Test drove the new SI today

[sykikchimp]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (HippoSleek @ May 12 2002,6:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I like the new Si. I liked the old hatch Si and I like the new one. I think it stayed truer to the roots than the EK cars ever did. I like the idea that the motor has a bit more tq. I like the fact that the shifter is the best placed and has the best feel of any FWD car I've heard of. I don't like the price, the lack of revs, or the new struts.

As for the SER, I know a few people who run ITS B13's. I'll take their word (and Car and Driver's) in giving the Spec-V a thumbs down. The gearbox from hell, ugly tq steer, and a bad weight problem are not things I want in a car. The boring styling I could do w/o too. And no - 15.6 isn't fast. No, 15.0 isn't fast. 0-60 in the 7's is not a turn on. And the way that I read the reviews (both C&D and GrassRoots Motorsports), the SER was beat out by a couple/few others in its class.

Of course, if I were in that market, I think a Mini S would be my choice. (and hey, doesn't a WRX cost about $5000+ more than a Civic?)</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
The mini S is a very cool little car.. &nbsp;there is a guy behnd where I work that owns one, and it gets more stares than the local Z06..

I hear the basic SE-R can actually be faster in the 1/4 than the Spec-v with the same driver, b/c the spec-v has 17" wheels slowin it down, and an extra shift point before the 1/4 is over. &nbsp;besides it has those ugly ass lava seats.. &nbsp;puke. &nbsp;The SE-R could be a good base as a tunable car, if you were really gonna put some money in it.