How long can a Civic last?

In 1995, I bought a brand-new 1995 Honda Civic.
I still own it.
I've got 88,000 miles on it.
And it's still running great.

How long can one of these puppies last, before something catastrophic
happens, like the engine dies for good or the suspension collapses for
good?

 

I've got a Civic from the same year, only it has about 285,000 miles
on it. Still runs fine, although the rear power window motors have
gone bad...

Bhaskar

 

Dump it quick. It won't last.

My '91 Integra, which is Civic-based, is only 19 years old and has a paltry
336,000 miles on it.

I'm so disappointed that I've decided never to buy another brand-new '91
Integra ever again.

 

Good plan. We had a '92 Civic and ran it up to 350,000. Sold it in
2000 and car is still on the road. To the OP, Honda engines are a
remarkable piece of work. Regular oil changes, timing belt and a few
other steps it will last much longer than anticipated. Drop us a line
when you hit 200k

 

If you drive it regularly, somewhere around 120K miles you'll find that
a bunch of things come up all at once to make you wonder if it's time to
get rid of it.

But you spend the $2000 or so to get them all straightened out, and go
for another 120K miles.

 

correction: Honda four-bangers are a remarkable piece of work. Jewels,
actually.

The sixes...eh.

 

I have a 2003 V6 with 315,000. Still purring like a kitten

 

Yup. my '01 EX-V6 with 242,xxx miles on it must be a dud. Probably cause I
don't change the oil till the rudimentary MM tells me to.

 

Silly question.
Dont even ask if you have less than 300K.

 

routine:
* timing belt - replace on schedule.
* radiator - the polymer tanks tend to crack. if they do, you boil the
motor and that usually means a head gasket. better to spend <$150
preemptively and buy yourself another 10-15 years of no problems.
drive shaft boots. like tegger, better to replace and keep your honda
driveshafts than get stuck with aftermarket which don't last a fraction
of the time and which aren't balanced as well.

run until failed - typically around 150k:
* alternator
* starter
some after-market rebuilds are CRAP [aluminum slip rings in
alternators???!!!]. get honda-spec re-builds. or buy new - brand new
denso starters and alternators are readily available at good prices online.

reasonably maintained, these motors last 300k+.

suspension doesn't collapse, but some bushings like to be replaced -
notably the rear swing arm. shocks like to be replaced every 15 years
or so.

personally, i do /not/ recommend replacing oil seals [during the timing
belt change] unless they're actually leaking. removal can easily damage
the sealing surface, and they're frequently more problem after
replacement than left alone. if you do see leaking, change the engine
oil to a different one with a better seal conditioner before rushing to
replace seals. google this group for some write-ups on this.

ask if you have more questions.

 

potm!

 

yup.

 

A local dealer has this Accord on display in their showroom:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25362330@N02/4287121952/sizes/o/

which should lay to rest any doubts about the longevity of Accord fours
with 5-speeds. I had to wonder just what the owner did for a living to
accumulate that kind of mileage in only ten years.

Anyone know what the highest-mileage Honda on record is?

Dave

 

that's awesome!

i think there's a million mile accord out there. it was mentioned here
a while back - google will clarify.

 

http://www.autospies.com/news/Is-This-the-World-Highest-Mileage-Honda-21202/

 

A four cylinder Honda with manual transmission is an absolute jewel of a
drivetrain. Bulletproof, smooth to the end, cheap to run.

 

I bought a 1986 Civic Si new, and sold it 23 years and 150k miles
later with a few issues (rainwater leak and resultant frame rust, dead
A/C), but a sound drivetrain. That car was amazingly fast for 91HP.

 

If you change the oil every 5000~8000+ miles (use a decent filter), the
transmission fluid once a year, and the timing belt per schedule, the
engine will never 'die.'

At 15 years, your chassis bushings just may be starting to deteriorate.
Replacing them is a bit of a PITA. Some are user replaceable, but
you'll likely need a shop's assistance to press out the others.

Check suspension ball joints for torn dust boots and possible wear.
(Neglected ball joints are the ONE thing that will literally cause the
wheels to fall off!)

Check the steering tie rod bellows - they will be wanting to tear before
too long. And allowing dirt, etc. into the mechanism will cause mayhem.
Replacing them is an easy DIY job.

Check all the small water hoses that run around the intake area and
heater core. They tend to be neglected and are prone to unanticipated
blow outs.

As mentioned, drive axles will eventually get tired, but with only 88K,
you probably have another 5~10 years to find replacements! DO inspect
the boots every so often. I think Tegger's site has a good tutorial -
basically, you crank the steering wheel, jack one wheel up, and spin the
wheel. (With the car in neutral, be sure you've blocked the rear
wheels, etc!) Look for nascent cracks lurking deep in the boot's folds.
If caught early - before the grease is lost and dirt enters, damage
can be avoided and new boots installed. If the axles are worn, Honda
sells new or factory-refurb units. 'Raxles' are one of the few
aftermarket brands I'd recommend. They cost more but are worth it.

AC O-rings are getting old and will eventually leak. Don't be surprised
if the system stops working before too long. Big $ and/or major
headache to replace them.

Motor mounts are likely OK, but may need to be replaced sometime this
decade.

Lube the window track with silicone spray every year or so to reduce
load/wear/tear on the power actuator.

Other than that, put gas in and go!

Post again when you reach 200K.

 

I can guess as to the TYPE of job he might have had: It would have involved
very long periods of steady-state highway driving, possibly all day long.
The fact of his original clutch is a giveaway as to the driving
environment.

There would have been no use of starter, shifter or clutch for very long
mileage intervals. The throttle would have spent most of its time only
slightly open, resulting in very light piston-ring loading. The engine
would have spent virtually no time in a "cold startup" condition.

And this driving was done in a place that did not have Northeastern-type
winters, which are certain death to all cars.

There are numerous cases of vehicles of just about all makes completing
extreme distances under such conditions.

Good question! I know the Toyota museum in CA has a 999,999 mile Toyota.

 

This is a very difficult question to answer. Where you are, how you
drive, how you maintain the car, and your tolerance for deterioration
all figure into how long you are willing to keep the car.

My sister recently traded her 1998 Civic for a new car (the Civic was
11 years old with around 160k miles). The car ran OK, but had lots of
cosmetic issues (paint faded, paint falling off the bumpers, faded
crumbling interior plastic, etc.). It had a few mechanical problems
(moderate oil consumption, noisy exhaust, annoying vibrations, etc.).
To her the car was tolerable but she was ready for something "nicer"
and less prone to mechanical problems (i.e., a new Toyota RAV4). I
wouldn't have wanted to drive the Civic to the junk yard (in my mind
it was a horrible POS - far worse than mny 14 year old F150 with
similar mileage). I drove it to work one day to show it to a co-worker
who was interested in buying it. When I got it back to her home, I
told her I would never drive it again - it was horrid!. But, when we
listed it on Caigslist she had to fight off people who want to buy it.
It sold in a day. And the buyer seemed delighted. I suppose it is out
there somewhere chugging along with a driver who is just happy it
still moves (and the AC still works).

Back to your original question - given a mild climate, non-abusive
driving, reasonable maintenace, and a moderate tolerance for repair
costs, cosmetic appearance, and discomfort, I would asusme a Civice
could last 25 years or more - probably far longer than you will be
satisfied with it. 200,000 miles with only moderate repairs should not
be a problem. If you maintain your current driving pattern, I'd say
you could still be driving the Civic in 2020 barring government
intervention.

Ed