Honda Car Forum

I'm planning on getting a Civic HX as a commuter car. Heard that the tranny is the main problem with this model.Can anyone comfirm this?

Never heard of a Civic with tranny problems, just maintain it and it will be fine.

Auto or Manual???Why in God's name can't any one diferentiate!The auto gets hit by road debris and can bust the case and takes a spcial fluid that if you just dump Dexron III in it it will grenande in a couple thousand miles. Watch your butt on thatThe manual is pretty rock solid. The driver skill vs the clutch is an ongoing concern.I don't see the trans as anything to worry about longtermASE Auto Tech 30 years, Shop Owner

The Civic is not know for having any wide spread tranny problems, that would be dodge or chrysler. The HX is a base model designed for great gas mileage, as long as you keep up on the proper maint. Change oil every 3000 miles, change timing belt and water pump every 75000 miles, keep your filters clean, and you'll be in good shape.

The HX uses a continually variable transmission (CVT) that uses internal pulleys and a drive belt to continually alter the gear ratio so that the engine is always running in the peak torque range. The transmissions are relatively simple internally.the only "problem" that they ever had on that transmission was with a device called a 'start clutch'. It is the device that allows the car to idle when at a stop and used to engage the transmission to begin accelerating. If the maintenance on the transmission was ignored, the car would have a rough idle because the clutch would stay engaged at stops putting an additional load on the engine. In most cases, simply changing the transmission fluid two or three times was enough to "fix" the problem.i don't know the mileage on the car in question, but if it has a good quality idle I wouldn't hesitate on buying a Civic HX. I would recommend getting the transmission fluid changed if the car hasn't had it done in the last 3 years just to be on the safe side. Otherwise, the transmission and the car is bulletproof.Hope that helps

I have a 98 civic hx (cvt - constant variable transmission) and it is great. Just find out from the dealer (cant remember the exact number off hand) when you should get the transmission fluid changed. Most vehicle cost well over a hundred dollars for the transmission service, but there actually is no filter or seal. It's just drain and refill so even at the dealer it's about $50. If you don't it will act up when it's time, but the check engine light and the drive light will come on to let you know. Also I work in a repair shop and researched out how much it would cost if needed to be overhauled. It is more expensive than than a manual transmission but not by much and less than an average auto transmission. Also the way the transmission works you cannot tell when it is changing gears, it maintains a constant rpm at almost any speed which took me a little time to get used to but not much, but after driving it for a while then you drive a regular automatic and you can feel the gears and rpms change it feels a bit weird. Overall I love my car, and as with any car, you take care of it - it will last.