Good stuff:
Reliability
High resale value
Low ownership costs
Not so good stuff:
Always on the "Most stolen car list"
Tested model:
1996 Honda Civic LX with 60,000 km
Problem areas:
Oil consumption due to seized piston rings
Noisy manual transmission bearings
Competitors of the day:
Toyota Corolla
Ford Escort
Mazda Protegé
Nissan Sentra
Chevrolet Cavalier / Pontiac Sunfire
Dodge Neon
Recalls:
TC # 1996090
The brake booster check valves on these vehicles were assembled into the brake booster vacuum hose using a soapy lubricant. This soapy lubricant may eventually cause the check valve to stick which could result in loss of the brake's power assist.
TC # 1997181
The passenger airbag modules on these vehicles may have been improperly assembled. The cloth flap covering the folded airbag may have been tucked in too far. This could prevent proper deployment of the airbag, thereby increasing the risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a collision.
TC # 2002096
On certain vehicles electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started. Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Reliability
High resale value
Low ownership costs
Not so good stuff:
Always on the "Most stolen car list"
Tested model:
1996 Honda Civic LX with 60,000 km
Problem areas:
Oil consumption due to seized piston rings
Noisy manual transmission bearings
Competitors of the day:
Toyota Corolla
Ford Escort
Mazda Protegé
Nissan Sentra
Chevrolet Cavalier / Pontiac Sunfire
Dodge Neon
Recalls:
TC # 1996090
The brake booster check valves on these vehicles were assembled into the brake booster vacuum hose using a soapy lubricant. This soapy lubricant may eventually cause the check valve to stick which could result in loss of the brake's power assist.
TC # 1997181
The passenger airbag modules on these vehicles may have been improperly assembled. The cloth flap covering the folded airbag may have been tucked in too far. This could prevent proper deployment of the airbag, thereby increasing the risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a collision.
TC # 2002096
On certain vehicles electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started. Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
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