dohcem1

EDIT: All "should I buy," "how much for," and "what whould I look for" when buying a civics were all merged into one communal thread. Any and all inquiries regarding buying a civic will be discussed here. Threads created discussing these topics will be subject to closure/deletion.




Sup guys,

Ive been debating on getting a new car for a while. I have had honda all my life. Five hondas total. Anyways, that doesnt contribute to my decision on buying my next car. I need something reliable daily driver but with some fun to it. I dont race so not planning on modding anything EVEN lowering is a no for me now. Anyways, I was going to buy a 4dr civic 06 up . I finally made up my mind on NOT getting an EX. So i was going to get a an 07 4dr si this labor day weekend. However, MANY people i mean MANY people (family friends etc) recommended me the MS3. Furthermore, I came across MANY online comparison showing why the MS3 is better. Here is an example,

http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideLi.../0/98of6GaH1dk

Now, my question, Show i save up a bit more for the MS3 or should I go for the 07 si. I have test drive the Si, and the MS3. I like it BOTH. I honestly couldnt decide.

(I can't believe MS3 beats out the ralliart AND the WRX .... Amazing.)

p nut

Ford vs Honda. Tough decision...

Seriusly, MS3 is nice, but sucky mpg, reliability issues, etc. would steer me away.

RICO_

Seeing as the labor day weekend is already over I guess it would be pointless to offer my insight being that I actually WORK for Mazda and have driven the MS3 much more than you have.

If you still haven't decided let me know.

skunkworks

Go with your gut, your the one that going to drive it. I love my 07 civic, and every now an then I take a look at it, and I am reminded of the great choice I made.

So make a choice for yourself, and put some miles on it

good luck

dohcem1

I still haven't decide on which one im getting yet. Im was planning on getting a USED certified car so I wont be buying a BRAND BRAND new car. Im looking at a 07 4dr si, 23k miles (roughly) for 14k or so vs a 07 MS3 with 45,500 miles for 16k ....

Not sure which is a better buy. I will have to get a car by end of next week, gonna be off vacation soon -.-

I understand i will be getting MANY bias suggest on a HONDA forum, but I dont go on any other forums other than here. So , i hope people here can tell me the FLAWS and the PROS about the fa5 instead of bashing on the MS3. The MS3 i've been doing alot of reading and research on my own.

Also, how are these two cars in terms of theft? Are either ones targeted by thieves? I live in an area thats not soo good.....

K5^

Queue 'Hatch.

RICO_

In the reliability department the Si has the edge. Speed3 is a good car, but they are starting to come into our dealership with numerous problems before 50K miles. Turbos going out, engine knocking, suspension noises (stock suspension). Of course these are the older ones that are coming in...the new re-designed ones we haven't seem to much of. Could be because Mazda fixed most of the problems, or because they're still fairly new.

Handling they're pretty much the same. Difficult to tell the difference even with the weight difference. Performance wise, obviously the Speed3 is faster, but the turbo tops off and peters out about 1000rpm before red line....and you can feel it. The torque is very noticeable on the Speed3....tons of midrange power but a real gas eater when you're in boost alot. Stock they're running at just over 15lbs. of boost and believe me it doesn't take much to reach full boost. But a few basic boltons with a good race header and a good tune on the Civic Si will keep you matched with the Speed3's speed.

Honestly, for the prices you mentioned....you're better off with the CERTIFIED Civic Si for 14K. That's a good deal and 23K miles is nothing for a Civic.

Just test drive it for a good amount of time and make sure EVERYTHING feels right to you. Good luck!

As far as "thieves" go....I haven't heard anything to suggest either car is more targeted than the other. But honestly....there's always a chance no matter what car you drive....that's what insurance is for. Spending your time worrying about theft is not gonna change whether it will or won't happen. If you're that worried get a good Viper alarm with a 2-way pager and proximity sensor to alert you if your alarm is going off or if the warning has been triggered.

dohcem1

RICO : Really detailed and awesome review. I honestly wish i could get the newer MS3. Well, i guess I have made up my mind, I will be getting an 07 4dr Si. I just hope I dont run into those transmission problems, "rev hangs", creaking noises, etc from the civic LOL. I just want something reliable to drive with decent power. Thanks

BlendedEM1

You made a good decision cause I just got rid of my MS3 it was a 07 silver and I had problem after problem I had a main bust rely go out on me getting on to 114 in Las Colinas and when I took it to the Mazda to get it fixed they told me that they could not tell me why and that it may happen again so needless to say the next weekend I went and bought my 2010 FA5 Taffeta white and haven't looked back since so go with honda a stay there that is my .02$

jpet23

i really like the civic but i want to know what the problems are with it. what year i should look to buy (definitely a used one). are there any years to avoid?

kartman5

You should look into the third gear issue- It's been a real problem for many on this forum. I think the problem was fixed in mid - 2007, but I could be wrong. Good luck!

Ricey McRicerton

3rd gear issues
Visors seem to come apart easily
More than one of us have had the radio replaced because the display "peels"
Lots of creaks and rattles
The shift boot cracks and rips

Henry3384

Hi Everyone,

i am in the market for an SI sedan or TSX (manual). i wanted to know the pros and cons of the SI from your own experience with the car, especially the fuel economy.

I currently own an 05 STI but the lack of fuel economy is hurting my wallet. plus, i plan on going to grad school par time so I need a car with better MPG since i'll be communing quite a bit from work to school.

mafi83

iTrader: (5)

I would go with the SI sedan. It's a lot lighter than the TSX thus more a "sports" car. Then again, the TSX has a more upscale vibe than the Civic (duh!) and can be a rewarding and fun daily driver.

A few basic upgrades and you can have a sweet car in either choice. I must warn you you'll have to be willing to sacrifice the "downgrade" in HP and torque. MPG's will improve though...

Good luck on your choice.

Henry3384

I am ready to sacrifice the HP and torque. i drive like father time so i am not to concern. I feel that the TSX is more of a "mature" car than the SI. however, i think the SI would be a lot more fun to drive. When it comes to MPG between the SI and TSX, how much of a difference is there?

mafi83

iTrader: (5)

I really couldn't tell you from my own experience because I haven't owned one of the new TSX however, I do know my Si can gets about 29-30mpg easily if I don't cross into Vtec often.

Check the stats on both. I'm sure you can't go wrong with either of them. Stay away from Honda V-6's though they DO love the dinosour juice.

Alex_G

If you want fuel economy get an EX.

00falcon

what he said ^^

you can finally use 87 at the pump... plus the r18 ain't no slouch. well that is coming from a guy who's stuck with a d17 so my take on speed is skewed...

gTony120

yeah the si saves a lot of gas but it's killing me eating maybe half a quart by the time i almost need to change my oil -___-
other than that it's a great car man. i have the si sedan 08

kartman5

TSX will offer you more luxury and I believe quality. ( squeaks & rattles) Thats the only thing that has been a problem with mine. I was able to fix the misc. noises, but it was a pain in the a___.

TonyRomo

There are two of them I am looking at, one with 95k($10,000) and the other has 110k($8,500).

Is there anything I need to worry about or look for with this type of miles and are those pretty decent prices?

Thanks

kartman5

You might want to a good mechanic to go over it and avoid any costly problems. Good luck!

bee guz

I just bought one myself the one I bought had 95K on it, it had a previous accident I found out later from carfax at 5K miles.

It runs beautiful drives straight and is a joy to drive, so far I estimate the fuel miles using reg gas at over 30 in combined driving, just a little short of the new 5 spd Lx I bought in 07 that one did 40+ in town and 39- on the highway.

One thing I am having problems with is the clutch it feels stiff and having a badly injured left leg is killing me, I looked into putting a clutch in myself but it is a little too involved for this retired mechanic.

The clutch does not slip and is smooth pulling out no chatter at all.

Next summer I do believe I'm going to buy a new SI, this one runs way better than any other of the 5 hondas I have owned, I like it.

bee guz

Out of all your known problems above, the 06 I just bought with 95K only has the shift boot problem, and it has a few outside rattles.

Most of the rattles are caused by lost or not put back plastic push pins, and since replacing them as I find loose stuff the car is getting much more quiet.

CrAzE191st

im looking into this kind of stuff as well, want to avoid as many problems as possible