Guys, I was having a discussion with my cousin the other day. I told him that I'm registered at a scion board and I would get some opinions from you guys.

My cousin is debating between getting a Civic Si and a Scion tC. Quality and looks are about equal to him. The Civic Si obviously has more horsepower (about 40 more horsepower) but it's also 3,000 dollars more expensive. The reason that this decision is more difficult is because my cousin drove an S2000 before and he said that the engine felt rather weak because it had so little torque. The tC on the other has a bigger and more torquey engine and he feels that it will "feel" at least as quick as the Si, if not more.

Personally I think he should go with the Si because it's aftermarket is going to be huge, I like the interior better, and besides more horsepower you also get a 6-speed and an LSD. However I wanted to run this past some tC owners to get their perspective.

What do you guys think?

 

im not a TC owener, but I have driven my friends from time to time. Si....for the same reasons that you say!!

 

Then why didn't you get one? And if you dont own one, that'll make more sense. Anyways, if he thought the S2000 was weak, he should be looking at increasing his price range to get a "Powerful" car. I've raced two, and they arent too impressive. Then again, my car is stripped out.

 

When I say he felt that the S2000 I mean it in a relative type of way. It is a 240 horsepower 30 grand plus car and the 2.0 models (which is what he drove) has less torque then a tC. As for why I didn't get a Si, first of all the Si wasn't around when I purchased my last car, secondly I am in college and when I graduate college and get another car it will be a cheap economical daily driver (i.e. xA, Yaris, Honda Fit, etc.) because that is what I'm in the market for. My cousin on the other hand is in the market for a sporty fwd coupe which is why he is choosing between the tC and the new Si. IMO I would go with the Si but I am making an attempt to be fair here and trying to hear some pros from some tC owners to give him a better overall picture.

 

aside from the price difference, i like the fact that for even MORE money, you can get the navigation HU that actually talks to you. i like the fact that it comes with 18 inch rims as an option and the Si embroidered into the seats, HOWEVER, 200 HP isnt anything without torque to back it up. you can have 1000 HP and if you got nothing for torque, your not going no where... figuartively speaking. 198 HP (or whatever it is) and like, 132 ft lbs, gimmie a break. come one honduh. lets do something right here. scion offers 160 hp for 167** pricing or whatever, and you get 163 ft lbs of torgue. more torgue then a celica gts (is what ive heard). quick, sporty, not a 3 month wait for one, like there is an Si... and a well made car that CLEARLY cares for their buyers... sending them the little model cars because of the sunroof deal. and granted, there arent a whole lot of parts for the tC yet, there are plenty for someone buying a stock, brand new tC.... the k20 motor for the civic has been around long enough to get some pretty respectable parts. the tC is new enough, where its fun searching the forums and sites for new parts... have national car shows for the scion family, and being part of an elite group (whether you chose...) scinergy, scikotics, scionrg, etc. personally, i am a scinergy member, and it has been the most fun i have ever had. how many civic groups are like that?

i dont know the answer to that. please fill me in. but anyways, like i said, its up to you. you wanted the biased opinion from a tC owner. check out www.scinergyie.com and take a look around if you (or your cousin) is interested in a car club to join your car. that might be the deciding factor.

 

sorry, torque...... not torgue.

i can see the comments now..... lol

 

There are other threads you could have asked this question in.
Mods a lil help.
The first year the tC was released almost 6 turbo companies started producing bolt on kits. There are currently 4 different major brands of intakes. Twice as many companies producing exhaust kits. Already replacement internal parts, including a resleeved block and after market cams going to be produced. Numerous bodykits, carbon fiber parts, A projector headlight kit being produced. The already universal computers available for most vehicles. Phantom grip and quaife are producing or produce Limited Slip differentials. Light weight flywheels and many stages of clutches. Short shifters. People are already putting thier tC's on the juice...
and the list goes on and on and on.........

How can you say the aftermarket support for the tC isn't big?

The car has been out for about a year and a half, and all these items are already being developed or produced........

 

I def. agree with you. The aftermarket "market" for the tC is huge.

 

Id go with the tC. It might not have the huge aftermarket like the Si but as someone said there are a lot of things out for it and its getting bigger all the time. The tC is probably faster in the real world even if it isnt on the track. The large advantage in torque will make it much easier to drive without needing to drive it like you stole it to get it to go.

 

yeah bad forum to post. alot of bias opinions. personally, if i was to choose between a TC and a SI. i would take the SI. i think it looks nicer and it is faster. people say torque this torque that. honestly, when the vtec kicks in, i don't think torque is going to play a role. example is the rsx type s. it has 200 hp and about 142 torque. if the torque is so low, why does the type s spank the tc? a 3 month wait? wasn't that the same problem with the TC when it first came out too??!??!

 

I used to drive a GT-S and I've driven a tC... and I'll tell ya right now, that larger torque figure on the tC doesn't mean all that much. I haven't had a chance to drive the Si, but I'm sure when that vtec kicks in, it will feel just like the extra lift on a GT-S at 6k.... it's like down shifting... pushes you back in your seat a bit.... all i'm saying is gobs of torque is nice but sometimes that extra bit of hp "feels" nicer... just tell the guy to drive em both, drool over them both, and them pick one.. hell flip a coin if he needs... if he relies on someone else to tell hime what he wants, he'll never find something he likes....

 

Nooooooooooooo!!!! Lock for the love of scionlife! This topic has been covered, over, and over, and over again. Search next time.

 

A supercharged TC, is Faster, The Si handles better, But with new tires and springs the TC and Si are preaty Equal in my eyes

add the supercharger to the Tc, and all the goodys u want, and your still lower, prob

The si in my area are going for 26-28k lol

 

i agree... for the money.. tC with S/C.

 

I have had the chance to really give the Si a work out the other day!I'm still toying with the idea of trading in the tC.

The civic doesnt have the punch of the tC but man those revs are addictive. I like the interior a lot but its equal to the tC( love the Si steering wheel, HATE the handbrake).

I think if your cousin didnt like the torque of a s2000 he will not enjoy the Si. They both rely on the same formula....REVS and lots of em.

The tC had no compition until the Si came out but I still say tc .....i think??

 

i hate civics LOl

 

Civic SI all the way . Torque smorque, The TC is a pig without boost I should know I have one.

 

I guess i am an idiot when i say this, BUT all things come down to price, all i could afford was a tc (well in the coupe class that was semi fast) AND i am seeing Si's going for 25+k right now because of demand.
SO, if he is comparing these two cars, he can afford so many other new cars for that price.

Well i guess i am not the idiot. Go post on a honda site and see what they say.

 

Rather boost the tC and smoke Sis all day long while the kids driving them go running to their daddies to buy them an intake. wahhhh

 

First off, tourqe is not everything. The Si is a HIGH REVVING MOTOR, which means it doesn't need gobs tourqe to be fast. However, it means it won't make any power untill 5200 RPM where your horsepower numbers mean more. Same with the S2000.

Both Toyota and Honda are reliable manufactures so there is no qualms there.

It comes down to price and driving preference. I like no tourque, high revving motors (Wankel yay!) so I like the Si from that perspective. However, the tC offers that initial gusto with 163 ft-lbs of tourqe that makes the car feel unnaturally and unrealistically fast.

For an extra 6k, the Si is not that much MORE of a car. It has a lot of cool features that can be just as easily added to the tC. So the price is the same on comparable models.

So whats his preference? If he doesn't like the S2000 he won't like the Si because its the same type of motor. tC.