Automotive Blog

When upgrading your Honda Civic, there are three basic things most people would like to do to gain performance, style, and looks. The first is a body kit. Next, most people want to add personalization to the interior. Last, we want to talk about engine modifications. These upgrades you may want to do in any particular order, depending on your personality. I started with my engine. I want my car to be a “sleeper”. When I add a body kit, then I’ll have the muscle to back it up. But it all depends on you. Let’s start with the body kit for your Honda Civic. If you have a pre-1988 Honda Civic, body kits were made, but they are hard to find. There really wasn’t much of an internet, so the market was limited to larger cities or Japan. Today, you could search for a used Mugen kit and probably find one on the internet. For later Civics, there are a couple of good choices. Stillen and Greddy offer quality components. When purchasing bargain components, remember you may have to modify the kit for proper alignment. For example, the exhaust may not be exactly in the right spot. Rework time to your Civic may end up costing you as much as a higher quality kit. I’ve looked at the kits you can buy a piece at a time due to my budget. Adding the front air dam to keep the car on the ground, side skirts and a rear valance all at once can be a little imposing on the pocketbook.

Credit Honda with not giving up easily in what will certainly become a big fight: the sub $15,000 price range category of new automobiles. Currently, only a stripped down Civic competes in this area and I mean stripped: no a/c, basic tranny, no radio! With Toyota's Scion brand catching on Honda is looking to fight back. A tiny car now on sale in Japan may soon find its way to a dealership in your neighborhood helping to turn the tide for the revered automaker. So, why the big push in this "cheap" category? Chiefly because automakers know that if young and first time buyers have a very good experience with their entry level cars then more than likely they will stay with the brand as their lives change, i.e., get married, start a family, make more money, etc. This practice has been in place for years, although not as widely emphasized by all manufacturers and to their detriment.