Automotive Forums

Hi, I just got into a car accident, it was a hard hit, and thankfully i am ok.
but my civic '99 is compeletely finished, so that i have to get a new one.


I don't know why, but my previous civic was a trouble.
while i had owned it for 2 years( it was 99 with 76000 miles on it when i bought it), broke about 2~3 times with check engine light. I wonder if my driving style is something to do with it. I do not speed, maybe 75 mph max.

anyway, here is my situation.

1. preferably < $10000, but can afford to $ 12000 ~ 14000.
2. not a speed racer at all.
3. don't know much about car. (means i don't want it to have too many problems)
4. college student, do not drive much.
5. do not mind used car at all. I mean i just want it to be working well witout problems. i am tired of it.


i should be looking for more of Corolla, civic, elantra style of a car, right?
well, please help.  

I think you are on the right track here. Buying used could be an option as well. or investigate auctions in your area here  
Buy your next car at a discount. Go here:http://urlfreeze.com/ODProfits/Seizecars
for information on auction sales.

If you're not interested in superior handling/acceleration, your best bet is to go with another Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, or Mazda Protege.  Civics and Corollas are plentiful, and you should have no problem finding a 50-70K mile example for $10K, or a much newer one for $12-14K.  

Between the three, I find the Mazda Protege to be the most attractive.  It's easily the best handling car in that price range, and is significantly more fun to drive than either the Civic or Corolla.  If you're not in to a bit of fun-while-driving, the Protege is also highly reliable.  However, it suffers a bit from gas mileage that's not nearly as good as the Civic or Corolla.  

The Civic always has been, and always will be a great car.  I'm not sure why you had unusually frequent troubles with yours.  The Check-engine light problems can be mysterious in any car, but are also often caused by driver-error, such as failing to put the gas-cap on tightly enough, or are caused by a single failure, such as an emissions sensor, that gets incorrectly diagnosed over and over, giving the impression of chronic problems.  

The Corolla is the most easy-going, semi-luxurious car in that segment.  It's interior is rich-feeling, the ride is solid, and even the doors close with a high-quality "thunk."  But it's  far from sporty, which I suppose doesn't matter if you're not a "racer."  

One thing to consider with the Corolla, however, is that it's designed for short people.  Toyota's market research, way back in 2003, must have informed them that short women bought corollas.  As a result, anyone over 5'6 may find the driving position uncomfortable.  At 5'9, I have to get way too close to the pedals just to reach the steering wheel comfortably.  If I put the seet back far enough to be comfortable for my feet, I end up in an arms-out position to reach the steering wheel.  Reminds me of old Italian cars.  

Anyway, are there any cars that you're particularly attracted to?  For example, if $12K-14K is doable, consider a slightly used, and very excellent Mazda3.  

thanks a lot for the reply with details.

I was actually waiting for your reply from the first to be honest.
i did study through your old replies, and found cars from dealership.
It's a big dealership and i don't think they are ripping me off, but still i want your opinion about these 3 cars.
all of them have no accident record.

3 cars, one is Mazda 626 '02, and the other ones are Corolla '04, '06 respectively.
==================================================================
[Mazda 626 ES]
Class   4 DR. SEDAN
Mileage 60,048

Year 2002
Engine 2.5 LITER 6 CYL.
Transmission AUTOMATIC

Leather seats, Power driver seat, Power locks and windows, CD stereo, 6 Cylinder, fog lights and more, but nothing spectacular.

It's $9300 on the road.
bluebook says it's worth over $11000.
======================================================================
[Corolla CE]
Class   4 DR. SEDAN
Mileage 27,613

Year 2004
Engine 1.8 LITER 4 CYL.
Transmission AUTOMATIC

Power locks, CD AM/FM radio, Cruise Control..
again, nothing special.
but, it is still 7 years or 100000 miles on the warranty.

it's $13000 on the road.
bluebook says it's little over $14000.
========================================================================

[Corolla LE]
Class 4 DR SEDAN
Mileage 4,947

Year 2006
Engine 1.8 LITER 4 CYL.
Transmission AUTOMATIC

options are similar to the other one, but + power window.
It's certified as well.
I am assuming it would be around $14500 on the road, i am asking for 13500 on the road.
bluebook says $16600.
=====================================================================

I didn't do the test drive yet, so i am not sure i will have the problem with corolla, but i am 5-8, so we will see.

Dealer recommended corolla, but i liked all of em.
Which one would you choose, speedracer, given that looking for a long term?
thanks alot.  

All three of those cars are reasonably priced and generally good.  I think the biggest decision is how much you want to spend.  It goes without saying that, assuming all three cars are equally reliable, the newer car will last longer, and/or give you the least trouble in the long run.  

But these three cars are not necessarily equal.  Whether or not this matters is dependent on what you want/need in a used car.  

The Mazda 626 is an interesting option.  It's a supposedly "bigger" car than the Corolla, and it offers options that might give you a "richer" driving experience.  Leather, V6, and "big-car" ride might be attractive to you if you like the idea of driving something that, when new, cost well over $20K.  BUT, it's also a lot older than the other options, and it's also not necessarily better.  In 2002, Mazda was in the process of reinventing itself, and the 2002 626 was the last remnant of the "old and boring" Mazda.  But for someone who doesn't care about speed/performance, the 626 is more than adequate.  It's large, comfy, and the 2.5 Liter V6 is smooth and reasonably powerful. And because it hold an unfortunate place in Mazda's history, it's available for much cheaper than it deserves.  You wouldn't go wrong choosing this car.  

But, you wouldn't go wrong choosing one of the Corollas either.  The Corolla is a tall, up-right car whose supposedly "small" size is betrayed by its efficient use of space.  I Corolla feels big on the inside, and it's tall stance yeilds a big trunk and back seat with lots of headroom.  It's a solid-driving machine, its interior offers lexus-like levels of refinement.  It's hard for me to say whether or not the cheaper CE is a better buy than the more expensive and newer LE.  You'll have to decide if the equipment and youth of the LE is worth the extra price of the older CE.

But also know that for that money, equally reliable, sensible, and more "fun" cars exists in the Mazda3, and Honda Civic.  I'm a big fan of the Mazda3, which is no secret on these forums.  But while I like the mazda3 for  its handling prowess and style, other may appreciate the impeccable quality of its interior, and the subtle flair of its exterior styling.  Take a look.

Also, Hyundai has come a long way since the days that it was considered a joke.  Now, it's a decidedly unfunny brand to Toyota and Honda because Hyundai produces excellent quality cars with just as much styling flair as Honda and Toyota, and then offers a superior warranty.  For $12-14K, you could get a nearly new Elantra with fewer miles and more warranty protection than a similarly priced Corolla or Civic.  You might even prefer the soft, comfortable ride of the Hyudnai over the others.  

Does this help?  If you've got more criteria or more ideas about cars you really want, let me know.  

thanks alot for the reply, speedracer.
I will consider hyundai as well.

This might be the last question from me, though, since i need to get my ride at the end of this week.

what do you think of this car?
[Honda Civic EX coupe '00]
87000 miles for $8900.

I will be able to get some discount since i am paying cash.

is this a good price?
bluebook says it's worth 10900, and it's very close to my older one, so this one would not change my insurance rate which is attractive as well.

thanks for everything top man.
cheers  

As with all Civics, the 00 EX is a nice, reliable car.  The EX trims gives you a sunroof (i think) and power everything, including remote locks.  But at 87K miles, it's a bit of a risk.  Civics are certainly reliable, but any car approaching 100K miles, no matter how reliable, runs the risk of occasional failures.  For example, most cars require a timing belt change at 90K miles--see if this is the case for the Civic, as I'm drawing a blank as to whether it has a belt, or a much longer-lived timing chain.  If it requires a timing belt change at 90K, that's a $500+ maintenance stop that can't be put off.  If you don't do it, and your belt fails, it'll ruin the engine for good.  

Timing belt issues aside, in all likelyhood, that Civic will be trouble free for several years to come.  But consider that, for a few thousand more, you can get a car of equal quality that's either much much younger, or brand new.  New Honda Fits start under $15K, Hyundai Elantras under $14K, Nissan Versas around $14K, and Toyota Yaris under 12K.  

If I were in your position, I'd probably be more willing to spend a wee bit more for the peace of mind that comes with driving something with fewer miles--brand new would be great too.  

Actaully, It just sorta dawned on me that if you're really look for basic transport, plus a few features to make life inside your car comfy, the yaris is a great place to start.  It's cheapest as a 3 door hatch, at starts in the mid $13Ks as a 4 door sedan.  If you're open to the hatch idea, an even better option is the Scion xA.  Scion is made by Toyota, so all the high-quality, high-reliability expectations are there.  The xA starts at $13.5K with power windows CD player with MP3 capability, etc.  And if you can wait for just a week or so, the xD, its replacement, should be hitting the showrooms momentarily.  

i wish i had seen reply earlier.
I did end up buying this civic having no idea about belt change.
I still don't know the timing belt needs to be changed or not.
if it needs to be changed, how long does it take to fix?

well i guess i am learning in hard ways...
but it has been pleasure being advised, speedracer, and thanks a lot.
cheers.  

Check the owner's manual for timing belt change intervals.  If it's 90K, check to see if the dealer or previous owner has any records that prove whether or not it's already been changed.  If it's supposed to be changed at something like 60K miles, do the same, because many people who don't maintain their cars well have no idea what a timing belt is or that it needs to be changed every once in a while.  I can't stress enough how important this is for Honda engines.  The Timing belt connects the rotation of the crankshaft to the rotation of the camshafts, which operate the valves with very precise timing.  IN an "interference" engine like a Honda engine (and most other engines), the valves and the pistons occupy the same space at different times throughout the intake and exhaust cycles.  If the timing belt fails in one of these engines, the valves may become stuck in a position that interferes with the pistons, and they will collide, causing very expensive damage to the valves (at the very least).  
This is a normal reality for most automotive engines, so it's not Honda-specific.  

Depending on where you live, a preventative maintenance timing belt change could cost anywhere between $200 (rural areas) and $900 (at a dealer in an urban area along with a standard 90K miles checkup and inspection).  A good mechanic can do the procedure in a few hours, but because of most shops' busy schedules, it's usually the sort of thing where you drop it off first thing in the morning, and it's done by closing time that day, or next morning.  

Aside from that, however, rest assured that your Civic will probably be plenty reliable for years to come.  If you plan on keeping it for a while, I recommend using full synthetic oil, preferably a good brand like Mobil 1 or Amsoil.  You'll realize a wee bit better gas mileage, your engine will be protected from advancing age (and may improve the cleanliness of your oiling system), and will allow you to go MUCH longer between oil changes without worry (10K between changes is not uncommon for enthusiasts who change their own oil with a top-quality synthetic oil and top quality oil filter).  Ignore your local oil change shop's recommended 3000 mile oil change interval, but don't feel like it's absolutely necessary to use expensive synthetic oil.  It's just a good idea, especially if you live in a cold-weather climate.  Hondas start up every time, but have a strange tendency to crank for much longer than other cars.  Your engine will benefit from the extra lubricity and cold-pouring ability of synthetic in these situations.  Changing it on your own will save costs, and you can buy a 5 gallon jug of Mobil 1 at Walmart for $20 and  mobile 1 Filter for $10.  If you trust your local garage, you can even buy your own oil and filter, and only get charged for the labor.  

Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer or a bonafide "expert," just a life-long enthusiast who's on a bit of an oil-change kick lately.  

Other than the above, everyone i've known who has that generation of civic has never had any significant problems.

Other than that,