If there WAS NO EP. . . .

[Type X]

What would u have bought

i would have gotten a 1.8T gti OR 337:cool:

[todaCspec]

I would have bought an S2000, white or yellow w/hard top option. Being that I was able to get the price that i wanted to pay for the EP, I just couldn't resist.

[SubliminalSi]

Type S or GTI er Focus SVT

[RiceCzechs]

In truth, the EP became my first choice largely because it wasn't selling and I knew that it could be had for 20%-25% off MSRP. Had that not been the case, and had I a bit more $$$ I would've prefered the following:

1) Dodge Neon SRT-4 (Really). Make mine black and shave the rear spoiler. Yes, I know it is a Neon, but drive one in anger and when the outside world gets blurry, it all becomes clear.

2) Ford Focus SVT. Couldn't afford it. Quicker and handles more cleanly, but let down by questionable build quality and horrific resale value (see also: SRT-4).

3) Mini - Beautiful handling and interesting interior, but tiny rear seat, modest power in the base version (and Cooper was out of the question $$-wise), price escalates frighteningly by the time one picks all of the options that one wants. Cheeky but less-than-masculine appearance admittedly an issue as well.

4) Chrysler PT Cruiser - No power here, but gobs of space, well thought-out interior, better-than-expected reliability, strong customizing potential. Drove one that already had 30k on the clock for several thousand miles last summer, and it was screwed together and drove better than the brand new Land Rover Freelanders we had for the same trip, and for less than 2/3rds the money! Probably could've afforded one of these, but decided against it due to lack of driving excitement.

If you're interested, you can read more about it here:

One Lap Confidential (http://www.onelapofamerica.com/History/2002/stories/olConfidential.htm)

5) VW Jetta 1.8T - 'cept my Dad owns one, and again, reliability hasn't been that great. However, power is strong, and the interior rocks. Four doors would've helped with my 8 year old, as well. Dealerships around here less-than-competent, and again, reliability a real potential issue here.


The real reason I went for the EP is that it turned out to be a hell of a value. Because it doesn't sell well and is firesale priced (at least 'round here), instead of cross-shopping it with its intended competitors (see choices above), it was priced similarly to the bog standard versions: Ford Focus ZX3, VW Jetta GL 2.0L, etc. (when optioned to similar levels), and at that point, the EP comes into its own as a real value, offering better power, great shifter/seats, fully loaded right out of the box, and of course the promise of great reliability and solid resale value. That, and I really enjoy the fact that it remains somewhat rare and underappreciated.

That's my two-cents on it, anyway... call me a traitor, but that's the way I rationalized it.

Oh, if we're talking a bit more $$$ here, throw the inevitable Subie WRX in the equasion as well.

[simione]

i would have kept my o1 civic coupe and swapped a type s motor into it.

[JoshSI]

I would probaly have saved a little longer and bought a WRX or a prelude (h22 baby!!)

[Brettnyt]

I woulda been drivin either A Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS or a VW GTI 1.8T

[rgGolf4]

I would have just kept my Golf for a while longer. It was a lease, so I actually lost money when I got the EP...I just liked it alot and thought...what the hell?

If I was gonna buy new right now...I'd probably get soemthing bigger...I like the Element or maybe the Mazda 6. Those or a decent sport wagon.

[Z26]

I wasent even looking for a new si. I looked at a WRX and a Type-S but I decided I wanted to lower my payment and so I had a loaded 2003 civic ex 5spd all picked out but they were going to give me a great deal ( 15,999 ) on the white 02 SI on the showroon floor.

[Toy2Si]

tacoma s runner with trd supercharger...

[BlasTech]

Either another EK hatch with a swap, or a Celica.

[hamproof]

I would still be driving my 01 A4 1.8T

If there is an EP but selling for $19k, $18k, $17k, I won't have bought it.

Low price plus a real hatch did it for me.

But usually low price == low resale value too, which JoshSI apparently found out when he wanted to sell his.

If I didn't care about perceived reliability, definitely:

VW R32 if I'm short on money and I want to deal with VW service
A4 3.0 Avant if I want to deal with the Audi service
S4 Avant if I have the money (who cares about service then)
RS6 Avant (if I win the lottery and if it comes in a wagon to US)

Or my new favorite:
Focus RS if I can get over buying Focomo (personal problem with the company, not the car itself)

Real hatchback and wagon rules!

[CleanBlackSi02]

I would have gotten a Mini or a WRX wagon...money permitting.

[JasonS1]

I would have gotten the SVT Focus, or the Jetta GLI (??) with the 200hp VR6 and 6 spd.

I also looked at the Mazda 6S, but didn't care for the styling.

The like the looks of the 2.5RS much, much better than the WRX, but don't like the motor in the 2.5RS.

The new Evo would be nice, but it's not worth 2x the car payment as my Si.

To re-state what everyone else pretty much already has, the Si was an incredible value. And now that I have one, I'm loving it.

- Jason

[norcalSI]

i would of bought a 00 si or any civic hatchback....or even a odessy....

[zerofighter]

i would still be driving my 1991 crx si.

[Burgh]

New: GTI or Celica
Used: (old) MR2, Integra

[zerofighter]

i would still be driving my 1991 crx si.

[Tenacious G]

definately the 337 or GTI 1.8T. man those are some sweet cars.

[DownTheHatch]

If the EP never came out I'd be driving my Teal EG. I had no reason to buy a new car until the EP came out.

[rgGolf4]

I never realized that so many people either own or want to own a VW. I had one, and I didn't like the customer service...or the bad parts they used in my car.

Regardless, its funny how here on a Honda forum that we have mucho respect for other brands. If you went over to the Vortex, they'd eat you alive if they knew you drive anything JDM. Very different points of view. And the thing is they play the JDM crowd like we are a bunch of zit faced highschoolers...racing like Fast and Furious.

[DooD]

i don't have my EP YET....

...but if it didn't come out (with such a bargain on the price) then i would still be driving my '99 CR-V. Don't know how many of you like the mini-suv's but i liked that suv...comfy :D

But my EP should be arriving next week. Can't wait.:cool:

[EViLsneakyDUCK]

I'd probably be driving my old 94 Del Sol still. Probably wouldnt get a new car until I graduate college, but thats about 3 years from now, so I really wouldnt know what i would get

[graham]

I'd be driving a subie TS wagon. That and the SiR were the only cars that met the criteria of:
- hatchback
- rear passenger space
- performance / fun to drive
- less than C$25K

GTI: reliability questions.
Matrix: not that fun to drive, horrible shifter.
Mazda Protege5: sloooooooooow.

I was sold on the TS wagon until I found out that I could get the SiR for C$21.5K. I'm completely satisfied - the SiR is faster, more fun to drive, nicer looking, better equipped and gets better gas mileage. Yeah.

Graham

[Spidey]

i would have kept driving my '91 Pontiac Sunbird. haha
I probably would have looked at the Sentra SE-R, Protege5,
or used '90-92 Maxima,
I'm on a budget!!! :(

[poppasp1ce]

spec-v or type-s

[fishboy]

type-s or wrx

[sonic imperial]

I probably would have gotten a new altima. I don't know why, I just like the way they look. I might have even waited for one of the new accord coupes, mazda6, or celicas. I'm not really sure though.

[KickerSi]

I was going to by an Element but the damn thing never came in. If it wasn't for the special financing then I would have either gotten a WRX or new V6 Accord coupe. I cant think of a life without my EP now.

[ShowstoppersUSA]

Focus???Neon???:eek: :p :eek: :p :eek: NO WAY! I would've bought an Element so i can share with my mom.


Rocky
Showstoppers USA

[LordKoo]

I would have brought a Mercedes C230 Sport Coupe.

[LedFoot]

Would have gotten an s2000 hard-top black/red interior... or Sentra se-r or mazda6 or just plain saved more money and drive my hooptie '91 hatch ;). But I ain't complainin'... gotta love my EP.:D

[Tekdemon]

Actually I wanted a used Toyota Matrix XRS...that's the one with the 180HP engine lifted from the Celica GT-S

It also has the leather steering wheel from the Celica GT-S and the suspension from it...but it also has the practicality of gobs of space in the back from it being a wagonhatch thingy.

But my budget was kind of low, so I was looking to buy a used one, and it got sold and it's kind of hard to find a Matrix XRS used since it's a specific submodel...I think it was a manual too and I wanted a manual so waiting around for another used one would have driven me nuts =P

I was also thinking of a Hyundai Elantra GT used...2001 model heh, or maybe 2002...although it turns out the build quality didn't really get much better till 2002, but the 2001's were CHEAP used(like $7K) =P

I did look at a used Focus mainly for price but uhh...yeah it just didn't quite hold up =P

I had actually purchased a Civic LX but I had the dealer write that I wouldn't have to buy it if the mileage was over 400 because they couldn't find the keys to check that day. And then it turned out the thing had been purchased before and that there was like 580 miles...which pissed me off(shady dealer ugh) but anyway, I bargained with them till I got the Si for $15500...so it was hardly a difference, plus it was definitely new and had so many more features =P

Now I'm still hurting cuz my baby Si has the stupid key scratch down the entire passenger side that I can't buff out...I have most of the scratch gone on the driver side(you can still sorta see it though, plus there are a couple dents)...

And I'm too broke and cheap to actually go and get a machine shop to buff it out...stupid fuckers who key cars better watch out...I'm gonna give them a beatdown if I catch them...it won't even be a regular beatdown, I'll take my time with it...grrrrr

Oh and I was also looking at the Sentra SE-R Spec V =P but I think the reliability on the Civic was the best out of all the cars I'd considered(except the Matrix maybe...that's probably just as reliable or possibly better or slightly worse).

Honestly though, if I could have gotten the Matrix XRS I would have...that thing is HUGE in terms of cargo space. It's like MY GOD THIS THING IS HUGE! You could sleep in that thing really. And it'd actually be roomy!

This is kinda important since I'm a college kid who has to move back and forth =P and it's a lot easier to shove my life into a Matrix than a Civic =P

[esmith13]

If there was no EP, I'd be on the search for a fairly priced 2000 Civic Si Hatch....


Was actually getting ready to buy one and then... one night at 2am... I saw THE commercial that started it all...

... I was no more good....




Eric

[BSEVEER]

I was looking into getting a 2000 V6 Accord. I'm glad I went with the EP, a 2000 Accord would have cost about the same as my 02 SI. I still like the Accord though...:)

[Mugen Power]

93 Accord wouldn't have become an abandoned project, i.e. H22 swap + more.

[BarracksSi]

Well, really, it was a lost cause for any other manufacturer once I saw a 3" wide pic of the EP Type-R in an auto show article in Road & Track. Whenever I see any of the cars listed below, I have absolutely no regrets over choosing -- or being chosen by -- my EP. Even so...

I would have been torn between any recent Civic hatch (they are so RARE in the classifieds) and one of the following, in order of preference --

Matrix, preferably the XRS -- drives nice enough, LOTS of room, who-cares-if-it-gets-gouged plastic hatch floor, but it just feels too tall (almost like a minivan), and it's a bit bigger overall than I would like. City living prefers small cars. I would even consider the current Celica, but I think the back is too small for my tubas.

Subaru WRX wagon (the 3-door) -- haven't driven one, but with my sister's Legacy wagon doing well, I wouldn't mind.

Proteg

[blueiedgod]

I would have gotten the Element. but they did not have 5 spd and did not anticipate until this summer.

DooD, are you CR-V dood from www.hondasuv.com?
I also have a 2001 CR-V SE

esmith13 -- there was not Si hatch in 2000, only hatches were CX and DX, the Si was a coupe. You would have been looking for a long time to get one in Si trim. :-)

[Loudpedal]

RSX-S
Imprezza WRX
S4 (buddys 2001)

[ULTRAMANIA]

i am ashamed to say this but.. .if there was no ep.. i would have got the spec V... =( i needed a new car.. and the EP and the SPEC V fit that price range pretty well... i am so glad that i didn't get the spec v.. omg.. i'm such a hater of that car...

[stephen]

WRX wagon

[StLouisSilverSI]

I would have kept my Inca Pearl 2001 EX Coupe

[I-4Si]

I would be driving a Toyota Matrix XR. I test drove the XRS and liked the Si much better. I liked the room the Matrix offered, but I was looking for all of the features that my '97 Civic EX coupe had plus a little more power. Third choice was a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS or TS.

[Makross]

if there wasnt a EP i wouldve gotten a EK or a DC2 i wouldnt mind having either one rite now:o

[IceD out N CALI]

good question, i'm not really sure, one of them sporty model cars though:)

[chubbychu]

sentra ser

[StrangeShadow]

rsx-s, or another ek w/an h22, my hearts in a hatch =)

[03hatch]

03 wrx wagon..or 03 a4 avant

[JoshSI]

Originally posted by Toy2Si
tacoma s runner with trd supercharger...

YES!!!! Those things are so bad ass!!!! Really hard to find though

[civicSIracer]

would of kept my 00Si or gotten the RSX type S or even a used 01 ITR:D

[MoodySi]

I would have gotten the RSX. I had my eye on them before the Si even came out.

[waxcid trip]

i would've gotten a celica gts or a jetta 1.8t

[jaydub]

I would still have my 2000 Jetta VR6.

[ShowstoppersUSA]

Yo ULTRAMANIA, why are you such a hater of the Spec-V? My cousin got that instead of an EP, and we haven't raced yet but he said he's gonna spank me.....I don't think so! EP POWER!!!:D

Rocky
Showstoppers USA

[Glix]

GTI or WRX

[Brenetics]

Originally posted by fishboy
type-s or wrx

[SiR Medic]

Probably either a Matrix XRS, Vibe GT, or an Accord coupe w/ the I4 and 5-speed.

[Jpax]

Originally posted by BlasTech
Either another EK hatch with a swap, or a Celica.

Amen there, Me too :cool:

[the JigGa mAn]

97-00 Integra Type R

[SBC31]

Acura RSX Type S --- simple solution.

[GeNoZiDe]

s2000
supra
or rx7 (would ve fixed a write off)

[02NJHondaep3]

-i would be driving my parent's 93 Chrysler new yorker.

-Then taking the bus when it broke down, or walking great distances.

I originally wanted a used car but my parents said they wouldn't co-sign because they thought "used car, used problems"

- DSM, but gsx's and gst's in stick are so hard to find and are too much.

-Used 240sx i've been looking at the drifting scene and it makes me wonder what i can do.

-I wasn't into VW's and Spec Vs , I was trying to get a cheap new car that was quick. I hated hondas but mixedupneko showed me his and i thought it was nice. The interior was clean and I never even heard of the car so it was rare and not the me too car people associate honda with. I also caught myself asking the question "Is it weird with the stick on the dash?" I test drove one and bought the showroom model for 15K and change. If it wasn't for my ep also i wouldn't need a job to pay for it. But i love it

[tony speed]

01 prelude.....maybe
imprezza wrx .... possibly
rsx type-s .... maybe
STI .. .. yeah right
Evo....if i could have found one
mazdaspeed protege....desparation
skyline GTR.....i wish

[ballsdeep]

SVT focus or 1.8T and if i had a little more money I would have gotten a wrx regardless of wether was a si or not. If I had a lot more money I would have gotten a S4

[02SilverSiHB]

Originally posted by Type X
What would u have bought

i would have gotten a 1.8T gti OR 337:cool:
ditto!

[furious]

I would have bought an older NSX. The EP was the ONLY car I wanted just nearly as badly, and price with new tech just made it a better choice..

[HondaMan]

WRX if I could have come up with more $$$.

[crispytreat]

I would have kept my 98 Civic EX Coupe, and saved up some more money and purchased a RSX-S.

Jeff G.

[XLR8B4U]

S

http://www.steiner-luzern.ch/images/p1_spinach.jpg

PERIOD END OF STORY!

I will probably end up with one anyhow but just not yet...
Need to buy some furniture and other large expenses before I
take on another 2nd car payment... One more payment left on the Z3!!! WAHOO..

C

[staticflo]

if i couldnt have gotten the si i would have to go with...

1. type s (almost had one)

2. celica (to small tho)

3. WRX (who wouldnt want one)

[mrfixit687]

sentra ser spec v, or integra gsr

[SinisterCivicSi]

i would have gotten a 02 ex silver w/ everything.....

or an rsx (whatever my poor azz could afford).

didnt really look at anything else.

[02TafWhtSi]

At the time I was looking, the SRT-4 was not out (last summer) but if it was I would SERIOUSLY consider it - even with a rep for shoddy reliability.
My other options at that time was a 2002 black Gti turbo (sans leather but with moonroof/monsoon audio), a 2003 Matrix XRS 6-speed, or a financial stretch for a bright blue RSX Type S :)

The final decision came down to Honda simply b/c they made my lease disappear without any residual (I still had a year left) and at the time they were not asking over MSRP for the new Si (I paid sticker). I purchased in May and it had just been introduced in April so it was sort of a break .:o

[brendanSI]

would have been more patient, and waited to find a 93 (or so) mr-2 :cool:

or a rex

[SinisterCivicSi]

lol brendan si i like your signature, i get that sometimes too
" wow i like your focus" man does that piss me off! lol

especially the ricer guys that think they know thier shit, then i have to embarrass them in front of their homeboys and educate them about a real car.

[SmoothOperator]

I kinda wanted the new MR-2, but they're not selling them in Canada. The thought of a convertable summer car appeals to me.

[StrangeShadow]

STI...still might consider one...once I grow up :p

[black87regal]

hmmm if there was no ep, i would have to drive the car im currently driving, a grand national. i would just have to find a new board to troll on......i mean post on..........yeah post thats it.:D

[ssvr6]

I'd be in a Jazz Blue 20th Aniversary GTi right now. A good friend took delivery of his last week...f-ing awesome. From the 18" R32 wheels, to the blacked out headlights, to the custom numbered plate...

A really sweet ride.


Steve

[Jaws Of Death]

I probably would have put a 3rd gen engine/turbos into my 1st gen RX-7. mmmmmmmmm rotary.:D

[BlackNRedSi]

Same as steve... or would have just kept my 88 z28 and keep working it....

but noooooo i had to go buy a civic :)

[EPHatchgirl]

RSX-S or a 1.8T... or the Turbo Beetle (same engines though, I think)... I also liked the Pontiac Vibe and the 04' Grand Prix....

[abstrack]

i would of gotten a 96-98 240sx(drift anyone):D

or saved up a lil longer and looked for a 97-20 integ type R, or an s2000. (though im still planning to look into one):)

wrx and type-s would also be in consideration:cool: ;)

[kingxchat]

civic ex ;)

[brendanSI]

Originally posted by SinisterCivicSi
lol brendan si i like your signature, i get that sometimes too
" wow i like your focus" man does that piss me off! lol

especially the ricer guys that think they know thier shit, then i have to embarrass them in front of their homeboys and educate them about a real car.


:D thanks, i get it everyday.. yesterday at a cruise some punk (in a stang) was like "why the fuk would you put SI on a focus! you retarded wannabee, and ford doesnt make ivtec!"

then he burnt out yelling some ish, i wanted to burn his car down to the frame :angel:

[BarracksSi]

Originally posted by brendanSI
:D thanks, i get it everyday.. yesterday at a cruise some punk (in a stang) was like "why the fuk would you put SI on a focus! you retarded wannabee, and ford doesnt make ivtec!"

then he burnt out yelling some ish, i wanted to burn his car down to the frame :angel:

What's funny is that even HE knew that the Honda Si & its VTEC are the sh.t.

[SpeedRacer]

well i really wanted to buy the WRX but insurance was to high. Anyways now i have a few friends with WRX's and i am happy i didn't buy one. 2 of my friends have already gone through 1 transmission each in under 8000 miles, and the interior really sucks I might of bought a cyian if it was out but it wasn't i think those things are kewl

[Suk02Si]

Hey Iman, maybe you mean Scion?

www.scion.com

:D

[SpeedRacer]

yea thats what i meant to say cyian cyan crayon scion same shit