‘ I BOUGHT ONE’

‘ I’ve owned my 2006 CTR for nine months now, though in fact it has been in the family for more than five years. It was my mother’s car before – she agreed to part- exchange it for my 2008 FN2 Type R GT when I needed some cash for the purchase of my first home! In fact, when I was a teenager I made sure I sealed the underside, as I reckoned I would probably end up with it at some point! It’s a late- 2006 run- out Premier Edition, so it’s got all the good bits.

‘ The gearchange was a bit obstructive when I first got the car, but a new OEM clutch and 2 litres of MTF- 3 transmission fluid soon had it feeling good as new. The K20 powerplant mated to that slick, close- ratio sixspeeder still excite to this day. Coming from the FN2, the EP3 feels very analogue in its power delivery, with an obvious power surge in VTEC, although it will happily pootle around at 30mph in sixth.

‘ I’ve covered 6000 miles so far, taking the total to 72,000. Running costs are reasonable in performance car terms. I average 28- 30mpg but I have seen 35- 38mpg on long journeys. Tax is relatively hefty at £ 303 a year and, being in my mid- 20s, regular insurance companies weren’t willing to quote, which led me to a specialist insurer.

‘ It really is a great all- rounder. Handling- wise, the front end feels agile and the rear lively, which contributes towards an Integra Type R DC2 kind of balance. The pedals are nicely weighted and the steering, while not go- kart- like in feel, is more than acceptable and a positive improvement over the 2001- 2003 model. It’s a car you could track on Sunday and commute to work in on Monday, which is a credit to Honda’s engineering.

‘ What next? Having got a taste of track driving at Croft and Knockhill, I’ve acquired a rebuilt gearbox complete with the almost- obligatory limitedslip differential.’