Girlfriend wants a Civic

[Atty]

She's refusing to do anything other than Honda or Toyota. Her family has only had those two brands, she doesn't trust American made vehicles, blah, blah.

Anyway, she wants one. She wanted a brand new one but I convinced her to get something slightly used.

Needs: Four door car, she wants it to be as fully loaded as she can afford (don't have a budget yet, we aren't looking or buying for a few months, right now I just want to get some opinions and research done on them for her.) She has a child, 15 months old, but I don't think that will affect anything much? She also does not want a manual, she had one and doesn't want it for her daily driver.

Anyway; What is there to know, avoid, look for, etc, about the current Civic platform? Anyone had one/have one? Driven one? Any bits of info would be nice.

Thanks guys.

 

[Dirigible]

Girlfriends and wives: Let them get what they want or any little annoyance with the vehicle is your fault.

 

[Sid59]

Girlfriends and wives: Let them get what they want or any little annoyance with the vehicle is your fault.

indeed. get the budget and have her pick out a civic down to the color and options. you're only asking for a world of hurt if you're trying to convince her on other cars.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Buy new. Civics lose very little value and you can get a brand new one basically for the same price as a used one.

My wife drives a civic. Bought it new and have had 50k+ basically trouble free miles. Had a brake caliper that needed to be replaced but that's it.

 

[SandEagle]

Sounds like a real winner. MARRY HER.

 

[alfa147x]

I bought an 8th gen in january (2007) coupe MT
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2129339&

I like it a lot. Very comfortable ride and fast enough for me. I drive 4 hours every weekend down to south Georgia and can push 450 miles a tank (about 40 mpg) I do cruise at 65 mph - 70 mph.

Not much goes wrong with these cars. Just have you mechanic check it out if the car fax is clean.

If she's looking for comfort go with the EX if she's looking for speed / handeling go with the SI.

 

[Atty]

Buy new. Civics lose very little value and you can get a brand new one basically for the same price as a used one.

My wife drives a civic. Bought it new and have had 50k+ basically trouble free miles. Had a brake caliper that needed to be replaced but that's it.

Any idea what the dealer mark up is on a new one vs what I would be paying for a used? I'm seeing fully loaded certified used ones for 18,500 - 20,000. EX-L Trim level ,fully loaded, etc.

If we can do a new one then that would be better, because that is what she wants. If we can do a fully loaded EX-L off the lot for a few grand more than used one then sure, its a deal. I'll have to look into it.

 

[punjabiplaya]

Girlfriends and wives: Let them get what they want or any little annoyance with the vehicle is your fault.

just nod and say yes. If she doesn't like it, it's her fault and you won't get blamed. Actually you probably will - "You let me buy it. Why don't you know me well enough to know that I wouldn't like it?!"

 

[Atty]

I want to get her what she wants but also do my best to get her what she expects while saving as much money as possible for her.

 

[Dirigible]

People here like to say truecar.com for pricing stuff, and it's interesting. For my area, that site says the EX-L sedan is a bit under $22k for the average price. Couple thousand more if you add navigation.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Any idea what the dealer mark up is on a new one vs what I would be paying for a used? I'm seeing fully loaded certified used ones for 18,500 - 20,000. EX-L Trim level ,fully loaded, etc.

If we can do a new one then that would be better, because that is what she wants. If we can do a fully loaded EX-L off the lot for a few grand more than used one then sure, its a deal. I'll have to look into it.

Yeah that's definitely doable I believe. I paid 21k for an 08 civic ex-L in '08. Only thing it didn't have was the gps. Has leather, sunroof, etc...
I'd sell you a dealer serviced mint ex-l for 18-20k then I'd spend a few grand more and get me a new one.

 

[Atty]

I don't think she needs navigation but she will probably want it just because she expects to have this car for years and years and wants the best she can get. We both have smartphones and both have dedicated GPS units but alas, she might get it.

Thanks for that link, I'll check it out and see what I can gather.

 

[ZOOYUKA]

Sounds like a real winner. MARRY HER.

LOL. My thoughts exactly.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I drove one of the previous generation Civic 4 doors. It was a manual transmission model though. I liked the car quite a bit actually and could see why someone would choose it as a daily commuter.

Great little car.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Sounds like a real winner. MARRY HER.

What we know about the OP's GF:

She is stubborn.
She likes Honda/Toyota vehicles.
She has a 15 month old child.
She likes to have nicer things.

Other than having a 15 month old child and liking the OP she seems like pretty much any other woman I've ever met.

 

[JCH13]

I was in your shoes exactly one year ago. My girlfriend wound up getting a 1 model year old (but really 2 year old) Civic EX, automatic, 4-door, with a sunroof and ipod connector, the two things she really wanted. There was 29k miles on the odometer and it was in nearly perfect shape. Paid $14,900 from a volume used car dealer, no haggling required. An uncommon find, but it can be done.

 

[joutlaw]

Buy new. Civics lose very little value and you can get a brand new one basically for the same price as a used one.

My wife drives a civic. Bought it new and have had 50k+ basically trouble free miles. Had a brake caliper that needed to be replaced but that's it.

This is true for Accords too. Only advantage would be if you get a certified used car it will have a longer warranty.

We ended up getting a 2010 Accord EX-L last year with .9% financing and paid under invoice.

 

[PricklyPete]

Girlfriends and wives: Let them get what they want or any little annoyance with the vehicle is your fault.

Listen to this man. My wife totaled her Civic almost 2 years ago. She wanted another civic...I wanted something nicer and talked her into a Audi. The Audi has been great and she enjoys it...but would be just as happy/happier with the Civic. I've decided from this point on she gets whatever she wants for driving and I will buy whatever I want. Not worth forcing her into something that you are rarely going to drive.

 

[alfa147x]

Listen to this man. My wife totaled her Civic almost 2 years ago. She wanted another civic...I wanted something nicer and talked her into a Audi. The Audi has been great and she enjoys it...but would be just as happy/happier with the Civic. I've decided from this point on she gets whatever she wants for driving and I will buy whatever I want. Not worth forcing her into something that you are rarely going to drive.

Try a TSX. Almost like the civic but based off of the accord.

 

[PricklyPete]

Try a TSX. Almost like the civic but based off of the accord.

We test drove a TSX...was on our list. I had a long thread on this. Test drove just about everything in the segment. The final two were the G37 and the A4, she said she liked the A4 better (gas mileage). In the end though, she would have rather just had a Civic...I was the one pushing the "nicer" cars. It wasn't that she thinks the Civic is nicer than her A4...its just she would have rather spent that money on new furniture or something else. She could care less how enjoyable a car is to drive as long as it is not her Mom's Buick.

 

[alfa147x]

We test drove a TSX...was on our list. I had a long thread on this. Test drove just about everything in the segment. The final two were the G37 and the A4, she said she liked the A4 better (gas mileage). In the end though, she would have rather just had a Civic...I was the one pushing the "nicer" cars. It wasn't that she thinks the Civic is nicer than her A4...its just she would have rather spent that money on new furniture or something else. She could care less how enjoyable a car is to drive as long as it is not her Mom's Buick.

ah sounds kinda like my gf... She wants a ford fiesta

 

[JulesMaximus]

Listen to this man. My wife totaled her Civic almost 2 years ago. She wanted another civic...I wanted something nicer and talked her into a Audi. The Audi has been great and she enjoys it...but would be just as happy/happier with the Civic. I've decided from this point on she gets whatever she wants for driving and I will buy whatever I want. Not worth forcing her into something that you are rarely going to drive.

Sounds like my wife. We were looking at the G35 sedan, the Acura TL, and the Lexus IS250/350. She found an IS250 that was the color combo she wanted. I said, let's get the 350 but she didn't see the need for the extra power or expense so we bought the 250. What do I care? It's her car, I rarely drive it.

She did admit to me later on that she wishes we bought the 350.

 

[Lotheron]

She did admit to me later on that she wishes we bought the 350.

I'm sure that was told to you in confidence and now you just let the cat out of the bag that she admitted that you might have been right on something.

For a change.

 

[reallyscrued]

Is this a brag thread on how sensible your gf is? Not perfect (buying new) but still...

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm sure that was told to you in confidence and now you just let the cat out of the bag that she admitted that you might have been right on something.

For a change.

I'm right on everything. It's you fuckers who are always off base. :awe: