Rim/Wheel ideas

[homeforsummer]

You're telling me. We get the Japanese-look Civic, and I'm sick of looking at those vaguely amorphous, double-egg-yolk things... it's as strange a design decision as the 996 911 headlights.

It's a continuance of a trend started with the previous generation Integra (DC5), but I didn't like the rear lights on that, either.

Nah, I have to say, I prefer the Japanese-spec lights (especially on that Mugen). Though I like the DC5 Integra ones too, so each to their own!

I agree with you about the exhaust comment though - I think that the EU market Civic R is a bit over styled, much prefer the Japanese one and the more traditional shape.

Back to the subject of aero kits, I mentioned earlier that it's possible to have a non-factory kit that looks good, even if it's a bit wild. I'm a big fan of Del Sols, and there are a lot of body kits that work on that car. Of course, there are a lot that dont, and it's important to get a balance with the wheels too as a lot of people have massive kits and spoilers which don't work with anything less than 17" rims.

With the Del Sol, you can't do much better than the Mugen kit (which applies to most Hondas to be honest). The more subtle kits like this also work with smaller wheels, for the more JDM look:

But I think even the agressive Wings West kit looks okay. With a proper paint job (just the right colour, complimenting wheels and no bling) they can look really nice:

Incidentally, my favourite for this car (Mugen aside) is the Kaminari kit, which is quite smooth and elongates the car a little:

So as for the Civic, the subtle kit in the original post is okay, as is the more agressive Mugen kit further up the page. But having had a look around t'internet, something like this kit looks okay, even though it isn't exactly subtle:

It helps that the Civic sedan is a nicely styled car anyway, it's got good proportions. You can't go too far wrong whichever kit you choose 👍

 

[Venari]

That Mugen nose is far better than the one in the first pic.

Not sure about the splitters... very, very functional above 100mph, I'm sure (having had experience of such things) but a little OTT for a road-going sedan.

Oh, and black the grille-bar - or remove it completely.

 

[McLaren]

Get some upgraded suspension and put a but into the motor. Making your car
look fast is one thing. Making it fast is the best result.

I don't care about making the car look fast. I just wouldn't mind the car looking a little nicer for now. When I start messing with it is when I plan to do something like RR body.

So as for the Civic, the subtle kit in the original post is okay, as is the more agressive Mugen kit further up the page. But having had a look around t'internet, something like this kit looks okay, even though it isn't exactly subtle:

It helps that the Civic sedan is a nicely styled car anyway, it's got good proportions. You can't go too far wrong whichever kit you choose 👍

With that kit, I'm not impressed. There's too much going on in the front, esp. with the 2 vents on the outsides. Makes it look a bit ricey. I'm looking for a more subtle, low-key kit for now. The one in my OP is what I'm talking about. There's no major changes to the car's appearance.

Oh, and black the grille-bar - or remove it completely.

My car is already black, so I'm not too worried about that.

 

[///M-Spec]

My take: the kit doesn't look too bad. But it isn't a significant enough improvement to warrant the cost. $3k buys a lot of track time. Save it for brake pads and tires.. you'll need it.


M

 

[Pupik]

Having seen the factory body kits in person several times back at the Honda shop, they look decent from a distance, but appear tacked-on up close.

I'd save up for a suspension kit, instead; I haven't been a fan of body kits since I was 16, anyhow.

 

[homeforsummer]

With that kit, I'm not impressed. There's too much going on in the front, esp. with the 2 vents on the outsides. Makes it look a bit ricey. I'm looking for a more subtle, low-key kit for now. The one in my OP is what I'm talking about. There's no major changes to the car's appearance.

I guess my opinion on kits like that is a little different due to "ricers" not being a big thing in the UK. From having looked on the internet you guys seem to have the same sort of godawful treatment to Civics and the like as we get in the UK with people "doing up" Vauxhalls, Citroens and so on. Body styling really does look stupid on those cars, so when I see a clean Japanese car I like it, even if the kit is quite agressive.

The Mugen kit for the Si (as opposed to the Japanese Type R model) is a bit more subdued, whilst still enhancing the car's appearance (and you presume the aerodynamics). It would even work without the rear spoiler I reckon.

Alternatively, Wings West do a surprisingly subtle kit for the Si:

 

[Perfect Balance]

Wings west sucks. Period.

The Mugen kit looks nice though. You should find out how much that one costs, Mclaren.

 

[Gil]

I've been looking at Civics also.
I don't like most of the "Ground Effects" stuff.
I want to blend in as much as possible.
I do advocate for the trunklid spoiler though.
Not so much because it's cool lookin'...
For me, it just makes the downward sloping trunk look better.
Added bonus, it makes it easier to see the back end when backing up.

 

[McLaren]

Wings west sucks. Period.

The Mugen kit looks nice though. You should find out how much that one costs, Mclaren.

In the US, the Mugen kit isn't a kit. The Mugen shown is the top of the model range in the Civics and carries a $30,000 price tag. I could have gotten one, but I'd have to pay to have 1 shipped to their dealer, AND put a reserve down on it so no one could come in and buy it out from under me. Too much money involved to do so.

I DID have a chance a year ago, though, at another dealer. But they refused to remove the $8K premium on the car, and said it was "necessary".

 

[McLaren]

Just to update anyone who cares, the kit & everything else is out. The cost to install the whole kit & rims is too expensive, and the muffler does nothing but add noise (confirmed by the Honda mechanic himself).

Thus, I am now just looking for rims. HRE's are out of the question. $5,000 for the cheapest sets and require a cleaning constantly. Thus, I'm hoping someone besides Keef knows of some rims that are somewhat affordable. They do need to be 17" rims. Dealer advised that I do not go any higher. I'm thinking black 5 or 6-spoke rims with a chrome lip, but I'm open to any suggestions.

 

[Omnis]

Don't get black rims with a chrome lip on a pewter colored car. Some guy has a Civic with the same color paint and with the black/chrome rims and it looks awful. Someone else near me also has a pewter civic but he has gunmetalish rims. They look better than black/chrome, but they still look awful. I would go with some kind of matte silver.

Since you have black, though, I'm not too sure. I still think black/chrome is overrated. I would go with a matte silver. My friend's sister has an older civic with matte black rims if you want me to take a picture.

 

[McLaren]

It is kind of overrated, but it still turns out ok on most cars I've seen. What would be your opinion of just getting chrome, silver rims?

 

[Jim Prower]

All-chrome rims I find a bit gaudy and overdone. not to mention, they're usually heavier than a painted version: chrome's usually a pretty thick coating.

silver painted probably would look good.

 

[Brett]

I would go with either black or gunmetal for a black car, but I also really like black wheels, so I am a bit biased towards that side.

I just looked through Tire Rack's selection for a '07 Honda Civic Si Sedan and these are what I liked:

• Enkei Racing NT03-M
• Enkei Racing RFP1
• Gram Lights 57Maximum
• O.Z. Ultraleggera
• SSR Type C RS
• WedsSport SA-70
• WedsSport TC005

Price wise, they run between $229 and $396. I tried to keep the cost down as much as possible when looking through the wheels, but I ended up not doing too great of a job at it.

Weight wise, they run between about 14.5 lbs and 17.5 lbs.

 

[McLaren]

I would go with either black or gunmetal for a black car, but I also really like black wheels, so I am a bit biased towards that side.

I just looked through Tire Rack's selection for a '07 Honda Civic Si Sedan and these are what I liked:

• Enkei Racing NT03-M
• Enkei Racing RFP1
• Gram Lights 57Maximum
• O.Z. Ultraleggera
• SSR Type C RS
• WedsSport SA-70
• WedsSport TC005

Price wise, they run between $229 and $396. I tried to keep the cost down as much as possible when looking through the wheels, but I ended up not doing too great of a job at it.

Weight wise, they run between about 14.5 lbs and 17.5 lbs.

Wow, I would have never though Enkei or O.Z. would be that cheap per wheel! Some of those, I think, are even cheaper than Honda's Wheel Accessories. Thanks for these links, Vash. 👍 👍

 

[Brett]

Not a problem at all. Hopefully, the links I provided can be of some help to you in your search.

 

[Keef]

If the "cool" factor means anything to you, the SSRs and Grams that Vash posted would be good choices, along with the obligatory Volks and whatnot. But, as you can see, SSRs are usually ridiculously expensive (ahem...overpriced), just like Volks. The Wedsports are only cool because of the name in my eyes. The RPF1 is pretty much the ultimate performance bargain, and Enkei has a lot of styles that'll fit your car for a decent price, from flashy to all-out race car light and stuff. Strangely, BBS is always a unique choice for Hondas, but they're usually a bit out of budget. BBS rims make people go ooh and ahh. But If you're looking for something a little more unique, you can find way more wheels on the net that range drastically in price. If you want a unique but not-so-easy to order and install set, you'll have to do some searching.

 

[McLaren]

I see.

Just out of curiosity, are the wheel manufacturers ones people associate with certain cars? For example, HREs are thought of as Bentley/Lambo/Ferrari rims & Giancarlo is sometimes thought of as rims for Escalades, Rolls, etc. So, do any folks have the same thought for Enkei, OZ, or anyone else? Like, is there is a wheel you just don't put on a certain car?

 

[Perfect Balance]

I see Enkei on just about every type of car out there. (like mine, woot!)

Enkei makes a lot of factory wheels, so chances are the HFP wheels are actually manufactured by Enkei. I know my stock wheels, the Lancer EVO's stock wheels, and a lot more Honda wheels are actually Enkei.

BBS says BMW or VW to me though, but as for Japanese brands, they are pretty much anything goes.


EDIT: But yes, Enkei wheels make for great "bang for the buck" bargains.👍

 

[Keef]

I see.

Just out of curiosity, are the wheel manufacturers ones people associate with certain cars? For example, HREs are thought of as Bentley/Lambo/Ferrari rims & Giancarlo is sometimes thought of as rims for Escalades, Rolls, etc. So, do any folks have the same thought for Enkei, OZ, or anyone else? Like, is there is a wheel you just don't put on a certain car?

Like PB says, Enkei and Volk and most popular Honda wheels are Japanese brands. Enkei is who makes Honda's Type R wheels, like Recaro who has always provided Type R seats and has been with Honda for a long time. In general it and the like are pretty Japanese. According to Tire rack's short history, OZ makes OEM wheels for Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and other high-end brands. In general it's European, except its long history with rally racing, and especially Mitsubishi. BBS evokes European circuit racing in most peoples' minds.

I want to see someone roll up with a set of CE28 Time Attacks on their Murcielago.

I'm not sure if I'd slap them or drool over the place. It would either be treason or the hottest thing ever.

EDIT: So no, there's not really a particular wheel to use. If it's cool, it works. If it's not cool, it doesn't work.

 

[nissan tuner]

how about MB Competition's?

i dont know what the weight of the 17's are but its under $150 per wheel

 

[McLaren]

I see Enkei on just about every type of car out there. (like mine, woot!)

Enkei makes a lot of factory wheels, so chances are the HFP wheels are actually manufactured by Enkei. I know my stock wheels, the Lancer EVO's stock wheels, and a lot more Honda wheels are actually Enkei.

BBS says BMW or VW to me though, but as for Japanese brands, they are pretty much anything goes.


EDIT: But yes, Enkei wheels make for great "bang for the buck" bargains.👍

Actually, I think the mechanic at Honda confirmed the wheels are made by Enkei on mine.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I find a few and check back with everyone then.

 

[Omnis]

Scratch my silver recommendation. I totally overlooked Bronze and nickel. What do you think of a nice bronze?

 

[Perfect Balance]

I see.
So, do any folks have the same thought for Enkei, OZ, or anyone else? Like, is there is a wheel you just don't put on a certain car?

These should NEVER go on a Honda.


Not to mention they also cost around 400 bucks a pop, but still.

Another nice bronze wheel, the 5Zigen Fn01rc.

As you can see they came in a few other colors as well.

 

[McLaren]

The bronze over black is nice. I'm just wondering if my car can pull off. And hopefully, this will be my last question.
Are there any wheels not being made anymore that are worth taking a look at or will these manufacturers pretty much produce the same rims they were making 4 years ago if you want them?

 

[Omnis]

These should NEVER go on a Honda.


Not to mention they also cost around 400 bucks a pop, but still.

Just demonstrating color with them. I found that picture because I was actually looking for RS Watanabe's "Nickel" finish, which looks incredible.

 

[Keef]

Yes, Omnis, anything that even looks like a Watanabe doesn't belong within an entire car meet of any Honda. There never has been and never will be a set of them on any car at the Eibach meet, which pretty much sets and shows off the standard. But you're right about the color.

However, Work wheels of any color make a suitable girlfriend replacement.

The bronze over black is nice. I'm just wondering if my car can pull off. And hopefully, this will be my last question.
Are there any wheels not being made anymore that are worth taking a look at or will these manufacturers pretty much produce the same rims they were making 4 years ago if you want them?

Absolutely! If you want to go digging there are hot wheels left and right that'll fit. Obviously the choices for your size are limited because it simply hasn't been around as long as our tiny old cars, but they're there if you know where to look. Also, never discount the hotness that is OEM. Kinda ridiculous expensive, but it's not often you see anything with DC5 Type R wheels outside Honda shows, and even that's not a bad thing at all.

 

[Jim Prower]

So, you can't put Minilites on a '78 CVCC?

 

[McLaren]

Absolutely! If you want to go digging there are hot wheels left and right that'll fit. Obviously the choices for your size are limited because it simply hasn't been around as long as our tiny old cars, but they're there if you know where to look. Also, never discount the hotness that is OEM. Kinda ridiculous expensive, but it's not often you see anything with DC5 Type R wheels outside Honda shows, and even that's not a bad thing at all.

Type R wheels would be great, but even the Integra owners here are smart enough to know I don't own a Type R car.

I've also looked at Discount & Tire Rack's sites and their virtual wheel selectors. Only beef with them is that they don't look that good, and don't show any other views.
But, the one wheel did that stand out were the O.Z. Ultraleggeras. Very nice rims, and I think at about $270 a wheel.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Minilites CAN go on a Honda (aka Watanabe 8-spokes).

So long as it's an EF or earlier.