Type R and VTEC owners

loltim said:
Don't need one. My CEL is on because I have a decat pipe fitted.
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You hope. Perhaps its on because you have a decat pipe fitted *AND* your car is broken.

Remember what happened when Penny in The Big Bang Theory ignored her CEL?

PISTON THROUGH THE BONNET.

This could be you, loltim, if you don't do something about your cavalier approach to vehicle maintenance.
 
You can get a spacer that clears the cel vita but I want the cat back on. Less faf around mot time and less smelly.

Fox, obviously I'd pull the code before resetting the ecu but I don't think I'll even need an ecu reset after fitting the cat. It should relearn and clear the cel automatically shouldn't it?
 
You can reset it with removing the fuse. But yes it should reset itself.

I'd reset it anyway and stick to high octane fuel. If the previous owner used crappy fuel then it will be backing out he timing slightly
 
The FN2 has an incredibly annoying whine from what seems to be the alternator pulley or one of the other tensioners. Before I whip the belt off has anyone had to change them on either the FN2 or EP3?

I'll see what kind of condition the belt is in first but it sounds like knackered bearings to me
 
My brother is absoloutely desperate for an EP3. Like most, if he wants something, he wants it yesterday! I've looked at a few for him.

- First one was dodgy, had holes in the sills stuffed with carrier bags!?!
- Second one seemed mechanically good, but was a bit tatty. Completely Standard but the VTEC didn't work despite the oil being at the correct level and the car being warmed up
- Third one was rough, poorly lowered and had some unknown Air filter and feed which was poorly fitted and flapping around in the engine bay.
- Fourth one was fairly good cosmetically, but I viewed it in the rain so I would have returned on a dry day. The test drive revealed the 3rd gear synchros crunched when changing on VTEC but was fine on normal road driving. Someone had also been playing around and fitting aftermarket stereo. The wires to door speakers were in the elements and but a hole made in the rubber guide, rather than feeding it properly. the sub live was also left loose in the boot.

My brother is looking for the following:

- Post 04 (Facelift model)
- Below 80,000 miles (I've tried to convince him otherwise on this but he wont budge)
- Standard (wouldn't be put off with a proper induction kit, but doesn't want it lowered, exhaust, etc)
- Tidy interior and exterior
- Trade seller (again tried to convince him otherwise about their worthless warranty's, etc)

£5k budget. Is he being realistic?
 
Don't see why not, a grand more gets you into an FN2, which regardless of opinion on whether it's better or worse should still be worth more than the EP3 due to being a newer design etc.

I'd just remove the silly mileage requirement - but if he won't do it he will just need to wait for the right car. The fourth example doesn't sound terrible - my main worry would be that if someone couldn't complete a job as basic as some audio wiring, what else had they messed up.
 
rodenal said:
Don't see why not, a grand more gets you into an FN2, which regardless of opinion on whether it's better or worse should still be worth more than the EP3 due to being a newer design etc.

I'd just remove the silly mileage requirement - but if he won't do it he will just need to wait for the right car. The fourth example doesn't sound terrible - my main worry would be that if someone couldn't complete a job as basic as some audio wiring, what else had they messed up.
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Yep, those were my thoughts. I had to crank the A/C on twice during the test drive as the windscreen was misting up, I'll guess there is a leak somewhere where they have run the lives from the battery. I could have fixed those issues for him, but the 3rd gear crunching would have been more work. I'd try the linkage bushes and gearbox oil, but ultimately the price didn't reflect this, so I'd end up having to change the gearbox for him + clutch. His current car is a Corsa C SRi and I hate it, It has developed more faults than I have ever known.

I did see these which are fairly close:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

However I think they are slightly overpriced, and Googling the garage and Reviews reveal some pretty bad results, particularity the Google reviews.
 
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Matt-Page said:
Yep, those were my thoughts. I had to crank the A/C on twice during the test drive as the windscreen was misting up, I'll guess there is a leak somewhere where they have run the lives from the battery. I could have fixed those issues for him, but the 3rd gear crunching would have been more work. I'd try the linkage bushes and gearbox oil, but ultimately the price didn't reflect this, so I'd end up having to change the gearbox for him + clutch. His current car is a Corsa C SRi and I hate it, It has developed more faults than I have ever known.
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The cars are so basic and reliable you'd be very unlucky to have something so serious that it's not just a par the course of a second hand car and would still net you a saving buying privately. But you've done well to steer away from the first one he sees. have you got a copy of the buyers guide? If so stick to it rigorously. The cars are plentiful, don't settle for anything with mechanical or electrical issues there's no reason to.

I did see these which are fairly close:

Matt-Page said:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ake/honda/radius/1500/price-to/6000?logcode=p

However I think they are slightly overpriced, and Googling the garage and Reviews reveal some pretty bad results, particularity the Google reviews.
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Toothcombe the service historys to ensure it's a full Honda one, but they are very, very expensive for a dealer 'warranty'.
 
Muffin` said:
The cars are so basic and reliable you'd be very unlucky to have something so serious that it's not just a par the course of a second hand car and would still net you a saving buying privately. But you've done well to steer away from the first one he sees. have you got a copy of the buyers guide? If so stick to it rigorously. The cars are plentiful, don't settle for anything with mechanical or electrical issues there's no reason to.
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Annoyingly he'd got into his head the one we initially saw (2 hours drive away) was perfect and his dream car. I had to entertain it after arguing to prove the point. He would have bought it if I wasn't there, I had to pull him away. Ultimately, when it goes wrong, needs servicing or fails on its MOT its me who has to do the repairs. I'm not a mechanic by trade, but know what I'm doing to a certain degree.



Toothcombe the service historys to ensure it's a full Honda one, but they are very, very expensive for a dealer 'warranty'.
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I'd put them at 4.8-5K personally. He's got his ratty Corsa C to part ex against it, and he thinks he will get £1.5K for that (LOL) but I've told him on a trade in, he will be lucky to see £500. Some of the service History's I've seen are just stamps in a book with no receipts which always makes me suspicious. I could always call the garages listed, but it's hassle I'd rather avoid. I read a buyers guide a while ago. Other than what I'd normally look at:

- Check valve clearances have been done at around 60K
- Check for steering pulling to the right
- Check the VTEC properly engages

Other than that, from memory it was all stuff I'd look for on any car.
 
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