Potential Civic Owner Has Questions

I am interested in a new Civic but have a few questions.

Initially I was interested in a 2019 Civic EX with the 1.5L turbo but after reading online regarding potential issues with oil dilution I'm having second thoughts. This is a car I would like to buy and keep for 10 years. It's my understanding that the 2.0L engine might be the safer (but more boring) option. I have actually driven both and of course I liked the 1.5L better but I could live with the 2.0 - the bad part is that a few of the options I would like to have only come on the 1.5L.

Also do these civics require full synthetic oil? And what is the approx cost of an oil change? I'm not a do it your selfer.

How expensive is overall maintenance on these new civics?

Does these have a timing chain or belt? Is there any maintenance required in this area?

Thanks,

-Guru

listed guru said:

I am interested in a new Civic but have a few questions.

Initially I was interested in a 2019 Civic EX with the 1.5L turbo but after reading online regarding potential issues with oil dilution I'm having second thoughts. This is a car I would like to buy and keep for 10 years. It's my understanding that the 2.0L engine might be the safer (but more boring) option. I have actually driven both and of course I liked the 1.5L better but I could live with the 2.0 - the bad part is that a few of the options I would like to have only come on the 1.5L.

Also do these civics require full synthetic oil? And what is the approx cost of an oil change? I'm not a do it your selfer.

How expensive is overall maintenance on these new civics?

Does these have a timing chain or belt? Is there any maintenance required in this area?

Thanks,

-Guru

Click to expand...

Hi Guru,
I had an EX-T for 3 years with no problems at all. I’ve recently traded up to the Si, which is even more fun.

The oil dilution problem seems to be very hit or miss in the Civics, it appears to be a bigger issue in the CR-V. There was a software update that was supposed to cure the problem. I live in Ohio, and had no issues at all.

Yes, full synthetic oil is recommended. The car has a sensor that tells you when to change the oil. In my EX-T I only needed to about every 5000 miles. As for cost, that’s all over the board, but in my area I could get it done at a quick-change type place for $69, but I find the Honda dealers regularly run coupons for as little as $24.99, so I usually go there.

There has been much kvetching on these forums and elsewhere about the long-term durability of the 1.5T, with the doom-sayers predictions of the car’s demise two days after you bought it. That is of course nonsense. There are plenty of high mileage X-gens out there now, and the 1.5 has been long proven in the FiT.

I only had my 1.5t hatch for around 4 months so I can't give my personal experience on the oil dilution problem.
But based on the forum, the reported case isn't high and seem to happen on cold areas exacerbated by short-distance travels (the engine don't get to the normal operating temperature).

Almost any car you look to buy, there is some issue. Folks don't go on chat boards to only highlight how awesome their cars are. And if you ready and believed any issue about any car, you would never buy one.

As mentioned, there is a software upgrade that appears to have helped. Also, those who report the issue the most are cold weather climates subjected to short use/trips.

If you like the car, go for a test drive and see if it works for you.

Chain or belt.. both have "maintenance" A belt usually is 60K miles.. a chain can last forever, but usually the plastic chain guides wear out and need replacement. IIRC, these cars have a chain, not a belt.

I just got my Civic Touring last week. I read about the problems and then decided to go to the Prius forums and look up the issues with what I was trading in and there were all sorts of issues, none of which I had. Drive the car and if you like it, get it. Add the extended warranty and love your new car.

Browncoat3000 said:

Hi Guru,
I had an EX-T for 3 years with no problems at all. I’ve recently traded up to the Si, which is even more fun.

The oil dilution problem seems to be very hit or miss in the Civics, it appears to be a bigger issue in the CR-V. There was a software update that was supposed to cure the problem. I live in Ohio, and had no issues at all.

Yes, full synthetic oil is recommended. The car has a sensor that tells you when to change the oil. In my EX-T I only needed to about every 5000 miles. As for cost, that’s all over the board, but in my area I could get it done at a quick-change type place for $69, but I find the Honda dealers regularly run coupons for as little as $24.99, so I usually go there.

There has been much kvetching on these forums and elsewhere about the long-term durability of the 1.5T, with the doom-sayers predictions of the car’s demise two days after you bought it. That is of course nonsense. There are plenty of high mileage X-gens out there now, and the 1.5 has been long proven in the FiT.

Click to expand...

How long has the Fit had the NA 1.5L for?

listed guru said:

I am interested in a new Civic but have a few questions.

Initially I was interested in a 2019 Civic EX with the 1.5L turbo but after reading online regarding potential issues with oil dilution I'm having second thoughts. This is a car I would like to buy and keep for 10 years. It's my understanding that the 2.0L engine might be the safer (but more boring) option. I have actually driven both and of course I liked the 1.5L better but I could live with the 2.0 - the bad part is that a few of the options I would like to have only come on the 1.5L.

Also do these civics require full synthetic oil? And what is the approx cost of an oil change? I'm not a do it your selfer.

How expensive is overall maintenance on these new civics?

Does these have a timing chain or belt? Is there any maintenance required in this area?

Thanks,

-Guru

Click to expand...

I have 60k miles on my civic 1.5t with no issues so far. I get my oil changed at the dealership here for $80 so you should get it cheaper seeing as your in the states. Theres lots of 1.5t civics with over 160k miles. I just got the extended warranty for piece of mind so you can always do that.

Both the K20 and L15 engines have timing chains.

MutatedMango said:

How long has the Fit had the NA 1.5L for?

Click to expand...

The North American Fit has always had the 1.5, so 2006 according to Wiki. The CVT for the Fit was introduced in 2015 for North America.

I do still have my Civic, but my best advice I’d give a friend is to stay away from the Civic. There’s just too many problems with them.

warsaws said:

I do still have my Civic, but my best advice I’d give a friend is to stay away from the Civic. There’s just too many problems with them.

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This "friendly advice" is useless.
To give it any sense you need to promptly add:

1. Civic has so many problems in comparison to which specific cars, which have much less problems
2. Which car to better buy instead of a civic.

I now have over 67,000 miles on my Si (1.5 turbo). Because I drive mostly highway miles, my instrument panel computer has me change the oil every 9,000 miles or so. It still runs great with no problems.

racer said:

Almost any car you look to buy, there is some issue. t.

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Wrong.

Listed Guru, what did you do since june ?

If I were to buy a GenX Civic again, I'd go with the newer/newest model 1.5T, 2018'+. I was on the same boat as you, but was looking at a 2016 1.5T. And 2016 being the first generation of 1.5T, there's always potential/risk of issues. So I ended up with the 2.0NA, and have no regrets whatsoever. By this time now, the 2018+ 1.5T is already 3 generations of that engine. So there should be substantial improvements made concerning reliability/longevity. If you can afford it, go with the 2019+ 1.5T to be on the safe side.

If this car will be your main daily driver/commuter, then either engine will do, but I'd suggest leaving the car completely stock. Either engines, you must keep up with maintenance, and that's fairly cheap to get done. But if this is a secondary car that you plan to modify and have fun with, then the 1.5T would be the better choice. Or if you don't mind having a daily driver/commuter that you want to modify to have fun with occasionally, then the 1.5T should suffice. Although I've read the 2.0NA is great with tune by Ktuner, and certainly wakes the engine up. So that all depends on your budget and plans. Personally for me, I'm keeping my 2.0NA stock unless I can find a California CARB Legal intake, and that's the most I plan to do.

Although Honda is known for reliability and longevity. A machine is a machine and can still be subjected to faults/failures. But some companies are more productive about preventative issues and always improving. Honda, Toyota, among other companies are high up there with reliability.

warsaws said:

I do still have my Civic, but my best advice I’d give a friend is to stay away from the Civic. There’s just too many problems with them.

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Sorry to hear yours has been problematic. Two and a half years in, I'm loving my '17 1.5T (tuned EX-L sedan).