1981 Honda Civic 1500 DX review from North America
"A great little bargain!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
At 7,000 miles the undercoating melted into the parking brake mechanism and locked it up. This took 10 minutes to repair.
At 60,000 miles the water pump failed. This took 15 minutes to replace.
The bucket seats wore through at 65,000 miles.
The hatchback lost its battle with rust at 72,000 miles.
General comments?
This was the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.
Driver comfort was cozy, but acceptable. Back seat accommodations were rather cramped.
The little engine revved eagerly and the transmission ratios were well spaced. Fifth gear was downright miserly on gas.
Oil changes were a snap with the filter mounted on the front of the engine. Tuneups were equally quick to accomplish.
Recommended reviews
| 1981 - Civic 1500 Wagon 1.5 CVCC Still going strong after almost 24 years |
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| 1980 - Civic 1300 DXCC 1.3 CVCC Fun drive for very cheap, and reliable |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1981 |
| First year of ownership | 1981 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1987 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5L Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 13 miles |
| Most recent distance | 78000 miles |
| Previous car | Plymouth Barracuda |
| Date of Entry | 1st June, 2004 |