EP3 civic type R Vs Clio 182

Looking at one of the above as my next car. Anyone got any veiws and or experiances on either?

After test driving both I am still none the wiser to which I prefer. There are bits on each that I like and dislike in equal measure.


A gorgous 182 with a few toys has come up for sale on cliosport that I am very tempted buy so need to make a descision



Cheers Gavin

basic observations i've made are

Civics are common as hell...even the new ones. however the civic is more grown up than a clio 172/182 because at the end of the day they are still a little french hatchback.

personally for the money you could pick a 172/182 up for you could have a few other cars that would spring to mind as better.

it depends really on what your planning to use the car for...tracktoy or daily hack with a few spirited drives at the weekend?

Yer the common as heck and image of been a cock are the main things putting me off the ctr


Needs to be a daily hack (not many miles but needs to be dependable really) as well as a track day toy/enjoyable drive.


What other suggestions you got woz? My only other thoughts were tegs but insurance is over 1k for them

honda accord type R...if you get the I think before 01/02 you get the old style V-TEC(proper vtec basically none of this watered down shite you get on CTR's) personally I think they look great and are very stealthy cars.

type "accord type R" into you tube and basically listen to the noise off the engine when vtec kicks in and it's like nothing else on those even with standard airbox.

other options would be older evo but then as you say insurance will be a killer like the teg.

or seat leon Cupra R can pic reasonable millage ones up for about 6-7k now and they are a cut above the CTR

how much you looking to spend?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QDZbS-evncw

that one does have a filter but it's not alot louder than how they sound standard tbh

Never really considered a Leon cupra. Always thought of them to be a bit "soft" like all other VAGs. Still love the Mk4 astra gsi's but am avoiding them for this reason

that is the only problem really specially as they were spawned from one of the worst eras of the golf imo. Accords suffer with "its an old mans car" but personally that would add to the fun and they are rare as rockin horse shit.

That one does sound nice. I know what you mean about "proper" vtec. Been out for a ride in a teg and its so much more brutal then the 2.0 unit in the EP3's etc

Basically what Woz is trying to say is the Accord (same as the later s2000's) uses the far superior H Series engine, unlike the K series used in the CTR...

2.2 running about 220bhp iirc...

LSD too

My Boss has one and i have to say it is one of the most perfectly balenced cars i've ever driven... the Recaros make it fantastic as a daily but it still feels soooo planted in the corners...

So its not a barge then in the handling department?


As this is the main reason I am leaving corsa ownership as they just dont handle

If the car you are interested in on cliosport is Christophers then i can tell you the thing is mint.

And its pure porn!

Good detective work there burp it is indeed

Get it bought son!

I dont really know what Id do, hmmmm. I do love the look of the Clio 182s, but like said its
still a tiny french tin can. I dont think thats a huge step up.

With the Civic, never drove one, but from the different reviews Ive read. Its still a hot hatch
just without the horrible boyracer appeal (just about). Think id rather have the Civic but Id
have to spend some dosh on it to make it a little more hardcore..

if I were buying a honda, it wouldn't be a civic.

City FTW

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/492398.htm

What the hell is that.. I like

You have a lot to learn my friend...

http://www.built4track.co.uk/progress-blogs-f7/project-wtf-1991-honda-city-t14.htm

Right just been playing with insurance quotes. Integra could still be on the cards


JDM imports are just over 1k, steep but do able. Or if I can find a UK one it can be done for 700 notes.

The UK ones any different on spec? Cant find any reliable info anywhere :S

The JDM Type R had the minor change long headlights that remained only for the JDM models while the world market version had the pre-facelift double round lights.

get this bought, you know it makes sense

Dont let the common as muck image of the Civic cloud your judgement of what is an extremely good car. They handle very well, in fact you would struggle to find a run of the mill everyday car that attacked a set of twisties like an EP3 does. Plus if you want to you can literally rag the twat out of them and they wont go wrong. Ever. They also return suprisingly good MPG if you keep them off Vtec.

A good friend of mine had a pre facelift EP3 with a few bits on it (manifold and full exhaust, Tein suspension, modified airbox). It was one of the best handling FWD cars ive driven on the road, sounded gorgeous when it came on the pipe, kept up with my cammed MI 205, and to top it all off NEVER went wrong once in two years of ownership! In fact it was such a good car he still misses it now, and thats after giving it in chop for a 450hp evo VI...

MGM wrote:

The JDM Type R had the minor change long headlights that remained only for the JDM models while the world market version had the pre-facelift double round lights.

Cheers mate

So apart from the cosmetic changes the mechanical bits stayed the same for both versions?

Shame the JDM is more as I hate the round lights

I am sure there is a difference mechanically but having trouble finding it written down anywhere.

Yer thats what go me thinking as the JDM's are usually the more focused higher specced ones. Like the JDM EP3 has another 20bhp and an LSD etc.


Going to try and get another test drive in a 182 and EP3 to compare them again. As I think they are still the two front runners as they will be newer, more practical and have cheaper running costs. And at the end of the day will both be miles better then my current car

the 182 will undoubtedly be less hassle to get parts and the like for, but the value of them seems to have dipped stupidly with the changes to tax. So it's very much a buyers' market for them at the minute.

the teggy will come at a price as they seem to be the new cool car to own - and that's something that's really put me off buying one. I think its going to become progressively harder to find a clean one that's been properly looked after, so if you're going down that road, now is as good a time as any.

Funny you should say that as locally the number of integras especially DC5's has rocketed. Go down southend on a saturday evening and they now easily out number EP3's


I think in all seriousness its still between the clio and the civic. as I really wanted to upgrade to a new car and both of these are and as you say parts and servicing will be a doddle


Dont know if you remember him MGM but I got an email from Fad last night asking if I wanted to buy his 182. He was at the castle coombe preformace car day with us weekend racer lot (blue 182 on turinis)

I remember, depends on how much he wants for it I suppose. At this point I'd certainly not want to pay more than 4k on a Clio, with it being a buyers' market

this looks a good car, I'd swap mine for this if it were a different colour
http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=354729

ideal if you like ph1's
http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=351491

Yer I saw that caged up one, need a full interior though really as I take passangers on a regular basis


Fad wants £6250 for his. Which is a cup packed late 04 182 40k miles plus ebaiches and turinis.

Other car I am still loving is christophers RB one from cliosport

This video probably wont help your decision.


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-PI_rES6k

I have watched that too many times in the past


Always fancied a tb'd one. Seems cheap too for the spec. http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/597813.htm


Just not sure if something like that could be used daily

you want one of these babies don't deny it!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/685329.htm

The itb'd clio is a bargin. £2.5k of mods. probably pushing out around 205bhp in that spec.

DanR from cliosport has that kit on his and ive driven it. Its really nice to drive and not as mad as you'd think. Loads of low end power, means you dont have to rag the nuts off it all the time to make progress. He uses his daily and he says its not much worse on fuel than before really.


A set of cams would see it near to 230bhp but becomes a bit of an ass to drive as the power comes in much higher so im told

Woz


This clio on there has cams etc as well as tb's although it seems quite pricey for a ph1 172

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/682202.htm

lot of fancy stuff on that though. Cams aren't cheap for the clio

Hoping to try and go and have a look at the 182 this weekend if I can. Just need to try and get through to the guy...............

Made a thread on clio sport and Danr was saying some positive stuff about the conversions

Got a reply from the seller ands its still for sale so I am hoping to get up to veiw it one night after work next week hopefully sending me some more pictures etc in the mean time

Gavin wrote:

MGM wrote:

The JDM Type R had the minor change long headlights that remained only for the JDM models while the world market version had the pre-facelift double round lights.

Cheers mate

So apart from the cosmetic changes the mechanical bits stayed the same for both versions?

Shame the JDM is more as I hate the round lights

round headlights are far better

for a start they're rarer.

the mechanical differences are quite varied, but the engines and shells stay the same for the cars lifetime. the main differences are the gearboxes, suspension and brakes.

there are 2 versions of import, 96 spec and 98 spec. the UK car is a hodge-podge of both.

the UK and 98 spec imports are the ones to go for. best brakes and best transmissions.

if you're getting a totally bog standard car, then an import will be quicker in a straight line as they have less restrictive manifold and exhaust. swap out the exhaust system on a UK car and it becomes just as quick, plus it has no limiter.

hi i have owend a ep3 civic type r and they are a good car and i had a play with the clios and they are the same speed as the civic. they handel well for a big car but the clio might handel beter. i never hade a problem with the civic runing wise. the civic is bilt a bit beter then the clio. but the civic has got a high insurenc group for wot its 17. have you thort of a focus rs 2.0 turbo 200 bhp insurenc group 15 or 16

The tb clio is sold now never got a chance to veiw it due to work and been at trax


Going to see an ep3 tomorow I think I am going to go with what ever comes up as the best deal first

Really like the spec of that Clio. Nice and simple.

I can imagine the driveabilty was much improved, what annoys me about 106 and Saxo owners is that they all think its about BHP. I think if I ran cams I would want to go for something slightly up on standard. The 708s are commonly used but they shift the power right up on the scale.
Thing is you dont want to be revving the tits off your engine all the while.

I like. Shame its sold Gavin! Think you missed out. Blooddy Trax

Tempted By the ph1 one but the spec is a bit mad for an every day car and it has no interior which I would have to source too.

Might just keep an eye on the market for a little longer as I am in no paticular rush and I would like to still have the gsi for the trackday in november as its a car I am familier with even if it isnt that good

How much have you got to spend?

Going to the RR day it seems the clio's are even harder to get power out of that the Honda engines.

Buy a cheap prelude 2.2vtec, get the JDM as its 197bhp standard and spend money on coilovers etc, and TURBO IT.

Go for the 4th gen BB4, BB1 has 4ws and is quite heavy.

And yes i do have one.

jezer101 wrote:

Buy a cheap prelude 2.2vtec, get the JDM as its 197bhp standard and spend money on coilovers etc, and TURBO IT.

A man after my own heart...