1996 Honda Civic Coupe SR review from UK and Ireland

The back box on the exhaust started blowing after about 2 months. Honda told me that it was a 'Honda only' part and would cost 130 UKP fitted.

Honda are liars since I was able to buy it elsewhere and get it fitted for 70 UKP.

I fitted an APEX'i VTEC controller and as a result, my already waning battery started to die.

The passenger side window came out of the runners and it took about 2/3 hours to fix. Found that the rubber window seals were very dry, fixed the problem with a spray of silicone.

I bought this car in January 2002 and since then I have been very impressed!

I bought the Coupe version for two reasons:

1) I preferred the shape, it looks a little sportier and there are fewer of them on the road.

2) I often go away for weekends etc. and I required more boot space than was available in the hatchback.

I originally planned to purchase an LS Coupe so I went to '2 Mills Honda' in Ledsham with a friend. They had a '96 N LS available so we took it for a test drive and I was impressed to see the amount of power that it had (even though the clutch was on its way out).

The price in the dealer however, was overpriced (as is the norm at Honda dealers) so I didn't purchase the car.

My friend, a big Honda fan told me to wait until I had driven an SR coupe before making my decision.

A couple of months and a bank loan later, I finally found a garage 70 miles away in Huddersfield that was selling an SR coupe.

I took it for a test drive and I immediately noticed the power difference between the SR and the LS, along with the stiffer suspension.

I was so impressed that I went back to the forecourt and bought it!

With the SR coupe having better suspension and a little more horsepower than the LS version, it makes it a group 13 car (the LS is only a group 10).

The engine has been very reliable in the 10 months of ownership, not even a little hiccup. Regular oil changes are a must, don't go for the cheap oil either.

The gearbox seems to be exactly the same as the box in my old rover 214. As with the rover there is sometimes a bit of an issue getting it in to reverse.

The brakes on the car had been there since day one so they were understandably awful. I replaced them with some Mintex 1144's, they are tremendous although the Assisted Braking System can be a pain on loose road surfaces.

With the 15" standard alloys I was able to get >130 mph (according to the clock so more like 125 mph I imagine.)

With the aftermarket 17" alloys I put on, there was a noticeable difference in top speed. Once the car gets to 122 mph in 4th and you change up to 5th, there isn't enough torque to carry on.

I guess it is the price you have to pay for bigger wheels!

I replaced the standard air box with a 'Green' cotton filter and the sound is excellent, VERY throaty :o)

The interior is said to be bland although I actually like it!

There is plenty of space in the rear as well, more than enough room for mum and dad on a day out!

The VTEC bug has gripped me and I want even more power!

I shall soon be upgrading to an Integra Type-R.

This car can be quite expensive in the way that it convinces you to quickly upgrade to a Type-R!!