Article Comments - 2007 Honda Civic GX Long-Term Test

21 messages, Last post on Jun 12, 2008 at 8:53 AM

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What is this discussion about? Honda Civic, Alternative Fuels, Hybrid Cars, Hatchback

Long-Term Test: 2007 Honda Civic GX - There's one big exception: the 2007 Honda Civic GX, which runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). The Civic GX is consistently considered the most environmentally friendly car available and has even received the EPA's Smartway Elite designation. (more)

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#12 of 21 Re: You Don't Have to Buy a Brand New Civic GX. [epnfrn] by smcclenathan Dec 06, 2007 (2:27 pm)
Replying to: epnfrn (Dec 06, 2007 2:11 pm) Thanks much for the honesty. I have heard that statement about the NY taxi drivers. but there again no true backup. However, as you can read on this site plenty of folks with problems and much less than 200k. The FMQ2-36 is the bigger unit I was talking about but was quoted $9800. I will call this Murphy guy at cngmotors.com That may make sense if I can get that unit for 5K. Yes, the convience is the big draw. But with Oklahoma's CNG 90 cents gge. If there is any real costs added to the cost of your homes natural gas it does not make sense.
#13 of 21 Re: You Don't Have to Buy a Brand New Civic GX. [smcclenathan] by dejapooh Dec 06, 2007 (2:30 pm)
Replying to: smcclenathan (Dec 06, 2007 1:50 pm) I've heard 350k to 500k easily on a well maintained GX. The phill can only be rebuilt twice (you have to send it to Canada to have it rebuilt). After that, it must be replaced. The Fuelmaker can be rebuilt as many times as needed on site. You can not put a Fuelmaker indoors... it must be outside because it does not have a sensor to tell if there is a leak. In general, the fuelmaker is a better deal, but that does not make it cheaper than pumping at a station if there is one nearby (especially if that station is NOT a Clean Energy)..
#14 of 21 if fuel is $.90 a gge, by dejapooh Dec 06, 2007 (2:31 pm)
The gas itself will cost you more, to say nothing of the compressor and the Electricity.
#15 of 21 Re: Article Comments - 2007 Honda Civic GX Long-Term Test [cnguser] by glennglenn Dec 06, 2007 (3:21 pm)
Replying to: cnguser (Oct 16, 2007 9:35 pm) Thanks for all the replies!! First, they do NOT sell them in Illinois. The land of corn and alternative fuels and INDUSTRY and they do not sell them here?? Go figure?? I know, corn has nothing to do with it, BUT we are a leading staqte of purchase of alt fuel vehicles. secondly, there are at least 10 CNG stations near my home in the Chicagoland area, BUT only ONE (in DesPlaines near Ohare airport) offers public access and there's a card needed for that. Thanks again. Maybe next year!!! Replies to this message: epnfrn (Dec 06, 2007 5:04 pm)
#16 of 21 Re: Article Comments - 2007 Honda Civic GX Long-Term Test [glennglenn] by epnfrn Dec 06, 2007 (5:04 pm)
Replying to: glennglenn (Dec 06, 2007 3:21 pm) well, maybe not now ... but in the future. just a note. 'card needed' usually means you fill out an application and they hand you a card. that's it. also, while it is fresh in your mind. ... i HIGHLY recommend you email or call the station operators that are not public access and ask them how/when they might become public access. if there is a market, these places may eventually open to the public. the need must be larger than the logistical headache the conversion might cause ... but that need isn't known unless folks like you chime in! i've talked to managers who are itching to do it, but are waiting for the justifcation (read: people inquiring!) epi
#17 of 21 Honda Civic GX 2007 high and low fuel filters? by chef12 Dec 24, 2007 (5:00 pm)
I am currently about to replace my first fuel filter for the GX. I was quoted $600+ from the local dealership. What is the price for this filter? Is it possible to replace this filter on your own? If so, where and how? I am finding very little information on this vehicle. If anybody has any information I would really appreciate it. Thanks for your time. Replies to this message: epnfrn (Dec 24, 2007 5:37 pm) lakewood90712 (Dec 25, 2007 6:52 am)
#18 of 21 Re: Honda Civic GX 2007 high and low fuel filters? [chef12] by epnfrn Dec 24, 2007 (5:37 pm)
Replying to: chef12 (Dec 24, 2007 5:00 pm) chef - search a bit more in these forums ... i've seen someone quote less than $100 on several occasions (maybe $60 if my memory serves?) there are also a great many people on these forums who don't change their low pressure filter every 10k. i'm approaching 30k and intend to replace both high and low pressure then. also, there are several people here who have changed their own LOW-pressure filter with success. the HIGH-pressure filter requires more than the average car junkie has available however. i intend to replace my low-pressure, but will have a dealer replace the high. good luck ... and please, if you find one of those posts, please copy it here as well! thanks, epi Replies to this message: lakewood90712 (Dec 25, 2007 6:52 am)
#19 of 21 Re: Honda Civic GX 2007 high and low fuel filters? [epnfrn] by lakewood90712 Dec 25, 2007 (6:52 am)
Replying to: epnfrn (Dec 24, 2007 5:37 pm) Go to cngchat.com . Curtis , at one of the Honda dealers got honda to reduce the $360 list price of the 06 - 08 low press. filter to well under $ 100 , efective jan 01. 2008. PS the high pressure filter is easier to replace, lots of access, the low pressure filter is very hard to get to , unless the car is on a lift.
#20 of 21 lots more by freedml Jun 10, 2008 (7:01 pm)
Ok, I read the rest of the blog and took notes this time... There is only 1 station from LA to SF ON THE 5 (ok, 2 if you count Santa Clarita). There are plenty of stations on the 99 and enough on the 101. Santa Clarita to Los Banos is a stretch in a Civic GX. Along with tax incentives and rebates, there is also a $2000 subsidy for buying Phill. The GX was a fleet car before it was offered to the public. The only option used to be ABS which I guess is now standard. That a 'bare bones' car HAS power windows, power door locks, a CD player and cruise control is praiseworthy, not pathetic. An aside -- people are so interested in Hydrogen cars. Where does the Hydrogen come from??? Natural Gas! Taxis and vans use Natural Gas mostly because a certain percentage of their fleet has to be 'clean.' I've seen many cabbies grouse at the short range of their Crown Vics. I bet they're happier now with gas prices what they are! If you want to drive a GX in Northern California, you NEED a PG&E card. Their stations don't take regular credit cards. Life with a GX means upgrading to AAA Plus. My wife was low on fuel and went to 3 stations which were either broken or long gone when she ran out of gas. AAA got her to a station after several more tries. We now have cngprices com which is a great up-to-the minute map of CNG station prices and availability (read: is the pump up today?) We also have cngchat com which is THE place to find out more. You mentioned Phill and 240vac. Mine runs on a regular 120vac outlet. The dealer probably quoted you for a gasoline B1 service. The extra two filters are CNG filters. Honda's recommendation to replace them that often is based on a worst-case scenario of oil and water not being taken out of the gas. The stations in San Fernando and Riverside are still $2.00/gge or less. Not Clean Energy-run, needless to say!
#21 of 21 phraseology by freedml Jun 12, 2008 (8:53 am)
John, you need to 'watch your phraseology' as they say in The Music Man... On the CNBC piece you said "Gas isn't plentiful if you don't have a home pump." Well, 'gas' is plentiful, but commercial CNG dispensers aren't available everywhere. Where I live (Los Angeles), they ARE plentiful enough to depend on them alone as we did for a while before we got our home pump. You also said "there's not a lot of availability" outside of California and NY. Of course, that only applies to a new GX, not used or any other model, and new Phills, not used or other models of pumps. It's not exactly the same engine, either. It has a NG regulator to supply fuel to the fuel rail, higher compression ratio, and special injectors. If you really want to show someone the GX difference, open the fuel door. THAT'S something they don't see every day! I think the bottom line is if you are going to do a TV interview these days, you have be prepared in advance with short sentences that will convey correct information on the points that need to get out. And, $2 at some commercial pumps in LA, but most are in the high $2's. At home in So. Cal. it's a lot less than $2 and in Utah it's still $0.64.