Honda civic rated most reliable car today?? LOL

[Trav]

I cant deny that when it is running it is a nice driving van.
I just cant keep up with the endless string of problems that plague this van.Repairs on things like trannys,steering rack/pump,power side doors,and engine etc are common and multiple with this thing.It is truly a nightmare.
He was here a few days ago and i was afraid to open the door when i saw him driving that commode in my driveway for fear that next weekend will be shot working on it.

 

[sciphi]

Honda has been resting on their laurels for too long. Especially the US arm. The Japanese arm is a bit better. The 100% Japanese Fit is a work of art in some places. In others it's not. Like the US-only 5-speed auto transmission, or having a tire size that needs to be special-ordered everywhere!! Knock on wood, we haven't had any major problems with the Fit in the 26k miles we've owned it so far. Only a few minor issues the dealers are finally taking care of.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Vizzy
Honda always did make a great manual tranny as I recall...I remember when I first started working at the Honda store back in 83 MOST of the cars were manual!!!!!!!

Just before I left another store almost NONE of the vehicles had manual transmissions!!!!

People are so darn lazy today....I guess they need their hand free for their stupid cell phone!!!!!!!!



Well we don't need computers or cell phones at all then. Or alarm clocks, or anything like that. No check/credit cards. Do everything the long and hard way. No online bill paying, no ATMs, nothing. People need to stop complaining about the lack of manual transmissions, because the trend is NOT going to reverse.


Actually we do, we, as the paying customer, want manual transmissions, and are annoyed at the lack of them. Automatic sucks, it has absolutely zero benefits, right down to reliability/cost of maintenance.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: Vizzy
Honda always did make a great manual tranny as I recall...I remember when I first started working at the Honda store back in 83 MOST of the cars were manual!!!!!!!

Just before I left another store almost NONE of the vehicles had manual transmissions!!!!

People are so darn lazy today....I guess they need their hand free for their stupid cell phone!!!!!!!!



Well we don't need computers or cell phones at all then. Or alarm clocks, or anything like that. No check/credit cards. Do everything the long and hard way. No online bill paying, no ATMs, nothing. People need to stop complaining about the lack of manual transmissions, because the trend is NOT going to reverse.


Actually we do, we, as the paying customer, want manual transmissions, and are annoyed at the lack of them. Automatic sucks, it has absolutely zero benefits, right down to reliability/cost of maintenance.


Only problem with the manual I see is selling it to the new generation of car buyers who need their gear shift hand free to talk/txt with their cell phones.

Edit: though this phenomena, in all fairness, isn't unique to just that generation.

 

[sciphi]

Bluetooth. Then you have your hands free to shift while you yak.

If millions of Europeans, Aussies, South Americans, Africans, and Asians can talk on the phone while shifting a manual, us North Americans can too.

Here's hoping Honda offers another junk auto on the Civic and another great manual transmission.

 

[Spyder7]

Then how would they text?

-Spyder

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Honda has been resting on their laurels for too long. Especially the US arm. The Japanese arm is a bit better. The 100% Japanese Fit is a work of art in some places. In others it's not. Like the US-only 5-speed auto transmission, or having a tire size that needs to be special-ordered everywhere!! Knock on wood, we haven't had any major problems with the Fit in the 26k miles we've owned it so far. Only a few minor issues the dealers are finally taking care of.


My Fit has been perfect. I've changed the oil 3 times in 1.5 years and 38k miles. I did get new tires. You can get the tires from tirerack. Otherwise, do like every other Fit owner does and buy 205/50 16 tires instead. Virtually the same overall diameter and better handling.

As for my other Hondas, our 09 Odyssey is also up around 30k now. So far, other than tires and oil, we've had a piece of weatherstripping replaced at the base of one of the sliding doors b/c the kids ripped it off, the glovebox replaced b/c my wife got a necklace jammed in the latch, and the cowl around the wipers replaced (free) b/c it was whistling at low speed.

The 02 CR-V has had some issues but 8 years into owning it and it's not that bad. The a/c blew at 50k miles but that may or may not have been something to do with me adding r134 myself. The cat went out at 115k miles. The OEM cat was very expensive but an aftermarket cat worked fine when (and only when) paired with Denso o2 sensors.

Are they boring? Yeah, a tad. But then I think of all the times my Saabs, Ford, Mitsu, and Bimmer left me stranded and vote for boring.

But I do agree it seems like quality is coming up so much across he board. The only real lemon story I've seen firsthand lately is a co-worker with an 06 Ram diesel. If they replace anything else it will be a whole new truck.

 

[CharBaby]

Ya know, it's hard to argue with surveys. There is some real data here and it comes from a variety of sources. Most sources that I am aware of show similar results. Just because a survey shows that one particular vehcile to be the most reliable doesn't mean that the vehicle is indestructable, it just means it's the most. And there is a least. I anyone here going to argue that Chrysler products are amongst the least?

I have had 3 Chrysler products and I don't want another one. Yeah, I know a guy that has had good succuss with Chryslers! And also, I know a guy or two that have had less than a good experience with a Honda or Toyota, in which I have had the best succuss with. Too many people give their opinions of a survey or newspaper article based on their personal experience or that they know a guy. Surveys are what they are! A guideline to help consumers make better choices.

I personally beleive that the market is loaded with good vehicles more than ever before. I also beleive that the domestics(GM & FORD) are building better vehicles than ever before and I don't think that Honda/Toyota have that large quality margin that they once had, it's only(if at all) a tiny bit. And Hyundai is moving up quickely. I just wish our vehicles(domestic) were more consistant from year to year. I see in the surveys where there are a couple of good years and then there is a dropoff in the "Frequentcy of Repair"(reliability).

Do you own surveys. Ask people how they like their vehicle and about it's problems. Don't ask a domestic truck owner what he/she thinks about a forign economy car.

 

[CharBaby]

I've had several Sunfires/Cavalier/Colbalt over the years as rental car when on business and I can tell you, I wouldn't buy one. The newer ones especially always seem to have decent powertrains but the rest of the car is subpar for comfort & outward vision/view. Although, those whom I know who have them, or have them for their children don't really have any issues with them but the reliability surveys/reports would suggest different. Thesed reports are more accurate because we all "know a guy" or have our own personal expreirnces that might be good. This lack of comfort has always been my pet peeve with Chevy. Flat unsupportive seats and cramped feeling inside(Lumina, Malibu, Colbalt) Now the new Malibu is a fine example of a design done well. Pontiac was worst(GrandAm, GrandPrix, Sunfire/G5). Chrysler did a better job at building more spacious interiors and things that were thought out very well but their cars are just too trouble prone for my tast, I don't care how good looking they are. But I too "know a guy"

Then I would get into an even smaller(on the outside) forign car and I couldn't beleive the room on the inside and good trunk space. Even older Camry's from the '90s were very spacious for their exterior size. Nicer to drive than the "in your face, too high to see over dash in a BUICK". The older Taurus/Sable were the same way. Dash was to high(not too high to see over, just too high) and interior was cramped for it's size. Nice cars but, not thought out well for comfort.

 

[brianl703]

I never had a problem with the high dash on any car, but I can tell you that the older Civic didn't seem to have enough room between the driver's seat and the roof for me.

 

[CharBaby]

When I mentioned about cars having "dash too high" or in your face, Im looking for vehicles with a low beltline/cowel. When I testdrive vehicles, I get in, adjust the seats to my comfort lever and adjust everything else, steering wheel, mirrors. Then I look over the dash(instrument pod) and if it's too high, it becomes a factor. People have to get in all vehicles and do this to see the differences between one and another. I like a lower dash pod. It's more of a gocart feeling than a truck. Older Hondas use to have this feeling but there are still some vehicles that strive for this.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I've had several Sunfires/Cavalier/Colbalt over the years as rental car when on business and I can tell you, I wouldn't buy one. The newer ones especially always seem to have decent powertrains but the rest of the car is subpar for comfort & outward vision/view.


I didn't like the powertrain on the Cobalt.
On paper, it has the torque of a Prelude and the hp of an Integra. It doesn't drive like either one of those cars. To me personally, the Focus we rented had a more responsive and willing engine than any of the Cobalts I drove in spite of the smaller engine with less horsepower. The Cobalt is better than the Dodge Caliber. (ugly as a Pontiac Aztek, but like the Aztek, more practical for carrying stuff than a sedan)

Originally Posted By: Char Baby


Then I would get into an even smaller(on the outside) forign car and I couldn't beleive the room on the inside and good trunk space.

It's still that way. The current Accord is dimensionally smaller than the current Taurus. But you couldn't tell from the inside. The Accord seems much bigger on the inside. The Taurus also has a weird high beltline in the rear that makes rearward visibility tricky The Taurus is a very nice driving car but The Accord and Camry manage their interior space better

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I've had several Sunfires/Cavalier/Colbalt over the years as rental car when on business and I can tell you, I wouldn't buy one. The newer ones especially always seem to have decent powertrains but the rest of the car is subpar for comfort & outward vision/view.


I didn't like the powertrain on the Cobalt.
On paper, it has the torque of a Prelude and the hp of an Integra. It doesn't drive like either one of those cars. To me personally, the Focus we rented had a more responsive and willing engine than any of the Cobalts I drove in spite of the smaller engine with less horsepower. The Cobalt is better than the Dodge Caliber. (ugly as a Pontiac Aztek, but like the Aztek, more practical for carrying stuff than a sedan)

Originally Posted By: Char Baby


Then I would get into an even smaller(on the outside) forign car and I couldn't beleive the room on the inside and good trunk space.

It's still that way. The current Accord is dimensionally smaller than the current Taurus. But you couldn't tell from the inside. The Accord seems much bigger on the inside. The Taurus also has a weird high beltline in the rear that makes rearward visibility tricky The Taurus is a very nice driving car but The Accord and Camry manage their interior space better


I liked the feel of the Cobalt rental I had. Handled well, fuel efficiency was excellent, and its power felt about right. I haven't driven the others you mentioned for comparison, though. The Cobalt, along with the Focus and Fusion, are among the cars I will be looking at in a few years when the middle of the decade offerings have depreciated enough to put them in the price range I limit my used car prices too. The big 3 US have made some major strides this decade, and I put their products (overall) from at least the last 6 or 7 years, at least on par with the imports I used to mainly consider. And each has at least one particularly stellar model in service.

-Spyder

 

[lairdwd]

For the guys that just refuse to believe it. Just go over to the honda-tech forums and get the scoop. Here is a FAQ on the 6th Generation Accord, and the notorius tranny problems

sixth generation accord FAQ

 

[BrianWC]

Hondas (not just Accords) from that time period are notorious for tranny issues. I certainly wouldn't argue that.