Has anybody bought a Honda Civic recently?

[RedHawk]

I am looking to buy a basic LX model (still debating used vs. new). Honda's don't lose their value very well. Anybody have recent experience buying a new one recently. How much below MSRP were you able to negotiate? Edmunds says 16,100 for what I want (includes destination).

 

[Texas Proud]

Not a bad price....

But I saw an ad in Houston for an Accord LX for 18,777... and I think it is a better car... but maybe not worth the extra to you...

 

[Gumby]

I just bought a Civic hybrid at the end of December. The sticker was $23k and change. I got it for $21.5k

We have always had Hondas and I highly recommend them.

 

[JDARNELL]

I have a 98 LX that I paid invoice plus $200 for. I think it was like $14,300 new aqnd it was 3.9% for 4 yrs. I remember I had $5 in my wallet and financed the entire thing. It has 103K miles and I just replaced timing belt, water pump, etc. Still running strong. Probably the best car I have ever bought. I figure another 10 yrs easy.

Tomcat98

 

[packrat44]

I am looking to buy a basic LX model (still debating used vs. new). Honda's don't lose their value very well. Anybody have recent experience buying a new one recently. How much below MSRP were you able to negotiate? Edmunds says 16,100 for what I want (includes destination).

Buy new. Bought our 1st Honda Accord in '78. Replaced it in '92 because we needed a 4 door sedan. I would buy a new one today but this one still looks like new and will not wear out.

Hondas hold their value so well you will pay too much for a used one. A new one with a discount is a better buy.

 

[dumpster56]

I am looking to buy a basic LX model (still debating used vs. new). Honda's don't lose their value very well. Anybody have recent experience buying a new one recently. How much below MSRP were you able to negotiate? Edmunds says 16,100 for what I want (includes destination).

Was out looking yesterday, 18500 is the sticker. They are doing 17880. That is as low as anyone is going here in the Raleigh area. Auto LX model. Great car though. But I am keeping my 2004 subaru paid for and only 53K on the baby.

 

[aaronc879]

Was out looking yesterday, 18500 is the sticker. They are doing 17880. That is as low as anyone is going here in the Raleigh area. Auto LX model. Great car though. But I am keeping my 2004 subaru paid for and only 53K on the baby.

I also have a 2004 Subaru paid for. It only has 29K miles on it. I've owned 2 Acura's(made by Honda) and I highly recommend them but i'll keep my Subie for a couple more decades. The only reason I ditched the Acura for a Subaru is because of the winters in Wisconsin.

 

[brewer12345]

I am looking to buy a basic LX model (still debating used vs. new). Honda's don't lose their value very well. Anybody have recent experience buying a new one recently. How much below MSRP were you able to negotiate? Edmunds says 16,100 for what I want (includes destination).

Try CarsDirect.com -- America's #1 way to buy cars online! Sometimes prices are not that competitive, but usually it will give you a pretty good price to work off of when you talk to local dealers.

 

[Jeb-NY]

We bought a 2006 Civic at the end of 2005. We bought the middle trim level, it seemed like it has the features we wanted without all the expensive glitz. We paid invoice, but by going between two dealers we were able to get more for our trade in (SUVs don't have a good trade in value) and got a couple of dealer add on's thrown in for free. Even then they kept the invoice plus extras at list and adjusted the trade in to reflect the bottom line. First dealer thought he was doing me a big favore offering $2500 under what the internet said the SUV was worth. The second dealer came with in a couple of hundred of what I thought it should be worth. This was another gas spike time so none of the dealers wanted another SUV on the lot.

We love the Civic and was pulled in to look by the hybrid but since Honda adds the hybrid option to the top of the line civic it was not worth the extra cost for the fuel saving. If we could have added the hybrid option to what we wanted we probably would have paid the extra for just that.

With over 30,000 miles of all kinds of driving, we have averaged 34 mpg. Worst milage on a couple of tanks in the winter was 29mpg, best on summer trips is in the low 40s.

Jeb

 

[Rustic23]

Gumby, what kind of milage are you getting?

 

[prgsdw]

The Civic is a nice car. We evaluated it closely along with the Toyota Corolla. I decided to go with the Corolla - basically on a coin flip. That was 11 years ago and i have 231k miles on the Corolla. I still get 33 miles per gallon (3 speed automatic). Newer models get better gas mileage. I don't think you can go wrong with either the Civic or the Corolla. I'd recommend paying extra for safety features, but if you've already got side and head curtain airbags, side impact reinforcement, abs, etc on the Civic you are looking at I'd just go with it versus going up to the Accord, etc. Good luck...

 

[FinanceDude]

I also have a 2004 Subaru paid for. It only has 29K miles on it. I've owned 2 Acura's(made by Honda) and I highly recommend them but i'll keep my Subie for a couple more decades. The only reason I ditched the Acura for a Subaru is because of the winters in Wisconsin.

So,you got sucked into the AWD pitch, and now you get to buy premium gas for your WRX??

I have a Honda Accord, and it did fine in the 115 INCHES of snow we got in my hometown.......

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Mind explaining what the AWD pitch is? I have never looked at AWD cars so Im fairly ignorant of the pros and cons.

 

[FinanceDude]

Mind explaining what the AWD pitch is? I have never looked at AWD cars so Im fairly ignorant of the pros and cons.

Better handling in slippery conditions, safety, etc. I have yet to see ANY conclusive study on that it's better than FWD with traction control, RWD with stability control, etc.

Don't tell that to the Subaru diehards, they believe their cars are the best thing since sliced bread...........

The thing Subaru doesn't tell you is that AWD sacrifices gas mileage, costs more in maintaining the system, and typically uses premium fuel...........

 

[prgsdw]

I guess we got sucked into the AWD pitch too...my wife gets up for work at 4AM and drives up the spine of the mountain about 17 miles along a notoriously foggy and weather struck section of interstate 81 in central PA. Often she is fine on the highway, but she is typically driving down the offramp and onto a 2-3 mile stretch of connecting road well before it is plowed...

One too many times I had to get out of bed to go help get the car out of where it was stuck with the old front wheel drive car. She hasn't been stuck a single time in the 3 years since we bought her 2005 Subaru Forester. The Forester runs on regular unleaded and she gets about 23-24 mpg, not great, but OK (mixed driving, it's better - around 27 or 28 when it's all highway miles).

I happen to be biased to Toyota's myself, so I was reluctant to trade in a Toyota for a Subaru, but for her it has worked well.

 

[brewer12345]

The thing Subaru doesn't tell you is that AWD sacrifices gas mileage, costs more in maintaining the system, and typically uses premium fuel...........

Sacrifices gas mileage: probably. Part of it is also due to the weight of the cars, which are pretty hefty for ther relaively small size. But I still get about 28MPG.

Costs more in maintenance: Not that I can tell. Haven't had to touch the drivetrain at all except for replacing a seal. That's in 122k miles so far. Actually, this is the cheapest car to maintain I have ever had.

Premium fuel: Nope. Not unless you spring for the turbo, in which case I have to assume that concerns about fuel economy and cost of operation are pretty far down on your list of things to worry about.

Is AWD necessary for most people? Probably not. I'm happy to have it when I have to drive in crappy weather and the car is great in the snow, but its not why I bought the car. Just part of the package for me.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Well in the future we will be living in the mountains for a few years. I was curious about AWD vs 4WD cars. I have driven in the snow while living in the snow belt. But nothing like they get up in the mountains. Thanks for the info guess Ill be researching it further.

 

[aaronc879]

So,you got sucked into the AWD pitch, and now you get to buy premium gas for your WRX??

I have a Honda Accord, and it did fine in the 115 INCHES of snow we got in my hometown.......

I owned an Acura Integra and I got stuck in my driveway twice the parking lot at work twice and in the road once. Never again. I actualy got the Forester not the WRX. At 6'6 1/2" I needed the extra leg room and prefer not to go down so far to get into the car. Now I get to watch the two people at work with a Corolla and an Acura RSX get stuck several times in the parking lot at work. Never had any problem at all with the Forester, great car. If I lived where there wasn't any snow then i'd drive a Civic LX if I could fit otherwise a 4 cylinder FWD Rav4.

 

[prgsdw]

Same experience as my wife. We traded in a Corolla that she was repeatedly getting stuck with, no issues since we bought the forester.

 

[Milton]

The Civic is a nice car. We evaluated it closely along with the Toyota Corolla. I decided to go with the Corolla - basically on a coin flip. That was 11 years ago and i have 231k miles on the Corolla. I still get 33 miles per gallon (3 speed automatic). Newer models get better gas mileage. I don't think you can go wrong with either the Civic or the Corolla.

That's my feeling, too. We have owned two Corollas but would have no hesitation buying a Civic. It has been a top seller for many years, and for good reason.

I will never buy a 'Detroit Three' vehicle.

 

[packrat44]

Live in snow country and have never had any problems getting stuck with DW's Honda. However, we always put on the 4 spare wheels that have studded tires come winter.

 

[Gumby]

Gumby, what kind of milage are you getting?

Between 48 and 50 mpg, depending on how much driving around town versus highway driving (it is mostly highway). Oddly enough, it is also dependent on the weather. Warmer is better.

 

[JDARNELL]

Oddly enough, it is also dependent on the weather. Warmer is better.

I wonder if it has to do with the expansion of the fuel in hot weather when entering the tank? I mean I saw a story about filling up your tank in warmer weather. From what I remember the pump said you got x amount but you actually got less. Gas inspectors were trying to make sure people got what they paid for. Maybe this was just a myth?

Tomcat98

 

[brewer12345]

I wonder if it has to do with the expansion of the fuel in hot weather when entering the tank? I mean I saw a story about filling up your tank in warmer weather. From what I remember the pump said you got x amount but you actually got less. Gas inspectors were trying to make sure people got what they paid for. Maybe this was just a myth?

Tomcat98

Nah, batteries work better when they aren't cold.

 

[cho oyu]

I wonder if it has to do with the expansion of the fuel in hot weather when entering the tank? I mean I saw a story about filling up your tank in warmer weather. From what I remember the pump said you got x amount but you actually got less. Gas inspectors were trying to make sure people got what they paid for. Maybe this was just a myth?

Tomcat98

Materials tend to expand when heated. So if your gasoline was at 60F compared to 40F, density would be lower and you would be getting less mass (and therefore less energy) per each gallon of fuel pumped.

Better gas mileage in warm weather can be cause by anything from altered fuel/air mix while the car is warming up (takes longer in cold weather), gas mixes (winter vs. summer), the computer on a modern car may send a different gas/air mix even when running at temperature, and older cars without mass air flow sensors again have a different air/fuel mix because of temperature-induced air density changes.