The best first car you could ever want
Written: Jan 19 '04
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Pros: Will run forever!
Excellent Honda service
Cons: Air conditioning could be stronger
The Bottom Line: This is the best car you'll get unless you're willing to shell out over 30,000 for a "luxury" car.
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| marinamartin's Full Review: 2002 Honda Civic 4 door |
I purchased my 2002 Honda Civic LX in March of 2002 as my first car (I was previously living in New York City where I never needed one). Since that time I have lived all over the country and been in every type of weather, and have never once regretted this purchase!
I was (and still am) admittedly car-clueless when going to make a purchase, but everyone said Hondas were reliable cars and some Internet research showed them to have excellent safety ratings. The price (it was new) was under $20K and the payments worked out to around $275/month, which was quite affordable.
This car gets the best gas mileage I have seen listed anywhere for a non-hybrid car; 38mpg highway, 35mpg regular driving. Having taken it on numerous cross-country trips and clocking the actual gas mileage, it absolutely lives up to what it says.
It costs around $15 to fill the tank (it says it holds 13 gallons, but when the gas light comes on-which is supposed to mean one gallon is left-I can only get 11 new gallons in, so go figure) and I can easily get 400 miles out of a tank. I have driven on an empty I-80 in Wyoming and sat in hours and hours of Los Angeles traffic and never felt as though I dwindled a tank of gas inching along.
The air conditioning is not as powerful as I would have liked during a humid Eastern summer, but I discovered-after moving to a dry climate, of course-that pushing the internal air circulation button (which I was told to use if I was behind a smelly truck so only air inside the car would circulate and the smell wouldn’t seep in) once the car begins to cool provides arctic temperatures if they are needed.
I feel the internal controls are well-organized and I can do just about anything without having to look. I like having the clutch and emergency break down by my right side instead of having an extra lever behind the steering wheel and the break down by my left foot.
I always get my car serviced at Honda dealerships and highly recommend their oil changes to others. Comparing prices, the dealership is either equal or a mere dollar or two more. Out west (not CA), this included a thorough car wash, excellent service, and always a comfortable waiting area with complimentary food and drinks-even free Pay Per View! I did not have such a pleasant experience in California, unfortunately, where they never even bothered to update my “Next Oil Change” sticker, but I blame Los Angeles, not Honda.
I have unfortunately had more than my fair share of accidents with my Honda, and it has (in its less than 2 years) been severely damaged twice. My experience through these accidents is what made me a true Honda fan. I had the car fixed at Honda body shops both times, and was treated with the utmost respect, always communicated with, and you could never tell the hell my car has been through looking at it OR driving it today. There was also a small incident where I stupidly knocked my side-view mirror off backing out of my covered parking space, the night before I was leaving for a major road trip. I called as soon as they opened the next morning, and they took me in immediately, fixed it within 30 minutes, and only charged me $80. The next time I went in for an oil change, they remembered me and asked how my road trip had gone—excellent service!
Even with the accidents, my car has never experienced a single thing wrong with it. I have driven in blizzards, rainstorms, and bright sunny days and always felt in complete control (I cannot say the same for other cars I have driven in snow!). Never hydroplaned or skidded, cuts corners well, and stops on a dime.
The seats are cloth and quite comfortable. Again, I have traveled the country multiple times and the passenger(s) always slept comfortably while the other drove. I am rather short but my tall friends have not complained about wanting more leg room. Although it’s a small car, you would be shocked what you can fit inside it if you’re moving! The trunk is deep and the back seats fold down easily. There is also ample space under the trunk floor, where the spare tire is (I wish I had discovered that room before I moved the first time).
And the car is quiet, a huge plus for me who can’t handle having the windows down due to all the road ruckus. The windows do an excellent job of keeping outside noise, outside. Speed bumps could be a little easier, but I’m not going to shell out $30K more for a luxury car with a better suspension. The car never rattles, shakes, swerves, hiccups, or makes any other sound that would make a driver uncomfortable.
Overall I am thrilled with my Honda and intend to buy a hybrid in the next two years.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 18000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: LX, Automatic
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Epinions.com ID:
marinamartin
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Member: Marina Martin
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
An efficiency / business consultant and public relations specialist in Los Angeles, CA.
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