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I AM TOTALLY NEW TO HONDAS IN GENERAL. HOPE YOU GUYS DON'T HATE ME, BUT I CURRENTLY OWN A FORD (WHICH I AM ALLOWING TO GET REPOED BECAUSE FORD IS CRAP AND SO IS THE CAR). I AM GOING TO BUY A HONDA CIVIC (MUCH BETTER CAR INDEED) '97 EX. IT IS BLACK WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND I THINK IT HAS A V-TEC ENGINE (NOT SURE). I HAVE ALWAYS DROOLED OVER V-TECS, BUT NEVER OWNED ONE. I NEED SOME HELP AS I SEARCH FOR MY NEW CIVIC TO BUY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I SHOULD LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING? I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MOD THE ENGINE (RODS, PISTONS, CAMS, CRANK, HEADS, AND TURBO). IN OTHER WORDS WHICH MODEL (LX,HX,DX,EX) OR ENGINE IS MOST POPULAR WHEN TUNING FOR PERFORMANCE? I DEFINATELY KNOW V-TEC IS POPULAR, BUT OTHERS WOULD ANY OF YOU RECOMMEND?

 
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www.honda-tech.com would have more information for you. This site concentrates more on 2001+ civics.

 
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Wow.

Better lube up now.. you're gonna get raped.

 
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why are you yelling at me??

 
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Don't allow it to get repoed, you'll destroy your credit and end up paying more than just paying the car off.

 
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If anything, get a 96-01 Integra, a 99-00 Civic Si, or a 02 RSX Type S. Any of those are perfect platforms to build up on. Anything less, and you'd have to swap the motors... just my opinion, though.

 
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LX would be better if you wanna go turbo or nitrous. Its suppose to have a lower compression than the EX, however, it doesn't have that stuff you drool over on, V-TEC.

 
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Well, my credit is already pretty screwed...Can't get a whole lot worse.. By the way the car is a 2000 Ford Contour- that should explain everything else. I am sure most of you guys have burned several Contours in the past. The transmission is screwed along with the torque converter. It's a little fast, but not very.... Yeh, Ford put a 170HP Duratec V-6 in it, but they really screwed up with the CD4E tranny.. And if you are thinking "What about the SVT 200 HP Contour?"....well, they are known for severe crank whip or bearing failure... Fast, but with none of the potential of a Honda! I am paying high interest rates and my finance company is surely crappy as heck!-being nice-
Basically, I am willing to do all this to own a Honda. In the end, since I live in Texas, all the finance company can legally do is proceed to get a deficiency judgement against me for the remainder of what is left after the car is sold, but Texas law says that it is illegal to use any type of wage garnishment to collect debt. (In acception to I.R.S., alimony, or child support.) I appreciate everyones quick response to my question. I will surely be back! Thanks for the help!

 
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Welcome to the site

 
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well it depends how much money you want to spend. and from what it sounds, you should be in the market for a 99-00 civic SI. it has the B16A VTEC engine which produces 160 hp. in my opinion, it is the best engine that honda ever produced. look for a completely stock one with no mods. once you get it, turbo kits will be very easy to find for it. good luck finding a stock one though.

 
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Exactly, what he said.

 
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Sweet! Thanks for the help! I really want to go turbo, but I'll what I can find in the metroplex. Found the caps lock button! LOL!

 
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D-series engine's aren't that great compared to B-series engines, which are all inter-swappable... but if you can get your hand's on a B-series engine it would be a lot better. There are a lot of aftermarket parts for both, but the B-Series engines are more for performance than the economy D-series...

So go for an Si, if you can find one.

Good luck finding your next car.

 
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you'd be supprised, For racing, both the D-series engines and the Non V-tec B-series engines have better torque curves. Making them more desierable to some then the V-Tec B-series engines (a Power spike in the middle of the torque curve isnt good for racing) Which is why most of the Pro drag cars running B-Series engines disable the V-Tec and just run the High Lobe cam.

 
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Man, I am suprised at how many after market parts there are for these engines! Either way I go, I am sure I will find quite an array of parts compared to my old car.