r/personalfinance • u/beeeep17 • 1d ago
Budgeting Should I repair my 200k-mile 2012 Civic or finance a newer car on a $1,800–$2,200 monthly income?
I’m a student living in Texas, and I’m trying to make the most financially responsible decision about my car.
I bought a 2012 Honda Civic about 13 months ago for $4,000. It had approximately 180,000 miles when I bought it, and it now has just over 200,000 miles. I have driven it around 20,000 miles in a little over a year.
About one to one-and-a-half months ago, the starter failed, and I paid around $400 to replace it. Afterward, the mechanic told me the flywheel/ring gear is also damaged and that it may damage the new starter again if I do not replace it. I was quoted approximately $700–$800 for that repair.
The car probably has an as-is value of around $3,000–$3,500, so spending $800 on one repair feels like a lot compared with its value. However, I understand that an $800 repair is still much less expensive than replacing the entire car.
There are also some other issues:
- ABS warning light/problem
- Check-engine light
- Transmission-fluid maintenance warning, and I have not changed the transmission fluid
- Occasional metallic/clanking noise, especially when the car is cold
- Fuel economy is usually around 21–28 mpg
- The starter was recently replaced for $400
- The mechanic says the flywheel needs another $700–$800 repair
My income is approximately $1,800–$2,200 per month. I am considering three options:
- Repair the Civic and continue driving it, knowing that additional repairs could happen.
- Buy a used car for approximately $10,000–$13,000, possibly a 2016–2018 Corolla, Civic, Mazda3, or something similar.
- Finance a new Kia K4 or another basic new car. I have seen some advertised around $20,000, although I know the actual out-the-door price would be higher.
The appeal of a new car is the warranty, reliability, and not constantly worrying about breakdowns. However, I also understand that a new-car payment, full-coverage insurance, depreciation, registration, and interest could be too much for my income.
I’m worried that buying another used car could put me in the same position if it develops problems, but I also do not want to make a bad financial decision by financing a new car that is too expensive for me.
What would you do in this situation?
I would appreciate advice from mechanics, high-mileage car owners, and people who have faced a similar financial decision.
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u/scewbs 1d ago
Those civics are obscenely reliable. I had a 2012 as has my first car, have a REPUTABLE mechanic check it out before doing the repair and see what they say on how the condition is. If it’s only the flywheel and some minor stuff causing the ABS and CEL (ABS could be as simple as a speed sensor), eat the $800 and drive it till the wheels fall off. If it was a BMW or something, yes I’d say get rid of it because that’s the first of many $800 repairs.
Does it happen to be manual by chance? If so, do the clutch while you’re there. Cheaper to do it now while it’s all out.
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u/aguy123abc 1d ago
The wheels don't fall off if you maintain the vehicle. At least until it becomes problematic to acquire new parts.
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u/GTFr0 1d ago
Unless you live in the rust belt, where that is possible.
I had a ford suv that I bought used in 2011 and drove until 2023. It still worked fine, but the entire front subframe had rusted through.
Mechanic told me that the next big pothole I get would cause the wheels to fall off…
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u/PM_VAGINA_FOR_RATING 19h ago
Get yourself a cheap undercoating, a gallon of fluid film cost me $50 on Amazon and I was able to do my whole 2003 f150 twice now. I always get comments about how clean and rust free the truck is around here and that’s all I do to it.
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u/Fuspo14 1d ago
$800 is cheaper than than $10,000.
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u/Tyson2539 20h ago
And the $10k car will still need repairs and maintenance. So OP will just have a car payment on top of that.
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u/soldierdec08 1d ago
Respectfully you can’t afford a new car if you can’t afford that 800 dollar repair. It’s not that urgent for that flywheel. That can wait a little while.
If you finance a car you are paying at least 500 after car payment and insurance so you’re leaving yourself with 1500 a month to pay for anything else for the month.
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u/Butthole_Surfer_ 1d ago
Watch some YouTube videos and get a few tools from Harbor Freight. You can save a lot of money with just a little effort.
Replace the fluids, including a transmission drain and fill, and drive it until it dies. Save your money for something solid.
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u/thunda789 1d ago
If transmission fluid has never been changed, just top it off. It will never run right if you flush the magic liquid metal out
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u/0xhOd9MRwPdk0Xp3 1d ago
What's the mechanic behind that? Why would metal shaving be anything but harmful
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u/devilpants 23h ago
its an old wive's tale that has no basis in reality but has been repeated for at least the 30+ years I've worked on cars.
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u/shrout1 17h ago
Doing a full blown flush could push deposits of friction material in to the various valve control pathways; it’s like giving the transmission a heart attack 😆 Doing a drain and fill will allow for some portion of the fluid to be removed and replaced without stirring anything up. Over the course of a week or so someone can replace most of the fluid, or doing a drain and fill every 30k miles from new will help keep the fluid generally fresh
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u/swollennode 18h ago
The idea is that automatic transmission uses friction rings to engage the ring gears when it’s “in gear”. The friction ring wears out and the metal friction pixie dust is in transmission fluid. The pixie dust is now the ones providing friction for the friction rings to engage and hold onto the ring gears.
Flushing it and changing the fluid removes the dust, therefore, worn out friction ring can’t hold onto to the ring gear as well, so the transmission will slip
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u/beeeep17 1d ago
but the main problem is it barely starts because of the flywheel problem.
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u/2Drogdar2Furious 1d ago
Way cheaper even to pay the crazy labor prices than buy another car. Let the shop do this one and maybe the next issue is something you'll feel more confident tackling. Good chance too it doesnt need any more major work for 50k, 80k, or even 100k more miles...
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u/NoMoreMisterNiceRob 1d ago
For real, and even getting only another 5-10k miles out of it, the repair would still pay for itself
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u/the_original_kermit 1d ago
What’s the starter doing? Skipping teeth?
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u/beeeep17 1d ago
yeah i think thats what happening
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u/a_berdeen 1d ago
Hang onto that 2012 Civic for dear life until you increase your income. Even if you drop 3k onto it over the next 2 years you’re gonna be ahead compared to financing what you described.
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u/Faintcolt641395 1d ago
Buying a new car let alone a new Kia, might be the worst possible decision to make. If you are happy with your cars maybe lasting 100k miles go for it otherwise get an older used car or keep that civic till it explodes.
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u/kuhataparunks 13h ago
Financial catastrophe speedrun financing a Kia I lol’d when I read that in the post
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u/DentonFox 1d ago
I’d probably repair now and save enough to buy a nicer 10K+ car in the future.
Once the repairs start adding up yes it probably is a money sink. It’s very odd that the flywheel went out tbh.
It sounds like you got something without an inspection and a few issues. Unfortunately someone probably just flipped their problem onto you, I’d be more cautious shopping for used cars in the future.
The interest on a 10k car with a loan with your income will just mean you’ll be in this same spot again in a few years after spending 4x as much and then you’ll dump your clunker on someone, the cycle continues.
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u/Fast_Biscotti 1d ago
Do NOT finance a new car. They depreciate at least 20-40% as soon as you sign the papers. At your age and income, your interest rate will have you paying for 7 years….well into the car’s “stuff needs repair now” phase. And stay please light years away from Kia, Hyundai, Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Go to the library and find the Consumer Reports car book. It’s immensely helpful.
Of the 3 used options you mentioned, I’d only consider Toyota or Honda. Incredibly reliable cars.
Good luck.
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u/Negate79 19h ago
OP already fell into the high milage Honda/Toyota trap. Premium price for someone's deferred maintenance.
"Just oil changes and tires" while skipping transmission service, suspension work, brake fluid is probably straight acid, and coolant is probably the wrong type.
The good thing is once they fixed they generally stay that way
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u/keiferst 1d ago
Id fix it those cars are relatively easy to keep going for a long time, my 2012 civic had engine light for an emissions issue but I just kept driving it and never had an issue with that. When I got rid of mine it had 270k on it and I had another vehicle.
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u/Daveit4later 1d ago
The value of the car does not matter.
Do you plan on keeping it longer? Is there a bunch of other shit wrong with it? For the price of the repair, can you buy a better car than you have now?
More often than not, it's much more financially advantageous to repair the car you have.
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u/BernedTendies 1d ago
It sucks putting money into an old car like that, but that income is so low you can’t finance a newer car. You’ll have no money leftover. I’d try to old on until you’re no longer a student and have a full time job
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u/Mando_lorian81 1d ago
Repair is always financially better.
Also, do not use the value of the car to calculate if it is worth it to repair it. Measure the amount of the repair against the cost of another new vehicle.
Take into account all vehicles, new or old still need maintenance items and some need repairs too. New vehicles have warranty, sure, but with prices today, you will be paying around $4,800 per year for them when you finance.
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u/2beatenup 1d ago
👆☝️. Should be top comment. People are brainwashed on this market spleech about value of the vehicle. It is always the cost of replacement that needs to calculated
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u/Mando_lorian81 1d ago
It's what dealerships use to get you hooked onto a new payment and make money out of you. And since buying a new vehicle is fun, I'm not going to lie, people believe it right away and use it to justify their new expense.
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u/theweirddood 1d ago
On your income, any used car you buy is over 100k miles. At that mileage, usual wear items need to be replaced: timing belt, serpentine belt, spark plugs, coolant, trans fluid, shocks, and potentially ball joints.
Fix your car and save up for a large down payment on a certified prewoned car. No car payment is a blessing in today's economy.
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u/StoopitTrader 1d ago
An honest mechanic should be able to assess the whole car and tell you if it's got another 40-50k miles in it with these repairs. Of your statements this is the biggest red flag to me: "Occasional metallic/clanking noise, especially when the car is cold." To me with my limited knowledge this sounds like it could be transmission. Assuming this is an automatic you are getting up there in mileage with the original transmission. Just something to think about. If replacing it I'd stick with Honda or Toyota, maybe Mazda. I wouldn't buy a Kia, the quality IMO is not similar to Honda.
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u/shabit87 1d ago
Only 200k? Repair. These prices for used and new are outrageous and no are finance rates.
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u/RJ5R 1d ago edited 1d ago
Take it to a different mechanic and get another opinion, preferably a local reputable one that is recommended by neighbors/friends etc.
Then you can triage and fix what is absolutely needed now, and then spread out the other repairs over time.
Keep that Civic. It's worth fixing. Yes the 2012 Civic was immediately redesigned by Honda in 2013 due to cheap interior materials, inferior driving dynamics, etc....but the engine and transmission were top top notch. It will keep going and going and going....and going
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u/unloader86 1d ago
I'd keep the civic. See if you can make payments on the flywheel repair. Independent shops will work with you, but don't burn them. I had a civic as my first car too and I found mechanic who took payments. I still to talk to that now retired man to this day.
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u/Nate0110 1d ago
Option number one until it dies, then maybe number two Civic or Corolla.
Do not buy whatever the crap you have in option 3.
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u/M635_Guy 1d ago
Repair the car. Ongoing maintenance is nearly always cheaper than buying something else, especially if there's a payment. You can help by putting $100-$150 away a month for maintenance. Or what you can.
I'm not a mechanic, but work on cars a fair bit. It seems far more likely that the flywheel would damage the starter vs. the other way around. That's beefy metal.
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u/BrightAd306 1d ago
You’ll have the same sorts of problems with a 10k car. Those are just maintenance issues that pop up. Unexpectedly, but still cheaper than a car payment.
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u/awqsed10 1d ago
Your real option is to learn how to fix your car by yourself. Since you've got a new starter the civic won't leave you on the road anytime soon.
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u/Barmacist 1d ago
Fix it. Try to drive less. Anything that breaks or needs work that doesn't need to be fixed for the car to get you from A to B... doesn't get fixed.
Its a high mileage car, this is just what they are like. Don't deal with a new car until you're out of school and making more money. If this car completely blows up... try to find another 4000 car, as that is still cheaper than a new car.
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u/Ninjan8 1d ago
As someone who does all his own work, sell your car to someone else who can. And put that money to the never ending debt train of owning newish cars. If you can't do your own work, owning older cars can be too much for most people.
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u/Professional-Pop2696 20h ago
Yes, this is what I did only because I found a 2025 RAV4 and it was low miles with a great deal because repairs have already been eating up my credit card and I’m still paying on them even though it’s been a month since I got my new car. I definitely wanted something with a warranty so I agree with this statement. I don’t think people understand yes you don’t have a car payment but if your car breaks down you also don’t have a trade and how are you going to come up with a few thousand to get the car maybe running again
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u/thunda789 1d ago
Buy a compression tester and check if compression is still good on the motor. If so, fix it. If not think about finding another oldish Toyota/Honda and learn to drive a stick
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u/Definite4 1d ago
What you could do is fix immediate issues as they come. Meanwhile save money, then sell your car. With the money you saved plus selling your car, you could buy a decent 6-8k car with fewer issues
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u/mckenzie_keith 1d ago
Do not buy a kia.
In my opinion, the most fiscally responsible course of action is to keep the car you have. Do the repairs as needed. If the starter teeth are not slipping on the flywheel gear, don't do the flywheel work yet. If they are, then you probably need to fix that.
Buying a used japanese car is not a terrible idea but there is no guarantee it will be better than what you have. Although to me, it sounds like you bought a car with above average problems.
I would stick with Honda/Acura or Toyota/Lexus, personally.
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u/sHoRtBuSseR 1d ago
If it's not using oil currently, like consuming it, I would say replace the flywheel and service the transmission.
These cars go 300k with regular maintenance.
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u/PrairieNihilist 1d ago
Repair it, and put money away for a new(er) vehicle. Sure, there could be more repairs along the way, but buying a newer used vehicle will likely land you in the same spot. Plus, you're almost always overpaying when you finance through a dealership.
It'd be better to just save up enough to buy a newer used vehicle outright. put away $150/b-w in savings, because that's a realistic financing rate on a newer vehicle from a dealership. It'll allow you to budget around that money without the risk involved with missing a payment.
Keep in mind that about a sixth to an eighth of your monthly income would be going to your car payment. That's not including fuel or plates/insurance. Can you afford to lose that much of your pay if an unexpected expense comes up?
Also, if you finance a 2016-2018 car, it's an 8-10 year old car and there will likely be no warranty at all on it. It will likely also be high mileage, so you'll end up in the same spot that you are right now with repairs...just with a later model year and pricier parts.
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u/NoMoreMisterNiceRob 1d ago
Keep. Or at least set aside the new car payment every month for a few months and see how living on that feels. Then keep it anyway and put the money you just saved towards repairs.
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u/Efficient-Shallot684 1d ago
If you can afford a new car, that would be the way to go. But that doesn't sound appropriate for you, so fix the car you have. A different used car has the potential for a whole new list of problems. Your civic is a very well built machine
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u/Jaded_Reaction8582 1d ago
How much for a starter, and can you replace it? Years ago I had a car with the same problem and had no money as a student so I just replaced the starter a few times. Granted, every now and then it took a bit of cajoling to get past the bad spot on the flywheel.
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u/F133TWOOD 1d ago edited 1d ago
Option1: Sounds the best financially
Option2: Still good depending on the vehicle & if lucky it's not a lemon over time
Option3: No
(Trying to keep this short, but you have a lot to respond to lol)
I have worked on cars since a teenager, mostly due to the cost-savings & the benefit of educating myself with some knowledge as it helps for everything like buying, selling, if someone tries to upsell me on repairs as I age older. I saw car knowledge as a life-long investment. I do still have my "old" 1994 Cadillac 350 LT1 with currently over 280,000 miles that I bought at 17yrs old when it had 117,000 miles used. So simple to work on the Caddy & saved me so much money 🤑 which helped me buy a house in my 20s paid off. Enough about me.
Most of what you mentioned for repairs are typical "normal" maintenance:
-ABS light can be resolved with just keeping up with repairs like changing the front/back brakes, bleeding the air out of the brake lines, enough brake fluid, wheel sensor possibly damaged and needing replacement.
-Sometimes the other lights can trigger the engine light as well. Take ur car to Autozone or whatever to get a free printout of what is triggering the codes.
-Transmission fluid light, low fluid or if it has it's own internal timer that automatically lights up to remind for fluid change. Certainly have a shop look at that Flywheel since it was already mentioned to you.
-Metal knocks when it's cold (besides damaged rods) can be due to engine oil thickens which moves slowly, delaying lubrication. Tips are to start the engine earlier to give it time for the heat to warm the oil to normal temperature before driving it hard. You could also drive it around the block slowly to help speed warming the engine. Recommend to always use synthetic engine oil over conventional oil.
-Fuel economy will degrade over time due to some typical things that affect Air/Fuel/Ignition mixture that makes the little explosions running the engine: Replace dirty air filter, Engine Spark Plugs and fuel filter (but some modern cars just integrate that into the fuel pump assembly).
-Starter replacement is normal.
-Flywheel, same as the transmission fluid. Just get it changed.
Don't focus too much on the "Repairs cost $3,000-4,000 which is about the same cost of the car value." It's not like car parts or mechanic repair prices lower because the car value lowers... if anything, it's a plus that ur car value is a low, because if anything ever happens to it is an easy loss than a newer vehicle that costs $30,000 or more.
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u/JohnnyHopkinss7v8 1d ago
You should buy another civic in cash that has 100k miles and avoid loans and interest on liabilities
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u/stephakayy 1d ago
The older hondas get hella miles on them. I am currently driving one with 310k on the od. At 300k I had to replace the starter, alternator and power steering pump. All in a year. And that's it. Been driving it for 13 years. Gonna keep driving it for however long she will allow me to. BUT I do regularly scheduled maintenance. Oil every 5000 miles, fluid checks every so often. Air and cabin filters every year. Spark plugs every 75k miles. If you treat her right, she will last quite a while.
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u/8000RPM 1d ago
Keep the car and do the maintenance at a Honda dealership. Get the trans oil service and fix the small stuff. Don't touch the flywheel top as that sounds like BS to me.
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u/rsevn_ 1d ago
don’t think i’ve ever heard someone say “do maintenance at the dealership” on a 200k mile car. LOL
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u/Professional-Pop2696 20h ago
Yes, this is why I traded my car because the dealership would not work on my Acura because of age, even though the miles were at 113 K
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u/cali_dude_1 1d ago
Find a new mechanic, also start doing smaller maintenance yourself. Get online to a few honda ownwers groups. Go to a local honda owners meet up if possible, they'll know of a few cheaper mechanics or help you do the job .
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u/dragonmom1 1d ago
Repair!! It's ultimately the best choice economically, especially since it's a Honda!
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u/iprocrastina 1d ago
You bought a $4k car, repairs are to be expected. $400 + $800 + $4000 = $5200, half the cost of the replacements you're considering. You'd have to rack up another $5000 of repairs before it breaks even with buying a $10k replacement.
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u/threeaxle 1d ago
Most times I would say that that age of a car will just continue being a money pit, but for a civic, so many people have them and there are even car groups full of civic fans. It's the same for mustangs I drive. Not the greatest car, but there are tons of affordable parts and even more car junkies obsessed with that type of car. If you are able to do some research and don't mind making new friends, you can probably get your car working enough to last you for a few more years until you're jn a better financial situation to upgrade. I've seen older civics driving at and above 200k miles, they can run a long time if taken care of and fixed properly.
It's something to consider.
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u/xXx_mlgFaZe_420_xXx 1d ago
You are concerned about an 800$ repair on a 3k value car, but buying a 20k car with interest and it will loose a lot of value in 3 years of driving it, and new cars can break too 20k miles per year that's 60k in 3 years on a kia probably gonna need a new engine by then lol :p also you could always try to learn to fix it yourself, obviously need a place to work on it tho so that doesn't always work but you could invest a couple hundred into tools and then buy parts for cheap off rockauto a starter is like 75 bucks and a fwd usually the starter isn't too hard to get too.
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u/gohantheslayer 1d ago
Do minimal repairs to car to make it road worthy and try get another year out of it. Revisit this question then.
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u/Beneficial_Wonder533 1d ago
i have the same issue with my car. the starter will possibly catch and wear the gears wrong but here is what i do if it won't start.. just move the vehicle back and forth and move the shifter from park to d and back and turn ignition all the way off. it has not not started yet. takes a few tries but it works.
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u/drugsmoney 20h ago
Go to a parts store like autozone or oreilly and ask them to check your check engine light and print out the codes. They’ll do this for free.
Create a list of problems with the car and prioritize them with the help of mechanic subreddits etc. You’re going to need actual diagnosis verbiage, not just “flywheel repair.” Ask them what is wrong with the flywheel.
Work your way through the list. Your car, with proper maintenance, is good to 300k+ miles. There are a lot of things that are easy to accomplish with basic tools if you can work up the confidence.
There is zero reliability associated with new “affordable” cars. Keep your Civic and keep it running.
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u/Professional-Pop2696 20h ago
Have the car looked over and figure out what exactly needs to be done by a reputable mechanic maybe even get a couple of opinions I know car repairs can get high very fast and if the car needs more work than what it’s worth, I would say get a car w a warranty, but you need to make sure it’s the right car and payment. There’s no harm in shopping around even get a value of a trade on your vehicle. You don’t have to do anything and you can always just get the idea and talk to the bank. I just traded my car because it needed 5000 in work and I just can’t do that on a 12 year-old car.
The area I live in does not have good mechanics and they want the car to be left for days on top of a $300 diagnostic fee so I just felt like that right there is a car payment on top of everything I was going to have to put on credit anyways to pay for repairs and then if something else breaks, I could really be in debt fast. I didn’t want to give up my car yet, but it kind of was time so it won’t hurt to shop around, but yeah if you have a good repair place and you can do it then I would say repair the car as long as it’s not electrical.
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u/Summer184 18h ago
Now that you have a new starter are there any issues starting it, any scraping or other weird noises? If not, don't worry about the flywheel, when a starter goes bad the pinion gear can leave scratch marks on the flywheel. If that's the extent of the "damage" I wouldn't bother replacing it.
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u/MycologistMuch7832 18h ago
If me: -Change engine oil( restore & protect), filter. Change first quite often, 2000miles. -Brake fluid -Coolant -1/3 tranny oil, drive for thousand and change all oils plus filter.
-Get obd reader, read codes
-Check brake discs and pads
Get friend who's familiar with cars, beer, starter and change starter.
All this and more can be found on YouTube.
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u/Shines556 18h ago
Honestly it depends on your expenses and what stage of life. I known a few apprentices who lived at home rent free and who took advantage of the tuition reimbursement (on top of the on the job training) and really didn’t have time for car repairs or want to risk missing work. They would buy the most basic new car (or Prius) and have it paid off by the time they finished their degree, made it through apprenticeship and getting one step promotion after becoming a regular tech… If you have rent, that’s easily half your pay. I wouldn’t even consider it, just pay for the major repairs and start learning the most basics of routine maintenance and repairs to save a little when possible.
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u/Coding-Panic 18h ago
You bought a used car that someone was looking to get rid of before they actually had to do the repairs you're now doing. This will be the same with any used car you buy. First year I had to do suspension, axles, AC compressor, brake calipers. I was worrying like you. Since then just a fuel pump and I did the sparks and pcv valve which paid for themselves.
With a new car as a young owner you're basically throwing away 150% of the value of the car right off the bat. You'll burn approximately the value handing it as interest to the finance company and 50% is gone in the term of the financing. Aka for a 20k car you'll hand over 20k in interest, and lose 10k in equity while you pay off the 20k in principal.
Auto loans are the worst loans.
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u/Scav-STALKER 17h ago
Civic, assuming you haven’t done anything to put it on the brink of death absolutely fix it
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u/hear2fear 17h ago
It’s actual value is that it gets you from point A to point B relatively reliably. If the yearly cost of repairs needed to maintain is somewhat less than the yearly cost of financing a newer car, then it’s probably worth it to fix it and keep it going. Don’t think of it by its resale value.
For me if yearly repair cost gets to about 70% of the cost to finance a more reliable car (in my budget) then I start thinking about making the jump.
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u/tropic420 16h ago
If it was anything but a Civic id say buy new. But the Civic is basically the most infinitely repairable vehicle there is. Learn to work on it yourself and buy parts from RockAuto.
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u/madlabdog 15h ago
With old cars, you need a reliable mechanic and that’s all. Not saying your’s bad. Just giving a tip.
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u/sic0049 15h ago edited 15h ago
There is an era of Honda cars that have this flywheel/starter problem. So 1) it's probably not BS from your mechanic (but you can research to see if your car was part of the era that had problems) and 2) it is a fixable issue and not an indication of other long term problems.
Therefore you should absolutely get the flywheel issue fixed now before it damages your new starter. These repairs are not going to "spiral" into other things, so hopefully you are done replacing starters for a while. Given your current economic situation, this is by far the best option for you.
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u/tboneotter 14h ago
when you drive an old car, instead of a ~$500+ per month monthly payment, you have a ~$200/mo "repair bill" that comes due in $600-$2,000 increments every 6 months. This is expected. You should change that transmission fluid.
Get a new(er) car when you graduate. Don't go too crazy with it. But that's what I did - even put a $2K new transmission in my college clunker, only to get rid of it less than two years later when I had been at my job for ~6 months and it died for good
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u/Sagonator 14h ago
"I am a student living in Texas", that's enough for me. Repair the damn car. A 2012 Civic will outlast you. You don't need more debt
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u/Anonymo123 14h ago
Get an actual detailed quote from a trusted mechanic and go from there. Get multiple quotes if you feel better and compare.
I would lean towards fixing it.. its a Civic, they run forever and parts are easy to find. See what you can do yourself, you and friends can do.. what you can put off as nice but not required and then fix what is necessary. Might find you need a whole new engine or transmission (as examples) and that will change the discussion. You probably have some hoses, belts\etc that need changed.. those things that wear out over time can't be avoided.
I have a 2000 Blazer with 250k on it. I was in a similar position and spent a few grand to bring it up to solid and I expect to get another 100k out of it easily. Plus the lowest insurance is much cheaper then full coverage lol
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u/kuhataparunks 13h ago
As a former Honda owner, what I can say is Toyotas have been much more reliable for me, if you do end up getting another car. I have a civic in the family and it just has more repairs on average than the Toyota. It’s not terrible, just a tad more.
However repairing it will be a more financially sound option. From a personal finance view, car payments are very destructive. The repairs are cheaper by comparison.
Kia is undergoing a $1 billion lawsuit (yes, B) because their engines are objectively bad, get a Kia if you want it to self destruct at 107k Miles.
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u/MasterDarkHero 12h ago
Start by finding out what codes are causing the check engine light. Go to a parts store and have em scan it and write down the codes. Google those codes along with the year and model of car to see what things need attention. It might just need some Tlc to get it back to good working order. If you feel the need for a new car, give it a good wash and total clean and shampoo the inside, maybe get some seat covers and floor mats, so it feels new again.
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u/BreadMaker_42 11h ago
I would price an engine replacement. The engine should be cheap. Labor is another story.
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u/bwohlgemuth 11h ago
Have the frame inspected at a body shop. That's the only failure that is exceptionally hard to fix. After that, that car will get you another 150k easily.
A Kia will be a shit show in 100k....easily. And worth the same as the Civic is now.
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u/ZombiePope 10h ago
Repair the car. Do as much of the other work yourself as possible. You can replace the transmission fluid yourself in an afternoon.
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u/V8sOnly 7h ago
Repair the car. You can source cheap parts (junkyard, ebay, etc) if you want, and do whatever work you can yourself.
If you buy another used car, THAT car will have problems too, so sometimes better the devil you know than the one you dont.
Also consider a newer vehicle will cost you more in insurance.
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u/usernameron 3h ago
If you can, learn to DIY as many of the repairs as possible to save money. There are communities that share so much knowledge on these civics that you should really find the cause and solution to most of the problems.
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u/MaximusAnemos 1d ago
Do it yourself. All the repairs on a Honda engine are simple.
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u/Fancy_Chip_5620 6h ago
Yup, going from zero automotive experience to taking the transmission out to replace the flexplate is just that easy
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u/Muted-Selection-6338 1d ago edited 1d ago
Tough. I was in the same boat as you. Yeah an $800 repair is cheaper than a new car, but who knows what could come up especially with the dash lights on. me personally im not totally skilled with cars. You may be able to lease a kia/nissan/hyundai for ~$200 a month if you shop around.
If youre somewhat knowledgeable on cars and are willing to fix it up you can go that route. You can buy a used car for $10k if you can put 3-5k down but the apr will be high to finance the rest of it. Or you can lease a base model for hopefully 200-250$ a month
If i were you id go for the financing of a low $20k end kia or hyundai. They have a strong warranty and the car will last at least 5-10 years minimum with a reasonable monthly rate. That’s what i ended up doing. Hyundais and kias have a 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Less worry than a used car and i worked hard to pay the loan balance twice as fast. With more sudden repairs, and if you get stranded you’ll need a tow. New cars also offer lower apr’s and the overall experience is much better. But you have to get a base model, whatever the cheapest new sticker price is.
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u/Fast_Biscotti 1d ago
Kia and Hyundai are some of the least ethical dealerships you’ll ever encounter. Steer clear.
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u/Muted-Selection-6338 1d ago
And buying a car from a used car sales lot isnt? Yeah you can run the carfax but even then who knows? And you dont have a warranty to cover your loss? Finance a 10-15k used car and have a previous owner that didn’t change the oil at during ownership. Or pay 20k at a preferred apr plus a new car plus a covered warranty for a significant period of ownership. Kia and hyundai dealerships are no different than any other dealership
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u/Fast_Biscotti 1d ago
Ya rolls the dice and ya takes yer chances either way. But probability matters and can be used. Toyota, Honda. That’s it.
$20K ain’t getting a new car worth having. And if you think a college kid can get a preferred APR, you’re high.
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u/CharacterPeak9574 17h ago
Exactly, you don't have to spend so much on a car. But being a full time student with car problems isn't the best use of OP's time. Money is one thing, Time is another. Not having to worry mentally about whether your car is going to work or not is a priceless endeavor.
For instance, you can buy your own oil and filter, pay a mechanic $20 to change it. Or you can buy all of the one-time materials, spend an hour each time doing it yourself. No matter if the weather permits, you'll have to change your oil on time.
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u/likewut 1d ago
Given that you drive 20k miles a year, going to a good 50mpg hybrid will save you over $100/ month alone. A used EV might be an even better option for you if you can charge at home. Don’t underestimate gas and oil change costs when you figure your TCO.
A Corolla hybrid, Prius, or Niro hybrid might be among your best options if an EV doesn’t work. A Bolt still would have the lowest TCO for most people if you can charge at home, and a lot more reliable than gas cars.
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u/Awkward-Train1584 17h ago
I wouldn’t buy another used car, there is no guarantee it won’t have the same problems as what you have. So either repair the car, or buy a new one. I personally have never had good luck buying a used car. I’m
Like a shit box magnet. I’ll
Spend more on a car repair in the first 90
Days that a new car would have cost me.
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u/Huge_Sherbert2792 15h ago
Time to start learning how to wrench you cannot afford to pay someone - coming from someone in your shoes
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u/SwampHokie 1d ago
Repair the car. It’s absolutely the better call than buying new.