drove a Civic Si yesterday/ performance review

[rocco2nr@hotmail.com (Joe Doty)]

Scott,

I suppose that engine would be the twin cam ZC.  Sounds like the one you 
drove was tuned up well, my buddy has one in his CRX.  It's a complete dog 
without the proper computer.  I would leave it like no tomorrow when I had 
my 2.0 16v in.

It must be nice to be able to shift into 1st at like 15 mph on a normal 
transmission.  The DSMs can do that too.

Joe

>Guys, I had the opportunity to drive a hotted up Civic Si yesterday on some
>favorite backroads of mine. The roads were smooth but twisty asphalt with
>lots of elevation changes. The 1988 car was upgraded with a JDM 1600cc
>non-VTEC motor and had some typical suspension mods performed (unknown
>dampers/springs). Ride height was lowered about 2" (not crazy for a Honda).
>The wheels were 15x6" with middle-grade 195/50/15 tires.
>
>Okay, so with that said what did I think of the experience? Well... frankly
>it was pretty damned cool:
>
>Engine:
>The motor has little torque off the line, just as I expected. However,it
>keeps on pulling strong all the way up to 7k rpms. Mind you, this was on a
>stock head and cam. I prefer the feel of the VW engine but really didn't
>mind this car's peaky power delivery, either. Considering that this car had
>a J-spec motor swapped in it, it is fair to compare it to a warmed up 16v.
>We are thankfully blessed with both low end torque *and* decent upper-rpm
>performance. Thus, I must rule in favor of Volkswagen in this round.
>
>**advantage VW**
>
>Handling:
>The Honda's suspension was well suited to the road conditions. With a 2"
>drop, I expected to be hitting the bump stops and lurching all over road
>imperfections. Following the lines that chose without complaint, there were
>no such troubles. Still, the car didn't offer much in terms of feedback
>whereas the VW "talks" to you a lot more. However, never did this lack of
>communication dull the driving experience. In fact, it made is somewhat
>easier to concentrate while at the limit. The chassis was certainly more
>composed and settled than an A1 VW but did not offer the solidity of the 
>A2.
>Its agility was nearly on par with the A1 and surpassed the A2 by a small
>margin. This was an apples/oranges comparison but both cars can hold their
>own.
>
>**draw**
>
>Transmission:
>Kudos to the Japanese engineers who put that wonderful gearbox together. 
>The
>linkage felt direct and precise. Shifts were accurate and easily 
>negotiated.
>Even heel and toeing into a hairpin and downshifting to 1st at 4000 rpms 
>was
>effortless. Try that in a VW! This round was easy to score. VW should take
>some notes.
>
>**advantage Honda (by a mile)**
>
>Overall perception:
>The Honda surprised me with its competence. I have new respect for those
>older cars. It was actually fun to drive and inspired confidence 
>throughout.
>However, it still felt somewhat like an appliance. The parts worked very
>well together in a wholly synergistic manner.
>
>Verdict:
>I'll keep my VW, thanks. However, I'll not underestimate a Civic chasing me
>through the twisties. Kept out of the hands of the rice crowd, these cars
>are formidable competitors.
>--
>Scott F. Williams
>NJ Scirocco nut
>'99 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS
>Mazda 323 GTX turbo "assaulted" vehicle
>Golf GTI 16v "rollycar"
>ClubVAC: "Roads found. Drivers wanted."
>
>
>
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