89 Civic Si more fun than a Miata R package

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Josh wrote: They are both fast, but only one can be tossed into a corner, step the tail out a little, catch it and go.

Nope.

Well, I haven't driven yours.

I've owned two Miatas, one stock, one Spec, my daily driver is a WRX and I just bought a 911.

I also bought an '89 Civic Si new.

Best. Car. Ever.

I will be a wuss and say I like them both equally for different reasons. I speak from experience. I sold my 89 Civic Si and bought a 93 Miata for the same money ($2750). Mainly because I wanted something different and my wife hated the Civic and loved the Miata (most women do). Before she hated going anywhere in my "fun" car, but with the Miata, she loved taking it everywhere. It's funny nobody (except the random autocrosser) thought anything of the Civic, but people comment about my Miata being a cool car all the time. Also, I've really grown to love RWD and the last track day was some of the most fun I've ever had and that was with a bone stock engine and a set of Konis. Now I'm in the process of tripling the power output with a DIY turbo setup. The Miata is a much better candidate for that. I know as I had a B13 SE-R with 250whp and it was very difficult to put down the power with the FWD.

I really, really, really, don't like driving or riding in miatas...on the street. I've never auto-x'd one, so maybe that would change mind. I'm not really claustrophobic or anything, but without the top down (or hardtop gone,) I just feel horribly uncomfortable.

Driver position (and pedal position?) feels really weird to me. I had one for a weekend and couldn't get used to it. Couldn't wait to get out of the car...except for that 'having to climb out' part.

Stock power is uninspiring to say the least. Sure it handles well. So does my 87 Civic, and every CRX I've owned, and jesuschrist, the lack of storage truly would turn it into a "weekend only" car for me, whereas I can fit a 4 X 12 guitar cabinet in my Civic, and still load up on groceries. Seems like every time I've ever ridden along in a Miata (2 or 3 times to Road Atlanta, once to Chattanooga,) I had to carry a big pile of E36 M3 on my lap and cram more crap down by my feet.

Certainly not saying they "suck" or anything. Just not my bag. Again, maybe I need to auto-x one to "get it," or maybe I'll just never get it. I'm cool with it either way.

We-e-ell, part of the problem is "feel". A lot of cars feel fast till you put a stopwatch to it. I've found that the faster cars don't usually feel fast.

Case in point, I just upgraded the suspension on my Miata. It doesn't feel as fast as before but according to the timer I am seconds faster. Try both again under a stopwatch and tell us again which is faster.

But there is a saying, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Not that a Civic isn't a fast car, it is a very capable and quick car.

Yep, I'm gonna wuss out too and say they both are cool.

I have an NB Miata and a GS-R sedan (fancy civic) and I hate to admit it but I like them both equally. I like the steering feel and the handling of the Miata but on the other hand I like the high-revs (plus the sound that goes with it) and the practicality of the Integra.

In fact I almost got a Civic SI hatch as my first car but I chickened-out because my sister said it looked like a high-top shoe . That was a huge mistake.

owned an 89 honda civic 4 door w 5 speed, great car, was like a go cart, great seats, great shifter, fun car. just drove a first generation mazda miata the other day. experiences were similiar, miata seemed lower, tighter, fun because it was a convertible. I like both.