Well, I did it, I was finally able to achieve one of life’s greatest accomplishments. But before we dive into the most stereotypical, cliché post I have ever done let me lay the groundwork for the backstory.
Obviously, if you are no stranger to the blog then you will know that while I am American, the blood from the land of the rising sun pulses through my veins. More specifically the blood from a humble town located in the Shizuoka Prefecture, Hamamatsu, where in 1946 a man named Soichiro Honda would set out to make what is the best automotive company in the world. Then in 1948 with the help of Takeo Fujisawa, Honda Motor Company would become an incorporated business. They (Honda) were and are still able to do things with an internal combustion engine that most companies wish they could, and it is because of this (and many other reasons) I fell head over heels for the Japanese auto maker.
Sure, people like George Washington, Paul Revere, Neil Armstrong, Hulk Hogan, Dale Earnhardt, or Donald Trump might weep or cringe at the fact that I prefer the taste of rice over some American muscle. You just simply cannot deny the facts. Since the invention of VTEC in 1989, Honda has been releasing nothing but bangers! Honda has been making more N/A horsepower per liter than any other mass-produced American car, and they have been doing it with incredible reliability. In 1997, American Honda Motor Co would finally debut the best production FF car ever made (IMO). While Europe and Japan would have already had the Acura Integra Type R for a few years prior, 1997 was the first year it was sold on American soil. Still, to this day, it is renowned as one of the best FF chassis out there.
Honda would sell the Integra Type R in America for all of 1997 and 1998, only to take it off the market for 1999, but then bring it back for its final hurrah, 2000 and 2001. During those four years of production Honda made only just under 4,000 units, which is one of the reasons (among others) today, the Integra Type R is such a collector’s item and is selling for stupid prices.
In 2001, with the sad news of discontinuing the Integra Type R still looming over us all, Honda made another shocking announcement. Honda would stop the production of the B series engine and replace it with the now incredibly popular K series engine. At the time, most Honda enthusiasts were very upset with Honda for ceasing production of what at the time was one of the best inline-four engines made. In hindsight, though, most are thankful that the B series platform was ditched and replaced by the K series.
In 1998, I was 15 and a half and started driving school. Later that year, I would have gotten my learner’s permit, which allowed me to drive with a licensed adult. In 1999, I became fully licensed to drive, and by late 1999, I was so into cars that it was basically an addiction. The unfortunate thing is that my family did not have much money, and my first car ended up being my parents’ hand-me-down 1988 Toyota Corolla FX. Don’t get too excited; this wasn’t the FX-16 model that came standard with the hugely popular 4A-GE motor. Nope, mine was the FX model, SOHC, carbureted, automatic, and with drum brakes in the back. None of this, however, would stop me from getting a custom-made Magnaflow catback installed and painting the 13-inch wheels flat black (to mimic spoon wheels) even though they were just steelies.
Maybe it was the bad taste of the slow, boring Corolla FX that made me wish I had a Honda Civic. Maybe it was the fact that there were so many more readily available parts for Civics at the time. Or maybe the Corolla FX was just so ugly in comparison to a Honda Civic that I felt the need to pledge my allegiance to a car company that I did not even own. Regardless, I knew that Honda was god, and you would not be able to convince me otherwise.
Growing up in the South Bay, we would frequent areas around South Torrance, near the Torrance airport. In those days, there wasn’t much built up around there that wasn’t either the airport or industrial buildings, and we capitalized on this by turning streets like Airport Drive, Madison Street, Skypark Drive, and areas around Lomita Blvd. into our own personal racetracks. At the east end of Airport Drive where it intersected Crenshaw Blvd., there was (and still is) an Acura dealership. I’ll never forget the day I drove by and saw the almighty Phoenix Yellow Integra Type R sitting on the showroom floor. This was the holy grail of Honda for me. We would legit just drive by the dealership to see the car in the window. That was something that we would actually plan to do… “What should we do today? Let’s go drive by and see the Type R.” It was such an exciting and simple time for us. I would often dream of owning an Integra Type R, but in the back of my head, I always knew it was something I would never be able to afford (at least at that time in my life).
For the next few years, we would frequently drive by the Acura dealership just to get a glimpse of the Type R’s they would have on display. Some weeks it would be yellow, others would be black, and some weeks they didn’t even have a Type R in the showroom (these were sad times). Only a handful of times were we brave enough to venture in and get an up-close glimpse of the unicorn in person. Just to breathe in the same air as the Type R was good enough for us, we would gaze through the window with eyes fixed on the “Type R” shift knob, and its Alcantara interior. We would say things like, “look how high the redline is” and “LOOK! Five lugs!” it was truly the pinnacle of performance, and every aspect of it was designed with racing in mind.
Sadly though, after 2001 there would be no more trips past the Acura dealership to fantasize over the amazing Integra Type R. Honda, as you know had nixed it from the production line and we were left with the watered down RSX type S, or the highly priced S2000. The S2000 was not only expensive but had also strayed from Honda’s success of the FF platform which had us purists in a tizzy, because a RWD vehicle was pure blasphemy. Of course, today, I hold the S2000 with very high praise, but at the time it came out and still to this day… it’s FWD or DIE!
So that was it, I was never going to be able to get an Integra Type R. It was no longer being made, Honda had no plans to release another Type R on US soil for a long time, and with how much they were being sold for back then, it was way out of the price range of a late teenage Billy.
Since 2001 till now I have had my fair share of Hondas, but the Unicorn Type R has always eluded my grasp. This is partly because I missed the boat on buying them when they were still in the 10-15k price range and because while I do love the Type R and think it’s the best car ever made, I don’t love it enough to pay the overinflated hype beast prices that people are charging for them nowadays. For me, it wouldn’t be a collector’s car, it would be a car that I would use and abuse on the track and enjoy just as Honda designed it. I would enjoy the sensation I would get from driving it, rather than looking forward to the payout I would get from selling it.
Fast forward to 2017, Honda has finally decided to bring back the iconic Type R badge to America. This time as the Civic Type R, but not in the form of the analog driver’s cars that it had been years prior. No, this one was so radical that it even left die-hard Honda fans scratching their heads. The FK8 was a far cry from the anorexically light, high-revving naturally aspirated Type Rs of yesteryear. Sure, the FK2 had been out since 2015 and it shared the same engine (K20C1) as the FK8, but we never saw that one here in America. Though the FK8’s arrival was taken with mixed emotions, there was no doubt that Honda had done it again. Fastest FWD around the Nürburgring and beating the previous record by a substantial amount. As more and more people purchased the 2017 Civic Type R, it was quickly dubbed a “cheater car” by many due to the fact that even in its stock form, it had a dominating presence on the track. Sure, there were some issues with the car, like the fact that it would overheat after one hot lap and go into limp mode, or the weak 3rd and 4th gears in the trans. This caused some criticism, but there was still no denying the fact that Honda had developed an amazing chassis.
I was super excited because we (America) for the time in 16 years were going to get another Type R, unfortunately for me I had just purchased my R1M motorcycle in 2016 and there was no way I was going to be able to afford a new motorcycle payment and a new Civic Type R payment. Especially at the rate at which dealers were marking up the Type R’s 10-15k over MSRP which at that time was 37k. If I’m also being honest, I would have to say that I was not happy with the fact that the Type R was turbo, redlined at a measly 7k and wasn’t too fond of the strange looks. So, for the first few years of its existence here in America I was able to fight the urge to really set my sights on buying one. I was able to focus on taking my motorcycle and K20 EG to the track, plus I was really focused on blogging. I was also able to turn a lot of my attention to building up my 4 door EK that was my daily which slowly turned into a track car too.
I don’t know when it actually happened, but the FK8 chassis really grew on me. I began to really like the looks of its super street fighter, ninja, ricer boi aero and spoiler. There was no denying that the car was an amazing platform and in stock form could produce the same if not faster lap times than my EG could do. I spent all of 2020 daydreaming of getting a Type R, reading all the forums, basically just learning everything I could learn about it. I had a parts list that was already categorized and prioritized with all pricings. I had estimated payments, and even gotten insurance quotes. I was driving by dealerships to see the Type R’s in the show rooms and when I would go to Honda for parts I would stop in and see the Type R in person, it was 2001 all over again.
The one thing that was stopping me was the fact that I was still paying for my motorcycle and just like in 2017, I still couldn’t afford two payments. For the latter part of 2020, I just put the idea on the back burner until I heard the news that 2021 was going to be the last year for the 10th gen civic platform and 2022 would usher in a new style of the 11th gen civic. At this point, I started to take getting a Type R more seriously. I started looking into ways to pay off my motorcycle, and as luck would have it, some of my stocks from work were vesting and the market was at an all-time high. I sold some stocks in late 2020 and was able to pay off my motorcycle.
“I really believed that if I missed the boat on getting a type R this time around there might not ever be another time.”
The fact that I had no more payments was a great feeling, and no longer was I spending way too much money on a $25,000 motorcycle payment and the full coverage insurance that went along with it. I was starting to get used to not paying that extra money, and it was nice having a healthy savings account. I started thinking… I have three civics; this is probably enough; I don’t think I really need another one… do I? I tried convincing myself that my EG would be just about as fast as a Civic Type R on the track, and I don’t owe any money on it. I should just track that, and if anything happens, I will have all the money needed to fix it and maybe even really ball out on things like sequential transmissions and get some serious stuff going with it (not like it needed much more serious stuff). Plus, I still had the 4-door EK that I had just swapped a fully refreshed B16 into with a Type R trans, and then I also had my daily 8th gen.
I had battled my deepest selfish inner thoughts for a long time and mulled over my options during many sleepless nights, but in the end Civic Type R was the answer and will always be the answer.
It was decided, I was going to buy a brand new 2021 Civic Type R. No way was I even going to consider buying a used one, not even one with only 1000 miles on it. Nope, I wanted to be the first person to pass gas in those beautiful red Alcantara seats. Yup, I was going to be the first person to quite literally, pop the VTEC cherry on that machine. I was going to get the full new car experience, because after all, this was going to be my first ever brand-new car and I wasn’t into trying to save a few thousand on buying used. Also, as most of you know, they redid the front and rear bumper vents, front grille, upgraded radiator, improved suspension programming, increased bushing, and ball joint stiffness, added Alcantara to the steering wheel and put a much better-looking shift knob on. It was evident that the 2020 and 2021 models were going to be much improved upon. Unfortunately, the cooling changes didn’t help the overheating much and this still remains the Achilles heel of the car.
Championship white was clearly the only color to go with, don’t even try to argue. Championship white has been a part of every Type R chassis that Honda has ever made since the inception of the NSX R in 1992. Sure the 2021 had the LE (limited edition) that came phoenix yellow, but if I had actually paid 60k+ for a Honda civic, I feel like I would have been laughed at. It was bad enough to pay 45k for a civic, but to pay 15k more for just a color, BBS wheels, some carbon, no rear wiper, and slightly better suspension was just bananas. Boost Blue Pearl is a cool-looking color, but I think over time having such a “loud color” would get old. I hate black cars, so Crystal Black Pearl was out. Not only are they harder to keep clean and show scratches easier but remember, I live in Las Vegas, and it gets way too hot out here to be having a black car. Rallye Red was a thought, but in the end, the stigmas that are attached to red cars caused too much attention. Lastly, the Sonic Gray Pearl just didn’t do it for me either. Championship White, Phoenix Yellow, and Boost Blue Pearl were the only three colors not available on non-Type R Civic models, so there is even more exclusivity in those colors too.
It was now early 2021 and I had a plan. I was going to save up money for a few months (six ish) to try and put a large enough payment down on a Civic Type R that the payments wouldn’t be too painful. Unfortunately, there was some major issues developing in the car world, chips shortages, new car inventory at an all-time low, used car pricing at an all-time high, and the fact that I didn’t know how many more Championship White FK8’s were left to be distributed across America. The long-term effects of Covid were starting to rear their ugly head as things became harder and harder to get.
I went to a few dealerships and tried talking to them about purchasing the car, but they were all not willing to budge on pricing. They would always say that they don’t know how many more Type R’s they would be getting since Honda allocates them and doesn’t share information on what color or what dealer will be getting what. I’m not sure how entirely true this is, or if it was just a salesman’s way to try and get me to buy, but let me just say it didn’t work on me for the first few times. I played it cool and just left without getting a Type R.
The worst part about buying a Type R is that the salesman already knows you want the car. The Type R isn’t the sort of car you buy after being talked up from a SI. No, people are coming in because they NEED a Type R, so because of this the dealerships can call your bluff and see through that poker face when it comes to haggling.
It’s like cigarette companies… they know you’ll be back. Sure, you will try and quit, but they aren’t scared… you’ll be back begging for a smoke, you don’t even care what the cost… YOU JUST NEED IT.
For a while I felt like all we were getting here in Las Vegas were the LE ones, there was one time where three out of the four dealerships here in town had LE’s and one of them even had two LE’s. That meant that there was a total of 4 LE’s in a 30 miles radius, which seemed crazy for a car they only had made 600 for in America.
It was April 2021, and I was starting to get nervous. How many Championship White Type Rs were left to be distributed? How many were headed to the west coast? I was prepared to drive to California to buy one, but didn’t really want to, since sales tax and other fees are higher there than in Las Vegas. There was a Championship White one that had just arrived at a dealership here in Vegas, and I went to wheel and deal. The best they were going to do was 47,200 OTD, and I wasn’t comfortable with paying that much above MSRP, which was 39k. So that day, again I walked. Not knowing if I played my cards right or not, I mulled it over for many nights, but a few days later it was already sold.
After a few more weeks of searching for the elusive Championship White color without any luck, finally, another one had landed here in Vegas, and this would end up being the car that I now own. For me, I just didn’t want to miss another opportunity to own an actual Type R. Sure, there are rumors that the 11th gen will have a Type R too, but honestly, the look of the base model 11th gens that Honda recently released didn’t make me fizz. Honestly, I think it looks more like a cross between the newer Camry and newer Jetta’s. Plus, many rumors about the 11th gen Type R hinted and pointed at losing the extreme adolescent stylings, which for me is what makes the Type R so special. It should look crazy, it should have vents, fins, and large spoilers. It shouldn’t be boring or modest looking, if you are looking for that then get a civic SI.
So, without further ado, here it is, My 2021 Championship White Civic Type R. I bought it with 7 miles on it and it currently only has 570 miles. I’ve been following the “Honda suggested break-in procedure” of no full throttle and no prolonged constant RPM for 600 miles. I love this car so much; it’s so much better than I ever could have dreamed. Out of the box, it handles so well, and the power is so immediate and low down in the rev range. Sure, there are some quirks to it, but who buys a car to leave it 100% stock? If you are on the fence about buying one of these, let me help you out… DO IT! You will not regret it. I can’t wait to take it out on the track, but unfortunately, I bought it at the start of summer so I’m most likely going to wait until fall when it’s cooler, since overheating is an issue with these.
This is easily one of the biggest moments in my life and none of it would have been possible without the love and support from the best girlfriend in the whole world. At one point when I was doubting ever being able to afford a Type R, I started to investigate getting just a 10th gen SI. She told me that I shouldn’t settle for a lesser vehicle and that settling would only lead to disappointment in the long run. She helped me stay focused and she was truly able to make this dream of mine become a reality. Without her sacrifices and quest to make sure I’m the happiest person alive none of this would have been possible. Thank you, babe, for all your support and helping this silly guy achieve his automotive dreams.
There is going to be plenty of Type R content coming to the blog and even as I type this, I have already done: Spoon air filter, Spoon oil cap, PRL intake tube, Acuity shifter bushings, clutch delay valve delete, Spoon clutch line, Swift Spec R’s, SPC rear camber arms, removed front camber pins, and HASPORT 62a rear motor mount. I will be doing posts on all these parts. If you have a Type R that you are interested in modifying or just want to become a more well-rounded car enthusiast, there will be lots of good info coming up in the next few months. I will be talking about some of the Type R’s downfalls and shortcomings and how to fix or improve them.
Please take all of this with a grain of salt, as most statements I wrote for dramatic effect and to be humorous. Of course, I know that the NSX is truly the pinnacle of the Honda performance car, and surely, I know that RWD is a much better platform for road racing when compared to a FWD platform. I just wanted to highlight and exaggerate my love for Honda, the Civic, and FWD.
This is also my 5th automobile that I now own alongside two motorcycles and unfortunately, even though Angie is incredibly loving and supportive, she doesn’t support hoarding. One of the only stipulations to getting this car meant I had to part ways with one of my other cars. That being said, My EG or EK are for sale and if you are interested, please reach out to me via email Billy@Functiontheory.com. I’m not going to post prices, but please don’t hesitate to reach out with REALISTIC offers. There is wiggle room for plus or minus parts and please only serious inquires. I’m not parting either of them out, so don’t ask. Both cars have had every single nut and bolt touched, tons of upgrades, all OEM parts where possible and only top tier brands are used on both cars no Chinese/eBay/amazon stuff.
If you are looking for information about the cars please just look around on the blog, I have documented pretty much every aspect of each of those builds.
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