Thoughts on FL5 vs FK8 (by savagegeese)

[Dmorrow]

I wonder if the Si is the better car value for the street vs. the FL5. At at about 150% of the cost of an Si, I'm not sure if the FL5 is worth 15k-20k more. I remember one of your videos mentioned that both cars are targeted by Honda to the same demographic, but the FL5 is a financial stretch to those individuals who want one. If you plan on tracking your Si or FL5, then it makes sense to buy the FL5, but as a purely street car, the Si seems like maybe a better choice. All my opinion of course.

I loved my FK8 but I was frustrated by the overheating issues while doing track events. I traded it in on a 22 SI which is great on the street and the car is very capable and fun on the track and doesn't have any cooling issues. It's even faster than the local FK8's at the autocross events. Saying that I will be trading in the 22 SI for the FL5 if they ever show up anyway.....But i have contemplated keeping it just based on Parts cost and not really knowing how the FL5 is going to be with the heating issues in the real world.

Sponsored

 

[Stick_shifter96]

Just gonna drop this here

 

[NoelPR]

I would be happy with any of the two last generations.
Even an Elantra N would work for me.

I'm too easy to please.

 

[Boostlag]

It provides a traction advantage since it effectively makes the gears longer therefore less likely to wheel spin when driving aggressively. A stock FK8 will incinerate its front tires with very little effort.

couldn't they have done a boost control, that would have been more effective.

 

[FK7_]

It's even faster than the local FK8's at the autocross events.

Just curious if you have time slips for your autox times compared to your local FK8’s. I find that hard to believe no offence.

 

[Dmorrow]

Just curious if you have time slips for your autox times compared to your local FK8’s. I find that hard to believe no offence.

They're all friends' cars. Let me clarify that the SI is in no way superior to the FK8 on the track or autocross it's just driver experience. I'm 44 years old and have done driving events for almost 25 years. None of the other drivers are really experienced at all. I was just saying if you wanted to get an SI instead of paying all the money for an FL5 it is still a fun and capable car.

 

[Negitoro7]

If the Elantra N wasn't those most hideous looking vehicle manufactured in the last 30 years, I'd probably consider the same. It's complete dogshit from every angle. The performance is there but If you don't turn around and grin after parking and walking away, why bother? It'd be like getting married to an ugly person who's great in bed but your forced to keep the lights off.

It’s not a looker for sure, but in black, I could deal. It’s a great all-around package except in the exterior looks department for $10k less - not a bad fallback option if my FL5 allocation falls through.

 

[Obscure_Worship]

I like the Si, but for me the 1.5 is a deal-breaker. I also think the washed out weird red seat coloration in the interior is ugly af. The FL5 is probably the last Honda I'll buy (new anyways) and the tuning ceiling is just too low for the 1.5. The K series has been a rock for 20+ years and the 1.5 has had several different issues since its release (oil dilution, etc). I'll always take a Japanese built Honda over a North American built Honda from a build quality perspective as well. The Si really deserves the 252hp 2.0t from the Accord.

 

[AspecR]

couldn't they have done a boost control, that would have been more effective.

More effective at what? This car does have improved boost control (Hondata’s youtube page has data plots from their dyno tests.) The FL5 is really just a series of incremental improvements over the FK8. Wider tires, longer final drive, higher quality tire, stiffer chassis, retuned dampers and suspension components.

 

[alhounos]

I wonder if the Si is the better car value for the street vs. the FL5. At at about 150% of the cost of an Si, I'm not sure if the FL5 is worth 15k-20k more. I remember one of your videos mentioned that both cars are targeted by Honda to the same demographic, but the FL5 is a financial stretch to those individuals who want one. If you plan on tracking your Si or FL5, then it makes sense to buy the FL5, but as a purely street car, the Si seems like maybe a better choice. All my opinion of course.

I am kinda in the same boat. I have a '22 Si and I love it, but of course I am suffering from some severe Type R envy.

But then I remember one of my very favorite things about the Si is that it isn't a super special and expensive car. I can drive it to work every day without worrying about how many miles I'm racking up, or if some smartphone user is going to rear-end me in my limited production halo car.

I do a couple track events and maybe some autocrosses each year, but even so, 99% of the time I'm just using it as a regular car.

Should I just do a tune and a few suspension mods and pretend the FL5 doesn't exist? Ughhh, the Type R is so so sexy though....

 

[FK7_]

I am kinda in the same boat. I have a '22 Si and I love it, but of course I am suffering from some severe Type R envy.

But then I remember one of my very favorite things about the Si is that it isn't a super special and expensive car. I can drive it to work every day without worrying about how many miles I'm racking up, or if some smartphone user is going to rear-end me in my limited production halo car.

I do a couple track events and maybe some autocrosses each year, but even so, 99% of the time I'm just using it as a regular car.

Should I just do a tune and a few suspension mods and pretend the FL5 doesn't exist? Ughhh, the Type R is so so sexy though....

I felt like that when I had my 10gen si. Get the R dude, nothing you do to the Si will give you the feeling an R will. At the end of the day it’s a civic. Mine sits in the driveway in the rain, snow, storms and blistering sun. Drive it and enjoy it, it’s the perfect DD/track weapon.

 

[FK7_]

They're all friends' cars. Let me clarify that the SI is in no way superior to the FK8 on the track or autocross it's just driver experience. I'm 44 years old and have done driving events for almost 25 years. None of the other drivers are really experienced at all. I was just saying if you wanted to get an SI instead of paying all the money for an FL5 it is still a fun and capable car.

No worries, Si’s are great cars. But sometimes people say some outlandish things that become internet “knowledge” lol. Thank you for clarifying!

 

[ScumbagRob]

They're all friends' cars. Let me clarify that the SI is in no way superior to the FK8 on the track or autocross it's just driver experience. I'm 44 years old and have done driving events for almost 25 years. None of the other drivers are really experienced at all. I was just saying if you wanted to get an SI instead of paying all the money for an FL5 it is still a fun and capable car.

Confirming once again that the best mod is the driver mod!

 

[Boostlag]

More effective at what? This car does have improved boost control (Hondata’s youtube page has data plots from their dyno tests.) The FL5 is really just a series of incremental improvements over the FK8. Wider tires, longer final drive, higher quality tire, stiffer chassis, retuned dampers and suspension components.

Rather have the steeper gear and limit torque from the ecu in the first two gears.

 

[AspecR]

Rather have the steeper gear and limit torque from the ecu in the first two gears.

The FK8 does that now and it struggles to put the power down on a stock car. This puts it power down in a much more usable fashion.

I guess the aggression is part of the fun.

Sponsored