Oct 262011
 

All weather floor mat

The inexorable march of the seasons is upon us. Winter is breathing down the necks of people everywhere. That means white powder everywhere. It also means slush, road salt, and general wet nastiness in your Honda Civic. All of it can destroy an interior over time unless you add a few practical accessories to protect your ride.

The first practical part to consider is a set of all weather floor mats. These mats are designed from durable plastic with channels so that water and other mess are pooled in a drainage area. The mat can then be lifted out of your foot box area and drained without ever letting a mess touch your Civic’s carpet. Along the same line is a cargo mat for your trunk area. A poorly maintained interior is a major detractor when you try to resell your car and can lower its value by several hundred if not a couple of thousand dollars. Before you buy either of these accessories, be sure to do some internet research. Companies like WeatherTech and Husky offer all weather products that are specifically designed for the Honda Civic, insuring a proper fit that does not interfere with pedal use.

One area of the interior that is often overlooked is the seats. You are constantly rubbing across them, but ignoring the effects that friction, zippers, and other materials can have on them. Ignoring them until a tear happens, that is. A set of seat covers could be the best solution. Whether you prefer neoprene or the look and feel of leather that leatherette provides, you need to take care to buy a product that is designed for your Honda Civic. Generic fit brands may cause the seat cover to bunch or just be too tight to fit correctly.

One last Honda Civic accessory to consider is a remote start. Installing a remote start has nothing to do with being too lazy to walk out to your car. It has everything with wanting to get into a warm vehicle first thing in the morning. Just remember to leave the heat running when you shut your car down for the night.

With snow in the immediate forecast in several areas of North America, now is the time to start thinking about your Civic’s interior and future resale value. A quick look online will lead you to the right products for your car.

Oct 212011
 

Image credit: Vertical Doors, INC

The Honda Civic is one of the best known cars in North America. Styling may not set it apart from many cars, but its reputation for fuel efficiency, durability, and reliability have helped it stand out from most cars on the market today. It is also a favorite for tuners, backyard and professional alike. There are hundreds of Honda Civic parts that you can choose from to customize your car, but here are three that offer performance in several ways.

In a previous post, lowering kits were covered. They are great for additional handling and a faster take off by reducing squat on acceleration, but are limited when standing alone. Try adding a carbon fiber hood as well. These hoods offer a 50 lb weight reduction, which offers a faster 0-60 and a little extra at the top end. Seibon is probably the best known manufacturer, but Carbon Creations, and VIS Racing offer solid products as well. There are other weight reduction options, but a carbon fiber hood is an easy project for do-it-yourselfers at any level. While you are looking at a carbon hood, why not look into a replacement hatch or trunk lid for additional weight reduction?

This project is a little more involved and doesn’t really add anything other than a cool factor. Vertical doors for you Honda Civic will really help your ride stand out in a crowd. There can be some welding involved, but the basic parts are all included in the kit. Hey, if a Lambo can have them, why not your Honda Civic?

The next project should be designed to reduce the aerodynamic drag of your Honda Civic. Body kits are in order. Spoilers, replacement grilles, under bumper spoilers, the list goes on. Lowering the drag your car experiences can add top speed and offer improved handling.

If you make all of the changes mentioned in this post, you could see an additional 50 horsepower from your car, a shorter time in the quarter, and a faster mile. Additionally, your handling will improve, allowing you to perform better in slalom type events or just weaving through traffic. Good luck with your projects.

May 092008
 

G-Force!G Meter

Ever wanted to know just how much your Performance Honda Civic can handle in the corners? or at breaking or accelerating? Then theĀ  video below is for you!

How to create, no make, a GForce meter for your Civic. (for any car really, but hey, this is about Honda Civic’s!)

Look out local police departments, I can see a raft of local civic lovers competing to see just how many G’s they can pull (not recommended…trouble at the end of that tunnel). In any event this is a quick excellent tutorial on how to assemble a fairly decent G-Force meter, although I think the suction cup mounting system is a bit hokey!

Dec 202007
 

If you have a lowered Honda (or any car for that matter) more than two inches you might want to look into a camber kit. Left unchecked, camber wear will wear down your tires faster than normal. If you want more information about the effects and causes of camber wear, please visit one of our previous posts, here. If you are interested in installing a camber kit, please visit this link for help. The example car is an Integra, but the basic process is similar for all Honda’s. Please enjoy!

Link: Installing a Camber Kit