Joining The Civic Nation

[tanked_darren]

Not that I can't afford the 110km round trip to work with my trucks v-8 but I want to be able to afford other things, so I've decided to buy a Honda Civic probably 1989-2000 era, so far I've seen a couple in the late 90's but holy crap, people ask alot for these cars!!! Compared to pontiac sunfires and chevrolet cavaliers at least. I want something that will last for a long time so thats why I've choosen Honda.

 

Anyone had a bad experience with a stock Honda in this era? Yes I'm aware of doing timing belts on these things.

 

 

I've thought of trading my truck for a much newer civic once I move into my new apartment, but I want to try and NOT do that if I can help it.

[ryan_hermanutz]

Good luck with that, just make sure it's not a rice, rice bady edition. I don't know about where you live, but street racing here is kind of a big thing here so I would make sure it wasn't one before I bought one.

[JRLZ71]

First of all, do not trade your truck in for a car! You will regret that big time... Secondly, if I were you, I would think about just getting a tune and trying to get better gas mileage from what you have because by the time you buy a car, pay for gas, pay for the upkeep, and pay for the same stuff for your truck, you would be in a pretty good hole. I'm sure I'll receive hate, but oh well.

[05GMCZ71]

A tune will not result in any noticeable fuel millage increase.

[mc7719]

Ive had two Civics in the past, before my trucks. While I cant believe how long I went without a truck, I did love my Civics. Reliable as hell, gas efficient, peppy, handled great! And yes, you'll pay more than a Cavalier of Sunfire for very good reason. No offense to GM, but the Cavalier and Sunfires aren't the greatest for longevity.

 

You keep up the scheduled maintenance (timing belt).. and you wont have a problem... I crashed my first one at 220,000kms, and it didn't owe me anything. I sold the second one at 238,000kms (150,000miles), and the only thing I ever had to do was brakes, oil, and timing belt on a 15 year old car!

 

My first Civic:

 

Second, with my first Chev that eventually replaced it. I kept both for a while, one for commuting, and one for play

[Superperv23]

effin civics, the prices on them are insane for what really is not a great car to start with. I hate them to be honest.

[cghbuilder86]

I drive 75 miles a day round trip for work man. I'm not letting go of my truck. I have a chevron gas card that gives me 10 cents a gallon credits, and other than that I drive slow and easy to get best mileage. Much, much rather leave a few minutes earlier and drive a little slower and be in my truck. Plus it's a lot safer and easier on the vehicle to drive gentle and cautious.

[Stevens03]

You'll spend many thousand more on a second car than you will ever on gas. It would take you SEVERAL years to recoup the costs. I wouldn't do it. If you want to save money, then by a little truck or just get a car.

 

Having both, you have gas, insurance, registration, inspection, and maintenance for 2 now. No way you can save.

[jwieps]

One of my dealers currently has a special going for employees...... 2011 Honda Civic LX 3/36k lease with not a penny down for $199.... Thats 1.5 weeks worth of gas for my rig.

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How much mileage are you getting anyway, you have a 4.8l it shouldn't be that bad....

[music]

I have a 93 Accord in the garage, but it doesn't make sense to have it. I only keep it, since my oldest is now 14... and this car was bought new by my inlaws. I've had it ~9 years of the 18. You'll be driving/insuring/maintaining a small/cheap car, while your depreciating, expensive truck sits in the garage. The car itself isn't a bad idea, but having a newer truck sitting in the garage every day is. Honestly, the better option is an older truck in the garage and a few year old smaller car to drive every day... or drive/enjoy the truck. If you don't need a truck, and finances dictate a change... I'd go newer/smaller car. If you need a truck for hauling stuff on weekends... a good older truck is perfect. We tow long distance, and is the reason I drive a newer truck.

[tanked_darren]

Good luck with that, just make sure it's not a rice, rice bady edition. I don't know about where you live, but street racing here is kind of a big thing here so I would make sure it wasn't one before I bought one.

I plan on getting bone stock base models probably of the hatchback variety like the one pictured in mc7719's post.

 

I drive 75 miles a day round trip for work man. I'm not letting go of my truck. I have a chevron gas card that gives me 10 cents a gallon credits, and other than that I drive slow and easy to get best mileage. Much, much rather leave a few minutes earlier and drive a little slower and be in my truck. Plus it's a lot safer and easier on the vehicle to drive gentle and cautious.

I drive smooth on the freeway maximizing my mileage but that just can't happen in stop and go rush hour traffic when I work my other job on days off.

 

You see gas prices up here are $1.30 a liter now(I drive to the next town for $1.21 I'm that cheap), I don't know how much that is in $ per gallon, but lets just say the pay at the pump option "fill up" with my debit card doesn't fill my truck anymore, (yes I know theres ways around it.)

 

How much mileage are you getting anyway, you have a 4.8l it shouldn't be that bad....

 

630km about or (390miles) a tank. 14L/100k freeway 12.somethingL/100k. 18mpg on average, according to DIC

 

 

 

I don't plan on having both vehicles insured, I'll get storage insurance for the truck (still use it for hunting and camping) and transfer over to the commuter, we'll see in the next few weeks, I don't plan on spending more than $3500 on a civic, I know a honda mechanic and I can fix things myself, so hopefully I can get something off of a stupid kid or a woman who has no idea why their vehicle is running like crap and I swoop in an get a good deal.

 

Not only will I save gas money but all the useless Kms I put on it as well.

[ibag8rfan]

I have the exact truck the OP has and can't manage to get the DIC to ever average more than 15 (i did switch to 265 series tires from 245, but according to those speed detectors you see on the side of the road my speedo is still dead on so I doubt it's calculating incorrect mileage). I'll clear it at every tank and by the time I fill up again i'd say I drive 75% city and 25% hwy. I'm sure it's possible I could ease into the gas a little more but not too much.

 

I'd go with an EG body style civic ex(same as posted above, 92-95 model). My car when I was 17 was a 95 and I put a turbo on it and still got over 30mpg hwy while making over 175% more hp at the wheels than it came from the factory with.

[ibag8rfan]

BTW just running quick numbers that actually favor the truck side of the argument, with my driving habits of about 350miles/week average, i'd save about $2800/year at the pump with a civic vs. driving the truck.

[gmowner4life]

I really don't know why people put down cavaliers. My mom loves her car. She has over 140k miles on it and it still drives really well. She drives it to go out of town all of the time without worrying about whether or not it would leave her stranded... then again, she does take care of all of the maintenance religously.

 

My sister had a 2000 civic and she loved it too.