Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic
Re: your Mom's concern about the age of a 1996-00 HX... how mechanical are you? There will be work to do in rehabing the car to full capacity, unless you pay a premium for the rarer low miles, unmolested, and well-maintained vehicles. If you want to address her questions about getting something newer and still have a Civic, consider the 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid. Or even the 8th generation Civic Hybrid, which I thought was a great looking car, with nice smooth wheel covers and a great 49/51 set of EPA ratings, which good hypermiling would crush. Get an '07.
The truth about the HX and DX Civics is that by 180,000 miles, even when treated nicely they start to have components fail, even though the main hardware is still great and just a little competent wrenching will keep it on the road as a reliable go-box.
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Something about a hybrid doesn't really play nice with what I "want." I know engines and components enough to do most work myself, except I'd likely pay someone to rebuild the engine if it came to that. I don't know a ton about hybrid electronics, and I am a little frightened by the light weight chassis being crushed by a local yokel running a light...or suffering worse damage in any accident than an already lightweight civic which has 500lb more mass.
Also, I would like four seats. I wish I could have four doors but...on well. I also would like a trunk to 'hide' stuff in, at least keep things from being visible if I need to go into a store.
Are HX rear seats usable for someone around 6' tall without breaking your neck on the roof?
I would be confident doing CVs/boots, brakes, wheel bearings, shocks, and the clutch, among other things.
I intend to find a car that's clean and average priced and with a good engine/trans/clutch.
Tips on good prices to pay are greatly appreciated!
Also, I would not feel too confident about the repair costs of an insight, including recycling and replacing the ni-mh battery. I'd want to do it myself probably, so I figure about $1k for that if I can learn how to not kill myself installing it on my own; then I still have other non-hybrid components to worry about (engine, tranny, shocks, brakes, etc...).
Perhaps it's doable but it's still not quite what I want. I'm taking a hurdle going from a supra to a civic already...something I thought I'd "NEVER DO," so bare with me when I say I've always thought insights were silly looking.
For me, it's a situation of not understanding and thus doubting the feasibility/economics of a hybrid, too. I know people, including myself, rip on the Prius for being more harm on the environment than gas guzzlers...
I don't know the specs or have data to tell me for sure, and I think the prius uses li-ion and not ni-mh, but it's overall environment effects still concern me.
I also wonder if insight owners get hassled by eco-haters? I imagine those people are out there. The civic just looks like any other car so I wouldn't anticipate that, and it's not quite so small... I do admit they can be modded to look good but that means money.
I don't mind some sensors going bad or having to do basic tune-up or running gear maintenance, I just feel like 40-50mpg would be awesome and worth it for a while until I don't care as much about saving every penny. I can't figure a better car to find in my price range to save money this side of a geo metro that isn't too small, ugly as sin, a gas guzzler, or something crappy that will break in 20k miles or disintegrate. Numerous domestics or a corolla come to mind but none fit the bill like the HX (that's why I'm bent on finding one).
I have friends with auto shops and extensive Honda knowledge, so I could probably do fine if it needs some work done, possibly even trade photo work for their businesses in exchange for labor.
Right now I'm developing my business and I need reliable, economical transportation for myself and my photography gear plus the occasional passenger(s), and it needs to look clean to maintain my image. (business image - just a clean car showing that I'm not a slob).
If I could get a decent insight for similar money ($2500-4000) that will stay within that range after immediate maintenance, and if I knew they were safe in wrecks, I'd consider one. I don't want to die though and you can't beat physics...which the HX gives me an edge on I think. I'll be concerned enough coming from my 3400lb supra to a 2300lb Honda eco-coupe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcp123
I'd say it's probably the torque. Electric motors are torque monsters!
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Yeah, a f'ing prius backed into my friend and I when we were driving by, hurting my neck and crunching his civic. I'm plenty familiar with their 'capabilities'....