Ep3 or FN2

Author
Discussion

Bamsibeyrek

Original Poster:

6 posts

59 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
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I'm new on PH so hello everyone to begin with!

I'm in a dilemma and wanted to hear thoughts of other people to help me choose my next car.

I wanted to get back into a Honda and circa 4k budget.

I thought of an Ep3 at first but now the fn2 has crossed my mind too. I've got a few of each I'm going to go view next week but I'm not sure which one to go for.

I like the fn2 because it's a little newer and seems a better daily with its armrest and other bells and whistles inside. The ep3 is just what I was looking for really.

The Mrs will be using it for work commuting 2 days a week covering circa 150 over them.

Not to sure how selling one would be in the future too.

Appreciate any c+C's

Thanks

DanielSan

19,172 posts

174 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
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If your Mrs is doing 150 miles a week in it get the FN2. EP3 is more fun on a hoon, for the rest of the time it feels like an old car now. I got the FN2 a while ago as a cheap daily and can't fault it.

That said, for 4k with a bit of shopping round you'll find a Megane R26 at the moment and that's the better car by a mile. I'd have bought another but just couldn't find any decent ones when I was looking

stargazer30

1,645 posts

173 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
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As much as I love the fn2. Longish commute and the misses is not this cars strong point. They don’t have suspension and that’s without the optional 19” rage alloys. Plus these cars like to be reved, it gets tiring for driving in traffic or motorway hauls.

Get something comfy with a turbo.

sheepman

441 posts

167 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
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For your needs and your mrs using it i'd go FN2 all day long. I had one and went all the way to southern Italy in it and the cruise control, climate and comfy seats were a godsend for long trips and daily driving.

For driving pleasure you can't beat an EP3, I have a supercharged one now but even in standard form I couldn't use one daily. They're just far too basic inside.

Butter Face

31,681 posts

167 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
quotequote all
sheepman said:
For your needs and your mrs using it i'd go FN2 all day long. I had one and went all the way to southern Italy in it and the cruise control, climate and comfy seats were a godsend for long trips and daily driving.

For driving pleasure you can't beat an EP3, I have a supercharged one now but even in standard form I couldn't use one daily. They're just far too basic inside.
I daily mine smile

They're not really that basic. I have aircon, radio, bluetooth etc. Stick some decent seats (Premier Recaros) and off you go.

Commander2874

377 posts

92 months

Saturday 7th December 2019
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Fn2. Great cars and look good too.

Weekendrebuild

1,008 posts

70 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
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Sold a few fn2 and ep3s , I can confidently say there both a pile of cheap crap. However the ep3 is definitely a better drive compared to the fn2. To me It is just an ugly shopping trolley with the only redeeming feature that there dirt cheap. Much better with the hot Renault .

Paul671

337 posts

214 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
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Weekendrebuild said:
Sold a few fn2 and ep3s , I can confidently say there both a pile of cheap crap. However the ep3 is definitely a better drive compared to the fn2. To me It is just an ugly shopping trolley with the only redeeming feature that there dirt cheap. Much better with the hot Renault .
I don't understand the thinking here.

I didn't like my EP3 and would rather have an R26 because it handles better and has a diff.
But you believe the Megane is built to a higher standard than the Civics and somehow isn't an 'ugly shopping trolley'.

Are you high!?







Bamsibeyrek

Original Poster:

6 posts

59 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
quotequote all
Thank you everyone for your input. I've got to drive the fn2 to have a better understanding.

Tbh I've never been interested in the Renault's. What are they like in terms of reliability? I know the Honda's are great, apart from rust ofcourse

RichFN2

3,700 posts

186 months

Monday 16th December 2019
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I have an FN2 and my mate has the EP3, both had them for over 3 years now

Both are fairly poor when it comes to long distance comfort, something like a Golf Gti would be much better. Think the most i managed in mine was 2 hours, the seats are lovely though

The EP3 is really showing its age now both inside and out where the FN2 still looks and feels fairly modern

FN2 is a little wider and offers slightly more room in the boot and cabin, cruise control comes in handy

FN2 offers better value for money being the unloved Type R

From a performance point of view there is nothing in it, both are also super reliable and capable of high mileage if you can tolerate the ride

traffman

2,263 posts

216 months

Tuesday 17th December 2019
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Ive ran Ep3's for 13 years now . And recently been driving my mates fn2 . The interior is a step up and its more civilized.
However i prefer the raw nature of the ep3 and its a blast ringing it round the twisties.

4k would get you a premier with high miles. 4k fn2 would get less miles and a newer car.

Bamsibeyrek

Original Poster:

6 posts

59 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
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Hi..

A little update.

I've bought a 2006 premier edition ep3 in black. It has just under 100k miles.

VTEC engages good and strong and gearbox changes are pretty smooth with no crunching or issues

The only negative I feel is that it's running rich or drinking too much fuel. From £40 it's given me 110 mike's which is all local journeys. Like 2 miles is the longest journeys. I understand I may not be used to it but what are other people getting in their ep3's?


Butter Face

31,681 posts

167 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
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That fuel economy doesn't sound right. Mine will do more than 100 miles to that kind of fuel.

designforlife

3,739 posts

170 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
quotequote all
Sounds like it needs a thorough service to me... worth getting all the fluids and filters changed and the valve clearances checked.

What's the oil consumption like? Or too early to tell?

Also, are you saying the longest journey it's done is 2 miles? That would explain very poor fuel economy if it's done 110 miles of 2 mile journeys, barely enough time for anything to warm up, and quite hard on the engine.

Bamsibeyrek

Original Poster:

6 posts

59 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
quotequote all
It's just been serviced and valve clearances done too.

Could it just be because I only do very short journeys?

It immediately attracted my attention as a friend has one and he's consistently getting circa 100 miles to £20 of fuel with a mix of motorway and short town journeys.


designforlife

3,739 posts

170 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
quotequote all
I had a DC5 with the same engine and could comfortably get 270-300 miles out of a full tank of V-power with mixed driving (£55 ish to fill the tank)

You need to drive it full to empty and work out your real world MPG, but an EP3 driving mixed miles should do high 20s MPG at least.

All that said, driving it two miles at a time will do your MPG and the engine little good.

Mark-t

298 posts

210 months

Tuesday 7th January 2020
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If the longest journey you cover is only 2 miles I fear you've bought the wrong car. You'll never be able to use vtec even.

ETA, just realised you're the thread OP and your partner will cover longer trips, that's more like it! smile

Edited by Mark-t on Tuesday 7th January 20:44

thatdude

2,658 posts

134 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
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Bamsibeyrek said:
Hi..


The only negative I feel is that it's running rich or drinking too much fuel. From £40 it's given me 110 mike's which is all local journeys. Like 2 miles is the longest journeys. I understand I may not be used to it but what are other people getting in their ep3's?
2 miles. Low MPG.

The engine wont have even warmed up - it'll spend almost all its time on the rich cycle, let's say 80% of that time. So that;s where you are throwing fuel away. (note: when running on the enriched cycle, some of the fuel might dilute out the engine oil a bit - consider this when thinking about servicing intervals)

On a longer run (20 miles say, with steady speed driving) you'll see mid 30's.

For 2 miles, walk, cycle, get a little scooter, take the bus!

Bamsibeyrek

Original Poster:

6 posts

59 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
Thank you. Appreciate the comments

Kev_Mk3

2,943 posts

102 months

Thursday 9th January 2020
quotequote all
DanielSan said:
If your Mrs is doing 150 miles a week in it get the FN2. EP3 is more fun on a hoon, for the rest of the time it feels like an old car now. I got the FN2 a while ago as a cheap daily and can't fault it.

That said, for 4k with a bit of shopping round you'll find a Megane R26 at the moment and that's the better car by a mile. I'd have bought another but just couldn't find any decent ones when I was looking
This.

I did many miles in my EP3 was great but the FN2 is far better for mile munching - I'd look for something different though.