What are your general thoughts on the 06+ Civic Si... i know im probably going to get nothing but good things said about it but i know there has to be something that isnt too good...

i know its not going to feel anywhere near as fast as my current car, 04 Mustang with 4.10's and normal bolt-ons, but i know it can be just as quick if not quicker...

so how do you like yours and what is it comparable to?

 

Si = Ferrari
jk jk
What i would do is go to your local Honda dealer and go test drive one . I was hooked the first 3 seconds lol.

 

The seats collect lint. It bugs me.

What you will notice coming from the mustang is the fit and finish is very good in the Honda.

 

I agree the seat to collect alot of lint...but overall the car rocks!!!!

 

The SI cant be beat for the money it does everything well and then some every turn of the key puts a smile on your face buy it and enjoy it.

 

you're going to get biased answers so all you could really do is research the car and don't forget to test drive it to see if thats what you're looking for.

 

Well, it all depends on what you consider as fast. Sure a V8 in a straight line is quick. Fast implies speed and whatever context you prefer. If you wanna go fast and turn decently stock, the Si might have an advantage. It's a great car, just depends on what you want. Test drive one, you may like, my may be on the fence about it. I personally like how the car drives. It's fundamentally FUN. I can't attest for a mustang. I can compare my Si to my old 87 300ZX. That was a fun car, it was heavy, it wasn't quick or fast but, I did like it.

In comparison, to my CRX, the civic is pretty good considering it weighs a hell of a lot more. The tranny is great, even with the 3rd gear double snick issue, it handles like a slightly larger go-cart. The power is great for a NA 4banger. It's no turbo monster but, the potential is there. Not only is it a capable daily driver, it is a capable track car. Sure like everything, there is room for improvement. But hell you gotta start somewhere and the price is reasonable.

 

my best friend has an 04mustang gt...

great car for what it is... ( in a straight line)
but the si is a better all around car, handling, comfort, etc etc

he's thinking about trading the GT in for one.

 

i can get my mustang around corner... its all in how you drive them, i came from a 86 Pontiac Fiero GT which is Mid-Engined and learned to drive that... i plan to test drive a new Si soon but im afraid that im going to be dissapointed with the power... then again my friend has a 02 RSX-S and that car would MOVE on a 75shot haha...


whats this 3rd gear issue you speak of?


and does anyone thing honda would want to take money off the trade-in since i have 04 Cobra front brakes?

 

dissapointed with the power...

VTEC ftmfw you will love it !

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


and does anyone thing honda would want to take money off the trade-in since i have 04 Cobra front brakes?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The dealer isnt going to give you anymore for the cobra brakes so dont even say that you have them. They wont notice.

 

that and the 4.10 gears are going to have to just sneak past them

im gonna strip all my other goodies like shiftlight and aem wideband, steeda short shifter, 17x10.5" rims and all those things off tho


has anyone had any problems, only thing ive really read about is the possibility of getting a car with a bad tune on it from the factory and they will fix it for you if your one of the unlucky... also is there anyway to lower the vtec switchover point short of getting a hondata refalsh?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">only thing ive really read about is the possibility of getting a car with a bad tune on it from the factory and they will fix it for you if your one of the unlucky... </TD></TR></TABLE>

If you buy a new Si it wont be of any concern... it only effects a certain vin range(basically the first "batch" of FG2's)

More info: https://honda-tech.com/zerothread/1835215

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
also is there anyway to lower the vtec switchover point short of getting a hondata refalsh?</TD></TR></TABLE>

There's ways but unless you've figured out a precise crossover point that will provide maximum gains while retaining efficiency why bother? Honda R & D put the Crossover point where it is for a reason and simply lowering it will do nothing for you. Leave good engineering alone

 

there is a HUGE jump in tq for no reason other than a strong "vtec hit" which causes you to run slower because you are losing midrange tq from this, hondata has proven it with their reflashes... and 4500 seems to be a good point for transition. i had the same little deal with the tune on my mustang, my handheld tuner had two ranges of tuning, 2k-4k and 4k-7k, so i left the 2k-4k near stock and added 10% timing in the 4k-7k so at 4k all of a sudden the engine would change tone and it would break the tires loose from teh sudden shock of an extra 20-30hp...

whats with teh 3rd gear issue ive read some about?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

whats with teh 3rd gear issue ive read some about?</TD></TR></TABLE>

People are not fully engaging the gear. It sticks a little, especially when cold out. New tranny fluid fixes the problem. Most Honda Trannies have had this problem. Its usually 1 to 2, or 2 to 3.....either way some GM syncromesh fluid fixes it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> also is there anyway to lower the vtec switchover point short of getting a hondata refalsh?</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> hondata has proven it with their reflashes... and 4500 seems to be a good point for transition. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hondata is an extremley reputiable company that has proven time and again that they know what they're doing. Their reflash for the Z3 entails a LOT more than simply lowering the crossover. And unless you plan on adjusting all of the paramaters as they have then why bother?

You asked about a device that would allow you to lower the crossover and as I said doing just that will not give you any real gains and may end up hindering the overall performance of the motor.

A real reflash is one thing, simply adjusting the VTEC crossover is something completley different and not a good idea IMO

 

oh ok... i didnt realize thats what you were saying, i was wondering if you could use something along the lines of a V-AFC on the K-series motors or not... i know it would require some fuel tuning, i have a AEM wideband for that, and probably cam angles and some ignition timing changes to get the full benefit....

 

V-AFC = useless

I'm going to have to agree that the only 2 minor problems I've had with mine are the lint loving seats and 3rd gear is sometimes a bit tough to get into when its cold. I never had any problems with 3rd gear in the summer but here in the winter with -20 degree temperatures, 3rd gear is tricky til the car is completely warmed up.

Before I bought the car I read this entire long term test blog. There lots of information and good practical tests and opinions. Check it out here:
http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...09422
To read the blog of the year long+ test click the link at the bottom of the page that says "Read the Honda Civic Si's real-time logbook entries"

Good luck with the buy

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dude29662 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh ok... i didnt realize thats what you were saying, i was wondering if you could use something along the lines of a V-AFC on the K-series motors or not... i know it would require some fuel tuning, i have a AEM wideband for that, and probably cam angles and some ignition timing changes to get the full benefit....</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm sure you could use some sort of piggy-back fuel managment. But why? Even with a wideband and a dyno I cant really see you improving upon the stock maps unless you get a Hondata reflash or equivalent.

Basically...
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EmoHatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">V-AFC = useless
</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

so far it sounds like it is a RSX-S with a honda badge and been hit with a heat gun to knock off the sharp corners haha... thats a good thing to me...

i guess its all down to the test drive and whether or not they can get the payments down to a reasonable level.

 

I don’t have an Si but my Lx is basically the same body/interior....The door will shock the finger nails off your fingers if you touch a metal piece while getting out of the car. The interior plastic scratches super easy and it's kind of a pain to get scuffs out. There are plenty of creaks and rattles that will eventually start to make themselves known as the car loosens up after a few thousand miles. My front left speaker is rattling.... Those are the only real problems I have ever had with the car. Other then that you definitely need to test drive one. I tested the Si at the dealership and loved it, beats my Lx by a mile. But I still love my FG1 to death.

 

sounds like you have good taste in mods mustang sounds nice!

i dont think anyone has asked...why are you looking to get rid of the stang? gas, payments, reliability?

i got to take a long (15 min) test drive of an SI a couple months back. i now have one on order

 

One of my best friends just bought an 03 GT. After I let him test drive my SI, he was ready to trade it in for a TW one.

Test drive it already. Update once you do that.

 

no REAL reason, i thought about getting an Si when they first came out but i never made it to the honda dealer, i was actually at the chevy dealer trying to sign the paperwork for an 05 cobalt SS supercharged untill they wanted 450 a month for it... i kinda bought the mustang on impulse because my fiero blew the radiator and it was gonna cost more than the car was worth to fix it... really i wish i had just waited another week or so and looked around more.


gas milage really isnt that bad considering its got 4.10's, with the stock gear i got 19mpg around city and right at 30mpg on the highway... now it gets 18mpg around city and about 24-26 on the highway... reliability is there just like it is with a honda, you blow up anything if you beat on it enough... honestly im terrible at driving it... i could only muster a 9.45@80mph with all the crap ive got on the car, it should be running 8.80's and about 81mph...

and aparently its one of the only mustangs that EVERYONE, i mean from honda guys to chevy guys to porsche guys, seems to like... i plan on doing the same with the civic if i get it...

one of my other choices is to go with a 98-02 Z28 or Trans/Am... i never really do compare similar cars haha

 

thanks for the story

im really suprised at how good gas mileage is with those 4.10's in the rear.

98-02 f-dbody's are nice. i love the LS1 powerplant. i was oh so close to picking up an 01 SS back then. to bad the interior sucks, build quality is a joke, wasnt impressed with the chassis. only thing i liked was the motor and the looks haha. but tub the fenders, throw some 315's in the rear, some hocthkis parts, a cam and head package along with a good i/h/e combo and be ready for 400+whp of tire smoking furry

lets us know what you think of the SI after a test drive. for me i was a little dissapointed in acclearation. i think it was talked up to much and i was a bit humbled after taken it to 8200 numerous times. no doubt i loved it but i was expecting considerable more punch then that of my old 01 gs-r. an additional 15-20 hp and 5-10 tq is in order after i take delivery