Hello, yes ima noob but u guys rock and i hope wont hate me for it :P I have an 03 civic EX 39k miles and 4 years of payments left. I got the warentee on it so I dont wanna do anything to crasy to it but I cant stand these short short gear ratios, Seriously I go through all 5 gears before I hit 40 mph. Is there any way to get more out of each one without racking it up to 3500+ rpms ? Or atleast more out of first gear? First wants to get shifted out of before I even get to 10mph.

My modds include a K&N typhoon short ram intake, a magnaflow cat back "which is anoying loud and ill prolly have to change" and Denso irridium plugs/wires. Its given the car a good bit more pep but I feel like the torq outweighs the hp by tons. On a wet road the other day just taking off into traffic I broke the wheels in 1st and then into second without meaning to.

Second question is I was thinking of a front end strut bar to reduce body flex that I hear sometimes and body lean when going through the texas winding roads everyday. Will doing this really show an improvement?

Ty guys for any and all replys.

front upper strut bar does help make cornering better for sure. stick with the neuspeed one piece bar over the rest.

Ty that was the one I was actually looking at as I hear its the easyiest to install

You need to wind it out a little more. The car isn't really any fun until you hit 4K on the tach. Quit driving like an old woman, plant your foot to the floor and leave it there for a little while.

I have the DC strut and like. IMO it looks better than the Neuspeed, but it's a matter of taste on that one.

haha thanks speed. I think ill just replace my muffler then and wind it out more cause at 4k rpm that thing is freaking loud lol. btw is ok to quick shift these cars ? it seems like it doesnt want to sometimes so i let the rpms drop a little but its really anoying. ty

I wouldn't quick shift the car. Not to say that I haven't ever, but our trannys aren't the most bulletproof pieces of machinery out there.

Alrighty ill try higher rpms and slower shifts then. Ty this is only my second standard. My first one didnt care were i shifted or how fast, but its crappy engine started using oil after 100k miles, replaced engine and 30k miles later started using it again. It was a saturn ><

I have the megan racing strut bar. its the cheapest and it looks nice. marginal difference.

Just checked out the megan one and I love the price $69 but it says this


"NOTE: DOES NOT FIT THE EX MODEL DUE TO THE CLUTCH RESOVOIR."

It fits, I used to run one. Just move the clutch rezzie. You can either move it down and bolt it into the hole just below it (remove the useless PS line bracket there), or just remove it from the bracket and ziptie it up somewhere. Here's mine ziptied to the brake booster. Been like this for almost 2 years now and never had a problem. I'll make a new bracket some day, but this works for now.

if you really need longer gearing get an lx tranny