Civic MB6 chassis model 1.8 VTi... How good???
Discussion
I have finally found the car that could solve a lot of my problems. I have been looking at a fair few cars recently but one has caught my attention more than others. The 95 - 00 Civic VTi MB6. There was a thread on this a while ago (couldn't find it so sorry for the repost) but i would like to know a bit more about these models. Typing it into google doesn't bring up much at all!
Am i right in thinking that this model has the same engine as the DC2 ITR but not the same 'box? What would real world MPG and performance be like? Many thanks in advance for your replies.
Am i right in thinking that this model has the same engine as the DC2 ITR but not the same 'box? What would real world MPG and performance be like? Many thanks in advance for your replies.
Its a cracking car. It has a slightly de-tuned version of the Integra Type R engine (B18) and has a different box. They put out roughly 170bhp which is by no means slow.
The 0-60 on these cars is let down by the ratios on the gearbox (keeping it on cam is the key) but it certainly feels a lot quicker than the time of 8.1secs suggets. MPG your looking at 30-35mpg in the city if you feather the throttle. Expect mid 20s if vtec is used frequently.
Handling wise, they are a nightmare for lift-off oversteer in the wet, but in the dry, with a decent ARB on the rear they handle superbly. LSD on the front eliminates most of the understeer.
Inside, seats are comfy and supportive, and everything seems well screwed together. The boot is huge and theres space in the back to comfortably transport 2 adults.
My advice would look for the VTI-S edition, they have a lip kit and different alloys. Much better looking than the standard VTI.
The 0-60 on these cars is let down by the ratios on the gearbox (keeping it on cam is the key) but it certainly feels a lot quicker than the time of 8.1secs suggets. MPG your looking at 30-35mpg in the city if you feather the throttle. Expect mid 20s if vtec is used frequently.
Handling wise, they are a nightmare for lift-off oversteer in the wet, but in the dry, with a decent ARB on the rear they handle superbly. LSD on the front eliminates most of the understeer.
Inside, seats are comfy and supportive, and everything seems well screwed together. The boot is huge and theres space in the back to comfortably transport 2 adults.
My advice would look for the VTI-S edition, they have a lip kit and different alloys. Much better looking than the standard VTI.
Edited by Motegi22 on Tuesday 11th November 12:30
Owned one for three years.
In addition to above, i'd add:-
- Steering feel is poor.
- Engine REALLY needs to be kept on the boil - noticeably more so than the ITR. Longer FD and lower redline contribute to that...
But...it's superbly well-built, well-kitted, and pretty quick with a decent chassis. I'd probably get a GTi-6 rather than one of those, and risk the repair bills, but that doesn't make it a bad car by any stretch...
In addition to above, i'd add:-
- Steering feel is poor.
- Engine REALLY needs to be kept on the boil - noticeably more so than the ITR. Longer FD and lower redline contribute to that...
But...it's superbly well-built, well-kitted, and pretty quick with a decent chassis. I'd probably get a GTi-6 rather than one of those, and risk the repair bills, but that doesn't make it a bad car by any stretch...
I have an estate vti, Its a brilliant every day car, soft enough to not bug you but still good for brisk a to b! I think the lift off trait gives it character more than it being a problem and it has allot more mid range grunt that my dc2 used to have. Don't expect it to be a razor sharp weapon but down here on devon roads it does a cracking job of covering ground! still got that b series sound too.
P.s Make sure to run it on good fuel, makes a world of difference
P.s Make sure to run it on good fuel, makes a world of difference
gorisan26 said:
it has a lot more mid range grunt that my dc2 used to have.
Something wrong with your DC2 then.They use the same block and head, the DC2 has hotter cams (both lobes) and polished ports which the VTi doesn't have, and the DC2 has a shorter final drive. Oh, and the DC2 is nearly 200kg lighter.
All of which means the DC2 is quicker in the mid-range. No question, no contest.
And I've owned both - back-to-back initially, and there is a noticeable performance difference even pre-VTEC.
gorisan26 said:
I suppose it feels stronger because there is less kick when it does come in cam, it just seems that the civic has been mapped/designed/built to be more useable throughout the rev range.
I found the opposite with mine - even on give-and-take m-ways, you needed to use the 'box a lot. But different people have different styles...
Hi Mate. I would recommend the mb6 as an everyday car, as they are really easy to live with, And have a good performance for a family hatch. Have a look on here for more info, and if you do buy one, get registered on the site! civic-5.synthasite.com .Performance parts wise, you may struggle a bit to find stuff, but theres loads thats been done with great success
Edited by crazzzydave on Monday 19th January 18:41
I had one for a year, sweet, sweet engine. I absolutley spanked mine everywhere for an entire year. I got such a beasting, I was always worried I was going to break it. But whenever I took it into a Honda garage, they said nothing was needed and it was totally healthy, in one year all I had done was an oil change.
Mine almost had two vtec zones, as it hit 5,2k the exhaust tone would deepen and it would sound like its sucking in air and start rising more rapidly, then at 5.5k it would just explode.
Great sleeper, pissed quite a few people off in that car, think they thought it was a rover.
I would say the chassis is not great in comparison to the other shape Civic and the Type-R's. I found it understeered quite a bit and the dynamics weren't super. This can be fairly easily sorted out if you're that way inclined. Getting the suspension bits off the MG is a quick way to sort it out for example. As someone mentioned the rear anti roll bars make a big difference. There was hundreds of threads on Honda revoltiions (now evolutions) forums about them. If you want to know how to chip them and tune them, you'll find everything you need there.
The engine always made up for it though...
Mine almost had two vtec zones, as it hit 5,2k the exhaust tone would deepen and it would sound like its sucking in air and start rising more rapidly, then at 5.5k it would just explode.
Great sleeper, pissed quite a few people off in that car, think they thought it was a rover.
I would say the chassis is not great in comparison to the other shape Civic and the Type-R's. I found it understeered quite a bit and the dynamics weren't super. This can be fairly easily sorted out if you're that way inclined. Getting the suspension bits off the MG is a quick way to sort it out for example. As someone mentioned the rear anti roll bars make a big difference. There was hundreds of threads on Honda revoltiions (now evolutions) forums about them. If you want to know how to chip them and tune them, you'll find everything you need there.
The engine always made up for it though...
Edited by rapidophile on Monday 2nd March 00:42
Had a 1.8VTI for 2 years and loved every minute. I thought the car handled immaculately - not compared to an Integra, but kept with my mates GTI6 on the twisties. For under £2k, doubt you will find a car the same size better all round. They are bulletproof.
Not as quick as you might hope though - the GTI6 leaves it on a straight. My brothers Seat Ibiza GTI 2.0 16V eventually beat it in a straight line too. Rather un-scientifically, my passenger timed 0-60 on the civic with his sat-nav and his watch. Closer to 7.3secs.
Big problem is lack of torque - fill the car up with people and it ain't quick. Everything turns a bit sloppy - especially getting it going.
I bought the car in 2003, sold it to my mate and he still has it. Brake disks and cambelt have been only major replacements - as I said earlier, Bulletproof!
Not as quick as you might hope though - the GTI6 leaves it on a straight. My brothers Seat Ibiza GTI 2.0 16V eventually beat it in a straight line too. Rather un-scientifically, my passenger timed 0-60 on the civic with his sat-nav and his watch. Closer to 7.3secs.
Big problem is lack of torque - fill the car up with people and it ain't quick. Everything turns a bit sloppy - especially getting it going.
I bought the car in 2003, sold it to my mate and he still has it. Brake disks and cambelt have been only major replacements - as I said earlier, Bulletproof!
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