Observations from driving a regular (non-si) civc for 3 days

[Team_Mclaren]

So for the pass 3 days i have been driving in a 06 civic sedan because i swapped cars with my cousin for the weekend. And I absolutely hate the car. The shifter is soft and has no feel. The steering is slow and dull. Suspension is soft but not comfortable. It has no power. The engine is noisy. Overall fit and finish is bad as well...

Now i have driven other cars in the same segment and the civic is definitely one of the worst. I even like the old fit much more than the civic.

I have also driven the Si which imo is milessss better than the regular civic since it has a different engine/seats/tranny/suspension/audio system etc etc.

And finally for all the civic tuners out there, why would you not pay 3-4k more for the Si? Yet you spend thousands on mods on a civic that's so inferior to the Si? :nut:

this is not really a rant, just an observation.

[tentacles]

Wait, are you saying that just buying a faster car in the first place is better than dumping buckets of cash on rice and JDM decals into a slow car?

I refuse to believe it. :nut:

What modification can you do to a Civic that's better than just selling it to some chick and buying a WRX?

[black13]

I just don't understand why anyone would even mod a civic. If you want a fast car, there are way better choices out there.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
The shifter is soft and has no feel. The steering is slow and dull. Suspension is soft but not comfortable. It has no power. The engine is noisy. Overall fit and finish is bad as well...

Have you actually driven the Si? These comments still apply.

[max_boost]

haha

Civics are ok if strictly used as daily commuter. I have zero expectations for them other than they are good on gas and get me from A to B.

Si is much better and I do agree, if you are going to buy a Civic and mod, do yourself a favor and just start with the Si.

[2EFNFAST]

How much are Si civics nowadays? I remember somebody once saying something stupidly crazy, like 30+k?

[Gabe182]

17k for base 26k for SI (without fees or taxes) So yea probably almost 30 for the SI.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


Have you actually driven the Si? These comments still apply.

Yes i have, and imo its a whole new car.


Originally posted by max_boost
haha


Si is much better and I do agree, if you are going to buy a Civic and mod, do yourself a favor and just start with the Si.

THIS

And the Si is not that much more, if you want are somewhat non-base civic you will be paying around 25k anyways. A new Si is <30K otd.

[Hakkola]

I've been saying this for years. I had an 06 civic sedan and it was the biggest piece of shit I ever drove, the stupid VW beetle sized dash/counter whatever you call it was shit, the fit and finish was awful, and don't get me started on the enormous blind spots.

[88CRX]

Vince you're such a hater:rofl:

[4doorj]

I actually prefer the base civic over base lancer/ mazda 3 /impreza
Very roomy. I'm a big fan of the 8th gen civic.

Also I can see why a lot of people would not spend money for the Si. To a lot of people 5k is a lot of money.

But yes after owning a base civic I'm sure most of them will end up regretting not getting the SI. I know quite a few people that have. Even I did the upgrade from LX to SI.

But I definitely see your point in spending mod money and your car won't even come close to the funness of the SI.

[Darkenergy]

Originally posted by Hakkola
I've been saying this for years. I had an 06 civic sedan and it was the biggest piece of shit I ever drove, the stupid VW beetle sized dash/counter whatever you call it was shit, the fit and finish was awful, and don't get me started on the enormous blind spots.

It seems that cars nowadays all have huge blind spots though.

[johnboy27]

I have had an 06 civic for a year and a half now and love it, for what it is of course. The only things I did to mine were an intake and soem rims. I bought the intake because it was gonna cost me 50 bucks for an air filter from honda a couple times a year and I got the intake for 200 with a washable filter. I bought the DX over the SI because I wanted fuel mileage, I drive across Canada every year. This year I spent 490 bucks on gas for my round trip of 10,600 km's.I have put nearly 40,000 km's on it and all I have had to do were oil changes, no mechanical work what so ever. Personally, I think that is pretty good.

[QuasarCav]

What is your DD, OP?

I ask because I usually drive a Miata in the summer and it's absolutely ruined most other cars for me. Nothing can communicate the road nearly as well and even "performance" oriented cars like the WRX and Civic Si feel like school busses.

[heavyD]

I'm underhwelmed by the latest generation of Civics as well as it seems every year since the EG years that Honda has removed more and more of the fun factor and personality the old cars had. However I don't think they are bad cars and IMO the reason they don't feel special any more is that the rest of the industry has caught up. In the 90's the alternatives were nothing more than cheap commuter appliances. Now other manufacturers offer economy cars that are just as refined and some not as bland. Honda IMO has followed the Toyota business plan of late which is why their lineup is bland and boring. Hopefully the recession is a kick in the ass to get back to building a little fun into their models and maybe even a replacement for the Prelude or Integra.

[911fever]

they are terrible cars, just garbage. just like a client i had last week who wanted $13k for his 06 Civic DX/auto base base, no options whatsoever.
I can only give him like $9k, resale isn't as good as people think.

[xLostx]

Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

[n1zm0]

granted the normal base civic (or anything under Si for that matter) was never supposed to be something fun since its life began 35 + years ago imo, but it seems common with most of the N.A built honda's since '00 where the fit/finish and general build quality is noticeably sub-par and more apparent than the J VIN'd hondas.

even acuras, after working there for 4+ years you come to notice the certain exterior unevenness in body panels/interior trim etc everyday, ELs and TLs specifically, MDX's somewhat as well.

The most recalled models were the ontario/ohio built stuff from what i noticed during my time there.

edit: i forgot to say that i would however, rather drive a civic as a rental car next time than a new focus (top of the line) or sentra, i just drove both to and from Vancouver (my car's not finished), my gf of all ppl noticed the focus's forever struggling engine and shitty seats and the sentra's attempt at 'feel the engine power/make it fun' with that bs made in mexico CVT tranny... neither ever again nor do i recommend them to anyone!

[rc2002]

Originally posted by n1zm0
N.A built

That's the problem right there. There is a significant difference in quality between Japanese and North American built cars.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by richardchan2002


That's the problem right there. There is a significant difference in quality between Japanese and North American built cars.

I don't believe the difference is that significant at all unless we are talking about Mexico. The worst Honda I owned build quality-wise was my delsol VTEC and that car was made in Japan.

[Mar]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
And finally for all the civic tuners out there, why would you not pay 3-4k more for the Si? Yet you spend thousands on mods on a civic that's so inferior to the Si?
Why not spend $3000 - $4000 more and get a better car than the Si? You can keep going with $3000 - $4000 more all day, you have to stop somewhere. For me it was the base Civic.

Originally posted by black13
I just don't understand why anyone would even mod a civic. If you want a fast car, there are way better choices out there.
If you want a fast car. Some people don't, I put nearly $10,000 into my car without even lifting the hood. For me the Civic was the best platform for the modifications I chose.

[Thaco]

i am fairly confident in saying the only people that buy a civic expecting performance are 16 year old kids that cant afford anything more, most people (myself included) who own a civic, are looking for a reasonably priced, reliable car, with good fuel economy, not a ricing machine.

[Tomaz]

Originally posted by Thaco
i am fairly confident in saying the only people that buy a civic expecting performance are 16 year old kids that cant afford anything more, most people (myself included) who own a civic, are looking for a reasonably priced, reliable car, with good fuel economy, not a ricing machine.

I am still happy buying my Mazda 3 over the civic. I did so much research before buying my car, most ppl thought I was OCD. In the end, the Mazda came out on top. For the price, there were better out there compared to the civic.

Don't get me wrong, it's not the worst car out there, and it is still quite decent, but overall quite disappointed with it.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Mar

Why not spend $3000 - $4000 more and get a better car than the Si? You can keep going with $3000 - $4000 more all day, you have to stop somewhere. For me it was the base Civic.

If you want a fast car. Some people don't, I put nearly $10,000 into my car without even lifting the hood. For me the Civic was the best platform for the modifications I chose.

So you put over 10k into your 05 civic that still doesnt compare to an SiR of the same year? I know you can keep going with the 3-4k more argument. You are missing my point tho.

For the same price, there are better cars in the category; If you want to mod a car, the Si is a much much better base than a non-Si. Instead of spending thousands on a inferior car why not just spend that 3-4k initially on a better platform.

I drive an RX8, but that's irrelevant. I like the Si civic, just not the shitty ones

[88CRX]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


So you put over 10k into your 05 civic that still doesnt compare to an SiR of the same year? I know you can keep going with the 3-4k more argument. You are missing my point tho.

For the same price, there are better cars in the category; If you want to mod a car, the Si is a much much better base than a non-Si. Instead of spending thousands on a inferior car why not just spend that 3-4k initially on a better platform.

I drive an RX8, but that's irrelevant. I like the Si civic, just not the shitty ones

Why mod a base Civic when you can buy a Civic SI.

Why mod a Civic SI when you can buy a CSX.

Why mod a CSX when you can buy a TSX.

Why mod a TSX when you can buy a TL.

etc etc etc.


Great thread.... would read again..... A+++ :rofl: :rofl:

:devil:

[wardpr68]

Originally posted by 88CRX


Why mod a base Civic when you can buy a Civic SI.

Why mod a Civic SI when you can buy a CSX.

Why mod a CSX when you can buy a TSX.

Why mod a TSX when you can buy a TL.

etc etc etc.


Great thread.... would read again..... A+++ :rofl: :rofl:

:devil:

are you fucking kidding me? Are you trying to sound intelligent or something?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEGMENTS HERE BUDDY.

Why buy a fucking skyline GT-R and mod it.... just get an enzo!

Why buy a 335i... just get an M5.

What he is saying.... if you buy a civic for 25 grand (LX or EX) and a Civic SI for 29..... why the hell would you buy the LX or EX and put 4 grand into it. You will still be a far worse car than the SI.

Same with a Cobalt... why buy the LS and waste 4 grand on it with modifications when you can get the SS Turbo for that same amount and it is a far superior car.

The point is, instead of trying to dress up a piece of shit, just put that "dressing money" towards getting the superior car.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by wardpr68


are you fucking kidding me? Are you trying to sound intelligent or something?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SEGMENTS HERE BUDDY.

Why buy a fucking skyline GT-R and mod it.... just get an enzo!

Why buy a 335i... just get an M5.

What he is saying.... if you buy a civic for 25 grand (LX or EX) and a Civic SI for 29..... why the hell would you buy the LX or EX and put 4 grand into it. You will still be a far worse car than the SI.

Same with a Cobalt... why buy the LS and waste 4 grand on it with modifications when you can get the SS Turbo for that same amount and it is a far superior car.

The point is, instead of trying to dress up a piece of shit, just put that &quot;dressing money&quot; towards getting the superior car.

88CRX is trying to convey that people probably don't have that extra 4-5 grand up front. Modding a car isn't buying a car then immediatly opening your wallet and upgrading it, christ look at redlyne_mr2, how long has he had his mr2? Longer than beyond has been around?

He has a valid argument, you have to stop somewhere and choose a platform, and if a person cant afford an SI, they are stuck with what they can get.

[Mar]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
For the same price, there are better cars in the category; If you want to mod a car, the Si is a much much better base than a non-Si. Instead of spending thousands on a inferior car why not just spend that 3-4k initially on a better platform.

Originally posted by wardpr68
What he is saying.... if you buy a civic for 25 grand (LX or EX) and a Civic SI for 29..... why the hell would you buy the LX or EX and put 4 grand into it. You will still be a far worse car than the SI.
You're both missing the most important factor....better is a relative term and is in the eye of the beholder. My better and your better are 2 different things, it seems to be the Beyond mentality that faster is the only thing that makes a car better, nothing else. Personally I think my car is better than a Si even though it is slower. I got a nice suspension, suede interior, bucket seats, crazy sound system, navigation, top of the line alarm/keyless entry and it looks great. Even though it's slower I feel I put my $4000 to much better use instead of buying the same car with a better engine and not having the ride quality / comfort that I have now.

Not everyone wants a fast car dude, no need to get so worked up. It doesn't bother me at all.

[KrisYYC]

I'd rather buy a used top of the line trim than a new base model trim.

I'd rather buy a GTI that's a year or two old for $25,000 than a plain Rabbit that's brand new for the same price. Especially since buying new is a rip off anyway.

[tentacles]

Originally posted by 403Gemini

people probably don't have that extra 4-5 grand up front.

That's like a week's worth of lunches for me. You must be thinking of some other message board? :dunno:

[88CRX]

Originally posted by wardpr68


are you fucking kidding me? Are you trying to sound intelligent or something?

blah blah blah.....




No I wasn't trying to trying to sound smart.... cause this whole thread is fucking stupid. So chill out.

People modify their cars for different reasons whether it be to go faster in a straight line, corner better, look better, etc etc.

Whose to say someone buys an LX and spends $5k on it is worse off then someone driving a bone stock SI. All I'm saying is people have different end goals.

[88CRX]

Originally posted by Mar


You're both missing the most important factor....better is a relative term and is in the eye of the beholder. My better and your better are 2 different things, it seems to be the Beyond mentality that faster is the only thing that makes a car better, nothing else. Personally I think my car is better than a Si even though it is slower. I got a nice suspension, suede interior, bucket seats, crazy sound system, navigation, top of the line alarm/keyless entry and it looks great. Even though it's slower I feel I put my $4000 to much better use instead of buying the same car with a better engine and not having the ride quality / comfort that I have now.

Not everyone wants a fast car dude, no need to get so worked up. It doesn't bother me at all.

Exactly what I was trying to get accross.... but stated much clearer.

[ShermanEF9]

Originally posted by black13
I just don't understand why anyone would even mod a civic. If you want a fast car, there are way better choices out there.

sorry but this post is pretty ignorant. if i want to mod my civic, ill mod my fucking civic. its personal preference.... you could even call it a challenge. i know of some pretty damn fast civics that don't even cost 30 or even 40 grand.

[xLostx]

Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

[pro_bmw]

yawwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[brownboi]

Originally posted by KrisYYC
I'd rather buy a used top of the line trim than a new base model trim.

I'd rather buy a GTI that's a year or two old for $25,000 than a plain Rabbit that's brand new for the same price. Especially since buying new is a rip off anyway.

same here,
why waste money on a brand new base model car when you can spend the exact same an a year or two old car which is a higher model.

[xLostx]

Originally posted by xLostx
Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&amp;item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).
oh noes my user ratingz!

[pinoyhero]

Ahhh, hater! JK, seriously interesting post, I have the same questions for the modders

[RecoilS14]

buy what you like and what you want. Haters be damned!

I love my s14, i get hated on because its a "chick car" or because its got mac struts. pfft. hate bitches.

I got the boom boom in the trunk that make the bitches go oooh ooooooh :poosie:

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by Mar


You're both missing the most important factor....better is a relative term and is in the eye of the beholder. My better and your better are 2 different things, it seems to be the Beyond mentality that faster is the only thing that makes a car better, nothing else. Personally I think my car is better than a Si even though it is slower. I got a nice suspension, suede interior, bucket seats, crazy sound system, navigation, top of the line alarm/keyless entry and it looks great. Even though it's slower I feel I put my $4000 to much better use instead of buying the same car with a better engine and not having the ride quality / comfort that I have now.

Not everyone wants a fast car dude, no need to get so worked up. It doesn't bother me at all.

:werd:

[bspot]

Originally posted by Mar


You're both missing the most important factor....better is a relative term and is in the eye of the beholder. My better and your better are 2 different things, it seems to be the Beyond mentality that faster is the only thing that makes a car better, nothing else. Personally I think my car is better than a Si even though it is slower. I got a nice suspension, suede interior, bucket seats, crazy sound system, navigation, top of the line alarm/keyless entry and it looks great. Even though it's slower I feel I put my $4000 to much better use instead of buying the same car with a better engine and not having the ride quality / comfort that I have now.

Not everyone wants a fast car dude, no need to get so worked up. It doesn't bother me at all.

Do you cry after you lie to yourself?

[wardpr68]

Originally posted by bspot


Do you cry after you lie to yourself?

best

[Redlyne_mr2]

Modding a car as a daily driver, best platform possible.
Modding a car to race and you have wrenching experience, any trim will do.

[Skyline_Addict]

this thread makes me ticklish.

[403ep3]

I drive a civic =( :cry:

[QuasarCav]

Originally posted by KrisYYC
I'd rather buy a used top of the line trim than a new base model trim.

I'd rather buy a GTI that's a year or two old for $25,000 than a plain Rabbit that's brand new for the same price. Especially since buying new is a rip off anyway.


Gets it.

[viff3r]

Originally posted by 4doorj
But yes after owning a base civic I'm sure most of them will end up regretting not getting the SI. I know quite a few people that have.
Add me to that group.

When I picked up my coupe in fall 06, the Si's were still hard to come by so I settled on an EX. I still think it's a great car though, not as trashy as the OP makes it sound.