Used Honda Civic buyers checklist

The Honda Civic was quite a rage when it was introduced in mid 2006 in India. The car is an international favorite. It comes in both five-speed automatic (with paddle shift) and five-speed manual versions. It was pitched against the Toyota Corolla, with a starting price of Rs. 10.75 lakh and went on to become quite successful in its segment till 2010.

In 2010, the petrol price deregulation meant that sales of petrol cars across segments dropped as fuel prices increased. Honda had introduced a refreshed Civic in 2008, but still the lack of a diesel engine began to tell on sales, and that also knocked off a bit from the Civic’s resale value. In Europe, there is a diesel Civic, but Honda India isn’t planning to bring it to India, and is in fact planning on discontinuing the Civic altogether for the time being. Honda to discontinue Civic in India

If you are looking for a used Honda Civic this is a perfect time to go looking for one, as resale value is low, but the car is virtually trouble-free and a pleasure to drive.

Prices of used Honda Civic

Model 2006: Rs. 4 lakh – Rs. 5 lakh

Model 2007: Rs. 4.75 lakh – Rs. 6 lakh

Model 2008: Rs. 5.5 lakh – Rs. 6.25 lakh

Model 2009: Rs. 6 lakh – Rs. 6.75 lakh

Model 2010: Rs. 7 lakh – Rs. 10 lakh

Model 2011: Rs. 9.25 lakh – Rs. 11 lakh

There are quite a large number of Civic automatic transmission models available, and this is one of the most easy automatics to drive in its segment, as it also gives you the flexibility of driving in manual mode using the paddle shifts, and has a sporty feel in S mode.

Here are few things to look out for when buying a used Honda Civic

Engine mounts

The Honda Civic has a gem of an engine. It is powered by a 1.8 litre petrol engine that puts out 130 bhp of power and 172 Nm of torque. The engine is virtually trouble free and as long as regular maintenance schedule has been carried out there isn’t anything to worry about.

However, a big area of concern as reported by many Civic owners are the engine mounts, which tend to wear out and fail between 30,000 km – 40,000 km on the pre-2008 Civic models. This leads to excessive engine vibration and knocking sounds. Replacing engine mounts costs about Rs. 8000.

Suspension bushes

The Civic has a fairly soft suspension set up that is great for comfort. However, the rubber components in the suspension such as the bushes tend to wear out, and this leads to suspension noises. One common complaint is the strut mount, which makes a clunking sound when the bush becomes hard (the rubber loses its suppleness). Replacing the struts will cost upward of Rs. 5,000 each.

Brake pad and disc wear

The Civic also is notorious for eating up brake pads quite quickly. Brake pad inspection is recommended at every 10,000 km and Civic owners have reported that pads usually need replacement around every 20,000 km (especially for the automatic), while manuals may last about 5,000-10,000 km more. The brake discs also tend to wear quite quickly, with a “lip” forming on the outer portion of the disc, leading to squealing noises. This can be skimmed at a lathe, but will eventually need replacement.

Ground clearance issues

The Civic has a particularly long wheel base of 2700 mm, and this frees up quite a bit of interior space. However, it also has a ground clearance of 170 mm, but because of the large wheelbase and soft suspension, the car tends to scrape speedbreakers in the middle. Check the underbody of the car for damage, especially under the floorboard area. Stay away from cars that are badly dented as it will be a bit of a major expense to fix.

Some other occasional problems that have been reported and may need checking are the hoses in the engine area, especially for the power steering. Some owners have reported leaking power steering hoses which can also mess up the steering rack if fluid drains out. Issues with the fuel pump is another rare problem reported – and easily detectable if the car jerks or stalls frequently.

Spares cost for the Civic has gone up as Honda imports components from Japan, and the rupees devaluation has led to an increase in costs. Buying an imported used car in India

Share any other experiences you have with buying a used Honda Civic.