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Honda Civic Coupe / Civic Si 2006+

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Comments

  • xmontxxmontx Member Posts: 18
    That's good to know! Thanks eldaino and john500. You guys seem to know your stuff about civic SI. After buying one, it has definitely gotten me interested in what is actually in my car rather than just driving it around. I really want to keep my car for a long time, and if i can know the ins and outs of things, maybe it'll help me in the long run.

    Thanks again guys!
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    congrats man and enjoy your ride! Any questions you may still have, just us know and we will all do our best!

    Is yours a coupe or sedan? And what color?
  • xmontxxmontx Member Posts: 18
    2007 civic coupe fiji blue.

    It's an amazing car. I remember the first time I just gunned it after breaking in my car and then once I heard the vtec kick in, I kept wanting to hear it more often!

    I want to get some HID installed on the car but I just found out that it's illegal to get HID kit to get it installed. Some DOT gov't violation for not installing it correctly or something.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    its not illegal, you just have to find a hid kit thats dot legal. i wouldn't do it though, your money can be better spent on some performance mods.

    Still going on about the vtec 'kicking in' i see... :blush:
  • xmontxxmontx Member Posts: 18
    hmm, I guess I could hold out on the HID lights. But they just look so nice on cars in general. I want to keep my car as stocked as possible. I rather not change the way it sounds. I think Honda did a good thing by not making the noise too annoying/loud with the stocked air intake.

    I was thinking of getting the K&N air filter. I heard it opens a little more power for the engine, but not significant to noticed? And once my warranty is done (3 years I think) I'm thinking of reprogramming the chip? Not sure what the technical term is. But it is suppose to kick in the Vtec @ 5 RPM instead of the stock 6 RPM. I heard that cost $600 USD.

    Do you suggest any other modifications that you have done yourself to your civic SI?
  • pkarnigpkarnig Member Posts: 3
    hey i am a happy owner of a 06 civic si. living in the SF bay area and want to add some performance to my new ride.
    what does everyone suggest? i want to do as much as i can without going all the way to turbo.....

    i would also like suggestions on what i should do to make the car handle better, like lowering and stiffer springs and shocks.

    also i am wondering if increasing the width of the wheels and rubber will help.

    any suggestions will be appreciated.
  • xmontxxmontx Member Posts: 18
    The car has standard mods on the SI. For example the suspensions. As for lowering the car, since I live in an area that has lots of bumps, it wouldn't be wise for me to :) But a nice HID lights on them looks really nice. But performance wise I'm still new to it all.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    xmontx; i actually don't have a civc si, i used to own an ex (2006) but i'm a big fan and have been into the whole 'tuning' scene i guess you could say, for awhile.

    The k&n filter will maybe give you more power when you actually dyno the car, but probably not enough to notice. It also does not do as good a job of filtering as the stock one would.

    You could re-program your ecu to make the engine deliver more power all across the rpm range, but it wont be a huge differance.

    As far as lowering when v-tec kicks in....YOU CANT. It does NOT 'kick in'. The reason many people think this is because the si delivers its max torque and horsepower right around redline. V-tec activates when YOU want it to, by driving more aggressively.

    As far as performance mods go, a full exhaust (full not just a tin can muffler), maybe a performance clutch and short shifter, air intake, and some headers would be the cheapest thing to do. It wont do worlds for power, but should give you the extra torque the si really needs!

    In all honesty, you will have to invest quite a bit to make the engine produce more power without forced induction.(turbo, supercharger.) And the cost of it may not offset the benefits or gains in power.

    Honda makes a hell of a four cylinder. There is very little you have to do to make sure it can handle a turbo.

    When you do, you'll have a very different car. :)

    As far as suspension goes, if you don't want to void your warranty, you can get honda's own facotry performance suspension kit, or if its not an issue, go with a good company like h&r or eibach. If you go to the tirerack.com, you can look up your si and they will show you some really nice suspension components for it.

    Hope this helps!
  • subaru_mansubaru_man Member Posts: 17
    I just bought a 2002 Honda Civic SI hatchback. The car has everything stock from the dealer since new. However, the steering is very stiff on this car. I test drove another car of the same make/model and it does not have this problem. The car pulls slightly to the left and it seem to want to jerk away right/left after going over "bumpy" roads. Any ideas?
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    the si hatch was one of the first cars that honda used electric power steering on; being an early version, many complained how dull it was and not very sporty at all, but i dunno if that translates into stiff. :confuse:
  • subaru_mansubaru_man Member Posts: 17
    I just bought a 2002 Civic SI and am experiencing the exact same thing. Apparently the '02 was the first year for the Electric Power Steering (EPS). The car will drive straight on a FLAT road. When the car go over any grooves in the road, it tends to want to wander here and there.
    I think the problem lies in a faulty EPS. I read a brief article on how the EPS system works and it is speed sensitive. The EPS adjusts steering based on the car's speed. My thinking is that as the car speeds up, the steering is suppose to get stiffer, giving the driver a better steering control at higher speed. During low speed, the steering control should be lighter. I think the EPS computer has a malfunction (fault in that it thinks the car is at some high rate of speed) and keeps the car STIFF all the time. Any thoughts?
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    yes that was the first time it was used, and it was exclusive to the si.

    from what i hear, eps can actually be re-programmed to be more or less responsive depending on the drivers needs.

    my vw rabbit has eps, but its one of the most accurate ones on the market.(for an eps ofcourse.)

    Having said that, the eps in the new civic hybrid and in the new si is VERY much so responsive.
  • bf109acebf109ace Member Posts: 77
    I'm curious what motor oils you use on your 2006/07 Si.
    I drive a 06' Accord 2.4L which sometimes I drive it hard.

    So far I've had my oil changed at Honda Dealership where they exclusively use Agip Motor oil. It Agip of good quality?

    How does Agip compare with Castrol and/or Mobil 1 (synthetic)? Once in a while I drive at high rpm (4000-5500). Will I benefit from using Mobil 1 for extra protection of engine, less wear on moving parts inside engine, etc?

    Please share your experience. I wonder what motor oil Honda uses when they replace it on a Civic Si or S2000? :confuse:

    Thanks, Richard
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    the place i had my honda serviced at always used castrol, which was the same thing as the dealer...going synthetic does yield better performance, but its if you are really going to slog your car around for years. But there should be no problem with using reg oil in your civic/accord even if you drive it hard.

    i've never heard of the oil your honda dealer is using.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    xmontx; i actually don't have a civc si, i used to own an ex...

    That explains it all. You might want to actually go drive one of the new ones before boldly declaring that i-vtec doesn't "kick in." I've driven it, and it does "kick in" around 6,000 RPM or so. It's quite obvious, too. It's accompanied with the usual vtec ruckus and a slight bump in acceleration.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    actually no, your still wrong.

    1. The vtec employed on newer k series engines is totally different than on the old b series engines that were notorious for the obvious v-tec engage.

    2. having an ex means nothing; it employs the same type of vtec (i vtec) that the si uses, just to more relaxed degree.

    you gotta remember that the si makes its all its power very close to redline; most would agree that depending on where in the rpm range your particular car makes its most power, its usually at its loudest and most brisk with regards to acceleration.

    the vtec is always 'there' on the k series engine; it has cams that activate under different circumstances in higher rpm ranges, but this changer over is much more subtle than it was in previous vtec applications, in which v tec did not engage AT ALL until you reached a certain rpms.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    Then it must've been really bad in previous ones. There is most definitely a noticeable change over. You can hear and and feel it. Apparently the i-vtec in the Si is tuned drastically different from the EX. You really need to go drive one agressively.
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    Yes, it was pretty horrendous. Lol. It was exactly like an old-school turbo kicking in. But wow what a blast.
  • wharris1178wharris1178 Member Posts: 1
    :cry: I just bought a 92 civic a few days ago and the key won't come out of the ignition when you push it in. sometimes it will come out but 80% of the time the key will not come out because it is stuck. :cry:
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    i vtec is i vtec no matter what; the difference is that in the civic i used to own, while sitl peaky, didn't make a ton of horsepower in sky high rpm territory. This is what you are experiencing; not i vtec changes, its suppossed to be fluid, not abrupt and it is. That the whole nature of a k series engine.

    lots of hp, not ivtec is the...'problem' here.

    yes, on the older b series engines; you can def notice it, although you have to learn when to, even then its not this gratuitous blast, at least not on any american spec v tec vehicles minus the integra type r. But for the honda fan, yes you can notice it.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    uh...make sure you are pulling it out the right way? take it to a locksmith and the car to a dealer?
  • john500john500 Member Posts: 409
    A workaround for a lot of the old cars was to wiggle the steering wheel while you try to remove the ignition key. There's probably a more significant issue, but I would try the cheap route until it doesn't work any more.
  • blutacblutac Member Posts: 27
    anyone know how to separate the driving lights from the headlight switch. On my Tacoma there was a mod which by putting a jumper between a couple of fuses in the fuse box bypassed the headlight switch so the driving (fog) lights work independently.
  • bsherwoodbsherwood Member Posts: 2
    I decided to use AMSOIL in my 2007 si sedan. From the tests I read, amsoil is a class 5 synthetic and mobil 1 and others like it are class 3. The oil I used is supposed to last 35000 miles and the filter they sell is a 25k filter. That means one year without oil changes. And they guarantee it. I could tell an immediate difference after changing the oil. Not huge difference but better none the less.

    According to the tests this new oil had a wear rating of something like .01 and Mobil 1 had a .05, this means the amsoil is protecting 5x better. It's not overly expensive either. I paid $60 for 5 quarts oil, filter, and bottle of cleaner that you only use the first time when you switch to it. You can google amsoil and see what I'm talking about.
  • bsherwoodbsherwood Member Posts: 2
    Any one done a turbo yet on the new si? Been thinking about one once my warranty runs out.
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    I chimed in shortly after getting my EX Coupe last year, too. Since that time it has become my wife's car, and I drive a Prius. I recently got back in the Civic and wow, what a lousy car. Rattles everywhere, the steering feels weird, the body moves around in corners, and the stereo sounds muddy. It's been in for squeeks and rattles several times and is headed back in next week for a noisy steering wheel airbag cover. My Prius is much higher quality, which is saying something about a car that's basically a hybrid Echo, and it even handles better on a mountain road. Of course, don't tell any of this to my wife. She loves it!
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    a haa haa haa!

    this is rich!

    the prius has got to be one of the lousiest handling vehicles on the planet! dunno about the squeaks, but to call the steering weird? do you really drive a prius? no feedback WHATSOEVER from the road. the most artificial feeling eltromechanical steering setup i have EVER driven.

    handles better on a mountain road....man that made my day! :P
  • slowpedalerslowpedaler Member Posts: 62
    Clearly a difference of opinion, eh? My idea of good steering is probably not a majority opinion. I shuffle steer, that is, I always have my hands in the bottom half of the steering wheel, feeding to the left hand or the right. I never cross my hands over. I prefer the light steering of my Prius for my style of driving, which others may consider uncommunicative. I'm sure I'm also biased from all my years of driving Toyota Tercels and an Echo, all cars with light steering and small wheels. I got quite good at passing bigger/faster cars on tight roads with these things, and in comparison, the Civic actually feels big and unwieldy to me. My bigger complaint with the Civic's steering isn't that it is heavier, though. I feel it has an unpredictable change in ratio through a constant-radius corner. These are minor nits, though. The car handles well enough, and is great fun. My main issue with it is it rattles as bad as my old Echo!
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    still very weird; if thats how you drive, than the prius must be murder; it has this huge empty lack of feedback and is totally numb on center, i'm suprised that they way you hold it is actually telling you anything about the road.

    the civics wheel is tiny and the steering is light and straightforward; this suits your prefrence much more than a prius would.
  • themistoclesthemistocles Member Posts: 95
    My friend has a 2006 Sti, Engine already blew. now saving up 5.5k for new engine. I do love the car though :D
  • themistoclesthemistocles Member Posts: 95
    hey, did you use 10w30 or 5w30 amsoil in your car? hows it work at 6-8,000 rpms? thanks you
  • themistoclesthemistocles Member Posts: 95
    about those turbos for the Si, id wait a little bit longer to put one in, im sure more will come out. But, if you go to youtube and type 2007 civic si turbo, or something along those lines, many people have done it. Some good races on it too. Si racing a m3 on the street for a loong time, pretty much neck and neck everytime, sometimes Si barely comes out in front, sometimes m3 barely comes out in front. Quite cool. :D
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    there should be plenty of turbo kits for the new si, since the k20 has been around for awhile, even if its tuned slightly different for the 06+ si's.

    They may need some re-working to fit the engine bay though!
  • error438error438 Member Posts: 17
    I have a normal 140 HP civic with a MT. Sometimes I miss a gear while I'm gunning it so it's just in neutral.(I'm still learning) Will it damage the engine to be flooring it in neutral ar does the rev limiter save me?
    Also I was wondering if anyone would suggest summer tires over the stock all season M+S tires.
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    error, the rev limiter is there for that exact reason. It shouldn't let you take the revs to the level that you'll actually do any real damage to your engine. At the same time, though it's there to keep you from accidentally causing damage, it's best not to tempt fate... personally, i'd recommend getting a bit more confident on the MT before really trying to floor it from a stop. However, in short response to your question, No, you should be okay. Just don't do it too often.

    As for the tires, it depends on how you drive, and where you're at. It sounds like you drive for some performance, so the summer tires would give you a bit more bite in your accelerations. Where do you live? If it's somewhere that you can reasonably expect to get snow/ice (and have it stick around for at least a couple days), it might be good to have the all-seasons. If that's not much of a factor for you, then there's no real issue with getting the summer tires. Another option, if you get the summers and you do have a snowy winter, you can get a set of all-season or winter tires in addition to the summer tires, then just swap them out when the weather turns white. I live on the Rampart Range in Colorado, so I sided for just getting the all-season tires. I still get really nice performance out of them in my Si. It's really just a balance of what you think is reasonable and what you want.
  • bf04bf04 Member Posts: 6
    I have had my SI for about week with 500 miles on it. It has probably been rev up to 8k 2-3 times, due to dealer showing off, wife..etc. I am trying to baby it little now till I hit 1200-1500 for full breakin. Do you think their could be any damage or anything due to rev it high so eariler? So far it drives awsome.

    I do not live near a honda dealership so I will be going to Jiffy lube for oil changes. I am thinking of going to synth but never used it before. I plan on keeping the car a long time. So is the synth that jiffy lube uses good and anything I should know about switching oil?

    Thx
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    I don't think the high revs should be an issue for you. It's only 2-3 times, and probably only for just a few seconds, so it's not going to greatly impact your break in.

    For oil, I haven't quite come up to my first change yet, but I'm planning on switching to a synthetic oil. I'll prolly talk to my a mechanic first before actually doing it to make sure it would actually be better, though.
  • bruinftbruinft Member Posts: 8
    I'm new here, but I'm hoping that someone can answer my question. I'm virtually dead set on getting a Civic SI. But there is one question that I need to have answered before I can make the purchase and it won't get answered by a test drive. How comfortable is the driver's seat in the Civic SI during long drives, like an 90 minutes or more? What about during extended bouts of bumper to bumper traffic (I live in LA)?

    Also, on a side note, I'm going to get the Civic as soon as I learn how to drive manual. My friend offered to teach me how and he suggested renting a manual transmission car. Anyone know where I can rent a MT car in LA? All of the major car rental companies seem to only rent automatics.

    Thanks
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    bruin, I guarantee you that the seats are GREAT. I made a 17 hour drive in my Si, and the seats were VERY comfortable, and the same goes in normal traffic. They're really supportive, and nicely firm. As an added bonus, they really hold you in place when you're playing and doing hard cornering.

    I'm pretty sure you won't be able to find a rental agency that rents out MT's unless you go to Europe. Just find a friend who doesn't mind you learning in his/her car, because you won't be able to find a rental. They don't carry MT's for that reason specifically, so that people new to MT's don't drop the transmission in the rental cars.
  • bruinftbruinft Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the input. Since I spend a lot of time in cars, it's important to get an idea of how comfortable the interior is.

    My problem is that I only have 1 friend that's local that knows how to drive manual. Everyone else that drives manual that I know lives pretty far from me. I've read online that people that don't know how to drive manual have learned how to drive on their new car without causing a lot of excess wear and tear. I might have to go that same route.
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    Yea, it's not a problem if you learn the stick on a new car. Just take it slow and you'll be fine. There are alot of people who have been pretty violent learning MT, and the car in nearly all cases will be just fine.
  • themistoclesthemistocles Member Posts: 95
    the SEATS ARE THE BEST in the SI. Since the car has a wider body, they were able to make the seats wider too. They arent some cheap bucket seats, they have full support, its GREAT for long drives. its easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic. IT just can be quite frustrating, My baby wants to eat up road and fly through the curves. When i switched from my Jetta GL to the Si, i got much more impatient getting stuck in traffic. So ive had to use alot more self control, hehe. Now i just plan around traffic so i dont have to deal with it.

    About switching to full synthetic oil. DO it after you break the car in. MAKE SURE THEY USE 5W 30!! LOTS of the dealerships have an ERROR in there technician manuals that honda sent them! it says to use 5W 20! Once i showed the manager at my dealership the user manual and the engine oil cap. He was like "o [non-permissible content removed]..." then showed me all there service manuals. It was hondas fault for sending tech manuals that say to use the wrong oil. Im just suprised no one else has caught this earlier. I also found out that almost all the dealerships in the area have been using the wrong oil. SO make sure you check with your dealership! If it doesnt get too cold around there, I suggest using 10w 30 for the best protection and i personally like Mobile 1.
  • error438error438 Member Posts: 17
    I have an '07 civic lx and just bought a new shift knob. i am having problems getting it on. i can unscrew the knob, but the fake leather part under it(boot?sleeve?)just dangles. can anyone help with it. its a pilot motorsports knob. thanks
  • carfanatic007carfanatic007 Member Posts: 267
    If you live in LA I advise NOT getting the SI. Why? Because you will be constantly shifting in bumper to bumper traffic. I recently moved from Cleveland to the Metro DC area, and I hit massive traffic to and from work. The constant shifting can get quite old. And, do to the fact that you don't even know how to shift? I think your making a mistake!
  • franceyfrancey Member Posts: 21
    RE the oil.
    My manual recommends for the Civic Si model 5W-30.
    I have a Civic EX and the manual recommends 5W-20.
    I checked my first oil bill and they have used 5W-20, as required.
    That gave me a start when I read of a possible error in oil viscosity.

    I have to laugh.... When I went in for my first oil change, I had a coupon from Honda giving a free first oil change and presented it to them. Turns out it was a 'come-on' to get you to go to Honda for the change. The coupon was a 'play on words' and wasn't worth the paper it was written on. I was disappointed that Honda would do something so under-handed. I guess business is business in these days and times.

    Regardless, I do think my EX is a marvelous car. The seating is so comfortable, the car handles beautifully and the mileage in-town driving is 32-33, and distance driving 36.

    How many drivers would like to get an extra 'free' 50 miles per gas fill up, during in-town driving? I have an automatic transmission. I was alerted to this savings when stopped and noticed that when you take your foot off the brake the car continues forward at about 9 mph. This occurs in every car I've driven, so it's not unusual. I figured that was a waste of gas to be sitting with my foot on the brake while the car is still trying to go forward so I shifted into neutral and the car's forward momentum stopped. Putting 2+2 together, and shifting into neutral when the gas pedal wasn't needed, I was astonished to discover that I got 50 extra miles per fill-up as a bonus for doing that.

    Whenever you take your foot off the gas pedal, shift into neutral. You'd be surprised how many times this occurs and how many long hills there are that you can coast down rather than drive down. I drive and coast neutral at whatever the highway speed signs are, so doing this doesn't disturb traffic speed. As far as I can tell, it doesn't affect the drivability or engine in any way. Everything handles the same. However, if you are not comfortable doing this, don't do it. I live in east Tennessee where the roads are gently
    rising and falling hills in general, and I drive in neutral for about the same amount of time I drive in drive.

    It also taught me to view way ahead and when other's brakelights go on, I shift into neutral and coast to the red light or
    whatever else is making them brake and always shift into neutral while stopped and waiting for traffic to move. I tested this on a full tank of gas and I found that I got an extra 50 miles for free, just for the extra effort of using neutral. Now it's gotten
    to be a habit, to shift neutral when I take my foot off the gas pedal.

    A lot of people could care less about how much gas they burn, so this is directed to
    folks like me, who just hate to see the oil companies profiting billions because us
    citizens just won't drive conservatively. Try it, you may like it. -smile- Bye. Francey
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    Regarding francey's gas-saving solution, I have always done the same in any manual car I drive (I currently have an '07 Si). It's almost like a game for me, to see how far I can coast on a slight downhill and still keep up the same speed. I agree, shifting into neutral is a GREAT way to save some gas, because if you're in gear, your engine is still spinning at 3k-ish rpms. In neutral, it drops below 1k.
  • kork13kork13 Member Posts: 90
    Sorry, I meant to include this in my last post here... Concerning doing this with an automatic (shifing in/out of neutral alot to save some fuel), does anyone know if doing hat would slowly cause undue wear of the tranny, or its fluids? I MT's are designed to be shifted in/out of gear all the time, but AT's seem specifically built to stay in drive. Anyone with some mechanical know-how?
  • plektoplekto Member Posts: 3,738
    Actually, shifting manually won't hurt an automatic half as much as a typical manual. But you will wear out your brakes faster, so that has to be factored in versus the 2 gallons a week you are saving. (say 100 gallons in a year and replacing your brake pads every year, and rotors every 3-4) Not quite as much of a savings as you'd think.

    But it is a good tactic if you are on a long trip or trying to eek out a few MPG to make it to a station.
  • samautobuysamautobuy Member Posts: 12
    Hi,

    I am in the process of buying a new 2007 Honda Civic LX Coupe W/Automatic Transmission in Indianapolis, IN area.

    Could you please suggest me what should be the best price for this model. So far I have got the quotation for $17,150+Tax & Title.

    If any one in this or surrounding area has got a better deal then please let me know the price and dealer details.

    Thanks
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    You found the best place for help with this when you posted here: samautobuy, "Honda Civic: Prices Paid & Buying Experience" #5959, 24 Aug 2007 11:59 pm. Let's continue at that link. Good luck!
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