Just recently bought an 01 Civic Coupe EX. I like the car and it is highstrung (still have my sc400 thank goodness). For fun i wanted to compare the performance to my father's 95 corolla given the changes in technology and the similar weights and displacements. After driving the two, I really can not tell the difference, even though the Honda has factory tubular headers, VTEC, and COP ignition. It does not add up to any difference i can feel in the seat of my pants. The difference is the Honda's powerband is higher up, but the corolla feels more responsive in the bottom end, overall they have very similar performance. This make indicate or confirm to myself why I still i never done small bolt-on mods (after 6 years) to my sc400 (headers, intake, exhuast) because in the end, I would i have spent a significant amount for little or any performance that I'd be able to observe. I bought mufflers a few years ago and may add them for sound, but I feel if you really want performance, you are "really" going to have to do something to the engine. My apologies to folks with econo cars spending there hard earned bucks on intakes and headers. Al LSX motors excluded haha.
