Civic Type R FK2 - Test drive

[Crackfox]

Hmm the looks are matter of opinion. Most new hot hatches look a little chav. Even the A45 amg has a massive wing.

From my experience the FK2/ FK8 is like a modern day teg with a lot of comforts that you wouldn't normally expect. Its like any other civic in comfort mode and comes alive in R mode. The steering becomes heavy like the teg. I still think the front end wonders a little being fwd with an lsd. That having done my test drive on country roads.

For the money you could get a Golf R, Megan RS, e92 M3, evo's, impreza's etc.

Don't get me wrong I like the idea of them modernising the civic and I'm sure it's fun to drive. I just think they went a bit ott on the pimping it out. I remember when the EP concept came out and I thought, wow that's nice I wonder if it will actually be like that. And it was. But they went a bit far for me. I think it was a Peugeot or Vauxhall that started it if I remember correctly read it somewhere at the time. They tried to replicate boy racer modding out of the box to make those cars more sort after for that market. But for me personally, somewhere down the line, they made then look cheap and chavvy. It seems the german market is the only one that can make a spirited road car that still looks fairly 'standard'. But, eewww german.

If I had money to burn on 6 monthly servicing and new clutches I'd go Evo up to Mk 6, but I'm old. Any jap car that looks like a normal car but has a bit of power would win for me. I don't track, if I did I'd have a track car, prob an Atom. I'm not a chavvy wanker that drives like a pleb and annoys people with a stupidly loud exhaust. I just like a nice car.

My teg makes me smile when I look at, when i sit in it, and when i drive it. My long term plan if i can keep the chasis clean, is to get it to 200k and then swap the engine for an electric one. Hopefully by then technology has improved a little.

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[Reggie91]

That's the thing. If you do not track a car then you cannot appreciate it fully. The Fk2 is the perfect balance between being a quiet everyday car, while being something you can throw around track then drive home. But then again so it the Golf R (even though the brakes are rubbish out of the box), meganes etc.

 

[carl hammond]

That's the thing. If you do not track a car then you cannot appreciate it fully.

This, most Honda's are only really appreciated when on track as that's when their full potential can be found and unlike car's like EVO's you can fully understand the car, the feel and feedback you get and actually see your own progress as you get more seat time.

My EVO 6 was possibly one of the dullest cars on track for me, it was more a case of steer with the throttle by letting all the computers do everything. I would love to rally one however

I have heard about the Golf R brakes from a mate who used to race, he has the new Golf R and said its very capable but the brakes are very very poor.

 

[Crazylegs]

There's a lot of choice out there, still quite fancy an M135i tbh due to the sound as they sound amazing but that Civic felt so nice to drive. Golf R is enticing but they don't sound the best, they're very samey these cars these days but they're clearly very quick and capable all of them.

I'm getting old now, I'm 40 this year and it's getting tiring driving the Teg around. Some days I love it but some days I hate it. It's a real Jekyll and Hyde car. I think something like a BMW 125d might not be a bad move for me, something comfortable that has some power. Cars have moved on so much nowadays they really have.

I'd want another prolonged drive in the FK8 before making any final decision I think as 30k is a shit load of money for any car. Whatever I go for has to be comfortable and practicable too. I wouldn't be tracking the Civic either, no chance as it would be worth too much money.

 

[carl hammond]

There's a lot of choice out there, still quite fancy an M135i tbh due to the sound as they sound amazing but that Civic felt so nice to drive. Golf R is enticing but they don't sound the best, they're very samey these cars these days but they're clearly very quick and capable all of them.

I'm getting old now, I'm 40 this year and it's getting tiring driving the Teg around. Some days I love it but some days I hate it. It's a real Jekyll and Hyde car. I think something like a BMW 125d might not be a bad move for me, something comfortable that has some power. Cars have moved on so much nowadays they really have.

I'd want another prolonged drive in the FK8 before making any final decision I think as 30k is a excrement load of money for any car. Whatever I go for has to be comfortable and practicable too. I wouldn't be tracking the Civic either, no chance as it would be worth too much money.

Like you mate I too am getting old (40 next April) and feel the same with the Teg which is why I am 50/50 on keeping and selling it. Saying that I love it when it's in the right environment (on track) so my plan is sell the house, move into the new one and have the DC5 and that DC2 if I buy it for track fun and fingers crossed a Mustang GT or similar for the road as they are comfier, more luxuries but still something I can use on a track every now and then and enjoy.

Car's are a real hard thing but the DC5 tbh I see as a bit of an appreciating asset. I know all JDM cars have that said but the lack of supply for the ever growing demand of drivers cars can only be a good thing

 

[Mike9000]

Started this post ages ago over a couple of beers and reckon the below is a load of waffle as I‘m not talking daily drive cars, only as a garaged second with a waffly SUV as a family car lol...onto third beer now

At the £25-30k bracket I‘d simply throw my money into another Lotus. I really want an Evora after my DC5 so that‘s the way I‘ll be going in 3 or 4 years. I‘ll be 45 or so then and would like something which is uncommon / rare, with the engine behind my back and drives really nice. If I‘m lucky and do well in my current job and everything goes well, maybe a V6 Exige.

I toyed with a Golf R Estate recently to replace the CR-V as the family thing, but it‘d cost £9k to change - adding £9k onto my DC5 would see me well on the way to an early Evora, for example, or a very good S3 Elise.

I‘d also like Honda to make nice looking cars again but it isn‘t going to happen. The Civic has progressively gotten worse since the FN2, which IMHO has aged well. A new Integra would be interesting to see, but that‘s not going to happen in a world where everyone just buys the latest German stuff.

 

[Mike9000]

Jeeze, what a load of waffle

 

[Mark_teg]

Hmm the looks are matter of opinion. Most new hot hatches look a little chav. Even the A45 amg has a massive wing.

From my experience the FK2/ FK8 is like a modern day teg with a lot of comforts that you wouldn't normally expect. Its like any other civic in comfort mode and comes alive in R mode. The steering becomes heavy like the teg. I still think the front end wonders a little being fwd with an lsd. That having done my test drive on country roads.

For the money you could get a Golf R, Megan RS, e92 M3, evo's, impreza's etc.

The fk8 have been known for having gearbox issues, there's videos on YouTube that owners have recorded as proof to Honda.

I'd choose an FK2 over any of the above! Honda reliability (albeit, not quite as good as the n/a breed but still 'up-there'), quite rare and very b-road capable. Apparently the FK2 is more raw than the fk8 with firmer seat bolsters, ride, etc - which can be counted as a negative but is surely a positive for us dc5 owners (or ex owner in my case).
Golf R is known for being capable but a bit of a dull instrument. More of a great daily compromise for a family guy who has no worries letting the wife use it while you're at work - again, this suits lots of people, but I'm speaking from my point of view.
Megan RS is apparently a great car, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy a Renault.
M3s, evo's, Impreza' - high running costs count them out for me personally. After owning an e46 M3, the running costs and worries took the fun out of it for me.

I highly doubt Honda will make an N/A analogue sports coupe like the dc5 again. Everything seems to have driver aids, multiple driving modes or obsessing with chasing 'ring times. For me, this makes k20 in N/A form in the EP3/DC5/FN2/FD2 more special - they were just average cars when they came out but there's not much like it anymore.

 

[Crazylegs]

Hey Mark, good to have some feedback from you on this as you've owned a number of cars.

As above I've not read anything about the FK8 having a few issues apart from what Carl has said above. When I posted on the American FK8 FB owners page, I got an asbolute hammering from most on there saying there's been pretty much zero faults with the FK8.

The issues I have are that the FK2 suspension is known for being 'solid' but as you've rightly pointed out, most of us are used to that anyway having driven backbreakers for the best part of 10 years if not more. My current Teg is fully polybushed and is pretty hard, worse than my blue one. It's the bouncing around that's getting a bit too much for me and the way the car drags everywhere, it's becoming hard work driving it and particularly tiring. Some days even just driving to work and back, it makes me tired and I worry if going to an FK2 then I'll continue to experience this.

Then again as you've pointed out, I can't see an FK2 being nowhere near as bad as it's a far newer car. Perhaps those not used to driving rock solid Type R's might not like it. Obviously based on feedback and reviews the multilink independent suspension of the FK8 seems to be far superior to that of the FK2. Whether that makes a difference in real life day-to-day driving, it's hard to tell.

The FK8 in comfort mode and even Sport mode felt reasonbly plush, far more comfortable than the Teg. Again I would like to drive an FK2 to see what they're like before writing one off completley. I was due to test drive one a few months back but Honda messed me about and kept me waiting in the rain so I didn't bother.

I'd certainly like to drive one but I think there's more FK2's going around my way than there is FK8's. The FK8 is a bit wild looking and OTT but at the same time it's even more aggresive looking than the FK2. The FK2 will always pale into insignificance compared to the FK8 as Honda seem to have got it so right, apart from the looks that is.

I just think I'd feel cheapo and a skinflint driving round in an FK2 compared to an FK8. Are there any owners here that have driven both that can comment on them?

 

[ste01]

I wouldn't worry about being a cheapo in a FK2 over an FK8. At the end of the day, to most people it will be 'just a Honda civic'

Just get what you like and enjoy it. For the price of an FK, you could keep the DC5 and get something else.

 

[Crazylegs]

Thanks Ste, just fancy something newer and if I keep the Teg and get something else then I'm running the risk of something going ti*a up with both cars plus there's the running costs of both. The M140 is still the one that's enticing me the most, also an i30n but the pops and bangs would do my head in after a while. I'd like an Impreza but the missus absolutely hates them.

 

[carl hammond]

I wouldn't worry about being a cheapo in a FK2 over an FK8.

This, at least in an FK2 you‘d look a lot less like a chav who drive through Halfords after reading every edition of the fast car and max power magazines

 

[ste01]

If you like an impreza get one! They aren't any more chavy to most people who don't know cars except for a noisy one with a spoiler.

You can even make them civilised if you get a Hayward & Scott exhaust with the extra silencer in it.

You could even get a Legacy or something else if you worry if the impreza image

 

[Crazylegs]

I'm going to do some reasearch into the Impreza as I think it's the S202-S204 JDM range that is the best ones to have.

I think the UK ones come with really weak blocks from what I've read apart from one, think it's the Hawkeye widetrack version?

 

[lewis87]

I'm going to do some reasearch into the Impreza as I think it's the S202-S204 JDM range that is the best ones to have.

I think the UK ones come with really weak blocks from what I've read apart from one, think it's the Hawkeye widetrack version?

If we are talking about "newage" Impreza's then the only cars with the weak engines prone to ringland failure and head gaskets going is the 2.5 litre mostly found in hawkeye (2006) onwards cars. UK cars before this are just as reliable as the JDM cars but there are differences.

A lot of JDM cars are twinscroll turbos with equal length manifolds so you lose the subaru burble but there is no lag.

The s20x cars are awesome and rare, sort of like the most focused versions (SPEC C, TYPE RA) but retaining all the comforts of the road cars with some very nice parts like carbon backed seats and titanium exhausts.

 

[Crazylegs]

If we are talking about "newage" Impreza's then the only cars with the weak engines prone to ringland failure and head gaskets going is the 2.5 litre mostly found in hawkeye (2006) onwards cars. UK cars before this are just as reliable as the JDM cars but there are differences.

A lot of JDM cars are twinscroll turbos with equal length manifolds so you lose the subaru burble but there is no lag.

The s20x cars are awesome and rare, sort of like the most focused versions (SPEC C, TYPE RA) but retaining all the comforts of the road cars with some very nice parts like carbon backed seats and titanium exhausts.

Thanks Lewis, I knew there were some blocks that were weak but wasn't 100% sure on which models.

I did do a lot of reading on Impreza's before opting for another DC5 and had read the S202-204 ranges are the best but they're pricey.

I'd also miss the Subaru burble if I got one I think. What age and model did you go for again? You rate them highly?

 

[lewis87]

Thanks Lewis, I knew there were some blocks that were weak but wasn't 100% sure on which models.

I did do a lot of reading on Impreza's before opting for another DC5 and had read the S202-204 ranges are the best but they're pricey.

I'd also miss the Subaru burble if I got one I think. What age and model did you go for again? You rate them highly?

I had a UK 2005 WRX STI widetrack "blobeye" which is probably the most desirable UK newage. You get the subaru burble which a lot of people want, but with the single scroll turbo there is some lag but I actually liked it because you can drive around off boost for better MPG and when you want to go fast you can floor it and get that big hit of power and they actually feel faster than JDM twinscrolls because of this.

The S20# range are so rare over here you wouldn't get much choice and will definitely pay a premium for it. Although there is a pair of S203 seats on UK eBay for sale at £7000!

You could probably get a nice 05 widetrack, UK or JDM for many many thousands less if you can even find something like an S203 for sale! I love the older Subarus and would definitely have another but the running costs are higher than a DC5 and the ability to throw up a big bill.

 

[TomNorris]

Hey Marc, have you considered something like a forester sti or a stagea 260rs?

Still interesting cars, still quick and can handle pretty well and tick all the old man boxes.

If I didn't need a diesel it's what I'd have gone for. As for the 125d idea.... Don't. The back end is to softly damped so it's really snappy on the back end any totally numb to drive. Not given a 135 / 140 a go yet but I'm not expecting all that much difference.

 

[TomNorris]

Or..... Fd2 civic?

 

[The Mighty Clam]

Where are you based Crazylegs - I'm in Kent and currently have an FK2 (ex DC5 here owner looking to get another again soon). I'm happy to answer any questions you have about it. It's like having two cars in one - goes to the shops or takes daughter to nursery perfectly fine, turns into a crazy nightmare beast from the underworld when you press +R button and give it some!