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Honda Civic Owners: Meet the Members
Please take a moment to introduce yourself and share some details about your Civic!
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know any additional discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays:
4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays:
5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET
6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET
7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET
(The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know any additional discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays:
4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays:
5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET
6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET
7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET
(The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
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Comments
I took ownership on January 25 so I'm not sure if some of the minor problems people have been experiencing will apply to my car.
I look forward to hearing from other owners and their experiences.
Even though I've only had it two weeks, I'm very satisfied. I drive a lot for work (I'm a sign language interpreter) and am hoping that my Civic serves me well.
The only thing I need right now is a new set of tires in the 185/65R14 size--suggestions are very welcome.
I just bought a 2001 Civic LX Sedan Auto w/side air bags, 2 days back in the Milwaukee area. After an hour of negotiations, I finally got a deal for $15265 (including dest. charges, keyless entry, all season floor mats, door edge guards and an arm rest). Just wanted to know if this was a fair deal? Already put 200 miles in 2 days and really love this car.
Thanks for your comments.
I have about 3,500 miles and haven't really had any problems except the 40/60 split rear seat doesn't seem to be locking properly.
I wish honda sold acura EL in the US, i like the styling (slightly diffrent from civic) and of course the amenitites
To become a member of the panel, please visit
Drivers' Opinion Panel
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
BTW, get some decent tires on your Civics. I have Dunlop D60 HR 195-60 on 14x6" Borbet Type-T alloys. Handles great! have fun and always properly maintain your Civic. It will last a long time trouble free.
'06 Civic LX coupe
'11 BMW 335i coupe xDrive
'13 Honda Accord sedan (wife's car)
My last set of wheels was an '85 Accord which started leaking like a sieve - oil pan, rack and pinion, struts, A/C, iffy main seal - after 168k miles of minimal maintenance. Needless to say, the trade-in was kinda thin. ;^)
Purchased the 01-EX about three weeks ago. Pleased so far! Thinking about the CR-V for my wife!
Anyhow, I look forward to conversing through these forums.
Gibnut :-)
In Canada for about the same price as the top trim Acura 1.7EL-Premium, you can get one of:
- Honda Accord LX with ABS package
- Nissan Altima GXE with ABS package
- Toyota Camry lowest trim (no options)
- VW Jetta GLS 2.0 (no options)
All the other compacts are obviously cheaper. So, it's your choice: fully loaded compact sedan with leather, etc... or lowest trim mid-sized sedan.
It's been the most reliable and fuel-efficient car I've ever owned-- I'm at 144,000 miles and still using my original clutch. I recently had my very first breakdown at 11 years and 143,600 miles.
I have a five-speed manual transmission and get about 34mpg city/36-40 highway (depends whether my air conditioner is running). If you live in the SF Bay Area, you may have seen me-- I'm the one with the white Civic with big blue and green paint splat decals all over it. *g*
I finally bought a new car last month-- I very badly wanted to fall in love with the CR-V, but after test-driving a CR-V, a RAV4, and a Forester, I found myself seduced by a red Subaru Forester S+.
It was a difficult decision-- I've been so happy with my Civic and believe in Honda as a quality carmaker. But Subarus also have wonderful reputations for reliability and economy, so it really came down to how the CR-V "felt" (power and ergonomics) versus the Forester. And I really didn't like the CR-V's swing-out rear gate design.
I'm still driving my Civic every workday as a commuter, and plan to do so until it falls apart... probably at about 260,000 miles or so. *g*
Pleased to meet y'all.
Karin
I’ve replaced:
two batteries (no headlight buzzer reminder)
one CV joint boot band
One exhaust muffler (rust)
I’d buy another Honda Civic although the 3-door hatchback model has been discontinued for 2001 in USA. It is a great freeway commuter that is reliable, gets good gas mileage, cheap to insure, runs on cheap gas, easy to work on, and has good resale value.
On my 92 Civic I drove 900 miles in a day driving from Susanville east of Mt. Shasta to Eureka then back to LA. I took it out on a road trip to Grand Canyon-Meteorite Crater-Clovis-Carlsbad Caverns-Durango-Moab-Sedona-back to LA all during summer. The car never overheated once, from Mojave Desert (gateway to Death Valley) to Molas Pass (elevation over 10,800 feet) north of Durango.
The 92 Civic CX has 10-gallon gas tank and I got 34-41 mpg during my trip.
I’ve also owned a 1985 Civic S (bought new) and 1989 Prelude Si (2 years old used), both fun and reliable cars.
I used to post on messageboard on Yahoo!
CX
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
It is a good value for the money.
I have 1000 kilo on it. No problem.
Before going for an Acura EL, I was looking into Ford Focus, Honda Civic and VW Jetta.
Acura's/Honda's reliability is proven.
In Canada, We don't get Honda Civic Ex in sedan style.
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
My vehicle is better than yours because....
Brag about your ride on Tuesday, May 8, 5-6pm PT/8-9pm ET in the new News & Views Weekly Chat
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Maintenance Summary:
* Replaced carburetor floats @55,000 miles.
* Replaced automatic transmission @130,000.
* Replaced alternator (Bosch) @140,000.
* Replaced front axle assembly @175,000.
* Replaced ball joints/radius arms @210,000.
* Replaced front and rear struts (KYB) @210,000.
* Replaced 1.5L engine with Jasper re-man
@235,000. (The engine was running fine until
the camshaft popped.)
* Miscellaneous -- I've gone through four sets of
CV boots, two starters and the clutch assembly
on the AC unit. To date, I haven't replaced the
AC compressor.
What else can be said? The car as no acceleration with its rated 75 H.P. The car has its original carburetor, burns 87 octane (Shell), and averages ~35 mpg. The AM radio is analog, has excellent audio, and has very little interference from engine noise. 1985 was the last year that Honda offered an "AM-only" radio. This car looks almost as good as it did when it arrived in Milwaukee from Japan. It also has ample cargo space. Enough said...
j.w.
Spotsylvania, VA
1- windows: the powered windows to be a bit slow on the up run. Is this 'normal'?
2- the car tends to hesitate a bit in the second gear. I had thought it was the fuel injection problem but my thought was dismissed by Honda service people. They didn't know what it was and didn't seem to care. I wonder if other owners experience the same behavior?
3- My Civic was made in Ohio. I noticed several poor workmanship in the exterior and interior of the car. None seems to be of serious nature but it's a bit annoying to see have a sloppy rubber trimming of the headlights on my car. Why is it that the American can't seem to have the quality standard in workmanship like the Japanese??
We just bought our first Honda over the weekend. We have been Nissan family since 1981(when it was still Datsun), but decided to take a walk on the wild side and try something different. I count cars on my way to and from work and Honda always out numbered Nissan's. I know this is a strange reason to buy a car, but...Anyway, we are hoping to get more EXTRA special miles out of it than our 94 Sentra, which is still going strong with 151K miles and almost all original parts. Wish us luck!!
My name is Linda. I just bought my first car a month ago (at the tender age of 38). I wanted to love the Mazda Protege because I had read such great reviews and they were having a rare financing deal (0% for 48 months). I test drove the 2001 Civic EX 5 speed manual first for comparison and loved it. I drove the Protege next and found it extremely uncomfortable. So I went back to the Honda dealer. I live in central Illinois and paid $300 over invoice and got 6.7% financing for 5 years over the internet (Honda offered me 7.3). I had an easy, no-hassle, no extra sales pitches experience and feel that I got a good deal on the car. The Edmund's TMV for my car was $200 over invoice, but I still think $300 over is a good deal.
My partner has a 1995 Honda Civic EX, 5 speed manual and it is interesting to note the differences. I thought that the conversations about the Macpherson struts versus wishbone struts were for gearheads only, but we both noticed the difference. I like the suspension better in the '95, but like everything else about my 2001 better. The shifting and acceleration are both more fluid and the change in design makes it much more comfortable inside. I only have about 460 miles on it right now, so I can't say anything about the mileage I'm getting, but I really like driving it.
i just bought a 2001 Honda Civic LX sedan,i only have 400 miles on it.When i start my car from the parking lot or at a light, and take my foot off the brake very slowly, the whole underneath of the car makes a creaking noise, this is my first car ever, so..maybe this is supposed to happen.
if not, please let me know how to fix this.
Thanks
Please send your response to jfallon@edmunds.com, or post in Talk to the Press.
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
My experience with the dealer was great. I dealt with the Internet manager, and was able to negotiate a deal over the phone. I got the vehicle for $16,400, which included destination. The dealer was Ontario Honda in Canandaigua, NY.
modifications to boast the performance of the car. It is an automatic (though
I wanted 5-speed). Can anybody help me with a systematic way to achieve this.
I don't want to make a race car, and with this model, I probably can't. I would,
however, like to reach the full potential of the car eventually, but a little at a time.
What should I start with? Thanks for any help.
In response to message #41- It depends on how much power you really want. For thousands of dollars you can technically achieve 300 hp and still be street legal with very little reliability concerns. I am like you. I wanted just a little more power from my Civic. Here are the modifications I have made:
1). Cold air tube style intake with K&N filter
2). Cat back exhaust system with 2.5in pipe from the cat to the Magnaflow muffler
3). Enlarged plug wires (9mm I think)
4). Front and rear sway bars
The performance gains are not HUGE. They are noticable though. Remember, if you make significant power modifications don't forget about stopping! Upgrade your brakes!
There is a magazine you might find at you local book store called Honda Tuning. There you'll find lots of performance tuning ideas. There are other tuning magazines like Superstreet and Sport Compact Car. Superstreet caters to a younger crowd while Sport Compact seems to cater to the elder. Both are good.
I plan on making future modifications that are significant after I scrounge up enough money to by another Honda as a second set of wheels. Tuning can be fun but remember to play it smart and do your research. Todays vehicles are computer controlled precision machines. Uneducated modifications can be costly and may null any dealer or manufacture warranty you may have.
If you have some time, we would really appreciate Town Hall members writing a review of their current auto, or a favorite make/model. It takes approximately a week for your review to appear on that make/model.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owners Clubs
My Bear is a white `98 Civic LX and I'm the 2nd owner. ((yes, I gave him a name just like all the other vehicles I have owned.)) Great gas mileage, tight turning radius and can blow doors off on a good day (when I'm having a good day). Just a few miles over 46k (26k+/- are mine) and tomorrow, he gets a new trans. Have I had major trans problems?? NO. Just 2 days out of 2 years. Apparently, my dealer discovered a "bulletin" when I took him in for a diagnosis of the 2-day problem, and the answer was a complete replace. Have I had any other major problems?? Just a salesman that I would never deal with again, since he repeatedly lied, but other than that, not a thing. The dealer service is great and has provided, including today, a ride home and tomorrow will come and get me. Is that unusual?? Even though I can't keep him clean, and can't find a reputable detailer, he's my Bear. [[and I NEVER thought that I would own a Honda, since everybody else on the planet does.]]
Ok, now on to my question for Earwen. Can you please tell me what I should start to work on, in order to increase the performance of my car? I am looking at doing it piece by piece and NOT doing anything that will ruin my car in ANY way. I don't want to void my warranty and would very much like some suggestions on the most reliable way to modify my ride. Do all the suggestions in mod Mags like SuperStreet suggest reliable methods of modifying my car?
Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. What is the first thing i should work on to notice the most amount of change in performance???
We just bought a 2002 Civic EX Auto 4dr Sedan for my daughter. Just noticed oil cap says 5W-20 oil and owner's manual says to use 5W-20, 5W-30 is an ok substitude to use if 5W-20 is not available, but should change back to 5W-20 next oil chnage.
My 01 Odyssey oil filler cap also says to use 5W-20 but owner's manual got updated to list 5W-30 only.
Any comments?
bjk
I just bought my car a month ago and I love it. This site and others are really very helpful to me in getting a good deal.
Any advise I could give to new car buyers, just let me know.
JRL
thinking of buying a 2002 LX auto w/a/c.
I'm a musician and will be transporting roughly 300 - 400lbs of cargo in the trunk and some in the back seat -- -- on a regular basis.
No, I don't want a truck or van.
Question: can the Civic 1.7 liter engine handle carrying this weight, or will it be constantly straining and thus could wear out fast?
I guess the weight is about the same as transporting 3 adult passengers in addition to the adult male driver, all the time.
Anybody have any experience to share?
thanks!!
Thanks!!!