Faults:

Alternator and battery had to replaced as soon as I purchased the car (alternator worked enough to limp it home with a fresh battery, and that was about it).

Replaced distributor due to a bad sensor. There are three sensors in the distributor, and if one goes bad, the entire piece needs to be replaced. In my case, I would get an intermittent but very noticeable misfire, often causing the car to stall at stoplights.

Needed to perform a plethora of suspension work upon purchase - tie rod ends, control arm bushings, trailing arm bushings, ball joints, both CV shafts.

Front brakes (pads and rotors) were toasted when I bought it.

Radiator completely blew out about a month after buying the car. Took about half an hour to replace, so it wasn't the end of the world.

Exhaust is shot. Every seal from the manifold back is leaking and the muffler is virtually nonexistent.

Timing belt, water pump, and clutch will need to be replaced coming up at 180,000 miles, but this is routine.

Climate control lights are out, which is a common problem for older Hondas.

Speedometer works intermittently, which is a problem I haven't been able to track down, despite many hours of digging.

Also a familiar problem with any old Honda in the rust belt, the quarter panels resemble a piece of Swiss cheese. But again, this is an 18 year old car.

General Comments:

This is the third Civic I've owned, and I never cease to be amazed. For a compact economy car nearly two decades old, the 1.6L VTEC motors, with the manual transmission, are incredibly snappy and a blast to drive. The engine is very, very responsive, the transmission shifts very smooth, and it will easily attain speeds capable of earning a speeding ticket.

The styling is, I feel, top notch for a '94, regardless of make or model. These cars are still very good looking machines, in my opinion.

Cabin road noise is a little excessive, and the seats can be a tad unsupportive on long distances, but those are my only complaints. The suspension is stiff enough to feel the road, but not so stiff as to provide a bone-jarring ride. The braking is better than average, and the handling is incredibly responsive. With decent summer tires, the car handles like it's on rails.

Another thing I am amazed by is the array of options available in this car. Power sunroof, windows, mirrors, locks, cruise control, A/C, 6-speaker stereo, all of these are things that are unavailable on most cars of the same era and price range. And all of these options still work flawlessly on my car.

The only mechanical problems I've experienced have been either routine maintenance for a vehicle of this many miles, or have been caused by years of serious neglect by the previous owner. Fortunately, these cars are amazingly simple to work on, and parts are readily available. Anybody with even the slightest mechanical inclination and a few basic tools can fix most problems these cars will have.

In short, the fifth generation of Civic (1992-95) is one of the most reliable, well-designed vehicles available. This is the third Civic I've owned, and I've been beyond satisfied with the performance, reliability, and comfort of these little cars. They will never leave you stranded, and they will never leave you disappointed.

Faults:

My Honda Civic is not really factory, but I'm sure that the factory ones are very good.

The car had a racing engine, but that blew up about a year ago. It's got a brand new engine now with about 40,000 miles on it.

The only other problems would be the tires leaking air, so I have to top the air up every week.

General Comments:

Like I said, this car has been fully tricked out, low rider body-kit, automatic doors (no door handles, push a button to get in). Paint job, low profile 17 inch tires, racing suspension, brakes, and steering. I drove non-custom Honda Accords and Civics, and since then I've always wanted a Honda. Now I have a factory motor transmission in my car, and it's really cheap on gas, and reliable. Not really all that fast, takes some time to pick up speed, but handles like a race car (like I said, the suspension is really beefed up).

I got this car from my neighbor, and when he had it, somebody hit him in the rear-end, but thankfully it's only cosmetic, frame and nothing else is damaged, except the trunk is held by a bungee cord. Car drives straight, I can let go of the wheel, rest my knee, and lay back and relax when I'm going to North Carolina.

I love my car and even Honda. I would recommend a Honda, preferably early 90s Civics (coupe, not hatchback), and Accords.