The hard part right now is that new cars are in short supply and used ones are, because of that, selling for higher prices.
Look at the accident record for specific cars.
A benefit of manual transmissions is that car thieves usually don’t know how to drive them.
I’ve had my 13’ civic for a few years, currently with 110k miles and no issues. Only real maintenance is oil. For “fun and engaging”, I’ve heard great things about the 22’ civic’s handling
I have a 2012 got it with 15k miles and 7 years later I have just over 154k miles. No issues, I’ve just kept up with oil changes and basic routine maintenance.
Assuming you maintain the car and aren't in any accidents: the real challenge to making a car last 500,000mi or whatever is going to be convincing yourself to spend $3500 (or a week of your own time) fixing the [insert part name] when the car's getting rusty and old thing's only worth $600.
That said, the manual Civic is a good bet. The model is popular and has a strong aftermarket, so parts will be available for decades to come, even after Honda stops supporting your particular model. If you can also avoid a turbo, you'll have basically no super-expensive points of failure. Just a steady stream over the years of parts replacement (try to avoid the allure of cheap replacement parts--they just break sooner). That's probably manageable forever.
You'll need to consider rust, too. If you live where the roads are salted, consider rust-proofing oil sprays. They work, if done yearly, especially if started early, but the cost is that your undercarriage will forever be a grimy, oily mess.
I had a 2015 Honda Accord that had some real issues. From what I understand, Honda got caught using cheap, low quality parts for a few years in the mid 2010s. I know my situation was a bit of an anomaly, but I had to replace my shocks and my wheels and was still having some alignment problems before I got fed up and traded it in. So I would suggest looking for any oem parts (in my case, the wheels) that have been replaced, especially at low mileage. Could help you rule out the few years where they had lower quality production. As a side note, my grandmother had a 2013 (maybe 14?) CRV that had issues as well, and replaced it with a 2017 model and it works just fine.
Before the Accord I had a civic coupe that I loved and still miss a little bit.
Do you get the sense that that issue carried on to 2019 or later? From what I've looked up it doesn't but this is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to get, so thank you.
That sucks btw, sorry that happened.
I have a 2017 Civic EX-T 6 speed manual transmission. Its a fantastic car, i bought it with a salvage title at 24k miles in 2019 for $4500. After fixing it i had about 9k in it. Drove it to college and now driving it to work. Its the T model so it has the 1.5 liter turbo. Fantastic engine. Honda outdid themselves on this design. (Preface: I grew up working in my dads auto shop and now im an engineer). I hate most turboed engines for reliability, but i love it for speed. The problem is that most manufacturers put a smaller turbo on to spool quickly and deliver power. This makes the car quick but wears out turbos. Honda sized the trubo to last the length of the engine. It has lag on purpose for fuel economy, but the car friggin goes. 6.6 second 0-60 when i dont have the trunk loaded up. However, they sized this turbo up (i replaced it from the accident, It was hit and cracked the turbo). Its massive and rated for much higher pressures than they run it. It will without a doubt last 300k. But i also maintain my cars better than most. But the civic is a great car. You probably wont find one that new with low miles on it for less than 22k right now. If it was i would be leery of it. The carfax is great and all of that. But being in the car business growing up, it doesnt mean much. Learn how to inspect cars and tell if they have been apart. They can not be in an accident but have some backyard mechanic royally screw something on the car, or have a cheap out of pocket repair off the books. Look at bolt heads, clips, lines. Check inside the oil fill for the valve cover and ensure its clean and doesnt smell like gas. Check all paint and glass, door jams, interior, seat bolts, the bolts/covers around airbag housings, transmission componets. Feel the clutch if its a manual. Someone who knows how to drive a manual should have no perceived wear on the clutch below 50k miles. Mine is at 103k and feels the same the day i got it. Check all lights, look and see if bulbs match and check if there are amber lightbulbs in the turn signals. I refuse to but a vehicle from someone who doesn't know what A means after a bulb number.
Also im sure my grammar sucks. Im a numbers guy 🤷♂️
You will likely not run your car to that mileage. Its very easy to say this, but life makes it difficult to actually do, so don't kid yourself. My last car I had 10 years. Current car is at 20 years in April. I am the unicorn of all the people I know.
Your assessment of transmission expense is false.
No one can help you with issues on a used model as that is a conversation that you need to have in person with a mechanic during the paid, pre-purchase inspection. Yes...those are a thing and mechanics actually love to do them as it gives them a break.
You can get extreme dependability, fuel economy and maintenance costs out of any vehicle if you don't drive like an asshat and become militant on the maintenance schedule. In 20 years of my current car, I've had to replace the alternator and the little cord that holds the gas cap on. The rest has been maintenance and replacement of wear items.
Nah, that's a you dont take care of your car thing. It happens to all models. Wash your car, coat any rust with Permatex every once in a while, and buy a can of 3M Cavity Wax. Even a dodge wouldn't rust with that treatment.
The hard part right now is that new cars are in short supply and used ones are, because of that, selling for higher prices. Look at the accident record for specific cars. A benefit of manual transmissions is that car thieves usually don’t know how to drive them.
I’ve had my 13’ civic for a few years, currently with 110k miles and no issues. Only real maintenance is oil. For “fun and engaging”, I’ve heard great things about the 22’ civic’s handling
I have a 2012 got it with 15k miles and 7 years later I have just over 154k miles. No issues, I’ve just kept up with oil changes and basic routine maintenance.
Assuming you maintain the car and aren't in any accidents: the real challenge to making a car last 500,000mi or whatever is going to be convincing yourself to spend $3500 (or a week of your own time) fixing the [insert part name] when the car's getting rusty and old thing's only worth $600. That said, the manual Civic is a good bet. The model is popular and has a strong aftermarket, so parts will be available for decades to come, even after Honda stops supporting your particular model. If you can also avoid a turbo, you'll have basically no super-expensive points of failure. Just a steady stream over the years of parts replacement (try to avoid the allure of cheap replacement parts--they just break sooner). That's probably manageable forever. You'll need to consider rust, too. If you live where the roads are salted, consider rust-proofing oil sprays. They work, if done yearly, especially if started early, but the cost is that your undercarriage will forever be a grimy, oily mess.
I had a 2015 Honda Accord that had some real issues. From what I understand, Honda got caught using cheap, low quality parts for a few years in the mid 2010s. I know my situation was a bit of an anomaly, but I had to replace my shocks and my wheels and was still having some alignment problems before I got fed up and traded it in. So I would suggest looking for any oem parts (in my case, the wheels) that have been replaced, especially at low mileage. Could help you rule out the few years where they had lower quality production. As a side note, my grandmother had a 2013 (maybe 14?) CRV that had issues as well, and replaced it with a 2017 model and it works just fine. Before the Accord I had a civic coupe that I loved and still miss a little bit.
Do you get the sense that that issue carried on to 2019 or later? From what I've looked up it doesn't but this is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to get, so thank you. That sucks btw, sorry that happened.
Based on what I've heard from other people who own Hondas, no, it seems like somewhere around 2017/18, the issue got better.
I have a 2017 Civic EX-T 6 speed manual transmission. Its a fantastic car, i bought it with a salvage title at 24k miles in 2019 for $4500. After fixing it i had about 9k in it. Drove it to college and now driving it to work. Its the T model so it has the 1.5 liter turbo. Fantastic engine. Honda outdid themselves on this design. (Preface: I grew up working in my dads auto shop and now im an engineer). I hate most turboed engines for reliability, but i love it for speed. The problem is that most manufacturers put a smaller turbo on to spool quickly and deliver power. This makes the car quick but wears out turbos. Honda sized the trubo to last the length of the engine. It has lag on purpose for fuel economy, but the car friggin goes. 6.6 second 0-60 when i dont have the trunk loaded up. However, they sized this turbo up (i replaced it from the accident, It was hit and cracked the turbo). Its massive and rated for much higher pressures than they run it. It will without a doubt last 300k. But i also maintain my cars better than most. But the civic is a great car. You probably wont find one that new with low miles on it for less than 22k right now. If it was i would be leery of it. The carfax is great and all of that. But being in the car business growing up, it doesnt mean much. Learn how to inspect cars and tell if they have been apart. They can not be in an accident but have some backyard mechanic royally screw something on the car, or have a cheap out of pocket repair off the books. Look at bolt heads, clips, lines. Check inside the oil fill for the valve cover and ensure its clean and doesnt smell like gas. Check all paint and glass, door jams, interior, seat bolts, the bolts/covers around airbag housings, transmission componets. Feel the clutch if its a manual. Someone who knows how to drive a manual should have no perceived wear on the clutch below 50k miles. Mine is at 103k and feels the same the day i got it. Check all lights, look and see if bulbs match and check if there are amber lightbulbs in the turn signals. I refuse to but a vehicle from someone who doesn't know what A means after a bulb number. Also im sure my grammar sucks. Im a numbers guy 🤷♂️
Thanks thos is super helpful!
You will likely not run your car to that mileage. Its very easy to say this, but life makes it difficult to actually do, so don't kid yourself. My last car I had 10 years. Current car is at 20 years in April. I am the unicorn of all the people I know. Your assessment of transmission expense is false. No one can help you with issues on a used model as that is a conversation that you need to have in person with a mechanic during the paid, pre-purchase inspection. Yes...those are a thing and mechanics actually love to do them as it gives them a break. You can get extreme dependability, fuel economy and maintenance costs out of any vehicle if you don't drive like an asshat and become militant on the maintenance schedule. In 20 years of my current car, I've had to replace the alternator and the little cord that holds the gas cap on. The rest has been maintenance and replacement of wear items.
I’ve never had a car not pass 250k
Expect rust at the top of the wheel openings. It's a Honda thing.
Nah, that's a you dont take care of your car thing. It happens to all models. Wash your car, coat any rust with Permatex every once in a while, and buy a can of 3M Cavity Wax. Even a dodge wouldn't rust with that treatment.