Importing a JDM EK9: Opinions, thoughts?

[dado_88]

Hey guys,

I am looking into importing a 97-00 EK9. Ever since high school, i have always wanted this car. Now that it's possible to bring one over here, i decided to talk to some brokers.

Turns out that getting one that's clean, relatively low km's are pretty expensive. For example, i saw a 99 model with 109,000km on it and it was going for 13.5k.

For a 15 year old car, that seems pretty steep. However, i do understand that it's a top of the line civic that was built to perform. It packs a 1.6L engine that pushes an impressive 185hp. I'd say that its pretty good for a natural-aspirated engine. I love all the stuff it comes with it like the LSD and the 15-inch CTR wheels. The car is loaded.

I think it will be a fun, quick, fuel efficient ride that wouldn't be too bad in the our winters if it had some winter tires on them.

Anyways, just want to hear what people think. Tips, opinions, thoughts?

I am trying to decide if this is a sound investment.

Thanks

[Black Gts]

Rhd sucks, cars not investment. Etc. Also 18yo's are terrible people.... Lol Did I miss anything?

[Sentry]

I'm a Honda guy through and through. I've owned a half dozen Civics, plus an RSX-S, an Integra GSR...

Don't spend 13k on a 15 year old Civic.

The beauty of Hondas is their bang-for-buck, and you're not gonna get a lot of that. Hell, you could buy a nice LHD ITR for half that.

I bought my M5 for less than that, and although it's a bit haggard... Ok, "rough around the edges". It's a lot more car for the money.

[Redlined_8000]

Don't buy it man. Lol. You can get a left hard drive swapped ek civic here for under 5k. Don't waste your money. Way way better jdm cars you can get with that budget than a 1.6l n/a civic. Lol.

[GQBalla]

I've been looking at them too.

If you really want a true EK9, do it.

if not, buy a clean EK here and swap a B18C5. Would be cheaper.

[bjstare]

lol @ $15k JDM civic. So much nope.

[J.M.]

DO NOT BUY

[eglove]

If I imported it myself for <6k then yes. I wouldn't pay more than that. That's coming from an EK 2.0 level civic fanboi

[EK 2.0]

THIRTEEN GRAND??


Get outta here...I would personally go as high as 8K for a minty fresh clean one...

And I say this as a fanboi of the EK...at the end of the day CTR or not...it is still just a Civic.

And don't build one...you will never match all the bells and whistles that a true CTR offers and if you do then you are better off buying one for 13K haha...

[HiTempguy1]

For $13+k, there are plenty of people around Alberta that you could send a clean shell to (cost, $1k) and would stuff a K24 in it with a LSD for that price.

Don't do it. Hell, that will get you a Type R.

[EM2FTL]

The main reason I wouldn't do it would be the difficulty now in getting comprehensive coverage on RHD cars, and the high likelihood that someone would steal a genuine CTR.

[G-ZUS]

LOL @ 13k civic

[haggis88]

Another Civic fanboi chipping in with a HELL NO!

I've owned a number of RHD performance Hondas (in the UK of course) and whilst the EK9s are common there, I couldn't see me shelling out the price they command...as much as I love them.

If I had $13k and wanted a fast Civic hatch, I'd buy a CDM/USDM EP3 and stick a K24 or supercharged K20A2 in there, and use the change for the Recaros and EUDM Type-R bodykit

[Penguin_Racecar]

That seems like poor value for your money. Importing an Integra Type-R is cheaper than that - why the big difference in price?
Also somewhat thread derail but on topic - buy my Integra Type-R.

[Zhao Kan]

EK9’s are one of those cars where if you do not rape it with mods (like every idiot who would buy one here would and for the proof of that, just try and find an ITR that has never been modded. Oh you’ll find one that might have been put back to stock and at first glance looks like it wasn’t raped, but if you know what to look for you can spot that pretty easy), and if you treat it like Ferris Bueler’s friend’s dad’s Ferrari, well, you could make a small fortune off these things if you ship it back to Japan in a decade or 2. I guarantee you these things will be worth a lot of money in 15-20 years in good shape with low km over there, much like a lot of other cars.

[dado_88]

Thanks for the feedback.

Keep in mind that there are other ek9s that are lower in price and there was a few that were in the 7-8 thousand range.

I am not interested in swaps or anything. I'd rather just have the car with original everything. Seems like too much work to swap.

Well, who knows, if i come across one in these auctions that is decent, i may just pick one up.

I am not interested in integras. I just like the shape of the civic better. Small, compact and easy to park.

[ShermanEF9]

you could build one for less than that. swaps are dead easy in these cars.

also wat?

Originally posted by dado_88


I am not interested in integras. I just like the shape of the civic better. Small, compact and easy to park.

An integra isn't exactly a boat... i daily drive an F150 and have no problems parking anywhere.

[J.M.]

Small, compact and easy to park? Fuck the civic brah and get one of these instead


» Click image for larger version

[03ozwhip]

Originally posted by J.M.
Small, compact and easy to park? Fuck the civic brah and get one of these instead


» Click image for larger version

He's clearly upgrading from this car lol

On topic, nice cars, rare and such, but it's just not worth the money considering what you can get for that price.

[NoPulp]

If it's your dream car do it. That is a lot of money to spend on a civic though. But the real deal is cooler than a clone. Rhd kind of suck to drive, but if it's not your daily it'll be fine. The insurance situation can be sucky though.

I say Type R or bust. Or import something different for that price. You can get some pretty damn impressive cars for just over 10k.