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Honda Civic

jilldjilld Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Honda
Around for 20 years, the Civic is the best selling hatchback of all
time.

What do you think of yours? Or are you considering buying one?

Tell us what you think!
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Comments

  • greymuldergreymulder Member Posts: 1
    I have a '93 Civic CX hatchback - the car is really great! Very reliable! It has 125,000 miles so far (most highway) and no problems!

    When I first got Homer the Honda, the only maintenence I knew how to do myself was change the oil - over the years, I have greatly improved (with the help of some books and my brother-in-law). Some of the more advanced jobs I have undertaken: changed the timing belt and water pump, the "B" pipe (part of the exhaust system), flushed the brake fluid - and of course, also changed spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor, alternator belt, fuel filter, engine coolant, air filter, headlights, ...

    I am no true mechanic - If I can learn to do these things, so can you.
  • lizhanglizhang Member Posts: 1
    I got a 1886 honda civic. Now it has 167000 miles on it, still runs great.
  • guitarzan1guitarzan1 Member Posts: 13
    Better keep that car, it's already a collector's item! :)
  • zedorzedor Member Posts: 3
    Its a good car but lacking in power and options
  • rwongrwong Member Posts: 2
    We purchased a 1996 CX hatchback. It is rock solid, sticks to the road like glue, and has great gas mileage to boot!
  • pbarkpbark Member Posts: 1
    My new Honda Civic had been plagued with noise problems. The car makes more rattles than my friend's Saturn for starters. Under hard breaking, the car will make craking sounds which send shivers up my spine. The heater also comtributes to the cars horendous symphony of noise. It will make jingling noises whenever the car is in cold weather with its heater on. Those of you thinking about buying a Civic hatchback should seriously reconsider. Personally I would buy the new Saturn coupe rather than this overpriced Japanese Jingler.
  • rwongrwong Member Posts: 2
    To pbark..... I am not sure what the problem is with you Civic? Our 1997 hatchback is dead quite on the road. The build quality is much better than
    any of the other cars we looked at Neon, Tercel...
    And no I don't work for or sell Honda's. I would buy another one of these in a minute! The gas mileage is amazing considering the power in the 5 speed.
  • abbaabba Member Posts: 17
    I have owned 2 civic hatchbacks. Both have been
    reliable, economical, and fun to drive. The new
    civic hatchbacks (1996-present) lack the sporty
    handling of the older ones.
  • leifleif Member Posts: 41
    I bought a Civic DX in 1985 for $6700, and my sister still drives it--270,000 miles on the car! Just one clutch and the engine has never been opened deeper than the valve-cover gasket.
    How much more can you love that?
  • carladycarlady Member Posts: 35
    I hear this again and again: happy Honda Civic owners! I'm a happy Volkswagon Golf owner, but you guys are making me think I might want to think again!
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Right. Leif's got a 1986 CRX si with a wishbone break and he wants to know if it is worth salvaging the engine to put in his sister's 1985 Civic which is tooling along at over 270,000 miles.

    Here's a couple things to check: Was there a major model change between 1985 & 86? If so, that might make this more difficult. Next, check the wiring harnesses in both cars to make sure they are alike (or at least similar). If not, hmmmm, might be a no go.

    What do you think, folks? Can this puppy be saved?
    Has anyone tried this at home?
  • bubblesbubbles Member Posts: 3
    Hi folks!

    I'm thinking of buying a used 1995 Honda Civic 3 door hatchback. This is my first car and I need something that's inexpensive, easy to maintain, reliable, and has a long life. Do any of you know how much mileage a Honda hatchback can have? Is it reliable? How long can it last? How many miles can one gallon of gas take you? Are there any drawbacks? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Welcome! We're glad you found us. If you haven't already, you may want to take a look at our on-site information for that model and year.

    We own a '91 Honda CRX and it has way more than 100,000 miles and we get 40 miles per gallon. It has been a good car for us.

    Calling all lurkers... What has your experience been?
  • leifleif Member Posts: 41
    bubbles--you couldn't make a more intelligent choice for economical reliable transportation, see my previous post regarding 270,000 miles! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY :-)
  • bubblesbubbles Member Posts: 3
    Thanks to Carlady and Leif for responding so quickly. I took the hatchback out for a test drive today. Everything seemed to work ok--however, there's one thing that I'm really worried about. There seemed to be this strange smell that was coming from the driver's side. It smelled like gas but I'm not sure since this is my first car and I'm not sure what's normal or not. But there was some strange fuel odor that would come and go. The odor was there whether or not the heater or A/C was turned on. Do any of you know what this could be? Is it serious? Is this a potential problem waiting to happen? Should I stop thinking about buying this particular car? The car has about 28,000 miles on it. None of the warning signals came on because of the smell. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks!!
  • leifleif Member Posts: 41
    I'd get it checked. (I've often regretted not having a car checked by a mechanic before I bought it. Costs a lot less than the trouble it saves.) In any event if it is a leak or something I'm sure it is repairable. Are you buying it from a dealership and getting a warranty? Good luck!
  • bubblesbubbles Member Posts: 3
    Hi!!

    My hatchback didn't work out. Now I'm thinking about buying a 1994 Civic with 49K miles. It's going for $8,990. Is 49K too much mileage for a first car that I intend to keep for a very, very long time? I've read all your above testimonials about Honda's lasting for 150-270K, but is this the norm for all Hondas? How much can I bargain the price down to?
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Hmmm, too bad about the hatchback...

    As for purchasing a used car, Bubbles, there is plenty of information on the site to help you. Start by looking at the info on the model which interests you, in this case a 1994 Honda Civic. You'll find pricing information which will help you calculate a fair price. It takes mileage and features into consideration which will help make your price more accurate.

    To arm you with the best information about how to make your purchase, take a look at our Buyers Advice area.

    Then come back and let us know what you think!
  • cashcash Member Posts: 1
    why is honda's rust warranty so lacking. all the other car companies, at least many, offer 6-year performation. honda's only 3. why? what's the deal with honda metal that honda cant warranty it longer. no one's come up with a satisfactory answer for me yet.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    We're not really having a contest for longest post, investor, but I'd say you have surpassed even the prolific bnormann. ;-)

    I love your description of yourself as a "spirited driver," and I'm happy to know you've been saved by your nimble Honda! It's great to hear from a man who loves his car!
  • GrootersGrooters Member Posts: 1
    I've got a 1992 Civic CX with 90,000 miles on it. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it. I highly recommend these cars.
  • phlobphlob Member Posts: 4
    Just a gripe. I have white a 90 si hatchback. Its starting to get a bit old. I love it. why, why,why, cant honda paint another hatchback white? I love that color on that car. If they wont make me another si, then they could at least make a dx in white.
  • singer1singer1 Member Posts: 1
    My 1993 Civic si is the one of the finest handling
    cars I've ever driven - and it's fast as hell! After the factory Bridgestone tires wore out, I bought a set of Pirellis. The car out corners just about everything on the road, and has a 0-60 almost as fast as a Porsche 944.

    It also has some nice non-econocar features such as a sunroof and power mirrors.

    My only gripe is that it has so much torque that rain and snow driving sometimes requires starting in 2nd gear. Well, that and too much road noice.

    At 70,000 miles, I've replaced nothing but oil and warranty parts.
  • civiccivic Member Posts: 1
    Anyone own the new '98 Civic Hatchback DX? I want
    to know how do you like it so far? I'm planning
    to get one real soon.
  • phlobphlob Member Posts: 4
    rummor around the rick case department is that honda is bringing the si/type R int the u.s. Irronically enough it comes in white with nice black molding on the sides. the japanese model has a red interior. does anybody know if this is true? the guy at one dealership thought it would be in the form of a sedan(si/sedan? huh?) and another dealer said it would be a hatchback like the one in japan. are they pulling my leg or should i just consider a dx instead of waiting for the unknown ressurection of the si hatch? anyone.. anyone?.
  • JRChoccoJRChocco Member Posts: 7
    I have yet to hear anything on the return of an Si hatchback or new type R. When Honda announced that it was coming out with a new R series of all it's cars this past Summer, we just assumed that the US was included in that plan. Obviously though, none has surfaces so far and plans look bleak for any return soon. What is rumored however, is that when the new generation Civic comes out in '00, the CRX will finally return. The role of the DeLSol is being replaced by the new SSM roadster due to be unvieled this Spring. So just pray for the return of the CRX!
    Jon
  • abbaabba Member Posts: 17
    Here is what I have heard regarding the next generation of Civics. The Type R version will
    be released in the US only as a coupe. The CRX
    replacement will be a bit higher end/priced and
    larger than the old CRX. Unfortunately, the Si
    or Type R hatchback is not planned to be available
    in the US, to my knowledge. However, it is still
    early and things may change. I'd suggest letting America Honda know of your desires. Honda is one of the few manufactures who do not provide
    a way of contacting them on their web site. Maybe
    they don't want to hear from us. That's ok, I just keep my 93' Si. Drive safely.
  • bowe2bowe2 Member Posts: 2
    I have a '91 Civic Si and a '91 Accord EX Wagon and the Civic is by far and away one of the best cars I've ever owned. When it dies (and it only has 83,000 miles on it now), I hope Honda has another sporty coupe that I can replace it with!!

    MB
  • alesiaalesia Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking about buying a Civic hatchback but I'm worried about safety and about the space. Do the models from 1994 on have back seats that fold all the way down, making the rear compartment completely flat, or do they only squish down part of the way?
  • abbaabba Member Posts: 17
    To alesia:

    I own a 93 civic hatchback. In terms of safety the civic is rated as one of the safest small cars on the market. From 94 on all Honda hatchbacks came with dual airbags. As for storage, the back seat folds all the way down, making a totally flat area. Drive safely.
  • sdwsdwsdwsdw Member Posts: 1
    While in college in 1990, I purchased my first car: a used 1988 Honda Civic DX hatchback (manual - no tach.!!, A/C) with 38,000 miles for $6500. Now at 140,000, it has been a good car. During the eight years, I had only 2 major problems with the car: 1) both front rotors warped at 65,000 miles and had to be replaced (machining and new pads didn't work). 2) Significant rust spots developed at both ends of each of the rear wheel wells. I was majorly miffed about the front rotors; that repair set me back $400. I felt the rust spots should not have started so soon.

    One minor electrical problem though; last year, the rear window wiper/washer assembly stopped working at ~127,000 miles.

    I had a new clutch put in at 115,000 miles, a new water pump at 130,000, ignitor failure which was replaced for free under a recall. I haven't had much success with replacement mufflers on this car. The original muffler lasted 70,000, but I am now on my fourth muffler. I must admit that I have always had a short commute of less than 5 miles for the past 6 years. This driving pattern is known to be hard on mufflers.

    The interior has held up quite well. The gas mileage is excellent. Currently, I get 30 mpg city, and 41 mpg highway. I drove the car cross-country from Virginia to California once and I got 50 mpg! Between ~3,500 mile oil changes, the car is about 1/2 of a quart low on oil now. For the first 100,000 miles though, oil loss was quite low.

    The car handles great, and the 5-speed manual is a lot of fun. Other than the rust spots, the paint job has held up exceptionally well.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Sounds like a very satisfied customer! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
  • HFitzHFitz Member Posts: 13
    Hello all! I am getting ready to purchase a 1998 Civic DX Hatchback (after having nothing but problems with my 1994 Chevy Camaro...) Here's my question. I have never driven a stick shift before but keep hearing great things about the 5 speed in this car (improved pep?) I am seriously thinking about buying the 5 speed and having my boyfriend teach me to drive it the first weekend. Would that be foolish or no problem to learn? I've heard people happier with the 5 speed than the automatic. Advice?
  • phlobphlob Member Posts: 4
    ok, more on the type r thing. I heard at the cleveland auto show that they have type r hatchbacks in canada. At least the lady working at the honda display said so(she also said she was from canada) Does anyone one know anything about bringing and or buying a car in and from canada. is it possible for a US citizen to buy a car in canada? and how high are the import fees. Are there any major changes that have to be made to bring it into the US? Was this lady lying to me and there are no hatchback type R's in Canada? HELP!!!
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    Hello HFitz,

    Auto or manual. Few people seem ambivalent about it, but I recommend you take the plunge unless the following apply:

    1.) You drive in downtown rush-hour traffic more than 50% of the time.

    2.) You are less than 5'-5" tall and have trouble reaching the pedals.

    3.) You have other uses for your left foot and right hand besides controlling the car.

    ( #3 may seem felicitous, but all police cars are automatics.........)

    Does your boyfriend drive a manual?? Pay attention to how he drives, or your friends with manual transmissions. Do they seem comfortable driving stick shift. Can you visualize yourself driving a stick shift? Seriously, visualization can be a very helpful learning tool for this sort of thing.

    Anyways, I DO recommend you try it. There are serious gains in efficiency and performance as well as car control with a manual transmission. Good luck.

    Bruce.
  • dlavidlavi Member Posts: 13
    I'm thinking of buying a 98 Civic DX hatchback. My first new car. Any Advice?
  • abbaabba Member Posts: 17
    To Phlob:

    I'm pretty sure there is a Civic Si-R currently available in Canada. It differs from the Japanese "Type R" however. The Si-R does not have the 170 HP (or so) engine. I don't recall any other details. I would also like to know the import requirements and restrictions if anybody
    has such info.
  • dlavidlavi Member Posts: 13
    How does it work with a new Civic as far as the dealer installed options? I would want air conditioning? I've heard its easy to get ripped off in that situation. What have your experiences been? any advice>
  • HFitzHFitz Member Posts: 13
    I'm trying to find out the same thing! I want a Civic DX Hatchback and I feel prepared to negotiate a good price on the car...but the air conditioning is a mystery to me since it's dealer installed. I'm in LA and have had dealers tell me it adds anywhere from $1200 to $1500 to the price. But I bet there's profit there and I don't want to lose my savings on the car by paying too much for air conditioning! Please help me/us! would and additional $800 be enough for the dealer?
  • sheridansheridan Member Posts: 2
    please advise me on how to negotiate for a civic with airconditioning as the only option. i cannot seem to find out the dealer cost of airconditioning anywhere. does anyone know? also, can one can leather seats installed in a civic?
  • dlavidlavi Member Posts: 13
    hondaparts.com sells airconiditong for around 765 check the website. But of course that doesn't include labor but it should be at least a starting point when you ask to see the dealers prices. check out the website
  • nge66nge66 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 91 Civic HatchBack for $7540 out of lot price brand new. It was cheaper than a tercel or sentra at that time. I was a poor man who didn't want a Metro, Hundayi or Yugo. So that was my only choice.

    It has a 72 HP engine so I didn't put in an A/C. A/C would cost $1400 extra or add 20% to the cost of the car and possibly overhead the engine in summer.

    7 years and 83k miles later, it still retains 60% of its original value according to edmund. That's really amazing to me. Does anything think edmund's numbers are too high?

    I replaced tires twice, new battery at 40k, new brake pad at 40k and 80k, oil
    change every 30k miles. Flash collant at 40k.
    Replace air filters and spark plugs at 30k and 60k. All of the above are routine maintanance, so I
    guess my repair cost so far is $0.

    Both front CV boots were replaced under
    warranty at 32k miles. Other than that, this has
    been a great set of wheels. My kind of car.
  • sheridansheridan Member Posts: 2
    dlavi, thanks for the information, i will check out website, do you own civic, i am going to buy one in summer of 99 when i come back to usa, what tips do you have re purchasing one, pat
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    For tips on how to purchase a Honda Civic or any other new or used car, please see our Consumer Advice area.

    To learn from the mistakes of others, be sure to see the Smart Shoppers Conference! These are great resources and we hope you'll make the most of them for your next car purchase.
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    HFitz, a manual is the only transmission to get for a Japanese car. They have very little torque at low rpm's, meaning the manual is needed to accelerate quickly. Also, the control of the vehicle is awesome with a stick. I have really enjoyed the manual experience.

    Nge66, does your figure include Edmund's peak retail price? I'm guessing from experience. You probably won't get the peak retail value for your car that Edmunds lists. I sold my Integra recently and got 67% of the original purchase price back, or 54% of MSRP. The purchase figure was right in between trade-in value and the retail value, so compare those figures for yourself to get a truer estimate. The car was a red 5-speed with 65k miles, and excellent condition but needing tires. I think there are few Civics as coveted as this car, just for the purpose of comparison. However, if you decide to sell, make her look perfect, and start very high. My car sold in 2 days!
  • lakeskilakeski Member Posts: 2
    I test drove a '98 Civic DX Hatchback Friday; I really enjoyed it. The handling seemed very solid, and the ride quality was very good; very quiet and rattle free. The sound from the standard 4-speaker stereo was good, though I noticed that at volumes higher than halfway, the tonal quality changed. Pickup seemed to be pretty impressive--I drove the 5-speed manual. Seems to me like the power in the car is in the higher rev range; it seems to come alive a little later than I expected. I felt that the quality of the climate controls was questionalbe; the cold/warm control seemed to be a little cheap--I guess you have to cut the costs somewhere.

    I really like this thing; the hatchback format seems to be a nice combination for me. I want to be able to haul some larger items if needed, but want the economy and the performance of a regular car.

    The Honda dealer in Green Bay treated me a hell of a lot better than my previous visit to our local Honda dealer here in Sheboygan.

    What I'm curious about is any information of people owning the '96 or newer DX Hatchbacks. Obviously, the Civic should be a fairly trouble-free vehicle and hold its value well.

    I was quoted these prices on the car, of course, they're MSRP--the dealer didn't want to "cut a deal" with me as I wasn't interested in buying the car for at least several months. Anyone tell me if these prices are in line?

    Honda Civic Hatchback DX (black) -- $12495 (inc. dest.)

    Air Conditioning: $1100
    6 Disc CD Changer:$540
    Tweeter Kit: $134
    Gold Kit: $79

    The only price that seems out of line to me is the Air Conditioning. I think that a price of around $13,000 to $13,500 would be reasonable for this type of vehicle.

    The Honda Dealer said the tailgate spoiler was discontinued; anyone know if this is true? The Honda Website and literature lists it as an available accessory.

    Anyone have experience with Honda's college grad program?

    Also, if anyone has information on where I can get a nice set of 5-spoke gold colored wheels for the 185/65 R14 size, please let me know.
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    They sell many many Civics, so negotiating shouldn't be a problem. These cars are not BMW's. When you are ready to buy, let them know you will buy if they give you a reasonable deal. Then lowball them, below invoice. Only accept a price based on invoice, ex) $200 over (or even under!) , etc. I looked for a car last year, and they offered only MSRP. When it came time to sign, the whole deal changed, as I was not budging very much.
  • HFitzHFitz Member Posts: 13
    Hi Lakeski. The Civic DX Hatchbacks ('98)have the rear roofline spoilers. The CX do not. Also, CX don't have cargo area covers or radios or wheel covers. I don't know about you, but I think the rear roofline spoiler adds a lot to the look of the car.

    I've been quoted $12,200 for DX Hatch plus $1200 for air conditioning....but that was before I really started to try to deal (I too am about 3 weeks away from buying). So, the air conditioning does run at least as much as they told you (other dealers have gone as high as $1500- I'm sure there's profit in there but it is a dealer added feature and an expensive one.) but i bet you can get them lower on the car.

    Good luck!
  • lakeskilakeski Member Posts: 2
    I considered going about $13,000 to $13,500 on the car. I know that the DX (which I am looking at) has the roofline spoiler; but there is an additional one you can get on the tailgate. Anyone know about this?
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I've never heard of a tailgate spoiler for a Civic Hatchback?? Where would it go? All hatchbacks have roof spoilers. On the DX it is painted the same color as the car on CX models it's black. 1200.00 is a fair price for Air Cond.

    But...A gold kit on a Civic Hatchback?????
This discussion has been closed.