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Sedans Nissan Sentra Nissan Sentra Spec V vs Honda Civic Si
176 messages, Last post on Mar 02, 2009 at 5:53 PM
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There's more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0708_honda_civic_si_sedan_nissan_- sentra_se_r_spec_v/verdict.html |
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Replying to: k5ldb (Aug 17, 2007 6:12 am) 
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That's called "way too early in the morning math". I thought you said you got it for $650 over invoice with the rebate figured in. That's what happens when you read so soon after awakening.
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Replying to: k5ldb (Aug 19, 2007 7:33 pm) Regarding the difference in prices, sometimes I think dealers have some type of quota within their dealership, & this can impact pricing. I know my Nissan guy told me he needed "one more sale" to step up to the next level bonus
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Replying to: bullardohio (Aug 20, 2007 2:55 pm) Yea, most sales jobs are incentive bassed. Usually, they have a required dollar amount to reach in order to keep their job, and then different bonus's depending on how far above it they get. |
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Replying to: bullardohio (May 24, 2007 5:43 pm) I have really enjoyed my spec-v, but I did test drive the Si just to compare. First of all, the Honda has an overall better build quality. On a scale of 1-10, I'd put the nissan at 7-8, and the honda at 10. The nissan feels just as well put together, but they use cheaper materials. The honda has a much better manual shifter, better seats for corners, and handles better in the corners (little body roll and lots of grip). The honda engine and exhaust sound fantastic. Some say it's too loud, but if you are a racing enthusiast, you won't mind the noise, and you won't mind the more tightly sprung suspension that some would consider rough. The nissan is definitely a compromise between sport and everyday driving. I think the nissan engineers may have been trying to appeal to a larger audience with a softer, smoother ride, at the expense of more body lean in hard cornering than the honda. The nissan has plenty of grip through the turns, but the body does lean compared to the Si in aggressive driving. If you are used to an econo sedan, the spec-v feels quite sporty and you may not be able to tell much of a difference between the spec-v and the si if you don't drive your car to the limit. I enjoy the spec-v around town where it is pretty smooth over the bumps, and corners around town feel sporty in the spec-v because there aren't many hairpin turns that would reveal its greater body roll than the honda. The spec-v has good power with more torque off of the line than the honda and sprints to 60 mph in about the same time as the honda. To me, this makes it more practical around town, but if you are an all out enthusiast, who said anything about pracitcality? I have found in my spec-v that if I keep the revs above 3,000 it will pull any hill with ease, and it's much better above 4,000. The honda starts out with what feels like turbo lag, but once the engine hits 4-5,000 rpms, it takes off with what feels like a turbo, and the engine and exhaust are much more discernable than the more muffled spec-v. If you like the sound of a great engine, the honda sounds great. I have put an intake and exhaust and my spec v, and it sounds much better, but it still doesn't match the honda in sound and is not quite as smooth, (although amsoil full synthetic oil has really smoothed out my spec v). I don't think either car is particularly good looking - a common problem with japanese cars in my opinion. I liked the fact that the nissan was quite spartan or simple. It had just what I wanted and nothing more (cd, ac, pw, pl, 6spd). I just wanted a basic car. To some that may be a turnoff. Not to say that the honda is built with way too many extras, but it did seem more modern with a few more gadgets, (not necessarily a bad thing). I think this comparison is really like comparing apples and oranges. They are both fruits but taste a lot different. The honda is a no compromise track car, while the spec-v is a compromise between track and town. Obviously the honda takes sharper corners better, sounds more like a race car, and has a level better in build quality materials. It is louder, bumpier and one minded. (which is how race cars are). The spec-v is great around town and on the highway, has a softer ride, has equivalent power to the honda, and is equal on straightaways. It does have cheaper materials, and I am very envious of the honda's shifter. If I could take one thing from the honda and put it in the nissan, it would be the shifter. The nissan is suited more for around town, and I find the spec-v seats quite comfortable, but they aren't as supportive in aggressive cornering as the si's. There has been a lot of bad reviews for the spec-v, but I disagree. I think a lot of a people have based it against only sports car qualities, where the spec-v is a compromise, and to me it is a powerful 4 cylinder, sporty car for the driving that I do. If I had access to a track, spent more time on a track, and didn't have to worry about speeding tickets around town, I would go with the Si. A lot of people have ragged on the interior of the spec-v because of the red front seat belts, and g force gauge. I thought the red seat belts were cool and I didn't mind them at all. I don't know why they caused such a stir. The g force guage admittedly is dumb. They should have put a useful gauge in there like maybe transmission temperature, or a clock, or something. I do plan on replacing that gauge with something else. The g force gauge and the somewhat cheap shifter are my biggest complaints with the spec-v. Another item of contention is the limited slip as an option on the spec-v. I bought mine assuming it had one like previous generations, but I ended up buying one without. I was disappointed, but really, in my case, I really haven't had the need to use it even once. The only time you would really use the limited slip is in very aggressive, hard cornering like on a track, or I guess it would work in snow or rain. If you are lucky enough to get to drive like that, then by all means get the limited slip. I just didn't need it. Overall, both of these cars are good cars. Both with powerful naturally aspirated four cylinder engines, they are a lot more fun to drive than their econo brothers. It comes down to what you like. Are you a no compromise, all out street or track racer? Get the Si. Do you want si power, rarely leave town or the highway and want somewhat sporty driving/handling and smoother ride? Get the spec-v. Obviously, if you are a die hard Honda or Nissan fan, you've already made your decision. I'm not hard core for either. I try to find what I like and what suits me based on my desires and opinions. I think a lot of fun and years of reliability could be had with either car.
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| I just got the August 07 MT with the comparison of the two cars. Their findings are similar. Basically they say the Si will follow the V anywhere and hang with it easily. The V will follow the Si anywhere and manage to stay pretty close with white knuckles and sweating on the part of the driver. Their photos show the V leaning heavily in the turns while the Si has barely any body roll at all. The Si has slightly higher numbers for handling although the difference is minimal. Both seem to be good cars depending on one's needs and wants. For someone with no brand tattoo on their tookus the Si is probably going to give a somewhat more pleasing overall experience. For the few diehards unwilling to accept the test measurements and real world performance reports the V will be their mode of transport to the tattoo parlor. | |
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Replying to: k5ldb (Aug 21, 2007 8:37 am)
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Replying to: laneg (Aug 20, 2007 6:01 pm) I agree, if you're a sports car enthusiast or track driver, get the Si. If you want to cruise around town, get a Spec-V.
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Replying to: iomatic (Aug 21, 2007 12:17 pm)
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