I drove one of these new Civics (though not an Si), a thorough disappointment. Honda started down this path some time ago, it almost seems irreversible now. Sad really...

8/17/2011 1:55:47 PM

I've driven some Type R Integras and the newest Si, although not back-to-back. The newest Si really impressed me. It did feel a little more piggish than the Type R, but it gave me the same confidence that I could just jump in the driver seat and drive it like I stole it that the original Type R Integra had. I think they're good cars.

My own 08 Ex model is not even worth comparing. I did put a set of grippy tires on it and I think it handles well for what it is, but it's still more of an econocar that gets good gas mileage than anything else. Making do with what you have is part of the challenge sometimes though.

[Edited on August 17, 2011 at 2:23 PM. Reason : l]

8/17/2011 2:20:08 PM

They started going downhill the moment they stopped equipping their cars with double wishbone suspensions

8/17/2011 3:06:48 PM

you can throw a 92-200X boring hatchback my way and I will drive it until the rear end rusts off.

8/17/2011 4:19:39 PM

Quote :

" tell her to get a life, or a job (the bums will always lose), swallow your pride, and buy her a cheap, reliable car that will get the job done. if you're worried about roadside breakdowns, get AAA"

(She does have a job, and is also going to school, but that's beside the point)

See here is the problem with a cheap, reliable car--I don't have much extra money to pull into this deal. I'm going to be more or less limited to the current equity I have in my car if I want to say screw the loan and go cash. So that would put my price ceiling at or under $2000. And I'm just not comfortable having two old, inexpensive cars right now. And if I'm going to have to take out a loan, I want to get something close enough to new that I will have zero worries about it lasting 100K+ miles beyond what's already on it at purchase.

I'm selling my car because the gas mileage is no longer tolerable. That was the root cause of all of this. Once that decision was made and I asked myself which was a better decision--to get a car for myself or to get a car for her that I will occasionally drive--the correct choice was easy. The input her has been helpful, at this point I think we just need to go drive some cars. I shall report back.

8/20/2011 9:18:00 PM