I was just talking about this in the Jetta and Passat rooms. My VW doesn't shock me at all, but other peoples' do. It must be because I have leather seats, I don't know.
But one way to prevent shocking is to touch the tip of the key to the doorframe before you touch the door to close it. This will "discharge" the static electricity from your body, and you won't get shocked.
I'm getting a 99 Civic Sedan EX-G but I only had a quick look at it the other day (through an auction). Do all EX models come standard with the powe moonroof? I don't remember seeing one.
OK, here's the dilemma. I'm trying to replace the broken antenna in my son's '90 Civic. I attached a fishing line to the end of the antenna cable so that I would have a pull string to help fish the new antenna down the pillar. As I'm pulling the antenna wire up through the pillar, the end becomes wedged and the cable breaks off from the plug. Now when I go to pull the plug back down, the fishing line breaks also (30lb test, should have gone stronger) So the question is, how do I get to the plug to remove it? It's not stuck in the pilllar but right where the pillar connects to the dash. Do I have to remove the dash or is there another suggestion? I'm at a loss to try to fix it right now, been playing around with it for 3 hours. Looks like the heating/defrost duct is right in the way of where I want to go. I need help!
I drove down to LA from San Francisco again, and am really impressed by the mileage, comfort, quiet, speed, and acceleration (for passing) of this little car. It doesn't run out of acceleration in freeway passing, unlike the 88 CRX I had. Most of all it is far quieter than the other cars I have had recently.
The Coupe has a nice rake to the windshield, and when well-treated with Rain-X the rain really flies off at freeway speeds. I still have to use the wipers at slower speeds, or if the rain is lighter (the "big drops" knock off the little drops, but misty rain just sort of sits around).
It's fun to be able to see well in heavy rains.
The Firestone FR690 tires have been great - comparable to the Dunlop Sport A2's (famous as a great rain tire) on my VW.
I do have to run the "defrost" mode on the air con a lot to keep fog off the windows though.
The changes for '03 are cosmetic and do not affect quietness or ride. The interior changes may help a bit with "comfort", e.g. the center arm rest in some models and the adjustable rear head restraints. The biggest upgrade for '03 is the standard alloy wheels on the EX coupe.
I recall seeing it was going to be in '05 or '06. As for a 5-speed auto in a Civic, I'd consider it doubtful, that's probably something for the Accord level and up. That's just my opinion, of course.
If Honda sticks to their typical redesign schedule, the next-gen Civic would come out in late '05 as a '06 model. Also, Honda has often made significant tweaks, including front/rear facias, to cars in their next-to-last year of a generation. So there could be some changes next fall, but I've heard nothing definite. They may need to do something to stay competitive, with an all-new Protege due and some major tweaks like VVT engines for the Elantra. As for a 5-speed automatic, Saturn has raised the bar for small cars by offering a 5-speed auto in the Ion, so it will be interesting to see how Honda et. al. respond. Personally I'd rather see a 6-speed short-throw stick across the Civic line before a 5-speed slushbox--but I'm weird.
Hello, my daughter has a 89 Civic 1.5L 4 speed auto with over 310,000+ miles. Recently (Christmas Eve) the blower motor seems to have quit working. There is not any forced air flow at any position (defroster, front vents, floor vents). I can feel heat eminating from the any of the vents while driving. I've checked the fuse and it is okay. The blower does not work at any speed position (1,2,3,4). Any ideas of what to check? I imagine this will be somewhat involved job to get to the blower motor in the dash. NAPA lists the motor for approximately $54. Anything else that should be checked prior to R&R the blower motor? Any comments will be greatly appreciated. I plan on purchasing a Haynes manual tonight. I am use to working on domestics not Hondas. And I have never had a blower motor just quit.
I bought a 03 civic ex on Nov,2002, the MPG really sucks!! It is about only 25 mpg taking into account both city and highway drive.Is there a way to fix it?
More than likely your blower fan burned out. Another possibility is the blower fan relay. Locate the relay and try to touch the top of it as you turn the fan switch on. If you feel/hear one solid click, than it is probably ok and the fan motor is the problem. If nothing happens, either the fan switch or the relay isn't working. If you get multiple fast clicks, the relay is bad and needs to be replaced. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the reply. I purchased a Haynes Manual and a test light. I removed the glove box, center console cover for easier access and proceeded to test the hot wires to make sure the motor was getting juice. In my testing I found the motor was getting juice. Proceeded to move wires around and found the motor worked. Checked the contacts and they appear to be okay. In fiddling with the wires I was able to determine that there appears to be a loose contact in the wiring. I was able to keep the motor running by keeping pressure on the wiring. Temporarily I have a bungee cord maintaining pressure (and subsequently good contact). I simply could not get the blower motor (and fan) out. Not enough room. According to the manual it indicates to drop the motor and fan but there is not enough space unless I remove the entire right side of the dash. Anyway it is working temporarily at the moment.
Well, we ended up replacing the blower motor. The mechanic had to evacuate the a/c (r-12) to be able to move the evaporator so he could move the dash out. The new blower motor is in and working. We have to return on Saturday so he can recharge the a/c with r-134a. Cost was approx. $300 including the new a/c fittings & new freon. Thanks to all that replied.
im a honda salesperson, and drive a civic ex sedan with a 5-speed... i drive only city to work, and only 2.5 miles each way. because of this, i tend to downshift alot, and keep rpm's around 4k. better responsiveness when i need to accelerate. for example, when im around 40 mph, instead of going to 5th for cruising, i use 3rd. i average about 27-28 mpg this way. there are so many variables with a manny in determining mpg, it would be tough to make an educated guess. the posted mileage is from the epa, and their driving would make granny in palm beach county look like dale earnhardt.
i would just say ease up on the accelerator, use 5th as often as you can, and it will improve.
The A/C was charged on Saturday while he serviced our van's (93 Aerostar) rear brakes. It is fully charged with R134a and has the new fittings.
I realize it is winter time but my mechanics temp reading at the vent read about 41 F(engine revving to 2000 rpm) which is cool enough. At idle the vent temperature was at 44 F. Besides my daughter usually has the sun roof open in the summer time unless it is a real hot humid day.
With such a small interior the car should remain plenty cool when the a/c is run. I knew that R134a was less efficient than R12 but R134a is only $5 a lb vs $150 lb for R12 (if it can be found.).
I was at the dealership getting an oil change, so I walked around looking at the floor models.
The 03 Civic's taillights are a big improvement over the 1980's-looking lenses that originally came with the redesign. Interior didn't change much, but the EX model I looked at had these fancy chrome rings around the gauges (looked really nice). I think only Audi/VW does that, until now at least. I hope they carry that into the next redesign - I'll most likely replace my current Civic by then.
Has anyone run across a buzz from the passenger side rear package tray area (back seat area) in the Civic Coupe? At first I thought I had packed stuff in the trunk wrong, and double checked and rearranged it (the same stuff never buzzed or rattled in the Neon that I replaced), then I thought the release handle for the seat back might be the culprit, but the noise is more like the kind of noise from a loose hatchback package tray - any history of buzzes and rattles in this area? It could also be the rear window pillar area. Noises are hard to isolate. Before I take it back to the dealer I want to try to pin it down more.
The other issue is the clutch pedal, which worked fine at first, then started binding (as though the clutch cable or pivot on the pedal was not lubricated), then broke in to a minor squeak when I depress and release the clutch pedal. Anyone know if the clutch is hydraulic or cable actuated? Any lubrication or other known problems in this area?
Thanks. Sooner or later I will have to stop at the dealer. I have just under 3K miles on the car now. In all other respects it's been a dream.
I went shopping today with intentions of buying a Corolla and ended up with a Civic instead. I must say that I liked the 03 Civic much better than the identical 2001 one I test drove two years ago. It is much quieter. On the 2001, I thought the engine was in the car with me.
As for the Corolla, it did not have as much room and the engine seemed rough and noisy to me. And the dealer was unwilling to deal, and I am glad now otherwise I wouldn't have stopped by the Honda dealership.
I went to an auto show last week where I was able to look at and sit in just about everything but Subarus. There are so many choices that I decided to start out with the brands that have historically better reliability and resale value: Toyota and Honda. They also had the highest gas mileage at 38 hwy, which was a big factor.
As I mentioned before, I was extremely disappointed with the Corolla. It had the stinking problem, vibrated really bad, not enough leg room, and the radio was the worst I have ever listened to.
I also considered the Protege, Sentra, and Focus. I know it sounds dumb, but I was turned off by the thin doors on the Mazda. I did not like the low seating position and rear end styling of the Sentra. I was concerned with Focus reliability, and did not like its front end styling too well, but it was still a contender due to its price (about $14,300 for a loaded ZTS model).
The 03 Corolla is a weird little car - weird seating position, tipsy in corners, not the looker of the class by any means.
The Sentra is not as reliable IMO as the Civic, Corolla and PRO. That "Made in Mexico" stigma I guess that can be found in VWs...
The Civic is a good car with GREAT mpg!!! I think the new Civics 2001+ exhibit a more than usual (for a Honda) tendency to have little problems with them (this is based on checking Edmunds, NHTSA recalls and complaints, Consumers Report and Car and Driver). Then again, Honda 5spd units are absolutely great!
I have a 2001 PRO ES and I came from a Civic that gave me the most trouble I've ever heard anyone having with a car - blown cylinder head, head gaskets (two), radiator, A/C, and an AT on its way out. All this on a 7 yr old car with 60.000 miles! My PRO has been good in 18 mths and 31.000 miles. The mileage is not the same as it used to be in the Civic I had, but then again the PRO is a 2.0L and the Civic was a 1.6L. I am getting about 9L/100kms in 75% highway (at 70-85mph) and 25% city (traffic). Sorry, don't know how much that is in mpg, but it should be a little less than the Civic's 1.7L.
Just wondering: Did you actually drive the PRO, Sentra, Corolla, or just sat in them at the auto show?
I drove the Corolla and it had more power than the Civic, but to me the engine seemed kind of rough at both idle and high rpms.
I expected the Civic to be like the identical one I test drove in 2001, but it seemed much quieter. I hope that I don't have the bad luck you had with yours.
When I bought my RAV4, the dealer gave me a new Corolla as a loaner. I got the same impression as you did - the engine didn't work as hard as my 99 Civic getting up to highway speeds, but it just didn't feel any stronger than the numbers on paper would imply.
Oppositely, my friend's 02 EX feels more powerful, despite it being similar in hp but less in torque than the Corolla. The Corolla's advantage was that it wasn't as noisy, but it wasn't hush-quiet like in a Camry.
I have a buzz/rattle from the right rear of the car, in the package tray rear. My car is a 2003 Civic Coupe. The exact noise area seems to be behind the headrest in the back seat on the passenger side of the car. It doesn't seem to be coming from the trunk.
Micweb, please post your finding after you pin-point the problem. I have the same trouble. But since I don't have any passengers in the car for 99% of the time, I can't figure out the problem. I don't know if it has anything to do with the high-hang rear brake light.
My 2k1 Civic had few rattles during its first 20k miles. But they show up much more frequently now. In addition to the rattle coming from the back, I also have rattles from the 2 front doors.
Although I have a Jetta and not a Civic, I had problems with the right rear rattling as well. Turned out to be a broken clip back in the C pillar. Once it was fixed, the noise stopped.
The cover for the LATCH attachment on my rear plastic shelf rattles sometimes when I drive over bumps...
By the way, I also had a trunk issue-- one day, when it was really cold out, my trunk wouldn't close. Turns out a piece of plastic inside the trunk latch had broken and the latch would refuse to catch on the hook to close the trunk. Fixed under warranty, but I was wondering if anyone else had that problem?
I saw ads in my local paper (Twin Cities) yesterday advertising leases on '03 sedans for as low as $139/mo. for the LX and $159/mo. for the EX. That was for 5-speeds, 48 months, $1000 cap cost reduction, security deposit, TT&L. Those are the lowest lease prices, considering the relatively low CCR, that I can remember seeing on new Civics. Anyone see any comparable or better deals?
I have a new '03 Civic EX 5sp. It has only about 900 Miles on it so far. I'm getting about 31MPG, which I feel is good. However..
The gas gauge seems to be worthless.. I drive about 80 miles and then it drops from full to 3/4, then in about 10 more miles it drops to half. Then it sits on half for about 100 miles and slowly drops to about 1/4 or less.
Then when I'm at about about 295 miles the gas light comes on.. I thought I would see how far I could go, but it looked really empty.. So I got nervous and filled it up.. Only took 9.6 gallons.. It's supposed to hold a little over 13. My estimates I should be getting about 375-400 miles before I should worry about getting more gas.
Anyway have any thoughts on this??
Also I had a problem where NONE of my gauges worked, I shut off the engine turned it back on and they were fine.. That only happened once.. A couple of times the radio has changed stations on it's own, hasn't done that in 300 miles or so.. DO I have a gremlin??
The gas gauge in my 2k1 Civic behave almost the same as your. The only difference is that I usuaully can pump 10.0-10.2 gal right after the gas light comes up.
It is not linear. But once I get use to it, I don't feel it's a problem.
I've never owned a car--including two Civics--with a linear gas gauge. They all have their quirks. For example, I can sometimes go over 100 miles on my Elantra before the needle moves at all, then it plunges quickly from 3/4 to 1/2, and the low fuel light comes on with about one gallon left. On my Caravan, the low fuel light comes on with five gallons left. The main thing is, is the behavior consistent from fill-up to fill-up so you can depend on it? If so then you'll get used to it.
Now, gauges not working at all and radios that change stations by themselves... that's weird! I'd have those checked by the dealer.
Well keep in mind that it was a rental and most likely trashed around ("hey, if it's not my car, why not see how far you can push it?" attitude applies to rentals).
That being said, the Civic's quality has deteriorated since the 01 redesign (IMO). The Protege offers better value (features for $), a better ride (firm, yet composed, free of rattles) and superb handling. Reliability over the long haul is the same, although the PRO will have less rattles and a better-finished interior (ES/P5 trims).
The Civic has the 5spd tranny which is amazing and better resale, but if you wanna drive, the PRO blows it out of the water.
I know several people with newer Civics, and quite honestly, I've never experienced these rattles in their cars.
I can agree that the pull up door handles are out of place, not because everybody else has them, but because the bar type handles are just better in any type of car. The 14" tires look fine to me.
If the Civic's driver's seat rocks, why is that bad? That sounds pretty good to me.
Oh, wait... you meant it rocks. Never mind.
Did you like anything about the car? I don't suppose you got to drive a 5-speed because it was a rental. That's the only way I'd own a Civic, with its superb shifter to wring every pony out of that 115 hp motor.
Sorry the rental car soured your experience on the Civic LX, Mdriver.
I have a 2003 LX and I love it. It's my daily commuter and it's such a gas saver ($2.09 for a gallon of 87 Octane here!). It gives me 36 mpg since I drive mostly freeway miles.
It's been quiet and reliable. It does feel underpowered but that's ok with me. I can't really speed in gridlock traffic anyway, and I have a Firebird for the weekend so I can have some driving excitement.
You mentioned a lot of negatives with the LX, but let me tell you about the positives.
Smaller tires are cheaper to replace than big ones, plus it's less likely to be a target of theft. Who needs locking lug nuts when you have 14" rims!?
Lift-up type door handles are more aerodynamic than bar types.
115 hp engine eats less gas.
Gauges are poorly marked but you get used to them.
All the other flukes that you mentioned like the rocking seat and bad door panels and bouncy ride must be specific to the abused rental car you had. An LX that has been taken care of generally does not have those problems. At least, mine doesn't.
I like the looks of the Protege but I chose the Civic because it was a "Best Pick" in the IIHS crash test, while the Protege was just "acceptable". And also the convenience of having the dealership and service station 1 block from my workplace.
You think the stereo is terrible? While it is not the best in the world, it is better than what most cars come with. If you want to hear a terrible radio, try an 03 Corolla. It is slightly better than a drive-thru speaker, only because it has four of them.
I have to agree with you that the speedometer is not very legible. I think it is silly for this car to have a 150 mph speedo.
Most the other things you mentioned are a non-issue for me. 14" tires ride better and blower fan is has plenty of volume for Winter, but the real test will come this summer. Keep in mind that air volume is not easy to detect if it is at low pressure, so it may have more volume than you think.
I drove a Civic LX and it felt cramped to me. The driver's seat bolsters feel very confining to me, and actually cause pain in the back and sides. I am a portly male though, so I blame it on that.
I prefer the pull-style door handles to bars, as do most females (the bar types break nails more often). Power feels weak, but it's economy car. It's not suppose to be really fast! And one can't complain about 30+mpg in these times of high gas prices.
Reliability does seem to have fallen from the 96-00 designs though. I am surprised at Honda.
we write about the same # of service tickets each month for each model year civic going back to '96. mostly just maintenance, but the few repairs are about equal for each year. i think its the perception from people complaining about struts vs. d-wishbone. that started a whole lot of complaining. i have driven 6 different civics over the last 14 months, and havent had so much as a rattle.
I am in the market for a new compact car, so I recently decided to drive everything I thought was worth considering in the compact class. Just so you know my background, I'm over forty and a well read car buff who can and has done just about everything when it comes to maintenance on cars. I currently own a 91 Nissan Sentra GXE and a 2001 Honda Accord LX both with automatics that I bought new. Both have been great cars with few problems.
Now back to the comparison, I drove 2003 Mazda Protege, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic LX. All were 4-door(I have kids) with automatics and I drove each with a mid-level option package like the LX. I drove each vehicle over a 15 mile loop that consisted of rough back roads, interstate, and city streets. Here are my observations. The Mazda was the least refined (a lot of cabin noise and materials looked cheap and the back seat position was to upright. However, it does now come with a 4-year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The Sentra drove well, but the back seat just has no leg room(just like my old one). The Toyota had plenty of power, a spacious cabin and the largest trunk, but it was the noisiest of the bunch, which really surprised me. Both Toyota and Nissan have the same warranty, 3-year/36,000 for everything and a 5-year/60,000 mile powertrain. The Civic was by far the quietest on the road and had the best laid out interior (the totally flat back floor is a nice touch). It clearly felt the best on the road, but it would have been nice to have the power of the Corolla. Honda has the weakest warranty of any import, 3-year/36,000 and my experience with Honda dealers has not been good. To me their focus seems to be to get out of making a repair, rather than trying to work with their customers to make them happy. All of these cars provide good reliable basic transportion. In the end, the Civic was the most refined and at about $15,200 out the door excluding tax, it's a pretty good deal.
Regarding the PRO, drive the ES (top of the line) model. The LX doesn't do the car justice (the grey/beige interior is not that great looking I know). Also keep on mind the fact that Mazdas have lower financing rates than Hondas and you might be able to get 0%/48 or 60 mths, so you can save $$$! Oh yeah, and no dealer attitude
The ES has standard ABS w/EBD, 16" alloys, a very attractive sporty interior (on the ES/P5 trims only) and superior handling to anything in its class. Reliability is outstanding on models equipped with the 2.0L engines (check Consumer Reports). If you enjoy driving, the PRO is the clear winner.
About the rough ride: it is VERY possible the dealer left the air pressure at 40PSI, instead of lowering it to 32PSI. My Protege had 42PSI when I picked it up in July 2001 and the ride was horrible. A week later it crossed my mind to check the tire pressure and the rough ride became firm and composed (think the BMW of small cars).
If you like a soft/cushy/floaty ride, get something else, but for pure driving fun in an attractive interior/exterior package, lots of rear seat room and trunk space, great reliability and a solid warranty, the PRO ES/P5 can't be beat.
Dinu BTW: My 01 PRO ES has over 32.000 miles on it and is still a BLAST to drive.
Comments
But one way to prevent shocking is to touch the tip of the key to the doorframe before you touch the door to close it. This will "discharge" the static electricity from your body, and you won't get shocked.
So the question is, how do I get to the plug to remove it? It's not stuck in the pilllar but right where the pillar connects to the dash. Do I have to remove the dash or is there another suggestion? I'm at a loss to try to fix it right now, been playing around with it for 3 hours. Looks like the heating/defrost duct is right in the way of where I want to go.
I need help!
A very slick performer, overall....
It's fun to be able to see well in heavy rains.
The Firestone FR690 tires have been great - comparable to the Dunlop Sport A2's (famous as a great rain tire) on my VW.
I do have to run the "defrost" mode on the air con a lot to keep fog off the windows though.
I bought a 03 civic ex on Nov,2002, the MPG really sucks!! It is about only 25 mpg taking into account both city and highway drive.Is there a way to fix it?
Keep in mind your A/C with R134a will not be as efficient as old R-12.
bjk
My 2003 Civic LX sedan (automatic transmission) gets 34-37 mpg for mixed driving depending on how lead-footed I get.
i drive only city to work, and only 2.5 miles each way. because of this, i tend to downshift alot, and keep rpm's around 4k. better responsiveness when i need to accelerate. for example, when im around 40 mph, instead of going to 5th for cruising, i use 3rd. i average about 27-28 mpg this way. there are so many variables with a manny in determining mpg, it would be tough to make an educated guess.
the posted mileage is from the epa, and their driving would make granny in palm beach county look like dale earnhardt.
i would just say ease up on the accelerator, use 5th as often as you can, and it will improve.
I realize it is winter time but my mechanics temp reading at the vent read about 41 F(engine revving to 2000 rpm) which is cool enough. At idle the vent temperature was at 44 F. Besides my daughter usually has the sun roof open in the summer time unless it is a real hot humid day.
With such a small interior the car should remain plenty cool when the a/c is run. I knew that R134a was less efficient than R12 but R134a is only $5 a lb vs $150 lb for R12 (if it can be found.).
Thanks
The 03 Civic's taillights are a big improvement over the 1980's-looking lenses that originally came with the redesign. Interior didn't change much, but the EX model I looked at had these fancy chrome rings around the gauges (looked really nice). I think only Audi/VW does that, until now at least. I hope they carry that into the next redesign - I'll most likely replace my current Civic by then.
The other issue is the clutch pedal, which worked fine at first, then started binding (as though the clutch cable or pivot on the pedal was not lubricated), then broke in to a minor squeak when I depress and release the clutch pedal. Anyone know if the clutch is hydraulic or cable actuated? Any lubrication or other known problems in this area?
Thanks. Sooner or later I will have to stop at the dealer. I have just under 3K miles on the car now. In all other respects it's been a dream.
Carrie
I went shopping today with intentions of buying a Corolla and ended up with a Civic instead. I must say that I liked the 03 Civic much better than the identical 2001 one I test drove two years ago. It is much quieter. On the 2001, I thought the engine was in the car with me.
As for the Corolla, it did not have as much room and the engine seemed rough and noisy to me. And the dealer was unwilling to deal, and I am glad now otherwise I wouldn't have stopped by the Honda dealership.
Dinu
As I mentioned before, I was extremely disappointed with the Corolla. It had the stinking problem, vibrated really bad, not enough leg room, and the radio was the worst I have ever listened to.
I also considered the Protege, Sentra, and Focus. I know it sounds dumb, but I was turned off by the thin doors on the Mazda. I did not like the low seating position and rear end styling of the Sentra. I was concerned with Focus reliability, and did not like its front end styling too well, but it was still a contender due to its price (about $14,300 for a loaded ZTS model).
The Sentra is not as reliable IMO as the Civic, Corolla and PRO. That "Made in Mexico" stigma I guess that can be found in VWs...
The Civic is a good car with GREAT mpg!!! I think the new Civics 2001+ exhibit a more than usual (for a Honda) tendency to have little problems with them (this is based on checking Edmunds, NHTSA recalls and complaints, Consumers Report and Car and Driver). Then again, Honda 5spd units are absolutely great!
I have a 2001 PRO ES and I came from a Civic that gave me the most trouble I've ever heard anyone having with a car - blown cylinder head, head gaskets (two), radiator, A/C, and an AT on its way out. All this on a 7 yr old car with 60.000 miles! My PRO has been good in 18 mths and 31.000 miles. The mileage is not the same as it used to be in the Civic I had, but then again the PRO is a 2.0L and the Civic was a 1.6L. I am getting about 9L/100kms in 75% highway (at 70-85mph) and 25% city (traffic). Sorry, don't know how much that is in mpg, but it should be a little less than the Civic's 1.7L.
Just wondering: Did you actually drive the PRO, Sentra, Corolla, or just sat in them at the auto show?
Dinu
I expected the Civic to be like the identical one I test drove in 2001, but it seemed much quieter. I hope that I don't have the bad luck you had with yours.
Carrie ~2002 Honda Civic EX Sedan in Eternal Blue Pearl (11K miles)
Oppositely, my friend's 02 EX feels more powerful, despite it being similar in hp but less in torque than the Corolla. The Corolla's advantage was that it wasn't as noisy, but it wasn't hush-quiet like in a Camry.
My 2k1 Civic had few rattles during its first 20k miles. But they show up much more frequently now. In addition to the rattle coming from the back, I also have rattles from the 2 front doors.
By the way, I also had a trunk issue-- one day, when it was really cold out, my trunk wouldn't close. Turns out a piece of plastic inside the trunk latch had broken and the latch would refuse to catch on the hook to close the trunk. Fixed under warranty, but I was wondering if anyone else had that problem?
The gas gauge seems to be worthless.. I drive about 80 miles and then it drops from full to 3/4, then in about 10 more miles it drops to half. Then it sits on half for about 100 miles and slowly drops to about 1/4 or less.
Then when I'm at about about 295 miles the gas light comes on.. I thought I would see how far I could go, but it looked really empty.. So I got nervous and filled it up.. Only took 9.6 gallons.. It's supposed to hold a little over 13. My estimates I should be getting about 375-400 miles before I should worry about getting more gas.
Anyway have any thoughts on this??
Also I had a problem where NONE of my gauges worked, I shut off the engine turned it back on and they were fine.. That only happened once.. A couple of times the radio has changed stations on it's own, hasn't done that in 300 miles or so.. DO I have a gremlin??
It is not linear. But once I get use to it, I don't feel it's a problem.
Now, gauges not working at all and radios that change stations by themselves... that's weird! I'd have those checked by the dealer.
14" tires, most have evolved to 15"
Non-bar door handles, most have bar type
115 non VTEC HP, last place.
Guages that are poorly marked for the 30,50,70 mph increments.
Doors that have to be slammed to close.
Door panels that move in/out as windows are powered up/down
Poor ride quality with rear bounce and float.
Stereo that has tiny volume control knob and terrible sound quality.
Driver's seat that rocks
A center console that is just about impossible to reach into from the driver's seat.
Blower fan weak and does not put out any volume of air until almost full on.
Rear styling similar to late 80s Mitsubishi Mirage.
This car seems a step back from the '96-'01 version in almost every way
That being said, the Civic's quality has deteriorated since the 01 redesign (IMO). The Protege offers better value (features for $), a better ride (firm, yet composed, free of rattles) and superb handling. Reliability over the long haul is the same, although the PRO will have less rattles and a better-finished interior (ES/P5 trims).
The Civic has the 5spd tranny which is amazing and better resale, but if you wanna drive, the PRO blows it out of the water.
Dinu
I can agree that the pull up door handles are out of place, not because everybody else has them, but because the bar type handles are just better in any type of car. The 14" tires look fine to me.
Oh, wait... you meant it rocks. Never mind.
Did you like anything about the car? I don't suppose you got to drive a 5-speed because it was a rental. That's the only way I'd own a Civic, with its superb shifter to wring every pony out of that 115 hp motor.
I have a 2003 LX and I love it. It's my daily commuter and it's such a gas saver ($2.09 for a gallon of 87 Octane here!). It gives me 36 mpg since I drive mostly freeway miles.
It's been quiet and reliable. It does feel underpowered but that's ok with me. I can't really speed in gridlock traffic anyway, and I have a Firebird for the weekend so I can have some driving excitement.
You mentioned a lot of negatives with the LX, but let me tell you about the positives.
Smaller tires are cheaper to replace than big ones, plus it's less likely to be a target of theft. Who needs locking lug nuts when you have 14" rims!?
Lift-up type door handles are more aerodynamic than bar types.
115 hp engine eats less gas.
Gauges are poorly marked but you get used to them.
All the other flukes that you mentioned like the rocking seat and bad door panels and bouncy ride must be specific to the abused rental car you had. An LX that has been taken care of generally does not have those problems. At least, mine doesn't.
I like the looks of the Protege but I chose the Civic because it was a "Best Pick" in the IIHS crash test, while the Protege was just "acceptable". And also the convenience of having the dealership and service station 1 block from my workplace.
I have to agree with you that the speedometer is not very legible. I think it is silly for this car to have a 150 mph speedo.
Most the other things you mentioned are a non-issue for me. 14" tires ride better and blower fan is has plenty of volume for Winter, but the real test will come this summer. Keep in mind that air volume is not easy to detect if it is at low pressure, so it may have more volume than you think.
I prefer the pull-style door handles to bars, as do most females (the bar types break nails more often). Power feels weak, but it's economy car. It's not suppose to be really fast! And one can't complain about 30+mpg in these times of high gas prices.
Reliability does seem to have fallen from the 96-00 designs though. I am surprised at Honda.
Now back to the comparison, I drove 2003 Mazda Protege, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic LX. All were 4-door(I have kids) with automatics and I drove each with a mid-level option package like the LX. I drove each vehicle over a 15 mile loop that consisted of rough back roads, interstate, and city streets. Here are my observations. The Mazda was the least refined (a lot of cabin noise and materials looked cheap and the back seat position was to upright. However, it does now come with a 4-year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. The Sentra drove well, but the back seat just has no leg room(just like my old one). The Toyota had plenty of power, a spacious cabin and the largest trunk, but it was the noisiest of the bunch, which really surprised me. Both Toyota and Nissan have the same warranty, 3-year/36,000 for everything and a 5-year/60,000 mile powertrain. The Civic was by far the quietest on the road and had the best laid out interior (the totally flat back floor is a nice touch). It clearly felt the best on the road, but it would have been nice to have the power of the Corolla. Honda has the weakest warranty of any import, 3-year/36,000 and my experience with Honda dealers has not been good. To me their focus seems to be to get out of making a repair, rather than trying to work with their customers to make them happy. All of these cars provide good reliable basic transportion. In the end, the Civic was the most refined and at about $15,200 out the door excluding tax, it's a pretty good deal.
The ES has standard ABS w/EBD, 16" alloys, a very attractive sporty interior (on the ES/P5 trims only) and superior handling to anything in its class. Reliability is outstanding on models equipped with the 2.0L engines (check Consumer Reports). If you enjoy driving, the PRO is the clear winner.
About the rough ride: it is VERY possible the dealer left the air pressure at 40PSI, instead of lowering it to 32PSI. My Protege had 42PSI when I picked it up in July 2001 and the ride was horrible. A week later it crossed my mind to check the tire pressure and the rough ride became firm and composed (think the BMW of small cars).
If you like a soft/cushy/floaty ride, get something else, but for pure driving fun in an attractive interior/exterior package, lots of rear seat room and trunk space, great reliability and a solid warranty, the PRO ES/P5 can't be beat.
Dinu
BTW: My 01 PRO ES has over 32.000 miles on it and is still a BLAST to drive.