I am thinking of getting a 2001 Civic (automatic), but I hear Honda had trouble with the transmission, specifically the torque converter that year. Should I stear clear of 2001s?

 

i have an 03 and i know they have the same set of engines idk about trans but i have had no probs with 70k miles

 

I've heard bad things about the 01 autos. All of the 01-05 have really weak auto transmission, but I do recall hearing worse about the 01. The clutches are very small and dainty, and tend to wear away around 100k, some people have made it way further though. You'd probabaly be ok if you're willing to spend the money for a rebuild in the future. Otherwise, you might want to stick with 02+ or just get a 5-speed .