Looking for 5 door civic

johnmck

I'm looking for a 5 door civic , 1.4 petrol, 2004 or newer €3500 to spend.
I can't find a decent one anywhere, went to see one last week but there was something wrong with it

colm_mcm

johnmck wrote: »

I'm looking for a 5 door civic , 1.4 petrol, 2004 or newer €3500 to spend.
I can't find a decent one anywhere, went to see one last week but there was something wrong with it

How many have you gone to see, are you looking at just one spec or colour?

johnmck

only gone to see 2 - one was definitely clocked and the other was a mess. None for sale in my area - so had to travel quit a bit to see them.

Any colour apart from red! Fed up of being lied to about cars.

bazz26

Just take note that the gearbox on the 1.4 Civic hatchbacks from that era suffer from bearing failure. Something to look out for when test driving one, if it doesn't slip into gear smoothly then walk away.

johnmck

thanks bazz - considering broadening my search to a 1.6 petrol focus (2005)

johnmck

Ok torn between a 2005 Civic or a 2005 Focus 1.6 - both similar in price

Supergurrier

Civic all day

colm_mcm

Corolla?

JohnBoy26

johnmck wrote: »

Ok torn between a 2005 Civic or a 2005 Focus 1.6 - both similar in price

Depends really. If it's a saloon civic then the civic is a better car imo. If i's a hatchback civic I think I'd pick the focus.

johnmck

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Depends really. If it's a saloon civic then the civic is a better car imo. If i's a hatchback civic I think I'd pick the focus.

Hatchback 5 door.
Corolla is too small

gibbon75

bazz26 wrote: »

Just take note that the gearbox on the 1.4 Civic hatchbacks from that era suffer from bearing failure. Something to look out for when test driving one, if it doesn't slip into gear smoothly then walk away.

The biggest issue (besides the noisy main shaft bearings) with 2001-2005 Civics (3dr,5dr,and 4dr also) is the steering rack faults.
If the steering wheel doesn't center on its own and the steering feedback feels vague, then run a mile. Don't believe the seller stating that it just needs new tyres, four wheel alignment etc.

I'd go with the Focus 1.6...

JohnBoy26

gibbon75 wrote: »

The biggest issue (besides the noisy main shaft bearings) with 2001-2005 Civics (3dr,5dr,and 4dr also) is the steering rack faults.
If the steering wheel doesn't center on its own and the steering feedback feels vague, then run a mile. Don't believe the seller stating that it just needs new tyres, four wheel alignment etc.

I'd go with the Focus 1.6...

Your wrong about the 4dr. Both the jap built Saloon and U.S built coupe have hydraulic power steering and don't give any steering issues.

The UK built 3dr and 5dr hatchbacks have electric power steering. It's these that give all the steering issues.

johnmck

thanks, I'm hoping to get to Dublin to look at this one and a few others this week


http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-civic-1-4-litre-petrol/5926443

Should I forget about 1.6 Focus's?

colm_mcm

Personally I wouldn't bother with that particular Civic.

johnmck

ok - it's the best I found! apart from this one, which I think is crazy money

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-civic-1-4i-se/5888369

gibbon75

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Your wrong about the 4dr. Both the jap built Saloon and U.S built coupe have hydraulic power steering and don't give any steering issues.

The UK built 3dr and 5dr hatchbacks have electric power steering. It's these that give all the steering issues.

The last three of our trade in 4dr Civics had shagged steering racks (two were MY 2001 and a MY 2005).
Our warranty fella drives a 2001 4dr and guess what: the rack is shagged...

johnmck

ok so I'm steering clear of the Civics now - I'm calling a few 1.6 Focus Ghia's today

bazz26

Could be worth a look:


http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mitsubishi/Lancer/1.6-COMFORT/37113806364236900/

johnmck

I need a hatchback

CreepingDeath

bazz26 wrote: »

Could be worth a look:


http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Mitsubishi/Lancer/1.6-COMFORT/37113806364236900/

[rant]
Ah Westbrook motors (in that ad)... leave your car in for servicing and they'll subscribe you to their SMS text spamming service :mad:

Got my number taken off, went back for another service and they started text spamming me again.
[/rant]

johnmck

any 2005 / 2006 hatchback recommendations please?

JohnBoy26

gibbon75 wrote: »

The last three of our trade in 4dr Civics had shagged steering racks (two were MY 2001 and a MY 2005).
Our warranty fella drives a 2001 4dr and guess what: the rack is shagged...

I stand corrected then:) Did they have much miles up? I've never seen any saloon with rack trouble myself though, even ones with high miles. I've seen plenty of the hatchbacks with rack trouble however and dead electric power steering as well.

If the op is to avoid the Civic over rack trouble, then id be advising them to avoid the focus also as they too give plenty of rack trouble.

JohnBoy26

johnmck wrote: »

any 2005 / 2006 hatchback recommendations please?

Corolla Verso?

johnmck

I don't have 3 kids so don't need a Corrolla Verso!

Moneymaker

johnmck wrote: »

any 2005 / 2006 hatchback recommendations please?

Alfa Romeo 147

*runs

JohnBoy26

johnmck wrote: »

I don't have 3 kids so don't need a Corrolla Verso!

Skoda octavia?

colm_mcm

Mazda3?

bazz26

Toyota Corolla:



http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2005-toyota-corolla-1-4-terra-5-door/6015720

colm_mcm

Tried that already bazz, too small apparently

bazz26

Cannot see how a Civic or Focus would be much bigger.

colm_mcm

Civic would be bigger in the back alright but there's not much in it. Corolla is nicer overall

gibbon75

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

I stand corrected then:) Did they have much miles up? I've never seen any saloon with rack trouble myself though, even ones with high miles. I've seen plenty of the hatchbacks with rack trouble however and dead electric power steering as well.

If the op is to avoid the Civic over rack trouble, then id be advising them to avoid the focus also as they too give plenty of rack trouble.

The 2005 one had only 45k on the clock,one owner.
A new rack (as second hand ones are scarce and it is a lottery) for the Civic is €1200+VAT+labour. I guess the Ford one would be a lot cheaper, though I might be wrong.
The only Focus steering issue I've seen was related to the high pressure hose (same with the early Volvo S40/V50,as it is the same Ford system).

johnmck

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/05-honda-civic-1-4-5dr/6061945

This just went up.
That corolla is nice

This Ghia in Dublin

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-focus-ghia-2005-silver/5985039

johnmck

ok lads - i need to purchase by this weekend. so I'm either going 1.4 corrolla 2005 or 1.6 focus 2005

my head is saying corrolla but my heart is saying focus

JohnBoy26

johnmck wrote: »

ok lads - i need to purchase by this weekend. so I'm either going 1.4 corrolla 2005 or 1.6 focus 2005

my head is saying corrolla but my heart is saying focus

The focus will be more fun to drive but the Corolla is the better built of the two and will have better long term reliability compared to the focus.

colm_mcm

The corolla will be as nippy as the focus too.