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Comments
But...who knows? Like I said I can take them or leave them. I try to drive in a manner where I don't need to rely on them in the first place.
Still, if I'm driving in the snow or ice (rare in Seattle) I'ld rather have ABS than not.
"What I was referring to was not an "expert" opinion. It was just simply an article stating the cold, hard data of a test."
Key term there being, A test, not THE test. There are many tests, and the one you read obviously supports your opinion. ISELLHONDAS is also correct, as am I, that some tests, (including my personal ones, which are really the only ones that matter to me), show that non-ABS works better on dry pavement. ABS is certainly great on wet pavement. That said - I'll take an ABS car vs. non ABS car anyday.
The ABS developed and installed in the cars few years ago are using completely different hardware and software than the 2001 models.
The modern systems are way more effective. They are faster, smarter and quieter.
And cheaper too.
The modern ABS is clearly superior in the wet and DRY conditions.
One thing I don't understand. Why don't all cars have disc brakes all around? The discs are easierr to repair, and seem like they should be cheaper and easier to install. Why are drum brakes still around? I know they are cheaper - but why?
Also, check out this side:
http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/editorial/tech/brakes.html
No squeaks at all after install. Good luck.
On ABS, I swore by it yesterday. Toke a curved exit at 75 MPH in my new Celica, got around the corner and traffic was at a stand still. (A semi-truck had gone over the side railing) Nailed the brakes, and she stopped beautifully. Had I not had ABS, my car probably would have skided sideways and caused another accident. I am definitely safer with ABS brakes.
I'm having a problem getting my Civic's fuel gauge reading fixed. They replaced fuel float, no fix, now the service manager says wait for TSB. Has been 3 months and no fix. I want to file a complaint with Honda.
I know a few families with Honda vans that are prone to having "issues"....
I need to start getting my problems in writing, if I am to go ahead with lemon law. The dealer has tried one fix, and is refusing to look at it again. I must say he has met his match. Our car will be fixed or Honda will buy it back.
Good luck.
There is no excuse for it.
Still...I do have to wonder what their comments of you as a customer would be?
But, no matter what they thought of you. They should be completely professional in their dealings.
I know I have had customers (I can count them on one hand) that I ended up despising in the end. They were either nasty, rude, or lied to me.
But, I didn't let that stop me from treating them in a professional manner.
Just part of the business.
They sell other makes too. Hmmm... they had an attitude on the Odyssey, but not on the Chrys-Voyager or G-Caravan. I wondered about that, and went somewhere else.
Thanks again for the help and advice this town hall has given me!
What is the outcome you are looking for...
The factory option is the simplest/cleanest install, but the most expensive. It is also limited in features and technology.
Aftermarket can give you more choices on power and future expansion, is cheaper on the average, but can be a more complicated install. You also have to deal with the keyless-entry/welcome-light feature.
I think if you browse this thread you can find internet dealers for Honda accessories at lower cost.
Of course, if you address all these at time of purchase, you may also get a good deal. Shop around and compare the numbers.
Good luck.
Well it turns out that my original PCM was fine and that the dealership did not check to see if my car needed a new one by looking at my cars vin number. Apparently, older 2001 Civics were manuafactured with the corrected PCM and radio. As a result, if you bought a 2001 Civic in late 2000, you may not have a PCM or radio problem. Honda will notify you if your car requires an update. How does Honda know where to find you? For one, your dealer "should have" forarded your info to them at sale time. To ensure, Honda knows who and where you are, I suggest going to the Honda.com website. Under E-Honda and then owners, you can e-register your car. As a result, Honda will be able to send future recall notices directly to you. Here's hoping there are none.
Your choice of exterior color will also be a factor. So will be stock quantity, month of the year, day of the week, and you never know what the sales manager's order-of-the-day is. There is no system for you to know what the dealer's sales strategy and real numbers are.
Watch out for "Doc Fees" (they've always accepted my offer of $99.00) - remember, you also have to make a reasonable offer. Cash or a pre-approved loan makes no difference, as the dealer always gets "paid-in-full" at the end of the day (it's only a matter of who pays them).
For your reference, I paid $14,420 (plus tax and reg) for my 2000 Teal 4dr-LX Auto.
Good luck.
I am considering a 5sp LX coupe. I was considering the EX, but the mandatory sunroof is just to low. Headroom is actually worse in the 01 than in than 00 EX.
I hate to come back to the tire issue in the LX again, but only Honda would put such a cheap tire on a midlevel model. Once again, the competition are offering 15" and 16" wheels (alloy on top models), but Honda offers 14" .70 profile tires, which are worse than all other cars except maybe some base level Daewoo. Naturally, Civics come as take-it-or-leave-it optioned models. You cannot get, say, an EX without the sunroof or an LX with ABS. Don't try an order a Civic from the factory, like you can a Focus. Honda does not accept special orders.
Another gripe: Honda sells the totally cool hatchback in the UK and all models appear to come with ABS. Why not make all US Civics with ABS ? Maybe Europeans are more concerned with safety, while Americans tend to be more concerned with sunroofs. Who knows.
Having said some negative comments, the Civic LX is still an improvement in terms of content, considering there was previously no LX coupe. Has anyone put aftermarket alloys on their LX/DXs ? I would suggest a 16" wheel with a .55 profile tire. This combo would then make the LX's handling a step up from the EX's
According to the Honda installation instructions, the storage pocket/bin under the stock head unit is screwed to the radio.
So... What have you guys done to that pocket/bin when you swapped to an aftermarket stereo? How does a Euro-DIN chassis fit into that dash (is it "clean")?
Thanks.
Regarding rfiglia's message: I can only say that I have put on about 1400 miles on the car. The gas mileage is averaging about 33mpg, the car is very comfortable for me although I am only 5'3". However many of those passengers that have ridden with me who are larger and taller tham me have remarked how comfortable the car is. The stereo quality is so-so but that is minor to me. I listen to alot of AM radio anyway. Although I live in Southern California, we are in the middle of our short rainy season and so far it has performed admirably on our slick freeways and surface streets. I cannot imagine it not doing equally well where you live on the Island. I would only suggest that, if possible, you garage the car at night during inclement weather during the fall and winter months for protection. Other than that, I can only say that it seems to provide economical comfortable transportation. Good luck.
How do the struts behave in front? Has anybody taken it to speed on a winding road?
Thanks
The 2k1 outperformed the 2k with a faster slalom time. Also, I think, had a faster steering box and a smaller turn radius. So, yes, technically the 7th-Gen handles better.
Haven't yet a SINGLE prob with my 2k though, unlike some 2k1-ers posted here.
Good luck.
I am looking into buying a 01 Civic EX. At first I had thought it was a good decision because of Honda's reputation. After reading all the problems people have been having it is kind of making me rethink my decision. I do not plan on buying my car until late April. I do not want to buy it and then regret it soon afterwards. I want a reliable car. The other car I am looking at is a Jetta. Any suggestions? If anyone has any other cars they suggest (years 98-01) that would be great too.
Thanks,
Jazfrostshade
I have thrown several small, tight curves at it going in excess of 30MPH and it has yet to flinch. There was some slight body roll, but nothing too major. I cannot compare it to a 6th generation model, however, as I have never driven one.
Somewhere I read something about the suspension on the coupe being slightly more sporting than the sedan version, is this true? If so, I would surmise that the sedan might handle differently from my coupe.
As for there being many posts about 2001 Civic problems, remember that people are more likely to post if they have a problem than they are if they are completely satisfied. I'm sure the majority of 2001 owners are content, but they aren't saying anything because they're out driving their fun little cars.:-]
And yes, the Coupe has additional suspension components that help it handle like it does: better than ever!
Also, dealer ordered a new fuel sensor unit 5 weeks ago b/c my low fuel light goes on with 5 gallons left in tank. Any reason why it still hasn't come in?
mostly highway driving. So far, only 28 MPG consistently (filled up the 2nd
time tonight). Since the car is rated 32/38, this is quite a surprise.
Anyone else had this problem and then found subsequent tanks of gas got better
mileage? I'm guessing this isn't going to get better without some serious
complaining to the dealer. Especially since the gas mileage is the only reason
I picked this car over the much better driving VW Jetta.
Which Jetta model were you comparing your Civic to when you said the Jetta drove better. Better in what way? I have driven the Golf 2.0L and must admit that it is much more luxurious in every way. Despite the Golf's extra weight and only 115HP, the engine's torque is noticeable and makes a welcome change from the ear-splitting revs of the Civic. The Golf's 2.0L engine never seems as if its working very hard, although on paper, it is slower than the Civic.
By-the-way, Porsches have struts and no one questions their handling capability.
Also by-the-way, the EPA tests highway fuel economy ratings at about 50 mph. So if you do 75mph, your mileage may fall back close to the city rating. In Europe, they quote mpg at a higher speed (about 75mph as well as about 50mph) and quite often it matches their "city" rating. Only their rating at about 50 mph is noticeably higher
VW parts distribution center, and that through that person
I can get a discount on the Jetta that makes its price basically the same as
the price I paid for my Civic EX ($16,800). Yep, if you work for VW, you can
get a very good discount.
I drove the 1.7 liter, 4 cylinder, non-turbocharged automatic Jetta GLS. It's handling
and ride was much better than the Civic. Tight steering. Nearly no roll in turns.
The feedback and control the car offers to the driver were also
much better. The Civic, and also Accords, I think, have very poor "road feel" through
the steering wheel. The Honda steering is sensitive, but it's also too light to the touch.
Bad points for the Jettas include: no inside-the-trunk escape latch;
a glove compartment that dumps all its contents whenever you open it; flimsy cup holders
that are positioned directly above the radio and temperature control electronics (so if
you spill anything, it's going right into your CD player).
Okay, aside from that, on to the Civic EX gas mileage issue. This is the 6th new car
I've purchased in my life. All the previous cars got mileage within the advertised
top/bottom number range. They got that mileage as soon as I bought them. This
car doesn't even get its rated city mileage when most of the
driving occurs on the highway. I don't think that 28 MPG is adequate when it's advertised
that it gets 32/38. And I'm well aware of how they do the tests. But the same
was true of all the cars I bought previously, so why wasn't their actual highway mpg below
the advertised/rated city mpg? Probably the best argument I've heard about
this so far came from the Honda dealer, who says that the wintertime oxygenated gas here
in New Jersey cuts mileage by as much as 20%. Hmmm.... They could also be just trying
to make me go away without them having to do anything.
Incidentally, we didn't purchase just on the MPG issue (although the Jetta was
rated nearly 10MPG worse than the Civic--wonder how it does on the oxygenated
gas?). Crash test results also played a big factor, with the Jetta and the Civic
being the best in this respect in their class of car. Civic EX 4-door crash
data is slightly better, although the two cars get the same number of
stars for front and side impacts.
Finally, I don't think I'm the only person, or even only one of a handful of car buyers
thinking about gas mileage. Note that Honda, Toyota, and Saturn are or will soon
be marketing high-mileage hybrid engine cars. Meanwhile gas prices continue to rise.
Last Summer, here in NJ they nearly made $2.00/gallon. Don't be surprised if they
go back there this Summer when everyone is driving more. And if you're at all concerned
about the environment, fuel economy has to be a priority.