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Comments
Never confirmed it, but I thought the engine from the SI is the same as the one in the base RSX in every way.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
According to this article the Si has balance shafts while the RSX does not.
The days of cheap Si's have been over for a long while. Honda had a dealer incentive back in late 2002 early 2003 on the Si's. I bought mine for $14.5K ($15.5 after taxes and fees) and financed it at 1.9% APR (which is not offered anymore) with only $1000 down (to cover taxes and fees) I think the real world price these days is in the $17K range. But you may find a good deal on a used Si, they are not fetching good resale values.
I would probably sell mine if I was offered $15K for it :-)
List in 2002 was $25,500 cdn and remains same for 2004. Bought new 2002 for $19k cdn a week ago. Had excellent full blackout job, moulded mud guards & sunroof visor.) Sold the pewnee 15 inch mags and got 16 motegi and 225/16/50s which transformed the car.
They are not selling here either. This car needed to be supplied and sold stripped down for the youth/ricer market that want to customize to their own liking. Should have come absolutely stripped with the 200hp RSX motor and a 6 speed.
Personally, I love the car.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Front brake rotors seem extremely priced though ($155 USD per side?). Besides tire upgrade it's remaining stock except for sound system. Still have a Talon TSI AWD that we spent a fortune on in every part of the vehicle so that is last car that will receive major mods.
Unit runs like a swiss time piece.
First try were 205/55/15 BFG Traction, V rated. Put these on based on available info at Tirerack, Tiretrends, 1010 Tires etc. After two weeks I decided they had to go. Very noisy, nervous ride and honkin big flat spots...in May! Also one tire had two four inch long weights for balance?? Too bad, traction was top notch.
Second set are Toyo Proxes 4. Very smooth, very high traction wet and dry no flat spots. They do cost more but are worth it. These are keepers.
Oil usage at 38,000 km is zilch using 10w30 synthetic and hard driving. Problems have been a squeaky clutch pedal and a small evasive water leak into the spare tire well. Otherwise this is still a blast to drive, even at 90 cent a litre.
Honda seems like they may be getting their act together, but I guess we'll have to wait until 2006 to find out.
(We need both the CRX + 5 door Civic here in North America)
Excuse me ignorance but what is the benefit? besides the replacement issue, chain has no benefit. It is heavier, noisier, clunkier, and still stretches.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Chains break too and are more expensive to replace. But between $20 fill-ups every 330 or so miles and tires, the timing belt/chain issue is moot.
I think any internal part of the engine should be as durable as the rest of the engine, that is all. In over half a million accumulated miles over 20 years in vehicles with timing chains, I have not ever had one break or need replacement.
besides, if you have the dealer do it and have them replace the water pump as well, it is a lot closer to $500 than $300. I'd rather spend that money replacing the shocks when the car is that age.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Wheels...$500 on ebay no less
Sway bar...$150
Tires...$350
Install of parts...$250
That's at 8000 miles.
Not to mention the $500 of XM radio equipment I want to have installed soon.
$300 doesn't sound that bad. I've owned countless used Hondas and the first thing I do is get the timing belt changed. It's just regular maintenance to me.
If you can't afford the maintenance, you can't afford to drive. It's that simple. That's one of the reasons my Lexus only has 8000 miles in 2 years. Dealer maintenance (and gas) is a killer in that car. The $ per mile is too high to ride frivolously.
Well sure, but even if you can afford it, why spend perfectly good money on an expense that could be easily avoided by designing the car with a chain, as the SI has been? I'm sorry, have I missed something here? All the items you have listed above make the car better and/or more individualized for your needs from it. Do you really think the timing belt is such an improvement over a chain that you are willing to pay for that too? If so, you might be able to pay to replace the chain with a belt, I dunno though...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I never said that the belt was superior to the chain or vice versa. My point is that if a car is equipped with a belt it is ridiculous not to buy the car because of a $300 maintenance item that occurs every 90,000 miles.
Later in the week, she took it and had dark grey Motegi's put on. They were supposed to come with Sumitomo HTR II's but the tire place tried to hose us(that's another long story). But we prevailed in the end.
She paid mid-$17k for it plus the extended warranty(yes, I know it's a Honda but we're planning on giving it to my daughter in 4 years when she goes to college.).
Anyway, it's great and fun to thrash about. Thanks all for the tech. info. Take care.TC
I see them on the road here and there. But still they are not as numerous as regular Civic's. Most people don't realize that it is a Civic, still.
After putting a couple of the early '04s on their lots, my two local Honda dealers have not stocked any since.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
With VTC there is a difference between shifting late and stepping on gas. The computer monitors the pedal input against the speed and gear. If you mash the gas the timing is adjusted to give the most power. So, for merging, just floor it, and the car will propell. Shifting at 6800 rpm is nice, but make sure you got there by pressing gas and not by holding the car in gear and slowly getting to it.
Some people reported not being able to rev to 5000 RPM while clutch disengaged and in 1st gear. I seem not to have the "wheel popper limiter" on my 2002 Si.
If you car for some reason would not rev past 4500 RPM, you are LOW ON OIL!
I just traded my Honda Civic Hybrid (CVT) in for a Civic Si. Why? I missed the stick-shift and after test driving the Si, I decided I will pay the extra $20.00 a month in gas. The Hybrid is a nice car, but.....
Anyway, I took possession of my Si ($17,800) and have put about 300 miles on it since Monday. I do think I may have a problem, though. When I am shifting and I press in on the clutch, starting at about half-way down, I feel a vibration through the clutch pedal. This vibration is in time with the RPM's of the engine; more RPM's, more vibration.
Has anyone noticed this behavior? I am concerned the clutch isn't engaging all the way. OR, am I just being paranoid? I don't seem to remember this feeling on the other Si I tested. Thanks in advance.
Joe Edwards
My clutch does make a funny noise (that I should have had fixed a long time ago), but it doesn't sound like yours, and I think it only happened on 2002s.