22nd Oct 2007, 06:16
And there are still idiots who will pay through the nose for a Golf to get reliability.
An unusual testament I know, but we had a bit of a problem with joyriders round these parts a few years ago. I remember watching from my bedroom window as a stolen "N reg" Civic 1.5 LSi was thrashed to within an absolute inch of its life on the road outside my house (try sleeping with that going on). It followed the usual brain dead formula of joyriders, handbrake turn, burnout, handbrake turn, burnout etc. 30 minutes of this and with both front tyres gone, they got bored and decided to try and blow it up. Parked up in neutral with a brick on the accelerator bouncing off the rev limiter. 20 minutes later, it was spitting sparks out the exhaust, and belching steam from the radiator grille, but still happily bouncing off its limiter. I have never seen abuse like that handed out to any car, much less with the car still running afterwards.
Police eventually chased them off, and the car still sat there popping and sputtering to itself. Copper takes the brick off the throttle and it settles back to a slightly lumpy idle albeit with the unmistakable knock of failing big ends. It still ran though.
I reckon one of these given proper treatment and servicing would run pretty much forever. What a piece of engineering!
19th Aug 2008, 23:04
I too have had a vtec-e civic, like yours the battery gave up at 150,000 mark and have also had problem with heater which has been bust for 4years.
Cam belt was replaced at 70k it is now on 180k but it just keeps going and going. For last 4 years unplanned maintenance has been pretty much nil. The AA man who was picking up a friend of mine whose brand new SAAB had broken down for the third time told him to get a Honda next time.
29th Dec 2010, 17:18
I'm on my second Honda Civic. These cars are fantastic. Most reliable ever - and they don't skimp on performance. Diesel mpg - but it's a petrol! So doubly cheap to run... If you've had any bad experience concerning a car's reliability, you would not dare to moan about a faulty heater fan after a decade!... very enjoyable car to drive, inspires confidence in the driver.
12th Sep 2007, 05:26
As it comes up for twelve years old and 150,000 miles I still own it! The origal battery died last winter and I had to replace the Drivers door handle which snapped off one freezing morning (£19 from Honda). Cambelt is now 3 years and 30,000 miles overdue!