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I posted several days ago that some female hit my car and i was thinking about putting a kit on my car. Well after thinking i am starting to rethink the idea. I understand that a kit truley sort-a customies your car some how (considering that kits are mass produced). But i am starting to think about the pros and the cons......what do yall think. It will cost me like 400 to put a kit on the car (thats the amt that i will have to cover after the insurance covers the rest), just looking for some thoughts......asked some of my friends and i have had mixed reactions....so i take it to yall the other 7th gen civic owners. PLEASE HELP!!!

 
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with $400 i think you could only get a front, and then there is paint and install, you I dont think you should plan on getting a whole kit

 
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400 is what is coming out of my pocket....after i get the check from the insurance company, i have already got the quote on it....and the shop is going to do the work with the money the insurance co is sending them.

 
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to be honest, there really isnt any cons to a body kit, unless you have to drive up really steep hills.

 
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aight, well i was thinking that it owuld be harder to resell the car with a kit on it.

If i dont put a kit on it then the money will go to completing my stereo (need to build a box for my subs and buy wires), an alarm, and probally money towards rims.

 
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Just get a lip kit, then when you want to sell the car just take it off.

 
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Problems with lip kits is they eventually scratch the paint underneath them. Typical wear and tear.
Go with the whole kit.

 
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Cons to a body kit: They're heavy, they aren't always the most aerodynamic things (unless you get a wind tunnel tested one, which aren't made for our cars) which adds drag, they don't always fit right, they can attract unwanted attention, they put you into SCCA Street Mod (not too much fun with 127 HP)

 
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I have Kaminari front lip and rear and xenon sides and they fit perfect. The Kaminari kit pieces fit extremely tight and require 3-4 people to put it on by stretching it out.

 
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boilermaker, good points. xtreme....i need a new bumper so the lips are not an option right now. But i was thinking about doing a lip kit in the future after i get done with college....people here just dont give 2 shitz about other peoples cars

 
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i have onyl had my octane front for like 2 or 3 months, and I have hit it on the ground soo many times already, if you drive fast I prob would not advise it

 
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go with the body kit man, you can always keep the factory stuff in mom and dads garage and then when you sell the car, go back to stock, and sell the body kit to get some of your money back

 
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pro: uniqueness... like, oh... say, having a "limited edition" grand cherokee...
pro: more room for things like brake cooling ducts and an intercooler...

con: cops are targeting anyone who looks like the 2fast... type
con: fiberglass kits are GRREAT on street cars... for a WEEK, then they crack
con: getting it "fitted" can cost more then the kit
con: insurance companies will charge you more to insure it (10-100$ a year)
con: getting a kit that effs up your drag at high speeds, making your car unstable
con: not having the power to back the bold looks...

watch out, cheap kits can often look like *** from sagging cheap latex molds... sometimes not fitting right... take a stroll thru the members rides section, see if you can find your fav peices, THAT LOOK 100% right and ask them wherre they got it... good luck whatever you do

 
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i have an r33 front bumper and it urethane... i love it....but i dont drive too fast and i havent hit anything so far but u have to be very careful ...and its expensive to paint ...it cost me $350 to paint aint and installed... so think about what u want but it does make the car look hott

 
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When you need to change a flat tire out on the Interstate, wouldn't the sideskirts be a problem as far as being able to jack up the car with the factory jack? How do you guys handle that?

 
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Pro's: If you like how it looks, you like how it looks.

Cons: Since you cannot go back to stock cus' you got in an accident, having a body kit will greatly reduce your resale value. Even aside from the resale value, people will tend to think you're maniacal ricey driver.
Cons: Body kits add absolutely no performance benefit; rather, they make your car have increased drag. As stated above, none of the kits for the 7th gen are wind tunnel tested.
Cons: Fiberglass cracks quickly, polyurethane is much better. But even then, if your car is lowered, you can be sure the bottom will get damaged over time. Heck, I have a stock bumper with stock height and the bottom's getting hit often.

If you don't mind the cons, then you should get the body kit.

-Aki

 
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the side skirts do get in the way of the jack points, i dont have a spare anymore though because of my box, but when ive had to jack my car up i drive it up on the ramps. if you use ramps though, make sure the incline isnt too steep or youll screw up your new front bumper

 
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i think the 'pro' of having a hot looking ride, and not looking like every other civic on the street, outweighs the need to drive more carefully.

the aerodynamic drag shouldn't be an issue. the idea behind a air-splitter front bumper is to have less hair go under the car and more ontop of it.
with the stock setup, the same, if not more air is going under the car. a bodykit wouldn't hurt this, it might even help. who knows.

 
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thats a good point. you can also make your own homemade ramps. go to home depot or whatever and get some lumber. wide enough for your tires. the cut them and make them like stairs to drive up on.

(click here to see what i mean)

 
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get an OEM bumper and OEM kit, it'll actually increase the value of the car since it's OEm and it's not soooo agressive at all. That's what i've got anyways, and as far as jacking it up, i've got 17's, so i've gotta put a piece of wood under my tire to raise it up about 1-2" cuz my jack is diesel...

 
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not sure...but i was checkin out the pepboy ads and they have jacks that are made specifically for lowered cars...iono if it still slides under or not...if anyone has it...does it work (easy to put under the car)

 
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the ramps would do no good unless you carry them around with you and who wants to do that.

You guys with a kit...ever had to change a flat out in the middle of nowhere?

 
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i just told you, just carry a small 2 x 4 wide enough for your tire, and you're good to go, drive over it and you'll have no problem

 
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i just saw a "racing jack"... 349$... 3 inches tall, and only 3 pumps to it's full height (18inches i think)...

if there's a problem with your setup, there's always a solution... the question is how much does that solution cost

anyways, regarding hitting the bottom... my body is stock... i've got the progress springs (-2inch) my front bumper has some nasty scars under it... i'd be carefull not to go too much lower on the car than the stock bumper, esp if you're lowered...

 
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Well after talkin to several body shops in the area i think i am going to get the car fixed oem.....the extra 400 can go to something else for the car. Thanks for all the responces

But as for the lower lip kits and the oem kit i have a few ques. Do the lower lip kits leave any noticable damage tot he car when they are removed. And where can i get the OEM kit.....dealer??? and whats it run in cost.

I figure there are a lot of things i can do to the car that will make it different from the rest of the civics out there. Thanks again for everything!

 
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Good decision...

 
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bluestreak - I still don't understand the 2x4 as far as getting past the sideskirts with the OEM jack...help me out I'm brain dead.

 
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Good choice, have you ever seen lowered cars with body kits that get towed away. Sparks and burnt fiberglass or urethane trails the tow truck...haha.

I already have problems with scraping every once in awhile with no body kit. That $400 should cover your box and a set of top notch amp and speaker wires. Those rca cables get pretty damn expensive.