New Beetle or Honda Civic

I am so torn and have read entries in this forum
till I am dizzy. I hope that it is O.K. with
"Carlady" that I have tried to start this new
topic......
We are buying a new car this summer. We live in
the deserts of Arizona and need a reliable car with
Air Conditioning blasting at 110 degrees. We are
interested in the New Beetle TDI with leather and
all options, or maybe instead the Honda Civic HX
with the CVT transmission. (best mileage Civic
without going into the Insight) We want a car that
is dependable and safe, but cute and sporty. I am 6
foot 1, 163 pounds, and need a car that will not
kill me on a 3000 mile trip. We are both in our
40's, so are not needing a "university run-a-bout"!
Our main objective is good mileage! The Honda is
suppose to get 45 mpg, the Beetle gets 45 to 50.
The Beetle has a somewhat questionable quality
problem and has to use Diesil, the Honda has a
questionable transmission, the CVT. The Beetle
comes with more perks, for 22 thousand. The Honda
will cost about 18 thousand with air conditioning.
With escalating oil prices that will never again
come down, (in my opinion) we want an economical
car. I have a 1982 Honda CX-500 Custom, with shaft
drive and water cooled engine. Bought it new, and
at 65 thousand miles still purrs like a kitten,
gets 56 mpg, and has never stranded me. This is the
most dependable vehicle I have ever owned, but a
little impracticle at times, and dangerous to use.
(Is this typical for a small Honda engine)?? We
also have a very nice 2 door 69 Buick Skylark, 19.5
MPG, and a 1986 1 ton GMC duelly at 10 MPG, 7 mpg
when towing. You can see why I am tired of
gasoline bills!
I have waded my way through so many cars,
eliminated the Toyota Prius...too weak of a
performer, not available yet. The Honda
Insight...love the idea..but you can only carry 365
pounds of cargo and passengers. That is almost the
weight of two 170 pound people....so eliminated
it. There are only two of us, but we need a car
that can carry a little luggage and gear
occasionally. The Beetle can carry 920 lbs, of
passengers and cargo...very nice. Love the Outback
and the Forester...but they keep getting bigger and
bigger, and get less mileage every year. Like the
quality of the Camry, but it doesn't get good
mileage, hate 4 doors, and is too expensive. We
want a car that gets at least 40 mpg. We are
moving out of the desert mountains and don't need
the AWD. Also they both get pitiful mileage!
So I am really stalled.....want a gas saving car,
that is comfortable and dependable, but won't cost
a fortune to run. We rarely have any rear seat
passengers. But love to hit the open road and
travel! Any insight anyone..between these two
vehicles??! Any input would help greatly!
till I am dizzy. I hope that it is O.K. with
"Carlady" that I have tried to start this new
topic......
We are buying a new car this summer. We live in
the deserts of Arizona and need a reliable car with
Air Conditioning blasting at 110 degrees. We are
interested in the New Beetle TDI with leather and
all options, or maybe instead the Honda Civic HX
with the CVT transmission. (best mileage Civic
without going into the Insight) We want a car that
is dependable and safe, but cute and sporty. I am 6
foot 1, 163 pounds, and need a car that will not
kill me on a 3000 mile trip. We are both in our
40's, so are not needing a "university run-a-bout"!
Our main objective is good mileage! The Honda is
suppose to get 45 mpg, the Beetle gets 45 to 50.
The Beetle has a somewhat questionable quality
problem and has to use Diesil, the Honda has a
questionable transmission, the CVT. The Beetle
comes with more perks, for 22 thousand. The Honda
will cost about 18 thousand with air conditioning.
With escalating oil prices that will never again
come down, (in my opinion) we want an economical
car. I have a 1982 Honda CX-500 Custom, with shaft
drive and water cooled engine. Bought it new, and
at 65 thousand miles still purrs like a kitten,
gets 56 mpg, and has never stranded me. This is the
most dependable vehicle I have ever owned, but a
little impracticle at times, and dangerous to use.
(Is this typical for a small Honda engine)?? We
also have a very nice 2 door 69 Buick Skylark, 19.5
MPG, and a 1986 1 ton GMC duelly at 10 MPG, 7 mpg
when towing. You can see why I am tired of
gasoline bills!
I have waded my way through so many cars,
eliminated the Toyota Prius...too weak of a
performer, not available yet. The Honda
Insight...love the idea..but you can only carry 365
pounds of cargo and passengers. That is almost the
weight of two 170 pound people....so eliminated
it. There are only two of us, but we need a car
that can carry a little luggage and gear
occasionally. The Beetle can carry 920 lbs, of
passengers and cargo...very nice. Love the Outback
and the Forester...but they keep getting bigger and
bigger, and get less mileage every year. Like the
quality of the Camry, but it doesn't get good
mileage, hate 4 doors, and is too expensive. We
want a car that gets at least 40 mpg. We are
moving out of the desert mountains and don't need
the AWD. Also they both get pitiful mileage!
So I am really stalled.....want a gas saving car,
that is comfortable and dependable, but won't cost
a fortune to run. We rarely have any rear seat
passengers. But love to hit the open road and
travel! Any insight anyone..between these two
vehicles??! Any input would help greatly!
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
i drive a 91 honda civic cheese box (base model) i was lucky to get a/c with it. it doesnt even have a 5 spd manual. its the 4 spd. i just hit 183 k miles this past weekend and ive put 180 miles on it in 3 days. it still gets me 35 mpg. i ahve the original engine transmission and clutch in it. i have to replace the transmission because i want a 5 spd and the main shaft bearing is blown. but after 183 k miles what do you want.
its the most reliable car for the money i think
and hondas have only gotten better
i have driven the new beetle and it seems weird to me. it bottom of the windshield is too far away from the driver. and the top is too close to the driver. i dont know if you understood what i just said. basically it is too round on the inside. it would get annoying to me after a long trip say to maryland. the first thing that i would say to you if you already havent done it is drive each car on a test drive. that is the best way to be sure what car youll be comfortable in
http://www.roadandtrack.com/RoadAndTrack/FrameSet/1,1169,_sl_RoadAndTrack_sl_Article_sl_0_cm_1182_cm_1817_1_2_cm_00,00.html
I have the hard copy of the magazine, and in one of the pictures, it showed feature editor Andrew Bornhop at the wheel. It doesn't show this picture in the electronic article, but in the magazine the picture caption commented that Mr. Bornhop is 6-foot-4 and had plenty of head room. The tested Beetle was a 1.8 liter turbo-gas, but the comfort/convenience features are the same as the TDI engine beetle. A good source of info. concerning VW TDI's is Fred's TDI page: http://tdi.abahn.bc.ca/
I have never driven the Honda HX CVT but feel the mileage is not good enough for us. The standard gets 38 city...45 highway, the CVT transmission only gets 35/41. We only want the CVT, so that may "oust" the Civic out of the running.
On the other hand the Beetle is more expensive but more of a road car too, just what we need, as we want to do some nationwide traveling with it.....and the diesel gets 45 to over 50 mpg....the mileage is paramount to me, while I watch the price of oil go up and up......I think all manufacturers should start making cars smaller, and less thirsty, turning out lead sleds at 12 mpg is ridiculous!
How do you like the quality of your Beetle??...the biggest worry I have is the integrity of them....are they really all borderline lemons? I want one so bad..but am concerned about constant breakdowns!
Build quality is not what I would call spectacular. Merely average. By the time I traded it had dash rattles, seat creaks, door vibrations, and a severe hatch rattle.
Dealer service was severly lacking. Appointments needed to be made three to four weeks in advance for simple tasks such as oil changes. The mechanics were sloppy in their work (oil fingerprints on inside door panels, dashboard, hood, trunk, etc.) It would take approximately 3 hours to complete the oil change while I waited.
My particular car was the 2.0L gas model with automatic transmission. No power. Did not inspire confidence in various driving situations. Fuel economy was average at 24mpg overall (I exceed that currently with my V6 Chevy Camaro driving the exact some daily route. I easily get 25 to 26mpg with the Chevy.) The New Beetle would also consume oil to the tune of 1qt every 3,000 miles. The owner's guide warns of this, and VW is not joking when they suggest checking the oil at every fuel fill-up.
The car was very comfortable (I am 6'5" tall) and was a good highway cruiser on longer trips. It was fabulous in the snow (but the Camaro is just as good despite being rear wheel drive.) The Beetle was, however, highly unstable while driving in gusty winds. Air conditioning in the Beetle is barely adequate (the large glass areas tend to cause a greenhouse type of effect in extreme heat. Heat will build quickly in these little cars.) The factory stereo is very disappointing. Paint quality is average. Tends to nick and scratch very easily (mine was the Dark Blue.)
The New Beetle is an adequate small car. I have driven the Honda Civic (my father leased a '96 Civic sedan for 2 years) and personally view it as the better of the two cars. Quieter, more refined, more solid, more practical overall (more usable storage space.) In fact, if I had to buy a car today the Civic would be my primary choice (regardless even of the type of car I was looking at.) The New Beetle, for me, lost its novelty very quickly and its quirky characteristics simply could not be overlooked.
Whatever you decide, best of luck to you!
I know couple of Beetle owners who made a similar move. If a car is launched new, and you start to see it in used car lots in 6-8 months, (not one or two, but often), there has to be a problem. This is not to put down Beetle in any way. It is a distinctive looking car, and reminds many of its hay days in the 60's, but before taking a step to buy it, think about it, than being disappointed a few months later.
Mtnbunny27:
If you have not driven Civic HX, you should go out and see it for yourself. I've read positive reviews about the car, and the 115 HP is powerful enough for its 2400 lb. curb weight. Gas mileage may vary depending on driving habits. My current car (Accord) is rated at 23/30 by EPA, but even with my heavy footed driving, I get something like 26/32 mpg of regular gasoline. It is no light weight car either, at 3200 lb. In Texas summer, use of a/c reduces the mileage a little. So, 35/41 in Civic HX may actually give you 37-38 mpg in city. However, you've to find out if it is the car for you.
Based on the latest I know about next generation Civics (all new Civics will arrive as 2001 models in September-October), Honda seems to be continuing CVT tranny for American Civics, attached to even more fuel efficient VTEC-I engine. If you can wait until then, it could be worth it. (based on a rumor, the next generation Civics will be able to attain mileage to 50 mpg, I hope this is not at the cost of power though).
There are other cars too, you might want to check out. Nissan too may bring its CVT to the US in Sentra and so on. Good luck.
Anyone else out there????????
carlady/host
i would go with what robertsmx says and wait for the new vtec-i engine to come out. and go with the civic.
http://tdiforums.abahn.bc.ca/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro
FAQ on the TDI and TDI links as well...
-Beanboy
i have owned several honda in the past and can afford any car i want under the 35k range but i am tight enough to want the fuel mileage. my car gets a constant 34.3 miles / gallon . i live in a very mountainous area and never drive more than 37 miles at a time but usually i only drive about 11 miles at a time to go to work, each way.
i looked at both the vw and the toyota echo in my decision , but , how could i pass up the 4.9 % interest and the $12,700 and change price ?
i just looked at an insight made by honda , it is very pricey for a 2 seater , and since toyota is coming out with a four seater in june , i would bet on the toyota for around the same price , i do have some kids out there .
as for the honda or bug , keep with the coupe at least for a couple of years until the newness wears off the bettle and then it will be a great deal with great interest rates, i have been waiting for around 6 years now for a bug, i have a automobile magazine with jerry seinfeld on the cover looking at and getting a test ride in the concept 1, which is the name of the new beetle when they were trying to figure out what to call it.
like i said in my last response , even being in the higher income scale for a civic, i am a tight??? in the housing and in the car department anymore.
i will keep investing in real estate for my kids and say to he?? with cars that are costing me 30 or 40 bucks to fill up and only drive the same distance as i do in the honda for 10 bucks.
good luck mtnbunny
As for the HX CVT We just picked one up this labor day weekend. 15000 out the door with the cvt.
We looked a the bug about 6 months ago and found it very small and lacking in interior finish. The VW used too many "untested" materials and had too much rubber exposed to the sun. The trunk was a joke and the folding seats jammed agenst the front seats. And no we didnt jam the fonts to thier limits. My mother (a paltry 5'1") had the seat pulled all the way fwd.(she owned an old bug years ago. I was trying to sway her) You need to remove the headrests to get the seats to lay somewhat flat without touching the fronts. If you never plan on takeing anything with you, other than a few bags then the interior should suit. Drive them, feel them, and hell if its realy important rent them! I feel the civic is the better buy with the facts that it runs on regular pump gas not diesil (which is hard to find in "my" area.) Hondas have great resale (was going to buy used but desided not to when I found the same car new with the same stuff for a 150.00 more and 2years newer).
And yes all VWs eat oil its a main part of thier diet. My mother owned a 77 when I was growing up I loved that car (funky smell and all) It went through 3 rebuilds and 300,000 miles and consumed a quart of oil every other fill up. VWs have improved greatly over the past 10 years. Surpassing (in my opnion) the American auto manufactuers in quality and build. However they are weak in the engine area. I see plenty of late 90's golfs (jettas) and GTIs (they share engines as the bug) squealing and smokin thier way through life. (there are plenty on the road here because of the 299.00mo loans) The engines well....they just SUCK. The finish on them is horrid, metal flashing hanging off the valve covers scratches and dents on many engine parts . I first saw this deficit in 91? when the second gen was retired.
And if you'r wondering our old car was an 88 Acura Ledgen L with 168,000 miles (never opened the engine except to replace the timing belt)Only other repairs were to the British designed bits (electronics) and items that wear after so many miles (brake rotors shocks and some hoses.)
I think the hondas are the best enginerred autos on the road for under 100grand. You dont often see a car that can rev to over 9,000rpm and retain a 100,000 warrentee and get 25+ miles to the gallon.
But I guess I am biased My last 2 cars were honda a 78 accord (killed on the interstate) and A 89 CRX which still exists as a commuter/rolling advertisement.
For some enjoyment check out my site and be shure to click on the Temple of VTEC site LOTS of info!
http://www.geocities.com/yuggi1/crx/
Safety wise the New Beetle was rated a good deal higher than the Honda in the crash tests. Cruise control is only offered on a few Hondas, the Beetle has other standard features the Hondas lack or don't offer on some models. Subjectively: I drove an Si and an EX coupe, I've owned Hondas before, great cars but they've got no soul, their looks are mundane. The Beetle but a smile on my face the Hondas didn't, life is too short to place quality control above all else.
I myself LOVE the car. The nice thing about the CVT transmission is that you're always in the "right gear," so the car doesn't feel like being bogged down in the wrong gear. That makes it a great commuter car, because when you need quick acceleration all you need to do is press down a bit more on the accelerator pedal.
And even with air conditioning running, the car still doesn't bog down, because the acceleration is still quick and smooth.
By the way, you might want to know that CVT automatics may become the wave of the future. Audi in Europe started selling a year ago a new type of CVT automatic where instead of using a normal metal belt between two variable-width pulleys, it uses a very unusual drive chain between those same variable-width pulleys. You may want to check out the July 2000 issue of Car and Driver magazine, which has an article showing this new CVT design.
Developed in cooperation with the German company LUK, this new drive-chain CVT (Audi calls it "Multitronic") can withstand a lot more engine torque than metal-belt CVT's. Audi was able to put this CVT automatic into their A6 2.8 model on an engine rated at 200 bhp and 207 pound-feet of torque with no wear problems.
This bodes very well for Volkwagen, since Audi is a subsidary of VW. Don't be surprised that within two years we'll see the Multitronic CVT in VW models such as the Golf, Jetta and New Beetle--and that includes the TDI and 1.8 Turbo models. Since Multitronic allows for an infinite ratio of "gears," VW could adjust the engine computer so the car uses the most efficient ratio--lower RPM's for the TDI engine and higher RPM's for the 1.8T engine.
There is a new compressor that VW and Beetle are using, can't remember the details without looking it up, but it is much more efficient than the older ones...wonder if Honda is using it yet too??
I am still in the research mode on an automobile, right now the running is:
2001 Civic HX CVT
2001 Beetle GLS TDI
(Would like the Passat wagon, but why won't they let America have the TDI??) Can't wait till 2002 or 2003!
Also very interested in the Subaru Forester, as it would really fulfill our needs....(back roads, inclement weather, snow, etc.) But am very dissatisfied in their mileage...one would get only 22 to 30 at best........that is rather pitiful in my book. All my life I have owned poor mileage vehicles, now it is time go the other direction!
My own experience with the 1998 Civic HX CVT coupe is that I get 35 to 37 mpg on daily driving. That's why US$1.65/gallon regular unleaded gas costs don't faze me.
The car is quite comfortable for long trips, though I hope the 2001 Civic HX CVT (if such a model exists) will NOT have the dark-colored interior of the current Civics. The nice thing about the car is even with only 115 bhp, the car zips up to freeway speeds on freeway onramps extremely smoothly and quickly, so much so that you can do 85 mph before you know it! =:-O It does handle fairly well, though I did replace the original Firestone FR680 tires with Bridgestone RE92's lately for better overall handling.
You may want to check with your Honda dealer on whether you can still get a 2000 model year Civic HX CVT on a good deal, though you should note that Honda's Marysville, OH plant will likely switch over to the all-new 2001 model any time now. Also, check with Autobytel, CarsDirect and other online sales sites and they can probably find you a 2000 model year Civic HX CVT coupe at a pretty reasonable cost.
I think you will find that Beetle owners are having much more fun with their cars than when they had others. (I traded a four month old Civic LX sedan for a Beetle) I LOVE my car. You must realize that you will see more postings of problems than quotes like... "still running great".
I know of someone that put over 60,000 miles on their TDI with only minor problems (window switch was one) before his car got totaled.
Right now on the main page of BeetleBuzz there is a story of how solid the Beetle is. It is rated as the safest small car on the market right now and it's never boring to drive!
Good luck with your decision!
ChrisMar
2001 CyberGreen NB GLX 1.8T
Thanks
there is a possibility that we will have a limited number of TDIs to sell here later this
year or early next.
I had a 97 Civic HX w CTV for 1 year. I loved the tranny & engine combo, smmoooooth & relatively quick. Never drove long trips but am confident you could break 50 mpg on the highway with a cruise control (HX does not come from honda with CC, but I paid about $200 to have a very nice aftermarket unit put in). Now the HX bad news: My wife & I are similar sized (5-7 & 150 lbs), but we both found that the seat cushion put uncomfortable pressure on our thighs & the Missus got a sore back after 50 miles. That explains why we never took it on a long trip. For a taller person, seats may be fine.
Now, CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU BUY an HX or TDI! We sold the Hx last month & are looking for our 2nd Del Sol. With my 1st Del Sol (94 Si with automatic) I could get over 45 mpg on the highway, the seats were very comfy & the roof came off in a minute. Unless you need the space, look at the Del Sol. The S model has a weaker engine & suspension, but will get another 2-5 mpg!
of course, if gas ever becomes scarce, there will be ample amount of diesel, if 1978-9 crisis repeats itself.
#29 of 38: beetle tdi (caela) Thu 14 Sep '00 (10:28 PM)
Where is the dealer that you recommend located?
Proud owner of a 1998 Jetta TDI.
To correct 668, the TDI emits 20% less carbon dioxide than a gas motor (due to MPG, not technology), while emitting barely less hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. Nitrogen oxide and particle emissions is still greater than a gas motor. (Measurements figure in fuel efficiency, so mile-for-mile a Civic HX is cleaner. This is where my original comment stems from.)
I just want a clean planet!
...a proud Honda loyalist
> industry lobbyists are launching their attack on The White House to prevent new
> requirements. We'll see if big business wins...
Take a look at the nominee to head the EPA. Who do you think is going to win?
You're partly right about the TDI and carbon dioxide emissions, eludwig. But not fully. There are two reasons that the emissions may differ: 1) miles per gallon, where the TDI wins, and 2) the chemistry of combustion, where I'm not sure who wins. Diesel is composed of different molecules than gasoline. Both result in production of carbon dioxide. The question is, which contains more energy per gram of carbon dioxide produced?
Here I am getting all defensive about my wonderful TDI, when I should be realize that Civic owners are also interested in a cleaner planet. There are other vehicles of much greater concern out there.
I wouldn't buy either car, especially the TDI, for saving money on fuel. Last summer when I was paying $1.39 and my friends were getting gas for over $2, I figured out that I would still only be saving about $300 a year. Buy these cars because you want to use less fuel for conservation. (And I can't speak for the Civic here because I haven't driven one...but the TDI is fun to drive.)
Where are you getting your info, mpgman?
Also, at 25k miles my oil change cost me a total of $24 bucks at Central VW/Audi. Park Cities Jeep/VW was going to charge me a total of $60 dollars, while Metro VW charges $40 dollars. Ya gotta shop around I guess.
My question has to do with the CVT. If I can believe the odometer it has 34,000 miles on it. The mechanical condition of the rest of the car looks right for 34,000. Anyway, when I first start up the car and accelerate in Drive the engine revs up for a second, there is a clunk, and then the car takes off smoothly. Same in reverse. Is this common with the CVT or does this indicate wear? One I drive a mile or so the condition goes away, however, there still is the slightest hesitation compared with my Camry automatic.
Once I clear up the problems I think I'll love the car. I got 35 mpg on my first tank. The car has power everything and I payed $10,500. I live in Seattle, Wahington.
Finally, the boatloads of torque this little wonder motor makes is phenomenal, even with the a/c on. You can mash the gas in fifth on the highway, and it puuls like a train (a small one, of course)