been offered a 03 civic type r and some cash for my impreza. thinkin about doing a deal but dont know much about them.
is there anything i should be looking out for problem wise?
what they like to drive?
also he says the engine light stays on but says it drives fine.

 

Engine light being on would be ringing alarm bells from the off mate. Good motors though, drive nicely but not as quick as the hype surrounding them would have you believe. That's not to say they are slow as they really aren't but I just found it dissappointing

 

I assume its had an aftermarket manifold/de-cat fitted which has thrown up the EML??

I think they're awesome little B-road cars, beg to be raped to the limiter and are very rewarding if you take it by the scruff of the neck and throw it down a twisty bit of road. I would highly recommend one.


Cheers,
Grant

 

mates got 1 all ways replacing clutches and had a new gearbox(drives it like he stole it mind) apart from that,he says they are ok good luck

 

Had one for four years, steering feel is anodine and electric assistance ruins feel. Watch for steering rack issues, an 03 is the pre facelift model which luckily had a more durable rack, the later facelifted cars had castor angle modification which led to loads of them going in under warranty for new racks. Standard headlights on the pre face are awful with a lousy beam pattern. Top mounts on the front shocks need regular lubing, check for knocks when turning the wheel. Gearbox is sublime and revving to 8k+ is an experience to savour, needs work to keep it on the boil but saying that the i-vtec is a better more flexible lump than the previous gen vtec found in the DC2 which was all or nothing. The EP3 shape civic you are looking at also beats the newer FN2 variant in every area except interior quality. Oh and listen for ticking from the headlight levellers motors can go funny on them.

 

Had mine two years now great little car, bullet proof and will take the abuse all day long if looked after

 

Try not to over rev it too often as the one we thrashed over to Leman last year spat a rod out the block (2002, below average miler, well maintained with good quality oil etc)....although they do encourage you to in the way the power comes in. Fun little cars though, will make a good daily driver imo. Dash mounted gear change did my head in though

 

I'd seriously suggest driving it for a tester day, very very all or nothing ones I've driven, ace brakes as std though, very good quality, I just don't like having to hit 6000rpm+ to make progress, not so bad up to around 80, after that the crap torque is really felt against a turbo lump, but could always turbo it!!
A nice car for a fun blast don't think I could live with one though, saying that my cossie tows a caravan at times as well, wouldn't like to do this with a type r.
tabetha

 

No point towing a caravan with it Tab...by the time you'd hit vtec (yo) you would have gotten to the seaside, and in the process of hitting vtec(yo...what is that all about? I say it to be 'down with the kids' tbh) all your fine china would have fallen off the shelving with the shock of the sudden unexpected short burst of power

They're ok though for what they are, just not as indestructable as most people seem to make out....more reliable than most other cars in their class though I'll give them that.

 

All or nothing? not true :

6000rpm to make progress again not true

As for the after 80 comment, the first time i went in a mk1 focus RS ( someone off here ) we went up against a mates standard CTR all was pretty even till after 3rd gear then it just kept pulling into the distance

All you ever hear is " you have to rag them to make them go " well ye like any other car if you want to be flat out

 

For " what they are " a hot hatch there Very good, will hold there own against anything around it in its class, then theres the honda badge im sure i dont need to tell you about there relability record?

the problem is people try comparing them to totally different cars.

 

Exactly, the i-vtec is better tuned than the older vtec lumps, brings in normal amounts of shove expected from a 2l hot hatch about 3k revs then goes ballistic from 5.7k revs. The comment on the dash mounted change I also disagree with, I loved it and it felt quite touring car to use .
Had a few spats with standard Mk1 RS and was always even on a drag run. At least the deficit in torque didnt rip your arms off when giving it beans which is the only downside of the RS as it hunts the tarmac darting this way and that. The CTR was a little like the old 205 gti I once owned, once commited in a bend you dare not lift off

 

People might be comparing them to different cars, most likely as that was WHAT THE POST WAS ABOUT!!
IMO a mk1 FRS is nothing to get excited about either, but out of those sorts I'd have a renault 5 turbo anyday of the week.
tabetha

 

I quite like the civic type r...the first 1 i drove was danneths and i was equally amazed how well they go when you keep the car on boil.

 

Engine light could very well be stretched timing chain skipping a tooth, the engine will still sound fine though, fault code something like P0341 or similar cam position sensor.

This seems to be something popping up more reguarly so not to be dismissed, if the engine light is on i would want to get it properly checked first but chances are vtec wont engage with the light on but not a given.

Gear boxes are good but check for crunching into second and reverse especially from cold. Rear tyres can wear on the inner, and iirc can't be adjusted.

Paint is mega thin so chips easily and milano red can fade and will be almost impossible to resolve as it is lacqured so faded underneath.

Alloys corrode and are easily kurbed. Trim is pretty robust but the seats can bobble.

All in all I found the ones we have owned and in general the CTR to be extremely reliable for what they are and provided you check the common issues and the car is well serviced you should have no issues.

You do need to work the car but get it singing and it is fun, very different to a turbo charged car so have a go and see if you like the style of driving, the position of the gear stick and the seats makes you feel like a racing car driver the monent you sit in it, just encourages you to get that lump humming.

 

Engine light more than likely down to a decat. Like said above they arent as bomb proof as they are made out to be, giving my mate a hand to build his EP3 turbo and the engine that was in the shell he is using throw a rod out the front of the block but in saying that he also has a SC 1 which i the nuts to drive.

 

R5 turbo is a classic

 

clutchs go if driven in anger ,i changed two both for a mate ,as he had two both went bout 50thousand