Other cars Golf owner has a few questions....

[Pablo]

Hi,

I currently drive a Golf GTI, and I think its great.

However, It does like to drink so Im thinking about getting a Diesel.
The obvious replacments are Golf GT sport diesel, Auris T180 (outsider) and a civic 2.2 - not sure what spec, like the type S GT, but would like a 5 door.

My questions for you Civic drivers are:

1-How does the civic ride? I have heard its a bit jittery on 17 and larger wheels. Has anyone got a comparisson between a GTI on 18 and a civic on 17 or 18s?

2-The windscreen on the civic seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)

3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?

4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish

5- Would you by another Civic? What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?

6-Just been looking on autotrader and noticed that civics in general, but especially Type S/R seem REALLY low. Do the get over speedhumps without scraping, and can the front bumper go over standard kerbs when parking?

Sorry if this digs up old ground, But I have had a quick search and would like clarification.

All advice appriciated,

Paul

PS-Im new here, great forum!!!

[Stype_GT]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Hi,

2-The windsreen on the civiv seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)

3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?

4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish

5- Would you by another Civic? What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?
!

2. I have no problem with mine.
3. The front seats don't have memory which is annoying but I can kinda live with it. Hoping Honda will change this in the 08 model. Getting in and out is not to bad, obviously the aged (70+) do have a little difficulty.
4. I see around 450 - 470 per tank full. A few peeps on here have had better but I think thats driving super super carefully. If you have the option I'd suggest cruise control.
5. YES YES YES and YES AGAIN. Had a few cars in the 10 years since passing and I can honestly say Honda have got it right out of all of them (Pugs / Volvo / Fords ). I want a Type R next !!!

Good luck with making your mind up! Let us know how it goes!

[Jack The Lad.]

I have a Type S GT and yes I have caught it already on a speed bump, But since then I just go over them a bit slower and b-gger the 4x4 behind me he can wait.
Not a problem since then.
My last 120 mile trip on dual carriage way and lesser roads was 54 mpg. and I wasn't hanging about.
I'm perfectly happy with the ride on the standard 17".
This is my 4th Honda.
As for the Tom Tom, others on here will know better than I.
And as mentioned by StypeGt, go for the GT, with cruise control.

[pekwah1]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Hi,

1-How does the civic ride? I have heard its a bit jittery on 17 and larger wheels. Has anyone got a comparisson between a GTI on 18 and a civic on 17 or 18s?
2-The windscreen on the civic seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)
3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?
4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish
5- Would you by another Civic? What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?
6-Just been looking on autotrader and noticed that civics in general, but especially Type S/R seem REALLY low. Do the get over speedhumps without scraping, and can the front bumper go over standard kerbs when parking?

Hi and welcome!
1. Fraid i can't compare to a Golf, never driven a newer one, but ride on my 2.2 diesel is amazing on 16s. Sticks to the road!

2. Windscreen is fine, i had no problem sticking a tomtom on it!

3. Mine's a 5 door, i would recommend if you fancy great access to the amazing magic seats in the back. They are fupping great!

4. MPG is great, i (safely of course) usually drive with my foot to the floor at every chance and have never dropped below 40mpg over a tank. Cruising at 70 i get somewhere around 45mpg i'd say.

5. Would definitely get another Civ. I'd have a 5 door again, but probably get an EX model cos i've only got the basic SE. Cruise control would be nice!

6. Don't know how low the type Rs are, but obviously the standard diesels go over bumps and kurbs no probs.

Hope this helps!
Andy

PS. check out this post for a good civic/golf comparison:
VW Golf GT TDi vs Civic

[TTDegs]

Originally Posted by Pablo

1-How does the civic ride? I have heard its a bit jittery on 17 and larger wheels. Has anyone got a comparisson between a GTI on 18 and a civic on 17 or 18s?

no direct comparison I'm afraid
But mine on 18s is fine for me
Did come from a TT on 18s mind...

2-The windscreen on the civic seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)

Again, can't comment, sorry, as I have the built in one
There is a recent thread in here - Sat Nav / HFT, worth it?, which would make a good read
Bear in mind that it is standard on the EX... (well, included in the price)

3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?

Oh dear, another one I can't answer...

4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish

aha!
In normal use, I get mid to high 40s
However, on Wednesday this week, I did a journey from Cardiff to Leeds and back.
95% motorway, cruising at 65 - 70 mph (real speed, Civ speedo reads a bit high)
I did the entire 550 mile journey on one tank, and filled it back up with almost exactly 10 gallons.

5- Would you by another Civic?

yes - already thinking about the next one when this one's lease is up next year

What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?

Have, and keep:
HIDs (which means a Sport or EX spec)
Sat Nav, with HFT (sorry!) Neither are great, but the fact that they are integrated rather than stuck on wins the day for me - plus it means you can have the reverse cam
18" Storms - suit the NHB to perfection

Have, but wouldn't go for Honda items:
Reverse cam - fantastic and useful toy, but soooo much cheaper to DIY
Ambient Lighting - great touch, and nice - but again DIY them
bassworks - wish I'd saved the money
Seat pocket - this turned out to be a set of 3 (bigish) pockets which velcro to the back of the back seats...

Would add:
Possibly leather
Definately image pack (lease wouldn't allow it )

6-Just been looking on autotrader and noticed that civics in general, but especially Type S/R seem REALLY low. Do the get over speedhumps without scraping, and can the front bumper go over standard kerbs when parking?

speed bumps can scrape - but it's only the mini mudflaps that do, nothing important or fragile
When taken at normal speed anyway! LOL
You don't have to crawl over them

Never tried the 'bump up the curb' parking - like my Storms too much!
(Not that you could tell by the number of times I've curbed them )

...and a civic 2.2 - not sure what spec, like the type S GT, but would like a 5 door.

saved this bit till last

2.2 - good choice!
The 5dr EX is obviously the most fully loaded - but at a price.

5dr vs 3dr - loooong debate!
On most colours, at first glance the 5dr can be (and still is) mistaken for a 3 door.
But - much as I love mine, and all the ease / verisitility of having 5 doors, I'm still tempted by an S...
There are a couple of things available on the 5dr that you simply can't spec on the 3 - HIDs being the one that springs to mind


Best bet is to list the things you need and the things you would like - and then see which spec they are actually available on.
For me - HIDs were a need - which immediately cut it down to the Sport or EX models.

but whatever you end up with, you will love it

[djm]

I will not have a word said against the Honda Civic satnav. As someone who previously had a NAVMAN icn520 and has used a Tom Tom, the Honda Satnav is TOP DRAWER. I took it round Europe this summer and it got me from my home to hotels in Limberg and Koblenz with no fuss. It is quicker, more responsive, has clearer instruction, actually speaks the road names at you; it even tells you your altitude, and to top it all, is entirely voice controlled. It is widely regarded across the motoring press as one of, if not the best, standard fit sat nav available.

Regarding Fuel Consumption, when viewing figures bear in mind that the Civic has a smaller tank than many cars in its class - 50 litres. Am I right in saying the Golf has a 60 litre tank?

I drive the 2.2ex - go for a test drive and decide for yourself. You won't another Golf, believe me.

[FWH]

1-How does the civic ride? I have heard its a bit jittery on 17 and larger wheels. Has anyone got a comparisson between a GTI on 18 and a civic on 17 or 18s?

I like the ride. It is a bit stiffer than some other cars, which means it handles well with a bit of a trade off on comfort over potholes. I have 17s, I personally would not go for 18" on either Civic or anything else for comfort.

2-The windscreen on the civic seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)

I really like the build in satnav - it also enhances audio and climate controls etc. But that was not your question. There is a bit of rake, so putting the TomTom at the very begining of the screen maybe difficult, but there are many installs on TomToms etc which I have seen looking good. The smartest one is one member using the clear plastic next to the audio screen for fastening the suction cup.

See this thread:
My first new Civic from Slovenia

3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?

From what I have heard - no.
But have a 5 door myself.

4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish

Depends on how you drive and what kind of traffic.
See the fuel survey:
http://www.civinfo.com/forum/survey.php

5- Would you by another Civic? What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?

Yes I would buy another. I have not had any of the issues and it is the coolest car for the money.

I went for the blue footwell lighting and parking sensors thanks to advice from this forum and am very happy with that. The Grand Prix kits and Storm alloys look very nice - all a question of how much you want to spend. I stayed away from Hondas overpriced audio upgrades and am currently looking at aftermarket stuff.

See the other surveys, satisfaction and improvements:
http://www.civinfo.com/forum/survey.php

6-Just been looking on autotrader and noticed that civics in general, but especially Type S/R seem REALLY low. Do the get over speedhumps without scraping, and can the front bumper go over standard kerbs when parking?

My 5 door is no problems. Don´t know about CTR though.

[Pablo]

Hi,

Thanks to all those that have taken the time to reply, certinly given me food for thought.

[Type S Bournemouth]

Originally Posted by djm

I will not have a word said against the Honda Civic satnav. As someone who previously had a NAVMAN icn520 and has used a Tom Tom, the Honda Satnav is TOP DRAWER. I took it round Europe this summer and it got me from my home to hotels in Limberg and Koblenz with no fuss. It is quicker, more responsive, has clearer instruction, actually speaks the road names at you; it even tells you your altitude, and to top it all, is entirely voice controlled. It is widely regarded across the motoring press as one of, if not the best, standard fit sat nav available.

Regarding Fuel Consumption, when viewing figures bear in mind that the Civic has a smaller tank than many cars in its class - 50 litres. Am I right in saying the Golf has a 60 litre tank?

I drive the 2.2ex - go for a test drive and decide for yourself. You won't another Golf, believe me.

Agree with you totally about the sat nav, its far superior to the Tomtom or any external device. I used a Tomtom loads for my previous job and lets say I would never go back to one.

[PJdali]

Interesting topic..

I've a golf 1.4fsi..........it's been a great car. No complaints at all, build quality has been excellent...no rattles or unwanted drafts. I did add some comfort stuff when buying such as auto dimm rear view mirror, coming home lights, elec folding mirrors and really like the spec of my golf........just want something with a bit more power and oomph.


I've just about tee'd up a deal for a new Civic 1.8 Sport and literally about to place the order ...and a mate of mine has put me in touch with an in-law who runs a VW dealership.


I've been offerred a new factory order GOLF 1.4tsi GT SPORT 140bhp for approx £2000 off the list price. It's a huge offer IMHO but I simply can't decide.........my missus has real concerns over the rear view being obstructed in the Civic which has been driving me mad as I'd have bought the Honda car by now if it were not such a pain in the ****. I fancy a change but the GT Sport is a very desirable car aswell...and is well kitted out.

I guess on a Civic forum I'll get some obvious slant but this does seem like a helluva deal for a VW.

I reckon i can squeeze a bit more from the Honda dealer (maybe some extras mats, spare wheel, full tank of fuel) but there is not much discount it seems out there for Honda's.

Opinions?

[TTDegs]

The Golf was on my 'look at' list when choosing the car this time round.
Admitedly the GTi or the diesel version. Or the 4 motion thing.

Anyho.

I got as far as sitting in it - then woke up 5 mins later

I'm sure its a great car, and I've come from a line of 3 different Audis, so I know build quality etc should be good

But it was just so boring!

However, the look and feel of the cabin is very much a personal thing, so if its your cup of tea...

[Cad]

Having driven Golfs for a number of weeks this year, I can offer a direct comparison.

The Golf GT Sport (170bhp Diesel), and the 1.9 TDI have a more pleasant ride. The Civic's ride does feel a little harsh compared to other cars in its class. The Civic's engine, however, blows the Golf unit away. The VW diesels seem abnormally loud, especially the GT Sport unit (noisy both inside and outside the cabin).

The Golf interior is quality. Nothing squeaks, rattles, or falls off. It does look a little dated (but what doesn't compared to the Civic), but it is utterly reliable and functional. The Civic does have squeaks and rattles, but nothing really bad. The Golfs I drove had an iPod connector as standard.

The paint on the Golf looks like it will last forever. The paint on the Civic is soft to the point of parody! Rub against it, allow your door to touch anything harder than a sponge and you'll have scrapes to sort out. Take a drive along the motorway and be horrified at how many dings one car can pick up!

The Honda Satnav is good, especially the TMC service. Standard equipment on the Honda is very generous (for the EX anyway). Aftermarket accessories for the Honda are very expensive!

There's more to the Civic than just bald feature comparison though. It has a certain something that is hard to define, but makes it an utter joy to drive!

My recommendation... go for the Civic, or wait for the new Golf due out end of next year.

Good Luck!

[PJdali]

Appreciate the replies......as you can't beat personal experience to help shed some light on my choice.

I really have enjoyed every minute I've spent in the Civic..........yesterdays (our 3rd) test drive was about 50mins and my wife got all of those 50mins

Got a chance to have a real look around the car when on the road and moving as a passenger ........the test car's black rubbery dash was a bit of a mess to be honest (loadsa dust and scratches).....and I noticed the gap between the passenger end of the dash was huge when the door was closed yet the drivers side was fairly tight....back seat comfort was excellent and an occasional little noise from the rear or a rattle sometimes when going over wee bumps...might have been the stuff for the puncture fix moving about?!?

My wife has the issue with rear visibility and needed convincing..........and I think she liked the drive ...says "it was great...but I like my Golf" Insert optional sweary words for my reply asking for either an acceptance to buy a Civic or not?!? My wife just can't understand why I want a new car !! Am I alone in being held back in pursuing a mans\womans right to drive a car with 140+bhp ????

I've read over so many threads from owners who really love their Civics, and obviously cherish every aspect of the car.....hence it's still up there as my next drive.

There's obviously some niggles such as the scratchy shiny dash, and other dash materials that are maybe not as prone to kids and adults who treat cars like wheely bins !! Are these issues really a big problem?

The Civic has really caught my eye..............agree 100% that the Golf dash is bland and compared to a modern and stylish Civic no comparison IMHO.

As I'd mentioned the Golf I've been quoted for is the GT Sport 1.4tsi (140bhp)...... and against the 1.8 i-vtec both have roughly same 0-62 and top speed, but torque range is maybe better in VW.....

Buying a car should be an absolute pleasure.......and I'm now finding myself with this raging debate in the back of mind Civic 1.8 Sport or Golf 1.4tsi GT Sport........my mife won't talk cars until tomorrow now as I've probably bored her to death yesterday trying to prise a decision out of her.............

I need a drink

[TTDegs]

re the dash - it definately is a bit on the delicate side, and unfortunately many owners find this out the hard way

However, once you know about it, and clean it appropriately, it can be kept looking nice

And (this probably isn't going to help much) - if its torque you're after, and can offset the better mpg against the increased cost... the 2.2 has ooodles of it

[FWH]

Originally Posted by PJdali

I need a drink

Sake or Lowenbrau?

[davee7]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Hi,

I currently drive a Golf GTI, and I think its great.

However, It does like to drink so Im thinking about getting a Diesel.
The obvious replacments are Golf GT sport diesel, Auris T180 (outsider) and a civic 2.2 - not sure what spec, like the type S GT, but would like a 5 door.

My questions for you Civic drivers are:

1-How does the civic ride? I have heard its a bit jittery on 17 and larger wheels. Has anyone got a comparisson between a GTI on 18 and a civic on 17 or 18s?

2-The windscreen on the civic seems quite raked, can you reach the bottom to stick a tomtom to it? (totom anyday over standard fit!!!)

3-On 3 door civics, do the front seats have memory? And how easy are they to get in and out of the back?

4- Economy. What sort of MPG do you get sitting at about 70-ish

5- Would you by another Civic? What options would you have added, or deleted now that you have the benefit of hindsight?

6-Just been looking on autotrader and noticed that civics in general, but especially Type S/R seem REALLY low. Do the get over speedhumps without scraping, and can the front bumper go over standard kerbs when parking?

Sorry if this digs up old ground, But I have had a quick search and would like clarification.

All advice appriciated,

Paul

PS-Im new here, great forum!!!

1 - Many differing opionions. Journalists say it's too harsh - I think it's okay (and I'm running on 18"s!!!). A matter of opinion I suppose. But I think it looks better on 18"s and if you're a sporty driver than you you won't mind the firm ride.
2 - I have an EX and therefore the Honda satnav - which I think is okay though I don't use it so much (I don't like relying solely on satnav anyway though the traffic alerts are handy!).
4 - I'm personally not too happy with the mpg. Last Friday I filled up and then drove to North Wales and back and averaged no more than 40mpg (set the trip computer to average mpg from filling up with fuel). My motorway speeds were 75 to 85 most of the time.
5 - No I wouldn't. Paint quality is way too poor, the easy scratch dashboard, my dealership experiences are not great (Brindley Fleet and City Basingstoke), real world mpg is not as good as it should be.
6 - I've had no incidents here.

A few other things I would say:
- I bought the EX as I always like to buy the top spec - satnav, xenons, folding mirrors, etc are all nice but the HFT is so annoying!
- The 2.2 engines performance is great - it's just the mpg that I feel lets it down.
- The boot is excellent - big and very accesible. The 'hidden compartment' is genius for holding shopping and stopping cans rolling around - and the trick folding seats make the civic very van-like in load capacity!!!

Anyway - just my opinions. Hope whatever you decide works out well for you...

[cb550]

Originally Posted by davee7

1 - Many differing opionions. Journalists say it's too harsh - I think it's okay (and I'm running on 18"s!!!). A matter of opinion I suppose. But I think it looks better on 18"s and if you're a sporty driver than you you won't mind the firm ride.
2 - I have an EX and therefore the Honda satnav - which I think is okay though I don't use it so much (I don't like relying solely on satnav anyway though the traffic alerts are handy!).
4 - I'm personally not too happy with the mpg. Last Friday I filled up and then drove to North Wales and back and averaged no more than 40mpg (set the trip computer to average mpg from filling up with fuel). My motorway speeds were 75 to 85 most of the time.
5 - No I wouldn't. Paint quality is way too poor, the easy scratch dashboard, my dealership experiences are not great (Brindley Fleet and City Basingstoke), real world mpg is not as good as it should be.
6 - I've had no incidents here.

A few other things I would say:
- I bought the EX as I always like to buy the top spec - satnav, xenons, folding mirrors, etc are all nice but the HFT is so annoying!
- The 2.2 engines performance is great - it's just the mpg that I feel lets it down.
- The boot is excellent - big and very accesible. The 'hidden compartment' is genius for holding shopping and stopping cans rolling around - and the trick folding seats make the civic very van-like in load capacity!!!

Anyway - just my opinions. Hope whatever you decide works out well for you...

About your fuel consumption.Is your car low mileage-less than 5k?If the car is still pretty new it may well improve.A recent trip to Buxton,Derbyshire from Nottingham and return driven without any thought for economy avaraged 62 mpg(computer reading).Around town 48 mpg is normal

[davee7]

Originally Posted by cb550

About your fuel consumption.Is your car low mileage-less than 5k?If the car is still pretty new it may well improve.A recent trip to Buxton,Derbyshire from Nottingham and return driven without any thought for economy avaraged 62 mpg(computer reading).Around town 48 mpg is normal

Almost 7k miles now. Took it to Honda a few weeks ago and they said there was nothing wrong with the car. I guess it's my "driving style". Still not happy though - I got a mate who thrashes his 1 year old 2.0 TDCI Focus and gets 50mpg.....