Used 2003 Honda Civic Coupe Consumer Reviews
Buy one for reliability
I struggled with constant repairs on domestic cars for years before purchasing this car. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Bought at 47K miles in 2007 and now have 120K. In that time only ONE thing has ever gone wrong and that was a sensor that only cost $150. It just blows my mind how reliable this thing is. This car is such a smart choice and can be found for under $5K atm. Will be one of the best vehicle investments you ever make.
Still running with new parts
I bought my civic used in 2005 with 37K miles and now have 158K. I have been a stickler with scheduled maintenance and have averaged between 33 and 38 mpg. I go on long drives once a month and it does well, but the seats are uncomfortable and you feel every pebble and crack and on the road. I replaced the ignition coils at 120K, the clutch at 153K and the head gasket replaced at 155K, which was hard to diagnose as the symptoms lead you to think the issue is elsewhere (overheating and heater malfunctioning), and the dealership was clueless. Otherwise it has been good to me. I would recommend buying this car, but if the miles are high look for one with new head gasket!
Love it still
I got my 03 civic in may of 03. My car now has 145,000 miles on it and the only thing I have done is change the tires, brakes, and batt. The power lock does not lock my driver door anymore but not to worried about that. I still get about 32 mpg in town and 40 on the road. I could not ask for a better first car, after 7 years I would not even think of trading it. Amazing car!
It has survived me so far with 200k+
I've enjoyed driving the car, mileage is great, especially since I drive a lot of miles, but I have had my problems with the car: alternator went at 90k, the trans had a bearing go at 135k (replacement required), paint started peeling at year 4, ECCM (computer) went at 197k, the fabric on the doors started coming off (glue degraded). The engine is still. Though this car hasn't been as worry free as hoped, but with the high mileage accumulated as quick as it was, I would say it has handled as well could be expected with any car, I'll compare my next car when I get one, until then.
The best car ever
My honda is the best compact car that feels like I'm driving a sport. Safe, fun (drifting ha ha), and great fuel economy.
The way a Honda should be
The seashore mist metallic coupe now has 120,000+ miles on it and still runs great. It uses a negligable amount of oil, and the oil stays clean between the changes. I just changed all of the belts, thermostat, plugs, brake rotors, and tires. The car runs like new except for a little belt screach when it's cold and/or wet. I'm really anticipating getting 200,000+ out of this car. My wife however, not so lucky. A 2002 Honda Accord SE with the same mileage riddled with oil consumption problems (1/2 quart week) and a transmission that is holding on for dear life.
best car i've ever owned, BY FAR
bought my EX automatic new in '03 and have 125k miles after 10 yrs. after having a few american cars that were unreliable money pits, this car has been spectacular for me. wish i would've bought a honda sooner than i did. over 10 yrs, i've spent about $1k in non-maintenance repairs- mostly emissions/exhaust related, most of which has been at the 10 yr mark. i did need to replace the alternator after about 9 yrs. i average 30 MPG combined (about 65% city) but i have a very heavy foot.
Watch Out For That Tranny
We take good care of our car. We put low miles on it every year. At 65,000 miles the transmission should not fail. To make it worse, Honda has no interest in making it right. Be very cautious when buying this car. There may not be many complaints about the '03 transmission now, but they're about to come of age. Do a search for '01 transmission problems and start saving for the impending rainy day. Don't say you weren't warned.
Mixed review
Bought new in 9/03. Front passenger strut failed at approx 4k. Clutch started making squeaking noise at 25k. At 60k had clutched inspected, not an issue that has to be fixed but would cost $600 to eliminate the squeak. Driver door lock worn out at around 60k making it embarrassing when trying to get in the car if I actually locked the door. Cheap paint chips and scratches easy. Dents really easy. Not having ABS is a little dangerous, and the car for being so lite weight lacks breaking power.
Best Car I Ever Owned
I owned my 2003 Honda Civic LX for 8 years now, it's given me the least amount of problems compared to every other car I ever owned. True it's also the first new car I ever owned, but I've has far more problems with other used cars with less mileage. Parts last longer than other cars I've owned, from tires, to struts to breaks, they all need to be replaced less often, at least that's been my experience. The transmission does slip a little when it cold out until the car is warmed up, replacing the transmission fluid twice did little to improve it, but so long as I let the car warm up before doing any drag races, it runs fine.
Over 271000 miles and still going strong!
I bought this car around 2012 with 120000 miles on it. Best decision I ever made. As long as you keep up this car it will take care of you. The transmission fluid is still the color it needs to be and the Engine oil doesn't have have a burnt smell. I've only had a couple of electrical problems out of the alternator and battery cables. I changed the catalytic converter cause it was bad with the manifold sense both pieces are actually attached together which is great cause you replace two major components for the price of one. The car is pretty simple to work on which is a plus also. Heat and Air still work great also and tires seem to last forever on this car. All in all this car has been great for me.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
165,000 mile review
i purchased it new back in '03. i now have a little over 175,000 miles on it. it's been the most dependable car. i still drive it hard... dirt roads, 120 degree heat, 1200 mile trips in 8 yrs. few yrs ago, i was rear-ended on the freeway resulting in some extensive damage, but still runs strong despite virtually no maintenance work on it.. so far, I've changed brake pads once, spark plugs once, air filter twice, and last few times, I've gone over 9000 miles between oil changes. haven't done any tune ups, alignment, radiator flushes, or clutch work done yet. I'm averaging 32-34 miles with 70/30 city/freeway driving.
GREAT CAR
I think it's great. I bought a used 2003 4dr Lx with 119,000. And it works great and drives smooth...( Although I did notice my Transmisson stick was loose found out it was pretty common no biggy cost $15 at Honda.. **** I also feel a slight slip in the Trans but maybe im not use to it the Trans shifting ****
Very nice econo ride
I purchased this auto when gas prices started rising sharply. My other 3 cars have V-8s, so I needed a daily driver that was economical and reliable. It took a while to adjust to the 4 cyl. and how light this car was. No secret these are compromise for the gas mileage. I adjusted quickly when I could fill the tank with 10 gallons and drive 300 to 370 miles. The best mileage I got was 37 MPG running 80 MPH on interstate and worst was 30 MPG locally. I also installed a set of Eibach sway bars that were well worth the cost. Over the past year and a half I have become attached to my little Honda. The seats are a little rough for long rides and it is a bit noisy but remember this is a econo car.
Very reliable and cost effective car
I love this car. Since I purchased it I have spent a grand total of $30.00 on repairs. One of the sway bar links needed replacement. This car runs as smoothly as it did from the day I first drove it. Excellent mileage as well - 40 MPG on the hwy. My only issue is that the seating isn't very comfortable and after a long trip I have a bit of soreness.
Very happy with the Honda
Fun to drive with the stick shift. I drive 65 to 70 mph hwy & get 34 to 36mpg-70% hwy. Door lock froze & broke. Noisy bushings in front steering when parking-too expensive to replace. 1st set of tires wore away in 10 to 20 thousand miles. Loud cabin on the hwy. Plastic cover over dash gauges cracked twice. Car is good in the snow. Very reliable. Nice steering. Interior detail very nice. Trunk holds golf clubs and more. Quality detailing. No shoddy moldings. Nice map lights. Stereo sounds good w/good controls. Power to pass people on Hwy. Accelerates easily to enter freeway. This is my 4th Honda.
Great Car
Great economical car. Great fuel economy and low cost of ownership. I have had no problems with this car. Very reliable. The ride is a little firm but it is the Civic not the Accord. Acceleration is decent. Parking is very easy. The interior is very nice. The back seat has decent room for a coupe. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for an economical and reliable car.
Great Car
This is the best car I've owned. Honda continues to produce outstanding vehicles. So far I have only done regularly scheduled maintenance on this car. It's fun to drive and great on gas. I will definitely buy another Honda but it maybe a long long time before that happens since this car will probably last me a very long time.
Enjoy
Bought new for $8900, year end-sale. Commuter-car. No problems at 15K. I don't understand the complaints about the paint, Honda's seem to have the best paint appearance in the business. Head room at 6' is tight, rear view in the coupe is tough. The exterior design of the coupe makes this car one of the best looking vehicles on the road. Does seem to have slightly soft suspension(not for slaloms). 39 MPG (mainly highway. Surprisingly large trunk space, and rear seats are reasonably comfortable for 2 people.
EX rules
Fun, sporty and powerful. I wouldn't mind a dual-cam engine or even another 50 horsepower, but the stock engine is still very responsive and can get up and go with low RPMs.
Honda civic
Great first car. Or second car. Or third car, you get the point. Im sold, its great all around!
Excellent Choice
Its been very reliable, and fun to drive. Its a lttle stiff as far as performance goes, but the fuel economy makes up for it big time!
Good car, but loud noise
I got my new civic EX sedan and like it so far. I drove an old 88 honda Accord and there are no AC and radio in it. That's why I feel the difference immediately. Don't understand why there is only one cup holder for back seat people.
first honda
I love my honda civic lx. I traded in a ford focus 2000. I was sorry I did not buy the honda the first time.
Loved this car!
I got this car brand new with 2 miles on it in April 2003. I traded it in last night after 13.5 years and 196k miles. Awesome car! Only issue was temp gauge that no matter what was replaced, kept acting up. That's reason why I got a new car. But other than that it was an amazing car, reliable.
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
Finally said goodbye
I owned this car for 15 1/2 years and just swapped it with someone for an SUV. I put 181k miles on it and it will likely drive for many more years. Engine will likely never die. I always put Mobil1 in it with a new oil filter at each change.
Lacks power
This car is without a doubt is a fun car to drive, but it lacks power like some of Honda's other models (such the '02 S2000) but I guess what can you expect when you get a car like this for under $13,999...over all I give it a rating of 4.5 out of 10.
GREAT CAR!
My civic is the best!
great car
This is a great car, i only put 150 miles on it so far, but its fun to drive but i think its really underpowered, i should have gotten the manual trans. but otherwise i love this car, its fun to drive, economical and the epa is awesome!!!
civic ex
Good looking coupe, very sporty. The ex is well equipped at a good price. The engine could use a bit more balls. The dealer open road sucks, my trunk lock did not work correctly and it got dammaged by me fron slamming it shut. They said the car was broken into which did not happen and i paid $500 to get it fixed. I will buy another Honda but not from them.
Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla
My actual test drive of the Honda Civic: The ride was loud, the acceleration was great past 50. The car hesitates at start up and pull off. The brakes seemed a little too soft (I actually was nervous). The styling looks almost good but it doesn't look so good that you know it automatically when you step to the car. The creme interior is just ugly. The interior looks cheap but the steering wheel is better than the Honda Accord. The sunroof doesn't add anything to the car. Based upon my test drive, I would definitely choose the Honda Civic over the Toyota Corolla
perfect
I like the vehicle, it has done very well since I have pucrhased it. I will recommend to my friends to buy one
Amazed!!!!!!
I had looked into many other cars in this category, and the Civic EX was by far the most impressive, after learning about the almost non-existant depreciation rate, it seemed like a no brain-er. Love the new dash!
Really enjoyed this 2 door EX Coupe
I had my Honda Civic for 5 years but just recently sold it so I could get a 4 door (got little kids). The car was very, very reliable and I only had a little over 51,000 miles on it. I never had any mechanical problems with it the whole time (knock on wood). I always changed the oil (myself) every 5,000 miles and made sure to change Air Filter (15,000 miles). I made sure to check the tires monthly as well. I got anywhere from 32-33 mpg around town with some highway driving. For straight highway trips I averaged around 36 on the last one. If you take care of this little baby it will take care of you. If you decide to sell your Civic, sell it out right as the dealerships will hose you.
best mileage out of a totally gas engine
I've got a 2003 honda civic ex coupe totally gas engine 1.7 L 5 speed i've got about $200 worth of upgrades in it, trust me its totally worth it.. I'm getting avg 44 mpg on the highway and 37 in the city, it's got a cold air intake with a ram air inductor new exhaust, came stock with 2 mufflers, now it has one straight pipe with one straight muffler, plus a small performance chip, i go within 3mph of the speed limit and when I'm coming up on a stop or going down hill i kick it into neutral. i can get between 550 and 650 miles per fill up depending on how i'm driving, i always fill up b4 the gas light comes one
JDM
I love my 03 civic it hasn't given any problem since i bought it i'm reaching the 80,000 mile mark and the car is still running great I've made significant performance upgrades to enhance my driving experience the car overall is great whether your just buying it as a regular day car or a tuner car. Hondas are great.
2003 Honda Civic LX
I got this car from a used car dealer about 1 year ago, and have not had any problems whatsoever. I will say that the seats aren't all that comforting for long rides and the default radio system lacks, but aside from this, no complaints. Overall, this car is very reliable.
Transmission!
I purchased my 2003 brand new and most of my mileage was freeway for 4 of the 6 years. Positives: Mileage 38 mpg town and over 45 Hwy. Fun and zippy Negatives: Transmission at 90m bad noise and at 110 embarrassing. It's said to be a Civic problem avg. at 120m. Heater vents above stereo. In the winter with loud music blew 4 different Honda stereos before they put a Pioneer in for me. Replaced catalytic at 60m. Trunk leaked from day 1 under trunk and they never found it. Thank God I'm in So.Cal. I have had a bad time with my Honda, but still loved it. I can say I will not buy another when it finally dies!
Great Car
Good gas mileage. With K&N Oil Filter and Castrol Syntec getting 35mpg at 70mph on 87 regular gas. At 55-65mph nearly 40 or higher mpg. Like the cluster gauge comparing to the the 2002 Honda Civic Ex or older.
All right at first
This car was all right at first, just a little vibration due to a loose motor mount. The transmission went out 5 months later and it's broken beyond repair is what I was told. It'll total 3 grand for a new one and I need to shell out cash for worn left and right bushings, a leaky cv boot, and a new motor mount. Don't bother buying unless you can get it from dealer under warranty.
No complaints
Sorry to hear about all the transmission problems. I have 83k on mine and no signs of auto tranny slippage. Averaging 35mpg city and 40+ highway. I've found that if you drive above 70 on the highway, mpg declines dramatically. Bought the extended warranty in august of 2003 and never used it. Only complaint is that I'm replacing the brake pads every 25k miles without intensive use.
Best car I ever owned
The quality of this car is unbeliviable. I always thought I'd stick with american made cars but this car unquestionable beats the competition by a long shot.
Best Honda Civic
It has been a pleasure purchasing this car
Real good "little" car
This car is only two weeks young at the time i'm writting this but the early feeling is this is a pretty solid compact car.It handles reel well and has more pep than i though it would have for a 4 cyl..My only complaints so far are drivers seat headroom the radio and road noise.I'm 6' tall and with the seat adjusted all the way down my hair just touchs the headliner which is a little annoying so i have to recline the seat back a little more than i like. As far as the road noise is concerned a change of tires will probably take care of it. Last but not least the raido. Weak,weak,weak.If you like a sound system with balls this one will need an upgrade.
Best car in the world!!!
That's right, this is the absolute best bang for the buck in the world! VERY quick, and perfect for traffic driving; almost no blind spots at all. I've only had mine for about 9,000 miles now, but I've enjoyed every mile of it. It also gets GREAT mpg for a "sports" car (38+hwy - 32+city). If you want a car to add performance parts to, this is also your car. I think they sell almost everything you can think of for a Civic. Finding stuff that's in stock on a Civic this new is a little hard though, but I'm not complaining...
Another Honda.. Another Satisfied Custom
12k miles and I'm still loving it. Drives great. Gets great mileage
I Love The Civic
I originally purchased the vehicle because of it's design. I love the exterior look of the Civic Coupe. But since I've purchased the car, I'm more satisfied with all of the features and performance that this Civic offers for its price. The car has reliable pick- up when I hit the accelerator, it's interior is comfortable, and all of the dials and switches are nicely integrated into the dash. Now, don't get me wrong, the car could use some more horsepower but for the price at which the car is offered, I think it's probably the best car on the road out there for its class.
It works.
Unless you have some type of phobia about being on the road in a small vehicle alongside all these SUV's, this is the car for you. It has great gas mileage,is affordable, reliable, and fun to drive. The only complaint I have is the ill designed rubber front spoiler flap which has come off in both our Civics.
Great Car....
This is a great car... Compared to my 99 Pontiac Sunfire GT, this car is worlds apart. Much smoother engine, transmission, quieter and a build quality that makes anything GM built look like a Yugo. She is a quick car once you know that the power is at a higher rpm... This is a car I would recommend to anyone. A pleasure/fun to drive and a great value.
Good Car so far
very good car for the price.