1993 Honda Civic LSi 1.5i 16v from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Great car, great fun!

Faults:

Central Locking failed after 5 years-easily repaired.

Very slight rust on boot, but only after 98000 miles.

Front seat rails wear out quite easily.

General Comments:

This car is an absolute beauty. We got it new just before the L registration came out, nothing major has ever gone wrong (touch-wood!) and the car has always been extremely reliable.

Not only is it good fun to drive, especially with a little bit of tuning, but it is also very reliable. It doesn't use a single drop of oil, even after almost 100000 miles, and there is no rust except from a small section on the boot where it was scratched.

Although the cabin is not the most interesting place to be, it is functional and very easy to clean. The mechanicals of the car are also very simple and you can easily service it yourself with a little motor knowledge, saving yourself the absolutely ridiculous dealer prices.

The dealers are the biggest disappointment with this car, they have completely hopeless after sales service, and are totally overpriced for parts and labor.

But, apart from that, the little Honda is fun, practical, economic and still looks really funky, even next to more modern cars, especially the new Civics, which look so plain in comparison.

So do yourself a favor and get a 91-95 Civic 3door, customize it a bit and have some fun!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th April, 2003

9th Aug 2006, 09:38

I totally agree though I am not sure what a little bit of tuning does, or more to the point, what that tuning is. I have read many reviews of this car, and from its 1st outing in 1991 it has been a total success in every variant, even with herculean mileage. If you look at the cars of today, they are all of the same style of manufacture with, in my experience, a poorer reliability rating than the model forefathers ie early civic's, 323's, corolla's etc.

I always hoped, (though probably really new different), that when the Japanese car market was soaked into the European scheme of things the product would not suffer and cost and value would not become a blurred commodity. I am however, prepared to put my money where my mouth is and I am prepared to back my 1994 civic, which is now 12 years old with FSH, against its modern day equivalent anytime, in the looks, longevity and reliability, department... show me the endurance test bed for pistols at dawn and Jeremy Clarkson... prepare to eat your heart out.

1993 Honda Civic Coupe EX 1.6 Vtech from North America

Summary:

The undisputed king of the 4 bangers!

Faults:

The radiator cracked at around 145,00 miles as a result of the thermal fuse going bad.

The back struts had to be changed at 242,000 miles.

Outside paint is beginning to wear along the top and hood, but no more than any other 9 yr old car on the Gulf Coast.

General Comments:

This car is everything that the other "economy" imports and domestics are not. Hence the 9 yrs of ownership.

After every routine servicing the car seems quicker.

Although this car is going on a decade yrs old its not even showing its age. (and me either).

The only thing that I would change about this car would be the front -end headlights (which Honda did in 1996) but a front end mask gives it a better appearance.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd March, 2003

10th Dec 2008, 23:30

I just bought a 1993 Honda Civic Ex with 245000. I have since used it as my daily driver now for about 8,000 miles in the past couple months. Only thing I've done to the car was two oil changes. Car has no rust at all, and still rides pretty well. I plan on this thing lasting another 100,000. I'll keep everyone posted if I run into any problems. I had my local repair shop check it out when I bought it, said they couldnt believe for that many miles how nice it was. No Cavalier or sunfire is going to do that for you.