[guptuck2002]

My mind has been set on an 08 SI for months now. There was no question I am getting it. But every day I sign onto the forums and read about another 3rd gear grinding, and another day of Honda doing nothing about it. I really think this is going to stop me from buying this otherwise incredible car. I'm dissapointed thinking about not getting it. I have waited for a year now for somthing to be fixed and it still hasnt, nothing has been done. I just don't think I can spent over 20k on somthing and be worried about it breaking before I even see it. So can anyone give me another view on this. I'm starting to think Ill get a used G35 if nothing changes. I just need a glimmer of hope that it will work out. And sure, I could get lucky and never have a problem but I just don't know.


Let me know what you guys think and if anyone else has these same feelings. I put alot of emotion into my cars:biggrin:

 

[peenoySI]

just get the g35 then, my car grinds 3rd sometimes actually rarely, but has happened, not all the time to the point that the cars tranny will completely fail. i absolutely hate threads like this, a car can be replaced or fixed, if you like the Si so much get it, or settle and get a better used car like a G35. U dont put a lot of emotion into a car, you put to much...its a car.

 

[chrisfrofro]

honestly, its a bit annoying.. but you get over it

 

[GeezerSi]

We have one member on here with over 72,000 miles on his Si. He does not baby it. Not everyone is suffering with the 3rd gear issue, but many have opted for replacing their MTF. Amsoil MTF seems to have been a real cure for this.

No car is perfect, so you really have to decide whether the Si grabs you or not. :dancing:

 

[peenoySI]

yea seriously the RSX survived with this problem, and so will the Si, get over it its there and it will be there till honda acknowledges it and fixes it..if that bothers you dont get the frackin...

did i mention i really dont like threads like this...

 

[eliptik]

If you go over to a G35 forum, I can guarantee you people are complaining about the problems they have with their car. Not one single car can have zero problems and be absolutely perfect, so don't rule out the Si just because it has a couple of problems--as with any other car.

 

[remz857]

my si has never had problems, mainly bc i have so many mods on mine and i take care of my car like its the world. i hate g35's mainly bc everytime i go to meet up for racing at a gas station on friday nights in the city, it seems like 50 people have them, eevn tho they have more hp, si's still smoke the sunofaguns

 

[guptuck2002]

Alright. Ive read all the Amsoil/syncromesh threads and have never really found out if people have agreed a good time to switch over. Should I put Amsoil in the day I buy an SI or wait for a few hundred miles.

Thanks

 

[peenoySI]

just wait, if it dont grind dont worry about it if it starts grinding change it...

why fix something thats not broken??????

 

[07SI FTW]

If you go over to a G35 forum, I can guarantee you people are complaining about the problems they have with their car. Not one single car can have zero problems and be absolutely perfect, so don't rule out the Si just because it has a couple of problems--as with any other car.

the last sentence basically sums it up. every car has a problem(s) you have to deal with it. ive had the car for a little over nine months and my 3rd gear gave me problems twice. its not as bad as it seem...at least not for me. the G35 and the SI are 2 completely different cars. at the end of the day its up to you. good luck. hope you get what you want

 

[guptuck2002]

just wait, if it dont grind dont worry about it if it starts grinding change it...

why fix something thats not broken??????

Sorry for asking. Just for me this will be a huge investment and I will take the absolute best care of it I can. If I can prevent a major problem for 40 bucks, Ill sure do it.

Thanks guys

 

[peenoySI]

its nota major prob. if it was there would have been something done about it already like the wheel bearing recall. You really are worrying about it to much, yes its a big investment, but in the end whether or not u get an Si, a car will have its problems

 

[Sirbelch]

I got an 06 in jan of 06 and I have never had the problem once. Maybe i'm lucky. Maybe I just shift like the techs do that can never replicate the problem. All cars have faults. When the 350z came out, the factory assembled the front suspension wrong due to the wrong tooling at the factory. It caused suspension geometry that ate tires in a week. Although, they did fix that. Could you really see yourself happy with something else? The Si will have a lot more fun factor than the G35 will and A LOT BETTER gas mileage.

 

[Special Ringpop]

Don't be sorry for asking this question. $20,000 is a very large investment for most of us, and you should be sure it is what you want.

I am one of the members who frequently has had quality and gear problems with my Si, but I have to say something:

Whenever you log onto a car forum, you are going to get two extremes: the best of the car and the worst of the car. You are going to hear about how much people love their car and that they have no problems with it, and then you are going to hear people who love their car, but have had numerous problems with it. While every car has its set of problems, going to a G35 forum is going to net you the same kinds of extremes.

For me, personally, I am not a hardcore driver. I don't rev up to 8K RPM in residential or stoplight traffic. I very rarely open it up at all unless I am passing someone or merging on a freeway. My car is a daily driver that doubles as a weekend car. I can deal with the rattles (which are abundant), despite being disapopinted in the quality control for this car, the crappy paint (which is frequent among a lot of cars anymore), and even the wear-prone and scratch-prone interior. However, this third gear issue concerns me.

I do not know much about transmissions, nor do I pretend to. I have switched my MTF to the new Honda fluid, which hasn't helped all that much (most members switch to Amsoil for the best results). I am concerned that down the road, these cars are going to exhibit some kind of problems with the transmission because of damage the grinding and popping out may have caused. Again, this is just my speculation and concern, I have no idea. For me, this car was supposed to last me through college, into grad school, and even the first few years of my career, however I am starting to question whether it is able to do that. I love the sportiness, but the long-term quality of materials and the transmission is over concern to me, not so much the engine.

What you need to do is decide whether you want to live with a problem Honda is probably never going to address. You may not even haev it on your Si, as some members have not had any grinds/popping from it. If you do, switch to Amsoil for a bandaid to it, which is your safest bet.

If this is something you can't live with, look at another car.

I hope this helps .

 

[MarchMadnessisMe]

ive been waiting for my 08 si since august and just got it monday and i love it, yes i was woried about all the things ive read, but to me it was worth it to get the car, all of my friends with si's got them in late 07 and have never had 3rd gear issues, so like he said above me if it worried u that much dnt buy it, it is a major investment n u shouldnt question it, but i think the si is one amazing car and i love mine to death

 

[BigGeorge]

I bought my FA5 in the end of June and absolutely no problems except people cannot stop staring at it!

 

[NitrousG35]

OP, I have a G35 and an '07 Si. I love them both. As for quality, there is no shadow of a doubt that the G is far superior. It is more solid, the paint is better and the materials are higher quality in the interior. However, if you go to g35driver.com where I am a member, you will read page upon page of bitchin' about the poor quality and how guys are going to sell their G's and get BMWs or the like.

The earlier G35's had terrible problems with their transmissions, specifically the clutches and shifting problems. My son and I went over to a Honda dealership where they had 3 '07 G35 sedans. All three were terribly pock marked on the front ends. The grilles were chipped so bad, they looked like they had been sprayed with tar, but it actually was the black plastic showing under the chipped paint.

There are countless pages about guys angry with the poor quality, poor panel fit, lousy transmissions and overly soft paint. I love my Si. I have 3500 miles on mine and have never had a single problem shifting whether it be first, second or third gear. My transmission is quite smooth. Likewise my paint has nary a chip in it. I would say that from a pure driving perspective, I much prefer my Si over my G35. The Si handles better, is more tossable, and just responds better.

My G35 would spank my Si however in a race. No contest. Most of the guys on g35driver.com that race their cars get very low 14's stock at around 98 mph. With an intake and exhaust, they are easily into the thirteens. A couple of guys with nitrous on otherwise stock motors have run high 12's.

You won't go wrong either way. The G35 has more quality while the Si has more fun. Take your pick.

 

[vtak07]

i have the 3rd gear problem, i've gotten so used to it, i don't even let it grind anymore. you just gotta be extra cautious with it. but i've heard of so many people just changing their MTF to GM syncromesh and not having a problem again. I'd buy the si, just change the MTF if you have a problem.

 

[nayilsi]

honestly.....

i have not felt any 3rd gear grind.... it def is a little crunchy/rough... but does not hamper performance at all.

I have grinded 2nd gear a few times... and there were times when I couldnt find 2nd at all.

All of the above applied when the car was new.....now i have abs no prob

its the rev hang that u should be worried abt....u have to stick with the clutch a lot more for smooth shifting.

 

[Special Ringpop]

Agreed. The cold-start and the bucking that accompanies it, along with the awful shifting until it is warmed up, is easily my least favorite part of the car.