EM1 or SRT4?

Hi guys! My name is Aaron. New to the forums, long time MT reader and looking forward to being a part of the community. Now here's my conundrum; I currently own an SSP mustang which has transformed from a daily to a mostly weekend strip car. I have been driving my girlfriend's accord to and from work, but she begins working next month and will need her car. My mustang is functionally a complete project, and not something I want to drive every single day. So I am on the search for a daily, but don't want something mind numbingly boring. I have narrowed my search down to two choices; neon SRT4, and EM1 ('99-'00 civic si)

The main things I need are drivability, fun factor, and ease of maintenance. Gas mileage is nice but not terribly important; my HCI mustang with 4.10s gets about 9 mpg so either of these cars is a major improvement. I do plan to do a few mods to the car, but am seeking out a very solid example, not a project by any means.

So far I've made a little list;

SRT4 Pros: - torquey and quick in stock form - boost - pisses off both import & domestic crowd Cons: - it's a neon - I hear any work involving the head is a PITA (though I have no firsthand experience)

EM1 Pros: - I am familiar with the platform (have owned and built both civics and integras) - Less expensive both to buy and maintain - High-revving B16a - Double wishbone suspension Cons: - it's a civic - slow in stock form

So tell me; which would you choose and why?

And a side question: How difficult to work on are the SRTs really? I've heard both ends of the spectrum on them?

No mazdaspeed 3 or EP3 civic option?

SRT-4 would definitely be my choice. EM1's have a fairly heavy ricer markup, and the extra power of the SRT would definitely for a more exciting DD.

If I drove alot, I would go with the Civic Si so it's less money to maintain and less fuel to go everywhere. If I didn't I would go with the SRT-4 because it has more power.

It might be near impossible to find a stock SRT4 or one without questionable mods. Clean EM1s still exist.

What Mr. Smoke says is relevant.

I'd go with the civic. Better mpg and still reasonably fun. Plus all the SRTs around me are salvage titled

Si if I had to choose.

I love the joke about the SE-R(or any other hot compact sedan) and the SRT-4. When at the light together, how does the other driver piss off the SRT-4 driver? He rolls down his rear windows.

But I would look for both(or even other hot compacts) and just go with the best example that I could find.

Both cars are fun but finding a clean unberkeleyed with one around here is very hard and just like the "rice" tax the SRT Neon has the "flat bill" tax. As for working on the SRT Neon there are some hard to get at repairs and a few spots in the engine bay that are tight but not impossible to fix, just tight.

Paul

SRT-4.

I would avoid enthusiast fwd Honda. They are way overpriced to start and I wont go further into why else.

If you are looking at these cars there are other similar cars I would look at as well. How much is your budget? Could probably hunt for a DSM, early WRX, or Lancer Ralliart.

Awesome, great replies, thanks guys! Paul & Kanaric, I am not a huge fan of the ep3s, I actually like the oddly placed shifter, and the k series is sweet, but compared to the em1, ep3s handling just feels a little vague and disconnected. As far as MS3, I love them but if I'm going to be realistic with myself, I will get bit by the mod bug and MS3 just doesn't leave a ton of room to grow. 2g DSMs are actually one of the only other cars I was considering. At the end of the day gave up on that idea because you deal with all the SRT4 problems on a larger scale. Not a huge fan of the lancer ralliart or spec v sentra se-r; just so many other cars for the price I'd rather have. WRXs are great. Love that boxer engine sound, and fantastic gearing, but it just seems so difficult to find clean ones at a decent price.

Clutchsmoke you raise a good point; clean title is a must have, I'm not even entertaining the possibility of a salvage title, I won't touch them with a 10 foot pole. As far as questionable mods, I see both cars with those, but SRTs more so. I often notice for instance a 100k mile SRT4 for around 7k with an ugly plasti'd lip, some stupid vinyl stripes, etc, and then see a similar example sans stripes, fart can, eBay springs etc. for around 10k. In that case I would quickly go for the cheaper option because odds are though the abuse is more present, the more expensive one was likely beat equally to sh*t in its 100k lifespan. Who knows, just a theory. Donebrokeit, what jobs specifically might be a PITA?

Btw my budget is about 8k, but always nice to save some cash for mods :)

What about a prelude? Many people regard them as better DDs due to more torque and feel less like a tin can compared to other DWB Hondas. If you're looking at the SRT-4, maybe consider the cobalt ss/Saturn ion redline? It may be easier to find a clean example of one of these.

I would probably take a clean prelude over either of the original options.

I have helped put a motor in an srt4 and it didn't seem horrible to work on, just not particularly easy like the older turbo dodges.

I am partial to Civics and I drive an 2000 ex so I would go for the EM1 in a second if I found a clean un-molested one.

http://reno.craigslist.org/ctd/4570802755.html

https://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/4559715704.html

http://modesto.craigslist.org/cto/4547548561.html

https://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/4572894770.html

http://monterey.craigslist.org/cto/4542330463.html

OP is in LA, I wouldn't drive to Reno of all places to buy a car. People like me who live in that area tend to drive to LA to buy cars, not the other way around .

Seeing the Civic pics make me want the SRT4 more.

Srt4 would be my pick.

Thanks guys, you're much more helpful than the guys on MT lol. I won't say the prelude is a bad car, I owned an '01 SH in 07. It just left me wanting a little more, felt like a warmed over accord coupe. And when I began researching the aftermarket, didn't find many solutions that made much sense. Now since it's supposed to be a daily I know I probably shouldn't mod, but truthfully I know myself better than that.

Any reason Miata isn't an option? This is GRM and it is the answer here.

RSX type S

Seeing the Civic pics make me want the SRT4 more.

Try reading the ads!

hella si goodies too much to post

I think you could fix an SRT with a hammer.

I love miatas and I love the RSX type s. Some day I'd love to have a boosted miata. Honestly though miata is just too small to daily.and type s, well I figure a good one is near 10k. Say I find a solid type s for 9, and I find a solid em1 for 5500. Well I would probably have more fun in an em1 with 3500 in mods. Feel free to disagree with me on that point, just tell me why

Edit: wow just saw that black si. Guy didn't even clean it to take pics? I won't even start on that silver ex. Louis Vuitton headrest? What a mess..

What do you think of these ones?

$7300 75k miles http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/4553485575.html

$5500 150k miles http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/4571829576.html

$6500 170k miles http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/4577796696.html

$6000 120k miles http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4571085938.html

$5800 160k miles http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/4574575843.html

That red srt4 looks amazing.

Chech this eg hatch out:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/4569290762.html