A great little car with staying power.
Written: Aug 01 '03 (Updated Aug 31 '03)
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Pros: Great style, gas mileage, and surprisingly roomy for a compact car.
Cons: AC went out last year. Misfire in cylinder #3 twice in 8 months.
The Bottom Line: This car is a trooper. After 115,000 it still looks and runs great!
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| bradtaura's Full Review: 1996 Honda Civic 4 Door |
I Purchased a 1996 Honda Civic Ex (4 door, Manual) in fall of 1997. It was used with around 30,000 miles on it and I adore it. I was a much needed change from a lemon that I had bought the year prior (a Pontiac Grand Am).
When shopping around I was looking for something comfortable and attractive to take me on my 45 minute commute to work every day. I was looking at Honda Civics to the Toyota Corollas. After the problems with my Grand Am, I will never consider a GM product again. The Corolla (in the same price range) were nice but it did have as many attractive features as the Civic (Sun roof, CD player that wasn’t in the trunk). Ultimately, I just liked the looks of the Civic better and since we had noticed my then fiancee was having great luck with a 1994 Civic LX, I bought it. The one thing that I found challenging after my purchase was convincing my parents that it was as “American” as their GM (or in this case, possibly more).
This car lasts!
My Civic now has 115,000 miles on it and I've only had one major problem. The AC finally gave out last fall. When it was said and done, I dumped a $1,000 (parts and labor) into a new condensor, evaporator and accumulator. I think the Honda dealership misdiagnosed the condensor as the problem originally. Considering the car was already paid for and 6 years old, it didn’t hurt that much to get that taken care of and we were back in business.
Keep in mind that I really take care of my car (regular oil changes, timing belt replacement and CV boots at 90,000 miles, new tires, tire rotations, consistently check tire pressure, spark plugs replaced when needed etc…) but I doubt many other brands could get to this point without showing its age in more costly ways.
You wouldn’t believe the amount of stuff I can pack in this little car (which has a surprisingly generous trunk then you would expect). Plus the fold down seats and my Yakima roof rack have kept me in love with the car all these years. Can you believe that I actually brought home 2 full pieces of drywall on the roof rack! I got a lot of crazy looks, as if to say “get a truck”, but the little car did the job. That is a tribute to both the car and the roof rack. So for those of you that are looking for ways to occasionally haul a little more with your little Civic that might be an idea for you.
Concerning performance, it holds curves very well for a compact car. Braking and handling are very good. I've only had to replace the front pads and rotors once, which wasn't expensive and the rear drums have never needed repair. I installed a K&N airfilter in the factory airbox, which made a noticeable difference in throttle response. Because it was a 5-speed, it would get up and move as long as you kept up the rpms around 4000-6000. It redlined around 7000. It surprised me sometimes. I never had trouble passing on a two lane road as long as I downshifted from 5th to 4th gear. The transmission didn't like first gear in parking lots going real slow-it kind of lugs or bucks a little, but that's the nature of a 5-speed. Once in second, it did fine. I never once had to service the clutch and it shifts as smooth now as it did the day I got it. The air conditioner took a noticeable amount of power away from the car, but once again, you had to keep the revs up. This little car likes to cruise at 70-80 mph.
The integrity of the upholstery has been impressive and I still see no signs of rust. I love to clean it up and see my 7-year-old car look new. The fuel economy is excellent, and without the roof rack, it gets around 33-34 mpg on the highway. I have seen some 1996 Civics with comparable mileage going for $8,000 at dealerships.
Words to live by when buying a Honda--
Don’t expect to get a deal on a used car or get what you deserve on a trade in at a Honda dealership. They are notorious for selling their used Hondas on this premise “Sure they are expensive, but it’s a HONDA and it will retain it’s value well”. Funny how when it comes time to put their money where their mouth is (giving you that so-called retained value when you are ready to trade in) they suddenly show no confidence in it’s quality and give you a song and dance about it costs them a lot to certify used cars. My reaction to that is: You sold me the car, it is a quality product and I have cared for it properly and I expect to receive fair value for it. I refuse to pay their cost for it to be “Honda Certified”. I gained this insight when we were getting ready to buy an Accord and trade in our 1994 Civic. ALL FOUR local dealerships gave us the same run around. It was discouraging, but that is how they are trained. You just have to learn how to get around it.
My advice is to always buy a used Honda on an off dealer lot (like a GM, or Chrysler lot). You will get a better deal both on trade ins and in buying a used car. It may require a little more time to find the right one, but it will pay off.
If you are buying a new Honda, don’t pay the sticker price. Consider your options (like it’s top competitors: Toyota and Chrysler). It is never a good idea to blindly go into the deal without knowing your options, they can smell if you are a “for sure” customer and you will loose all leverage. They will come down if they want your business. It is also best for you to sell your used car outright in the paper. It is more of a hassle, but its better then getting the short end of the stick at the dealership.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 13000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1996
Model and Options: EX
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Epinions.com ID:
bradtaura
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Location: Indiana
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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In a house where science and art meet, we form a well rounded perspective.
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