Hey everyone, so I am branching out here. This is my first post on a forum. I have read millions (well many) but never posted. Ah well, here's the deal. My parents just bought me a 2003 Honda Civic EX (Black) for a graduation present. So it is mine free and clear. Now what I'm going to do is sell my old car and I will have about 6K to spend how I want on my new car. Thoughts of saving this have crossed my mind but I have wanted to do this for a while, so now is my chance. Moving on, so I am not the most mechanically inclined person on the face of the earth. I have a general idea about what I want but not specifics. Could someone please give me a few ways i could best utilize my funds.

Here is kinda what i have been thinking.
Body Kit
NOS because its bad ***
Some other engine stuff that I'm hoping to get help with here.
some kind of rims I have been looking at the Konig heatsink and some others by that brand.
I already have a Mac Mini i want to put in it with a 7" lilliput display- this doesn't deduct out of my 6K

And thats about it. As you can prolly tell I just have a general outline. It would be fruitless of me to buy some engine crap unless i know what works well with what and how to maximize my gains for the money.

Thanks everyone.
p.s that 6K has to include labor

 

Please for the love of god do NOT put NOS in your car... please....
I'd suggest turboing it if you really want the extra speed.

Other than that, usual stuff, air intake (aem is one of the best), header, exhaust (I like skunk 2), all very easy installs that you can do yourself, even if you know virtually nothing about cars.

beyond that, handling things - 17" rims, lowering springs (eibach and tein are my favorites), struts, strut and tie bars, and sway bars.

I'd suggest getting a killer system. Rockford Fosgate has never let me down.

It really just depends on what you want to do with the car really... you could burn up that $6,000 easy.

Also, I'd go for front and rear type-R lips (painted to match the car) over a body kit any day... body kits are exsessive.

 

If it were me, I'd do a K20 swap. But by the sounds of it, you don't care too much about performance. If you like the looks of a body kit, look fora good urathane one, I'm sure a lot of guys on here will tell you to go for a lip kit, but I actually like a lot of body kits on 7th gen civics. Before you get the rims I'd recomend lowering it, since you have 6k to throw around, I'd defenetely do a full coilover setup, then move on to the wheels. 17" look great on a 7th gen, but it also depends on where you live, if you live in a place where it snows I'd recomend waiting untill the spring to get wheels. As said already, I/H/E are all great simple upgrades, also look into a short shifter and some strut/tie bars.

 

I'd drop it, new intake, new exhaust, new wheels (i'm a fan of enkei's evo5s), new headlights and taillights. I'd personally put the rest away or in a mutual fund or something. If you're determined to spend it all, however, that'd be easy. You could swap the engine or turbo it or any of the stuff mentioned above. Personally, I've always wanted to try cylinder head porting. I hear that a good porting, a new set of cams and some new valves gives huge hp boost. Although you could probably do alot of it yourself, I don't think I'd trust myself to do the porting so I'd take the car to the shop for that. Unfortunately I've never checked on an estimate to have it all done though.

 

YEAH don't put NOS but if you do.... better do all the things necessary to your engine before running NOS because my friend thought he was The Fast and the Furious. He was running NOS on his 99 civic Si with out all the necessary changes on his engine and guess what he KILLED his engine pistons broke and the engine was badly damaged...Luckly the dealer replaced with a brand NEW B16 engine because he took the NOS off and dealer didn't know he was running itor else that would of meant alot of $$$$$...But then he wrecked his car because he was racing...

Yeah Eibach springs are nice I always use those...AEM intake..AEM fuel filter...AEM fuel rail....AEM fuel pressure regulator..AEM pulley Kit...AEM adjustable camber KIT...DC sports headers..DC sport strut barand why not a front upper one...A good exhaust...I always use magnaflow stainless steel mirror finish..Hw about front and rear LIPS..I hate body KITS [:'(]..Some nice HID kit will be awesome...A mean System. I like Rockford foasgate Punch I only use those for my voice Because if you want some MEAN BASS I always use the L7 Kicker Solo Baric now those are sick woofers. ..

 

I'd go with a suspension upgrade. New struts/springs/sway bars. Engine swaps are nice, but a K20 swap is gonna cost some major $$$$. Seems like you already need in dash monitor. I'd go with a Pioneer unit that comes with GPS, blue tooth, a built in hard drive and stuff like that.

 

i definately would put a turbo in it......forget the NOS thats for sure.....waste unless you plan on actually competeting and racing.....i would put the lip kits on it...i like both the body kits and the lips though.......i would put a short shifter on it.....lower it get some nice rims and lo pro's......and some presidential tint...that should look nice on the black paint.....maybe go all black and get some black rims too...wow i would love to have 6k to just spend on my 95 ex

 

I say send me the 6k and I'll start a project thread with pics to show you how to spend it on a civic [8D].

 

LMFAO.... DITO...

what i would do is spend that 6K bucks on a older civic you can get cheap nice one... 92-95 id say 3-4K for a NICE one, 4-6K for a 96-00 depending on model...

i like the 92-00civics cause thiers SO MANY PARTS you can buy aftermarket for them for almost everything... and parts are everywhere! so if ya blow a motor.... junk yard shop and it can be found preaty easily.... the newer ya go the more expensive and harder parts are to find....
PLUS having a second vehicle can help out ALOT!!!!!!!! with customizing your special car choice....

ALWAYS good to have a backup [8D]

 

Suspension, wheels, tires, exhaust... sound system... I'd really suggest staying away from any drastic changes that will kill the resale value on the car (bodykits, painting your interior, blowing up the motor). I'm sure the money is burning a hole in your pocket, but try to restrain yourself [8D]