Mixed Emotions, Rims on non-si civics

Ian Robertson

Ian Robertson

Well-Known Member
118
76
Austin, TX
So I was getting into a...discussion...with a friend who more or less claimed that after-market rims were tacky on a non-si Civic. His argument was that because the Si is actually a "sports car" you can upgrade things on it and make it look more sporty. A regular civic, coupe or sedan, is just a "grocery getter" and shouldn't have any aftermarket parts that you can see. His words were "anything beyond a tint job is just tacky"

First let me say, I'm an architecture student so I spend a lot of time just looking at good design and studying it....industrial design and cars are a big hobby of mine. This frequently puts me at odds with the typical car community I find in my home town. Most of them are just slamming 99 civics, buying walmart rims, and putting the biggest, noisiest coffee-can exhaust they can find on it. So while the designer in me agrees that there is a lack of taste in the "tuner" scene, I think it can still be done tastefully.

So the question is: Can you run custom rims on non-si civics? Or does that make you a wannabe racer that is in denial about the performance specs of his car...
 
To me, it all comes down to an individual's sense of value, which not everyone agrees on. The expense associated with any particular feature on a car is absolutely personal. People will pay more or less depending on what they want (performance, safety, styling, efficiency, etc.).

I may want to buy a Ferrari, and repaint it in pink and green checkerboard. Someone may not find the $15K it cost for me to be worth it, even though the expense itself is not extravagant compared to the price of the car.

The owner must decide whether it's more important to do what they like, or let others influence them.
 
there were individuals on 8thcivic who paid $2-3k on rims for their NON-SI civic. I agree it's a personal choice. Some people prefer to put money into a car with exterior style mods, versu go-fast parts. Some dump tons of money into interior mods or stereo upgrades. Some do it all.

I have no issue with non-si models having rims. I don't think it's tacky or wannabe-racer at all. Maybe he just has a bad taste in his mouth due to some poor buying choices of users in your area, and he thinks you're going to follow in their footsteps?
 
I dont see nothing wrong with putting rims on regular civics, maybe people dont like the look of hubcaps or small wheels. I had 18in rims on my 2000 accord(whiich was my first car.) It all depends on the owner and what they think looks good to them. I liked the 18's I had, they made my car look better.
 
You can get nice looking wheels for less than $1000. Lighter than the steel stockies too. I got a set so I could run summer tires on them and snow tires on the steels. Being able to run a proper tire that improves braking and handling isn't tacky.

I don't think I would spend $3k on wheels unless I had a car with the performace to justify it but a nice wheel upgrade even if its just for looks is totally reasonable. You can always tell your friend that even though its an si it's still just a civic.

As far as tacky? You can spend $3k on wheels that look just as bad and tacky as wal-mart spinner hubcaps.
 
I say, do what makes YOU happy. Screw what others say. If they aren't making your payments, then they shouldn't be complaining about your car. Everyone's sense of styling differs and no one will agree on 1 specific way of styling. Who's to say a non-Si model can't kick *** and look good? My husband had an EX and did his car up really nice. Sure it wasn't as fast as my Si at the time but he enjoyed the car and that's all that mattered. I hate the Si elitist complex some people have.
 
siracergrl said:
I say, do what makes YOU happy. Screw what others say. If they aren't making your payments, then they shouldn't be complaining about your car. Everyone's sense of styling differs and no one will agree on 1 specific way of styling. Who's to say a non-Si model can't kick *** and look good? My husband had an EX and did his car up really nice. Sure it wasn't as fast as my Si at the time but he enjoyed the car and that's all that mattered. I hate the Si elitist complex some people have.
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Ya know, I like that attitude. Likes for you!
 
I think both EX and Si's can look great modified...

My issue is....people calling the car something it isn't...or trying to be something it's not.

Buying an EX and putting on Si badges = tacky imho.
I'm not a fan of Si's being modified with a full mugen bodykit and people trying to pass them off as a genuine Mugen Si either.

I will end my thoughts with a Honda M3

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Well some people want to be fast, some want to look fast, the lucky ones get to be both. As long as you like what you drive and have a smile on your face while you drive it, who cares what others think. That's the beauty in the car world. You can have 100000 cars that are technically the same but as different as night and day. What it comes down to is the person paying the bills. If you want a $10,000 stereo in a 1988 Ford Tarus Wagon giver' (would I do it, no. but if it makes you happy go for it) Personal taste is something that can be displayed in the clothes we wear, the music we listen to and the cars we drive. I am glad that not everyone has the same taste in this regard as it would be rather dull to see the same vanilla cars all over the place, even if they were done beautifully the problem is then that, eventually, it would become the norm. I have more fun memories as a kid driving in our LADA than any other car we owned, was it a piece of crap? Sure. Did it break down? All the time. Were the sounds of the engine failing drown out with hysterical laughter? Always! Thinking back we would have traded that car for anything, but I am glad we didn't. It goes to show that theres more to a car than just looks, $, and performance. The memories made in it can be worth its weight in gold...or at least scrap metal ;)
 
Danglyzoidberg said:
Well some people want to be fast, some want to look fast, the lucky ones get to be both. As long as you like what you drive and have a smile on your face while you drive it, who cares what others think. That's the beauty in the car world. You can have 100000 cars that are technically the same but as different as night and day. What it comes down to is the person paying the bills. If you want a $10,000 stereo in a 1988 Ford Tarus Wagon giver' (would I do it, no. but if it makes you happy go for it) Personal taste is something that can be displayed in the clothes we wear, the music we listen to and the cars we drive. I am glad that not everyone has the same taste in this regard as it would be rather dull to see the same vanilla cars all over the place, even if they were done beautifully the problem is then that, eventually, it would become the norm. I have more fun memories as a kid driving in our LADA than any other car we owned, was it a piece of crap? Sure. Did it break down? All the time. Were the sounds of the engine failing drown out with hysterical laughter? Always! Thinking back we would have traded that car for anything, but I am glad we didn't. It goes to show that theres more to a car than just looks, $, and performance. The memories made in it can be worth its weight in gold...or at least scrap metal ;)
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Beautifully written!
 
Nix said:
So what wheels you buyin?
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Hahaha, Yeah seriously. How can I say no to zoidbergs essay, it was so well written.

Right now, looking at OEM si rims from previous generation. Mostly just because I found a decent deal locally that might pan out. If not, who knows! It's all about how much I can afford on my college student budget. Something tells me it won't be a set of $1,000 dollar rims.
 
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