1998 Honda Civic LX review from North America
"Good first car, but is lacking, and leaves you wanting more"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Electronic fan switch went out around 65000 miles.
Exhaust Manifold cracked around 65000 miles, probably due to fan switch failure, replaced under warranty.
Brakes started to fade around 70000, replaced around 75000.
Noticed racked CV boot around 75000.
General comments?
Despite the faults, its not a bad car. The basic maintenance is cheap and its fairly easy to work on.
Very basic interior, nothing fancy. Seats could be more comfortable. My only real gripe about the interior is the location of the CD player, right behind of the cup holder. And the cup holder isn't good for anything larger than a 12oz soda can.
It handles fairly well for a FWD car, but only with a set of good tires. I got a set of Yokohama AS430's and I am quite satisfied with them. I don't recommend taking corners too fast in this car because it does have its limit. After 80000 miles, the shocks are still good.
The 1.6L motor puts out about 105hp, or at least that's what I've been told. At 2600lbs, its not a fast car. Top speed is 117mph. People thinking of tuning this car should probably buy something else. The motor can take some punishment, but in the end, leaves you wanting more. More power, more fuel economy.
Fuel efficiency isn't what I would like out of an underpowered 1.6L motor, around 30mpg. But I get the feeling that it could and should be better.
Recommended reviews
| This is a very reliable, inexpensive car and I've loved it! |
|
| Good, but not up to its legend |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6L D16Y7 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 42000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 80000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 6th February, 2006 |