 6000miles and never had any engine problems, they do burn a bit of oil alrite so check the level every two weeks, must say they really are the best car to have cant beat the VTEC crazy system. My next one id proberbly get would b either a DC5 or an S2000.Great cars cant fault them.
I know theres many HONDA haters out there but who cares this reviews from owned experience!!! Owned civic 1.8 VTI Iv covered approx 15 thousand miles with out a break down so far under 12 months baught it in June 06, its a Honda reliability speaks for its self. Performance toped 140mph but let go I know the car still had some power left in it. The only mods are Induction kit, Iridium Spark plugs and its been De-cat. I personaly wouldnt throw this car comfortably on a bend on a wet day or even when dry as the back end loves to slide out! so be warned. The only Honda I believe can take bends are the type R integras/accords. As for competition the VTI shifts when you need it to, but I wouldnt recommend messing with anybody at the lights when the roads are wet it wheel spins like mad. To be on the safe side I'd only recommend competition with anybody on a straight run coz it will flatten more than your average! no lies. As for torque I think this car has slow acceleration, you'l only feel a difference after 2nd/3rd gear, a golf tdi will even keep up neck to neck or get ahead of you, until you get into 2nd or third, as most german cars have good acceleration you might end up loosing on a traffic lights lol, but give it time you'l flaten more than yr average. Talking from experience Iv floored an X5, Golf GTI, Impreza turbo 2000, Fiesta RS Turbo, Focus Zetec, Audi A4 Estates, and much more lol the list goes on. Its capabilities for a 1.8 DOHc Engine are surprising keeps up with a local porsche even the porsche owner is surprised? you got to try it to believe it. It may look like an innocent Honda but dont test! its innocent as you want it to be or its a beast from the east its like 2 cars in one. Returns good fuel economy, half leathers, full electrics etc.. good spec cheap for what it is, but insurance makes up for it if your young. Looks the business all iv done is tinted it, near enough notice everybody looking. Kool car, I would own again as its a very good car so far!
Reliabilty, Performance, its a HONDA
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Reviewing a 1998 model.
Honda Civic 1.8 Vtec VTI Black
Owned for 1 year.
I owned a 99 standard1.6 VTI coupe for 3 years. This was quite a quick car, but some of you are living in dream land (keeping up with scoobys etc). Civic VTI'S have high BHP but only at around 5400RPM. I have raced quite a few cars and know the VTI'S capabilities - a different air filter and de-cat is'nt going to convert your VTI into a Skyline. Pherhaps you are racing people who are not really racing you. I now own a 190 celica which is far quicker and has much better handling. Pherhaps your next cars (regardless of what ever it is) will be the best car you have ever owned. Get a life all of you sad people
Very reliable, economical and excellent build quality
None, but not a sports car
Reviewing a 1999 model.
1.6 VTI Coupe
Owned for 3 years.
Hows it going if you were to put back the original exhaust it would be way quieter alright cause i had the same exhaust in my sir civic but took it out too loud espcially when vtec kicked in, when its lowered 40mm the car is going to be that bit harder over bumps but it will handle great on cornering hope that helps
Took my VW 2.5 TDI Transporter to carsincornwall today to trade in, I didn't know what I was going to buy but told the sales man I wanted a reasonable powered saloon car, after looking around I saw this Civic, it was a 1.8VTI W reg (year 2000) for 3650 with 78000 on the clock, I did the deal not knowing what I had let myself in for. This evening my mate came around to see it, I said try hitting 5500 revs as the sales man had told me, shortly after reaching 5500 we took off and I saw the police pull out from a left turning he braked quickly turned left and parked up, we walked around to see if they had gone, but because the car does not look like a speeder they just drove off.
This car actually scares me a bit but I am looking forward to finding my confidence in driving it.
I have a question, they guy who had it before spent £500 on a Stainless Steel performance exhaust, exactly what does that do and if it was returned to the orginal which was included would it be a little more quiet?
He also lowered it 40mm? Does that make for a better ride?
I own a sir ek4 iam very happy with it, great performance and fun to drive, got it superchiped put a ractive filter into it and performance leads and plugs put it on the dyno and she pushing out 198bhp she standard of 170bhp. going to keep it for awile very fast thinking of puttin a jackson raceing supercharger in to it to bring it to about 240-250 bhp when the vtec kicks in at 5000rpm with the filter you think your going to tke off it roars its unreal GREAT!!!
I own a 98 1.6 civic VTI (EK) and ive had it a year and a half and not yet have i had to spend any money on it apart from the obvious such as tyres. It gets thrashed everyday and its still going strong. its got 78k on the clocks so far and im sure it will at least double that still with no probs. All ive done to it is put some new alloys on it and a de-cat stainless exhaust which roars like mad when the V-tec kicks in. Considering its only a 1.6, theres not many 2.0 l's that will get away from it apart from top end which you cant reach on back roads anyway. One of my mates has got an integra type r (DC2) and theres hardly any difference in acceleration untill about 120, then the type r pulls away. Also another mates got a nissan 200sx 2.0 turbo and when it was standard it couldnt loose me. Vti's are very underestimated and you get jeb ends who dont know anything about cars who are driving around in daddys 2.0 trying to race you because they see a 1.6 badge on the back and think they'll cane you but instead its see ya later and there left in your dust. The only downside is that there not that tunable because they came out the factory allmost at their full potential but you can squeeze out a few more bhp with the right mods. If its not japanese then its not worth having !!!!
well i'v just read a post from some guy claiming that a 1.6 civic ek9 doesnt have 185bhp, well first of all its better to do your homework before you start telling other people waht BHP they have and dont have, go look up what a civic EK9 really is and read up the spec then that'll be the first civic whos back end is all you'll be lookin at when your going down the road, i no vw's are fast but never under estimate other cars when you no absolutly nuthing about them OK
the car infront is indeed a honda. this being no ordinary honda, it is the honda civic ek9 type R. standard form, from its 1.6 n/a engine profile it is good for 185bhp, 0-60mph times of under 6 (i have had it at 5.1). this being the first generation civic type r (CTR), it can also claim the title of the fastest civic ever to be produced.
the following modifictions has been made to the car: rev-hard turbo kit titanium exhaust (full) JDM air induction lightened flywheel lightened pulleys tein coilovers (-40mm all round) front/rear strut rear tie bar 16" mag alloys 550cc injectors prelude brake conversion black diamond brake pads apex vtec controller
the car has been dyno'd with 327bhp/ 287tq the car has been at santa pod and has made the following times: 1/4 mile: 12.22 @ 121mph 0-60: 4.5s max mph: off the clock, digital gprs was @ 162mph
..A much underrated car, it has a well balanced chassis, a ability to rival many on the road with a greater price tag, and still be there to have some more. A classic in the making with good economy and handling. No other manufacturer holds the reputation of never having a engine returned to them due to defect like honda. their vtec engines are now a force to be reckoned with with others like toyota (vvti), FORD (ZETEC) AND NISSAN (CVT) FOLLWOING SUIT.
I dont own a Honda Vtech, i have driven a 2.2 prelude vtech (jap import) back from Holland to the UK, it felt fast,
But i just read the post from a guy with a 1.6 claiming to have 185bhp and has no problems leaving GTI's and RS Turbo's, Is this kid for real??? lol i own a MK2 Golf Gti 16v 1.8, and i have 174 bhp AT THE WHEELS, Now let me tell Mr 1.6 that he dont have 185bhp @ his wheels.
And BYE BYE GTI...... there will be no Honda's gettin infront of my GTI, just ask most CIVIC type R's in cheshire and Audi TT 225 bhp drivers, how they felt when one of the fastest 16yr old car destroys them.
Ask yourselves,,,, How would u feel if ur giving your car its ALL and u get destroyed by and old GOLF??? how much did i pay for this NEW car???? How much was that golf that Flew past me????..........mmmmm bout £700. Devostated Honda drivers......( honda tv advert tune) you gotta change sumtin....you gotta make your shitt betterrrrrrrr.... you gotta change sumtin.
Dont mess with OLD VW's they get lower and faster with age.
I have had my T reg Civic VTI-S for about 8months, my particular has been parked up for four years due to a interiior fire, it now has 19k on the clock. I have got a k&N air filter fitted, an exhaust back box and thats enough to make my sound like a monster comming down the road.
I have hit 150mph in my car and i felt the car still wanted to go on, but i ran out of road and the bend was comming in pretty quick.
These civics are very under estimated and no body believes me when i tell them i have kept up to a subaru on a cold day.
I have got a spare 1.8 dohc vtec engine if any body is intrested in doing some kind of project.
i have a 1.6 vti eg6 and its unbelievable iv had 150+ mph on m62 its only got a cheap air filter and full crappy powerflow zorst, any one who doesnt believe me mail me and il c u at the m62 but bring summat fast b16a2 forever
note to bikers your fast but thats it your uncomfortable and you cant pull impracticle and usafe stop being so cocky it only takes a lil nudge just kidding lol
I have owned a W reg 1.8VTi for over two years and am very impressed with it. I have been a little unlucky with reliability, but it has been driven hard! These problems have never been engine ones and it has always got me home. That to one side it is an all round good car, comfortable to drive, pretty rapid and the VTEC engine still excites when opened up to its full. It's not to bad the the motorway. If you knock a few mph off the speed, it makes a huge difference to noise, comfort and mpg. For £'s per BHP it is unbeatable. Re-mapping the ecu is in order for my vti which hopefully will give me even more thrills. This is my first honda and I'm addicted, I don't want to get rid of it, and when it does finally give up (which maybe some time), it will be straight back to the Honda dealer!
Bomb proof! Absolutely brilliant car very cheap to run because they don't go wrong. Owned ours from 8,000 miles to 130,000 miles when it was written off. Had it serviced every 6,000 miles by local dealer (£80 ago). One set of front brake pads at 60K, 2 cam belts 60K & 120K, 2 rear silencers, 1 center section of exhausts and new tyres every 30K, Oh and a battery at 90K. Good on fuel and lively to drive with great handling. Electric windows and electric sunroof got a little bit tired after 100K. Head and shoulders above anything else I've owned for reliability, They stopped making this Jap built model in 1994 so low mileage examples are hard to find.
Great performance from the 1.8 DOHC VTEC (as long as you don't expect it to be an M3). Great roar when the VTEC kicks in. Love it when I change down from 3rd to 2nd before a swift corner. Will always put a smile when you rev it to the redline.
Motorway journey is a bit noisy due to engine noise. It would have been so much better with a 6th gear. Shame as it's smooth, quiet and very compliant around town.
Good safety with two airbags and ABS. There is no traction control but there is an LSD. Just like a type-R! (Although the current UK version of Civic Type-R lost LSD due to cost reasons)
Has an immobiliser as standard but alarm was an option at the time of production (I think). Though, as it's an understated car, hopefully it won't attract unwanted attention.
Reliability: It's a Honda. Service it regularly and it'll run and run.
The civic Vti comes out of the factory with anything between 160 - 172 BHP, Its just how the japanese work. I was one of the lucky ones, Mine was rolling roaded @ 170 BHP @ 7,600 RPM the day i bought it.
Its a front wheel drive 4 door saloon, this shape is very rare and took me a long time to track down.
The car itself is amazing - Clean lines, and nice standard rims. Disc brakes all round, electric EVERYTHING, ABS, SRS airbag.
Handling is stunning, THIS CAR WILL NOT UNDERSTEER!! Ive taken corners @ 100mph and the car just digs in.
Its a definate wolf in sheeps clothing, to look at its a normal 4 door family car, but when you open it up (and boy, does it open up) Its a cruise missile.
Vtec (valve technology) Happens @ 5400rpm this is where the camsahfts switch from using low-profile cam lobes, over to High profile cam lobes, thus making the pistion stroke longer => more power.
The engine is bulletproof, con-rods are designed to rev to 11,000 rpm safely.
My car has been modified on the inside.. who said you cant make a good engine better.
I have AEM cold air induction, A 4.5 inch 5Zigen exhaust, Short shift gear linkage, De-CAT system.
It kicks out approx 185 BHP at the wheels. 0-60 comes in 7.0 flat top speed is a GPS tested 160 MPH (needle went off the clock @ 145, the digital equipment measured the rest)
As for boy racers and buisness reps - Youd better buy evo's or scoobys if you want to keep up with me.
Drive one before you die - THATS AN ORDER I love it more than life itself, if your reading this trying to get an idea of weather to buy one or not, just do it. I have all this speed and i still do 37MPG if i sit @ 60mph
just bought a 2000 W reg VTI-S 40k, FSH, ALL USUAL SPEC> an amazing car for the value and performance. looks innocent from outside but that bad boy engine is ready to roar and VTEC just kills it.
i had a rover GTi before and now bought my VTI-S a few months ago. the only way to find out if its for you is when u drive it you will be thinking what is going on. the high reved engine just wants to keep on going the vtec power just leaves the opponent when racing.
what else can be said Honda is so reliable, and the spec in the car is very good with 1/2 leather, AC and full electrics. the performance is amazing just as a STANDARD car it has 169BHP, it eats all those young boy racers out there, even thos businessmen with the 320 bmw and C200 MERC'S.
the VTEC is so addictive you cant stop, iv went crazy since iv got my car, the performace is so impressive it shakes any passengers you take in the car especially 2nd gear about 72MPH and 3rd close to 100MPH. that vtect guys is honda technology. i alway thought they were good for reliability and not much performance, but after having so many problems with previous cars, i decided to buy 1 good car and keep it for a long time and it just had to be this VTIS its the best decision iv ever made.
iv just put my K&N filter in the car and its made such a difference as the sound of the VTEC is much more aggressive, it scares people crossing roads and near by drives as what is coming they all look, like a Boeing 747 taking off.
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