Honda Civic 1.5 ED GL

Alright, apart from the small original spare wheel issue, the Honda Civic 1.5 ED GL is faultless.

I Purchased this car new in 1990 and today it has 315000Km (196000 mile) on the clock.

All maintanence and repairs have been done by me (except for the first service).

This is what has been done;

-Oil, oil filter every 10000km (6000mi)

-Air filter, coolant,

fuel filter every 40000km (25000mi)

-camshaft belt (timing) every 100000km (60000mi)

Everything else has been done on a "when required" basis and often done more than once, these includes;

-Battery replacement

-brake pads

-Tyres

-CV joints

-Wiper blades

-Spark plugs

-Head light globes

-Left front brake fluid hose (this is the only thing that may be considered "unexpected")

-Wheel bearings (all wheels)

-muffler and exhaust pipe

All these things are "standard maintanence" on all cars of this type and not "repairs due to design or manufacturing faults"

The only exception was the brake line (which burst at 305000km (190000mi) whilst I was stretching at traffic lights pressing very hard on the brake peddal!

I can't say this is Honda's fault, I think 14 years is good life out of a rubber hose that moves every time the wheel moves up and down or steers!

The body is very good with no rust (even though I lived on the coast for a few years), the only signs of age are the wearing of the original pedal rubbers and the slight slop in the drivers door hinge/latch.

The motor (1.5L multi valve inline 4 cyl with twin CV carb's) still fires before a full revolution of the crank shaft (you don't hear a full crank) evey time, hot or cold, and neither carby has EVER been touched.

The motor has only ever stopped ONCE since new, this was due to the camshaft belt breaking (at over 160000km (100000mi)) I hadn't replaced it at the specified 100000k (60000mi).

However, due to Honda's design, when this occurs the pistons do not collide with the stationary valves, this means instead of damaged valves, valve guides, pistons and rockers as would be the case in other more typical motors, all i had to do was fit the new timing belt and re-time the camshaft!!

The single most impressive attribute of this and most other Honda's is the fantastic fuel consumption!

The most recent check i done was at

315000km (196000mi) when i got 5.1L/100km or (45.5mi/US Gal)!

Remember this is with NO fuel injuction, at 190000mi, it was also done with the air conditioner on for a majority of the time, driven HARD at between 100km and 130km/hr

(60 and 80mi/hr). It was on open roads as i now live in the country but drive VERY HARD none the less!

Put simply, if you want a cheap car that will go for years, use hardly any fuel and zip around in, then this car I can recommend (even if it had 200000+ mi on the clock!!

PS. don't confuse it with a car designed to tow or perform well when heavily loaded! (it's only a 1.5!!)