High mileage hch I

illili · #1 12-16-2010, 11:11 AM

Hello all,

I have heard and read many post about people having problems with their hybrids early on in their lives, and I was wondering if anybody has any <i>good</i> reports about their civics; i.e. mileage surpassing 200,000 etc. If anyone feels they have a high mileage civic hybrid, feel free to share how you drove it and where.

Also, it seems that in the summer keeping the battery cool is a problem, does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance :]

laurieaw · #2 12-16-2010, 06:48 PM

i can speak for my HCH 1, a 2005 with MT. i bought it new and except for a trip across the country when it was driven by a team consisting of wayne, sean, tarabell and another drive whose name escapes me, which makes me embarassed since i have even met him and should know better, i put all the miles on it. it's sitting at 107,000 give or take.

my lifetime is a little over 54MPG. i drive slowly, coast when i can taking advantage of hills, and slowing down at lights. i used to commute about 100 miles a day, and used the backroads a lot. i rarely drive over 60MPH, usually going slower. i run low rolling resistance tires in the summer, but have done well even with snows in the winter.

had i not lived in minnesota, my lifetime might be better, since the bitter cold really affects getting good MPG, especially now since my commute is 2.5 miles and i don't work every day.

i am not a stickler on maintenance, but change the oil regularly. the only major problem i have had is a shift cable the rusted and corroded and had to be replaced. cost was about $600. no battery problems or anything else, knock on wood.

Gairwyn · #3 12-16-2010, 08:40 PM

Due to my short commute, my car hasn't racked up a lot of total miles (just under 50k), but it's a 2004 HCH-I that so far has never had any IMA battery problems; I've never even had a re-cal yet. I rarely use the AC in summer (live in the northeast, weather is similar to that in PA). I usually just open the driver-side window unless I have a passenger who might prefer that I use the AC.

I'm wondering if the posts you've been reading about people having problems early on with their HCH's have been mostly from owners who have an HCH-II which may have had the recal/update issue. (The HCH-I has a slightly different IMA battery set-up and doesn't seem to have the same problems as HCH-II in this regard.) It may also be that cars driven in locations with a hotter climate like Arizona, Texas, Florida, etcetera have had more heat-related battery problems. Anyway, in summer I tend to use the AC only when really necessary, and I always try to park in the shade, or a garage if available, to keep the battery cool.

I've also been trying to "stay out of the pack" after reading about it here. Kind of challenging, but I try.

GreenBlues · #4 12-16-2010, 10:29 PM

We have almost 115k. No battery problems. Had to replace the front struts. Probably caused by our country roads.

If you are interested here are some high mileage stories:
http://automobiles.honda.com/mile-ma...Civic%20Hybrid

msirach · #5 12-16-2010, 11:03 PM

Thanks for that link Wayne! I hadn't looked at that site in a long time. 221k,275k, 800k are all amazing yet typical for a Honda. It is great to see the hybrid badge on these though.

Right Lane Cruiser · #6 12-16-2010, 11:17 PM

Laurie, there were three other drivers -- Ken, Brian, and Billy.

laurieaw · #7 12-17-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Right Lane Cruiser

Laurie, there were three other drivers -- Ken, Brian, and Billy.

thanks, sean. i had a senior moment.

dllewell8 · #8 12-01-2011, 09:22 PM

My 2005 HCH with MT has 188,000 miles on the odometer. The lifetime mpg (according to the in-dash computer which I have never reset) is 52.5 mpg. I am a happy Honda owner.

My first set of tires lasted 110,000 miles. I run at about 42 psi in the summer and 38 in the winter. I drive conservatively. I seldom use the AC.

The car is all original except for spark plugs, two headlight bulbs, oil and air filters, windshield wiper blades, and the twelve volt battery.

I have recently moved from the suburbs of Detroit to the suburbs of Chicago. There is more stop and go driving in Chicago, so I can detect the mileage going down about 3 mpg. Maybe it is time to change the spark plugs again (although these only have 90,000 miles on them.

This thing can't last forever, and I am really concerned about what to buy next. I don't think that anything affordable will do as well as this 2005 has done.