I was rear-ended by a Ford Exploder (lol) last Friday, and the damage total is well over $5,000. SO...I'm out a car for about 3-4 weeks. Since I'm out a car, my friend has been letting me drive/ride in his 03 SI (EP3). Guess what...I fell in love...
SO.....that being said...and keeping in mind I've put a LOT into my car as it is...and I'm kinda partial to it, not because it's a coupe or anything, but because it's got all my blood/sweat/tears in it....AND I'M GETTING A GREAT PAYING JOB IN A WEEK.... ....
I now have 2 options:
1) I trade in my EM2 for a brand new 04 EP3 H.F.P. SI (Man they're NICE!!!) And I'm left with a 22k loan total....not bad, I'm not upside down in my current loan so that's not a big deal.
2) I take out ANOTHER loan, roughly 8k, for a K20A2 and labor charges. For a grand loan total (2 separate loans) of roughly $20k. Cheaper and faster, WITH all my suspension mods AND my blood/sweat/tears.
lease: I'm leaning towards the A2 in my EM2, because of sentimental value of the car, the suspension already being just about dialed in, and IT'S A GOOD LOOKIN CAR! But I REALLY like the new HFP SI (Body kit, suspension upgrades, CF interior) and of course the NICE seats (WAY better than my coupe seats), and just the overall RARITY of them in CO.
What do you guys think I should do? From an AutoX perspective. I'm not really interested in top speeds, etc. Just for AutoX ability.
BTW...would the A2/EM2 put me into SM or would I stay in STS? I'm not sure, and I should prolly search, but logic tells me that RSX-S's run in STS, so why wouldn't I? The ONLY reason I could see me being in SM is because my car is less weight overall than the RSX-S = the weight reduction stipulation. I dunno...input is welcome.
Thanks in advance for your HONEST/PROFESSIONAL opinions. (Boilermaker, Zzyzx....you guys know this shit...help me out here! )
well For pure fun Factor, putting the A2 in your coupe will yeald a much better car then the Si, by being faster and more menuverable (Lighter with more power). However it will bump you to DM or SM, two classes that you have little chance in winning.
The Si (As much as I dont like the look of them) in STS... properly preped and driven could probably beat your coupe, at the national level..... well lets just say that there is probably a better chance of some one giving me a Brand new Z06 for Free, then the New Si winning a national tour. Locally however it could probably do Very well in STS, assuming you don't have any national level cars/drivers in your class. Grassroots motorsports did a test a few months ago pitting their 03 Si against the best car for the class, an 89 Si. the 89 was consistantly 1.5 seconds faster on course.
Originally posted by Zzyzx well For pure fun Factor, putting the A2 in your coupe will yeald a much better car then the Si, by being faster and more menuverable (Lighter with more power). However it will bump you to DM or SM, two classes that you have little chance in winning.
The Si (As much as I dont like the look of them) in STS... properly preped and driven could probably beat your coupe, at the national level..... well lets just say that there is probably a better chance of some one giving me a Brand new Z06 for Free, then the New Si winning a national tour. Locally however it could probably do Very well in STS, assuming you don't have any national level cars/drivers in your class. Grassroots motorsports did a test a few months ago pitting their 03 Si against the best car for the class, an 89 Si. the 89 was consistantly 1.5 seconds faster on course.
Thank you for the promt reply!!!
Ok...so I gather from what you said:
The A2 will be fun, fast, and in DM/SM. But NOT win, prolly, lol. Well...I'm not too concerned with winning, so I don't really care about that. I just love to have fun and compete. I'll never be a national level driver, so that's not a big deal. I'm just a weekend warrior with dreams, lol.
The EP3 will fair better in STS, but ultimately slower and less fun (more weight/less power).
Hmmm....
If you had the choice I do....what would you choose? (I know, I'd rather have an 89 SI too, but I like the NEW civic's, and I HATE buying used.) So would you swap or buy the SI ?
Originally posted by Zzyzx I'd run the coupe with the A2.... Just need to find out if you want to run DM or SM.... Slightly different rules..
It would probably fair better in Street modified. D-Modified is Highly Preped class.
THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!
Stupid but true: You're opinion means a LOT to me!
I'll prolly end up runnin' the A2 in the coupe, that's what I was leaning towards anyway and the bling factor is "LIKE WHOA"!!! lol, but if anyone has any other good points of view...let's hear 'em!!!
in your situtation, this is what id do, get a loan, Buy a K20A(thats right, as in the ITR K20A), then, buy the Si seats, since you like them. send the K20A's ecu to Hondata and get yourself the 8800(?)rpm redline. then get ready to have fun!
K20A+ 6 speed trans= ~$4500
Si seats= ~$4-600? depends how much you can get them for used
Hondata Reflash= ~$600
with that youre lookin at around $5200, an 8800 rpm reedline, 220 hp(~190 wheel hp), and one sweet ass ride.
if you want more power you can get an RSX CAI, Race Header(no cat), and a nice free flowing exhaust for about another $1000
Ummm, I wouldn't be buying an Si for autox. Heavy, underpowered and a high center of gravity. If you want a new car and an autoX hog, get a Celica GTS, run it for STS and go at it. Otherwise, fix the Vic with a D17, or swap it and just have fun .
Originally posted by Green Civic You can swap in the k20a3 engine. Keep the 4 lugs.
After even MORE research...
Yes the K20A3 is BETTER than the A2 for FI applications...which is ALWAYS a possibility in the future...so...hmmm....it's not a real pressing issue, I'm just having a mental debate...ya kno? lol
Boilermaker...I'd like to stay with Honda, but if I wasn't so stubborn a Celica would be nice. Then again...I'm 6'1" 270 lbs. and Celica's don't lend well to LARGE indivituals, lol.
Ehh, I'm not that big, but 5'10", 215 isn't tiny either. I don't fit in an SRT-4 or I'd give it some consideration.
Not to be a pain and throw more shit into this, but if you're boosting.... K24 from an Accord. HAsport is working on the mounts. Or you could Frankenstein it with an A2 head, but now we're getting ahead of ourselves.
Originally posted by Boilermaker1 Ehh, I'm not that big, but 5'10", 215 isn't tiny either. I don't fit in an SRT-4 or I'd give it some consideration.
Not to be a pain and throw more shit into this, but if you're boosting.... K24 from an Accord. HAsport is working on the mounts. Or you could Frankenstein it with an A2 head, but now we're getting ahead of ourselves.
AAAhhh...another good point...hmmm...
Well...after some more research, and sitting down with a big pot of coffee and making some calls. I've come to one conclusion. COLORADO SUCKS!!! Almost nobody will/CAN do the swap for me, and the ONE guy that CAN said it's one of the most difficult, and time consuming swaps out there. Total he'd charge me about $6,500 parts and motor and labor included. So the price is right, but he said he'd have to have the car for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. I asked WHY??? (People have done this swap in MUCH less time) and his answer is, "Yeah I COULD do it in a shorter amount of time, but I'm the only person in my shop (owns his own company) and he's got a TON of other projects on his table." He said, worst case scenerio...he'd have it for about a month, but it WOULD be done right, and he'd also do some Hondata tuning for me for free (Since this would be his first K20 swap into an EM2) if I chose to go with some o that shit. lol I dunno...I'm gettin' discouraged.
As of now...it's EP3 for me. But I miss my EM2 and it's only been a week, I guess driving a NEON will do that to ya, lol. (Rental car)
Why not take the $8k, pick up a Teg GSR shell or theft recovery (HINT: E-bay has a couple), and build a pure track car? Keep the Vic as a daily driver and leave the Teg GSR for track days. At least that is my long term plan.
If hes going to get an old Honda, Hes better off getting an 89 Si civic over the GSR.... Lighter and smaller wheel base = Faster/better handling car....
Huge Dilema Here Fella's !!! 
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lease: I'm leaning towards the A2 in my EM2, because of sentimental value of the car, the suspension already being just about dialed in, and IT'S A GOOD LOOKIN CAR! But I REALLY like the new HFP SI (Body kit, suspension upgrades, CF interior) and of course the NICE seats (WAY better than my coupe seats), and just the overall RARITY of them in CO. 
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lol, but if anyone has any other good points of view...let's hear 'em!!!
