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Car Forum / Honda Cars / August 20062006 civic; MPG seeing and amount paid.
OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. I also need to stay south of the 20 grand mark- so no hybrids. Used isn't out of the question but civics hold too much value. 15k for an 04 w/ 35k ... Buying new seems to be a better option. What I am curious to know is: 1) What kind of gas mileage are you really seeing with your civic? I'm especially interested in the LX. I typically drive 75 to 80 on the interstate ( a little more if I'm running late ). Pleas let me know what you are getting and give a clue as to how you drive. I became concerned when I sam people complaining they were only getting 26 to 28 mpg, hence the question. 2) What did you have to pay for your civic and where did you buy it? Here in Alabama they will not come off the price. Best deal I know of was 17,100 out the door for an LX at Honda of Decatur. 3) Any other cars any of you think I shold consider? This would be the 4th Honda for my family. We are quite used to them. I am replacing a 94 accord with 200k. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Paul > 1) What kind of gas mileage are you really seeing with your civic? I'm > especially interested in the LX. I typically drive 75 to 80 on the > interstate ( a little more if I'm running late ). Pleas let me know > what you are getting and give a clue as to how you drive. I became > concerned when I sam people complaining they were only getting 26 to 28 > mpg, hence the question. Quite a few who experienced that type of mileage early on later reported improvement after it was broken in. Keep in mind that at the speeds you travel, you will likely not get the peak mileage that is claimed by EPA (I think they claimed in the high 30s on the highway). > 3) Any other cars any of you think I shold consider? This would be the > 4th Honda for my family. We are quite used to them. I am replacing a > 94 accord with 200k. In this class there is also the Toyota Corolla, which costs about the same as a comparably equipped Civic, although you'd have to get a higher end model to get ABS and 6 airbags if that is important (all Civics have those as standard). Gas mileage is also about the same. > I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. Get used instead. You're going to tear up a car pretty quickly, so why do it with a new one that you'll be upside down on within a month? Get a beater, put good tunes in it, make sure the AC runs cold, get AAA Gold, and take the other $15,000 to the bank. > Get used instead. You're going to tear up a car pretty quickly, so why > do it with a new one that you'll be upside down on within a month? I concur. A new car depreciates drastically the second you drive it off the lot. And to add to that depreciation, 1250 miles a week is a LOT of mileage to be putting on a new car. I just bought a 2002 Civic EX w/VTEC last Feb that some guy had for 4 years and put 100,000 miles on it. I gave $7.5K because it was in supurb condition, upholstry looks like new throughout, and it had a clean carfax report; no rental, lease, wrecks, one owner, etc. Engine purrs like a kitten. I would search high and low for a quality used civic and pounce on it. Get the carfax report and have it checked by an independant mechanic you trust. If the seller won't agree to that, move on to the next one. By the way, I average 32- 36 on the highway and 26-28 in town. And don't forget to deduct all that mileage on your taxes! You cannot deduct commuter expenses off your taxes. >> Get used instead. You're going to tear up a car pretty quickly, so why >> do it with a new one that you'll be upside down on within a month? [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > And don't forget to deduct all that mileage on your taxes! > You cannot deduct commuter expenses off your taxes. Thank you, Art, you beat me to the punch. Someone taking commuter miles off his/her taxes could wind up behind the IRS 8 ball. If I were Mr. Handley (op), I seriously consider the Honda Fit Sport also. It has all the safety features of the LX, the essentially the same transmissions (manual and automatic 5 speeds) and both are Hondas. I buy new if possible since a) there is a warranty, b) Hondas don't have as big an off the lot depreciation, and c) I always have that nagging feeling that the previous owner got rid of the car for some reason. >>> Get used instead. You're going to tear up a car pretty quickly, so why >>> do it with a new one that you'll be upside down on within a month? [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> >> And don't forget to deduct all that mileage on your taxes! The above advise is REALLY REALLY bad. Don't do dat.  SignatureKent Finnell From the Music City USA > > I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Get a beater, put good tunes in it, make sure the AC runs cold, get AAA > Gold, and take the other $15,000 to the bank. Great advice! But I've learned over the years that someone who is set on a new car will hardly ever be talked out of it for rational reasons. New cars can often break down nearly as often as "beaters." JT (Who's top price for a car ever was $5K and that was for a 1931 Studebaker President Coupe project...) > But I've learned over the years that someone who is set on a new car > will hardly ever be talked out of it for rational reasons. New cars can > often break down nearly as often as "beaters." People lose money when they decide based on emotion. It's business, baby, pure and simple. And next year, a one year old Civic with 60K miles on the clock will be worth much less than one might think. For example, today a 2005 Civic LX with auto trans and decent stereo and 60K on the clock is worth $10,600 in trade in. New, it was probably $16K. Man, oh man. Depreciation alone for 60,000 miles is $6K--when it happens in the first year of the car's life. Now, take a 60K mile 5 year old Civic, and put 60K more on it. Depreciation: MUCH less than $6K. Or, even better: take a 120K mile 10 year old Civic and put 60K miles on it. Depreciation: about zero. I guess I'm a poor bastard, if I don't have $6K to throw around. I don't--not for a car, anyway. > > But I've learned over the years that someone who is set on a new car > > will hardly ever be talked out of it for rational reasons. New cars can [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > I guess I'm a poor bastard, if I don't have $6K to throw around. I > don't--not for a car, anyway. Yessir... All that $$$$ spent on a "new" car could have bought a lot of gas... And them some.. JT Used is definitely not out of the question. I have never bought a new car and with my experiences with the new car salesmen... i probably never will. I just got tired of seeing 14 to 15k used civics and figured maybe it might be worth paying a little more up front. Also with the mileage I'm looking at, a 100k warranty caused me to think a little. The more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards used. It's just a pain finding one that is in great shape and a value. I can't tell you how many I've called on only to find out they were already sold. (Thanks to the gas prices) Or to find what appears to be a steal only to see that the car was registered in Louisiana. I am tennacious though. The commute is going to be for the next 4 years. Not looking forward to it, but at this time I can't see reason to uproot the family. I wish they had trains here. :) I do have friends and family to stay with so the commute will not have to be every day. However, I do plan to be home as much as possible.... baseball, soccer... and plenty of other honey do lists : ) I just want to hear a few opinions and maybe hear from some who currently have a long commute. BTW: I really liked the rec of good tunes and cold ac. The later beeing a must since it was 95 here today. Thanks again, Paul Keep the posts comming > Also > with the mileage I'm looking at, a 100k warranty caused me to think a > little. Well, you buy Hondas so that you don't have to worry about buying 100K mile warranties. Take the cash and put it away toward repairs, if that's what you're worried about. But I can tell you--you probably won't need it. > The more I think about it the more I'm leaning towards used. > It's just a pain finding one that is in great shape and a value. Yeah, no question. But it's worth the journey. I bought a 92 Si new; it's still going strong, at 145K or so. My nephew just sold it. > The commute is going to be for the next 4 years. You need to crunch some numbers, then. That's 240K of driving, just for the commute. That doesn't even count weekends. I work in an industry that involves driving. When I first got there, a colleague was driving a shitbox old 4 door beater Chevy. Looking at the guy, and given his position, I really wondered about that. Then he explained it to me: the company paid a flat monthly rate to cover driving expenses. He'd pay $1200 or so for this kind of car, drive it until it dropped (three years or so), then go get another one. Then I went home with him one day. Beautiful house, and brand new full size conversion van--that was his wife's car and their weekend car. For work? He didn't care what he looked like. He just needed to get there at minimum cost. And minor repairs to that beat up RWD Chevy were cheap. 2.5 years ago my brother gave me his 125K mile Lexus ES. Good tunes, cold air, nice seats, comfy ride. I put 20K on it the first year (I covered a territory 2 hours away), and it now has 163K on it. In addition to oil changes and tires, let's see: I've put a starter in it, rebuilt axle (it threw a CV boot), couple of headlights, I went ahead and spent a grand on some stupid emissions parts that caused nothing more than the check engine light to come on (we don't test for emissions here), and last week I put a new window regulator in. I figure I'm putting $750 or so/year into it in repairs. $60/month in repairs vs. $400/month in car payment...as much of a Honda man as I am, I am seriously thinking the next time will be a high mile Lexus... > > Also > > with the mileage I'm looking at, a 100k warranty caused me to think a [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > repairs vs. $400/month in car payment...as much of a Honda man as I am, > I am seriously thinking the next time will be a high mile Lexus... An acquaintance of mine has an '82 Honda Civic FE with 324K+ (that's when the odometer broke) and he figures that it costs him an average of $50 per month for maintenance/repair. That car runs sweet and is absolutely dependable. But he does need to torque bushings to take the slop out of shifting. In my life, I have only bought one new car, a 1961 VW beetle. Never again did I get into the payment trap... JT > In my life, I have only bought one new car, a 1961 VW beetle. Never > again did I get into the payment trap... i hear that. this time around, ill be able to write a check for the whole amount. > > In my life, I have only bought one new car, a 1961 VW beetle. Never > > again did I get into the payment trap... > > i hear that. this time around, ill be able to write a check for the > whole amount. I shoul have stated, "...payment trap or new." No depreciation for this guy... JT >>> In my life, I have only bought one new car, a 1961 VW beetle. Never >>> again did I get into the payment trap... [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > JT eh- the car im looking at depreciates a whopping $2000 over 3 years. if im planning on keeping the car, id rather just buy new with the full 3yr warranty, and know how it was treated. but if i was buying american? id buy used. > >>> In my life, I have only bought one new car, a 1961 VW beetle. Never > >>> again did I get into the payment trap... [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > but if i was buying american? id buy used. My newest American car is a '64. None of those are depreciating... JT 1931 Studebaker President State Coupe (Q4) 1955 Studebaker President State Coupe 1955 Studebaker President State Sedan - Almost done Daily Driver 1956 Studebaker Power Hawk - Long Time Fun Car - (Will be burial container) 1964 Studebaker Champ P/U T-6 Long Bed - Daily driver 1983 Honda Civic FE - Daily Driver undergoing shakedown test > I am seriously thinking the next time will be a high mile Lexus... ive got a co-worker that paid $9000 a few years ago for a 1991 LS400. had 200k miles on it. he put another 100k on it with no major repairs to speak of. it IS starting to look its age, though. the burgundy leather is really worn, the paints starting to chalk in places, and the steering wheel is worn through to the core. > snip > > Keep the posts comming Well, since you asked...while I think the Civic is a fine car your high miles will make it a poor value. Right now Nissan dealers are selling new base Sentras for well under $11K (to make way for the 2007s). Base Corollas are cheap but hard to find (in my area). Another way to go is to gather other used Accords of the same vintage as your '94 and keep 2 or 3 on hand for parts or as alternates. Generally, this is not a "family friendly" solution. My experience with Toyota A/C is better than with Honda A/C so I'd probably shop used Corollas and Camrys. I'd also have a chat with my insurance agent. When I was doing lots of miles/year I found significantly lower premiums for mid-sized sedans than for compacts, pretty much offsetting the difference in mpg. > My experience with Toyota A/C is better than with Honda A/C Regarding its effectiveness, absolutely. Historically, Honda AC has been weak. They finally fixed it with the 98 Accord and up, but for the longest time it just sucked. My 93 Previa, on the other hand, had AC such that you could hang meat in there. On the flip side, we replaced just about every part of that AC system in the Toyota during the few years we owned it. (I got it used.) The valve that handled the rear AC broke, we put in a new condensor, a new compressor, and so on. Everything but the evaporator, it seems. Hardware-wise, it seemed a weak piece. > > My experience with Toyota A/C is better than with Honda A/C > > Regarding its effectiveness, absolutely. snip > On the flip side, we replaced just about every part of that AC system in > the Toyota during the few years we owned it. I've spent $0 on the A/C of my Toyotas. Only owned the '99 Corolla for a few years but my '98 Sienna's A/C still blows cold. Even in the hottest weather the A/C works great. My '89 Legend's A/C was so bad I simply gave up on it. My daughter's '99 Accord has had a minor repair and recharge. The Accord's A/C is better than the old Legend's but in really hot, humid weather it has a hard time keeping the car cool. YMMV > My '89 Legend's A/C was so bad I simply gave up on it. yeah. No surprise there. I'm sure it was *cooler* air, but certainly not *cool* air. > I've spent $0 on the A/C of my Toyotas. Only owned the '99 Corolla for > a few years but my '98 Sienna's A/C still blows cold. Even in the > hottest weather the A/C works great. a friends 2000 echo had the AC crap out on it. his mechanic says the compressor fragged internally, and sent metal pieces throughout the whole system. $2600 to replace everything. blue book on the car is only $2400. so hes rollin the windows down and bearing it! i remember the AC kit for my civic was available online for under $1000. i wonder if the same is available for the echo? All ac's went down the tube in smaller cars when they dumped freon. Things are just getting better now. Unfortunately the new refirgerant is very corrosive and eats up evaporators. >> My experience with Toyota A/C is better than with Honda A/C > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > compressor, and so on. Everything but the evaporator, it seems. > Hardware-wise, it seemed a weak piece. > Right now Nissan dealers are selling > new base Sentras for well under $11K (to make way for the 2007s). Unfortunately, the current Sentra hasn't been as reliable as previous versions. Not to mention the seats are rock hard. > Used is definitely not out of the question. I have never bought a new > car and with my experiences with the new car salesmen... i probably [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Keep the posts comming You really do get value out of a used car but here's something else to think about. I've always bought used, but after a while they do need repairs. Another question to ask yourself: Are you able to spare the down time in the shop or do you have a 2nd car when it goes to the shop? Of course, some used cars will need more repairs than others. New cars will eventually need maintenance done too. Question is, how frequently and how much? With the amount of driving you'll be doing it doesn't sound like you would have much time taking it in for repairs. -Dave if it were me, I would buy new with the Honda care zero deductible 8 year/120k warranty for about a grand. He may have worries but there won't be car worries with that for quite a while. >> Used is definitely not out of the question. I have never bought a new >> car and with my experiences with the new car salesmen... i probably [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > -Dave > Another question to ask yourself: Are you able to spare the down time in > the shop or do you have a 2nd car when it goes to the shop? Excellent questions to ask, yes. I'm fortunate in that I myself have two great source for repair: the only Honda mechanic I'll let touch my car works evening shift at the dealership that has service until midnight, and all my non-Honda work goes to the local service station 2 blocks away. He takes me right in and gets me right out, no hassles. I'm happy to leave the car on Saturday while I do something else. But if you don't have a good support team, take that into account. Also understand that even a new car can require time in the shop. You *hope* to minimize or eliminate that by buying a Honda (or Toyota). In fact, *the* way to absolutely minimize that possibility is to buy a new, basic, 4 cylinder manual transmission Honda or Toyota--a Civic or a Corolla, or even a 4 banger Accord. Japanese 4 cylinder/manual trans drivetrains are jewels to behold, and are utterly bulletproof. Me, I'd probably go get a Scion xB if I were doing all this and absolutely had to have new. >> Another question to ask yourself: Are you able to spare the down time in >> the shop or do you have a 2nd car when it goes to the shop? [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > and gets me right out, no hassles. I'm happy to leave the car on > Saturday while I do something else. Service at a dealership open 'till MIDNIGHT??? Never heard that one before. Used to be a place up the street which stayed open 'till 9pm and even they cut back. I happened to find a Honda mechanic that does side work in the evenings and weekends so I can go there. > But if you don't have a good support team, take that into account. Also > understand that even a new car can require time in the shop. You *hope* [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Corolla, or even a 4 banger Accord. Japanese 4 cylinder/manual trans > drivetrains are jewels to behold, and are utterly bulletproof. Good to hear since I now have a manual 4-cylinder '05 Accord. :-) > Me, I'd probably go get a Scion xB if I were doing all this and > absolutely had to have new. > Service at a dealership open 'till MIDNIGHT??? Sure. Been that way for, well, 25 years now that I know of. And I get to sit there and jawjack with him while he fixes my car. >> Service at a dealership open 'till MIDNIGHT??? > > Sure. Been that way for, well, 25 years now that I know of. > > And I get to sit there and jawjack with him while he fixes my car. Just curious - what part of the country are you in? I'm in Baltimore County, MD. Heard of late hours but still... > > Sure. Been that way for, well, 25 years now that I know of. > > > > And I get to sit there and jawjack with him while he fixes my car. > > Just curious - what part of the country are you in? West of you, but not all that far. >> > Sure. Been that way for, well, 25 years now that I know of. >> > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > West of you, but not all that far. Gotcha. > You really do get value out of a used car but here's something else to think > about. I've always bought used, but after a while they do need repairs. > Another question to ask yourself: Are you able to spare the down time in > the shop or do you have a 2nd car when it goes to the shop? id avoid something that needs a timing belt/water pump replacement every 100k miles or so. Why? It is an easy repair. Takes about 4 to 5 hrs, but it only occurs once and a while. Now, DO check out how often you have to adjust the valves. Older Hondas used to be every 30 k miles, and before that some were spec'd at adjustments every 15k miles. THAT task is hard on the back. SignatureKWW >> You really do get value out of a used car but here's something else to >> think about. I've always bought used, but after a while they do need [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > id avoid something that needs a timing belt/water pump replacement every > 100k miles or so. >For example, today a 2005 Civic LX with auto trans and decent stereo and >60K on the clock is worth $10,600 in trade in. Edmunds says $10,500 tradein, $11,800 private party, $12,900 dealer retail. >New, it was probably $16K. Note that the person who bought it new and is trading it in to a dealer loses about $5,500, but the person who buys it as a used car from the dealer saves only $3,100 versus a new one. Of course, if they met privately, they could have split the $2,400 spread between the tradein and retail prices. Note that the spread between tradein and retail prices is why people selling recent used cars usually seem to lose a lot of money, but those buying recent used cars usually don't seem to save very much compared to buying new. Signature------------------------------------------------------------------------ Timothy J. Lee Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome. No warranty of any kind is provided with this message. >OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a >day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >concerned when I sam people complaining they were only getting 26 to 28 >mpg, hence the question. My mpg is inching up with each tank. I'm up to about 38 mpg now in mixed driving with a 5-speed. On a recent trip where I burned through most of a tank doing about 75 mph on the freeway -- AC blasting -- it was still in the high thirties. I'm baffled how someone could drive a new Civic and get mileage only in the 20s. --nb >>OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a >>day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >--nb I'm driving mom's 90 civic with 25K 1.5L, no A/C or power anything, 4 speed manual transmission. It sees some hard city driving and a little time at 75-80. I am getting about 28 mpg. Might be the 4 speed or my heavy foot. Just passed emissions. Idle is sometimes a little low and flaky (down to zero sometimes) but once the revs come up it runs fine. What do you think? I usually get about 23 in my GS-R, but that's a different matter ;-] > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. > I also need to stay south of the 20 grand mark- so no hybrids. Used > isn't out of the question but civics hold too much value. 15k for an > 04 w/ 35k ... Buying new seems to be a better option. What I am > curious to know is: Indeed, Civics hold their value. I leased an 03 LX 5 spd for 170 per month three years from Honda primarily for my son to drive. Three years later with 36k on the clock and a buyout of a little under 10k, I just bought it out. I drive it to and from work 52 miles a day -- splitting the driving with my Accord. At 37-42 mpg it has come close to and exceeded the EPA estimate. The resale value for the car is around 13-14k and the dealer would love to buy it from me. > 1) What kind of gas mileage are you really seeing with your civic? I'm > especially interested in the LX. I typically drive 75 to 80 on the [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > Paul 1999 Honda Civic HX, 5 speed. 40 mpg in the mountains, 45 on the flat parts. The HX was a special model, that sported reduced emissions and increased economy, according to the advertisements. According to the Nevada State Patrol, it is capable of 123 mph too. If you can find one, that is what you want. I drive pretty fast, but not as fast as the daughter did when she went through Nevada. ;^) That commute is way too long. Can't you take the train, or rent an efficiency apartment near the job? Earle > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks, > Paul > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about > 240 miles a [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. I was looking over 2006 Hondas (Civic and Fit) and Toyotas (Corolla and Yaris) at Edmunds.com the other day. The Yaris leaped out at me as having the best combination of fuel mileage and low initial purchase cost. I'd price the Yaris and Civic, then test drive each, then make a decision. We had a great post the other week here about using email to get price quotations. See http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.makers.honda/browse_frm/thread/886cf3e9 84157cab/92ad0894697304f3?lnk=st&q=excellent+group%3Arec.autos.makers.honda+auth or%3Aelle&rnum=2#92ad0894697304f3 > I was looking over 2006 Hondas (Civic and Fit) and Toyotas > (Corolla and Yaris) at Edmunds.com the other day. The Yaris > leaped out at me as having the best combination of fuel > mileage and low initial purchase cost. ive found the yaris hatch is good ONLY for people who want the cheapest possible 2-door stripped rollerskate toyota makes. optioned out the way i want, with power locks/windows/AC/mp3 capable stereo/15" wheels, etc... it comes out about the same price as a scion xA, which has 2 more doors and all that stuff standard. then theres the xB, with all that stuff plus remote keyless entry and a ton of headroom and useable space in back for a grand (or so) more all are on the same platform and have the same drivetrain. im leaning toward the xA myself. the xB is nice, but seems to be the hot ride for the trendy kids. the salesman showed me a yaris hatch that they "hooked up" with a leather kit and aftermarket 18" wheels. turned that lil skate into a $16k skate. ugh. > I'd price the Yaris and Civic, then test drive each, then > make a decision. > > We had a great post the other week here about using email to > get price quotations. See > http://groups.google.com/group/rec.autos.makers.honda/browse_frm/thread/886cf3e9 84157cab/92ad0894697304f3?lnk=st&q=excellent+group%3Arec.autos.makers.honda+auth or%3Aelle&rnum=2#92ad0894697304f3 > the xB is nice, but seems to be the hot ride for > the trendy kids. And grandmothers. Don't be suckered in by the marketing. Look at the people actually driving it. >> the xB is nice, but seems to be the hot ride for >> the trendy kids. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Don't be suckered in by the marketing. Look at the people actually > driving it. heh. i steered my mom toward an xA in '03. shes over 60. loves the car, though. shes never owned a car with power windows and locks. come to think of it, neither have i. their marketing *is* pretty slick, but theyre just a plain good value. solid, reliable drivetrain, no timing belt, VVT-i, good mileage, and the underhood packaging is a work of art. honda came late to the party with the jazz, and itll still do well, im sure. but its too close in price to a regular civic, IMO. especially optioned out halfway decent. You are a candidate for a hybrid. > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks, > Paul > You are a candidate for a hybrid. With that much driving, it will probably be a lot of highway. An standard engined vehicle would get just as good mileage without the extra cost or complexity of a Hybrid. I looked into it for my commute (160 round trip) and it just didn't add up. > > You are a candidate for a hybrid. > > With that much driving, it will probably be a lot of highway. An standard > engined vehicle would get just as good mileage without the extra cost or > complexity of a Hybrid. I looked into it for my commute (160 round trip) > and it just didn't add up. A co-worker purchased a Prius not long ago and has been playing with speed vs. fuel economy. At 70-75 mph the Prius doesn't make sense as it delivers only about 42-43 mpg. However, at 60-65 mph my co-worker reports 56 to 58 mpg (consistent with my cousin who reports even better mpg (over 60 mpg) at 55-60 mph). Both reports of great mpg were obtained on pretty flat ground with just the driver aboard. How fast do you want to drive? >> > You are a candidate for a hybrid. >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > How fast do you want to drive? I set the cruise at 71 in a 65. The mileage you report above doesn't seem consistent with all the other owners reporting their mileage in this very forum. Me, I'm not buying anything till my current car dies. I have an '01 V6 Accord and I'm currently getting 28mpg. When it dies I'm gonna look into a Civic or equivalent car. Based on my commute being all highway and what people have posted as their mileage (as opposed to someone else's mileage) vs. what the non-Hybrid civics and such are getting, for an all highway commute it doesn't seem to justify the extra expense and complexity. Now if I had a mixed driving commute or all town/city driving I'd be singing a different tune. > I set the cruise at 71 in a 65. The mileage you report above doesn't seem > consistent with all the other owners reporting their mileage in this very > forum. Hey, I only know 2 Prius (not Civic hybrid assist) owners and both report similar mpg at slow speeds on the highway. What can I say? > Me, I'm not buying anything till my current car dies. I have an '01 V6 > Accord and I'm currently getting 28mpg. I'm getting 27+ mpg from my 03 Corvette (6 speed) while performing commuting duty. Can't say I'm surprised that a Prius can get 2X the mpg of a Corvette (ignoring for the moment my average speed of 70-75 mph vs 60 mph or so for the Prius). YMMV > <dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com> wrote in message > > A co-worker purchased a Prius not long ago and has been playing with [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > > > How fast do you want to drive? > I set the cruise at 71 in a 65. The mileage you report above doesn't seem > consistent with all the other owners reporting their mileage in this very > forum. Which way do think those numbers should differ? Up or down? 70mph cruise... that's hard to do. And that's the problem. If I can cruise at 70, I can get 50mpg, but more often, attempting to cruise at 70 requires a lot of acceleration, and the mileage drops to mid-40's. If I think I'm crusing at 70, it's more likely that I'm fluctuating between 60-75 with traffic snarls, and driving hard. My 2003 Civic Hybrid CVT, for a distance of 60 miles or more: 42 MPG at 80MPH, San Jose to Sacramento, I-680/205/5 50 MPG at 70MPH, San Jose to Benicia, I-680 59 MPG at 60MPH, San Jose to Benicia, I-680 65 MPG at 50MPH, Lake County to Napa County, country road. > Me, I'm not buying anything till my current car dies. I have an '01 V6 > Accord and I'm currently getting 28mpg. My neighbor does about 130 miles a day. 90-something Honda Accord, purchased new, 350k+ miles, no major repairs. Don't forget comfort. I think you're right that a highway commute reduces the difference between big and small. It also reduces what I consider the handling factor, where I prefer a smaller car on winding roads. A friend was doing a long commute in a Honda Insight, and gave it up. The ride was too harsh. Another friend, doing a _long_ commute, bought nothing but used taxis. He never did any repairs. If something broke, he'd sell/dump it and buy a new one. Signature--- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 >> <dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com> wrote in message >> > A co-worker purchased a Prius not long ago and has been playing with [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Which way do think those numbers should differ? Up or down? Down based on previous reports here of Hybrid mileage. > 70mph cruise... that's hard to do. And that's the problem. If I can > cruise at 70, I can get 50mpg, but more often, attempting to cruise at 70 [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > 59 MPG at 60MPH, San Jose to Benicia, I-680 > 65 MPG at 50MPH, Lake County to Napa County, country road. But what kind of mileage would you get driving the same roads the same way in a non-Hybrid Civic? That's the major question in determining if it is worth it or not. They seem very worth the extra expense for city drving. Not so much on highway driving. >> Me, I'm not buying anything till my current car dies. I have an '01 V6 >> Accord and I'm currently getting 28mpg. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > the difference between big and small. It also reduces what I consider the > handling factor, where I prefer a smaller car on winding roads. Comfort will vary from person to person. I like a "tight" vehicle, others prefer cushy. > A friend was doing a long commute in a Honda Insight, and gave it up. The > ride was too harsh. > > Another friend, doing a _long_ commute, bought nothing but used taxis. > He never did any repairs. If something broke, he'd sell/dump it and buy a > new one. > You are a candidate for a hybrid. > > > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > > day Only if he's doing all 240 miles/day in moderate stop-and-go traffic. Otherwise, a hybrid is just throwing *more* money down the drain. If he must have new, a diesel... > Only if he's doing all 240 miles/day in moderate stop-and-go traffic. > > Otherwise, a hybrid is just throwing *more* money down the drain. > > If he must have new, a diesel... It will be 98% interstate. About an hour and a half one way depending on the traffic. I thought of a jetta diesel but they aren't too reliable (from what I've read) and just try and find one now. BTW Honda is bringing a diesel to the states in the next couple years. Also the next Hybrids will all be diesel electric hybrids. Way off base though. I might as well throw this out there. The other big concern is safety. Six air bags provides an extra level of protection. Have to think of the wife and two kids as well. Any opinions on used models offering gas mileage and extra safety? So far I'm pointing towards a used car. I already have my eyes out for one. Right now the dealerships can rot in hell. It's a civic... not a luxury car. No wonder why so many people around here are driving Kia's, Suzuki... etc. Paul > I might as well throw this out there. The other big concern is safety. > Six air bags provides an extra level of protection. Have to think of > the wife and two kids as well. How much will they be using this car as opposed to you? If you're putting 240 miles/day on it, I presume they have their own transportation? The best defense is a solid offense. Don't get into accidents. > > I might as well throw this out there. The other big concern is safety. > > Six air bags provides an extra level of protection. Have to think of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > If you're putting 240 miles/day on it, I presume they have their own > transportation? No, I meant trying to keep myself safe for them The family won't be in the car, except on weekends. > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > 4th Honda for my family. We are quite used to them. I am replacing a > 94 accord with 200k. Like you, I've been researching cars with better gas mileage. I haven't decided on anything, yet. But you may consider a used Toyota Prius Hybrid. It's about the same size or larger than the Civic and I've seen the '03 & '04s prices around 13-15k at Carmax.com. I believe it gets about 50-60 mpg not to mention a fed tax break. I believe they have a pretty good factory warranty also. Good luck in whatever you find. > Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. > Thanks, > Paul Move closer to work. > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day > Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. > Thanks, > Paul -- Tp, -------- __o ----- -\<. -------- __o --- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<. -------------------- ( )/ ( ) ----------------------------------------- No Lawsuit Ever Fixed A Moron... Just bought an 06 Civic EX.I honestly have never regretted a car purchase as much as this one. I bought it because I just cannot deal with $3.35 gas prices in Southern California anymore. But my Accord that I replaced got between 28 and 33 mpg no matter what the condtions, air on or off. With the Civic the ONLY time I get stated mileage is when I am on an open freeway with no air on. Like that I get about 40. If I turn the air on, it drops to about 28. I HOPE it just needs more time to break in, but as I approach 1000 miles I am beginning to lose hope. I honestly WISH I never made the trade. > Move closer to work. > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > No Lawsuit Ever Fixed A Moron... > Just bought an 06 Civic EX.I honestly have never regretted a car purchase > as much as this one. I bought it because I just cannot deal with $3.35 gas [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > drops to about 28. I HOPE it just needs more time to break in, but as I > approach 1000 miles I am beginning to lose hope. 10,000 miles is a VERY magic number on Honda's and their break-in period... I REALLY hope you're right. Thing is, my Accord took no time to reach EPA mileage and there didn't seem to be ANY difference whether the air was on or not. >> Just bought an 06 Civic EX.I honestly have never regretted a car purchase >> as much as this one. I bought it because I just cannot deal with $3.35 [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > 10,000 miles is a VERY magic number on Honda's and their break-in > period... Did you check your old car in recent years? Summer gas mixtures means poor mileage for all cars. >I REALLY hope you're right. Thing is, my Accord took no time to reach EPA >mileage and there didn't seem to be ANY difference whether the air was on [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >> 10,000 miles is a VERY magic number on Honda's and their break-in >> period... My "old car" was an '05 Accord and yes I would check it all the time. Well, today I filled up and actually calculated 35mpg so maybe (keeping fingers crossed) things are looking up. I have owned 9 cars over the years. Just never saw one with such a drastic difference in mileage as it breaks in, or depending on what kind of driving I am doing or with the air on or off as this one. > Did you check your old car in recent years? Summer gas mixtures means > poor mileage for all cars. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >>> 10,000 miles is a VERY magic number on Honda's and their break-in >>> period... The smaller the car/engine the bigger difference an accessory like ac makes. > My "old car" was an '05 Accord and yes I would check it all the time. > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >>>> 10,000 miles is a VERY magic number on Honda's and their break-in >>>> period... Well my Accord got pretty much what the EPA stats say. I traded it in for the Civic basically to gain a little in the mileage department and because I wanted a Navi. Well the navigation system is wonderful but I think that overall, I got better mileage with the Accord considering so much driving is done with the air on. > OK here is the deal, I am about to start commuting about 240 miles a > day so I'm looking to buy a new car. My top choice is a 2006 civic LX. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Thanks, > Paul |
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