1995 Honda Civic CX or 2001 Toyota Corolla

[bowtieguy]

got a tough decision...looking for some help. before you vote please read my comments and personal experience.

2001 corolla needs tires and has a code stored(check engine light).
old epa estimates are 32/36/41. remember, i follow old estimates, even surpassed them with every vehicle i've owned. it has 172k miles

i had a 2000 chevy prizm(same car) that i wish i hadn't sold that got slightly less mileage according to epa(31/34/38). i got well over 40 mpg, so maybe this would yield closer to 50? i like the way the corolla shifts(shorter). not as easy to work on however.
for sale at $3k. it turns out i know the seller. he says $2500 for me.

1995 honda cx has new tires, and no engine codes.
old epa estimates are 40/42/45. models with sil light get 42/44/46. this one doesnt have one.
it has 144k miles.
for sale at $3500

i like the simplicity of maintaining civics, but $1k difference is a lot. will the cx pay off long term?

they both are 5 speed, have good a/c, and have manual windows...YESSSSS!
the civic has 2 doors of course and the toyota 4...doesnt matter, this will be a commuter only.

thoughts? comments? please vote.

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

got a tough decision...looking for some help. before you vote please read my comments and personal experience.

2001 corolla needs tires and has a code stored(check engine light).
old epa estimates are 32/36/41. remember, i follow old estimates, even surpassed them with every vehicle i've owned. it has 172k miles

i had a 2000 chevy prizm(same car) that i wish i hadn't sold that got slightly less mileage according to epa(31/34/38). i got well over 40 mpg, so maybe this would yield closer to 50? i like the way the corolla shifts(shorter). not as easy to work on however.
for sale at $3k. it turns out i know the seller. he says $2500 for me.

1995 honda cx has new tires, and no engine codes.
old epa estimates are 40/42/45. models with sil light get 42/44/46. this one doesnt have one.
it has 144k miles.
for sale at $3500

i like the simplicity of maintaining civics, but $1k difference is a lot. will the cx pay off long term?

they both are 5 speed, have good a/c, and have manual windows...YESSSSS!
the civic has 2 doors of course and the toyota 4...doesnt matter, this will be a commuter only.

thoughts? comments? please vote.

I had a '95 Civic VX and loved it, but the CX has 22 less hp (70 total) and worse mileage. One of my best friends has had a '99 Corolla for years and has had no problems with it other than the doors freezing open and closed in the winter (common problem to that body style Corolla). I'd go with the Corolla, and that's a biased Honda guy recommending that.

[bowtieguy]

with ya fetch. the corolla has almost TWICE the hp of the cx, yet it gets just a little fewer mpgs.

thanks for your response.

[bowtieguy]

i could bring my scangauge to check the code...obviously the cx is not SGII compatible.

i feel like an NFL GM scouting potential draft picks lol.

[trollbait]

I say the Corolla. It's cheaper, has OBDII for a gauge, and you're familiar with it from the Prizm.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

the corolla is more versatile over time as well. if you ever decide for it to be something other than the commuter, it could be.

I like the idea of 4 doors. my daughter is still too young to sit in the front and both of my cars are 2 door cars.

the extra power comes in handy when needed. and the OBD2 helps out a lot with addition of a scangauge or the likes.

the 1k difference can be used for tires and to fix the CEL with money left over.

I would rock the rolla but I am very biased. I like me some yotas.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Check this out: http://www.edmunds.com/calculators/gas-guzzler.html

Assuming you get the combined estimated mpg rating, you spend an extra $300 for tires on the corolla and gas averages 3.70 and you drive 1000 miles per month, it will take 4 years before you will even break even on on the Honda civic CX

I vote for the corolla (assuming the CEL is an easy fix and they are both mechanically sound).

[civic94]

the corolla is 6 years younger, almost 2x the hp, 2x the doors, and im pretty sure its safer in a crash.

[bowtieguy]

thanks guys, i bought the corolla.

had a stored TC, and researching P0171 suggested cleaning the MAF sensor...and it was the filthiest ive ever seen.

did that, cleared the code, changed the oil, and bought badly needed tires. so here we go...

[GasSavers_BEEF]

did you hit it with brake cleaner? also if it happens to have an oil charged air filter, you may want to go back to paper. the oil from those filters tend to muck up a MAF sensor pretty bad.

my dad has an '06 corolla. he is hitting around 105k on it. giving him very high 30s but he really doesn't do the hypermiling thing. he just drives it.