Help me out here.. I've got a 94 GSR.. But before I bought it, I had my eyes on a 99 Si... And till this day, I still wonder what it would be like to drive an Si. I wonder what if the Si could've given me the same -RUSH- that the GSR does.. It looks great to me, but then so does the GSR.. GSR puts out 170hp, Si puts out 160hp.. Do those 10hp's even make a difference when going from 0-60 or down the qtr mile...? Pound for pound, which car is the best.. Not just talking about engine and power.. But about suspension, driveability and all that other stuff.. So tell me, why was it better for me to get a GSR instead of an Si?.. Why did everybody talk me out of it?..


---I think I'm losing my love for the GSR...... or

 

that 10hp doesnt make much of a difference, becuase the GS-R outweighs the 6th gen si

but are we forgetting the torque? 1.6L (111) 1.8L (128), ouch.

anyhoos why dont you go out and test drive an SI for yourself?

 

Suspension wise, they're almost the same. I noticed there is a difference in the power steering. The Si is a tad less responsive than the GS-R. As for straight line acceleration, they're both similar with a small edge going to the GS-R. However, when you start modding a GS-R, you will notice more gains than the Si with similar mods.

 

Bingo...that pretty much says it all. I mean SI's dyno in the high 90's in terms of torque. That's where the difference will be. But the only thing you can really do is drive an SI for yourself and experience the difference first hand. I think you made a good choice but that's just my opinion and I'm not just saying that because I own a GSR.

 

ive driven a SI b4 and it didnt provide the same rush the gsr provides.

 

Anybody who thinks an Si is as fast as a GSR needs to race one.

I've raced a handful of Si's and have yet to be beaten. I have a comptech filter and axleback exhaust, and I've beaten cars with I/H/E. You really start to understand that while the Si is only down 10 hp the GSR has a much flatter torque and horsepower curves.

 

werd. IMO, a GSR and SI are not to be compared to. 10hp is not the only difference.


[Modified by Lee Chun, 8:37 AM 1/14/2002]

 

add to that. GSR has 1.8L engine, which isn't that big. the SI has a 1.6L engine. I am no math major, but I think that the GSR has .2L more. and as we all know there is no replacement for displacement.

you are now driving quite possibly one of the most balanced engines ever mass produced.

 

Yeah no torque sucks. It's bad enough that honda engines don't put out much in that department. Why would you settle for less?

 

One thing I will concede to the Si is the the VTEC kick is very very clear. That engine is arguably more fun to rev than the GSR engine. Not faster perhaps, but maybe more fun. Of course I am a loyal GSR driver.

Rainmaker.

 

I had the same choice to make -- 97 GSR or 99 Si. Going in, I was leaning (heavily) toward the Si. Driving both, I definitely preferred the feel of the GSR. In fact, I liked just about everything about it better than the Si. It seemed faster and more responsive. I think you made the right choice.

 

put it this way,the GSR is better in almost every driving category when compared to the SI,maybe not by much but it is better,handling,speed,tq,braking ect.That should sum it up,not to mention the symbol,which speaks for itself.But if i didn't get my teg my 2nd choice was an SI.


[Modified by maggsgsr, 5:04 PM 1/14/2002]

 

Thanks for the replies.. Seems to of pulled me back towards the GSR.. But tell me.. What does it mean when the VTEC kick is very very clear?.. How does that compare to the GSR's kick??

 

It all has to do with the GSR's dual stage intake. You can't hear or feel that much of a kick until the secondary intake runners open up on the GSR at ~5700 rpm's. The SI is similar to the Type R in that respect, which is why their vtec is so pronounced as compared to a GSR.

 

The VTEC crossover on the GSR motor is at 4400 rpm. As you probably know already, the switchover is not very audible. Even with an intake, you can barely hear it, and you certainly can't feel an increase in power. Of course this is actually the best way to integrate 2-stage variable valve timing (e.g., VTEC) into the design of a non-racing motor, since it means you are getting a very linear powerband, smoothness, and so on.

On the Si, the crossover is higher up on the tach, somewhere over 5000 rpm (dunno exactly). Also, it is a much more pronounced switchover, meaning you can hear it suddenly get louder, and the tach races to redline real quickly after the switchover. In summary, it is a lot more dramatic than the GSR motor. With an intake on an Si, it's very neat (soundwise at least).

Incidentally, don't let anyone tell you the VTEC crossover point on the GSR is at 5800 rpm. That audible switchover is the opening of the secondary intake runners, which are also fun to listen to and which are not present on the Si. Once again, however, there really is no "kick" at 5800, but just a nice change in sound.

So, in summary, stock for stock:
GSR motor = refined design to optimize linear power output and smoothness, some nifty noise;
Si motor = more drama and more nifty noisemaking at the expense of some linearity.

HTH,
Rainmaker.

 

the only thing i like about the SI is its tranny....the GSR would hang with R's if they had the same tranny.

overall a GSR is better why?????? cause its an integra.......and not another civic

 

Yeah the tranny in the GSR really kills it. If i could do it over again, i would have gotten rid of the GSR tranny to begin with. Shorter gears =

 

Anyway,no mater what tranny you have the GSR is still the winner.

 

i was gonna say the same thing. the SI tranny is like the ITR minus the LSD.

Ron

 

When you drive nearly 3000 miles in a month, short 5th gear is

I want a 6th gear! GS-R's would get close to 40mpg on the highway if they had a 6th gear... but you would always have to downshift to pass anyone. Sometimes 5th gear will pull hard enough that I don't have to downshift to pass.


[Modified by PatrickGSR94, 6:33 PM 1/14/2002]

 

im neither a SI owner or a GSR owner...i have a hybrid CRX...6 months ago i had to decide which motor to get for the car...b16a(SI) or b18c(GSR)...test drove both cars...lets just say i wasnt too impressed with the performance of the SI...has basically the same TQ as a Sohc motor... ...i went with the GSR motor ...stick with the GSR.

 

i own a gsr and i test drove a '00 si once and it didnt feel nearly as quick as my gsr. also the gsr has better interior (especially the seats). i have raced an si and it was no contest.

 

Actually, don't be so sure about that. Even though the gsr is at a high rpm on the highway, the engine is not under 100% load. Even if you had a 6th gear that was taller than 5th, you would probably be placing the engine under near 100% load at those low rpm's and high speeds that it would probably negate any possible fuel efficiencies to be gained.

That plus the fact that I would rather have the engine at a higher rpm and a lighter load than at a lower rpm but straining the whole time. That's why it's often said that it's better to rev high than strain the car around town at lower rpm's.

 

...dropping the rpm to 3K @ 80mph is hardly straining the engine. It only takes about 15-25Hp to maintain 80mph, and that's nowhere close to 100%. Engines won't see diminishing returns regarding inreased efficiency@reduced rpm typically until you get to about 80% load.

Compare with a CRX HF - 80mph is about 2500rpm, and it only makes 67Hp, yet got 55+mpg.

 

Si interior looks and feels very cheap and the seats are terrible. The shifter in the Si is awful too. Don't get me wrong, I'm not flaming but I'd rather spend the extra few thousand for a MUCH better overall car. Si's exterior looks great though.