Corolla versus Civic versus ???

[PingSpike]

Right now I have a 99 neon and it sort of sucks. Developed a common oil leak problem at like 50k miles which pissed me off. When Dodge or the dealership gave me the old "Its out of warrenty" line I swore I'd never buy another dodge or Chysler vehicle again. I like the gas mileage and it handles ok but the thing just isn't reliable enough IMO. In a year or two, I'll probably be taking the jump and getting a new car...or maybe one thats a couple years old. Right now, I've just been looking at the corolla and the civic. My girlfriend has a 94 Prizm which is a rebadged corolla which has served her pretty well so that got me sort of interested in the corolla. And the civic just seems like a solid little car. I've sort of looked at Hyundai because they're so cheap...but as of now I'm just not sure they've proven themselves on the reliablity factor.

My top concerns:
1) Reliability and TCO. I want a solid car that doesn't break all the damn time. And I want the bastard to last a good long time.
2) Gas Mileage.
3) Handling/Performance. I don't need a really fast car or anything, but I'd prefer it handle well and have enough power to do some decent passing. My neon does ok in this respect...but sometimes I want just a little more.
4) Safety. Most cars are pretty safe now...but if this car last as long as I hope it will, I'll likely have children before it gets replaced.

Only option I want is AC. I don't care about any of that other crap. I just want air conditioning and stick shift.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Civic

- M4H

 

[Rallispec]

sentra

 

[neovan]

tc

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Civic

- M4H

Care to expand on any reasons why? I like the civic but I don't follow cars a lot...what makes it better than the corolla?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Ha! I beat NFS4. Now, to justify.

1) Reliability and TCO, Honda. Cheaper maintainence either routine or emergency vs Toyota. Not to mention the Honda will be worth more when the lease expires.
2) Civic > Corolla. No questions, no combat.
3) Handling? Civic. Power? Corolla. You can still pass and whip through traffic, you just don't have the "power on tap" as you would with a bigger car. Both suffer in output, but the Civic does more.
4) Civic.

Go find a 2005 Civic SE - stateside, IIRC that's the "DX Value Package" - adds AC, power locks, keyless, and CD for another $800 over a base model. Toyota can't touch that.

- M4H

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: PingSpike

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Civic

- M4H

Care to expand on any reasons why? I like the civic but I don't follow cars a lot...what makes it better than the corolla?

Posted above ... I just needed to beat out the Toyota (NFS4) and Nissan (Skoorb) fanboy reps.

Oh, and the Civic is much nicer looking than that over-heightened lanky Corolla.

- M4H

 

[Rallispec]

nissan is just as reliable as honda and toyota. the sentra is cheaper, and has a better engine in it. the only downside is that the back seat is a little bit smaller than the other two cars.

 

[PingSpike]

Do they make the DX with AC and manual transmission? From what I'm seeing, they have the DX base model, then they have the value pack which has AC and auto transmission...I'd prefer manual.

 

[SuperTool]

Mazda 3. Great car that doesn't feel or look like an econobox.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
Do they make the DX with AC and manual transmission? From what I'm seeing, they have the DX base model, then they have the value pack which has AC and auto transmission...I'd prefer manual.

They should offer a DX-VP with MT, unless they added AT into the "Value Pack" for 05. If so, seek out an 04 and haggle your way into getting the keyless added gratis (it wasn't in the 04 model).

- M4H

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: SuperTool
Mazda 3. Great car that doesn't feel or look like an econobox.

Or get half the gas mileage of one.

- M4H

 

[boyRacer]

360CS

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: SuperTool
Mazda 3. Great car that doesn't feel or look like an econobox.

Or get half the gas mileage of one.

- M4H

The 2.0i gets 28/35
Mazda 3 is levels above Accord and Civic, IMO.

 

[NFS4]

I posted this about the Civic on VWV a while back:

My GF has a 2004 Honda Civic EX 4AT Sedan and that thing is gutless as all get out. Slow as hell to accelerate and loud too. Step on the gas and you'd think you'd tasered a poodle in his nuts it whines so much.

That being said, the Civic is NOTHING to write home about. I've put a few hundred miles on my GF's '04 Civic and it is loud and the ride is kinda harsh if you ask me. Step on the gas and it drones like a little bitch.

The interior is chintzy as hell too. The glittery plastic aroud the HVAC controls is cheap as hell, there's flash on plastic parts all over the cabin (control stalks, seat controls on the driver side, even some of the vinyl on the door panels). And the cheap silvery plastic piece around the gear shift is just as bad. The seats aren't all that comfortable either.

And the front driver's side wheel well liner already popped out of place on her car (less than 6 months old). I had to pop it back in. And a rear trim piece around the door also came out of place. Had to do to have that fixed as well.

 

[PingSpike]

I should also point out that looks and styling are of zero concern to me so long as they do not effect functionality. I would drive the Oscar-Meyer Weiner-Mobile if it got good gas mileage and was reliable.

 

[hop12]

Civic is better.

I've driven both (I own a 2001 Civic, but have driven a friends Corolla on occasion) and I have found that the Civic drives much better. The Corolla feels "mushy." I have had absolutely no problems with my Civic, everything still runs great, and it still drives really well. I just replaced the factory tires after 50k miles. The interior holds up nicely. The only minor annoyance was the drivers armrest fabric looks kind of worn.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: NFS4
I posted this about the Civic on VWV a while back:

My GF has a 2004 Honda Civic EX 4AT Sedan and that thing is gutless as all get out. Slow as hell to accelerate and loud too. Step on the gas and you'd think you'd tasered a poodle in his nuts it whines so much.

That being said, the Civic is NOTHING to write home about. I've put a few hundred miles on my GF's '04 Civic and it is loud and the ride is kinda harsh if you ask me. Step on the gas and it drones like a little bitch.

The interior is chintzy as hell too. The glittery plastic aroud the HVAC controls is cheap as hell, there's flash on plastic parts all over the cabin (control stalks, seat controls on the driver side, even some of the vinyl on the door panels). And the cheap silvery plastic piece around the gear shift is just as bad. The seats aren't all that comfortable either.

And the front driver's side wheel well liner already popped out of place on her car (less than 6 months old). I had to pop it back in. And a rear trim piece around the door also came out of place. Had to do to have that fixed as well.

Sounds to me like she opted for the fake CF trim. Imagine that, a synthetic of a synthetic.

As far as the seats not being comfortable ... I just don't know what to say to that. Either Canada gets an entirely different Civic, or you haven't taken a road trip of any appreciable length in those. After an eight-hour haul, I didn't have any pinched nerves, numbness, soreness, or anything in my back.

- M4H

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: NFS4
I posted this about the Civic on VWV a while back:

My GF has a 2004 Honda Civic EX 4AT Sedan and that thing is gutless as all get out. Slow as hell to accelerate and loud too. Step on the gas and you'd think you'd tasered a poodle in his nuts it whines so much.

That being said, the Civic is NOTHING to write home about. I've put a few hundred miles on my GF's '04 Civic and it is loud and the ride is kinda harsh if you ask me. Step on the gas and it drones like a little bitch.

The interior is chintzy as hell too. The glittery plastic aroud the HVAC controls is cheap as hell, there's flash on plastic parts all over the cabin (control stalks, seat controls on the driver side, even some of the vinyl on the door panels). And the cheap silvery plastic piece around the gear shift is just as bad. The seats aren't all that comfortable either.

And the front driver's side wheel well liner already popped out of place on her car (less than 6 months old). I had to pop it back in. And a rear trim piece around the door also came out of place. Had to do to have that fixed as well.

Sounds to me like she opted for the fake CF trim. Imagine that, a synthetic of a synthetic.

As far as the seats not being comfortable ... I just don't know what to say to that. Either Canada gets an entirely different Civic, or you haven't taken a road trip of any appreciable length in those. After an eight-hour haul, I didn't have any pinched nerves, numbness, soreness, or anything in my back.

- M4H

No, it's the stock Civic EX interior. The black plastic around the HVAC has this glittery crap inbedded in it.

 

[ElFenix]

drove a civic and a corolla back to back one day, the corolla is a ton nicer inside.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: NFS4
No, it's the stock Civic EX interior. The black plastic around the HVAC has this glittery crap inbedded in it.

Okay, I'm going to have to look at mine, because I don't see any of that.

What colour/interior colour?

- M4H

 

[miri]

I have a 2003 Honda Civic EX. I almost bought a 2003 Corolla LE at the time. I would rather have the Corolla LE for 2 reasons. Timing chain instead of belt and Toyota has a 5/60,000 powertrain warranty compared to 3/36,000 for Honda.

 

[theNEOone]

what about the mazda 3?


=|

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: NFS4
No, it's the stock Civic EX interior. The black plastic around the HVAC has this glittery crap inbedded in it.

Okay, I'm going to have to look at mine, because I don't see any of that.

What colour/interior colour?

- M4H

Grey interior, black upper dash/grey lower dash.

Her car looks exactly like this except for its silver:

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332...100344073/027629-E.jpg

 

[thermalpaste]

The corolla ( at least the ones sold in India ) have a flimsy build. The Hyundai Elantra(don't know what it is called in the US) isa decent car, except for the softly tuned suspension and loads of body roll. The Suzuki Aerio ( It's called the chevrolet optra out here) Is pretty good, except that it's a daewoo. The Honda Civic kicks butt: High revving engine, butter-smooth manual tranny(if you opt for one).
Corolla is too common, opt for either a Sentra or a Civic. I hate automatics on small cars, they hog a lot of power...