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Looking to buy a 1.8 Type S GT and I had a few Q's

5K views 25 replies 9 participants last post by  sonam 
#1 ·
Hi,
I'm hopefully looking to upgrade from my little 1.2 Hyundai i20 to the 1.8 Type S GT next year.

The Hyundai is a great car and very economical but I'd prefer something a bit bigger and bit more fun to drive.

I do approx 1000 miles per month, a good 50-60% of those are city driving miles. I was looking at the diesel but I've heard some bad stories about that 2.2l engine.

First question: what is rear legroom like? A lot of people have mentioned the legroom to be decent but that's the usual civic, not the 3 door type s. I usually carry around 4 passengers including myself, so I need something large enough to accommodate everyone.

What are the speakers like - will they need upgrading, because I love my music!

What is everyday mpg like for city and town driving?

What cheap mods can I do for someone who's not too knowledgeable on cars?

Are the rear windows electric or "roll down handle" operated?

I'd really appreciate some advice on some of these as not many review sites mention answers to the questions above.

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to Civinfo.
2.2 is a good engine but it has a few possible expensive issues, #1 being the exhust manifold cracking and letting fumes into the cabin. At 1000 miles a month the 1.8 is still the better option.

What are the speakers like - will they need upgrading, because I love my music!
Rubbish. Standard head unit is shocking. I added the Honda Option Amp that plugs in underneath the stereo and it was a huge improvment. TBH I dont think ive had a poorer stereo for a factory car since my mk2 Escort.

What cheap mods can I do for someone who's not too knowledgeable on cars?
Really depepnds what your wanting to do. Most type S's dont come with a rear spoiler, so you could add the Image or Type S one which just "Stick" on, or Type R one which takes a bit more fitting, requiring drilling the boot lid.

Are the rear windows electric or "roll down handle" operated?
They dont open, they are fixed.
 
#17 ·
Welcome to Civinfo.
2.2 is a good engine but it has a few possible expensive issues, #1 being the exhust manifold cracking and letting fumes into the cabin. At 1000 miles a month the 1.8 is still the better option.


Rubbish. Standard head unit is shocking. I added the Honda Option Amp that plugs in underneath the stereo and it was a huge improvment. TBH I dont think ive had a poorer stereo for a factory car since my mk2 Escort.


Really depepnds what your wanting to do. Most type S's dont come with a rear spoiler, so you could add the Image or Type S one which just "Stick" on, or Type R one which takes a bit more fitting, requiring drilling the boot lid.


They dont open, they are fixed.
Thank you for answering my questions in such detail - this forum is beyond helpful and I really appreciate everyone's help.

In regards to the rear legroom, I'm carrying 4 adults most weekends out to London or Manchester so would this car be suitable for that? I want the legroom to be comfortable rather than "it'll do" if you know what I mean.
 
#3 ·
Agree with Das on his replies.

Rear leg room is okay. I'm 6'4" and I can sit behind me, can feel claustrophobic since the rear windows don't open.
The only hassle is getting in & out with only 2 doors and front seats that don't go back to where they started.

MPG around town will be at or about 30, had 46 on a long m'way run at sensible speeds

you could put your i20 in the civic's boot - or at least it feels that way.

I did an 80 mile round trip commute in the 1.8 4 door for a year and loved it, still got it and bought FN2 TypeR as well.
 
#4 ·
It's the headroom that's a slight issue in the rear seats. Leg room is fine I believe.

I very recently bought a 1.8 mk8 Civic as I believe it was the best budget choice for a warm hatch run around. The 2.2 diesel can go wrong in big ways apparently, maybe due to the huge torque it puts out. There's talk about the dual mass fly wheels, manifolds and clutches can give you big bills. From my research the 1.8 is an extremely hardy unit and the only issue I've read is that it needs valve adjustments sometimes but it's £100 at the dealers if you don't fancy doing it yourself.

You should try one before you buy as the low speed ride can be fairly crashy, I don't believe my suspension is shot so I'm attributing it to the design of the car. This age of Civic uses a solid rear beam which may lack sophistication for some but I feel the car handles very competently and a CTR would be an amazing drive.

Consider getting a non S Type car for smaller tyres as my Civic rides fairy well on 16" balloon rims. Plus tyres will be cheaper to buy.

For me the dashboard is just strange and the start button is downright stupid but overall I really like mine other than the engine which I feel is gutless but then again my fun car is a 3.0 V6 Alfa Romeo. The 1.8 actually puts out a fair bit of power and is fine for sensible driving.
 
#6 ·
For me the dashboard is just strange
TBH I think its the Gen8's best feature.

the start button is downright stupid
Isnt it. You've already put the key in the ignition, and turned the key, now you need to push a seperate button? Its technology for technology's sake push button starts. Just like electronic handbrakes.
 
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#5 ·
My 2.2 Type S has over 150k miles done with absolutely no issues. Clutch is still original too.

The speakers are actually decent, it’s the oem stereo that is severely lacking. A double din upgrade will show a massive difference in sound quality.

You can put 16” wheels on the Type S if u want to. Coilovers will improve the ride, or Bilstein shocks are meant to be good.

50mpg in winter, 55 in summer.

Good luck with the search, they are fantastic cars! And this is a great site for info.
 
#7 ·
I'll give Honda credit as the Mk8 design is ground breaking unlike the Mk6 and Breadvan Mk7...

A friend did remark the start button might partly because of crash test regulations as Honda were not the only maker to have a dash mounted start button in recent times. No steering column ignition barrel to drive into your leg during a crash.

I am coming around to the strange spaceship design but it isn't why I bought the car!
 
#8 ·
A friend did remark the start button might partly because of crash test regulations as Honda were not the only maker to have a dash mounted start button in recent times. No steering column ignition barrel to drive into your leg during a crash.
There is still a full on ignition barrel in there, its just a button for the sake of a fancy button.
 
#10 ·
Hi,
I'm hopefully looking to upgrade from my little 1.2 Hyundai i20 to the 1.8 Type S GT next year.

The Hyundai is a great car and very economical but I'd prefer something a bit bigger and bit more fun to drive.

I do approx 1000 miles per month, a good 50-60% of those are city driving miles. I was looking at the diesel but I've heard some bad stories about that 2.2l engine.

First question: what is rear legroom like? A lot of people have mentioned the legroom to be decent but that's the usual civic, not the 3 door type s. I usually carry around 4 passengers including myself, so I need something large enough to accommodate everyone.

Leg room is perfectly fine, enough room.

What are the speakers like - will they need upgrading, because I love my music!
Speakers are acceptable all depends what you require.

What is everyday mpg like for city and town driving?
You'll be getting around 37mpg


What cheap mods can I do for someone who's not too knowledgeable on cars?

Window tints, rear spoiler, alloy, grille etc.

Are the rear windows electric or "roll down handle" operated?

Rear windows do not roll down as it is 3 door

I'd really appreciate some advice on some of these as not many review sites mention answers to the questions above.

Thanks
I'll be selling one soon.
 
#11 ·
As I've said on the forum probably a thousand times before. Don't buy the 2.2 CDTI. Yes a lot of people have had the diesel and had very little or no issues, but when you have a £1,500 car and they have notoriously weak clutches and dual mass flywheels, which cost £1,000 to fix, along with an exhaust manifold issue that's near on impossible to find a mechanic to take on, and if you did find one another £1,500 repair bill. (You can probably find cheaper but we'll go at worse case scenario prices which are actually more realistic.)

All of the 8th Generation space ship shape Civic's with the 2.2 CDTI engine ALL need to pay ULEZ charges. ULEZ is being introduced into main cities very soon, so just like London a fee to enter the town centre of places like Birmingham, Bath, Glasgow and Leeds will be charging passenger cars within the next couple of years. It starts off buses, taxis & coaches then cars. However, the 1.8 petrol Civic is ULEZ exempt. No fee to pay.

I've had both now, I've had the 2.2 CDTI & now currently own a R18 Type S. MPG is very little in it. I'd rather pay extra in fuel than £3,000 in repairs on a £1,500 car, which will soon be penalised for driving through town centres.

However, the R18 does have some issues, although no where near as expensive as the diesel's. Mainly a belt tensioner issue and you'll want one with full service history, oil changes is extremely important on a timing chain engine.

Are the rear windows electric or "roll down handle" operated?
The Type S only comes in 3 door form. If you want a five door model then the rear windows are electric.
 
#14 ·
As I've said on the forum probably a thousand times before. Don't buy the 2.2 CDTI. Yes a lot of people have had the diesel and had very little or no issues, but when you have a £1,500 car and they have notoriously weak clutches and dual mass flywheels, which cost £1,000 to fix, along with an exhaust manifold issue that's near on impossible to find a mechanic to take on, and if you did find one another £1,500 repair bill. (You can probably find cheaper but we'll go at worse case scenario prices which are actually more realistic.)

All of the 8th Generation space ship shape Civic's with the 2.2 CDTI engine ALL need to pay ULEZ charges. ULEZ is being introduced into main cities very soon, so just like London a fee to enter the town centre of places like Birmingham, Bath, Glasgow and Leeds will be charging passenger cars within the next couple of years. It starts off buses, taxis & coaches then cars. However, the 1.8 petrol Civic is ULEZ exempt. No fee to pay.

I've had both now, I've had the 2.2 CDTI & now currently own a R18 Type S. MPG is very little in it. I'd rather pay extra in fuel than £3,000 in repairs on a £1,500 car, which will soon be penalised for driving through town centres.

However, the R18 does have some issues, although no where near as expensive as the diesel's. Mainly a belt tensioner issue and you'll want one with full service history, oil changes is extremely important on a timing chain engine.



The Type S only comes in 3 door form. If you want a five door model then the rear windows are electric.
Thanks for your reply.

The only reason I wanted a diesel is because I do an above-average number of miles every year, and I just thought a diesel would be best of both worlds for me.

However, if the car really does do around 38ish mpg then I think I'd be alright with that.

In regards to the repair jobs on a diesel, I would never want that! My first car, which I'm still driving, a Hyundai i20 - absolutely zero expenditure in the 12 months of owning it except for servicing costs and other standard ones. So yeah, I will stay away from the diesel now after reading your advice!
 
#12 ·
The start button confuses so many mechanics it has started to feel like an anti theft mechanism. One mechanic actually put the car in reverse then tried to push the button but got check engine light. We were totally confused for like 5 minutes. I have to instruct everyone who enters the car even pros. Unique?
 
#15 ·
I came to the same conclusion after doing some research. The cars are old now and you can't say where they have been before you so the engines could pop. So far my 1.8 is returning over 45mpg according to the computer.

It's no accident the 1.8 often costs more than the 2.2 of the same age too.
 
#16 ·
I came to the same conclusion after doing some research. The cars are old now and you can't say where they have been before you so the engines could pop. So far my 1.8 is returning over 45mpg according to the computer.

It's no accident the 1.8 often costs more than the 2.2 of the same age too.
Wow 45mpg sounds amazing! Presume that's mostly motorway miles, so what's your mpg like around towns?

Also, has yours been problem free since you bought it? Another one of the reasons why I want a Honda is because of its reliability.
 
#20 ·
Yesterday had 3 6 footers in the 1.8 Si.
Plenty of room in the back, passenger said it was comfortable.
MPG was down at 28 due to short driving in town, after 90 mile round trip on dual carriageway and not hanging about it had gone up to 35. Long trip with normal loads expect to get around 45
 
#21 ·
I've had rear passengers a few time, never had a complaint about legroom. If anything they always compliment how much room they have. But with the three door, often they have trouble angling themselves out of the car. It depends how old and if your passenger happen to be overweight, then getting in and out of the back is a bit tricky. But they soon get the hang of it.

The MK8 is also like a van when you fold the seats. The seats flatten down into the level of the boot flooring. A perfect all rounder daily driver IMHO.
 
#22 ·
From what I've read the 3 door forgets your driving position when it's folded forward which is a mind blowing oversight from Honda if true... Just let people out the passenger side I guess?

Mk8 load space is absolutely insane, considering how compact the car's footprint is. Somewhat mean how the professional journalists slammed the rear solid axle as it really doesn't ride "that" badly nor does it affect handling much since I don't drive on the limit everywhere and no one does unless they enjoy writing off cars or getting driving bans. Mine on 16" handles well and only crashes over low speed bumps, which might be due to ageing suspension. Also I've looked up rear suspension guides and the rear shocks/springs look like some of the easiest major mechanical work I've seen on a car so another bonus.
 
#23 · (Edited)
From what I've read the 3 door forgets your driving position when it's folded forward which is a mind blowing oversight from Honda if true... Just let people out the passenger side I guess?
Yes, the seat folds right up and slides right forward. After adjusting your seat the first time, your back muscles will remember how you set it. I'm average height so my seat is slid all the way back.

My diesel Type S had the passenger seat come off the rail, probably a common issue on them as well. You could only adjust the bottom rail by pulling the handle up on the back rest.
Mk8 load space is absolutely insane, considering how compact the car's footprint is. Somewhat mean how the professional journalists slammed the rear solid axle as it really doesn't ride "that" badly nor does it affect handling much since I don't drive on the limit everywhere and no one does unless they enjoy writing off cars or getting driving bans.
There's a time and a place for everything. The Civic handles better than some of the hoopty's I've driven in the past. I prefer the 1.8 VTEC over the Derv already in the corners. The petrol is lighter and more nimble to throw into the corners. You could feel the heavy power plant up front in the diesel in every enthusiastic corner.

As for scraping on speed bumps, it's just the two little flaps you have on either corner of the bumper. They protrude more than the rest of the undercarriage and often make noise over bumps. My 120D had the same little flaps that'd catch all the time.
 
#25 ·
You can sort the seat position issue by putting some small triangles of tape on the seat to show your fave position when they line up. For the seat back put one so it lines up with the stitching or other line on the seat back.
 
#26 ·
Very disappointing the seat losing its serting after sombody enters the back.
Anyways it is a proper car (had one for 10 years and 160.000km).
Handles nice at speeds up to 160 km/h and yes, with good tires steers nicely!
The 1.8 is a lively motor satisfying most everyday drivers! The 140hp seem enough for the chassis.
I didnt like the suspension. Hard and bumpy, in a bigger hole you thought that you broke the whole car.
The best is the looks! Still a modern beauty, ot could launch today and cause again the madness it did 15 years before!!!
 
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