Rep Power: 811

Everything I've done to this stupid car has made it slower or less responsive, or altogether crappy. So my car is basically stock except for a ported cylinder head and top portion header.

I've been through two intakes, a rear section exhaust, and a bored throttle body. Everything caused a loss of power somewhere in the rpm band. You want the best performance? Stay stock! This car seriously rejects anything you throw at it.

 
Rep Power: 0

I'm starting to get pissed with it too. It's pretty useless trying to get this thing any quicker, so I think I'm just gonna sell it and get something a bit quicker.

 
Rep Power: 311

that is why im saving for a turbo

 
Rep Power: 0

Turbo/Swap = only way

 
Rep Power: 336

the mods aren't making new power, they are just transferring it somewhere else in the powerband.

And with most mods, the low end gets the shaft.

 
Rep Power: 0

I think with any Civics, moding the car is just for fun or for a hobby. Something you can work on with your buddies or do it yourself and show it off. Having the attitude of "hey look at i can do with a few bucks." If you want a fast car, just save up and get a fast car.

 
Rep Power: 0

the ulev is what ****s it up man.

 
Rep Power: 338

there are other good mods that dont involve power!

 
Rep Power: 811

Heh yeah. The best mods I've done have been lighting and audio, and other appearance stuff. Engine is just a big waste. Stupid ULEV is to blame, but oh well. At least the car looks good

 
Rep Power: 318

^exactly. Just got to find out what part of the car will respond to mods & work on that.

Civics arent exactly too good in a straight line, but they can tear it up on an autocross course!!

 
Rep Power: 0

All I added was a K&N Drop in and a Thermal exhaust with 93oct gas, and the car flies now. I highly recomend these mods. Next will be the Randon Tech cat i have to install.

 
Rep Power: 0

We have a compact little 4cyl, what do we expect? If we want something serious we need to buy a different car, period. I won't waste much money on mine to be honest. Not after reading these forums over the last month. I'd rather have a nice sound system and maybe some 17" wheels, a few body mods to make it look sharp but as far as performance, I know we can't do anything realistically. Some people like to mod the cars for sound, which I do like but I know this won't do anything for performance. Hey, want something quick, more torque, etc? Buy something else. A Honda Civic isn't meant for that. You bought a car that is suppose to scoot around town and get decent gas miliage. You did not buy a race car but some people here think they can make the car into one. Whatever. To me, that's just a waste of hard-earned money. Frankly, I have different priorities in life. Some of you younger cats will realize this once you have the "married with children" status.

Until then, have fun I guess. It's your money!

 
Rep Power: 285

werd. ive been sayin this for awhile now. even turbos/swaps are a bad idea imo. just a waste of $$ on an economy car that wont even be able to efficiently put all the power to the ground

 
Rep Power: 0

i just have a k and n drop in. and it was a slight difference in performance. but most of the poeple that i have spoken with say this engine doesn't respond to anything.

 
Rep Power: 0

so how is a swap a bad idea

 
Rep Power: 0

When you do these mods are you throwing the car on a dyno and having it tuned? I am a firm believer that in order to get gains from anything you must get the car tuned by a GOOD professional tuner.

I have a header, cat back (soon to be a hks axel back) and intake and I swear my car is slower as well...I just come to the conclusion I own a Civic that I bought for good cgas mileage and reliability and not to race. I am saving my money for an STi next though.

 
Rep Power: 338

the only mod that really worked for me was the vafc2... when it was tuned and i had decent tires.. i did my 15.7, now that i have some crappier tires with more tread.. its slow again.. but thats the only way to get torque EVERYWHERE in the powerband.. if its tuned right...

 
Rep Power: 811

So far the only mod working for me is the ported head work. That's it. Anything extra I add causes power loss. I think the vafcII will also squeeze out some extra hp, since our cars tend to run rich from the factory.

 
Rep Power: 290

If I wanted to go 0-60 in 3-6 seconds, I would definitely have financed the extra couple thousand and bought something with gobs of low end torque. Basically, all the mods I've installed have moved the powerband around so I get better performance on the highway during trips and commutes. When I bought the car, the only things that disappointed me were the rolypoly handling and the molasses-like highway responsiveness. I'm going to start improving the tires/handling next, because a better handling car will make driving more fun and safe. But I have no illusions of my Civic ever coming close to the performance of a RSX, WRX, 350Z, etc. without me pouring thousands of dollars into it.

 
Rep Power: 329

And do all of you have bigger rims too?????????

 
Rep Power: 320

Its very true- but I have noticed that my catback (tanabe) and intake (aem sri) make a decent difference on the highway- but low end is lost.

My girl drives a stock 02 EX coupe automatic, I drive a pretty heavily modded 02 EX coupe automatic. Low end- she has more power. High-end tho- my car picks up alot faster actually. I really didnt think my mods did anything but slow me down but when i drive her car, her low-end is much better, but she has **** for highway pick-up in which, my car doesnt do half bad at for what it is.

Moral of the story- the mods help top-end accel speed but kill your low-end.

 
Rep Power: 0

I had a reasonable gain (nothing worth bragging about) but i live in a hilly area of san diego and i noticed a big change going up hills and holding gears longer when I changed my factory exhaust to a 2.25" pipe with a universal konig muffler. Somebody earlier on this forum said somthing about modding for sound.. Thats what i was going for with this exhaust but i did see a little boost. The sound is impecable on this muffler you guys should check it out. Sounds like a g35 or a 350 z or somthing. i dont know how to compare it but its a real low non ricer noise... super nice.. its a koning motzart tunable muffler check it out... give me some feed back on what you think...

Side note.. Any san diego area meets anytime.. PM me lemme know.undefinedBrad

 
Rep Power: 0

really flies???? by that do u mean 130hp? cmon man, dont kid urself into thinkin that a air filter and a muffler will make u faster. i was the same way, until got my butt dyno tunned.
ur not gona get a fast car with basic bolt on's.,

 
Rep Power: 347

me and megahurtz talked about his last night in the chat room , im pretty sure i just want to make a luxuary vic , there is a big diffrence between spendin 5k on a car to make it more fun and spending 15k to make it more faster....... with 15k you can put a good downpayment on an evo, rsx or wrx .. but thats IMO

 
Rep Power: 0

exactly.

 
Rep Power: 320

oh come on- anybody can buy a fast car... takes more to make one...

LOL, civics are slow. people just need to learn to accept it. hint why i went show and not go.

 
Rep Power: 347

yea i can respect it if you have a 200 hp vic but still im not ready to throw away that kind of money. doin the math if i got a turbo and ran at 4psi i would be runnin around 160 hp thats almost 200 dollars for 1 hp. just seem pointless. but you are autocrossing right on i would autocross but i would have to drive about 3 hours just to get to a track. im gonna "pimp" out my vic and when im done payin it off im gonna lookin into a WRX STi unless honda makes some real improvements motor wise

 
Rep Power: 287

there is no replacement for displacement...

 
Rep Power: 0

I am sure my mods added about 10-15whp
via the butt dyno, the real dyno will be comming
soon before i at the randon cat.

I am an experience drag racer and been in the import car scene
likly alot longer than anyone here.

 
Rep Power: 0

I think you will me sad when you see the dyno.