Rep Power: 0

Hello all,

I am a Seattle area driver tired of the drama and expense of 4 wheel drives for a place where it only snows a couple of days a year. Hondas are my 1st love and I am targeting a used Honda Civic. I drive a normal amount across the year, but every year includes lots of road trips. I want simple, cheap mileage, reliable - which brings me to you fine people. I am targeting a used CIVIC 2009 to 2012 with less than 75,000 miles and it seems that $10,000 will cover that.

A couple of questions and I did search the forum but got mixed answers.
1) Carfax reliability? I would love to buy a civic elsewhere and then drive it home to Seattle - kind of a justifiable road trip and wonder if any of you have experience with taking the risk of relying on carfax, pictures, local feedback, etc.
2) Thoughts in general on these years of CIVICs? In a perfect world if I baby it I would like to see it go 10+ years or more.
3) That 4L engine? I live in the land of mountains and hills, some steep. I don't need it to haul a family of 8 up a hill, but wondering if that will give me enough power to not be concerned in general of me and another person with hiking gear going up Stevens pass.

Thanks!

Scott

 
Rep Power: 125

The years you mentioned cover two generations of civic, so you’d need to decide which you’d rather.

10 trouble-free years with the mileage you’re describing may be difficult. It’ll be as reliable, if not more reliable than anything else, I suppose.

Not sure what you’re meaning by 4L engine. If you’re meaning displacement, I think the largest they went was 2.0 or 2.4, depending on what generation you choose.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks!
Sorry 4 cylinders. I believe that is what they are. I had a Honda CRV that struggled in the mountains with a 4 cylinders. It could make it, but you could tell it was working at it. I believe Acords are 6 cylinder, but they are not my choice as I want to eck out as much gas miliege as possible.
I don't expect trouble free 10+ years, just not gross "end of life" stuff. In my late 50s, and I have owned 4 cars. All bought used, with about the same mileage all made it around 10 years. My MO . But some cost way too much to get there, and again part of that was unneeded 4 wheel drive.

Thanks!

Scott

 
Rep Power: 125

Accords can vary between 4 and 6-cylinder engines. The higher model civics with either the 2.0 VTEC or 2.0 Turbo engines have more than enough power to make it up mountain roads. My TSX has a similar 2.4L engine to the 9th gen civic Si and it has no issues on hills. That’s also from a car that’s 500lbs heavier.