[dogzilla]

What do you think of the current Civic-R ?

I love my golf, but the fact its a 1.6 gets to me (Friend just baught a porsche cayenne! 3litres of loveleyness!)

Ive been looking around at possible cars, the Golf GTI is one, but ive already owned a new golf for a year, it would be like owning the same car, just a bit faster!!

I saw a Type-R today, always liked the look of them, and they are very cheap! I could sell my car and almost get a new Type-R for the samae money.

Only thing i worry off is the interior, they arent very good inside are they? What about depreciation as well.

 

[hmi1750]

The civic is very well built and the interior wont fall apart or squeak like the Golf, but it will show signs of wear if you abuse it.. its all soft touch too. Go and try one, but it wont be as refined as the golf.

 

[marriedblonde]

I know quite a few people that have bought these. One went from an s3 to one and my neighbour went from a 1.8T. both have said the same thing great performance/handling, crap interior and even worse economy!

I've driven a few of them and they are a lot of car for the money and doubtful you can go faster for the money. Not my cup of tea but a great car anyway! Go for a test drive.

J.

 

[dannyboy]

I'd bye a Mk5 GTi, I know you have already got a Mk5 and not to keen to bye another. My reasoning for this is because the Type R has lost its WOOOW factor as its been out for a while now & the Gti is the new boy on the street. []

 

[Chris]

Drive one, they split people entirely as to whether they love or hate them.

As for the new GTI.... well, the Civic is ?4000 cheaper, and faster. Ok, the Golf has more toys, but what do you buy a 'hot hatch' for at the end of the day? The Type-R's have held their money extremely well too, so dont let any doubts about depreciation put you off.

 

[dogzilla]

Yeah probably a good idea, might pop into Honda tommorow see if i can pickup a test drive.

Only question right now is the insurance, they are like group 18 or something, and i havent been driving long!

 

[markie]

Next door has got one he reckons only 26mpg!!!!!!!!!!ouch

i test drove one before getting 1.8t and the seat was worn at 23k

 

[djhorace]

A lot of good and valid points above.

Remember the CTR is starting to get on a bit now though.

The CTR must be the most discussed car in this part of the forum.

 

[Chris]

Insurance is dear... Direct Line wanted more than a Leon Cupra R if i was to get one. I insure the 180 Leon Cupra now for just over ?900, and they wanted ?1240 for the Honda...

 

[craigGSI]

i was in a similar position to you last year

i owned an astra mk4 sxi and was looking at other cars

it came down to two, the CTR and an astra mk4 GSI

i test drove the civic and thought it was fun to drive but i decided on the astra as it felt better built than the civic

the GSI also had half leather recaros and for some strange reason it was ?300 cheaper to insure even although they were both the same insurance group

however what i will say is that i did get sick of the GSI very quick as in the end it was just the same car as i had owned underneath

so up to you buddy, if you think you could be happy going from a golf to a golf then yeah the GTI is a better bet but dont rule out the grin factor when driving the CTR []

 

[dc]

Quote: posted by Chris on 10/03/2005 18:58:25

the Civic is ?4000 cheaper, and faster.

If I remember rightly the CTR was only marginally quicker than the GTI, maybe a couple of tenths round the Top Gear test track.

If you want to extract any more power from the honda you are looking at huge bills, whereas you can spend less than a grand for a 40 bhp hike in the golf.

 

[induct]

Quote: posted by hmi1750 on 10/03/2005 18:31:57

The civic is very well built and the interior wont fall apart or squeak like the Golf, but it will show signs of wear if you abuse it.. its all soft touch too. Go and try one, but it wont be as refined as the golf.

I have always thought completly the opposite!! Good Engine, Tacky Interiors

 

[Union Jack]

A bloke at work had one. It was certainly VERY quick, but it felt a bit low quality and tinny inside. Immensely reliable though.. frighteningly reliable!!

While they are very quick around the top gear test track, its not the whole picture. You have to work them hard to make them quick and in day to day driving, something like the new GTI or the Mk4 1.8T is a lot easier and quicker to drive as the Civics have nothing lower down the RPM range.

Horses for courses really. Brilliant performance cars and probably the pure-est hot hatch out there, but as a relaxing quick drive.. err NO!

Vtec is amazing, but forced induction or big engines are more friendly!

 

[kenl]

Quote: posted by Union Jack on 15/03/2005 01:39:57

A bloke at work had one. It was certainly VERY quick, but it felt a bit low quality and tinny inside. Immensely reliable though.. frighteningly reliable!!

I'm not so sure there. My work mate has one and it has had about 10 warranty visits mainly for problems with suspension. His tyres continually wear on the insides, even on the rear. His tyres only last 8k miles or so due to this and at ?120 each it is expensive. He has had this work done under warranty but now Honda are fighting him even given the car's history. He also complains about the poor fuel consumption.

Engine is fantastic (and reliable) though. Inside is fine, seems really well built and the seats are terrific.

It's a lot of car for the money in terms of performance but is light on kit. AC is a ?1k extra if you want it!

 

[sutherlandm]

The new GTI is a rip off I think.

Yes it's very good but I saw one at a dealer with leather for ?22.5k FOR A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE HATCH!!!

 

[kenl]

It's not just any old FWD hatch though is it?

 

[sutherlandm]

It's a good car but at least ?2k too much.

Even the dealer said they were struggling a bit with them being so expensive.

 

[kenl]

Well the dealer could always offer a discount to clinch more sales.

 

[sutherlandm]

But a GTI doesn't have an engine TWICE the size of a 1.6....!

 

[kenl]

Maybe not but the performance is close to an R32, handling better (from press coverage anyway) and it uses much less fuel, no?