I've had 22 Hondas, including an NSX that I sold recently and then picked up the 8th gen as my daily. Mostly I've been in the 4th/5th gen era with a recent EK not too long ago. I think the nice thing about the 8th gen is that it's still got some of that older Honda feel while having some more modern comforts, with styling that also feels like OG honda (first we hate it, then we love it). Having a K series daily that was built with a K in mind and not a swap is great. I love the engagement while still having some refinement, and I love the overall design outside and inside. My only real complaint so far is the rear fender issues while trying to run a wider tire while being even moderately lowered. I'm on an 8" TL wheel with a 245/40 and I had to roll, pull, and cut down tabs in the rear well to avoid rubbing, and I'm only on koni yellow/eibach pro kit (1" drop). Also right now they are super affordable, and they will start going up in price in the next few years I think.
I couldn’t agree more and I couldn’t have said it better. I agree on the fender point. It was a nightmare trying to get my rears to fit and I’m still rubbing my fender tabs and my shock guards :/
how much power are you making? 245 is kinda big for an 8” wide wheel. Id understand if it was making over 350hp and the 245 was up front and not the back
8th generations honda si are one of the best generations of the Hondas built 👍. They will become classic car's someday very soon and worth a lot of money
Everything you've mentioned is so true! I bought my car in 2022 at 55k miles but salvaged. The aftermarket support for 8th Gen Coupe is extremely small.
Didn’t even mention what he hated he just named every problem with the 8th gen 🤣🤣 nah but honestly I’ve been in the 8th gen scene since a kid I was born in 2004 my dad has a 2006 civic si coupe he bought it as soon as it came out and I really just fell in love with these cars and when I bought mine I ran into almost all these issues he stated, but it really isn’t that bad, I wouldn’t get upset because I only learned from it and it’s just fun working on these cars because you know the car will only get better and last longer from the repairs
Yeah I totally agree. All cars have their own issues and I came from Integras and they have their own issues. I think it’s just frustrating for some people because the quality control was just much better in the 90s.
I’ve owned my for 12 years! Great car! You nailed it with the common problems but I’m never selling mine. Last TRUE NA si experience, you can’t find anything like it. I guess a s2000 would rank up there too
I’ve been driving my 8th gen for 7 years daily and it really is hard to find things I “hate”. Maybe stuff that annoys me. Mine is a clean example thankfully. For me it’s the sun visors breaking constantly, the shitty CMC, working space is tiny under the hood, and the Honda paint that deteriorates the second it’s in the sun.
Nice bruv, glad I found you. I just got a '23 Civic Hatch as my DD... Not an Si, wife destroys clutches.. so it was either divorce or automatic... Time will tell if I made the right choice.. lol.. Actually really been enjoying it. On my 4th Honda, only my top model Accord I had died on me (frame rusted bad, I live in the North-East).. Lookin forward to more dude
got an 94 eg hatch, but i must say as much as i love it, i want an 8th gen si as a daily, been binge watching videos on these cars exciting to be getting one hopefully in 2 months, they look so clean without having to do much with em.
I love my 8th gen 5speed but they have their issues. The stuff you mentioned was pretty spot on. Another note is that I am on my 3rd transmission. This time I got a JDM 5 speed trans and new clutch too. Master and slave had to be replaced too. The r18 trans seems to just have issues Over 10 years owning it I am probably about 4k into it with maintenance, replacement parts and those transmission jobs included which I would say isn’t too bad for 10 whole years. But overall fun car to drive and great commuter!
Another common issue with them is the passenger front engine mounts. After replacing them they only last about a year and a half and then go out again. I've already had to replace mine numerous times. And with the manual transmission the engine clunks sometimes when you shift up or down when you let out the clutch. Soooooo annoying!
I drove an 8th gen Si for 10 years daily and still have it as a boosted and built project car. I can confirm literally EVERYTHING he said will happen to you. If you have a third gear grind, change the master cylinder. Fixed mine with it. I put and stage 3 clutch master in mine. 3 miles later the clutch pedal bracket snaps in half at a red light. He forgot to mention the awful rear tire wear they have when they are stock. Constantly ran through sets before I put it on coils.
The rear suspension geomtetry is so wonky on these. Getting 17x9 to fit was a 10x bigger challenge than I ever guessed it would be. I still rub my filler neck hose gaurd and my shock gaurds on both sides. Rear fenders are a pain to roll too. Oddly enough with -5 degrees camber in the rear I see insanely even tire wear with 0 toe. kind of sus to me hahaha
I have a 2009 coupe, and she still going strong. My alternator pulley is going bad, but it still works.i call it my turbo charger. Very reliable car and amazing gas mileage, and has a modern look despite its age.
I just got one and everything you mentioned my car has. But I think that adds so much personality. I still think the 8th gen is a great platform. Plus mine came with a BAR legal k24 block swap, in CA that’s a fucking gem
@@asitwas90 man if I wanted to do the swap myself it’d be easily an extra 3-4K in just testing fees 😂 I have more motivation to get the civic ready than I did for the mustang lol
I have a 2010 coupe. If you want to get into a cheap Si, get the 8th gen and do some maintenance mods to it. I do not know why a 9th gen is 20k used but people are willing to pay that for it. The honda boys will beat you across the head if you even dare try to sell your 8th gen for 10k or 15k though because if its 15k, it should be boosted. I would say the most notable mods you can do to the car are a tune and a rear motor mount. Do the tune first and feel the bucking from the engine moving. Then do the motor mount and you will notice it decreases. If I knew how much of a pain the car overall would've been for me and I had better people to talk to in regards to modding it, I probably would've gotten something else. It's a decent daily, but its slow and nothing can be done on the NA side. Tune, headers, and catback get you to about 216 whp. After that you pretty much have to boost. If you go supercharger, I have heard good things regarding the merc racing kit, but the supplier is very inconsistent with response and you have to wait at least a year for the kit. If you want a "cheap" built motor for the NA route, do the K20/K24 motor. Best options are the k20z3 head and the k24a2 bottom end. Toss in a type s oil pump, oil pan baffles, and anything else you want to do while the motor is already open like drag cartel cams. A used k24a2 was 900 for me recently and labor at the shop was 4500 total but that also included a lot of other things I needed to sort out after my car was banged up from an accident. Expect on the low end for shop labor to be 140 an hour so 2k to get the motor in and out of the car. Then budget however much time you think is reasonable to build the motor. These are prices based off the East coast and no buddy discounts either.
While I agree in part - 216-225 whp is still pretty fun for a daily driver, especially in the lighter FG2 chassis. That being said I have very little complaints about my KW kit other than that the main bracket needs some adjusting and aftermarket hardware to be reliable for daily abuse. But that can be (for the most part) solved without any need of contacting KW/skunk2. Merc kit is cool but generally I see higher HP numbers coming from the KW guys, only downfall being that you dont get the fun twin screw whine that you get with the merc kit.
@SamOperchuck the 216 hp gets old real quick. There's little to no torque even with the k20/k24 motor. There's more torque than a z3 but nothing to brag about and it's slow in my neck of the woods. Around Boston everyone has atleast 300hp. Even a camry can dust me if it's the v6 one. Being loud is one thing, but loud and slow just don't mix for me. I've seen a lot of people run into issues on the groups and forms with the kw kit. Namely you can't over Rev the super charger. It's basically a turbo due to the design whereas the merc kit is a true roots super charger.
While its true you cant overrev, I have my redline set to a very safe 8k and with most of the torque hitting later in the power band, once I pass vtec around 3600, the car really comes alive. As you know - the redline is directly related to the pulley size. As long as you arent bouncing limiter constantly or driving it like its an NA, the KW kit is very robust. It is a centrifugal supercharger so while it does indeed behave more like a turbo its power band is significantly more linear. I am probably not getting 100% out of my 110mm at my current redline but for it being a daily its safe. Could just be different opinions though because I have a blast driving my DC4 and it only has 140ish hp. I have always had a lot more interest in circuit racing than drag racing so that may be a biased opinion if I'm being honest. @@freewilly5073
@SamOperchuck honestly low hp cars really shine on the track. Or anything where you're taking those hard turns so the tail of the dragon up in NH for me if I ever go. On a daily basis I find torque to be the most useful because you find yourself wanting the acceleration more than top end speeds or cornering capabilities. Once I drove my friends 340i with a race down pipe and a tune I knew torque was my answer. I want to get a bmw but part of me doesn't want the expensive maintainenance bills, breaking down constantly, and the depreciation of it. I'm thinking about going the lexus F route with their v8. I'll trade low end torque for reliability. I've touched my civic enough that I'm done with it. I've wasted a lot of money to say there's a few things that aren't worth doing to my next car unless I can say it's worth the extra maintenance cost and headaches. I thought about boosting it but not after I've chewed through 2 motors. Air suspension on the car was also a miss for me.
I have a few friends that absolutely swear by those F V8s. cheaper and easier to maintain than a m3 V8 by a longshot and sometimes faster. I would personally really like to get into an F80 as a daily eventually, and K swap the DC4 but keep it NA. @@freewilly5073
I remember I had an r18 it was a great daily but i really wanted an si. Eventually, got mine and it’s kinda bittersweet. Huge difference in powah baby! But every issue you mentioned, im dealing with atm 😂
The greatest features of the 8th Gen Civic: 1) You can put a lunch tray on the passenger side dash and eat lunch on the passanger seat. (Edit: Put the tray away when done, of course, lol) Great for rainy days 2) Learn how to convert mph km/h in your head The worst features of the 8th Gen Civic: 1) Replacing windshield wiper inserts 2) Crappy sun visors
I owned an FA5 from new in 2009 for 6 years and sold it wiht only 50k miles like a dummy... and I now own a 9th gen. A lot of people think the 9 isnt as good, well the truth is, the 8 is more visceral, but to compare my refreshed 9s interior to the 8, the 9 wins hands down. Its a better daily etc... the 9 still has the NA vtec (tho its only one side blah blah blah) but a lot of the parts that fit the 8 fit the 9 which is nice. Dont shy from the 9 just cuz of the k24, its just as good with mods. I bang my rev limiter off 8k all day. they are both fantastic, but the 8 feels a ton cheaper to me or more economy if you will.
yeah golden era hondas didn't suffer any of these really. I've hadan EF hatch, an EG sedan, a DC4 integra coupe. DB8 Integra sedan, CB7 accord, and a RD2 crv and the only common flaw I had experienced so far was the poor clear coat quality
Ive had an 8th gen base for a few years. Its the best car ive ever had. My issues have been the freaking starter location and dash lights going off and on. I just bought a clean ep3 as my fun car. The 8th gen will still be my daily.
Thank you very much for this video mane, I actually can relate since my TL some issues too lol, but overall amazing car. Definitely lookin into a FA5🤝🏼
@@TheRyansLion They are the bushing inside the seat where the back meets the bench. It is connected to the gears that adjust the recline if I remember correctly. I saw one video of someone identifying the problem but that was a while ago. I also saw someone buy a 40k mile si and it had the seat rocking so it seems the aging rubber is the culprit. Maybe there is a guide and upgraded bushings somewhere. I just deal with mine, not too bad but noticeable. I've had 90's civics so bad that it feels like the seat is detaching from the floor lmao
My 5th gen Prelude has the _same_ clear coat issue. Gonna repaint it one of these days. And I do love my 9th gen LX, but I really want an Si. Also considering an 8th gen Accord. It also uses the K24, but it makes like 10 less hp. Plus, it's roomy. I can't imagine the R blocks have problems the way the H blocks do lol When you drive an H, you're always chasing the next oil leak while also burning oil _all the time._
My 2015 honda civic so far; Runs good as new but All Motor mounts failed. Shocks blew out. Weather trim stripping cracked and fell apart. Had that replaced $$$ Cvt pressure sensor fell out. Washer came loose? All my fluid drained out while driving. They said common issue good thing I noticed it right away. Had that fixed. $$$$ Car has 150,000 miles
wow that is so unfortunate. I have heard so much bad news about modern CVTs from honda that I avoid them like the plague. shame about your motor mounts and shocks. But I bet replacing those made the car feel brand new!
I'm currently on the market for a civic si and I found two: an 8th gen and a 9th gen (Both coupe), now I need to figure out which one to buy lol (Any thoughts?). The 8th gen is about a $1000 more, and the miles are almost the same on both. This was a great video btw! thanks!
I’m partial to the 8th but I’m biased. A lot of people like the added torque that the 9th gen got. They’re both excellent cars. Assuming they’re both SIs, I’d say you can’t really go wrong with either one it’s up to preference. Sometimes it helps to look through other people’s builds and browse markets for parts to see what’s readily available and that may help in deciding, but if you’re keeping it stock I’d say the 9th might be more fun!
This is interesting, I have a 8th gen but I live in Brazil, the 8th gens that were made here were intended as a upmarket car, and we don’t have a lot of those problems, like de clear coat, headliner, bumper clips and the windshield weather strip The power steering is a common failure point, all bulbs in the dash are shit, but it’s an alright car to have
That’s super interesting! I know relatively nothing about the Brazilian market. I know a lot of guys experience issues with our steering module as it sits close to the exhaust and can incur heat damage
Yeah, it’s the 006-08 that has the cracked block issues, and if correct, it only came from one specific factory (can’t remember which of top of head). I am 20k into my R18 though lol. Don’t have crack block issue on mine (09). Although, I am in the process of shaving bay and building a k24a to drop into it.
Yeah my mom and my wife both drive R18 civics and haven’t experienced the block issue either so if that’s the case I’m sure you can verify it by serial # or VIN. That being said if I were in the place of needing a car to suit that need I’d probably buy a corolla to be honest
@@yukonstriker1703 Yeah I Know lol. In the progress of dumping another 60k for my final stage with a built K24a sidewinder, shaved bay, and built trans. To far in to go back 🤣. Definitely going to be over the next few years, but it will be something I can truly say I built, cause it will be stripped down the the shell and I will be rewiring the whole engine harness and interior harness, rerouting the abs and brake lines into the inside of the cap and a bunch of other stuff that is planned 😎
Compared to like a Subaru WRX would you say maintaining and parts for an 8th gen Si are cheaper? Im almost 17 and want a fun daily I can put money and parts into that wont break my wallet and will be reliable.
Subaru is notorious for being explicitly expensive to obtain and maintain notable power. You’d probably spend 1/3 of what you’d spend on a Subaru to get the same numbers, albeit not AWD. I personally am not a fan of the brand.
True all these problems happened to me, but keep in mind they happened around the 200k mark, once you replace it, it won’t be for another 100k miles for something to go bad. I have an FA5 240k miles and my car is the only reason why im a bit mechanically inclined now 😂
@@real_bukla8s345My fd5 has 240k as well it’s hard to find low mileage 8th gens nowadays. Did you replace the oem sub? Don’t know know if I should try to find an oem one at a junk yard or just buy a new one.
@@Dylan-bd9zj Yes I’ve replaced the OEM sub with an aftermarket kicker brand. It’s 10x better than stock and the OEM amp supports it really well. I had to bend some metal around though because the housing was too small. It was my first time doing anything like that and I’ve never installed anything like that before but it was pretty straightforward. I highly recommend getting aftermarket if you’re up for some modifications of the original housing unit. I bought it from Crutchfield!
@@Dylan-bd9zj My front speakers weren’t working and went to the junkyard where I found some Kenwoods in another 8th gen, definitely try your luck there first! $20 total for two of them and they work beautifully!
Note that when you do the hybrid kit - they make an important point of replacing the thrust arm with the one from your original CMC or you’ll end up with a clutch stroke too long and can actually damage your engine.
I e never had the newer civic only a 92 civic, 03 Rsx type s and now an o8 TL type S six speed that I daily. It’s mostly stock and slow but it’s ok I enjoy the car like that. I’m just here to see what’s up with the newer civic. My TL has the same,e issue with the clips on the window and apparently it’s normal.
I was cross shopping Tl type s’s when I was shopping for my 8th gen. I really like them and the J series is a great platform. Thanks for hanging around!
I got lucky and bought mine with a flashpro. I have driven a 10th gen without and the rev hang drove me insane. Definitely worth the price. Plus if you do any bolt ons you’ll need it any way.
Unfortunately these cars have a ton of small issues but one thing can say about my 06 Si is the engine is absolutely solid. It's been through so much abuse and somehow still runs 😅
I’m pretty sure it’s the actual arms that go into the door from the frame. The notches wear out and the bearing floats out of them. Not sure how easy or hard of a repair it is but I agree it’s super annoying
Love my fg2 but yeah the build quality of these cars arent great, but the drivetrain is awesome. I can relate to a lot of these but i got lucky with the clear coat, got an 08 with 211000k and clear is still there (previous owner may have gotten the recall done)
I own an 2008 si mugen haven had any of this issues but of course clear coat is going to sh*** and 3 gr sometime is hard or grinds to go in gear not sure what the problem is those are the 2 prob i am having so far is a great car 107 k on it driving strong garage kept only drive on weekend sometimes not a daily 2nd owner
before anything, try adjusting your clutch pedal. There are a couple videos on it here on yt. 3rd grind is a lot of times just that the pedal/pushrod isnt adjusted right. Could also check to make sure your pedal bracket isnt cracked. If neither of those fix it could try a new CMC and/or shift cables
Bought an 8th gen as my daily I lucked out with a stock 2011 2 owner car, yea my clear failed, but hey it feels like a raw Honda, with some modern perks, I keep it stock and maybe plan on intake and a tune but that’s about it but I honestly can say it’s been my favorite daily lol I’m not planning on modding it, I can see how modding it can bring up some issues, but I’m building my del sol to be a k swap AWD crack head so maybe that’s why I love my 8th gen 😂🤣 but stock, stock-ish, daily I love it :))))
I'm keeping my FA5 for as long as possible. I love it and will keep it for as long as I can. The 8th gen is way better than the 9, 10 and 11th gen IMO. The EPA has made all modern vehicles crap.
Theres someone in one of the facebook groups who makes a bracket kit to fix the issue. I just didnt find out about it until I had already used a quick release. Might be worth looking into though.
Yeah the speakers and subs are really cheap. Same with the radio lights dying. You can replace the LEDs in the panel but if the digital screen dies I think its toast. Most people just opt for an aftermarket head unit. If you do so, I would stay with name brands like Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer etc.
My wife's car is a gap year for a 9th gen and the TPMS aren't able to be calibrated. Super annoying. Weird how some years within a gen get different features sometimes!
Haha not everryyyyyything. But honestly a lot of new cars suffer from very similar issues. I’ve been following the new Integra forums and it’s insane how many issues people are having with cars with milage in four digits
