I am currently looking at an 06 coupe ex with 101k miles and nav for $4000. I've been doing some reading about the motor blocks cracking in the 06s and it has me a little worried about buying the car I'm looking at. The guy selling it is the original owner and has most of the maintenance records and the car holds a clean title. The car does have a few dents and scratches but what 10 year old black car doesn't lol. Do you guys think I should buy the car and take my chances or my other option is buying a civic from the salvage auctions and fixing it up, what do you guys think? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Here is the civic I am considering

 

I think the blocks were cracking at low miles, so if it has made it to 101K, it should be fine.

 

From what I have read online its been happening any where from 50-165k miles. Honda should have to replace the motor regardless of how old the car is or how many miles because it's a known defect from the factory.

 

Also known issue for this generation civics is the clear coat fading. The whole roof on mine has faded. I think it affected most colors.

 

get the vin and ask a dealer if the vehicle had this issue prior, and if there is any extended coverage available. Not that I would worry about it at this point with over 100k miles, but it might help sway your decision.

 

$4k?? Get it, it looks fine!

My 08 civic coupe/1.8L had the bad block, it went out at 195k and the dealer (who I purchased the car from new) had it towed for free fixed in under a week. And it was "day one" with a new motor ready for another 200k miles!

No worries dude, it's a outstanding car backed buy the best manufacturer out there.

 

That's for advice man. The thing that has me worried is that it is almost out of the 10 year warranty for the motor. You were lucky that yours happened in the 10 year window.

 

It may already be outside the 10 year window. TSB 10-048 says that the car is covered "10 years from the original date of purchase."

If you're worried, don't buy it. I wouldn't have bought my '07 had I known.

 

I have the same concern. I need a new daily driver as my 98 Civic has 266K miles on it and I'm not sure it will last another winter without major repairs.

These 2006-2009s are going for $7-8K at dealerships with around 95,000 miles on them. I was thinking it would be my first financed car and that Hondas have great engines so how could I go wrong. But then I read about the engine block issues on these and I'm freaked out.

If I'm planning to finance a car for $8K that means I don't have an extra $4k laying around in my bank account to pay for a new engine at half the value of the car if I need to. But I'm a Honda guy so I don't know what other kind of car to buy instead that would be decent and not cost me a fortune in repairs.