Honda Civic Si / SiR 2005 and earlier

yugoboy

Honda has finally come to it's sense's and does offer a upgraded performance package for the civic, the rims will also fit the si(16 incher's to be exact)!!!! Here's a link to the for more info and pics!!! http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-article?article_id=14333

muffin_man

$4000 + installation = coming to its senses?

While that is a nice looking car, I can't believe that people are going to pay $21-22,000 for a Civic EX.

silver_bullet

Just my opinion, but those optional wheels are pretty boring looking -- like the Si's standard wheels. As far as those Yoko tires being "readily available", I'll have to tell that to my next door neighbor... last month, he ruined a tire on his nearly new GTS and it took three weeks for a replacement to arrive. He looked pretty silly driving around on the donut spare all that time

nautiker

Yugoboy, the kit looks good if I had a coupe. . .but the SI hatch would have a hard time staying on the ground w/ that wing on the back. I do like the wheel and tire combo--although I'd prob put some bridgestone re-92's on instead--not a fan of the yoyohamas. I'll prob be using this car in the snow too so I'll need a perf all seas. tire. I'm keeping an eye on the oil and have noticed a small leak in my garage. Had both my wife's 98 Accord coupe checkd as well as my 02 SI. Dealer states no leaks to be found on either. I heed powderfingers advice and keep an eye on it.

One more thing. Where are the handles above doors for the driver/passenger to hold onto??? Do the Europeans just brace themselves w/ their legs?? The back seat passengers have them but not the front. Wish The front passengers had them too.

yugoboy

That 4 grand is way to much for a kit and wheel's and suspension upgrade along with some mild interior upgrades, but i guess you are also paying for it to be under warranty versus going aftermarket!!!! However, i would only invest in the wheel's, and grab some beautiful bridgestone potenza's to ride on!!!! Every thing else you might as well go aftermarket and save yourself some coin!!!!!!!

greenguy

RE-092????? are you nuts? Those tires are absolute crap. for the $$ for those you could put some nice Pirelli's or what ever your favorite brand is. but Re-092 are not an upgrade!

silver_bullet

...especially the owner's reviews. Almost everyone agrees that RE92s are mediocre OEM tires that are only good for keeping the bottom of the car from scraping the ground ;-)

yugoboy

I dont know, i would have to differ with you guys when it comes to the potenza's, from my personal experience i find them extremely grippy, and seem to perform extremal well in the snow and rain, im from the great white north so i have had alot of experience driving in absolute crap weather!!!! Weird, i have heard generally alot of positivity about them, but i guess you guyz seem to disagree!!!!! Hmmmmmm, i guess to each his own, how about some nice michelin pilot's then!!!!!

muffin_man

I don't know what way any of those upgrades would affect your warranty anyway.

How come you don't finish your comments with:
"MY .02 CENTS!!!!!!!!" anymore? I miss that.

yugoboy

If you go aftermarket instead of OEM(factory performance package) we ALL know that it will void your suspension warranty!!!! Just my 2 cents!!!!!

cdn_sir

This is to all Si/SiR owners. According to the manual, our headlight bulbs are 60/55W (HB2). I'm having trouble finding aftermarket bulbs in this type . There are plenty of HB1, HB3, HB4, and HB5. But I can't find any HB2's around, does anybody know if it goes by another name under the 9000 series (ie HB1=9004)? Or do you think that we can just use some other bulbs as subsititudes?

muffin_man

Thanks!

Only if they can prove that it damaged the related parts, right? I don't remember what the package includes, but I don't think there would be that much affected.

nautiker

My bad. . maybe i was thinking about the bridgestone re920's--I must be getting old. . .memory is starting to go. --Tirerack has had GREAT reviews about that tire.

greenguy

Picked it up last night. The buying experience sucked [non-permissible content removed] ( read: waiting, waiting, waiting) But when all was said and done I paid $1000 UNDER invoice! Who says it doesnt pay to be an informed consumer!?!
Needless to say I LOVE it! Needs new tires. The hardest part is keeping the RPM's below 4K.
I will keep you all updated!

reward

have around 2500 miles on my 02 Si; after using about 1 1/2 qts after first 1500, seems to have stabilized and have driven under lots of conditions; hot, hi speed and lots of city stop and go. Have not noticed a water problem (rains a lot in Indiana) In fact compared to 91 Civic Sedan that poured water in the trunk after a rain I have noticed great drainage when opening the hatch. Gas mileage is averaging 24-26 in the city. I am wondering if I am driving too conservatively re. revs. I generally run between 3000 and 4000 rpms (like my old civic) is this too low? Also have used both premium and regular gas and can not see any difference in performance.

himiler

Greenguy -- Congrats on the new ride, and the great deal you got! For $1000 under invoice, I'd say the wait was well worth it. Sounds like you've got plenty of cash left for better tires and maybe some 16" wheels. What color is it?

Reward -- If you're happy with your city gas mileage (which, at ~25mpg is actually very good), there's no reason to shift higer or lower in the rev range. The more time you spend in the upper portion of the tach, the more gas you'll burn, period.

As for not noticing any difference with premium fuel, you won't. Your car is optimized for 87 octane (although I would run at least 89 or higher on really hot days to help prevent fuel detonation).

auroraboy

Taking the wife's 2002 SiR in for 1st oil change on Friday. Car will be slightly over 8,000 km (5,000 miles). Put one litre of oil in at about 4,000 KM, and just checked it this evening. Looks like it is down about 3/4 of a litre. We will see what the dealer says. 5W-20 oil is not very common, and is expensive versus more common oil grades.

anonymousposts

greenguy: I just bought my SI on Saturday and I just hit 200 miles. It's going to be REAL hard to stick it out another few hundred miles without going past 4000RPM ... but it's worth it to protect the longevity of the engine.

I too paid under invoice. I got the car for $16,300 ($2000 below invoice I believe) and that's including the dealer tint which I didn't really care for but at least it saved me a trip to Florida.

bigbrown

750 miles. No oil loss.

Doesnt the RSX have the same engine? If there is an oil leak problem, wouldnt the RSX also have it?

silver_bullet

The RSX engine does not have the balance shafts included in the Si engine. I'm not sure what other differences exist. I'm curious - does anyone know where the engines for the RSX and Si are assembled? I know the Si is assembled in England, but is the engine assembled there as well or shipped from another country?

powderfinger

The Si powertrains are sourced from Japan.

Oddly enough, the balance shafts are located near
the oil pan. They are not found in the RSX engine.

silver_bullet

Wouldn't it be, if the balance shafts are in some way related to the "disappearing oil" problem some folks have mentioned?

muffin_man

$16300? That is a fantastic price, I think that's probably less than a somewhat loaded Civic EX. And definitely less than a loaded EX with the new Acura Action Package ($21,000) ha-ha...

himiler

The balance shaft idea may not be so far-fetched. Honda just did a recall on pre-99 Preludes due to a balance shaft seal that was backing out, causing oil loss and bearing trouble.

I guess we'll have to wait and see...

nyccarguy

$1000 under invoice...that's a great price! Enjoy it! The hardest part is keeping the revs low to allow a break in period. I'm having the same problem with the 2001 Prelude Type SH I recently purchased. It will be worth it in the end. Remember, good things come to those who wait!

anonymousposts

At almost 300 miles I am still patiently waiting for it too get past it's break-in period so I can see what the car can do. So far I love the car. It drives sooo smooth and the seats are some of the best that I've rested my rump in.

Has anybody seen a new SI with the CTR body kit? I saw a picture of one and it was nice.

greenguy

I love the ride. I got silver. Just tinted the windows yesterday with Solar Gard. Totally changed the look and feel inside/out.
I feel real good about the price I paid.
I will be getting 17" though I cannot decide which brand, though I have styles and finishes in mind. Definatly getting Pirelli's for the rubber.
the car needs suspension work bad. Then stereo.

anonymousposts

I feel the same way.. at $19,500 it's not that great of a deal but at $16,300 I have plenty of money left over for wheels and tires.

himiler

Why 17" wheels? It's your money, but I'd save some extra pounds (greater unsprung weight kills handling and ride) and $$ and just get some 16"s with some PZero Asimmetricos.

Besides, with just 160hp on tap, 17"s will only hurt your acceleration.

Check with www.kingmotorsports.com for suspension advice. Those guys know Hondas!

muffin_man

$16,300

I would definitely say that there is no better car available at $16,300 than the Si.

anonymousposts

I am probably going to upgrade to better wheels. But I don't think I will mess with the springs. The car has a nice ride as it is and I think all it's missing is a nice set of 16" wheels.

I ordered my splash guards and floor mats the day I bought the car and they should be here on Monday .. I can't wait. I have some el-cheapo floormats in there for the time being and I hate driving a car without splash guards. That's just asking for a rock to scratch your paint.

arriflex

My friend who works in the auto salvage industry says that the Civic Si is one of the most stolen cars in the area. He says they steal them from malls push them with an SUV to an urban area and strip them and leave the shells on the street. He see's about 10 a month but hardly see's any RSX's cause they have a better theft deterrent system. Now I am scared to by an Si. Also I can drive a stick but never have really loved them but I find Accords boring and the RSX to pricey. I test drove an Si and liked it and didn't stall it so I think I could get used to the stick. I just want something exciting. What does anyone think. Also I got an offer for $18,480.00. What is the invoice and should I go lower. I don't see how you could get one for $16,000. Help Please!

himiler

The chances of your car being stolen depend on where you live and park it, so it'd tough for anyone here to make an assessment regarding the odds that yours would be ripped.

For invoice pricing, use the Edmund's New Car Pricing feature, or got to www.kbb.com -- to my ears, $18,480 + tax and fees sounds a bit high. After all, this isn't exactly a car that's flying out of showrooms in most areas of the US. I've never paid more than $400 over invoice for any of my new vehicles, and wouldn't break that streak no matter how much I might like the Si, theoretically speaking.

anonymousposts

Almost all Hondas have a high theft rate. However, you can protect your car with an additional alarm system (on top of the factory immobilizer system) and you can purchase LoJack. And that's what insurance is for anyways.

I don't know what area you live in but I just bought my SI here in GA for $16,300 including the dealer installed tint.They are selling at a different rate in different areas of the country so maybe you should shop around to a few dealers to see who will give you the best price. Personally I would try to pay around invoice ($17500 I think) and not higher. But it does seem that these have caught on because the area Honda dealers use to have a good supply but they are down to just a couple at most it seems.

nippononly

slow sellers everywhere - talk that dealer down at least another $1500!!!

silver_bullet

The previous generation Si coupes are very popular with thiefs, mainly because their high-revving VTEC engines bolt right into other Civics with very little problem. Since the I-VTEC engine in the new Si is a different animal, it will be interesting to see if the new car ends up being a theft target like the last one. I'll bet lots of those seats get stolen at a minimum.

bigbrown

How would it be done? What would they have to do to actually steal it? And what I mean by that is, is it safe to assume they probably cant start it? Would they have to tow it away?

Also, did the 2000 Si have the "immobilizer" engine?

anonymousposts

the 2000 Si's did not have an immobilizer.

greenguy

O.Z makes the 17" super leggra (sp?) @ 17lb. ea. That is lite compaired to the 15" stock wheel. I will probally get Pirelli P7000. The Asimmetricos are designed for certin High end vehicles that require specific camber loads, the tire ( albeit a great one) would be waaay overkill for a 160hp car. plus very $pendy. Now the new Pzero Nero would be a great option, if they become available when I'm shopping in the next month.
Thanks for the link on the suspension parts!

greenguy

King motor sports has nothing for the 02 Si except a mugen body kit. Blegh!
thanks anyways.

pozzo

Here is some information from Honda regarding oil consumption in new cars. This was faxed to me by my sales rep. who was also surprised by Honda's position. I quote the service manual:

"3.12 Oil Consumption Test and Warranty Repair Procedures

If the owner complains of high oil consumption, first advise the owner that Honda considers 1,000 or more miles per quart of oil to be an acceptable consumption figure within the New Car Limited Warranty and that oil consumption may increase with age and mileage due to engine wear."

It then goes on to describe the oil consumption test, which I paraphrase:

Change the oil and fill it correctly, then drive two times the reported oil usage distance. Replace oil as needed and keep records. If oil usage is judged to be excessive ( I'm assuming here less than 1,000/quart) fix the car.

Those of us with this problem, I'm getting about 2,000 miles per quart, may be S.O.L. Makes me wonder why I sold my 1987 Porsche 924S for a new Honda.

silver_bullet

A quart per 1K miles sounds like the type of consumption that used to be (still is?) considered acceptable for very high performance engines -- wait! Isn't this a high performance engine? I guess folks shouldn't assume Honda is capable of delivering miracles. Oil usage must be part of the price you pay for the performance. Makes me wonder what the S2000 is like re: oil usage.

anonymousposts

There is a picture of a 2002 SI with the OZ Superleggras at clubsi.com. Looks VERY nice on the car.

As for the oil consumption, with 500 miles on my car I have yet to use a drop of oil. Maybe it's due to the way you drove it when it was new. I baby mine and I will continue to do so until 600 miles.

himiler

Sorry for the dead end. King MS is a shop that does Honda tuning, and can give solid suggestions as to what suspension components will best suit your needs. They can get anything you want for your Si, even though they don't carry most items in stock.

You might also check www.lightningmotorsports.com
This shop does offer lots of different stuff from most of the major aftermarket brands. There really isn't too much out there yet for your car. I'd stay tuned to clubSi to see what works for the other Si owners.

anonymousposts

I got the floor mats and mud guards in today. Can't wait to get the splash guards on. I washed my car last night and had a heckuva time getting the area clean where splash guards shoulda been protecting the car. I did put the mats in and they give the inside a "richer" feel vs. the cheaps that I had in there until I got my real floor mats.

himiler

Mmmmm, floor mats.

nippononly

if I had just laid down almost 20 large for a new car, I would be PRETTY DAMN disappointed if it were using a quart of oil every 1000 miles - I would make them fix it.

My new celica with 8000 miles on it has yet to use a drop of oil.

My 12 year old 4Runner with 185,000 miles on it on the original engine only uses about 1 quart every 3000 miles.

jmatero

I don't understand how folks are getting this car for $16 and $17k. Invoice is $18049 with dual airbags. That's INVOICE... how are people getting these for so much UNDER invoice? My dealer here in NY state has 14 of them in a row on the lot with a price of $18500 in the windshield as a 'Sale price' and I haven't seen ANY on the road at ALL. Hell, the RSX is only 600 more in Invoice price. I was thinking of going for the RSX since they are selling for invoice... but if the Honda can be had for $1000-$2000 under invoice, my mind could be swayed! Not even cars direct can get the Si at the prices listed here.

muffin_man

When I see the prices that some people are getting their cars at, it makes me want to cry. I mean, I think the Civic Si is a really nice car, but I wouldn't want ont for $19000. But $16,300? All of the sudden, it becomes an amazing deal.

I'll be shopping for a new car in a few weeks, and man am I going to be dissappointed if I have to pay more than $2000 under invoice...

nyccarguy

yeah, you have to go in and drive the car and not be so excited about it. You know these cars are available at a certain price and they're not rare. Make sure you tell the salesperson that you've driven the RSX and Celica and whatever else and you're leaning towards them. Make sure you tell the dealer that all things being equal (in your mind), price will be the ultimate determinate on your decision. Don't say you're going to buy the car today. After you test drive the car, wait a couple of days for the dealer to call you back and see if he'll meet your price.