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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Honda Civic Prices Paid and Buying Experience
9207 messages, Last post on Nov 30, 2009 at 2:38 PM
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Replying to: elena250 (Aug 11, 2008 5:45 am) By the end of the year, supply of the 2009s will be good and there will be competition for the Civic from Honda's own all-new Fit. Plus there are usually year-end closeout sales at year's end--if not on the Civic than on other models. Re the Elantra, keep in mind that all brands have problems. The current gen Civic has had its share of problems (read the Civic Problems discussion here to get some background). Also Honda has had its share of safety issues, e.g. the recall a few years ago of 1 million Accords for a transmission defect, and of CR-Vs because they were catching fire in owner's garages (!). At least the problem on the Elantra is being worked on by the NHTSA and Hyundai, so there should be a resolution fairly soon. Buying a Honda will not guarantee that you won't have problems down the line. Overall, the Elantra is considered a very reliable car--e.g. it gets top marks for reliability from Consumer Reports. As for your question about which cars I think are better for $20k... that is really a personal question, and I probably have different buying criteria than you do. I've already mentioned other small cars that are well regarded, e.g. Mazda3i, Elantra, Corolla, Impreza, Rabbit, Jetta, and Sentra. But you might not like some of these (Impreza, Rabbit, Jetta) because they don't provide high fuel economy like the Civic. My advice is, before you plop down $20k on a car, check out all the alternatives that at least on paper fit your criteria. If you didn't like the Mazda3i, I doubt you'll like the Focus or the Cobalt for that matter. But it wouldn't hurt to drive them, if you have the time. (BTW, the Focus is available with an automatic.) For $20k or less OTD I would consider a fairly broad range of cars because I would also consider some in the mid-sized class, e.g. Optima and Sonata. Other mid-sizers such as Fusion, Milan, and 2008 Mazda6i are also available OTD for under $20k. But maybe you don't want a car that big. No 2008 Civic except the Si has stability control. ESC helps keep the car on the road in extreme conditions and IMO is a very important safety feature, so I want my next car to have it. Because of its safety benefits, it will be standard on all new cars sold in the U.S. by 2012. For 2009 the EX-L is supposed to get VSA also. But probably not the LX. Some small cars that offer ESC standard are the Elantra SE, and for 2009 the Impreza (all trims), Rabbit, and Jetta. It's an option on the Corolla, Mazda3s (with the 2.3L engine), SX4 and SX Sport, and maybe a few others I'm forgetting.
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Replying to: backy (Aug 11, 2008 7:32 am)
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| I just drove away in my new Civic--I decided against the Elantra, and I am so glad I did. I paid $16,501 plus $670 destination plus tag (no tax, I had a trade)for a total of $17230. I tried three different dealers, and I saved $3800 (one dealer offered $2000 less in trade and MSRP on 2008 Civic! ). Very happy with deal at Piazza Honda. | |
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Replying to: elena250 (Aug 11, 2008 10:13 am)  Until a few years ago, I'd never owned a car with ABS. But now I won't do without it. And no car I own has side curtain airbags. But there again, I won't buy another car without them, since they are so valuable in protecting from head injuries. Safety technology has improved by leaps and bounds in the past ten years. What was unavailable or very rare 10 years ago is now commonplace even on inexpensive cars. As I mentioned, by 2012 ESC will be mandatory on all new cars sold in the U.S. I am just jumping in 3 years early by getting ESC on my next car. That car will, in a few years, be handed down to my daughter. You can bet I want all the safety features I can get on that car. The Civic has excellent crash safety for a small car (in fact it would be an IIHS "Top Pick" if VSA were more widely available on it), and has ABS standard on all trims, so it's no slouch in the safety department. And its crisp handling can help avoid some accidents too. FWIW, the Rabbit is rated "above average" in predicted reliability by CR, and the Jetta "average". They recommend both cars. It appears VW has improved some in reliability of late, at least with the Jetta and Rabbit.
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Replying to: sonoma818 (Aug 11, 2008 11:05 am)
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Replying to: backy (Aug 11, 2008 11:32 am) Thanks. |
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Replying to: backy (Aug 11, 2008 11:09 am)
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Replying to: sonoma818 (Aug 11, 2008 11:05 am)
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Replying to: elena250 (Aug 11, 2008 12:33 pm) |
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Replying to: sonoma818 (Aug 11, 2008 11:05 am)  Sounds like a great deal--sure does pay to shop around..that's a huge difference on the trade in offer...what did you trade in? I too decided against the Elantra and I'm glad I did, although many clearly are quite happy with it-- and it's a major contender worth considering. Let us know how you like your new Civic! |
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