Faults:

I had the brakes replaced at about 70,000 miles. I consider this routine maintenance with all the wear I've put on this car.

An exhaust system pipe underneath the car rusted through at about 70,000 miles and I had it replaced at a muffler shop. I also consider this to be pretty routine considering I lived in a northern state for 3 winters and on the beach for one summer. (Lots of salt causes rust under there!)

The overhead light inside the car no longer functions automatically when the door is open, which is a bit of a pain, but VERY minor. I think this started at around 45,000 miles. I haven't investigated having it fixed.

General Comments:

I love my Civic and will drive it into the ground! It has been an extremely reliable car and relatively inexpensive to maintain. It gets great gas mileage (about 30mpg) and has never left me stranded or let me down. I've driven it all over the United States and Mexico in all sorts of terrain and not once has it left me stranded!

It has withstood a lot of interior abuse from my toddler and my dog and the insides still look great.

The seats aren't the most comfortable out there, but they are fine for 95% of the trips a normal person makes. (12-hour drives done in one day aren't so great.)

The Honda dealers I have used have all provided high-quality service.

Faults:

Visibility in the rear view mirror is limited at close ranges (within 50 yards).

The front seats are not very supportive to ones back, and feel somewhat like a hammock.

General Comments:

Great mileage as long as the maintenance is up to date. I found the MPG to drop from 38 to 32-3 when using 6000+ miles old oil. With a major service and preventative maintenance (new belts, water pump, idle pulley, fluids) on an 110k+ engine, it still maintains 36-8 MPG.

Continuous Variable Transmission is bit of a slug off the line, but very smooth.

The Civic had enough power to get you out of trouble, but not enough to really get you over your head.

Faults:

I failed my first inspection with it because of condensation in the right headlight.

The center pipe on the undercarriage leading from the engine to the muffler dropped and had to be replaced, as is common on aging Honda vehicles.

General Comments:

Other than the two faults listed above, the car has been great.

The gas mileage is tremendous. I have to fill the tank about once every 3 weeks at $15 in NJ. Not bad at all.

The cabin is surprisingly spacious and all panels and instruments are located conveniently for use.

The car holds its own on such daunting roads as the NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, despite its frustrating acceleration between 25 and 45 mph. I've hit 90 mph in it before and it never quit.

Honda has always been a great car for my parents and it was only fitting for my first car to be one as well. I love it.

Faults:

Transmission slipped 3 times at different times.

Terrible MPG, guess it was from lack of tune-up since I've put 90,000 miles in 4 years and NEVER did anything to the car except regular oil changes.

General Comments:

Never had any problems. Never. Always start and run.

This is one little tough Civic. This Civic has been in accident 5 times, one from previous owner, four from me, but two wasn't my fault and two was my fault. The last one, I finally murdered it. :- (I miss it very much and would own another Honda again.