One Week with a Car: 2004 Honda Civic Si

No matter how good a car looks on the dealership lot, or how great it seems on the first test drive, the true measure of owning a vehicle can be said to be taken from the ride home and onward. It is during the first few weeks that we own a vehicle that we start to realize and get used to certain things that we may not have considered during the test drive and decision making process. Is the car a little worse on gas than we expected? Does it not have as much room in the trunk as we thought? Take those bumps a little too harshly? All of these questions and more have been faced by many during the first few weeks of owning a vehicle. With that in mind, let us take a look at one week owning and operating a 2004 Civic Si.

Day One: The Dealership

There it stands, a Nighthawk Black Pearl 2004 Civic Si hatchback. From a distance, it looks great, and up close even better. Four brand new tires sit on the 16" wheels, a small spoiler adorns the back, and the paint has just been washed and waxed. With the sun glinting off of it, it looks like the perfect car. The test drive confirms this: superb handling, quick acceleration, quick shifting, and still comfortable. After a little haggling, the deal is done and the title is in hand, along with the keys. The drive home confirms the initial thoughts, it really is a great car. A quick stop at the gas station (joy takes over when the manual reveals the car need run only 87 octane) and along we go. Driving style gets slightly more aggressive without a salesman in the car, but no problems to be had. The engine sounds great, the shifter feels like a short throw (its not) and even it's awkward position on the dashboard is kind of cool after you start driving it. After arriving at home, the car is parked, and the readied for the trip back to college in the morning.

Day Two: The Trip to College

Although the hatch in the vehicle is large, it does not prove quite adequate for the amount of things that must go back for the trip. However, considering that only a bag of laundry, laptop case, backpack and some bags of food are being brought, this is a little bit disturbing. The problem lies in the shape of the hatch, and not the space within. It's definitely tall enough, but a little more width would have been great, or being able to push things in a little further. The seats don't like to slide down, and putting anything on the back seats endangers the very soft and pliable alcantra cloth that covers them. Of course, this is a compact car, and not too much can be expected of it.

The actual trip on the highway is great. Thirty miles to a gallon round trip. The car cruises comfortably, and the driving position, while low at first puts very little strain on the back or legs, even though the "sport seats" are a little (very) thin in padding. Being used to resting a hand on the shifter, it's weird to have it so high up. Some kid with a backwards hat and a very loud Honda gives me the thumbs up on the highway. I return the favor, even though I think his car is obnoxious. I take the exit that gets off on a windy back road, and go the long way to college. Say what you will about the lack of torque or it not getting the K20A3 engine, the Si handles like a dream. Corners are nothing, and the car just glides around almost any challenge.

Day Three: Driving Around Town

While that dash mounted shifter is a lot of fun on windy country roads, when navigating through traffic in town, it comes to be just a tad bit annoying. A near miss when I attempt to downshift after being cut off and find thin air where I think the shifter should be. For stop and go traffic, and moving between 1^st and 2^nd gear often, the "rally inspired" shifter falls a little flat. Still great fun overall. The gas mileage isn't quite what I expected consistently around town either, as the gauge is dipping a little fast than I would like to see. Regardless, overall impressions remain high. The trip to work (other than the near accident) goes smoothly.

The suspension is a bit rougher than initially suspected. While it rides smooth on the highway, the poorly maintained roads of Kutztown really throw the short-wheel based suspension into slam mode. After getting out of work, I remark on how great the heater works, and how fast it heats up. The red lighting at night is sporty and feels upper-class, but is still tasteful and easy on the eyes.

Day Four: Meeting the Girlfriend's Parents for Dinner

Another highway trip, in fact, directly back the way I came to get to college. By this time, hearing the engine has gotten normal, and that constant buzz of it on the highway is really getting a little annoying. Almost 4,000 RPM at 65 mph? Ridiculous. Second gear could be widened greatly, as it tops out at 40, and fifth gear could have been a whole lot longer. This is a Civic, not a sports car, and some longer gearing for greater fuel economy on the highway would have been great.

Complaints aside, the car is still a joy to drive, we arrive at the restaurant. The girlfriend's parents remark on how nice it looks (they have never said about my Nissan Z), so score some style points for the refined nature of the Honda.

On the way home, I notice that the stereo is really surprisingly good. A six speaker system (two-tweeters) really rounds out the limited options nicely, and it sounds great. I took off the antenna before I left he dealership (it looks stupid hanging off of the top of the car), so no comment on the radio itself, but CDs sound good.

Day Five: Heading Out for the Night

You can't avoid your friends forever, and sometimes when they want to go out, you just have to say "yes". Not feeling like drinking (8:00 AM class and 8 hours of work the next day) I opt to be the designated driver. Putting five people in the car seems iffy; worry rises as we pick up the last person. Surprisingly, this is one area where the Si really beat my thoughts of what it could do. The car is fairly long, and the hatchback shape gives it plenty of head room for back passengers. While the three in the back might have had their legs a little cramped, overall its really not bad for a small car. Some of the best I've experienced actually.

The rest of the night goes without incident. I'm glad I decided to drive, it's just so much fun to move this thing around. It gets compliments wherever it goes. Even though a couple people have confused it for a Honda Fit. This is a problem.

Day 6: Civic Meet Snow

Although there is never a "bad" time to get a new car, winter may be one of the least enjoyable. Having five previous days of sunny weather, snow had to come eventually. The weather strikes back in full force. Periods of ice and snow leave the roads a mess. Classes are cancelled. Sadly, work is not. Needing to cover for someone to scared to drive their Jeep to work, I hop into the Civic, undaunted. My old Acura went through anything, so I expect the same of the Civic.

I am disappointed. I get the Civic to swerve before leaving my apartment parking lot. The steering wheel doesn't communicate enough road feel to make this easy. I go with my gut and keep in second gear most of the way. The ABS light flashes several times before the trip is over. Although it isn't the worst thing I've ever driven in the snow (the Nissan Z takes that) it is by far not the best. Both the Eclipse and the Integra were small front wheel drive cars, and weather of any kind couldn't shake them. The Civic is a different story. This is made stranger by the fact that it has four brand new tires on it. Interesting.

Day 7: Car Wash and Final Impressions

The black paint gets dirty quick, so a trip to the car wash was in order. After a quick wash and some wax-as-you-dry, the car looks as good today as it did the day I picked it up. Looking over the vehicle, I reflect on the past week. So far, it's really been great to own. It's a pretty rugged little car. It fits five people comfortably, is great for driving around, and gets decent gas mileage. It's not a sports car by any means (despite the red Si badges all over it), but it's quick and fun to drive around. It's not going to win any drag races with it's 160 horsepower, but the handling is a dream. The interior is a lot of fun. Just sitting in it is enough to inspire a road trip. The sport seats are a fun touch, even though I was a little iffy on them at first. The red stitching over the interior is sporty. However, the rubber boot that adorns the shifter looks a little cheap.

Depending on what your looking for, the Si Hatchback is a great car. If you travel frequent highway trips, it gets good gas mileage, and is a comfortable car for a long trip. If you just need to drive around town, the suspension and gearing leaves a little bit to be desired. There plenty of room for passengers, but not really for luggage.

Overall, the Si was a good choice, and even though it may not be the perfect car, it reminds me of everything I loved about my Integra. And that, perhaps, is the greatest compliment I can offer any car.