Shite motoring archives - Honda Civic 1.4GL

[dollywobbler]

In 2007, I got my dream job writing about cars. This meant a temporary house move while my wife quit her job and we found somewhere near to live in a strange place known as The East.

 

I was already in The East, trying to get accustomed to the complete absence of hills and finding that quite a lot of odd people live there. However, one not-too-odd couple were selling a Honda Civic 1.4GL for the grand sum of £195. My wife was a convenient distance away at our old house and so was powerless to prevent me running to the post office to grab the spondoolies. Sure, it wasn't perfect. It had CV joints that clattered like a football fan's rattle and lots of rot in the rear wheelarch. This much in fact.

 

However, overall, it was a rather fine looking thing. Look how low that bonnet line is for a start.

 

The top of the bonnet seemed barely any distance off the ground. How did Honda fit an engine in there? Black magic I reckon. Soichiro was a wizard.

 

It looked alright from the back as well. Quite smart in fact.

 

The interior was a bit Japanese, but everything worked and it all felt quite solid. Certainly much better than my miniMetro HLS, which responded to the addition of the Honda to the fleet by immediately dropping a valve. Quality.

 

To drive, the Honda was pretty sharp. A twin-carb engine managed to deliver stonking performance, especially above 4000rpm, but 40+mpg was not an issue. It was a bit buzzy on motorways, but there weren't many of those in The East. The only downside really was OTT power assisted steering. If you imagine trying to tie your shoelaces by using two of this grabby things you use for picking up litter, it was like that. A real shame because the Civic really did have the spirit of Honda about it. It felt like a Honda should. Light, agile, perky and very low. It felt like it had been designed by a group of engineers who knew what Honda stood for. Oh for the glory days when cars felt different!

 

I had the CV joints replaced, which made things a lot quieter. Then something went wrong. I turned into a right bleedin' chav. First of all, I mocked up what I thought was a superb improvement.

 

Then I went and did it...

 

Happily I couldn't get my hands on any red paint. At this stage, I recovered my senses and chucked it on Ebay, where it sold to a chavvy little wotsit from Hull. I think I got most of my expenditure back on that one so I celebrated by blowing £150 on an exceedingly fine* Volvo estate.

 

 

 

*It was crap. I used it a bit, realised it was dreadful and sold it on Ebay for £135. Two days after the bloke collected it, it apparently committed suicide and burnt out.

[idiotboy]

Lol I forgot you owned a "Whilstling brick"

[rml2345]

That wee Honda looked ace. You don't see many about nowadays sadly...

I've noticed that decent 740s are ace whereas knackered ones are hopeless. Scruffy can go either way...

[dollywobbler]

The Honda was a seriously good car. I'd like another - perhaps without the PAS.

 

The Volvo was dreadful but also good. My wife hated it after the sunroof drenched her one day. The dashboard had more rattles than a nervous skeleton. The cold idle control was knackered, so cold starts were fun (especially as it was an auto!). The headlining had been replaced by a union jack flag, with lights!

 

But the heater was superb, it handled really nicely (tail came out nicely in the wet if you wanted it to, and didn't if you didn't), it's the most relaxing car to drive out of any I've ever owned on motorways (tall gearing), 30mpg was easy, the boot was huge and it barely noticed the Metro on a car trailer when I dragged its sorry ass to Staffordshire. I'd like another, better one.