Love at First Sight

I came into work one day and saw this Civic sitting there in Sonic Grey, and I just thought it was absolutely beautiful. The color was different, the way it sat there was different… and I knew right then I had to have one.

There was just one problem. I didn't know how to drive stick.

But I was so committed to learning that I placed an order for a Civic Si anyway. They told me it would arrive in December, which gave me exactly three weeks to figure out a manual transmission before it showed up. That's around the time I met Ryan Kauffman — the owner of the Si I'd kept seeing parked in the lot. I asked him to teach me, and he did.

And now here I am, still in love with it like it was the first time.

Starting Over

I have to be honest about how I got to this particular car, because it wasn't a straight line.

My 2023 Si — the one I learned on, the one that started all of this — was totaled in a wreck. I was devastated. I still am, if I'm being honest. Losing that car hurt in a way that's hard to explain to people who haven't been through it.

But it didn't stop me. I moved on to a 2026 Si, and while I know it'll never be exactly the same as the '23, at the end of the day it's still an Si. That has to count for something, right?

The biggest challenge of this whole build has honestly been starting over — swapping every salvageable part off the old car and building the new one back up piece by piece.

Getting Hooked

I owe most of my knowledge to Ryan. One day at work he asked if I wanted to take a ride in his Civic, and he showed me exactly what his car could do and everything he'd changed on it. I was in awe. From that moment I knew I wanted to start modifying mine too.

I'll admit it — at the time I was very much a newbie to the Civic community. Ryan taught me so much, and a lot of who I am in this space I owe to him and to this car.

The Build So Far

Here's where the Si sits today:

• PRL N1 Exhaust
• PRL Cobra Cold Air Intake
• PRL Front Pipe
• TSP High Efficiency Downpipe
• KTuner V2
• TSP Stage 1 Tune
• K-Buddy Tuner Mount
• Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs
• ACUITY Short Throw Shifter
• ACUITY Shifter Cable Bushings
• 27WON Rear Motor Mount
• Kansei Astro Wheels, 18x9.5 +35

Every bit of it was installed by me, with my boyfriend Ryan helping and guiding me along the way. So I can't fully take credit — but it was still a ton of fun getting my hands dirty and learning as I went.

My Favorite Mod

If I had to pick a favorite, it'd be the exhaust. Nice and simple, like me.

There's a certain sound I've always wanted — something right in between, where you can hear me come and go without it being obnoxious. I love watching people turn to look, wondering what's coming… and then it's just a Civic. That'll always be my favorite.

The best thing about owning an Si, at least for me, is the look. It's too good not to be appreciated. The worst thing? The rattles. Everywhere. The rear motor mount makes it worse. But I still wouldn't change a thing.

The Moment It Clicked

Two moments stand out.

The first was picking the car up from the dealership and being able to drive away without a single issue — after just learning to drive a manual weeks earlier. The second was the first time I flashed the car with the KTuner. It was night and day. That new feel completely hooked me.

The Dragon

I've taken the Si to a few local meets, but the standout moment has to be driving the Tail of the Dragon for the first time.

I've been going to CivicX+ Wake the Dragon four years in a row now, and running the Dragon in my own Si had been on my wishlist since the day I got the car. It took some time to make it happen, but crossing that one off meant a lot.

Being part of this community — both at events and on social media — is a big part of how this build came together. Seeing so many other builds over the years helped me picture exactly what I wanted mine to be.

What's Next

Right now, all my mod plans are on pause after the accident with the '23. But I'm nowhere near done. I fully intend to keep building on the '26, and I'm still just as excited for everything that's coming.

If budget weren't a factor? I'd love to put a built motor in it and upgrade the turbo with all the supporting mods to make big power. I'd also install coilovers — the springs get a little bouncy in the mountains, and I'd love something more dialed in.

What I'd Tell Someone Starting Out

Take it slow. Figure out in your mind what you want the end result to be before you start, so you're not buying multiple parts for different reasons and doubling back. Have a vision first, then build toward it.

And one thing people overlook about this platform: the Si can still make good power for what it is and still get great gas mileage. You really do get to have both.

Who Helped Along the Way

I've got a lot of PRL parts on the car, but I've always bought my parts from Two Step Performance. Their customer support and service have been great every single time.

What This Car Means to Me

At the end of the day, this car represents everything I've learned and everyone who helped me get here. I picked up a manual in three weeks for it. I learned to wrench on it. I lost one and built another back up from the parts that survived. It's carried me through a community I love and down the one road I'd always dreamed of driving.

The '23 will always hold a piece of me. But the '26 is proof that I never stopped.

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