2000 Honda Civic

I was a first time car owner at the time of purchase in 2000 of my Honda Civic and I am still quite a proud of this same vehicle. At the time of purchase I was torn between Toyota and Honda and eventually chose this particular Honda due to other reviews and experiences of others. The use I’ve put my Honda through varied greatly from what I intended. Ranging from 2,000 mile long journeys, transporting entire families, and to heavy hauling my car has never failed me.

The mileage was fantastic in the beginning at about 32-35 MPG on average. In time this has dropped down to about 29-30 MPG. At 160,000 miles on the odometer I’m probably due for an overhaul soon but with regular maintenance nothing major has gone out. The fuel filtration system is quite stable as every time I replace the filter my MPG jumps up for a few months before settling back down to the new 29 MPG rate. Heed the manufacturer’s recommended Severe Driving section. Unless you are storing the vehicle all year in a storage facility you are likely listed under the Severe Driver category.

This seemingly small vehicle has a lot of hauling power. Over the years I’ve transported full loads of landscaping blocks and with the back seats down I’ve made numerous deliveries of bundles of12-14’ long 2x4’s with ease. Sure I’ve treated it like a truck but is has handled it quite well. The space available in the vehicle is quite spacious from what you would think from looking outside in.

A few cosmetic anomalies have occurred however. One of which was that the driver side window was always a little stiff when it rolled up. Last year the spring broke and required replacement. This was likely an individual failure not reflective of the entire line.

Another item that occurred was a crack to the exhaust manifold system that happened at 120,000. I don’t know if this is typical for the Honda or not but a simple self welding job took care of the loud muffler / engine sound caused by the crack. A repair at the dealer would have probably been quite a bit pricier though.

Out of all the main features, albeit least important to me, is that the style is a little boring. It won’t win any beauty contests or make you feel like the coolest person on the street but it more than makes up for this shortcoming in the performance and value categories. Style could be improved through custom paint jobs and features of course but the main view off the assembly line is box-like and conservative in appeal.

In looking back I believe I’ve made the right choice and will likely buy another Honda Civic. However, I will intend on purchasing a newer model and a truck on the side so I can feel like I’m treating the next car and little better than this one. I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for the a sturdy and reliable workhorse of a vehicle.