Honda Civic 2005 and earlier

carguy000

I have not noticed any rattles in my 2001 Civic Coupe. I have been fairly pleased with the radio. I believe the EX Coupe's radios are better than the EX Sedan's radio. I read in a brochure or something that the EX Coupe's radio has more wattage or something.

I need your advice here. This morning before I went to church, my car's fuel gauge was on "E" and my fuel light was on. However, when I came out from church and all the way home, my fuel gauge needle was two notches above "E." Does this mean that I have the fuel gauge problem that the TSB addresses? At church, I was parked on a hill, but it never leveled out on the way home. Thanks! I appreciate your help.

s852

http://www.suntimes.com/auto/honda/civ01.html

This review says the 5 speed revs at about 3,000 rpm at 65 mph. That explains the buzzy ride.

It sounds like the automatic is a little quieter, but 2800 or 2900 rpm is still a lot of tiring noise to deal with on a long trip.
It sounds like the stick needs a 6th gear and the automatic needs a 5th.

newciv

I want to use synthetic oil in my 2001 Civic LX, such as Mobil 1. I want to stick with Honda's recommendation of 5W-20 grade oil. Does anyone here know which brand synthetic oil can be used or one which Honda recommends?

Mobil 1 has:
0W-30
5W-30
10W-30
15W-50

Does anyone know where I can find 5W-20 synthetic which meets Honda's specifications??
Thanks in advance.

NewCiv

bordsource

I've done el zippo-la to my dash. It's just always been that way. I bought my car at the end of November, though, so it was probably within the first 50,000 built (anyone know how to check for sure?).

The Civic 5-sp turns about 2900 rpms at 60, at 65 it's about 3200. However, if you're in a Midwestern city like I am, 60 & 65 is the slow lane. 70 &0 75 will put more like 3500-3800 rpms on the tach, and 80 is about 4 grand. That's where things get noisy. 60 & 65 aren't bad, but 75, and especially 80 are tiresome.

As for the stereo, yes, the coupe does have a better stereo. The sedans have only 4 speakers, while the coupes add two tweeters for a total of six speakers. EX models as a genre have stronger speakers, at 30 watts per compared to 20 for LXs and DXs. The stereo in the sedans is decent. It doesn't have much bass to it, so some sounds, like the bass on Aaliyah's "Try Again" can sound slightly hollow at times. I'd be willing to bet, however, that those who complain of the stereo's weakness either a) are used to more expensive custom or factory systems to begin with or b) don't have the bass and treble turned up. It's by no means a Bose or even Delco system, but at the same time, I've heard worse (think Toyota). Everytime the stereo codes, you hvae to turn the bass & treble up. The difference is startling. Suddenly, everything sounds better. If it's still not good enough, invest in a good set of speakers first. Sony X-Plods are good two-way speakers that supposedly do wonders for sound even with factory heads.

The coupes also have the silver gauges, which look cooler by day, but aren't as legible for some people due to their lack of contrast, particularly when compared to the sedans' gauges.

s852

Honda is recommending 5W-20, but they are not recommending synthetic oil.
They car us supposed to be able to easily handle 10K miles between changes on normal oil under normal driving conditions.

justin

my dealer for the 2001 Civic EX Coupe recommends NOT using synthetic. Why? Do they just want your money later when the engine explodes?

Why would they be against it? It can't hurt the engine can it?

newciv

They have no reason to be against synthetic oil ! Maybe because they don't sell any......

I believe the owners manual says if 5W-20 is not available, then 5W-30 is OK. Since synthetic oil is not yet made in 5W-20, I will probably use the 5-30W synthetic for a year (i'm guessing) until the 5W-20 synthetic comes out. It is just so much more superior to mineral-based oils !!

NewCiv

oops13

Be careful how you phrase your statement about synthetics being superior to mineral based oils. If you do your research you will find that some of the mainstream so called synthetics are actually petrolium based. SAE's definition of what is a synthetic is such that you can acually use a super-refined petrolium base and still put SYNTHETIC on the label. Go to this web site synlube.com (I think that is the address.) They have a very good site and explain how some synthetics are not actually synthetics, whereas their product is.

carguy62

You can tell what number your Civic is by the VIN. Last six digits represent the sequence, i.e. XXXXXXXXXXX050000 would be 50,000th. Lots of fun things you can get from the VIN including this.

isellhondas

I've heard nothing about a possible return of the hatchback other than the rumors I pick up here.

A 2002 SI hatchback would be a nice addition but I'm doubtful we will see them.

newciv

I'm not talking about super-refined mineral oil, but real 100% synthetic oil. If you look at Moil 1, you will see it is 100% synthetic. I don't trust web sites like "synlube.com" although I appreciate your help.

Bottom line is that Synthetic oil is worth it's weight in gold regarding protecting your engine from sludge build up and general wear.

I will shortly be contacting American Honda Corporation in Ohio directly to hopefully get their opinion on the use of Synthetic oil in a 2001 Civic.

NewCiv

vadp

If you look at the Castrol Syntec bottle it reads "full synthetic" which is a marketing plot.

It's "synthesized" from the dino(crude oil). Yet technically it still can be called full synthetic.

http://www.castrolusa.com/products/productpage1.asp?product_category=1&product_id=4

bordsource

In that case, my car is number 21,409. It kind of confirms my suspicion that my car was early built. What else can you decipher from the VIN?

mdriver

I suspect the stereo in both models is of the same quality. The speakers are probably the same too and the difference in wattage is probably there to drive the EX's extra tweeters.

I never thought I'd ever have a positive comment about a Ford, but the Focus' stereo is superior in every way. Better sound AND excellent location including the cool "rubberized" volume knob. The Civic's stereo is angled away from the driver, has a tiny volume knob and tiny display. If you look at the speakers under the rear shelf (from inside the trunk), they look like speakers you would find on a cheap portable radio. The front speakers in the door are no longer accessible through a pop-off speaker cover. It looks like you have to remove the entire door panel to gain access.

bordsource

I would agree with you on the EX vs LX wattage thing if all EXs had the extra speakers. Fact is, while all EXs have the extra wattage, all EXs DO NOT have the extra speakers. Only the coupes do. And, actually, I'm not sure whether the LX coupes have the extra speakers as well or if it is only EXs, as I never even considered the coupe. I do know, however, that the EX sedans have 4 speakers, just like the DX & LX. They're just more powerful.

oops13

All i'm saying is that just because the label says so doesn't mean that it is so. I agree that any of the mainstream synthetics (real or not) are going to help reduce sludge and better protect your engine, but this is not due just to being synthetic. It's kind of like 24k gold vs. 10k gold. Yes they are both gold but the 24k is much more refined and has fewer impurities, and is therefore more valuable. 'nough said.
And asking your dog what oil to use will about as informative as calling Honda of America unless you can talk to the technical people that are actually involved in the designing and testing of the parts. Those people you get on the phone just read what they are given and if your question is not covered in their pre-made list of answers then they will just refer you back to what the owners manual recomends.

sylko

In answer to a previous post, my 2001 Civic LX Sedan has rattles in the passenger door (they stop when I roll the window down and then back up), the dashboard has a rattle, there is a squeaky strut, and there is a lot of road noise to me (coming from owning a 1988 Oldsmobile). The thing that drives me the most nuts is the door rattle as I don't anticipate my dealer doing anything about it.

We're getting about 35-36 mpg doing highway speed limits (65mph) and with a mostly freeway commute.

The Air conditioner works great as we've already had a chance to use it this year.

bordsource

Hey, I took my car in for service on Wednesday morning. Though I don't have it back yet (I'll explain), I can go over a few things. I complained about the squeaks and also about the gas gauge. The gas gauge was found to be "within working order", whatever that means. I also mentioned off hand taht the battery light flickers when I start the car. The guy ended up replacing the alternator, which meant that the car stayed overnight on Wednesday while the part was trucked in. This afternoon, my service advisor took the car out for a spin to check for rattles, as he had not done so pending the installation of the new alternator. The rattles weren't fixed. So the car is spending the night tonight as well.

As a loaner, we have a '96 (at least I think it's a '96 or '97- it has the old slider HVAC controls, which I think were phased out in '98) Civic DX Hatchback with an automatic. That's about as opposite of my car as you can get within the Civic family. Driving the "Pluckmobile" around a little has revealed a few things. First off, the suspension changes ARE that noticible. The Pluckmobile has a much better sense of straight ahead (though some of that might be my car's leaky tire), with much firmer steering, and a much firmer, better controlled ride. Handling I don't believe to be much better because of the skinny tires, but the ride and steering are dramatically different. My car has problems on rebound. It may crash or comfortably absorb a bump at first, but the slightly uncontrolled leap into the air that follows can be unsettling. The Pluckmobile just goes up and down with no drama whatsoever. Overall, I prefer the Pluckmobile's control, even if it does make for a thumpy ride. The steering, however, while direct, is rather tiring. I usually steer with one hand on the highway, and while you don't need many corrections to the Pluckmobile's path, when you do, it takes some effort. I guess I'm just not used to it. It is much more precise and weighty, though, which is nice. Overall, I'll say that the tradeoff that the Honda engineers made was worth it. The new car is not bad, and the space gains were worth it, both for crash and passenger space purposes.

Finally, the biggest difference between the two cars is in the engine. The Pluckmobile is NOISY! The engine makes a huge racket when accelerating, and road noise is a constant companion. My car is so much quieter, especially under hard acceleration.

I should get my car back tomorrow, assuming that they don't have to order any more parts. Until then, learning the nuances of this little tennis shoe will be interesting to say the least.

rsparrow

but I figure there will be enough people who'll want to know here. It's official, the 2002 Honda Civic hatchback is coming to North America, with the 2.0l, 160hp engine. Honda's already updated their website with pictures and some specs. This is just great!

http://www.honda2001.com/civicsi/index.html

lngtonge18

Thanks for the link! I'm quite surprised and happy Honda decided to bring back its hatchback! They must have discovered just how stupid it was to cancel it considering the resurgence in sporty hatchback sales. It's also refreshing to see Honda take a new approach to hatchbacks. Instead of offering only bare bones transportation, they are offering it as the flagship sporty model with all the nice power accessories that Americans want. Good job Honda for finally listening to what we want! Now, if we could only do something about the ugly ridiculously large headlights and the retarded location of the manual shifter. I don't want my hand up in the air to shift for cryin out loud! Put it where it's supposed to be, in between the darn seats!!

mdriver

Honda has done a complete U turn by introducing the Civic Si hatchback, a loaded sports model which will probably be close to $20k and also command high insurance premiums. They dropped the old hatchback in which you were lucky to get a radio. This time however, there will only be the Si, no mid-level hatchback or 4-door hatchback like you can get everywhere else in the world.

s852

I really doubt the Si will be very close to $20K considering that it doesn't add very much above what the 2000 had other than ABS brakes.
It is also a hatchback, which are generally always less expensive.

camee

I am looking at the Civic EX and the LX. Please tell me the pros and cons of both so I can make a decision as to which is best for me. Thanks!

hondaaccessory

RE: EX vs. LX stereo

Honda's catalog shows 20x4 for the LX and 30x4 for the EX. The coupe has different 6x9s in the rear between the two models and the Sedan shows different speakers all the way around, although it doesn't list them as model specific between the brands it does show 2 choices for each speaker.

-Trevor

mdriver

No you are not the only one who thinks the hatchback's front would look better using the same headlights from the sedan and coupe. I like the hatchback's styling except those headlights. If they get any bigger, the entire front end will be consumed by these monstrosities. There is no reason to have headlights this big other than the "everybody else is doing it" excuse.

bordsource

I have a question for all of the 2001 Civic owners: for those of you with Air Conditioning, which I assume to pretty much be everybody, does your car whistle when you rev it? My car has an odd whistle to it. Revving the car, either in gear or in neutral,with the blower on (and particularly with the A/C engaged), the car produces a weird whistle. I know that there was a technical service bulletin on it, but I don't htink that it applies to this. I took the car in to be examined by the service department. At first, they agreed that it was a problem. But a tech in the back said that it was the power steering pump and that the noise was "normal" even though another 2001 Civic EX 5sp in the service bay that day didn't make that noise at all. I find it hard to believe that I went 5400 miles without that noise but yet and still it's "normal". Furthermore, I can't imagine how one car can have it, and another car not, and both be in perfect mechanical shape. Does anyone else a) have that noise and b) have any clue what this could be?

PS- it's not the sound of the A/C engaging. That's completely different. This sound is more like a turbo whistle.

pat

The post title box has gone AWOL - it will be back just as soon as the search party rounds it up!

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

isellhondas

Looks are soooooo subjective!

I always love it when a new model comes out, listening to the various comments...

" Why did they screw it up?"

" Oh, it's SO much better!"

" The front end is ugly"

" the front end looks nice"

" It looks like a fill in the blank"

" What a butt ugly color"

" Ohh, what a pretty color"

Go figure!

powerman

Isell,

I agree that looks are subjective. Can you believe that ANY Pontiac Aztecs are sold?!?!?

Someone must like the way they look, but I sure don't think like they do!

gasguzz

Everytime my 5yr old son sees that Aztec commercial he laughs and "dad look, the ugly car". I second that, but people still buy 'em.

bryan27

The aztec, one ugly vehicle.

pat

so now we can go back to talking about the Civic, yes? :-)

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

mpgman

Before you go nuts over the Si hatch, try getting used to the manual shift mounter on the center dash stack instead of on the floor. That might throw some for a loop!

justin

but, really, why would anyone buy any hatchback other than the Golf/GTI/Beetle?? Power, safety, style (classy, save for the Beetle) and value.

Focus and Civic hatchbacks will always play catch up really. Neither offers a VR6 or 1.8t engine and such a beatiful interior.

I actually think the new Civic HB looks okay. Not better than the Golf, but much better than the Focus.

ian2

I own a 98 Civic EX (Canadian, non-vtec). My friend let me take his brand new Acura EL 1.7 (vtec, like a Civic EX in the US basically) yesterday and I found it to have less low-end torque than my 98, even with a larger displacement and more HP. While doing 70km/h in the 5th gear, the car wouldn't budge when you hit the gas. The only way to speed up is to downshift. I can speed up (not quickly, but smoothly) on mine doing 60km/h in the 5th gear and the engine would not complain, while spinning at a lower RPM compared to the 1.7 VTEC too. Isn't this new engine designed to improve low-end torque with larger displacement? What gives?

mdriver

Displacement went from 1590 cc to 1668 cc. That's only a 78 cc increase. What you end up with is 78 cc's worth of additional torque intended to pull around a car that's about a hundred pounds heavier. So its no surprise that performance is no better and maybe slightly worse than before.

Why Honda didn't increase displacement closer to 1.7 (instead of 1668 cc) is beyond me. They should have designed the new engine for 1.8L and accept the fact that mileage numbers may drop by 1 or 2 mpg. I don't think anyone would have minded the slightly lower fuel economy.

vadp

It takes a tremendous amount of money to develop a new engine.

petrie3

My daughter is about to lease a 2001 LX in the South Bay, Los Angeles area. Silver/gray automatic and she added a single disc c/d player. The cap cost in her 4 yr. lease is about $15,300 and I think the money factor is about .002999. Her payment inc. tax comes to about $240/month. I checked Edmunds TMV and that seems to be right about at invoice, which sounds like a good deal, but I noticed the TMV was about the same, which surprised me. Also, I saw ads for other dealers for Civics at $12-13,000, etc. Question is: What is a good deal in this area?

It seems like these other ads are below invoice for a brand new model. I know about bait and switch car ads, but that seems excessive. Thanks for your input.

s852

$240 a month is a low payment for a new car, but 4 years is too long to lease a car. Most people lease cars so they can replace their cars often. Imagine if you end of having to drive more miles per year than you though you would. The excess mileage charges will really pile up over 48 months.

Check Carsdirect.com and put you zip code in to get an idea of what the car could be easily sold for in your area.

gasguzz

Not to argue the accuracy/dynamics of your test... but the current Civic-EX employs the vtec-E implementation. Where, its primary goal is designed for economy - and not power. This is also probably why the Civic has moved "up" to the ULTRA-lev standing. The Civic belongs to a class where there are policies (government/manufacturer) in place and that it meets certain fuel performance and emissions standards. Sure, the makers would like to build the concept cars and all but...

96_i30_5sp

I think the vtec-E is used only on the Civic HX.

petrie3

Thanks for your response. Yes, I realize that 4 yrs. is a long lease, but it gets her payment down a few bucks and I think Honda's a good risk on maintenance costs after warranty. Mileage should not be a problem for her. As to price, I tried Carsdirect and came up with the same price...at invoice. She wants to add the c/d player; a dealer option not on Carsdirect, thus the slight price difference. My question now is, why is (apparently) everyone selling this car at or below invoice? Seems like every dealer is working for the "holdback" alone. It's a brand new model of a very popular car. Is Honda offering a big incentive to the dealers to move the cars so that alot of them are seen on the road right away?

s852

The new Civic is a popular car that sells well. However, the production capacity at the assembly plant is huge, so there is no shortage.
This is not like a PT Cruiser that is built in relatively low numbers.

f6biker

I would rather 72 month purchase than lease. At the end of 4 years lease you have nothing and maybe you owe miles and condition charges. At the end of 6 years purchase you own a Honda worth maybe $7,500. Your payment will be very simular.

mdriver

Strange that the gen 6 HX had a VTEC - E engine, but it now resides in the EX. So what do they call the engine in the gen 7 HX? The gen 6 EX used to have just plain VTEC designation. What's going on here?

gasguzz

I agree with f6biker. The rule of thumb is if you intend to keep it (3+ yrs), then buy it. A lease may show an advantage, if leased for a relatively short term. Look at the math... it is GENERALLY cheaper to lease for 2 years or buy and gain equity after 4+ years. I have never leased (the numbers just don't work for me) but I know a few who didn't pay condition charges AFTER 2 YEARS, which you probaly will if after 4 years.
Good luck.

jjpcat

My 2001 Civic LX 4-door auto is at 3400 miles now. When I read the previous posts about this problem, I thought I was lucky since the light had been functioning well.

But, during the 1800-mile trip to Grand Canyon days ago, the light once came up fairly early. I drove the car for another 40 miles after the light came up. I could only fill in 9.8 gal of gas. Usually, I would be able to pump in 10.0 gal when the light just comes up.

Here's the gas mileage I have so far:
SF area commute (70% city or bumper-2-bumper FWY): 33 mpg
90mph FWY: 35mpg
80mph FWY: 37mpg
65mph FWY: 42mpg

I am very surprised by the last number. But I think that driving condition is rare in the real world: no traffic, steady cruise at 65mph, no hills, few curves, no strong wind.

One major problem with the car: the ride is extremely harsh. I think its ride is by far the worst among all competitors in the class. I test drove or rent Corolla, Sentra, Accent, Cavalier, Neon. I bought Civic because of its unbeatable value (lowest 3-year or 5-year total cost).

s852

It is easy to make a blanket statement that mileage is not going to be a problem through out the term of a 4 year lease, but few people really know exactly how many miles they are going to need to drive 3 years from now. Employment can change unexpectedly or personal emergencies may pop up requiring you to move for other reasons.
4 years is also a long time to make payments then turn in a car with no equity.
Lower monthly payments do not automatically equal lower total cost.
If you finance a car like a Civic for 5 years, the monthly payments may be somewhat higher than leasing for 3 years with the same amount of cash up front. However, if you had purchased the car on a 5 year loan and sold it after 36 months, the difference between the loan payoff and the market value would be returned to you. On a car that holds value like a Civic that had been purchased near invoice cost, you should have some equity after 36 payments even if you had financed it for 6 years.

There is nothing that automatically makes even very short term leases cheaper than purchasing. (Have you checked the monthly payments on a 24 month lease?) If there is lease incentive that is not matched by an equally attractive incentive on purchase, then a lease could be cheaper. If the the residual value in the lease turns out to have been overestimated, then a lease could turn out cheaper in that situation, but it is not automatically a better deal for any length of term.
Whether you buy or lease, in some way, you have to pay the difference between the price you purchased and the value of car when you want to trade it in. If you lease, in addition to this and interest, you may have additional leasing fees and charges.
When you lease, and go over the agreed mileage, you will have to pay excess mileage charges that are higher than the price adjustment you would have had to make selling a car with the same miles. If you end up driving much less than expected and have very low miles, you get nothing back when you return the car at the end of the lease. If you have very low miles on a car you own and sell, you will be able to sell for a higher price.
The entire leasing process and the methods used to calculate monthly payments are more complicated and it is much easier for the sales people and finance managers to use this complexity as a way to confuse buyers into paying more than they should.

superego

I've just bought a 2001 Honda Civic EX automatic sedan.
According to the manual, I must maintain it after every 5000 miles under severe condition,
or after every 10,000 miles under normal condition.
But the dealer recommended me to maintain it after every 3000 miles.
Which schedule should I follow?

BTW, my roommate bought a new Nissan Sentra, which required to do the first
service after the first 1000 miles. I am wondering when I should do the first service.

Please share your experiences of maintenance.
Thanks.

ian2

My 98 non-vtec 1.6, 5m never got anywhere near that. It usually sits around 30mpg city or highway, doesn't matter. The typical speed for highway is over 80mph here though.

Maybe it's time to trade it in for a 2001