Is the 7th gen Civic a performance joke?
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Is the 7th gen Civic a performance joke?
Hi, I am currently a new owner of a 2003 Civic Coupe LX M/T and with doing some research. I am finding that the 7th gen compared to previous generations is not that good interms of performance or performance mods (unless you swap the motor).
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to put down the 7th gen nor the owners of 7th gens since I am one.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to put down the 7th gen nor the owners of 7th gens since I am one.
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From: so cal djmota=oscar
Rep Power: 323 with this engine simple bolt ons are just not going to cut it. Turbo is a nice option and has brought the 7thgen into the 13 second range and i'm sure will get faster. since no major companies are making the stuff we need to make good n/a power cams ect. its tough to do. give it some time. the engine is not bad, its just all new. The aftermarket would rather produce and r&d K20 parts than the little d17. look how long the older gen d series parts took to come out.
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Rep Power: 0 Hmmm, sounds like I have to be patient unless, I want to pay for a custom fabrication job.
There are some good signs of work being done, because of HKS making the turbo exhaust manifold although it is only for off road use.
There are some good signs of work being done, because of HKS making the turbo exhaust manifold although it is only for off road use.
Sometimes, I can see right through myself ...
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The performance parts (for right now) may be a joke, but I think the car has some great styling. The lines are very clean and crisp and sharp. I honestly don't think there's a better looking car out in this price range.
Yea, check out www.dh-racing.com
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
Rep Power: 412 All civics are a joke performace wise period. There is no civic with a stock engine, besides the Si that can put down some serious numbers without work. So with that in mind, this engine will take awhile to work on. it is brand new engine. the b series was around for awhile and now it is time to make room for new technology with the D and K series. The reason the older civics made more power with simple bolt ons is because they were detuned from the factory so freeing up airflow would provide more benefit than on our cars. the d series is really well tuned and makes more horsepower and torque than any other civic engine. The engine will require alot of work and needs to be mapped and taken apart to see how it will respond to different things. Take it as you will, but almost any engine can have potential if you put the money into it, even the D series. Sometimes you just have to deal with what you got.
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From: lake forest, California, US
Rep Power: 0 "Ever though about setting up the suspension???
If you don't have to slow down for the corners, you dont need HorsePower. "
Agreed to the fullest and also that dh-r website has some nice motor stuff for our civics !!
If you don't have to slow down for the corners, you dont need HorsePower. "
Agreed to the fullest and also that dh-r website has some nice motor stuff for our civics !!
ECU upgrade and a header that replaces the cat converter are good bolt ons but bolts ons don't determine where a car's performance means serious or not.
The 7th Gens are making more torque from turbos than the 6th Gens are by far.
And I don't see why people are jocking the Si. It's not putting down "serious" #s but it's engine is more responsive to bolt-ons and can produce power a bit easier. Serious power #s make serious times, and a 15 second Si does not have serious #s.
As for suspension - spend lots of money.
Nah, just don't go cheap though. 
The 7th Gens are making more torque from turbos than the 6th Gens are by far.
And I don't see why people are jocking the Si. It's not putting down "serious" #s but it's engine is more responsive to bolt-ons and can produce power a bit easier. Serious power #s make serious times, and a 15 second Si does not have serious #s.
As for suspension - spend lots of money.
Nah, just don't go cheap though. 
Originally posted by djmota
with this engine simple bolt ons are just not going to cut it. Turbo is a nice option and has brought the 7thgen into the 13 second range and i'm sure will get faster. since no major companies are making the stuff we need to make good n/a power cams ect. its tough to do. give it some time. the engine is not bad, its just all new. The aftermarket would rather produce and r&d K20 parts than the little d17. look how long the older gen d series parts took to come out.
with this engine simple bolt ons are just not going to cut it. Turbo is a nice option and has brought the 7thgen into the 13 second range and i'm sure will get faster. since no major companies are making the stuff we need to make good n/a power cams ect. its tough to do. give it some time. the engine is not bad, its just all new. The aftermarket would rather produce and r&d K20 parts than the little d17. look how long the older gen d series parts took to come out.
Originally posted by MrWong
The D series is a very old platform that dates back to the CRX models, i believe that its days are numbered. Future Civics are either going to have the K series or the Hybrid motor in it. Because as of right now The Civic is the only car that uses the D series engine, other cars such as the new Accords, CRVs, use the K motor if i am not mistaken.
The D series is a very old platform that dates back to the CRX models, i believe that its days are numbered. Future Civics are either going to have the K series or the Hybrid motor in it. Because as of right now The Civic is the only car that uses the D series engine, other cars such as the new Accords, CRVs, use the K motor if i am not mistaken.
We'll see.
But you're right. Almost everything else is either a J or a K motor.
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
Rep Power: 412 but some of the technology in the new D series is not present in older models, the distributorless engine, the e vtec, etc. I think it is slightly different than the older D engines. THey won't get rid of a low HP producing engine. Nissan does the same thing. The have two motors the 2.5 and the 3.5 in almost every car, but the 1.8 sentras. Honda does the same thing.
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 The D series goes back to CRX days... what is that? The mid 80s?
And the Chevy Small Block has been around since 1954. Whats your point?
Just because the design is old doesn't mean you can't improve upon it and keep modernizing it. The LS6 is a 350 small block, pushrods and all, and it's pretty advanced inside.
The Civic is an econobox, so Honda deems it to not need excessive power and complexity. D-engines have more tnan proven they're reliable as hell and good for as many miles as the car can handle. To the model Civic buyer... thats what counts.
Its low maintainance, clean, simple and effecient.
The D17 carries the D designation, but its quite different from the older models.
And the Chevy Small Block has been around since 1954. Whats your point?
Just because the design is old doesn't mean you can't improve upon it and keep modernizing it. The LS6 is a 350 small block, pushrods and all, and it's pretty advanced inside.
The Civic is an econobox, so Honda deems it to not need excessive power and complexity. D-engines have more tnan proven they're reliable as hell and good for as many miles as the car can handle. To the model Civic buyer... thats what counts.
Its low maintainance, clean, simple and effecient.
The D17 carries the D designation, but its quite different from the older models.
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From: Nebraska
Rep Power: 359 It's an economy car, but compared to older Vics you'll never know stock for stock which one is better. If I remember right our cars a little lighter and more effecient and more torque. . So you'll never know racing an older vic. .
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From: Jacksonville Florida
Rep Power: 0 I'll have to agree with some of the statements here. Best looking far for this price and a lot of potential as well.
I've been a Civic driver since I've started to drive. I'm on my 2nd Civic (First 7th gen -2k2civic Ex coupe). I got mine because it was stylish, relyable, I liked how it drove, plus is really efficient on gas. Buying and adding parts/mods to the Civic is just half the fun of the whole "tuner" world. If Demanding power right on the spot is all you want ,in my honest opinion, It's your own dumb fault for going with a Civic.
I won't see myself going against any larger cars that outclass the Civic.
I've been a Civic driver since I've started to drive. I'm on my 2nd Civic (First 7th gen -2k2civic Ex coupe). I got mine because it was stylish, relyable, I liked how it drove, plus is really efficient on gas. Buying and adding parts/mods to the Civic is just half the fun of the whole "tuner" world. If Demanding power right on the spot is all you want ,in my honest opinion, It's your own dumb fault for going with a Civic.
I won't see myself going against any larger cars that outclass the Civic.
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From: Zulu Alpha Tango Foxtrot
Rep Power: 312 thing that's interesting tho is that other car companies are putting out performance cars for the price of the vic....that's just shameful. I mean, Honda does have a few EXCELLENT cars, but their pricepoints are just too damn high!
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From: Fallbrook, CA
Rep Power: 0 Sorry, to not give you my whole life story on why I have a Civic, in my previous posts. I previously owned a 1965 Mustang, so I have driven to what I consider a sports car or something that is built to be reasonably fast.
I kind of posted this with feeling like I knew the answer or at least what I thought would be said. (But if I posted what I thought would be the answer I felt that would be a biased) The 7th gen in due time will get the perfomance mods that the previous models have gotten, which can produce some decent performance for the dollar instead of doing an engine swap.
Personally, I would do an engine swap because a D17 built is not close to a K20 that is built.
BTW, thanks for the honest words, see you in the other forums and threads.
I kind of posted this with feeling like I knew the answer or at least what I thought would be said. (But if I posted what I thought would be the answer I felt that would be a biased) The 7th gen in due time will get the perfomance mods that the previous models have gotten, which can produce some decent performance for the dollar instead of doing an engine swap.
Personally, I would do an engine swap because a D17 built is not close to a K20 that is built.
BTW, thanks for the honest words, see you in the other forums and threads.
