Honda Civic Type-R (2001 - 2005) 2.0i VTEC 3d (AC) (2004/04) Owner Review
Want to know everything there is to know about this car?
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Summary
What does this car say about you?
Likes sports cars.
What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?
Crazy, yet reliable.
Would you buy this car again and why?
Yes, 2015 model Type-R as the FN2 model (whilst a bit more luxurious) does not have the same feel.
What are you likely to buy next?
Golf GT TSI 160 - a good combination of performance, economy... and 5 doors! The Honda Type-R was great - I would have kept it, but the cost of Air-con replacement, 4 new tyres (the Honda take 205/45R17 which for the good ones are around £150 each because it's a relatively rare size) and rust to exhaust and brake cables meant it had to go. IT was nearly 10 years old though and has never skipped a beat.
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Buying experience
Type of dealer you bought from?
Independent
Did you buy this car new?
No
What price did you pay?
£6,000
When did you buy the car?
October 2010
Did you get a good deal and why?
I managed to pick up the Facelift version of the car (air conditioning model) with 52,000 on the clock for £6k - in 2010 most of the old models without air-con were going for this price.
Is there any special reason why you bought this car?
Price, reliability, performance, looks...
What was the dealer like?
Evans Halshaw - good. They delivered the car for me too.
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Driving it
What's it like to drive?
Amazing - I've just bought a Golf GT TSI 160 (09 plate) and whilst it obviously doesn't quite have the power the thing I miss most is the cornering ability of the Type-R. I would say that you can throw the EP3 into a roundabout about 40% faster than the Golf (the Golf handles well it's just that it weighs more).
What's it like to park?
Easy
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Living with it
Have you had any problems with the car?
There was a reason it was so cheap - the air-con compressor was bust. This costs about £1300 at a Honda dealer, or £800 if your lucky with an independent.
What's most practical about your car?
Very spacious for it's size.
Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
I like the heated door mirrors... never knew it'd be something I'd appreciate.
