Should I Trade In My Si?

[JR]

Hi everyone,

I currently own a 2018 Civic Si and I have been thinking about potentially trading in my Si for a 2018 BRZ. As a daily driver, the Civic Si is a great car, but once you start to push it, it is not that rewarding. One of my main gripes with the vehicle is the god awful rev hang in the upper rev range. The clutch is light and easy to modulate in traffic, but feels too light when driving spiritedly. The car also just feels a bit soft and not that mechanical, if that makes any sense. Other than that, the car handles well, gets good gas mileage and I won't need to swap over to winter tires in a few months. It also has good mid-range torque due to the turbo

I previously owned a FRS when it first came out, but it was an automatic and my first rwd sports car at a young age, so I was not able to appreciate it as much as I think I would now. The main questions that I am looking to get some answers/opinions on are listed below. I know some of these questions may be subjective, but I want to get some opinions before I go and visit a dealership to test drive one. Thanks in advance.

1. Is the dip in torque still as bad as everyone says, despite having new gearing and a whole extra 5 HP and Torque?

2. How is the rev hang?

3. How does the clutch and shifter feel?

[Stang70Fastback]

Honestly, nothing anyone tells you here is going to be as useful as if you were to just go test drive one yourself. All three of the items you asked are not "long-term" issues, or other items that require lengthy ownership of the vehicle to determine. You can answer these questions best yourself with a decent test drive!

Plus you previously owned one, so you've already got a good baseline idea of what they're like. While they have changed over the past few years, the changes are minor, comparatively speaking. So you can focus less on the "overall experience," and more on the specific points of concern you have.

[Decep]

Before taking a bath on trading in your Civic , try a tune to get rid of the Rev hang.

The twins also have a light clutch but no Rev hang.

[RToyo86]

Not a lot will have changed to your prior ownership experience.

The 2018's ride a bit better as they softened up the dampers a tad.
If you opt for a six speed manual, the gearing is even shorter than it was previously. A tight ratio six speed will definitely perk up the feel of the engine compared to the auto.

The dip is there there. It is something you can work around as long as you actually drive the car. I only find it to be a problem if you sit in the dip and try to accelerate.

I'd suggest a test drive to see how it stacks up. The civic will have it beat on usable power in the mid range without question. But if you like to corner and feel the chassis communicate It can be worth the trade off.

The shifter feels good, very direct feel. The clutch is light[too light for me]. I solved that with a softer spring to stiffen it up.

[weederr33]

Buy it.

[Prodigalson]

I had an Acura TSX (my 11th Honda). The rev hang was horrible. Hondata FlashPro helped somewhat, but it was still there. I strongly considered a 2018 Si before I purchased the FRS. The chassis dynamics of the 86/FRS/BRZ is far more rewarding and communicative than the Si. The clutch/shifter is more direct, crisp and enjoyable to use. For me, there's no question: The 86/FRS/BRZ is a better car, and more fun to drive. That being said, I bought a '08 Civic to drive while I'm getting a newer 86/FRS/BRZ.

[spike021]

Nope. Buy a different car.

If you have problems with rev hang and issues with "once you start to push it, it is not that rewarding [...]" then you're almost certain to have problems.

If you're even asking about the so-called torque dip, then you're going to be experiencing it all the time, so the car is never going to feel perky to you.

So this is the wrong car to buy unless you're going to put a bunch of money into headers, tune, FI, etc.

[Adam_L]

It's always good to make a list of the top ten things you want in a car ( mpg, safety, handling, versatility , low cost , etc) . Rank each one a 1-10 score ( so a truck would score a 10 for versatility , a certain SUV might score a 9) . After you've done that, it gives you a better idea, and you can then compare car to car which scores higher.

Also TEST DRIVE .... get out there and drive different cars. Taste the flavors.

[Mr.ac]

My two cents: keep the Si.
You are not missing out on a '18 86. It's still the same car you had. Just has a new face. Unless you get the performance package, but even then it's just big break kit you can buy for the same price (somewhat the same)

The Si has more power, more room, more gadgets, and better comfort over all.

If you want the sport car experience, then get it. If all you want it for looks you can do better than a 86. Just my personal opinion.

[SkyeHack]

Buy this. It will get rid of your Rev Hang. Reassess and then see if you want to get rid of your Si. 2018 Si is a great inexpensive sporty reliable FWD car.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by SkyeHack

great

FWD

You're not making sense

[SkyeHack]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

You're not making sense

lol.


RWD will always be better than FWD performance wise. But if he had to drive a FWD car, the Si is a great choice.


I had a 2008 Si before I got my 2018 BRZ. It's a fun vehicle.

[bcj]

Torque dip is only another moaning point equivalent to more powerrrr!
It's never bothered me.

Does the Honda still have the water pump driven off the timing belt?
A frozen pump is what blew up my '84 Civic S. After 11 years though.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by Mr.ac

My two cents: keep the Si.
You are not missing out on a '18 86. It's still the same car you had. Just has a new face. Unless you get the performance package, but even then it's just big break kit you can buy for the same price (somewhat the same)

The Si has more power, more room, more gadgets, and better comfort over all.

If you want the sport car experience, then get it. If all you want it for looks you can do better than a 86. Just my personal opinion.

Probably the most accurate post in regards to this question. I wouldn't conclude with 'keep the SI' though because that really depends on which direction you want to go.

I personally probably would switch but that would be because I WANT the sports car experience. An econobox or a hot hatch with a powerful engine and can handle is fun and all, but it might not 'feel' like the right combination for the driving experience.