Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

Alright guys, I'm new to the Civic scene. First of all, this is going to be my first car, so my first build and I'm hoping to fall in love with the car from when I first start it to when I put on my last modification. For this reason I'm asking for some help with deciding whether I am making the right choice or not. Slowly I am hoping to make this car into the beauty of the road, so it has to be a car that will give off that vibe. In my view, I need a car that's not very old and is very reliable. Civic's have always had a soft spot in my heart and the EM2 has been the crowned queen in my view. For this reason, I am thinking of buying a 2005 Honda Civic Si coupe, which is in the States, I believe a Civic Ex coupe. The headlights work for me better with the shape of the body than the 2001-2003 EM2. I think I can get one for between 6 and 8,000 Canadian dollars but again, I need the opinions of fellow EM2 lovers.

I will start off by asking the pros and cons of this specific model of the car, because I have read reviews of the car from the point of view of magazines, online reviews, etc but I want a review in the view of a Civic driver. How is this car as a base to add modifications including engine, interior, exterior, etc. Will this be a good car to add some speed and power to, or will it be more of a looks and enjoy to drive car? Is it a reliable and fun car?
Basically, I'd like the main questions about this car to be answered and any input and views of other forumers to be expressed on this topic. All opinions will be taken into consideration because I just want the car that's right for me (a car that I will enjoy driving and putting money into).

Thank you to anyone who does help :)

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

get a 03+ because they've worked out a lot of the issues.

and get a manual, you will generally have a lot less problems as far as transmission goes.

drive ur car stock for a while (lets say 6+ months) so u know how it feels to drive a stock civic.

then all ur modifications afterward will be that much more significant.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

Reliable, Yes.

Adding aftermarket parts, not so much.

Speed and power? I sure don't have it.

I will like my car much more when its lowered


All in all, my car lives up exactly to what I expected it to be. Its great on gas and reliable. I'm not worried about spending money on the car for there is a lack of parts for this as compared to an EM1. Don't buy the car thinking that you are getting a car that is fast. I have an 04 EX and, to me, the car is slow. If you get the EM2 just keep the car simple and don't dig into the motor. Leave the motor stock and just do a few appearance to the car.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

the only good part about our cars is it actually has excellent suspension characteristics due to the fact that it is pretty light (like 2400lbs)

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

it is a good car to play with and learn on, since its pretty easy to work on and find parts. dont expect anything out of it as far as performance and handling. if you are coming from a yugo, it would be an improvement. but nothing compared to other cars out there. and it shouldnt be, this is only a civic economy car in a subcompact class.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

lowered with a nice set of wheels and oem lip kit will set off an em2 nicely. performance wise upgrade brakes and suspension first. it will make the em2 a lot more fun to drive. then if you want more power either turbo or kswap but both options are not cheap.

btw where in canada are you from if you dont mind me asking?

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

Is it really? See I'm glad to hear that because I always was under the impression that the ride and suspension was garbage.. Dropping it will look nice.. Plus it's the '05 Ex Coupe that I'm buying... Happily it is after '03.:rofl:

I've never really expected it to be very fast, like I said, I'd prefer looks and the joy of the drive rather than be able to rip it down the streets.... For now. If it is a good car to play with for the next couple of years, I think I'm making the right choice.

Yes.... Lowering and adding rims with be the first thing I do to it, not sure whether I should do it before or after the winter... The lip kit, breaks and I'm thinking an exhaust will have to wait until after the summer. Power can always wait, I mean I'm not buying the car expecting the speedometer to blow my mind... Just to put a little tingle down my spine when I need it :P.

Btw, I'm from Brampton, Ontario. GTA .


What about the smaller modification such as seats out of a DC5, headlights, taillights, intake, headers, shiftknob, etc. Does anyone have good posts or threads that I can bookmark to gain knowledge onto some builds?

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

^ one of the best mods i have done is putting in a short shifter adapter made a huge difference. search around this forum there is tons of good info on here. also check out the members rides section for other members builds threads so you can see what other members are doing. heres mine for example.. https://www.civicforums.com/forums/4...ld-thread.html

also good to see another canadian member from the GTA... im in Burlington

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

Just an exhaust isn't going to do that. With an exhaust, intake, and headers you'll be lucky to gain 20hp.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

Well, when I said exhaust I meant the entire exhaust system I guess, cat back, intake and headers. That said, I was comparing combinations. How would the GReddy Evo 2 exhaust, with a k&n CIA intake and megan headers workout? I want the car loud when necessary, but quiet over casual drives... What would be better for me? And all in all, how much should I be looking to spend?

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

You forgot the midpipe :p

Don't waste any money on a CAI, it's just that much more to think about when the snow starts melting and you have big puddles in the road. You'll get comparable or better gains with a SRI due to less heat soak and less restriction of air flow.

If I were going out today to buy I/H/E, here's what I'd go with.
Megan header
Megan Midpipe
Stock cat
Apexi WS2 catback.
K&N FIPK intake

Check out dezod.com as a great source for 7th gen parts.

Personally, before I bought any of that, I'd buy coilovers, ES bushings and a progress rear sway.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

I think the best upgrade I've made to my EM2 so far is the suspension. I have learned that it'll never be fast, so the least I can do is make it fun to drive around corners.

Re: Thinking of buying an EM2, need help?
 

the rsx rear sway bar is a huge bump in suspension performance for a cheap price. It was a fun car for me, especially for a first car it's a great car to jump into. Easy to repair and maintain.