2005 Honda Civic EX 1.7 VTEC from North America

Summary:

Good, reliable transportation

Faults:

Nothing but normal servicing. I do wonder why the dealer charges so much for synthetic oil ($50) over their own brand. ($30)

I am getting a strange whining sound coming from what I believe is the transmission, and occasionally (when engine is still cold or when I am driving in heavy freeway traffic) the tranny shifts are "harder" than when I am in normal driving conditions. Any feedback would help.

General Comments:

Overall, a great car. Light, fuel efficient, and comfortable.

The suspension is a nice mix of comfort and sport.

The seats are well bolstered (I am 6' tall) and perfect for long drives.

A little underpowered, I don't like revving the car above 4000 RPM to get the power out of it, but still adequate. I would have bought the manual, but the little lady can't drive stick. Oh well, I'll just have to wait for my S2000.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th October, 2006

11th May 2007, 21:45

Original poster here. I have checked and read many forums on late model Civics and Accords, and have found an unusually large number of vehicles whose transmissions fail between 50,000 and 100,000+ miles. I was concerned about a whining sound coming from the transmission, and took it to my mechanic who drove with me in the car and performed a few tests, and we both listened to it. Although he could not tell me exactly why the sound was present, he said to keep an ear on it, as he has had many Hondas in for transmission problems.

ALSO, BG Products has a transmission flush service, that if performed BEFORE the 36,000 mile factory warranty and performed every 30,000 miles thereafter, will give you $2000 if your transmission goes out before you hit 150,000 miles!! Highly recommended, check it out at:

http://www.bgfindashop.com/bgprotectionplan.htm

12th Nov 2009, 14:28

I own a 2005 Civic EX with manual transmission, and also experience the same "whining" noise as you described. The noise appears to be originating from the front left engine bay and occurs at an annoying 1800-2000 RPM (basically normal cruising speed). The noise resembles something like a high-pitched RC toy or turbine. If the car was supercharged then I wouldn't mind! :-)

My first suspicion was the timing belt. I took it twice to the dealer under warranty in which they checked the timing belt, wheels/ball joints etc. but could not find anything wrong. They said this was the normal sound of the engine (venturi effect of the air passing through the air-intake), however I can still recreate it to an extent when revving to 2000 RPM with the car at a stand still. As it's not too loud, I've basically learned to live with it by trying to avoid that RPM range, or listening to music...

2005 Honda Civic LX 1.7L from North America

Summary:

Honda Civic will dominate the small car market for years to come

Faults:

Nothing is wrong, not even a minor mechanical problem has bothered me thus far.

General Comments:

Despite having a small engine, the car accelerates very well with a manual transmission, particularly if the engine is revved to an optimum r.p.m. prior to shifting gears. The engine noise is a bit too high to my liking; the same is true of the 4-cylinder engines in vehicles of similar prices.

Beyond question, Honda makes the best manual transmission in the business and the 5-speed manual in my car is no exception. The short-throw shifter is quick, smooth, and certainly much better than those in all the vehicles I once owned.

Civic LX is not equipped with standard ABS. I always believe that a driver skilled in the threshold-braking and obstacle-avoidance techniques does not need ABS to stop quickly or steer safely a vehicle on an icy surface. What is needed is a set of good winter tires. I have fitted the car with Michelin Ice radials and winter driving is not an issue whatsoever.

Like other vehicles in its class, the paint of the car appears to peel off easily.

I had rented and test-driven a Toyota Corolla for a day before the purchase. In my opinion, the Civic offer a better value for the dollar than the Corolla. The shorter body of the Civic means easier and safer traffic merging, especially in tight conditions.

As expected, the car has required no more than regular maintenance for the first 50,000 km. I plan to keep it for at least 5 years.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th September, 2006

26th Sep 2006, 17:47

Peeling paint & no ABS, yes that sounds dominant to me!

26th Sep 2006, 19:16

I don't know I would match a 2004 Corolla against a 2004 Civic anyday. The Corolla has more power than the Civic.

27th Sep 2006, 10:48

The Corolla does not compare like you say it does. Just drive the two and you will see differences, plus if it helps at all, consumer reports rated it better. Peeling paint can happen on any car, and if you really need ABS, get a Chevy Corsica.

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