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Hybrid Vehicles Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Civic Hybrid
1765 messages, Last post on May 28, 2009 at 1:36 PM
You are in the Honda Civic Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: midnightcowboy (Oct 18, 2004 4:59 am) Anyways, I agree that the exhaust upgrade will yield negligible results. I still may give it a try though, if I can find a place that knows what they are doing. Does anyone know if its the same catback exhaust system as an EX or DX/LX? I'll probably go with lightening the unsprung weight with the lighter rims and upgrading the suspension. Whats that website with the free air cleaner upgrade? Thanks for the info guys. Pat |
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Hello EP: Please allow my $.02 on this: I’ve driven my 04 HCH since last February and can say that it handles quite well, especially in the hard turns thanks for the double wishbone rear suspension. However, if you are looking primarily for a fast, sporty car then you would do much better with one of the other Civics, as they can be lower initial cost. The HCH can be driven in fast, sporty way but if you do that you will not get good MPG results. (No matter what you drive) My own boring story: I drove a ’94 Dodge Spirit for 10 years, almost exclusively 80-95MPH….floor it and get around the next slowpokes in the Left lanes. Does it sound familiar? Consuming so much fuel (~16MPG) a couple of times I tried to drive for better mileage but didn’t know what I was doing and just drove slowly. Such a terrible bore-- I soon resorted back to my old ways. I bought my HCH as a replacement and soon got hooked into the sport of hyper mileage. I learned from the seasoned Insight drivers how to get the best efficiency and still drive around the posted speed limits. Gone was the day of my daily, sometimes dangerous traffic swerving habit. Learning to drive for efficiency isn’t just going slow, there are so many constantly changing variables and things to do that the drive is far from boring. My tanks have averaged around 60MPG since last April. I usually get just under 700 miles from around 11 gallons of gas. My wife drives it as a “normal” person and gets around EPA rating of 48. The database over at greenhybrid dot com shows an average of the same- as reported by many owners. I see a lot of parallels with the hybrids and the diet food industry. Someone can buy expensive diet food and neglect everything else about loosing weight. They might be disappointed and blame the food for poor results. Others buy the food and follow other suggestions…with wonderful results. Similarly, Some people buy hybrid cars expecting the vehicle to do it all. Drive an HCH hard and get around 35MPG…..pretty poor for that expensive car. On the other hand drive normally as 80% people do and get good results. Of course one could choose as I do for max efficiency and get fantastic MPG. Please let me also mention that driving conditions can also play a major part, as many people report around 40MPG going stop light to stop light in very heavy traffic….but I guess even 40MPG in that situation is pretty good for any car. Anyway if your main requirement is the need for a fast, sporty car then you might consider a different vehicle and save some money. Am I making any sense?
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Replying to: misterme (Oct 18, 2004 4:46 pm) |
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Replying to: misterme (Oct 18, 2004 4:46 pm) If I must get into a small amount of detail, I am getting money to get the civic hybrid (no such luck with the Accord Hybrid, gagrice). To put it lightly, an extremely good amount of money. My wallet will still be in positive territory after these small enhancements. As a driver of hondas and acuras since I was 16, I do admire the mix of economy, efficiency, and the sportiness engineered into most hondas. So I will buy this car and will shift paradigms in my driving habits, but sometimes, I would like to wring out that tiny engine and take a cloverleaf above the recommended speed, as I have with my other hondas. It reminds me of my 4 door 91 civic auto....not too fast, refined ride (for the time), economical, but really fun to get those revs up and take turns. Am I going faster than anyone else? I never cared. In addition to the money I am getting, economically, I find that the more I make a car my own by adding these very sensible performance enhancements, I tend to keep the car longer. I have just about the same mods on my 4dr integra LS 5-speed, and you would have to cut my right hand off to get those keys from me. So I think that the length of time I keep a car offsets any cost considerations....i usually wring every last mile out of them. I hope you guys understand where I am coming from....I think there are some like minded HCH owners out there that want to advance the cause of this technology, but would like a spice the car up a bit. On top of that, I am getting a deal I cannot pass up. So, Im not trying to make it into a sports car, just enhance an already solid Civic, as I have done with my other economical and efficient Hondas. Pat
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Replying to: ep_ (Oct 18, 2004 10:18 pm)
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Replying to: mauto (Oct 19, 2004 3:42 am)  . But when the CVCC engine came out it was pretty phenomenal, then VTEC, then iVTEC I think the HCH is a great car. I once had a GL 1500, CRX HF, CRX Si, Accord SE and Integra GSR I will probably get another Honda/Acura in the future. Good Luck, MidCow P,S.- Every Honda/Acura I owned was manual shift 
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Replying to: misterme (Oct 18, 2004 4:46 pm) If I must get into a small amount of detail, I am getting money to get the civic hybrid (no such luck with the Accord Hybrid, gagrice). To put it lightly, an extremely good amount of money. My wallet will still be in positive territory after these small enhancements. As a driver of hondas and acuras since I was 16, I do admire the mix of economy, efficiency, and the sportiness engineered into most hondas. So I will buy this car and will shift paradigms in my driving habits, but sometimes, I would like to wring out that tiny engine and take a cloverleaf above the recommended speed, as I have with my other hondas. It reminds me of my 4 door 91 civic auto....not too fast, refined ride (for the time), economical, but really fun to get those revs up and take turns. Am I going faster than anyone else? I never cared. In addition to the money I am getting, economically, I find that the more I make a car my own by adding these very sensible performance enhancements, I tend to keep the car longer. I have just about the same mods on my 4dr integra LS 5-speed, and you would have to cut my right hand off to get those keys from me. So I think that the length of time I keep a car offsets any cost considerations....i usually wring every last mile out of them. I hope you guys understand where I am coming from....I think there are some like minded HCH owners out there that want to advance the cause of this technology, but would like a spice the car up a bit. On top of that, I am getting a deal I cannot pass up. So, Im not trying to make it into a sports car, just enhance an already solid Civic, as I have done with my other economical and efficient Hondas. Pat |
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Replying to: mauto (Oct 19, 2004 3:42 am) I think both cars you mentioned are great cars....but I am not getting an incentive to get those cars. Even if I considered the Mazda 3 (which I have, but my wife doesn't like it), it will still not be cheaper than the HCH when I consider the incentive I am getting. Even the 16.5k tC, which is IMO the best car in its class, will not beat the deal I am getting (plus placing my 2 year old in back everyday would be torturous). This deal is not through the dealer, factory, or otherwise....it is a gift for getting the car. I'll leave it at that, I do not want to get into anymore detail. Hope this clear it up for you, Mauto....I am really looking to see if anyone has performed these modifications, and for my own situation, costs are not a consideration. Pat PS Hey midcow, IMO, every Honda should be stick, they are the best on the planet.
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Replying to: ep_ (Oct 19, 2004 11:41 am) Amen to that !!!!!!
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