I purchased a 2004 Civic Hybrid CVT from Bellevue of Honda (Washington
state) in September 2003... When I originally got the car I was
getting 45 to 50 MPG for an entire tank of gas (it is only rated at 48
city/47 highway).

Since then the mileage has decreased steadily to its current max of 35
to 37 MPG.

I have taken it in to Honda of Bellevue twice (once at 3000 miles and
now at 5500 miles). The first time they told me it was do to the
additives in the gas and the fact that it had a break-in period of
5000 miles. Now (Feb. 10, 2004) I take it in w/ 5500 miles, and only
getting 35 MPG or 420 miles per fill up, they tell me again it is the
additives and that it takes 10000 miles to break in.

I'm feed up... I want to dump this car and never deal w/ Honda of
Bellevue again!!! My sole purpose in buying this car was to get
better mileage then my Honda Accord for my commute. So my question is
what recourse do I have?

I'm still looking into the Washington state lemon laws. Honda of
Bellevue has told me there is nothing they can do (besides road test
it and see what mileage they are getting (based on a test of putting 2
gallons of gas in, driving it for 30 minutes, and seeing how much is
gone... complete stupidity).

I will be contacting the state attorney general today to file a
complaint against Honda of Bellevue.

And for those that would say it is my driving habits, the road
conditions, the driving conditions, or the fuel additives... I would
use the comparison of my last two cars (1989 Ford Escort and 1995
Honda Accord LX) both of those I never had a problem maintaining the
EPA rated MPG (plus or minus 2 MPG) for either of those cars and I
used the same gas, drove in the same conditions, and the same amount
of traffic and back roads...


I'd appreciate hearing from anyone else with similar complaints or a
history of dealing w/ Honda in these types of cases (especially those
in WA state).

Many thanks in advance,
Roger