help with purchasing a ep3
 

Im looking to buy a 04' si from a dealership, only dang place I can find a clean one...

anything I need to look for like common problems with this model and stuff like that.

just looking for some insight from other ep3 owners...

Only mods it has is lowering springs and a injen intake..

whats your buget? only asking cause once i got mine i found that it felt slower than my em1 i had
if you can i would recommend saving up just a little more and get a rsx type s way more potential for power from that k20a2 than the a3

other than the lack of power the car is really nice to DD. ive taken mine to LA, LAS VEGAS with no problems
but i know when i got mine the first things i change where the motor mounts struts and some of the bushings
since there older most peeps dont swap those out but good luck on your search

Im around 5k right now gona finance the rest if its not to much payment wise.... But yeah I been hearing good and bad things about the ep3. im not really looking for a fast car must something simple.. Tried looking for a clean Integra even em1 but most have been messed with or are juat butt ugly... Not gona put down 4 5k on something I still need to fix and adjust... If that was the case id pick up a eg ef or something along that line but I just want to go newer...

would if u have 5k an finance the rest get something better. like gtecd16 said maybe rsx-s

yeah I see were you guys are coming from but not trying to go to high, I have a VW CC that im financing right now

Nice I would grab that k24 ep3 can't go wrong with that and no payments

Ep3 all the way. Things to check front bushings (tend to pop a lot at low speed turning) gauge cluster (problem with half the lights and ac control lights not working) other than that just basic stuff. Anyone pushing towards a type-s is wrong. Having personally driven both ep3s are slower sure but handle better, has more interior space, interior layout is way more pleasing, and shifter location flat out is no comparison. Not to mention cheaper insurance, I pay 84 dollars a month for full coverage with a 500 deductible on my 04. Not to mention dumb ass thieves are less to know what a ep3 is let alone inclined to steal Hondas ugly duckling "micro minivan" over a rsx type-s any day of the week. But just my two cents.

he did bring up some key points i forgot to point out and yea unless you have your car looking fly no one will touch a mini mini van lol

after reading this makes me want to start looking at an si those things are nice but hard to find in a decent shape. when i was in the market to buy, all the ones i found were high dollars highly beat the shit.. would love to see some pics of the so said ep3 with k24 for 6k...

Here is mine I bought about 3 months ago for 6250. Have a turboed a2 and a 6 speed going in it as soon as I'm finished building the motor. Attachment 68892Attachment 68893Attachment 68894Attachment 68895Attachment 68896

lol have you checked the stats on stolen RSX in arizona?

the EP3 is the ugly ducking...base model RSX engine and 5 speed.

hardly deserving of the SI badge

i hate the shifter on the ep3. my friend had one and let me drive it and that was it for me i hated it i mean it was alright (quick) but i dont know why honda have to put it all the way up there.

I kinda understand what your saying yeah everyone calls it the ugly duckling of Honda and poopy motor with "Vtec" but like I stated not looking for something fast and crazy just want something newer..

Can you even hear vtec on the stock ep3 motor? Vtec is only on the intake side right not both intake and exhaust?

Nope you will never hear it nor feel it, my em1 u could hear and feel it.
The ep3 almost makes u think do u have vtec but the added tq makes up for fake vtec

Actually I simply said side by side dumb ass car thieves would try stealing or at least breaking into a rsx rather than a ep3 it's no hidden fact that every honda kid good and bad knowa a rsx at a simple glance. But the ep3 for the most part flew under some people's radar. Iv had plenty of people ask me what type of car it is, hell my girlfriend who knows nothing about cars can point out a rsx. And as far as your comment about it been the ugly duckling... Pretty sure that's what I said in my post. So what it didn't take off in the states but go to Europe and they are a big part of racing over there. A little googling and you can find plenty of track proven results. And as far as the "si badging" that is simply your personal belief not a fact by anymeans. Honda chose what they chose. But this entire tread was simply a guy asking about the ep3 not laying out the performance aspects, which he already said was not a concern of his. And all the other info is simply people's beliefs and some simple facts.

And to clarify,

The ep3 DOES NOT have the same rsx motor and tranny setup per say.

Which some could argue gives light to the si badging.

Differences being
Motor:
1. Ep3 motor has the type-s intake manifold and throttle body.
2. Has a red line of 7700rpms, the rsx is 7300rpms.
3. Ep3 has a fully counter balanced crank, the same one that's in the type-s. which is also why it can produce the continuos power through the rev range and the base rsx is cut off at 7300.
4. Ep3 has electric power steering, so one less pulley to free up hp. The rsx does not.

Tranny:
1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th gears are shorter in the ep3 with a final drive of 4.764. The rsx has a slightly shorter 2nd and a final of 4.389.

Big differences?... No but enough for honda to justify the si.

^^ brought tears of joy to my eyes... :)
buy I finally have some time to take a look at a couple ep3s this weekend and hopefully I bring one home!!

I can clarify too

Only difference is the first and second gear.. Slightly and the final drive, but 3-4-5 gears are same..

The base rsx is lighter and has more torque. The ep3 only has 5 more whp.

The prb intake manifold doesn't really help in the case of k20a3..you still have half vtec.

Also the base has a much better oil pump


And you are right. It is my opinion, but you can't deny being disappointed that they denied the ep3 a 6speed and a full vtec engine. It should be comparing to a type-s, not a base if it wears the si badge

I do agree that it is disappointing. But still a great car. And with the si badging you also have to look at it not in comparison to the rsx but from the civic side. The si class has always been a comparison between the "stock" civic of the time vs the "si" and looking at it that way it fits the si class correctly. The 00 generations still had the run off the mill motors and the ep3 was released with the k so from a honda stand point that was a big leap. Looking at it from a rsx not much but same could be said for the 99-00 si's. when released they had the b16 while other civics had the sohc's but many would argue they were still underpowered buy the b18c1s the integras had. If that makes sense I'm a little tired... Worked all night

Lol, like iv said they are no race car but you won't be disappointed as long as you go into one knowing your not going to be blowing anyone's doors off stock.

Sall good.. Glad we could debate. I'm not afraid to get knowledge dropped on me so long as it's accurate lol

Lol I'm the same way man.

8k for a stock 04 ep3 that's lowered has some eBay headlights faded/worn seats 148k miles body dings here and there oh and some parts, bumper side skirts have been resprayed and have mad orange peel or fish eyes some would call them... If im pay 8k for a car better be near mint, am I right?

Yea that's way too high and it's stock? I picked up my ep3 stock just lowered rims exhaust and intake with 114k miles interior was good for 4500 girl wanted 6500 but talked her down since I had the bens with me hehe

Yeah that's what I said we talked price and it dropped 500 lol I was like eh.... I'll be back if I dont find anything that suits me..

I have cash in hand also but I guess it didn't make a diff. He kept on with how rare white ep3s are. But I guess the search is on.

Let's not forget the tax, or is that part of the price mentioned? Bark at the dealer doc fee, don't get scammed into GAP, especially putting $5k down. Don't listen to people trying to convince you to finance more car, debt is dumb, pay this off quick!

Because it is. they are all slower, stock vs stock. EM1 > EP3

EP3's are fucking amazing. I miss mine.

@Joe, I had an intake on my ep3, everything else was stock, and immaculate. I beat an rsx- Type s with bolt-ons, by a car maybe? Cedric aka chicken bandit/ babyrex22/ whatever else screen name he has, was with me in the car while it happened.

Ep3's are worthy in my opinion. Given A2's are great motors to work with, I do have to say the torque and response of an A3 is far greater. Stock for Stock, before the 6000 Rpm range, the A3 will out perform an A2, z3, and f20c in torque and hp. If unnecessary weight was removed from the EP, it would be a top performer. IMO.

Driver mod.

And the intake manifold is where you get that sensation of more bottom end.

I don't quite get your logic in sentence 3, the 3 engines you listed have more torque, hp, and a larger power band than the a3.

It's taken me Boltons and a tune to beat a stock a2

^^^ i'm gonna have to agree with Joe on the Driver Mod for the rsx type s. I've test driven an ep3 that had intake and exhaust and it still felt slower than the stock rsx type s that i ended up buying over the ep3.

I do have to admit i probably should have gone with the ep3 just because it was $4k cheaper than the rsx and insurance would have been way cheaper too, I bought it when i just turned 18 and for it being my first car my insurance was over $400 a month but now i'm paying like $130 a month.

I'm not saying i regret getting the rsx, it would have just been a better decision for me financial wise.