What ever happened the Honda Civic that was so popular in the 90's

censuspro · 20-02-2012 5:09pm #1

If memory serves me correct, there were alot more Honda Civics on the road in the 90's. Even boy racers were driving them along wth the VW Golf.

Am I right in thnking that the Civic has lost it's market share in Ireland?

djimi · 20-02-2012 5:16pm

Theres still a lot of Civics knocking around. The 90s models were the ones popular with "boy racers" (I really hate that term...); the newer models didnt really hit that scene at all. Theres still a fair amount of mid to late 90s model Civics knocking around, but as with any car from that era age and scrappage schemes has taken its toll. Doesnt help that so many of the hatchback model got modified beyond recognition!

Im not really sure why there are less on the road than there once were but price and running costs might have something to do with it. Hondas were never cheap to buy and Civics especially have a stigma attacked to them with insurance companies that makes them more expensive/difficult to insure. Its not really what people want nowadays where the trend seems to be more for 1.4 diesels that are cheap to buy and run.

Testament1 · 20-02-2012 5:53pm

censuspro wrote: »

If memory serves me correct, there were alot more Honda Civics on the road in the 90's. Even boy racers were driving them along wth the VW Golf.

Am I right in thnking that the Civic has lost it's market share in Ireland?

The reason "boy racers" were driving them was because the top model EG and EK Civics were actually decent performance cars which were fairly cheap to run. Of course there were plenty lads who went for the tarted up 1.4s because they couldnt afford the real deal.

Main reason you dont see many of the performance variants on the road these days is due high insurance and rising fuel prices aswell as loss of jobs and emigration. The tacky 1.4s are a rare sight as their former owners are most likely driving around in a serious booooo machine these days

. Of course there were lots of people who would have opted in to the scrappage scheme and bought a new car aswell.

There is still a good dart of Civics of that era about but nowhere near as much as there used to be. Newer Civics werent too popular with younger drivers because they were for the most part pretty bland, boring cars.

voojeq · 20-02-2012 6:14pm

IMO all civics are either modified beyond recognition or trashed to pieces by its users.

Ones from the 90's are the most popular because of EG and EK series as mentioned earlier on here. New (2010) civic is **** in many ways, and actually handles worse than the previous (EP) version.

Srsly only EK and EG's are worth a punt. EG's are becoming very rare now and EK's are next in line.

Times change.

JoeA3 · 20-02-2012 6:20pm

Strangely, Civics have never remotely had a reputation as a boy-racer mobile in the UK.

In fact they have the completely opposite image!

ShadowHearth · 20-02-2012 6:45pm

Well do we talk about why civic drop in popularity as model, or where did all the old ones gone?

Well part 1:

I don't think that spaceship look did a faivor to civic latest generation. It is defenetly not for the everyone, so they limited their sales alot by this. 2.2 diesel ( pre 08 tax system ) did not do a faivor too. Anything above 2.0 and tax goes to lialia land!

Part 2:

Why there are no old ones around? Well... Alot of th died on roads, there is a reason why they are I'm black list of insurance companies. Good few rusted away I guess, it's not a young car ( eg ). Like mentioned above: alot of those are destroyed by awesome body kits or heavy foots.

jayok · 20-02-2012 6:52pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Well do we talk about why civic drop in popularity as model, or where did all the old ones gone?

In response to Part 1:

I think the drop in popularity was simply due to cost. Granted the older EG/EK Civic were not the cheapest car, but in terms of reliability and general performance they were pretty good.

It seems the other manufacturers have simply caught up and even pass Honda in this regard. Most petrol cars have vastly improved relability from those of the 90s (e.g. Ford Escorts, Orions) and the Civic has lost ground here. To try and hold market share, Honda have attempted to shove the Civic into the Premium section of the band by offering things like cruise, panoramic roofs, etc, but now they are simply too expensive.

So, while the older Civic's were simple, but reliable, the newer Civic have tended towards the same as other brands, albeit more expensive. I mean Kia and Hyundai have really upped the their game.

ShadowHearth · 20-02-2012 6:58pm

jayok wrote: »

In response to Part 1:

I think the drop in popularity was simply due to cost. Granted the older EG/EK Civic were not the cheapest car, but in terms of reliability and general performance they were pretty good.

It seems the other manufacturers have simply caught up and even pass Honda in this regard. Most petrol cars have vastly improved relability from those of the 90s (e.g. Ford Escorts, Orions) and the Civic has lost ground here. To try and hold market share, Honda have attempted to shove the Civic into the Premium section of the band by offering things like cruise, panoramic roofs, etc, but now they are simply too expensive.

So, while the older Civic's were simple, but reliable, the newer Civic have tended towards the same as other brands, albeit more expensive. I mean Kia and Hyundai have really upped the their game.

That might be spot on m8. From something unique: simple, sturdy, reliable, they went in to " same as others" + weird design.

Gary ITR · 20-02-2012 7:06pm

I own two of them

For the road
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For the track
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While in certain guises they are very quick and handle really well I certainly wouldn't like to be in a crash in one that doesn't have a cage. They are like tin cans

Atlantic Dawn · 20-02-2012 7:37pm

The reason numbers are so down is price, they were retailing in or around €25k for a basic spec model, this compared to change of €20k for the likes of a Golf or Corolla. I see Honda have the new model now for around €20k so sales may improve.

Green Hornet · 20-02-2012 8:04pm

I would have thought that there were more of the outgoing Civic models on the road than the previous 01-05 models though? They were desperate looking yokes.

Good few of the spaceship models around where I'm from.

colm_mcm · 20-02-2012 8:13pm

Don't forget, they didn't sell in big numbers here, but they came in from Japan by the boatload, I remember in the 90s importers just imported corolla and corona diesels for the taxi drivers, pajeros for the farmers and businessmen, and civics for the racers.

savagecabbages · 20-02-2012 8:20pm

JoeA3 wrote: »

Strangely, Civics have never remotely had a reputation as a boy-racer mobile in the UK.

In fact they have the completely opposite image!

Hondas have a reputation for being driven by OAPs in many other countries...
Funny how something takes off here & nowhere else. Or vice-versa

bazz26 · 20-02-2012 11:13pm

Most of the guys that owned them also have moved on to a "felt" spec A4 TDi or Altezza.

lau1247 · 20-02-2012 11:44pm

I've seen a few honda variant oversea that are different in styling and why they never bother bringing the Honda City to the european market (Other than poland I see on wikipedia) is beyond me..

Nice compact saloon with a decent output petrol engine.. Drove one before, gotta love that v-tec engine..

Also drove the 2 litre Saloon Honda Civic.. superb car.. very light chassis and great poke when needed.. it really is a free revving engine

If they sell the 2 litre saloon civic here in ireland, I'd seriously consider it..

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zmchris · 21-02-2012 12:12am

i own a 89 box shape ef honda civic and its my baby totally original and im fixin it up may evan get a respray bought it of an old man still has the original hudcaps and mats most lads that bought them civic are parked up or garaged simply because of the price of insurance petrol and the likes few of my mates have eg ek civics and dc2 integras and they have pumped so much money into them that they would never get back so they would rather keep them than let some 17 year old wreck in years to come they might be sought after cars

Sleepy · 21-02-2012 12:12am

That looks like something I'd go for if I'd the cash.

My first car was a 1997 5 door Civic with the 1.4 engine. I'd probably still have it if a prick in a Kia jeep hadn't written it off on me. Sure, it had no power but the handling was great and it was incredibly reliable, especially considering I knew nothing about service schedules and followed my mother's attitude of it'll be serviced once a year whether it needed it or not (and running 30k miles on the clock each year :rolleyes:)

bazz26 · 21-02-2012 1:30am

Seen a good few of those Honda Citys in Malaysia last year, I think they are build in Thailand and designed specifically for emerging nations in that region. They looks similar to the Suzuki SX4 saloon as in they sit tall with a boot. Importing them into the EU would be too expensive given they are supposed to be budget transportation.

censuspro · 26-02-2012 9:07pm

How is it that the Golf has remained so popular over time where the Civic has lost ground?

voojeq · 26-02-2012 9:30pm

because vw doesnt have vtec technology which makes insurers panties wet everyime they see it on your logbook

tommyombomb · 26-02-2012 9:42pm

think the 2006-2011 was a step in the right direction

wished they beefed it up with the 2012 model.

got one myself + like it. handles well

Seweryn · 26-02-2012 9:51pm

voojeq wrote: »

IMO all civics are either modified beyond recognition or trashed to pieces by its users.

Not all of them. My own EK3 VTi is not trashed and is completely original with the Honda factory radio still in and it will be kept that way

.
The thing that amazes me in that car is the fuel economy. It averages 46.6 mpg at the moment (and even better on a long, gentle run), which is Diesel teoritory.
All in all great little car.

voojeq · 26-02-2012 11:21pm

Yep thats exactly what I would do too, keep it original all the way, after all that's where all the beauty is!

Seweryn · 26-02-2012 11:28pm

voojeq wrote: »

Yep thats exactly what I would do too, keep it original all the way, after all that's where all the beauty is!

Indeed

. In few years time it will be a rare classic

.

deandean · 26-02-2012 11:30pm

zmchris wrote: »

i own a 89 box shape ef honda civic and its my baby totally original and im fixin it up may evan get a respray bought it of an old man still has the original hudcaps and mats most lads that bought them civic are parked up or garaged simply because of the price of insurance petrol and the likes few of my mates have eg ek civics and dc2 integras and they have pumped so much money into them that they would never get back so they would rather keep them than let some 17 year old wreck in years to come they might be sought after cars

Hey I might know that car, is it white, reg ends in 67?

voojeq · 26-02-2012 11:37pm

zmchris wrote: »

i own a 89 box shape ef honda civic and its my baby totally original and im fixin it up may evan get a respray bought it of an old man still has the original hudcaps and mats most lads that bought them civic are parked up or garaged simply because of the price of insurance petrol and the likes few of my mates have eg ek civics and dc2 integras and they have pumped so much money into them that they would never get back so they would rather keep them than let some 17 year old wreck in years to come they might be sought after cars

so that's where all the good ones went to, hidden in the garage, waiting for better times...how am i supposed to find one then :pac:

Let the dogs out !

JustLen · 26-02-2012 11:51pm

Seweryn wrote: »

Not all of them. My own EK3 VTi is not trashed and is completely original with the Honda factory radio still in and it will be kept that way .
The thing that amazes me in that car is the fuel economy. It averages 46.6 mpg at the moment (and even better on a long, gentle run), which is Diesel teoritory.
All in all great little car.

Is that the two stage v-tec version? does it have that green eco-vtec light that comes on the dash when your using little fuel? Thats great mpg, sound like a well minded car