First I'd like to say hello to everyone, this is my first post on this site.

Anyways, like the title mentions, I'm looking into buying a new 06' Civic. I've got a few simple questions that i figured you guys would answer honestly (as apposed to a dealer's response).

First off.. i'm looking at gas mileage. how accurate are the sticker's MPG ratings? i've read a few threads on here saying that the engine (as does any new engine) has to break in first a little bit before seeing accurate numbers.. so im assumming they're pretty close.

With that in mind, which model/trim line would you think would be best? manual or auto doesn't matter to me... i can drive either one. i figured manual gets a bit better mileage when driven right. i was looking at the LX or EX models. it would need to be a sedan (i don't like having to get out for back seat passengers to get in).

correct me if i'm wrong, but the EX has a sunroof and all wheel disc brakes, right? if so, i'd be leaning towards that over the LX.

one last thing... i've never actually looked into it, but is the iVTEC part of the EX line? if so... what is everyone's thoughts about it's performance, etc...


Thanks for any help guys!

 

yes they all have i vtec. the ex does come with a sunroof and steering wheels stereo controls and the alloy wheels. the gas mileage is usually always a bit lower than epa ratings but still good. you could wait for a few months to get yourself an SI sedan with the k20 with 197hp and a six speed.

me personally i would get a dx coupe with a manuel trans and the factory ai jack for mp3 players. i am not a fan of power options though.

 

Yeah you could wait for the 4-door SI.. mmmmmmmm k20.

 

DX isn't an option for me.. i can never go back to having no power. plus- doesn't the DX not have AC either? that would be a killer too.

as for the Si Sedan- do you guys have any idea when that may be available? i know you mentioned a few months, but i was just wondering if honda had any sort of debute date or anything like that set yet.

i'm not really looking for powerful performance, but then again.. i guess i could enjoy it .

any clue what the price may be? as far as options go.. the only things im looking for are power windows and locks.. and then hopefully a sun roof (which is why i was leaning towards the EX). all audio and video can be thrown out the window.. i have much better equipement that i will be installing once everything is said and done (i love a/v stuff.. certified mecp first class, etc..)

but anyway, thanks for the input so far guys. im gonna go check out honda's website to see if i can find any info on the Si sedan

 

my 89 dx had AC, the manuel is better for gas but not a huge difference and since your looking for top fuel effieciency i would go with the dx or hell if you can find a canadian honda the Vx is top of fuel effeiciency.

 

The 4 door Si is available in August I believe. Its' sick.

As far as the Lx vs. Ex debate. I just didnt' think the sunroof and steering wheel controls were worth 2 grand. The salseman lied to me and told me that the Lx had 4 wheel disk or I may have reconsidered the Ex. I can't remeber the estimated gas mileage, but we're getting 30-35 in an auto.

All the trims (except the Si) come with the i-Vtec, 140Hp 1.8L (R18). The Ex also comes with the 16" alloy wheels instead of hubcaps, a big plus. I got the HFP wheel package anyway so they didnt' matter to me.

I was surprised how well it handles. It handles as well as my 5th gen (maybe better) and I have all aftermarket suspension on it. As far as the power goes, it's pretty peppy, but it's not gonna set your hair on fire. The Si's will be a different story though.

 

Hello Strider,

Welcome!

After living with my LX sedan for a little over 2,000 miles now, I can tell you that, for <$2,000, I wish I'd gotten the EX. But we did pay cash, and the extra $$ just were not in the budget, so I'm not complaining. :-)

In a Civic LX or EX, you get the same suspension, motor, etc. Thus, rear disk brakes aside, the LX and EX sedans handle the same. I feel the 2006 Civic might be best described as an "economy sports sedan," or a "poor man's BWM 3-series," if you will. This is based on how well the car handles at speed on the twisty back roads out in the Connecticut countryside. (Having owned two 320i's in the past--I know how Bimmers handle.) To me, the '06 Civic sedan sometimes seems almost too fast in steering response, but that may be that I'm not used to how the car handles at speed quite yet. (I came out of a '96 Civic hatchback, and a lot's changed in the past 10 years in the Civic DNA. ;-) After the summertime, when they get all of the sand off the roads, I'll have a better feel for it. :-)

That said, the EX brings a lot of nice perks to the table, if you like these sort of things: All wheel disk brakes; alloy wheels; sunroof with 6-way control, 6 speakers (EX adds two tweeters in the dash) not 4 speakers as in the LX; outside temp. indicator; steering-wheel audio controls (the one thing I miss in the LX); the split folding rear seatback (not one-piece as in the LX), variable windshield wipers, etc.

There are other differences not mentioned in the Civic sedan brochure: To site one instance, the inside of the trunk lid is lined in the EX (bare metal in the LX), and I bet there may be a few other subtle things not mentioned in the brochure, too.

It all comes down to: How much do you want to spend on a depreciating asset? (Only you can decide if you'd rather put the extra $2K into a car, or, say, your retirement account.) If the extra cash is not there for the EX, then grab an LX and be happy. For me it's a daily driver, and I use the car at work for hauling computers and such around, so I'll wiat until I retire to get the car I really want--maybe a 2016 Si) ;-) Then I'll get one I can "baby" a bit more then I can now: Commuting daily here in New England, winters certainly take their toll on cars over time. :-(

Just be certain before you buy, to avoid "buyers remorse" (i.e. when you wish you'd purhased one vs. the other). You will loose roughly $2,500 driving the car off the lot, so my advise is: Take your sweet time deciding. :-)

As for gas mileage: I'm averaging just under 30 MPG on my last two tanks of gas (29.6 and 29.2). That's all "city" type driving--back roads to work, around town at work, and so on.

Finally, see my "must read" post in this forum for sedan owners (and prospective owners).

Regards,

 

I am buying a 06 coupe EX with navi, Iam waiting for Sat to get it , shipping now.....I have had 48 cars in the last 5 years, and go from one end to another,last year a benz, pruis,mitzi, and a TSX...I always go for the model that I desire, if i dont i end up getting rid of it fast,,, I love the new civic and wanted rally red and black with navi, had it on my TSX and cant live with out it, being a woman, i love to travel...so spent the extra cash now and will not have regrets later....

 

Congrats on the purchase. You will enjoy the car. I haven't driven anything but the Si but they all are pretty nice. You will enjoy the ex more than you would have the lx. The same car but the few extra details make a difference when driving daily.

 

I have just over 1000 miles on my LX sedan 5MT. My average mpg has been increasing with every tank. The last tank was 36.5 mpg and the first was 34.5mpg. I drive about 30% highway and 70% back roads (not really "city"). Yes, the EX primarily adds alloy wheels and a sunroof. Honda alloys are way overpriced and I want a second set of wheels for snow tires, so I will pick up a set of aftermarket alloys next spring for about $300-$400. I don't personally care if I have a sunroof or not and they don't add much to resale...so it came down to a $1600 added price for rear disk brakes. Not worth it in my mind, but if you like a sunroof, the extra $$ to get the EX package is a pretty good value.

Like Glenn, I paid cash. But I insisted on a standard, which limited me to the only one available in the area (my other car died, couldn't keep renting while I waited for an ordered car...blah, blah...). I know that the EPA rating of the automatic is higher than the 5spd, but in real world driving I'm sure that the 5spd will return better numbers. And it's pretty fun to drive. There have been a number of complaints about the mpg of the automatic. I haven't followed them closely, but you might look into it more. Good luck.