1996 Honda Civic 1.5 VTEC-E from UK and Ireland - Comments

No unexpected failures, actually no, a rear passenger door courtesy light switch failed.

I ran a '93 Civic Coupe before this and that was totally reliable as well.

It's even still on the original Battery at six years old.

Exhaust replaced at 5 years old for £160.

Front tyre life seems low at a likely 12,000 miles, however this is a second car that is used entirely on winding country roads.

Bought as a cheap to run, reliable commuter car and has not disapointed. It came from a Honda dealer in York (who I found very good) when it was 4years old and had covered 70K. It was being sold at a bargain price having sat on the forecourt for 6 months.

Using the "Econo" light system I get an average 45MPG, which is just 7p/mile for fuel.

It's also in the low (£105) VED band, and insurance costs me £260 fully comp.

I am adding further comments as I still own the car, but there is very little to say. At 10 years old and 135,000 miles it is still on the original battery and the only component to be replaced apart from tyres/exhaust/brake-pads is the resistor pack for the heater fan (25 quid, took 20 mins)a common fault on UK built Civics. In truth I'm sick of the sight of this car, I've never owned one for as long this, but while it continues to sail through every MOT test, what's the point in selling it?

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!

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!

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.