2002 Honda Civic 1.7 VTEC (EM2)

Highlights 

  • Well cared for and largely original
  • Good history file
  • Low mileage example

The Appeal

Civic is a name that carries with it a lot of heritage. Whether that be for typical Honda reliability, motorsport or anything in between, it’s a name that everyone is extremely familiar with. 

The seventh generation of Civic, otherwise known as the EM2 in coupe form, is an extremely rare sight to see on UK roads, as the majority of the market for these cars was the US and Canada.
This particular example is a well specified UK car with some desirable factory-fitted extras, as well as some minor upgrades over the years such as headlights and exhaust manifold. 

Finding a near-stock EM2 with a clean shell is becoming a very undesirable task to undertake, so seeing this one up close and personal is sure to get the Honda nuts itching.

The History and Paperwork

  • Originally registered in 2002
  • Been in the current owners possession for the last 5 years
  • Good service history
  • MOT history and NCT history
  • 2 keys available
  • Well maintained and parts replaced wherever necessary 
  • Original bill of sale

The Interior

  • Optional black leather interior with grey Alcantara
  • Honda embroidered front seats
  • Rubberised floor mats
  • Aftermarket gear knob
  • Original radio and CD player
  • Carbon inlay around dials
A very welcoming and comfortable place to be - undeniably. 

Upon opening the drivers door you’re instantly greeted with the lovely leather and alcantara interior in a contrasting colourway, all of which seem to be in very nice condition with no signs of any real damage throughout. 

The leather is still plush with only the usual creasing, and a small part of the leather has been pulled out of the driver side airbag cover, but really that’s all there is to pick holes at. All of the stitching appears to be well kept and the alcantara is in lovely shape too, even retaining its original colour extremely well!
Sitting in the well presented driver seat, the original Honda steering wheel sits directly ahead of you in great shape, and the carbon-surrounded dials in clear view showing a mere 74k miles from new. 

The dials all function as you’d expect them to and present no warning signs or engine lights. Moving across to the left towards the centre console, the optional CD player is still present and functional, as are the control buttons for the rear heated screen, air conditioning and air recirculation system.
The rear seats present themselves in a wonderful condition with very little signs of use, a small amount of the normal creasing but honestly, not a whole lot. 

The alcantara, much like the front, shows great colour retention and all of the stitching is completely intact.
Truly the inside of this EM2 is very well kept, and it’s a very nice place to be! Small additions have been added such as the gear knob and the carbon surround on the dials but - if the new custodian wishes - these can always be changed. 

Well sorted and well cared for, what more could you possibly want here? 

The Exterior 

  • Rare Titanium Metallic paint
  • Upgraded headlights
  • OEM wheels
  • Optional boot lid spoiler
  • Wind deflectors
  • Sunroof
  • Extremely corrosion free example
  • Panel gaps of factory fitment
  • Mugen rear badge
A rare sight, these EM2’s. Especially in what appears to be such a clean body shell! 

At the front of the car we get a clear view of the upgraded headlights that the current owner had installed, crystal clear and in fantastic condition as you would expect. 

Paintwork up here is fantastic, with the odd age related stone chip here and there but honestly nothing big to shout about. The original grill and Honda emblem still sit proudly with nicely presented brightwork on the badge, a very pretty and well kept front end.
Scooting around to the side of the vehicle we see much more of the same, with good and straight body panels and uniform panel gaps, as well as corrosion free arches front and rear - that in itself is a rare sight for any early 2000’s Japanese car. 

Sitting on the original Honda 15-inch wheels, which do show some signs of corrosion towards the centre, but have no big nasty kerb marks on any corner, all shod in Toyo Snowprox tyres. 
To the rear of the vehicle, the optional boot lid spoiler comes into view. 

All is well back here, the rear lights appear to be in lovely condition with no signs of any damage or water ingress through the lenses, and all badges are present and show good brightwork. 

Paintwork is in good order with only a small scuff just to the centre-left of the lower portion of the rear bumper, but you have to be up close and personal to spot it, and a small stone chip at the right lower corner. 
The wonderful condition of the bodywork is a testament to how well cared for the car has been over the years, finding an EM2 in such fresh condition can be a difficult task to undertake, and is only going to get harder.

The Mechanics 

  • D17A9 1.7L VTEC 4 Cylinder engine
  • Front wheel-drive configuration
  • Reportedly mechanically flawless
  • Upgraded exhaust manifold
  • Great service, MOT and NCT history
  • Upper strut brace
Reported to want for absolutely nothing, this EM2 seems like a real gem. 

The current owner states that this Civic drives extremely smoothly, with solid and linear acceleration and smooth, confident gear shifts and a strong and controlled braking force. 

The current owner has taken great care of this example to ensure that it is mechanically fit for anything!
The addition of the upper strut brace introduces a little bit more chassis rigidity so you’re able to lean on the car a little more in the turns, something that these coupe’s are praised for due to being surprisingly lightweight for their body shape.
It can be seen in the engine bay that an owner has wrapped some plastics with a carbon fibre vinyl, however it should be noted this is purely aesthetic and can be removed should the new custodian wish. 

The current owner also states that the vehicle will come with original parts, and some consumable spares which he has laying around for the car, too!

Summary

Like any Honda, reliability is at its core. 

This 20-year-old Civic still runs like an absolute dream to date and it is proof of how well engineered these cars are - worthy of the cult-like following they have gained over the years. 
An EM2 in this condition, as stated before is an extremely rare find, these are becoming more and more sought after as the years go on and that won’t change any time soon with the way the Japanese car market has been going in recent years!

Don’t miss this opportunity to snap up this well cared for coupe.


Notice to bidders

Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.

As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.

Please see our FAQs here and our Terms & Conditions here

Vehicle specification
  • Year 2002
  • Make Honda
  • Model Civic 1.7 VTEC (EM2)
  • Colour Silver
  • Odometer 72,563 Miles
  • Engine size 1700
Auction Details
  • Seller Type Private
  • Country Ireland
Bidding history
10 bids from 4 bidders
  • Id•••• €3,750 08/07/22
  • Id•••• €3,600 08/07/22
  • Id•••• €3,500 08/07/22
  • tu•••• €3,100 08/07/22
  • Id•••• €3,000 07/07/22
  • tu•••• €2,600 07/07/22
  • Id•••• €2,500 05/07/22
  • Id•••• €1,500 02/07/22
  • Gm•••• €1,000 01/07/22
  • as•••• €100 01/07/22
Message C&C Auction Team

The gallery

The safest way to buy a classic car online

Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller. More about buying with us
Safe, secure payment process

About Max Bids

The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.

Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.

Anti-sniping

Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.

Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.

Auto-bidding increments

  • If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
  • If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
    • Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
    • We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.

Bid Amount Increment
€0 to €9,999 €100.00
€10,000 to €49,999 €250.00
€50,000 to €99,999 €500.00
€100,000 + €1,000.00

Automatically outbid immediately

When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.

You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.

Matching max bids

When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.

Pre-authorisation

We may hold a pre-authorisation charge on your card until the end of the auction when the hold will be cancelled. If you win, we'll take a security deposit which counts towards the payment for the vehicle and isn't any extra cost to you.

What are pre-bids?

A pre-bid means you're able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.

Problem with your bid

Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.