vtec and aftermarket support. also if you're not planning on rebuilding the engine, which it sounds like he's not, newer motors generally have less miles and are in better condition than older motors. soooooooooooooooooooooo... convert to obd1, run a d15b or a d16z6, you get the tuneability of obd1, the huge aftermarket support of either motor, and an abundance of dirt cheap replacement parts.