2001 Honda Civic Type R Ep3

Like all Type Rs, this EP3 started life in Swindon before being shipped from the UK to Japan as a JDM spec model. It remained there until recently, staying in stock, unmodified form on Japanese roads, until being shipped back to Britain in 2020, when the current owner bought it from the specialist importer in Essex, having been hunting for one of these for some time.

Since then he has kept it well maintained, only trusting a couple of favourite garages with any work, but it has only required routine maintenance and tyres since arriving.

Lack of time to use it and building work at home have made him decide to part with it.

The exterior is in exceptional condition. Its believed to be all original factory paint, and aside from a few chips on the door edges there are almost no marks around the car, and the panels are also in exceptional condition with no dings or damage to report.

Standing out from the white paint are unique red R badges around the car, decals on the side skirts, also unique to the R and adding a deeper, more aggressive stance, which are not damaged or peeling, and a solid grill badge which has faded a little and red Honda H on the rear, which has some ageing to the silver parts.

The while alloys are in great shape, the offside pair are unmarked, while the nearside have a couple of small scrapes. All have very good, recent Falken tyres.

The Type R’s were built in limited numbers and this has the plaque in the centre console showing car number R-01161. The white face dials are in KM/H having come from so the 119,000 km in the odometer is actually only 74,000 miles. The red fabric interior has lasted extremely well with very little wear around the cabin, with just the drivers seat bolsters, side and base, with showing some wear.

It also has red carpets which are in excellent condition and original red Type R floor mats which are still in good condition. The door cars are in good shape, the driver’s door pull is a bit scratched, possibly from someone wearing rings, and there are similar marks on the metal gearshift - titanium from the factory - and leather steering wheel. A new double din head unit has been added in place of the original radio.

Glancing under the car we can see a very original and what looks to be factory under-seal over a solid floor pan.

There are no signs of oil leaks from the engine or transmission, and no sign of accident damage that we could see while looking at the car. It appears to be a very original and unmolested example.

As is common with imported cars, no history from its previous life in Japan has come over with the Honda.

A full set of new Falken tyres and front and rear wheel alignment in mid 2020, around the same time a sensor was diagnosed and replaced as the engine management light was on. It recently passed it’s MOT, being covered until March 2023.

Finding original, unmodified examples of cars like this is always hard, and the EP3 Civic Type R was a particular favourite of tuners in the early '00s so many have been played with, but this is an untouched and example, looking as it did when it rolled off the production line 20 years ago. If a new owner wanted to make changes, they are very well supported by a wide range of quality aftermarket suppliers

Hot hatches of this era are very popular as they give one of the greatest driving experiences around, from a time when tyre, engine, safety and suspension technology reached a peak but the electronics hadn’t started diluting the driver involvement.

This is a very desirable car waiting to be driven and enjoyed, and in this condition something that is very likely to increase in value.

We estimate for this Honda Type R to reach anywhere between £8,000 - £11,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Sittingbourne, UK. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.