Im in the processing of looking for a used civic. I always heard that all civics 96-00 are almost the same and reliable , but I wanted see the differences in each year.

Which is the most reliable year of this gen?

Is the engine better for 99 and 00 civics than 96-98?

Which is the worst year of this gen?

 

all the same engine wise. 99-00 had an exterior facelift, some slight interior changes. the civic hx with cvt transmission is crap. d16y engines like to spin bearings, unavoidable. subframe rust issues, fuel and rear brake line rot common also. if you've got the budget, go 99-00 si. b16a2 is superior to any of the d series offerings.

 

I'd say they are all pretty equal reliability wise. Rust issues are probably the biggest concern.

Unfortunately the hatch is known to be the work for rusting, followed by the sedan. The 2 door coupe is the best at staying rust free, through all years of that gen.

 

In my experience, the D-series engines have very fickle head gaskets. Most of the Civics I've bought I've had to replace the head gasket on. Now whether I am a statistical outlier or not is a different question.

 

spin bearings they do, but unavoidable... not nearly. by doing the "Y8 oil pump mod" and chamfering the oil supply holes on the crank journals (like the Z6 has from factory) the only other thing needed to ensure bearings don't spin is keeping the oil full and fresh.

sure this means pulling the engine out and rebuilding/refreshing it, but we're talking reliability in relation to 15-20 year old used cars... some extra work is to be expected.

sure higher output and more aftermarket support, but i wouldn't expect a used B16 to be any more reliable than a used D16. at this age maintenance history has a much larger effect than how many cams it has. also the rarity of the B-series will limit the availability of good-condition, well-maintained cars, as will all the hooning that an Si is more likely to see.

i don't think your experience is rare. however i think the true cause isn't inherent in a badly designed engine but in cheap replacement parts (i've had to try three different brands on my first build to get one that didn't cause trouble) and abuse/neglect from previous owners. overheat it more than a few times because regular, preventative maintenance was ignored (say a leaking radiator hose) it's only a matter of time...

it's more so a case of finding a well kept car and doing the required maintenance to keep it in good working order.

 

I have two Civics: a '96 bought new and a '00 bought used. With the '96 problems with the power windows/door locks/mirrors caused by wiring harness broken wires. Oil leak from worn distributor "O" ring. Otherwise a good efficient, reliable car. The 2000 is in good shape. Many Civics are abused; not maintained. There are good ones out there, but they are hard to find. Many think the 6th gen Civics were the best that Honda ever made, before or since.

 

Thank you guys for all suggestions. Im currently debating as to whether to fix my current honda civic 1997 dx coupe or get another civic from 1996-2000. The reason I want to get a 1999 or 2000 civic is because of the climate control dash , which I can put a double din radio and the engine. My civic has a blown head gasket and damaged engine block , so

Would it be better to fix my civic and repair or replace the engine? Or focus on getting a good used civic??

Here is my current civic.

 

You want to buy another car so can run a double din radio? Lol

For the trouble, you could just upgrade the climate control in your current ride

 

Not exactly , but I saw threads about changing the climate control from 99-00 to 96-98 and you also need to take off the dash and other things , which can damaged some parts. I know it is difficult to get another civic that hasn't been abused and that it has received good maintenance.

My current civic got a new clutch less then a month ago and it has 163,000 miles. But the engine came from the junker , so I'm not sure if I need to replace or repair it besides the head gasket and the engine block.

I would like to get a civic 99 or 2000 not only because of climate control dash , but also I heard that their engine are more powered and reliabled than the 96-98 civics.

 

they are the exact same engines, for the 203429854767th time.

 

96-98 do not have a ptank sensor or a purge on the charcoal canister for cx dx. Also in my state, 98 and under can have 2 not ready vs 1 for 99 and up. Also 97 for the win!!!