I've found that my Civic Si has been my most satisfying Honda product so far. It's better than the TL-S my mother drives and better than the previous two Integras I've owned (both purchased new), at least with regard to rattles and noise, but none of those cars had any major problems until after 100,000 miles and I caused part of the problems on the first Integra by not taking good mechanical care of it and beating on it until my synchros failed at 120,000.
Well, I also have a theory about the persistence of high praise of the Civic by auto magazines despite the seeming increased number of problems. The magazine testers/writers spend a few days or maybe a week with manufacturer supplied cars. There is scant time to determine long term reliability. All that the editors are concerned with is selling magazines so it goes like this.... test this group of vehicles for this issue and test that group next month so probably quality issues that real owners may endure and have to address never come up. All one gets is entertaining reading with a "snapshot" of the actual vehicle. Additionally, certain magazines ( C&D comes to mind) are more interested in performance figures so 0-60 the 1/4 mile and related acceleration numbers reign supreme in rating cars as do ultimate handling numbers. Since the Civic has always been somewhat quicker and sharper handling than many competetors it therefore rates high praise. Honda has also traditionally ranked well in general quality and despite a POSSIBLE recent decline it may take many years to acknowledge it (the possible decline may be temporary anyhow) so the nameplate HONDA ( and all the years of praise rightfully acquired) carries the day there too. I guess in the end most people respect Honda vehicles for quality so it would take an earth shaking lapse in quality (rather than the minor tremors the current gen. Civic is generating) for loyal Honda-ites around the country to admit something is amiss.
OR for the hundreds of thousands of Civics sold perhaps only.1% of their owners even know there are sites such as this so there may be many, many more problematic Civics out there without their owners venting here (maybe to their service advisors??). And no, those who don't have problems (or won't publically admit to them) don't vent, they only say how great their ride is. This is why the "fair and balanced" topic evolved. Face it, everyone isn't happy with their Civic although I concede many are.
that HOnda should have put in CVT trans in the 2008 , hopefully they add that in 2009. THat would be a huge plus for the car maker. I do think that Honda has gone down in quality. I noticed that plastic scratches(where door lock and window controls are) and the seat in my opinion is not all comfortable or quality looking.. But the car does do what it suppose to do and that is give gas mileage+safety+handling+ innovative interior and exterior layout. i am sure corollas and mazdas have their quirks too,it is just that i expected a little more from HOnda :shades:
For that .1% that do, the number of problems should still have the same distribution as the general population, perhaps even be biased toward those with complaints. I've had my issue with third gear on my Si, but I changed fluid to synchromesh and really have no noticeable issues. For that matter, the GSR I used to own with Honda's tried and true 5-speed also would grind a synchro every so often until I changed the fluid to something better. I also had the front suspension "pop," but it just went away and it was only a sticking bump stop. Not major issues at this point, but I will keep an eye on the tranny.
This makes good sense, but the key terms are seeming, possible, and probably...Maybe the Consumers Report praise of the Civic represents the most unbiased, rational choice of best in class... but the truth is that most of the choices in this class are very good, quality comparable vehicles, each with a specific strong point from price to value to performance to reliability. If Honda's slipping in the minds of Honda-ites, it's important for Honda to notice. I wonder if the Honda continues to be a relatively good choice compared to the Corolla, 3, Elantra, and Sentra in the minds of all of us who've experienced some un Honda-like concerns. I've only driven a Corolla and a Sentra... I strongly prefer the Civic based on performance feel alone. But what about reliability, do these comparable vehicles have owners with issues, complaints about decline in quality?
Actually you are probably partially correct. Consumer Reports auto tests lean less toward the performance aspect as the "end all" quest for vehicles and looks at the individual vehicles with a more useful (to potential buyers) view. It is refreshing. But their annual auto issue and all its charts and graphs are largely made up of input derived from the yearly product survey sent out to subscribers (I just filled mine out) and yes, I tried to interject the faults we found with our Civic. The trouble is I was frustrated in the format where many questions leave no option to expound on a particular issue. They are basically a yes-no format. So, any change in quality of a particular brand will, it seems to me, take a long time to show up on one of these surveys. Conversely a quality improvement will take some time to manifest itself.. With regard to Honda quality compared to the competitors well, in general, from all I read (and I read everything automotive) Toyota seems to be on a slight decline as well, Hyundai keeps improving, and Mazda? well I believe they remain level.
Yes, I agree. Now the question for me is if Hyundai is improving...from what, if Mazda remains Mazda, how reliable... compared to Toyota and Honda.My Mazda owning friends like them but have lots of repair/maintenance issues and their cars don't age well. The Hyundais I've driven (all pre 2008) still seem somewhat primitive to me in road feel and performance compared to Toyota/Honda. My guess is that if I were in the market for a new Civic like car today, I'd still choose the Civic. Now my other car, bought new is a 2003 Nissan Maxima 6sp. Based on the overall value and enjoyment I got from my 1995 Max (240G miles w/ no real problems just maintenance), I grabbed a deal w/o much comparison to other vehicles. I've been disappointed by what seems like obvious minor cost cutting details/quality that make it less enjoyable than the 1995. The car market is dynamic. Best, Neal
I fill out the Consumer Reports form every year too. In the 2005 or 6 April issue, can't remember exactly which year, the Suspension circle for the 2002 Civic was half green. The next year after I'd sent in my CU form it was fully open, no green. I reported then that my 2002 Civic coupe, at just 3 years and 17,000 miles, had to have the struts replaced. Apparently enough people had the same problem with that area of the car for it to change the report. My next report showed the car had a problem with the Timing Belt Tensioner and the water pump. Eventually these complaints show up in the CU magazine.
Own both so I know a bit about them. Both have been great with almost no issues. Prefer the Civic to the 3 in everything except power...but the 3 is the "s" version with the 2.3 liter engine, so power is a given. Cars are 2 years & 3 years respectively and are wearing quite well. The 3 has a bit cheaper feel to many of the interior appointments and just feels older than more than it's 11 months, if that makes any sense...but this is just a subjective point of view. Will be testing the Versa, Sentra, Elantra, Focus & Corolla when we get the kids their car later on this year so should be fun. Will be their choice ultimately...all I will be needed for is the test drives, the final test drive on the final choice and lastly, the negotiations. Will be an all cash deal with no trade...possible finance if the rates are ridiculously low though. Wish we had a 3 car garage now...lol!
Your question asking "if Hyundai is improving...from what?" can be answered fairly easily. Improving in the area of quality perception. Hyundai, in my opinion, has had quality products for many years but lacked the reputation of a Honda or Toyota. Now after many automotive industry awards for various aspects of quality manufacture, reliability, etc. the person who always owned Honda, Toyota and other Japanese brands and who would not be caught dead even looking at a Hyundai product has noticed (as Hyundai intended) that the average Civic EX sedan is around $21,XXX , is not particularly endowed with a lot of features that are available as standard on even the cheapest Elantra and seems to be going through ongoing quality issues. Add in the warranty for Hyundai and many owners who used to drive a Civic, Corolla, Accord, Camry etc. have bought Hyundai. Hyunda products are now every bit the equal, and even surpass various Honda and Toyota cars in all aspects of the driving/ownership experience. Oh, sure my 2006 Civic may feel sharper in steering response than an Elantra but to gain that feel the suspension is "taunt" and ride suffers. I don't hate that particular feeling but I can tell you the Elantra is much smoother, quieter, and steers just fine for me. In the end if a "go cart" feel in steering response is your fondest wish you may want the Civic but if a relaxing trip in bigger, quieter, smoother surroundings appeals to you as it does to me then an Elantra for around $17,XXX fits better. Anyhow, I seem to be writing a Hyundai commercial (I have been accused of selling them..but I do not) but the simple answer as previously stated is improved "real" quality and just as important the perception of quality
I wholeheartedly agree that Hyundai is improving and only lately being noticed by the general public. I actually test drove the Elantra recently and liked the car a great deal.
Some of the things I did like over and above the Corolla was the leather upholstery on the door handle, the Civic has regular cloth. Fog lights on the GLS Elantra, not on the LX or EX Civic. The windshield was not near as large in the Elantra, not so prone to damage as the Civic. The price is about $2000 less for the Elantra. The Civic does seem to get marginably better gas mileage and the interior seems a little more refined.
Having said this though, my wife still insists upon a Civic. We have made an appointment to purchase a 2008 Honda EX tomorrow at Fisher Honda in Boulder, Colorado.
The only reservations I have about the Elantra are long term reliablity--after their 100,000 mile warranty expires. Are there many Hyundai's with well over 100,000 miles on them in reasonably good shape?
I think it is pretty universal that 3/36 warranties are not bumper to bumper.My last Acura was true bumper to bumper and I had the drivers seat repaired at 40k miles. Does the Hyundai 5/60 cover bumper to bumper? As soon as I got my 08 Civic I put bright blue slip on seat covers on it to protect the cheap fabric and add some color to the mouse gray interior.I had an ealier generation CRV and at 40k miles the drivers seat was frayed and the steering wheel was worn badly where it had been touched so cheap materials,yes!How does a Corolla interior hold up over the years?
Thanks for your reply. It reinforces the fact that there are many "good" cars to consider in this class and that each driver needs to do their due diligence and then choose the car that satisfies their priorities. When I used the term "primitive" to describe the Elantra's driving experience for me, I realize that I meant that it was softer, less precise in handling, and smoother... but these are qualities that other drivers desire. Like another poster, I would question the long term reliability of the Elantra until the data on the newer Hyundais is in. We know that Consumer Reports ranks the Civic as the best in class for achieving over 200,000 miles. That doesn't matter if you buy a new one every couple of years, but I'm a synthetic oil user who loves getting 10+ years and well over 200G out of my cars, so it's a factor that puts Toyota and Honda very much in play. Civic, Corolla/Matrix, Mazda3, Impreza, Elantra, Sentra, Focus, Rio, Astra, Rabbit/Jetta, Lancer... lots of better than decent cars for the money in this bunch, some clearly better overall than others, but each having a rational argument to purchase for a well informed buyer who really knows their specific needs and desires... sporting qualities/performance, initial value, long term value, safety, and then the highly subjective appearance and feel factors... I would never be happy with the Elantra, based on my drives, but I understand how your perception is different.
A break in additive is in your oil, so you should keep it in there until 20% but probably no more than 4-5 G miles. I would ask the Honda techs about max mileage for the first oil change based on the purpose of this additive.
We know that Consumer Reports ranks the Civic as the best in class for achieving over 200,000 miles.
I don't recall CR doing an assessment on "best in class" based on ability to achieve over 200k miles--can you please provide the link or issue reference for that?
What I did see is that CR ranks the Civic and Elantra in a dead heat in their ratings, and awarded the Elantra SE their Top Pick in this class, I expect mainly because it offers standard ESC while the Civic does not. I think both are very good cars for this class, and buyers can choose based on personal preferences, e.g. a desire for crisper handling and slightly better fuel economy vs. a smoother, quieter ride and more interior room at a lower price.
I agree. And you are right, the Civic was listed as one of the best cars to buy if you want over 200G miles. It had nothing to do with the class. I'll see if I can direct you to the list by looking through some recent past issues. I don't think any Hyundais were on the list. But it is cheaper, not known for it's engines technology. I would also consider the Civic a safer vehicle in a crash based on the compartment technology, but maybe standard ESC in the Hun negates that. Civic drivers with my preferences would put the Elantra toward the middle of the list of alternatives, a major compromise in our drive (again, I've driven a friend's 5 sp Elantra a few times). But clearly, the Elantra is a nice car for the price and a car that anyone thinking about a Civic should test drive.
I think I found the article you are referring to. It was a general story in CR about people who drive their cars over 200k miles. The article included a list of cars that, as of that issue, had several years worth of good reliability history in CR's surveys and had performed well in CR's tests. It also included a list of cars on the flip side of that. The Civic was on the first list. But it didn't say anything about "one of the best cars to buy if you want over 200K miles."
I've owned two Civics, and while they were great cars, the one I owned for 7.5 years (the other I only owned for 3 years) and drove for about 85k miles started rusting out well before the 7.5 years was up. So while the engine might well have lasted 200k+ miles, the body/chassis is another matter. I think just about any engine nowadays can last 200k+ miles with proper maintenance. The rest of the car? That's another story.
I can relate a personal short story about long term reliability for Hyundai in general and an Elantra we own specifically. Additionally, there is another Elantra story told to me directly by our service advisor at the dealership we have the Elantra serviced. In my case I bought our son a 2000 Elantra the day after Christmas in 2003. It had 62,000 miles at that time. He was still in college and typically ran around using it. After graduation he attended another school about 100 miles north for graduate school and again ran home frequently in addition to working part time in a mall around 30 miles (60 mi round trip) from his room at school. After receiving his Masters degree he got a job that required a 100 mile round trip to where he worked for 1 1/2 years. He recently got another job that was closer requiring "only" a 65 mile round trip daily and more recently still moved to within 2 miles of his latest job. The end result is the car now has 186,000 miles. I am aware of everthing done during our ownership and those things were: 1. a few sets of tires. 2. new plugs and wires X 2 times 3. 2 or 3 sets of front rotors and pads (Hyundai branded rotors did not last on this car for some reason) and I finally bought Bendix brand which have lasted far longer. 4. 2 timing belts (required maintenance @ 60K mile intervals) 5. replaced the orignial alternator @ 145K miles and the original battery that was ruined by the alternator failure. 6. two rear wheel brake cylinders and rear brake shoes. that's it. It still runs drives and feels as it did at 60K miles when we bought it and gets 31+ mpg.. The body has received some dings but the paintwork is still shiny with no rust. The second hand story involves a 2003 Elantra used by a rural mail carrier who frequents the dealership for twice monthly oil/filter changes. The car has (as I understand) 540K miles with nothing other than accelerated routine maintenance. I have no reason to disbelieve it. So I wouldn't worry about Hyundai long term reliability. Oh I forgot the co-worker with a 2004 Elantra who drives 70 miles round trip and currently has 77K miles with 0..zero problems. I'm sure the country is full of high mileage Hyundai's same as Toyota, Honda etc.
And what year was that Civic that "rusted out"? Just curious as most cars from the 1990's and newer didn't seem to suffer from that affliction. Cars from the '70's and '80's did have some rust issues as I recall.
As usual, it depends on where you live and how you take care of the vehicle. I live in one of the more moderate areas (in salt useage) but still within the "rust belt' and even here I have seen mid 90's Accords with rust on the rear wheel well arch, the rear quarters and some other common areas. In severe salt useage areas such as Rochester NY, Buffalo NY, Upstate Pa around lake Erie there are even newer Honda's rusted to pieces. To be fair I have also seen newish GM and Ford cars rusted severely in those areas. So, while the auto industry has made great progress in preventing rusting out in a couple of years (as cars from the 50's-60's and into the 90's did) the new liquid "pre-treatments" now used to prevent road icing well before the storm are like acid and can ruin vehicles in a winter season or two instead of years. Those liquids are bad news. Short story...a friend's son-in-law works for Penn Dot (the Pa Dept of transportation) and two winters ago they got new trucks with sprayers for the liquid pre-treatment, all new stuff. In the spring of last year (one winter's useage) all the bolts and attachment hardware for the sprayer heads had to be replaced due to the total destruction of those items. The stuff is liquid destruction for metal. I have seen a large increase in its use and PennDot loves it.
Been living 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean since 1969 and not one of our cars has ever had any rust issues. And we've had many different brands across all manufacturers foreign and domestic. Probably close to 30 cars for the whole family with no rust issues. The climate here can get very humid and moist much of the year. Maybe we've been lucky or maybe rust isn't that big of an issue down south.
I STRONGLY URGE ANYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM TO CONTACT HONDA CORPORATION @ 1-800-999-1009 REGARDING THE SERVICE BULLENTIN WHICH WAS RELEASED TRO ALL HONDA DEALERS/REPAIR SHOPS APRIL 11, 2008. THE PROBLEM IS THE REAR SUSPENSION/CONTROL ARMS. THEY SAG WHICH CAUSES THE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND LOUD ROAD NOISE. USUALLY CAUSING HIGHER TREADWEAR ON THE INNER TIRE. TECHNICALLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BE 'DRAGGED' ON THE ROAD. HONDA CORPORATION WILL OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM O% - 100% OF THE TIRE REPLACEMENT COST DEPENDING ON THE TREAD WEAR. YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/
The local dealer in Newark, DE initially told me that the belts in the tires slipped and they were going to charge me over $300 to replace. They didn't mention that the control arms needed repair/replacement. This was after they were informed of the Service Bullentin regarding customers complaints.
Unless they changed it, I certainly hope you didn't put that bright blue seat cover over the entire seat. The air bags come out of the seat, not the door. My book says don't do that.
I also have the same problem. At 21000 miles my rear hub was replaced after I heard a load humming noise from the rear of the car. Now at 32000 the same noise came back. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced both upper control arms. The dealer had them in stock because another civic owner changed his appointment to have his car fixed with the same problem. Honda knows about the problem because there are service bulletins on the upper control arm problem. The suspension defects ruined the tires causing cupping on the inside of the tires. The dealer told me the tires were my problem so I called Honda Corp Honda Corp. admitted that they have a problem with the upper control arms but they refused to replace the tires. Honda knows that they have defective parts in the suspensions of many of their 2006-2007 Civics. They are not recalling the car but waiting until you have a problem to do the repair. The defective parts are causing flat spots and uneven wear on the tires which is a serious problem. I don't thing you would want to drive your family in a car in this condition. We all need to contact the NHTSA about this safety issue. This is my first Honda and will be the last.
Whenever my 2007 Honda Civic LX Sedan hits a pot-hole, or dip in the road, the car "slams" back down onto the road. I've even slowed down to 15-20mph over some dips, and the car still does the same thing. Is this because I have a suspension problem with the shocks, struts, etc? Or is it because the car is originally equipped with "performance tires" (Goodyear), instead of touring tires that makes for a softer ride?
We have a 2007 Honda civic and when my hubby had the oil changed and the tires rotated on Sat. he noted a noise and drove it right back to the Honda place and they said the wheel bearing was going. This doesn't even have 30000 miles on it yet and that seems a little soon ,anyone else have this problem? Annie
YES!!! At approx the same mileage. Service dept claimed it was unusual, not a pattern, but given that it was the rear bearings, and the fact that there are other rear suspension issues, it would be good to gather info to make sure problems are addressed by Honda post warantee
After I had my tires rotated for the first time I also heard a noise and felt a vibration as I left the dealer. It sounded like I just put truck tires on with huge tread. Found the TSB for rear upper control arms and had them replaced as it was creating bad tire wear.
Going in on Friday to have the upper control arms TSB performed and the rear wheel bearing problem corrected. Will post everything that was done on friday nite.
08 civic hybred was making loud tire noise from the rear. Had a tire dealer check and they found that the rear suspension alignment, negitive camber, was so bad that it trashed the rear dunlops in less than 8000 miles! The tire dealer didnt charge me...i was surprised! I then made an appointment for the next day at honda cars of belevue,(Omaha,NE) where we bought it 12/07. I was just ready to go off about them having to replace the tires, but I waited till they were done...just a little over 1 hour they were done, with new dunlops, new upper control arms etc...WASHED and ready to go... NO CHARGE. Best treatment at any auto dealer I have ever had! Sometimes its just the dealer that makes the difference.
I had the same thing happen but I just took it to get new tires (yes, i paid)... now, I am wondering if it will happen with the new tires? Was there a recall or anything about this problem? I have a first-gen '06 Civic EX (purchased 10/05). I have had several problems.
My folks have a 2007 EX Sedan, and are getting the control arms replaced as well.
They had to replace their tires at 30k, and are wearing out again. Any word on getting money back on the two sets of tires that have now been worn prematurely, from Honda? My parents are having no luck from their dealer in Daphne, AL.
Just purchased a 2007 Civic LX used. What a world of difference from my 2001 Civic LX--very refined and much quieter. Anyway, the kids don't like the lack of rear cupholders. They usually get medium and large drinks on trips and I'm wondering if there's an aftermarket cupholder available or if I can order something from the EX and install it. (Not sure where the EX places its cupholders.) Any suggestions?
My 2007 EX Coupe doesn't even have 7,000 miles on it yet and I'm wondering if anyone has any idea when the average car started showing signs of tire wear. I've been checking my tires quite often just to be on the safe side. Thank you Clarkl for this information.
I noticed mine at approx. 12000 miles. especially when I moved the rear tires to the front for rotation, I really noticed the noise coming from the front. Because the tires had became cupped from being on the rear. I'am estimating the mileage because I run 4 snows during the winter months.
My dealer wouldn't do the TSB for the worn rear tires because I had already swapped them out. Said they needed to see the worn tires to do the work and possibly pro rate the tires. Wasn't real happy with that answer and felt they should've replaced the parts in the rear suspension but understand that they need to see the damaged tires also. Had the rear bearing TSB performed though, so all is good. Had the car washed this past weekend and the guy at work who's lusting after my car offered to buy it on the spot today. Not looking to sell right now, but told him to talk to me next year and just maybe.
No, the LX doesn't have the 60 / 40 splitting rear seat or the fold-down arm rest. Glad to see your photo. I'd thought that the cup holders swung out from the rear of the center storage between the two front seats.
Took mine in for a 30,000 mile service and was told the tires need to be replaced. No pull, rotated them, checked air weekly; so NARDY HONDA said there was nothing they could do because tires wear out in 35,000 miles. What a cop-out. No more Hondas for me.
That's really not bad for the crappy oem tires Honda uses on the Civic. Honda hasn't been to good about addressing this rear tire wear problem...shame on them. Ginally got the recall notice for the Rear ABS Sensor the other day. luckily, I had it down 2 weeks ago eventhough they tried to say it was just a northern problem and not a southern one. I pressed the issue since Honda corporate said I needed to have it done and the dealer finally relented. They would not address the rear camber issue though. Said they needed to see the damaged tires which have been gone for a bit. live and learn!
I have 27,000 miles on a 2007 honda civic. Last november I notice excessive vibration on the steering wheel. As I have owned two previous civics I knew this was not right. I took in the car and they said there was excessive cupping on the tires and there was a problem with the adjustment of the tow and camber per a bulletin from Honda. They adjusted the tow and camber and gave me new tires. In dec i had the tires rotated at 19,000 so the new tires were now on the front and the original tires on the back. Now in June I got the recall notice and also complained about the return of the vibration. the dealer service center indicated there was excessive wear on the back tires and now they needed to replace the rear upper control arm -- per a new bulletin from Honda. They said Honda would cover the rear upper control arm replacement but not the tires as the rear tires were now the original front tires and now had 27,000. I filed a complaint with honda America to have Honda cover new tires and my case is now pending. It is very disturbing for me who -- someone who has been a loyal honda civic owner and who would never own another make and model of car -- at least until now. Based on the number of postings regarding the rear suspension problem and now the faulty bearings, there seems to be a design, engineering, or mechanical flaw with the car that Honda is not addressing it or taking responsibility for it. Shame on them!!!!!!
Unless my dealer changes owners I have no doubt they would take care of this problem, if and when it occurs, to the fullest. It really upsets me that so many Honda dealers aren't as quick to hang onto their customers when Toyota and Nisson are both on their tails. I love my '07 Civic, but if it starts having these problems too with the dealer not taking care of them, I'm outta here.
I traded my 06 civic sedan with only 15K on it, I thought based on the many problems I had within that mileage, that long term issues would be prevalent.
When I traded, the dealer I traded to said he had seen so many civics come in for trade he wouldn't take anymore as he had a hard time unloading them, even at auction.
My advice, if money wise you can afford to trade it, do it before you run into trouble after warranty is up.
I loved my 06 but it was in for repair/service due to problems so many times, it was just getting out of hand, luckily I traded before the mileage go to the point where these others problems you guys talk about popped up.
And Oh, I had tire problems very early on with my car, despite the many alignments and bulletins. My dealer refused to change them even with less than 5K on them.
Purchased my Honda 5-9-07 and have just put my 4th set of tires on. 6-11-08 after the installation of my 4th set, the local Honda dealer informed me of the rear suspension problem which was probably causing the uneven tire wear. The dealer went ahead and repaired the suspension problem. I have contacted Honda and asked for consideration for the cost of the 4th set of tires. They have declined and said this is a dealer problem. The dealer says this is a Honda problem.
Comments
With regard to Honda quality compared to the competitors well, in general, from all I read (and I read everything automotive) Toyota seems to be on a slight decline as well, Hyundai keeps improving, and Mazda? well I believe they remain level.
Will be testing the Versa, Sentra, Elantra, Focus & Corolla when we get the kids their car later on this year so should be fun. Will be their choice ultimately...all I will be needed for is the test drives, the final test drive on the final choice and lastly, the negotiations. Will be an all cash deal with no trade...possible finance if the rates are ridiculously low though.
Wish we had a 3 car garage now...lol!
The Sandman
Some of the things I did like over and above the Corolla was the leather upholstery on the door handle, the Civic has regular cloth. Fog lights on the GLS Elantra, not on the LX or EX Civic.
The windshield was not near as large in the Elantra, not so prone to damage as the Civic. The price is about $2000 less for the Elantra. The Civic does seem to get marginably better gas mileage and the interior seems a little more refined.
Having said this though, my wife still insists upon a Civic. We have made an appointment to purchase a 2008 Honda EX tomorrow at Fisher Honda in Boulder, Colorado.
The only reservations I have about the Elantra are long term reliablity--after their 100,000 mile warranty expires. Are there many Hyundai's with well over 100,000 miles on them in reasonably good shape?
Hope everyone enjoys whatever car they purchase.
Brad :shades:
Does the Hyundai 5/60 cover bumper to bumper? As soon as I got my 08 Civic
I put bright blue slip on seat covers on it to protect the cheap fabric and add
some color to the mouse gray interior.I had an ealier generation CRV and at
40k miles the drivers seat was frayed and the steering wheel was worn badly
where it had been touched so cheap materials,yes!How does a Corolla interior hold up over the years?
I don't recall CR doing an assessment on "best in class" based on ability to achieve over 200k miles--can you please provide the link or issue reference for that?
What I did see is that CR ranks the Civic and Elantra in a dead heat in their ratings, and awarded the Elantra SE their Top Pick in this class, I expect mainly because it offers standard ESC while the Civic does not. I think both are very good cars for this class, and buyers can choose based on personal preferences, e.g. a desire for crisper handling and slightly better fuel economy vs. a smoother, quieter ride and more interior room at a lower price.
I've owned two Civics, and while they were great cars, the one I owned for 7.5 years (the other I only owned for 3 years) and drove for about 85k miles started rusting out well before the 7.5 years was up. So while the engine might well have lasted 200k+ miles, the body/chassis is another matter. I think just about any engine nowadays can last 200k+ miles with proper maintenance. The rest of the car? That's another story.
1. a few sets of tires.
2. new plugs and wires X 2 times
3. 2 or 3 sets of front rotors and pads (Hyundai branded rotors did not last on this car for some reason) and I finally bought Bendix brand which have lasted far longer.
4. 2 timing belts (required maintenance @ 60K mile intervals)
5. replaced the orignial alternator @ 145K miles and the original battery that was ruined by the alternator failure.
6. two rear wheel brake cylinders and rear brake shoes.
that's it. It still runs drives and feels as it did at 60K miles when we bought it and gets 31+ mpg..
The body has received some dings but the paintwork is still shiny with no rust.
The second hand story involves a 2003 Elantra used by a rural mail carrier who frequents the dealership for twice monthly oil/filter changes. The car has (as I understand) 540K miles with nothing other than accelerated routine maintenance. I have no reason to disbelieve it. So I wouldn't worry about Hyundai long term reliability. Oh I forgot the co-worker with a 2004 Elantra who drives 70 miles round trip and currently has 77K miles with 0..zero problems. I'm sure the country is full of high mileage Hyundai's same as Toyota, Honda etc.
The Sandman
Maybe we've been lucky or maybe rust isn't that big of an issue down south.
The Sandman
YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/
The local dealer in Newark, DE initially told me that the belts in the tires slipped and they were going to charge me over $300 to replace. They didn't mention that the control arms needed repair/replacement. This was after they were informed of the Service Bullentin regarding customers complaints.
The dealer had them in stock because another civic owner changed his appointment to have his car fixed with the same problem.
Honda knows about the problem because there are service bulletins on the upper control arm problem. The suspension defects ruined the tires causing cupping on the inside of the tires.
The dealer told me the tires were my problem so I called Honda Corp Honda Corp. admitted that they have a problem with the upper control arms but they refused to replace the tires. Honda knows that they have defective parts in the suspensions of many of their 2006-2007 Civics. They are not recalling the car but waiting until you have a problem to do the repair. The defective parts are causing flat spots and uneven wear on the tires which is a serious problem. I don't thing you would want to drive your family in a car in this condition. We all need to contact the NHTSA
about this safety issue. This is my first Honda and will be the last.
Is this because I have a suspension problem with the shocks, struts, etc? Or is it because the car is originally equipped with "performance tires" (Goodyear), instead of touring tires that makes for a softer ride?
The Sandman
They had to replace their tires at 30k, and are wearing out again. Any word on getting money back on the two sets of tires that have now been worn prematurely, from Honda? My parents are having no luck from their dealer in Daphne, AL.
Had the rear bearing TSB performed though, so all is good. Had the car washed this past weekend and the guy at work who's lusting after my car offered to buy it on the spot today. Not looking to sell right now, but told him to talk to me next year and just maybe.
The Sandman
Ginally got the recall notice for the Rear ABS Sensor the other day. luckily, I had it down 2 weeks ago eventhough they tried to say it was just a northern problem and not a southern one. I pressed the issue since Honda corporate said I needed to have it done and the dealer finally relented. They would not address the rear camber issue though. Said they needed to see the damaged tires which have been gone for a bit.
live and learn!
The Sandman
When I traded, the dealer I traded to said he had seen so many civics come in for trade he wouldn't take anymore as he had a hard time unloading them, even at auction.
My advice, if money wise you can afford to trade it, do it before you run into trouble after warranty is up.
I loved my 06 but it was in for repair/service due to problems so many times, it was just getting out of hand, luckily I traded before the mileage go to the point where these others problems you guys talk about popped up.
And Oh, I had tire problems very early on with my car, despite the many alignments and bulletins. My dealer refused to change them even with less than 5K on them.
Go figure.