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Hello all,

So my very first car was a 95 4door Civic LX sedan, but when I had it about 4-5 years ago, I wasn't really the car enthusiast I am now. Back in Grade 12, I was just happy that I had a car and could driver wherever I want. Just this summer in July, I got an 02 Maxima SE with 6speed from an auction for a really good deal and it was a HUGE step up from a Civic. I mean I love Civics, but the Maxima had a 3.5 V6 and a 6speed. Just recently, I started to realize that I couldn't handle the Maxima anymore since it was too much for me, I felt like it was something I could imagine driving in the future and plus it was killing my pocket due to its 70liter tank. So for about a month, I've been looking at cars on Kijiji, Autotrader and Carpages and it's funny how the whole time I was trying to avoid Civics because I didn't wanna go back to Civic because I already had the car (not because I hated it). But eventually, I don't know what it was, but I think I'm destined to be with the Civic and ended up buying an 01 2door Civic SI Gold 5speed. The only way I would get a Civic is if it had the VTECH engine. Also once I got my Maxima, that's when I started to be more into cars and put some small mods into it like aftermarket tail lights and a strut bar. So, hopefully I haven't bored you all with my story and I also hope this site will be of great aid to me during my time with the new Civic.

Also, just another question. I think the Civic is got is an SI since it has the logo on the rear of the car and it has the VTECH engine. But, it's weird cause when I got the Used Car package, it was saying that the Civic was an EX model and also when I got it insured, it also was stating the Civic was an EX. I don't really mind if it REALLY is an EX because it does have the VTECH engine. I also know that the SI VTECH engine is better than the EX from what I've heard, but just as long as I have VTECH, I'm alright. But, I was just curious is my car really an EX or is it an SI?

Thanks,
Marvin

:wavey: welcome!

fyi...

vtec = cars
vtech = phone

:lol:

First off, welcome to the club! :)

Civics are cheap econoboxes but for some reason you get attached to them...lol. ;)

About it being an EX, SI and having the vtec engine etc.

In 01 they changed to a completely new chassis and they dropped the "good" vtec engine series which is the b-series DOHC Vtec B16A2 1.6L with 160hp. This engine was only available in the 99-00 canadian SiR or US Si model (for the same two years). After that, 01-05, they never offered another DOHC vtec engine like it until the 06 Si came out with the 2.0L K20 DOHC vtec engine with almost 200hp.

Sadly, in the generation from 01-05 they never offered a "high output" DOHC vtec engine, even in the Si. So the engine you have would be the same engine in both the EX and SI which is a D17A2 SOHC vtec engine that produces about 127hp.

Partially because of this, the 7th gen is among the less popular of the older civic generations. The B-series engines do not drop in like they do in the previous generations, at least not very easily, leaving the only other option to turbocharge the stock engine or swap in a k20 if one wanted to significantly increase performance.

Welcome... What MPR is actually saying is.... come out to a meet and we can check for you.. hehehe..

But WELCOME!

Wow, thanks for all that info. I had no idea about the drop of the 'good' vtec for the 01-05s. So I'm guessing the SI badge that's on the car must've been put on from a previous owner just for looks?

They did make Si in these years

Alright, but the issue I'm trying to resolve is the fact that according to the VIN# and insurance, it claims the civic is an EX, but the car itself has the badge of an SI (which possibly could've been improperly badged). Is this because the SI and the EX are interchangeable or is the car just improperly badged?

They made an Si model for the 01-05 generation. Whether yours is or not, I don't know. The VIN usually doesn't lie.

Not 100% sure about these years, but is a factory moonroof not a tell tale sign of a Si???

Either Way I would go by what your ownership says.

Haha alright, well the car does have a factory moonroof, but if the VIN# is saying that it's an EX, then it's probably an EX.

So as MPR was saying how the SI model for the 7th gen (01-05) civics have the 'non-good' vtec engine, does that mean the EX and SI model for the 7th gen have the same vtec engine then?

p.s. sorry for all the questions, haha I'm just trying to understand my Civic :)

^They have the same engine yes. Or at least the same engine options.

It's not that it's a "non-good" engine, they just don't have the power or aftermarket support of the B-series or K-series engines.

Ohokay, good to know:)

Yeah sorry I didn't mean to shame the engine, I was just trying to find some way of classifying it and wasn't really being too serious, hence why I put the quotation marks.
But, thanks for all your explanations MPR, I really appreciate it!

This question isn't only directed to you MPR, but anyone who can answer it: So what makes an EX Civic an EX and what makes a SI Civic a SI for the 7th gen (01-05)? My guess is the features that come with the car. I've been searching around on the forum and the net and couldn't really get any firm answers

Alright! So haha I think I got it figured out after more research.
So alot of people were saying that the American EX = Canadian SI and according to my VIN# my car was assembled/manufactured in the States as an EX. So in theory, my car IS an SI (in Canada) but as MPR was saying, it DOES have the D17A2 engine. I hope that clears up all the confusion others might have in the same scenario as me. The only reason why I got confused is because according to insurance, my Civic was an EX but now I understand why it is declared as that.
*If I got any of this wrong, feel free to correct me :)