Im sorry, but if you just said you want a Honda, then you shouldnt even be on this message board. The reason most of us got Tibs (back me up here) is because you dont see them everywhere you go. I hardly ever see them here in Minnesota, and as far as decked out ones go. Mine will be probably the only one I will ever see in the entire state. Its a challenge to find things for our cars, thats part of the reason I like it. When a Honda pulls next to me at a light, and pulls on me, I just look and laugh. They can go buy their parts at some rice shop 10 miles from where we were just racing for a fraction of the cost that I have to spend to order the parts. Hyundai owners are Exclusive. Most of us like it that we dont use all the same parts that they do. If you dont like it, then you shouldnt have gotten a Tib.

 

The reason Honda has become so popular to American tuners is because we lack the popular Toyota's and Nissan's that tuners in Japan love so much. You don't see any Skyline's, Silvia's or even the turbo 4 that comes in the Altezza across the waters. All we get is the bastardized versions of the popular Japanese sportscars. Look at the AE86, a very popular car in Japan that is written as a POS here in the states.

Also, VTEC was developed by Mugen for Honda. Variable Valve Timing has been around since the 60s, but nobody was able to perfect it enough for mass production vehicles until Mugen fully developed it. As for VTEC on a Civic, they can advertise a 127hp engine that's cranked to redline during the dyno, but a 30mpg car that's ran to 4000RPM during the EPA tests. They weren't the inventors of Variable Valve Timing, they simply saw the use and need for it before anyone else.

And as far as your Prelude observation goes, it was VERY incorrect. The "H" series motors of the VTEC Prelude and the "F" series motors of the non-VTEC Prelude have about as much in common with the "B" series motors of Honda as the Tib and the Accent motor rolleyes.gif. The B series motors only came as a 1.6L (B16, Si and Del Sol), 1.7L (B17, early Integra), 1.8L (B18, Integra), 2.0L (B20, early Prelude and current CRV).

[ August 26, 2001: Message edited by: 4doorGL ]

 

Unfortunatly you misunderstood what I ment by the si motor and prelude motor being similar. rolleyes.gif Of course there are differences within the motor - thats why they are different motors! rolleyes.gif BUT there is nothing in the design of the DOHC 2.0l VTEC engine that would indicate it was more race bred than the b16. Think about it - a 1.6 has 160hp; bump it to 1.8l and its pushings 170hp as the b18line; take it to 2.0 and its bumped another 10-15hp.(prelude) The prelude has no beefy low end torque that implies it was more race bred than the others and its VTEC kicks in the same RPM as the others - 5500rpm. If you want to talk major changes that you are talking about to indicate a race bred engine then move to the Type R which honds 195hp at only 1.8l. It has differnt cams, intake manifold, etc...THE OTHER MOTORS SIMPLY FOLLOW THE RULE OF DISPLACMENT - THERES NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISPLACEMENT. rolleyes.gif rolleyes.gif rolleyes.gif rolleyes.gif rolleyes.gif
And who are these other Variable valve timing makers you speak of in the 60's. THis might have been true but nobody mass produced it until Honda. I don't have an extensive knowledge of old cars but if there were any the designs were not near as refined as Hondas design. Oh and I never said Honda invented it they are just the first ones to mass implement it. Other companies are just now getting to VTEC replicas such as the one found in the GTS celica.

 

Hold on, my bad, I misread your statement. You weren't comparing the b16 with 2.0VTEC you thought I was talking about the two Prelude engines - Of course they are totaly different! But that was not what I was reffering to in the first place. I was talking about the differences in the SIs B16 and the Preludes DOHC VTEC 2.0l. Anyway my bad on the last quote. And Mugen has always worked in conjuction with Honda. Them making VTEC though was no suprise cause VTEC was designed originaly in NSXs - a racing exotic and Mugen is all about racing and I'm sure they helped with the creation of it. Oh well, who cares anymore I own a Tib now.

I don't understand either how a tib can beat a Civic SI in stock form either. By the way a stock SI weighs 2550lbs. It hits VTEC all the way don the track so that low tourque doesn't effect it much at all accept maybe off the line and not much then either. Oh Well. I ramble too much