Civic Fun

[Vimeous]

I've been trundling cross-countries all week between Gloucester and Ebbw Vale armed with our 55-plate 1.4 Civic and it continues to amaze me.

Now I know a 1.4 in a heavy car such as this should be slow, and it is, but driven with millimetre attention to the red-line it can embarrass much bigger cars and even the occasional turbo-nutter Vito!
Take this morning. I'd caught and passed a modern oil-burner in the shape of a Passat after he got himself boxed in at a couple of roundabouts. His attempts to keep up not only proved that liberal use of a 6speeder makes this little baby nippy off the line but that given enough car knowledge the torque advantage can be eliminated as well.
Of course get the wrong gear and the little 1.4 struggles gamely in a loosing battle but it's fun all the same.

My favourite bit though is that the quick-steering and firm suspension mean roundabouts are like a slalom, simply great fun!

[Howard]

I want a ride in a Civic VTi to see what they're like

[CocoPops]

I HATED the 1.4 new civic lol

I felt it was FAR underpowered for the size of car.

....but...

I did drive it whilst my S2000 was having warranty work, so I suppose I was a little spoilt.

[dangel]

Presumably it's as bad as a Golf 1.4 then?

I remember having a Leon 1.4 (same car) as a courtesy car once - I honestly though there was a problem with it so slow it was

Still, if another driver is sufficiently hamfisted pretty much any car will do to beat him What's a Civic's BHP? ~90bhp? In which case a TDI passat should (in all honesty) murder it in most circumstances (typically they're 115-170bhp with a heck of a lot more torque now, older model was at a guess 100-130 or so?).

[beanbandit]

Now I know a 1.4 in a heavy car such as this should be slow, and it is, but driven with millimetre attention to the red-line it can embarrass much bigger cars and even the occasional turbo-nutter Vito!

You trying to break another company car? Is 2 not enough for you Sounds like your having lots of fun tho

[Vimeous]

80bhp
0-60 14.1
106 tops

I'd love to use the 1.8 we have all the time as it's alot less effort to drive but there's a certain appeal to wringing every last drop of performance out of a relatively underpowered car. Besides you just don't slow down for the corners ofc!

[Vimeous]

You trying to break another company car? Is 2 not enough for you Sounds like your having lots of fun tho

OK OK I get yer point!

The 1.8 has had its emissions sensor replaced and was back AGES ago.

The 54-plate 1.6 Sport however ......

Well Honda told leasing company £2300. They inspected it and said go jump, a new head gasket should see it through.

Well it arrived back this week after around 2 months away. In the end they deemed the damaged bad enough to replace said gasket, the head itself, the entire bottom end, radiator and all the water related gubbins, pipes and whatnot.
Seems the bill ended up over £3k!

So todays thought:

If you are suddenly driving a huge ball of steam, not it probably wasn't your fault, BUT assume it's gonna be expensive!

Oh and yes, before anyone goes pointing fingers they confirmed the car wasn't being driving unreasonably, it just suffered catastrophic head gasket failure. This caused immediate rapid temp increase and hence pressure which blew the pipe off the back of the radiator and led to the affore mentioned giant ball of steam rapidily halting on the hard shoulder! (not to mention the blur of me leaping out to check it wasn't smoke )

When it goes to auction in the next 6 months someone will get an absolute peach of a car lol

[arbitor]

I want a ride in a Civic VTi to see what they're like

Il give you a ride in my ek9 when i pick it up soon

Embarass a vti

[Howard]

You're on

[Vimeous]

Il give you a ride in my ek9 when i pick it up soon

Embarass a vti

Too right!
VTi is a Q-car
EK9 is a roller-skate

[arbitor]

Im buying one with a few spoon mods, 200 bhp in 1052 KG car

[Howard]

Where do you live? I might come and steal it or something if you don't mind

[arbitor]

Kingston

Yeh go for it, its going to be in a lock up haha

Looks VERY like this one

[Howard]

Nice!

I might be interested in a ride when you do get it

[arbitor]

Np, im looking foward to sub 6 sec to 60

[herulach]

Sorry, but writing spoon down the side of your 2 tone civic, is too easy. I know its genuinely a quick car, but still.