Everyone raves about Honda reliabilty and "hondas do not rattle".
I bought new 3 door 1.6 sport December 23 2003,nothing but problems from day 1.
Screeching Brakes,creaking underneath which after many visits to the delaer resulted in new suspension struts on a car of 1500 miles!
New windscreen seal as faulty.
Yes the Honda dealer is helpful but on new honda all of this plus rear body fender not fastened --a Japanese car build in uk.
Thing is i changed from bog standard Astras which never had a problem or rattle they just drove.
I liked the Civic style and fact it helds its value.
Now I may change.does any other new Civic owner had problems ort is just me.
|
It happens from time to time.
We've had similar posts from a Corolla driver outlining a myriad of "from-build" faults. It is by far the exception when a Corolla or Civic gets mentioned for faults rather than lack of them. It would appear that you have been rather unlucky.
That said there's bound to a few unhappy Civic owners lurking and waiting to dive in, knives's sharpened.....
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
|
Doubt it.
Our family has had Hondas since 1980 and in that time and over about 7 cars, we have had the following failures: -
Water pump after 7 years
Master Brake Cylinder after 8 years
Thats it. Otherwise the cars go to the Honda dealer for servicing. There have been a few minor things, like ABS warming light came on. They cleaned the sensor and its never been on since.
God I'm sounding as boring about Honda's as Stuartli sounds about VWs.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
|
|
|
|
As said in earlier have 10 month civic sport some niggly problems but dealer and honda excellent service.
Considering another option 1.6 new Golf sport has anyone any comments experience of both.
{moved as related to original post. DD}
|
We have a Shuttle and an Accord. They have both been reliable although Accord needed new oxygen sensor. The 2.3 Shuttle is quick and nimble for such a big car.
What I like about both cars is the attention to detail and simplicity. They are both excellent to drive, comfortable, cheap to run (apart from petrol consumption which could be better).
I am a total fan and from experience with MB cars and BMW cars, think that Hondas are now better cars than the German equivalents.
|
Friend of mine picked up a Civic Type R in July and really loved it until he was polishing it and noticed some paint repairs along the drivers door and sill area.Supplying dealer tried to fob him off,then offered to repair it properly/money back/free servicing or even a leather interior.He was ok to have it repaired but wanted to know the extent of the original damage,they would not/could not say.
Friend not happy with this,talks to Honda UK,they agree to replace the car with another new one,friend now very happy with his 54 reg Type R.
Sloppy service from the dealer,they now have a Type R with about 4,000 miles,but i think top marks to Honda UK for sorting the problem very quickly.
|
I can only echo the praise for the Civic and my local Honda dealer is friendly , helpful and courteous.
However so is the local Toyota dealer when SWMBO takes the Yaris in for service.
I have no experience of the local VW agent or the latest Golf but judging by the comments in the backroom it would have to be the Honda every time.
|
Stevecivic, my own experience* would suggest that you may find the Golf's engine torquier, but a little less refined and noticeably thirstier than the VTEC 1.6 in the Civic. Before the Civic I'd never owned or driven a 1.6-litre hatch that consistently averages 40-42 mpg.
I'd echo Helicopter's comments re. dealers; the Honda people near me are very good (not that I've had to visit them all that often) but the VW dealers in the area have a serious attitude problem.
Can't comment on reliability of Golfs but there should be enough threads on VW reliability on this forum, and enough detail in the car-by-car breakdown, to enable you to form a view one way or another.
* Civic owner; have driven various VW group cars with 105 bhp 1.6 16v engine of type fitted to Golf IV over past few years.
|
thanks paul for your comments you are correct the new civic 1.6 with the vtec engine does average 42mpg,I have even had 49-50 mpg on motorway driving at 70-75!
An ex Peugeot technician told me the 1.6 vtec is the best engine around and beats the rest easy for performance and reliabilty.
It just these silly problems I had,my wife still drives my first civic which only 2 years old and no problems but mine -
Your right back in 2000 I went to the local VW dealer to trade in my 2 year old Galant which I was given as my reduntancy for a new Golf --arrogance we walked out !and went and bought an Astra.
|
thanks paul for your comments you are correct the new civic 1.6 with the vtec engine does average 42mpg,I have even had 49-50 mpg on motorway driving at 70-75! An ex Peugeot technician told me the 1.6 vtec is the best engine around and beats the rest easy for performance and reliabilty. It just these silly problems I had,my wife still drives my first civic which only 2 years old and no problems but mine - Your right back in 2000 I went to the local VW dealer to trade in my 2 year old Galant which I was given as my reduntancy for a new Golf --arrogance we walked out !and went and bought an Astra.
Well, those fuel economy figures are impressive, on an enthusiastic drive down to London and back I've been in a 1.6 VTEC that averaged 35mpg. ;-)
Blue
|
Thats what the mpg read out was/is ,ok I always allow a lower figure as an adjustment,but I can only confirm the economy,now this a the revamp 2004 Civic whereas my 03 model which does noit have a mpg read out is not so economic!
|
|
|
|
Yes, I was brainwashed into the so called Honda reliability mantra too. I purchased a used five door 2001 Honda Civic 1.6 SE from a dealer 9 months ago at 36,000 miles.
Since then (all fixed except rattles by dealer under guarantee):
* Front screen washer pump broken
* Driver seat rocking required new seat bushings
* O2 Sensor failed
* Steering rack worn, required replacement
* Driver door (headlight on) warning switch broken, ended up with a dead battery.
* Lots and lots of rattles.
Even now, my driver seat has started rocking again and it looks like the seat bushes have failed again. Honda UK refuses to replace due to their policy of not replacing items that have already been replaced under warranty.
Overall, the dealer has been top class. I think the car is still a joy to drive and has a very sweet sounding engine. However, in my opinion Honda reliability is just a myth. They are no more reliable then any other car, although I do think I have been particularly unlucky with my car.
I think it may have something to do with the fact that the new Honda Civic is their first attempt at mass production.
|
"I think it may have something to do with the fact that the new Honda Civic is their first attempt at mass production"
And no Honda's of the past have been mass produced??????????????
|
Must just add I am on my 4th Civic (3 of which have been UK built) and all have been fantastic, sure I have had a few small problems all of which have been corrected under warrenty very efficently by my excellent Honda dealer.
My Mum has a VW Golf mark 4 and that is nothing but troble and the dealers are rubbish.
|
My colleague has a Civic type-R
It has been into the dealer on many occassions with probs with the tracking (car pulls to the right) and alignment. His tyres all wear unevenly and he has had Honda part pay for replacement tyres. He has also had a problem with a knocking from the suspension. His corroding alloys (a known problem) have also been replaced under warranty.
The dealer service seems pretty good apart from them never having any parts in stock so he always has to re-book it in.
|
It does sound cliched to say that Toyotas, Hondas etc. are very reliable, but it became a cliche because its true! They sell in huge numbers around the world, especially in the USA, and models by both Toyota and Honda feature in the top 10 most produced cars in the world.
I have owned several models from both, and I can honestly say they have let me down, and you just know they will get you to your destination.
|
|
|
|
Perhaps we ought to go easy on friend NOB, as he may have served in World War 2 (otherwise why would he be so vitriolic?). My mum - 87 not out - was a Wren officer and after what happened to some of her friends she would rather avoid Japanese goods. However she would never call people traitors for buying Japanese.
When SWMBO first had a Honda Jazz we didn't actually lie to my mum - we just said 'lots of Hondas are built in Swindon'. Not of course, the Jazz, but now that my wife has a Civic we are very proudly patriotic.
Seriously, Honda, Nissan etc provide a lot of jobs for UK workers, both of those in areas where heavy industry has died out and where new jobs were desperately needed. Let's be thankful for that.
|
I am not jingoistic by nature but I think it is amazing how this country's car industry was allowed to waste away to virtually nothing. Look around at the major manufacturers of Europe. Have the Germans allowed it to happen, the French or the Italians? We had one of the biggest car manufacturing bases in the world and it has, for all intents and purposes, disappeared inside 30 years. I don't include Ford or Vauxhall in this decline, as Ford were never British anyway, and Vauxhall have been under the GM umbrella for decades. However, even the prescence of Ford and Vauxhall in this country is a shadow of what it was.
Before anyone says that it deserved to disappear, the French and Italian car industries, in particular, suffered from a lot of the same faults back in the 70s and 80s. It seems they just care a lot more for their car manufacturing base. Also remember, that Japanese manufacturers, et al, can move out as quickly as they moved in, if it suits them to.
|
Thank you for the response,funny how my question as to the merits of the new Honda Civic and Golf ended up in a discussion on the downfall of the UK auto industry and merits of whether to by Japanese at all.
I think for the moment I will stay with the Civic and wait for the all new 2005 model.
|
|
some silliness removed. If any "non-silliness" was lost at the same time, please accept my apologies.
|
|
|
|
