Just started researching these cars - the one I'm looking at is surprisingly cheap (maybe not though)

$4,000 with 158,000 miles

I'm guessing I should bank on the need for a new battery - but if it's already bad I'll probably notice that test driving, no?

Also sounds like there's some other parts that go on the hybrids that are costly as well?

I guess I'm asking, are these cars money pits?

 

Call Honda with the VIN to be sure about the hybrid battery warranty.

In some states for some cars the hybrid warranty extends through 11 years or 170,000 miles.

I bought mine 20,000 miles ago and have done almost nothing to it. A single wheel bearing was replaced, but other than that just normal wear items - brake pads and oil changes. The hybrid battery pack failed at about 130,000 miles and was replaced under warranty (I am in Massachusetts). Invoice cost for the battery replacement was just over $4k after shipping and labor.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the reply. This one got sold before I could look at it - I found another on Ebay that had 111,000 miles (I think it sold for $4500) - in both cases I think those models only had the 90,000 mile warranty thus not eligible (and the ebay one already had the IMA light on but they said it was still runnning well)

Although these cars sound great when running well I couldn't take the chance of needing to put in as much as $4000

Instead I got a 2009 hyundai accent base model with 26,000 miles for $6,000 (still has 14 months and 34,000 miles on the bumper to bumper warranty!)

5 speed and got 39 mpg on my first fill up - not as good as the civic hybrid or my old VW TDI (49 mpg with diesel fuel) but I'm pleasantly surprised by the accent's good gas mileage (keeping it to 60/65 mph is key for those small engines as the RPM at 70 mph is a very high 3500)

I'm still going to keep my eyes open for a good deal on an older civic hybrid - especially if it has a warrantied/already replaced battery

Some of the driver mpg reviews said these things get up to 60 mpg on the highway (the newer civic hybrids don't seem to do close to that)

thanks for the response!