Rep Power: 0

my g/f (practically wife) just picked up a stock 2003 civic EX coupe. it's black w/ gray interior and an automatic. it's a nice car (better than the sentra we were looking at) but the little 1.7L just doesn't have much ooomph to it. i'm a chevy guy but i've worked at a honda/nissan/mitsu dealership as a tech so i know my way around them pretty good. just wondering where to start at. i'm looking for either free mods or relatively cheap mods such as CAI. what brands or even websites as well cuz like i said this is a whole new world to me. remember it's my girl's car so i can't go extreme with it and i'm prolly gonna use her money too , i'm just looking to spice it up a little for when i take us out somewhere and i don't want to drive my gas pig camaro (we go into boston alot and it's 60 miles one way). thankx guys.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well, welcome to the site. I hate to break it to you, but our little D17 can be a real pig. Your standard intake, header, and exhaust combo will net you a couple ponies, some better throttle response, and change the torque curve, but that's about it. Not much else for bolt-on power adders. Honda designed it to be fuel efficient, and it is, to the exclusion of everything else. Besides boost or bottle feeding, your best bet would be to focus on suspension and looks. We don't make much power on our engines unless you plunk down some serious cash (relatively speaking) and change things up.

 
Rep Power: 0

I kinda figured as much, i mean i'm not looking to double it's horsepower or anything. are there any free mods that can be done to these engines? i know i'm going to throw a cold air kit on there, i can't stand the stock setup. can you refer to me any good sites for purchasing parts from, there are a ton out there but hard to tell who's good and who's bad. thankx

 
Rep Power: 0

3 things ... All from www.ebay.com

1) Aem V2 Intake (Y i say V2 ? Coz ull fall in love with its sound)
2) Racing headers. probably Megan or something good ...
3) Greddy Catback Exhaust kit (Decent sound)

And thats gonna be atleast $1000. which will give u like 20 more hp !!! ... so emmm ... wanna consider trading in ur ride ?

 
Rep Power: 0

You've got the wrong thinking my friend, this is a civic. A CIVIC! The engine wont do much, even with the k20 engine drop it wont go that fast. I say you lower the car, add a intake, and make it as fuel effiecient as possible making it a car that you can take it across country on a tank of gas! Well not across country, but at least 500 miles.

 
Rep Power: 0

what kinda thinking did i have? pretty sure i wasn't asking how to turn it into a race car... (i have a 406sb powered camaro for that)...


intake will prolly be done since the stock one is retarded and attracts mice nests like no other, but lowering can't happen because of the hilly city i live in (i mean i can drive it fine but my girl would scrape everytime she pulls into dunkin donuts). i'm also leary about certain mufflers becuase of that lawmower sound that already plagues my city, not really my cup of tea. neither is a 4"+ exhaust tip at that.

 
Rep Power: 0

lol ... V didnt tell u ways of turning it in to a race car too dude ... The Intake i told u ... is the exact thing ur looking for ... try youtube videos to check out the sound ... and so is with the greddy exhaust >>> nothing close to the lawn mower sound effects

 
Rep Power: 0

Even the K20 drop it wont be fast ? Really ???

 
Rep Power: 0

i agree that the greddy exhaust doesn't sound bad but i'm looking for something with a lower profile exhaust tip, lets say <3"

 
Rep Power: 260

i think he was being serious on that one mani...what do we do...

...........

 
Rep Power: 260

on another note....um...put on an intake...v2 sounds very nice..we dont care about performance with intakes..drop ina shiny header to make it look clean inside the bay, get a nice low pro apexiws exhaust on there to give it sum "oomph"...ull have nice acceleration and a nice throttle response...at least nice for our cars u know? then make the outside look nice. have ur gurl lookin like a baller and when u go out..U DRIVE and look liek a baller.. give it a subtle drop since ur in the hills a simple lip kit would be nice, sum brighter lights...gee i duno..black them out? simple wheels and ull be satisfied with ur vic.

 
Rep Power: 0

yea that's pretty much the idea i had. i don't need another fast car, i get pulled over too much as it is. it is a really nice car for what we paid and i've worked on them before so i know their reliability.

 
Rep Power: 260

yeassir.. have fun n keep it jdm y0!