b16a or 20v blacktop???

[streaminhonda]

My lil bro wants to buy a car and the two vehicles he have in mind:
1. 1996 ek4 SiR b16a
2. AE92 with a blacktop 20v.

I have no experience with these vehicles and engine types as all my vehicles were nissan. What we would like to know is quite obvious, which vehicle would be the better buy parts wise and availability and which engine is a more durable engine, and if it helps both vehicles are manual.

Also how do you tell a SiR civic apart from the other civics? Is it that all EK4s are SiRs or is there a way to confirm it by the chassis number? I was told by the person who is selling the civic that all EK4s are SiRs....

[streaminhonda]

B16a or 20v???

[Ted_v2]

go with the ek. more modern and parts are easy to find both body wise and engine.

[Turbo Corbeaux]

I would advise the ek as well.

Yeah, ek4 is sir. The also came with the b16a and 4 wheel disc brakes.

[CD4Accord]

If it was a newer toyota with that wonderful engine, I would tell you to at least consider it, but it is just too old to be compared to an already aged 1996 civic.. In this case, Honda takes it

[FullStop]

get the civic, parts are readily available. 20v engine is sweet, but parts are not readily available. plus b16 is a great engine, strong and reliable.

[Hook]

Parts ARE readily available for the 20V Blacktop actually. A whole lot easier than they are for the Silvertop.

Why I would quicker advise the EK is because parts and upgrades (eg. for the suspension) are much easier to get for the EK than for the AE92.
Besides, more people have successfully experimented with modding the B16A than the BT20V anyway, so when you get used to the power you already have, you still have somewhere to go.
Meanwhile successful power-adders to the 20V are shrouded in secrecy for whatever reason, so unless your pockets are deep enough to re-invent the wheel, I'd advise against it if you don't plan on staying stock forever.