Sell me on Honda Civics

jonKranked said:

pics?

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its sitting in NJ until this weekend

KavuRider said:

Are they reliable? I'm looking at those, quite a few for sale around me.

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volvos typically are reliable except if you get a first generation model. my parents have had several first gen models and have had issues along with other people ive talked to. after they shake out the first gen problems, they are typically rock solid.
they are anything but "sporty" though...something im trying to get used to coming from my sport truck

IH8Rice said:

its sitting in NJ until this weekend



volvos typically are reliable except if you get a first generation model. my parents have had several first gen models and have had issues along with other people ive talked to. after they shake out the first gen problems, they are typically rock solid.
they are anything but "sporty" though...something im trying to get used to coming from my guido lowrider truck

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gotcha. post some up when you get it

Drove a 98' civic hatch back in college. Loved it. Had a 2002 sedan a couple of year ago- fun to drive, but horrible road noise. Both got ~40mpg highway. Good cars.

IH8Rice said:

volvos typically are reliable except if you get a first generation model. my parents have had several first gen models and have had issues along with other people ive talked to. after they shake out the first gen problems, they are typically rock solid.
they are anything but "sporty" though...something im trying to get used to coming from my sport truck

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It appears that most of the ones for sale around here are 1998-2001 year wagons.
Good info though, thanks!

IH8Rice said:

until recently we've never gotten the Euro Focus here in the States. despite my username, id take a Honda over a older Focus.

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The 2000 Focus was Ford's Euro-designed "world car". It's just that Europe got newer versions while the US just got the same one throughout the last decade.

http://www.edmunds.com/ford/focus/2000/#fullreview

Wife has a 2000 Focus ZX-3 (Kona Edition) hatchback that's been pretty bulletproof the last couple of years. 90k miles and we've only had to replace the thermostat and the ignition cylinder (we've owned it for the last 4 years and 30k miles or so). Everything else has just been wear and tear (tires, brakes, etc).

KavuRider said:

It appears that most of the ones for sale around here are 1998-2001 year wagons.
Good info though, thanks!

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there was a body style revision in 2000.5/2001 just so you know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_V70



sorry for derail.

ih8rice

Love em or hate em civics are very reliable, avg around 30+mpg, easily fit a bike in the hatchback version, & take regular unleaded. Some down sides they can be a little small for some people and fwd is boring.

I have a truck and an 04 rsx type s. The type s is great and I can fit two bikes in the back. Downside is you have to use mid grade gas or better or else the engine starts to ping, v-tech burns oil so check that weekly, younger drivers get hit with higher insurance prices. But the plus sides you get 200hp, a usable v-tech in 3rd and 4th gear that pulls very good, avg 28 to 30+ mpg, and so far with 140k on the motor and trans the car is still performing reliably.

SkaredShtles said:

You'll get another 200k out of the drivetrain. What about the rest of it? You ever try to drive something like this?

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Well, yea thats true. Its garaged though so I should be okay. Plus it has a protective layer of cheerios in the back to protect the interior.

IH8Rice said:

its sitting in NJ until this weekend



volvos typically are reliable except if you get a first generation model. my parents have had several first gen models and have had issues along with other people ive talked to. after they shake out the first gen problems, they are typically rock solid.
they are anything but "sporty" though...something im trying to get used to coming from my sport truck

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I hope so my 2007 XC70 was the last year of production of that model. So far so good except for the cover on the sun roof is kind stuck. I actually like the less sporty ride on the bumpy NYC streets and it helps me not drive to fast.

Sandwich said:

I had a 92 that ran a solid 40k for me with little drama, and I beat on it pretty hard (first car) with little maintenance. I had rust issues where the back bumper mounted, the exhaust rusted off twice, a spring broke up front, a radiator got a hole in it, headlights started leaking and had to be re-sealed, but the car ran through all of it and pretty well at that. I had a couple of electronic pieces fail, I can't remember what they were but they were some kind of control module and the car just randomly wouldn't start one day. I think the total to replace them both was about $150.

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That's quite a list for only 40k miles....

All I can say is, I have a lot of friends who drove older Civics and seemed to have good luck with them.
However, my friend's sister bought a newer Civic (2009 I think), new from a dealer - it has been a constant source of problems. I thought it was a nice little car, but they have to keep bringing it back in for work. Fortunately its under warranty, but still.

Me personally...I only want a car for those times when I absolutely can't ride my bike (or need to haul something long distance). So, cheap, uninspired toaster? Sign me up.

dante said:

The 2000 Focus was Ford's Euro-designed "world car". It's just that Europe got newer versions while the US just got the same one throughout the last decade.

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i thought only the new Focus is the only model thats identical in all markets.

The Focus you see here will be sold in both North America and Europe with only very minor tweaks being made for the individual markets. Not even the original Focus that was sold in both markets when it debuted back in 1999 shared so much with its sibling on the other side of the Atlantic.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/29/2012-ford-focus-north-americas-version-of-global-car-in-detail/

IH8Rice said:

there was a body style revision in 2000.5/2001 just so you know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_V70



sorry for derail.

ih8rice

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IT wasn't just a body style revision, they updated from the P1 platform to the P2. Completely different chassis, almost a completely different car.

But definately get a Volvo, V70s rule.

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4gnegative said:

Love em or hate em civics are very reliable, avg around 30+mpg, easily fit a bike in the hatchback version, & take regular unleaded. Some down sides they can be a little small for some people and fwd is boring.

I have a truck and an 04 rsx type s. The type s is great and I can fit two bikes in the back. Downside is you have to use mid grade gas or better or else the engine starts to ping, v-tech burns oil so check that weekly, younger drivers get hit with higher insurance prices. But the plus sides you get 200hp, a usable v-tech in 3rd and 4th gear that pulls very good, avg 28 to 30+ mpg, and so far with 140k on the motor and trans the car is still performing reliably.

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FWD isn't nessecarily boring. I don't like it as much as RWD or AWD even but it's not like it's inherently boring. Civics are boring, however. Slow, economical appliances designed to get you from A to B. Nothing wrong with that. Besides, I bet you have quite a bit of fun in that RSX, which just so happens to be FWD

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oh and also it's called VTEC, not v-tech. v-tech is a phone manufacturer.

thebornotaku said:

IT wasn't just a body style revision, they updated from the P1 platform to the P2. Completely different chassis, almost a completely different car.

But definately get a Volvo, V70s rule.

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FWD isn't nessecarily boring. I don't like it as much as RWD or AWD even but it's not like it's inherently boring. Civics are boring, however. Slow, economical appliances designed to get you from A to B. Nothing wrong with that. Besides, I bet you have quite a bit of fun in that RSX, which just so happens to be FWD

edit again\\

oh and also it's called VTEC, not v-tech. v-tech is a phone manufacturer.

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binary visions said:

WTF?

$400-500 in gas, four days at least - probably more - of opportunity cost, meals and hotel, $100+ plane ticket, 3k miles wear and tear on the car and tires... was cheaper than anything you could find locally?

I think you're doing it wrong.

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Not really. I was looking for a 2004/05 Forester XT Manual with less than 65k, no accidents and a clean independent shop bill of health. I found the one I wanted in Philly for $11k. Unfortunately it is red, but I can deal with that.

Gas - $300 (This was when gas was at its bottom)
Hotel - $200 for 2 nights (I stayed with Nick in Chicago and my parents in OC)
Food - $20 (Loaf of bread, some cheese and meat, and a jar of mustard.)
Flight - $150 on the button
Opportunity cost - I had vacation I had to use and needed some time away from everything.

The cost of transporting it across the country was going to be nearly $1000. With all of my costs of transit and the winter related repairs (which were upgrades I was going to do) I came out at $14.5k. The closest I could find within 500 miles to my location were starting at $15k and all had over 90k miles.

I am now ~$15.5k into the car (ex gas/insurance) and have an entirely new intake through exhaust, wheels and tires, brakes/pads, steering rack, bushings, suspension, and shifter assembly. I also have new hub assemblies for the rear axles when i feel like installing them. All of this for roughly what I would have paid for one 'locally'.

You have to be willing to look for a deal and take the time to do it right. It also helps to be willing to spend a bit of time learning about what you are buying and how easy it is to maintain on your own. If you can resource parts that might need repair and do your own labor you will almost always end up ahead.

Have you looked at an older Mazda 3 Hatch or a Mazda Protege wagon?

Great on gas, cheap.

Red Rabbit said:

Have you looked at an older Mazda 3 Hatch or a Mazda Protege wagon?

Great on gas, cheap.

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hold up well when driven through fences?

stevew said:

hold up well when driven through fences?

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Yeah, I mean, as well as any car should.

I have owned 7 Honda civics and Acura integras and have over 350,000 miles in them. If you buy the right one- preferably from the original owner, or at least from someone who has owned the car for a long time you can get a fantastic, if not boring car. I prefer the integra, the seats are nicer, the extra power is welcome, and it has more space. The hatchback fits a bike or two easily as well. They hold their value unbelieveably well, I bought a 95 civic some years ago, bought it with 84k miles, owned it for 6 hears and drove it to 196k. I bought the car for 5 grand and sold it for 2900 in less than 24 hours. It still was stock, right down to the original clutch.

I just traded down from a Subaru wrx wagon back to an integra to save $, and while I do miss the subie, I don't miss putting $60 in premium into the tank twice a week.

Dirtjumper999 said:

Looked at a bunch of Civic's today, all from about 1998-2005 and just about all of them were beat to absolute **** on the outside/inside, but every single one started right up on the first engine rotation. I was very impressed, I am off to see something a bit different now... Update later.

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Take you time and shop around and don't get sucked into a deal. Keep up posted. Car buying is like a thriller.

Dirtjumper999 said:

Ended up getting a great deal on a 2003 Mazda Protege with 117,000 miles. Pretty stoked on it, so far gets about 32mpg and its pretty fun to drive to boot.

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Sweet! Pics?

So how much did you pay?

at least it wont get stolen

Sweet ride!

MMike said:

I had a '98 civic for a while in back in Seattle. It treated me pretty well. I was commuting 1-1/2 hr each way from Mill Creek to Bellingham. I consistently got 40 mpg.

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We have a 95 civic LX sedan. My wife bought it brand new. The step son drives it now. 220,000 miles on it, original engine, no problems other than AC not working. That car rules. I was driving it 100 miles a day back and forth to work for a few months. It has a 1.5 liter engine in it and got 41 mpg on the highway. We purchased a 2009 a month ago. I like the old one more.