Questions Buying a honda civic 2.2 c-tdi

[antone88]

Hi

I stumbled across this site while doing some research on the Honda civic 2.2 c-tdi.
I am considering either this car or the VW golf 2.0 sport TDI, to be honest, I am more in favour of the civic
I currrently have a polo which I have had for 6 years so an upgrade is due and I want a diesel as my job involves alot of mileage and travelling.

I was wondering if I could get some feedback of what people think of the honda civic especially the 2.2 c-tdi. I am considering getting the sport version but second hand. Possibly a year or two old. I am thinking of getting it in the month or two.
I know there have been problems with rattling concerning the sliding glass roof but I was wondering what people thought and if they had any other problems or if they think the car is just to good =)

I was also wondering is the stereo a cd or mp3 player?

Any advice or opinions would be much appreciated

Cheers

[Dave25]

IMHO the Civic is the one to go for especially if style is important ! Diesel engine is good but opinions are split with the petrol. Had no issues with mine so far but some people have had issues that you would not expect to get with Honda. Probably best bet is to spend some time looking through the forum at the issues people have had and making your own mind up. Seem to be more issues with earlier models so probably better to go with a late as possible model.

The Sport version does not have the Panoramic glass roof, only standard on ES, optional on EX. the glass itself doesn't move but the blinds to cover it do.

[cb550]

On my second Civic diesel,and was happy and extremely impressed with the performance and economy with the first one (ES model).Happier still with the even sportier Type S

[civicfan]

The Golf is more "technically mature" but when you sit in it, you just want to get out (at least me) and that's it's problem

[TTDegs]

and the stereo in all models does indeed play mp3 (or WMA) CDs

that said, the stereo itself is best described as 'ok', rather than stunning - but there are some cheap ways to make it better


And the diesel is fantastic

[parkers142]

I Must respond to ttdegs issue with the stereo, i have an 08 type sgt and having traded in my toyota i find the stereo sound quality to be far better in the honda, the radio isnt the best, but cd, mp3, wma and my ipod sound stunning, no speaker upgrade required.

[Dave 111s]

I was in the same dilema recently and looked at both the Golf, the Civic and the Seat Leon. In the end i went for the Type S GT 2.2 as it was the most stylish, nicest to drive, best on fuel economy and emissions (mine is a company car).

I was really tempted by the Golf, having had a 150 bhp TDI before, but when it came down to it the Honda was a better all round package and i haven't regretted the decision yet.

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by parkers142

I Must respond to ttdegs issue with the stereo, i have an 08 type sgt and having traded in my toyota i find the stereo sound quality to be far better in the honda, the radio isnt the best, but cd, mp3, wma and my ipod sound stunning, no speaker upgrade required.

I guess it depends on what you've come from

compared to the Bose system in my old TT, the Civic (for me) isn't as good.

It's not bad - just not as good as I used to have

[Courant]

The civic, for me, beats the golf in 3 key areas:

1. Engine. The 2.2 ctdi is superb, very refined and linear. The only diesel I drove which was better was a BMW 2.0l. The VW in comparison was agricultural and has a distinct powerband.

2. Driving ergonomics. The civic dash works brilliantly, all the info is where you need it, the steering wheel controls work really well, the gear lever (and the gearbox) is excellent. It's very nice indeed. The only thing that annoys me slightly about the civic is the drivers seat does not go quite low enough - this may or may not be an issue for you.

3. Cost. A similar spec golf is quite a bit more than the civic. Plus, VW servicing costs are very high (yes, even higher than honda's!). The civic is the better package.

The main thing against it is the civic is a harder ride and the golf deals with rougher roads better. Again, if this is a concern depends on you.

The stereo is fine. Radio reception could be better but CDs, MP3s play really well with good sound.

Courant

[DeanFYoung]

Originally Posted by TTDegs

I guess it depends on what you've come from

compared to the Bose system in my old TT, the Civic (for me) isn't as good.

It's not bad - just not as good as I used to have

Most of my other cars have had much much better stereos / sound as standard. Like you say, its not bad, its just not as good as other manufactorers. The civic sounds too 'tinny', but quite a few people of here reckon its more down to the soundproofing in the doors rather than the stereo / speaker itself.