steve McCulloch

What does the community think of this car?

I was going to geet one in Black, with Aircon, and some side protector strips (cos of the Probs of bashes I have with the Scoob)

Main dealer is out of the question as some take as long as importers and they are offering no discount (well the ones I have come across)

You can pick up about £2k cheaper from importers

Anyone know any good importers for this car?

Anyone know a good insurance company - as its insurance group 18 (will get it for the girlfriend) as It would cost be a fortune as a second car!

mr flibble

Hi

Took the Civic type-r out for a while 2 weeks ago on a long test drive. I found the car very basic inside but very roomy. The seats gripped you well and I was surprised at actually how low the car considering its MPV body style.

The engine is cracking. The car had 3000 miles on the clock, and it pulled extremely well in the first 3 gears, however once in 4th I found that it made more noise than actual progress. I don't think it deserves its 6 speed gear box, I was forever shifting down to get the car to go anywhere. The gearbox was also abit tricky especially 5th gear, whether it was my driving ability or the cars gearbox that was at fault (the dealer did warn me that it was abit troublesome). Anyway to some it up, not a bad hot hatch, but it didn't tempt me away from MY00 (although I am trying to tempt my dad to ditch his 206 GTI for one)

Hope this helps (if you can afford it get a second hand S2000 my friend has one and its cracking)

M.

steve McCulloch

I will try and get a test drive soon

No - dont want an s2000 - a bit claustaphobic inside and we want a new car

Will check out the gear changes - hope the car is better than the accord - didnt feel this had any power when I test drove it a couple of years back

Got a decent quote from Privelege for £600 - and to my shock they did not require a Tracker - they normally do!!

mr flibble

Thats not too bad for grp 18

Its worth getting the test drive asap. Its a very good car and looks good, however if you have come from Scooby, I don't think it will give you what you want.

Best of luck mate, Hopefully my dad will get one, then I can get to know the car abit better.

M.

SJobson

Changing my Scoob for one on 1 March - ordered it on Saturday. After 3 test drives I decided it was worth changing. It's a sideways step - the whole powertrain feels refined after the Scoob, but its rear end doesn't come into play round the corners (well, my wife's got an Elise for that sort of thing). However, it does have the most amazing throttle response and will be vastly cheaper to run (over £1000 cheaper in servicing alone in the next year than my 30,000 mile MY99).

As for the gearbox - 4th is fine when you're in the 6000rpm+ VTEC zone. It has only got 145lb ft of torque at 5,500rpm-ish so it's never going to feel like the Scoob. But run it to 8k rpm through the gears (it doesn't feel as mechanically unsympathetic as it sounds, partly because the rev counter arc is only 180 degrees), and each time you shift it drops straight back into the VTEC zone at 6000 rpm. Shortshifting won't work though.

It's about as fast as my UK Scoob, without the amazing shove in the back, but hasn't got the same traction. It corners more flatly and the damping is better though. And it's a bargain. I like it, and it's a nice change.

steve McCulloch

Thanks

Its for the girlfriend - I'll be keeping my Scoob.

We just wanted a quick car that was reasonably cheap and thought that the Civic was the one to go for. She has a Clio 1.4 16v at the moment and although its only 15 months old we've had no end of bother with it (Ignition coils, oil pump, aircon, electric windows and we cant get is started after its rained!) so the Clio 172 was out of the question - as we need somthing reliable (my mum has another New Renault and shes had no end of bother with it, including a new clutch and flywheel after 6000 miles of driving!)

I have an Audi Turbo (S3) Company car as well, and thats way too heavy and has terrible handling, compared to other company cars I've had.

I'll try and get that test drive - the one in Bristol has dagamed theirs - and are on a 22 week wait anyway!! - faced with that I'd be best importing anyway!

SJobson

Steve, although I'd say the Honda is a great car, if your girlfriend lets you drive her car then may I suggest it's not quite the most appropriate car when you've got a Scoob and an S3 as well? After all, it does a similar job to those 2 cars (145-ish mph, 4 seats, decent boot etc). I say that as someone who's moving from a Scoob to a CTR having looked at the S3. Why would you choose one car over the others when you go out? Why not get an MX-5 or something (seriously!) because then you've got an extra dimension when you feel like using it. That's why I persuaded my wife to change from her Clio to an Elise - we'll use the Elise at weekends, and the Civic (and previously the Scoob) for taking kids to school etc.

steve McCulloch

SJobson

The Scoob is my weekend car

The Audi is a runaround for me now for work(having just got a new one after writing the last one off in France!) and I dont pay for fuel

The girlfriend wants a fast runaround as well to get to work or go to parents, etc - and I dont want her driving the Scoob to work

I should not have really mentioned my cars as really they dont fit in the equation. She just wanted a cheap, fast runaround. If I get it myself and do all the stuff I'm looking at about £14k for Black Metallic and protective strips (without aircon)

I'd get the girlfriend to do it - but she does'nt have a clue.......

I definately dont want (her to have) an MX5 - even the girly would be embarassed to drive it and the Elise is not a practical car (did'nt the MX5 get girls car of the year a couple of years running? - I dont want her in one!)- it has to be a practical runaround for her rather than a weekend car - i.e. it needs to have a boot!, etc

But I hear where your coming from

I think we'll have too many fast cars on the driveway!!

steve McCulloch

We'd chose the Audi for going out in all the time as thats the one I have the fuel card with

Scoob for me at weekends
Other for her at weekends and work days

Modrapheniac

Hi,

I've just ordered one, delivery 2nd March, Silver, Air Con, Fogs, tweeters etc... got a great deal !
Tried the 172 Clio, very good, but lacking something ! Drove the Type R the following day and loved it, even flew past a MY 02 Scooby, who tried to catch up and couldn't. The gearbox was perfect, no problems there. My only criticism is that there's no leather option for the bucket seats !

Enjoy !

Darrell

steve McCulloch

How dyou manage to get them so quickly

What 'great deal' did you get???

As the dealers I've spoken to wont budge at all - but thats due to the huge wait lists

Modrapheniac

Hi Steve,

Popped in on Sunday for the test drive, the Guy that took me out I recognised as the same bloke I bought a new R5GTTurbo back in the 80s. Got chatting etc.... Asked him about availability, depends on colour he said. I want a silver one, ...... no problem ,next week ??!!

Reason being they had a brand new silver one in the showroom, which a punter has renaged on !! Paid deposit, now can't afford it. Jumped at the chance, having air con, fogs and tweeters fitted at half cost which is in my opinion a good deal. Picking it up on March 2nd.

What is the waiting time at present anyway ?? On U.K. supplied or import ?

SJobson

I'm told the waiting time for a UK car is about 2 months, but my car is one the dealer ordered in as a demonstrator, due to arrive 23 Feb so I'm picking it up 1 March. It's the right spec (red w/aircon) so I said yes.

I'm getting a deal on the aircon price but haven't managed to get anywhere with CD changer yet. Couldn't get a discount on the car price - even autobytel who source their cars in the UK quotes about £15,600. I have got a good trade in on my Scoob though.

Modrapheniac

What's good tho' in my opinion is you can get these extras fitted at a later date, as they are all dealer fit anyway.
CD Changer would be nice, which one you thinking about ? In dash or in boot ? I'll probably get my local Guys to install something better anyway. Also getting delivery of a new Renault RX4 for the missus on the same day. Scooby's going in favour of the Type R !

steve McCulloch

Typical wait seems to vary depending on colour

If I wanted Red or Silver I could have in about 2 months ish (though my locaL dealer said it would be a minimum of 20 weeks, if I was lucky!)

If I want black then its 20 weeks from the dealers I've contacted - none available

Its aboit 20 weeks on an import

Imported with Aircon and Metallic Paint and side protection strips is approx £15400 with Virgin

Or £1k less without aircon

Or about £1500 less if I did it all myself, so just under £14k

So you got the dealer fit options at half price!!

Theres some confusion on the Aircon

1 dealer said £1350 fitted, one said £1450 fitted and another said £950 fitted as the list price. Virgin have it at £855 fitted........

Modrapheniac

Dealer price on the air con was £1200, Fog Lamps £350, Tweeters £75. Got the whole lot for £800. I'll probably add protection strips and rear parking sensors at some stage as well.

druddle

If you are going to import anything talk to Litchfield Imports.

They have done a blinding deal for a Yaris i am importing. Mention Scoobynet (and me !!)

Dave

steve McCulloch

Thanks - I sent a mail to Litimports this morning - waiting a reply

£800 on the stuff - bargain!!

SJobson

Dealers all seem to be different on air-con - I've got it for £950.

As for CD changers, apparently the only sort you can get in a Type-R while retaining the silver head unit would be a boot-mounted one. 6 disc changer - £380! Needless to say, I declined. If they can do better then I may go for it. Alternatively I'm sure other brands work with Honda's head unit.

Trading my Scoob for the CTR as well - never bough a new car on the new plate day before, v. exciting! Got my missus her Elise last November, so it'll be a while before we get any other new cars...

steve McCulloch

Is there a contact number I can ring to check what the list price on aircon should be??


Not sure if theres an official acessory price list - did'nt get one off the dealer

SJobson

Steve, I can't think of anything - maybe try Honda UK? I know aircon's not a factory fit, so I wonder if all cars will even have the same type of air-con fitted, if dealers differ in price!

lpitt

Hi,

Had mine since end of November and it's got around 4,500 miles on it now. It replaced a modded MY98 Turbo that I had previously on economy grounds and I don't regret it one bit. It gives me just as much of a grin as the Scooby did. Don't take any notice of people criticising the gears or steering. The steering is very precise and the gear-change is the sweetest I've ever driven.

There is an accessory list from the dealer. Basically it's the standard Civic one but some parts are marked TypeR only. I got the dash-mount autochanger, door sills and TypeR mats with mine. Will probably get air-con in the summer.

Oh and it's silver amd I waited 9 days for delivery from order.

Laurence