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EP3 EP3 JDM => FD2

F

fmp

Messages
91
Hi chaps,

I currently own a pre facelift JDM EP3, which has been a real joy to drive over the last 2 years. I have always fancied one from many moon ago, and when i sold my clio 182 race car a couple of years back it gave me the opportunity to own one. I have recently been promoted in work and therefore have a little more disposable income, so the thought process has started with what i could potentially change the Ep3 for. After looking at many options, i think i would like to tick off another itch in the form of an FD2.

To sell the EP3 and buy an FD2 is going to cost me in the region of 10k (assuming the current climate will even allow me to get one, what with brexit, covid, the world being as it is).

So my question is, has anyone gone from a JDM EP3 to an FD2? Was it worth the extra investment? Any regrets?

i know the FD2 is an excellent car to drive, and its rarity and JDM cool factor is something i like. It will see the track a couple of times a year, but will mainly be a daily driver.

Its an odd situation for me, as usually when i change a car its due to falling out of love, it not meeting my needs, or something new excites me tenfold more, but that isnt quite the case, as i still really enjoy the EP3. Which might answer the question for me!

Anyway, would love people to share their thoughts and experiences.

Thanks!
 
My personal opinion, having an owned an FD2 as a daily is that I wouldn't daily one now. Enjoyed my time with it but I wouldn't go back to one. Rust on them is more of an issue now than it was then when I had mine, the ride is very firm even with the Koni rears, lack of torque makes daily drives a chore imo and getting parts is hard. I've seen people wait 6 months for Honda parts from Japan for them which is where the rarity becomes a problem and to me, makes them totally unsuitable as a daily driver not even considering the other points. I don't think i'm the only one that will have this viewpoint either.
Had a facelift DC5 after it which wasn't far off the FD2 in performance terms albeit the price differential was smaller between the two cars than it is now and I don't think I could justify that extra 10k. You're in FK2 territory then price wise which I owned briefly and to me it was night and day better than the FD2 apart from maybe visually.
 
Hi Alex, many thanks for the feedback.

i assumed that the ride/stiffness wouldnt be a country mile from my JDM EP3, which i can live with. But if its considerably worse than that, then it could become tiresome.

And you are correct, for what i am looking at paying for a fresh import FD2, is within/close to FK2 money. Which is a car i have been interested in previously, but it just doesnt excite me as much as an FD2. Maybe i need an FK2 test drive to see if that changes?!
 
FD2 is by far the best Type R I've owned, however even in stock guise I don't think it's a car I could use as a daily driver.
 
fmp said:
Hi Alex, many thanks for the feedback.

i assumed that the ride/stiffness wouldnt be a country mile from my JDM EP3, which i can live with. But if its considerably worse than that, then it could become tiresome.

And you are correct, for what i am looking at paying for a fresh import FD2, is within/close to FK2 money. Which is a car i have been interested in previously, but it just doesnt excite me as much as an FD2. Maybe i need an FK2 test drive to see if that changes?!
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I nearly bought a second one which was cheap but it was an absolute rust bucket when I went to view it although someone on the owners group with their blinkers on did end up buying it. I ran through the issues on it over the phone with Tom at TGM and he reckoned about 4K in remedial work which put it in the ball park of a decent example to start with so I left it. It also needed a new aircon rad which afaik is still an FD2 only part, not cheap and one of the parts that’s hard to get. Can you imagine driving last summer with no aircon?

When the guy picked me up at the airport in it I’d forgotten how harsh the ride was, even on a fairly smooth bit of M8 motorway. From memory the shell itself is only something like 4kg heavier than a DC5 shell but is 50% stiffer and that’s before you get to the suspension components. You can see the guys bouncing around here on a fairly smooth road:

FK2 in R mode was still slightly softer than the FD2 imo but you have torque for easy overtakes and if you get the GT model all the toys which make daily driving easier. I think the black editions will hold their money now to an extent as well.

FD2 is a great car and I spent a fair bit on mine but the game has moved on now.
 
ok, so it sounds like its a weekend toy much more than a daily driver. I hadnt really considered the sourcing of parts, so i appreciate the feedback on that.

Would you say the FK2 is £10k more car than the EP3? I guess it is hard to quantify, as we are all after different things! I assume the FK2 is a much more refined and grown up car compared to the EP3?


@Chris. have you driven an FK2 and compared it to the FD2?
 
fmp said:
@Chris. have you driven an FK2 and compared it to the FD2?
Click to expand...
I have, the FK2 is a capable machine there's no doubt about it, but I get far more excitement driving the FD2.
 
Rather than spending big on an FD2 why not consider a good late reg FN2?
Damn sight easier to get parts and it would not cost a great deal to boost the power to match the FD2 standard output
 
Interesting. I appreciate the info.

Well that's put a cat amongst the pigeons! ** starts looking at FK2's**
 
Wilmo said:
Rather than spending big on an FD2 why not consider a good late reg FN2?
Damn sight easier to get parts and it would not cost a great deal to boost the power to match the FD2 standard output
Click to expand...

Hey Wilmo. I would rather just stick with my EP3 i think than go to an FN2. A mate had a Mugen FN2, and it was a pleasant vehicle, but it doesnt get my juices flowing.
 
fmp said:
ok, so it sounds like its a weekend toy much more than a daily driver. I hadnt really considered the sourcing of parts, so i appreciate the feedback on that.

Would you say the FK2 is £10k more car than the EP3? I guess it is hard to quantify, as we are all after different things! I assume the FK2 is a much more refined and grown up car compared to the EP3?


@Chris. have you driven an FK2 and compared it to the FD2?
Click to expand...

I believe a lot of the aftermarket companies are no longer making parts for them either if you were to try and replace OEM with different/ uprated parts. Can't blame them either with the FK8 going global, only have to look at the US Civic forum and some of the builds with JDM parts are ridiculous so makes sense to focus on that now.

It depends what you want from a car I guess and how long you intend to keep it. Older cars are only going to get harder and harder to keep on the road and I think the jury is out so far as to what will happen when electric/ synthetic fuels become the norm along with diminishing numbers of vehicle enthusiasts.
 
Alex-B said:
FD2 is a great car and I spent a fair bit on mine but the game has moved on now.
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This. It's nearly 13 years to the day since I picked mine up from Litchfields, and I'm under no illusion that the Cupra I have today would walk away pretty much everywhere except the track. I daily drove mine on ASTs, which certainly helped with the ride.

Parts supply was variable when it was new and I don't see this will have improved over time - bearing in mind my other car is a 26 year old Mercedes and the Germans are pretty good about legacy spares, that's still a mission sometimes.
 
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Alex-B said:
I believe a lot of the aftermarket companies are no longer making parts for them either if you were to try and replace OEM with different/ uprated parts. Can't blame them either with the FK8 going global, only have to look at the US Civic forum and some of the builds with JDM parts are ridiculous so makes sense to focus on that now.

It depends what you want from a car I guess and how long you intend to keep it. Older cars are only going to get harder and harder to keep on the road and I think the jury is out so far as to what will happen when electric/ synthetic fuels become the norm along with diminishing numbers of vehicle enthusiasts.
Click to expand...

so are you saying the FK2 is almost a poor choice too with regards to spares etc? Or is your comment regarding the FD2?

As you say with the FK8 being sold in the US, there will be endless mods/spares/upgrades for many moons to come. Damn shame they are a bit out of my budget, unless i hold fire for a while and see what happens..... decisions decisions!
 
Doodle said:
This. It's nearly 13 years to the day since I picked mine up from Litchfields, and I'm under no impression that the Cupra I have today would walk away pretty much everywhere except the track. I daily drove mine on ASTs, which certainly helped with the ride.

Parts supply was variable when it was new and I don't see this will have improved over time - bearing in mind my other car is a 26 year old Mercedes and the Germans are pretty good about legacy spares, that's still a mission sometimes.
Click to expand...

Whereas my EP3 is 19 years old, and i am not sure i would struggle for spares.
 
If you can afford an FK2, get one. It'll run rings around an FD2 in almost all situations, it'll be more comfortable to use as a daily, the seats are far, far better, the interior is leagues ahead etc. I only use my FD2 on track, otherwise it sits in my garage and gets a run out every couple of months on a warm day.
 
fmp said:
so are you saying the FK2 is almost a poor choice too with regards to spares etc? Or is your comment regarding the FD2?

As you say with the FK8 being sold in the US, there will be endless mods/spares/upgrades for many moons to come. Damn shame they are a bit out of my budget, unless i hold fire for a while and see what happens..... decisions decisions!
Click to expand...

FD2. FK2 accessories are out of production i.e. the OEM carbon interior/ exterior bits so when stock is gone, it’s gone and very few made their way to Japan so not much available from there but mods are available if that’s your thing and you’ll be fine for supply of parts from Honda for some time. Early FK8’s can be had for top end FK2 money but as I understand it, are more likely to have issues. FK2 isn’t infallible either but most are fine just try and avoid buying one from a Barry boy. Chiswick Honda had one last week with 63k miles at 16.5k which seemed cheap for an approved car and looks like it’s sold already.
Definitely worth a test drive when we’re allowed, that’s the only way you’re going to make your mind up but that price point opens up a whole host of other cars which may suit your daily driver duties better, more comfortable etc.
 
Chris. said:
If you can afford an FK2, get one. It'll run rings around an FD2 in almost all situations, it'll be more comfortable to use as a daily, the seats are far, far better, the interior is leagues ahead etc. I only use my FD2 on track, otherwise it sits in my garage and gets a run out every couple of months on a warm day.
Click to expand...

Good stuff. Defo sounds like an FK2 will suit me far more. Cheers for all the feedback.
 
Alex-B said:
FD2. FK2 accessories are out of production i.e. the OEM carbon interior/ exterior bits so when stock is gone, it’s gone and very few made their way to Japan so not much available from there but mods are available if that’s your thing and you’ll be fine for supply of parts from Honda for some time. Early FK8’s can be had for top end FK2 money but as I understand it, are more likely to have issues. FK2 isn’t infallible either but most are fine just try and avoid buying one from a Barry boy. Chiswick Honda had one last week with 63k miles at 16.5k which seemed cheap for an approved car and looks like it’s sold already.
Definitely worth a test drive when we’re allowed, that’s the only way you’re going to make your mind up but that price point opens up a whole host of other cars which may suit your daily driver duties better, more comfortable etc.
Click to expand...

Ok cool. And yeah, once you are in the realms of 18k-ish, there are plenty of options, Golf R, I30N, WRX STi, S3 to name but a few.

I will definitely try and get a test drive. Thankfully i am in no immediate hurry, so the delay in the return to normality isnt so bad.
 
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