Thanks for everyone's suggestions for a sporty car for £16000. I am currently following up some of the suggestions & going for test drives. I went for a test drive in a Honda Civic Type-R yesterday and as a result it has gone straight to the top of my list, although I do still have some other models to try. Unfortunately on the test drive the dealer didn't allow me to leave the city so I could not see what the car was like at higher speeds or crusing. I will of course go for a further test drive on more open roads but in the meantime can any Civic Type-R owners tell me what it is like at higher speeds, cruising on longer journeys (is it tiresome, is it a bit noisy). Also can anyone tell me what the rust protection is like (I live next to the sea). Finally I read that the cars are prone to stone chips on the front, can anyone comment.
Thanks.
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They're good cars, fine on the motorway. I had a 30/40 mile test drive in one when they first came out, but decided to keep my Accord Type R at the time as it was just changing cars to stand still.
Get in touch with www.brokers4cars.co.uk as I got offered a grand off list, and this was when they first came out.
This was a UK car supplied by a main dealer too, Lookers Honda in Derby iirc. So you should get more than that off now.
There is no point buying new or at full list price. They have a 3 year warranty with great dealers (in my experience) and they're indestructible in any case.
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Hi fitz. I'm not surprised you liked the CTR after test driving. I honestly had an open mind until I drove one, then made my decision before I stepped out of the car. I hope you got a chance to take it above 6000rpm on your test drive as this is where all the action occurs. Also, try to get a drive on your own as you will feel the vtec kick even more pronounced.
In answer to your questions: on the motorway there is a fair bit of noise from the tyres. The engine can hardly be heard until you welly it (then the sound is really, really nice :) but the standard Bridgestone Potenzas really hum over 60mph. Changing tyres gets rid of most of this, apparently (I have only done 2k miles in mine so far). The soundproofing is a fair bit better than on previous type 'R' cars, though and has not proved tiresome for me yet.
Two things that have become more pleasing lately as my engine has bedded in are the fuel economy and the lower-down torque that the car produces. You get 90% of the power from 2000rpm, so it is a quick car even at lower revs. On top of this the Civic was the first type R to employ the 'ivtec' engine management, which gives two vtec zones - one between 3k and 6krpm and then the urgent one you feel between 6k and 9k rpm.
Last time I filled up and checked I had got 36mpg with regular 95RON unleaded. When you compare this to cars of similar speed that have to use super (for 10p a litre more) it beats the competition hands down. I have not been driving slowly either - at least 8 or 9 'vtec drives' per tank!
With bulletproof Honda reliability and cheap(ish) servicing, this is a realistic proposition for fast and economic motoring. Over the last two days I have missed air-con, though. If you are buying second hand you should get one with aircon for not much more than without. It was a £1200 option when new so you would do well getting this second hand.
If you are in the SW area and want to take a good look at one and drive on the dual carriageway, let me know. I live in Plymouth.
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