Sonny Miller here. I want to tell you about one of the services we provide and how we operate with the Honda Civic. It’s one of the most popular cars in Southern California, and we love them. We buy all types, especially the older ones.
Got a Honda Civic from the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s, or 2010s? Even a newer one that’s damaged? You’re in the right place. We pay cash, and we come to you. Or if you’d rather, I can pay you by cashier’s check, wire transfer, Zelle, or Cash App, whatever works best for you.
If you’re in Orange County near our Cypress office, I can usually get to you in under an hour. And if you’re up in the San Fernando Valley near our Van Nuys office, same thing. Everywhere else across SoCal, I still come to you, usually within hours. So if you want a quote first, call or text me at (714) 900-3723. Then let me show you how we work, and I’ll break down what I look at on these cars.
How We Work
I’ve been buying cars around here for over 20 years, and it all comes down to one thing for me. When we’re done, you should feel good about the deal, not like you got worked over. So that’s what I aim for every single time, and here’s exactly how it works.
You Talk to Me, Not a Call Center
You call us up, or you leave a contact request. We personally read it, and we personally answer the phone. You won’t get a whack-a-mole of people to talk to, and you won’t hear “hold on, let me transfer you.” None of that here.
You call, and you give me a brief description of your Honda Civic and its condition. For example: Is it running and driving? Are there any problems you know about? How many miles does it have? Do you have a clean title or a salvage title? That’s about as simple as it gets.
A Quick Quote Over the Phone
When you need to sell your Honda, I can usually give you a quote in just a couple of minutes right over the phone. And if you leave a contact request, I typically get back to you within minutes, because it comes straight to me and I read it myself. Either way, I won’t leave you hanging.
And if I can’t buy your vehicle for any reason, I’ll point you in the right direction to get the most for it. But if I can buy it, I’ll do my best to get you the most money I can.
The Price I Quote Is the Price I Pay
When we show up, and by we I mean me or one of my family members, we take a look at the vehicle. As long as it’s what you described over the phone, the price I quoted is the price I pay. I’m not going to invent reasons to knock it down. A dead battery, a flat tire, or a small dent isn’t going to change your number, because I already figured normal wear into the quote.
Now, I’ll always be honest with you. If I get there and find something major nobody mentioned, like a blown transmission or a cracked engine block, then yes, that changes what the car is actually worth, and I’ll show you exactly why. But that’s me being honest about a real problem, not playing games. A lot of folks call me after another buyer quoted them high over the phone, then dropped the price for no real reason once they showed up. I don’t do that. So if your number ever changes, there’s a real reason behind it, and I’ll walk you through it.
Once we agree, I hand you your cash, or whatever payment you’d like, and a couple of signatures later, it’s done.
Common Honda Civic Problems by Generation
Every generation of Civic has its own quirks. After 20 years, I know what to look at on each one. None of it changes whether I’ll buy your car. I just factor it into the offer. Here’s the honest rundown, generation by generation.
5th Generation (1992–1995)
These are simple, tough cars. The D-series engine runs forever if you keep up on it. The one that fools people is the main relay. When it goes bad, the car won’t start when it’s hot, then fires right up once it cools off. Beyond that it’s small stuff, like worn rear bushings or an old heater core. Even a high-mileage one with 200k has plenty of life, and I buy them.
6th Generation (1996–2000)
The sneaky one here is the distributor. It leaks oil down onto the transmission solenoids right under it. That shorts them out and causes transmission trouble, and a lot of shops miss it. The automatics get weak around this time too. None of that stops me from buying it.
7th Generation (2001–2005)
This generation has the worst reputation, mostly for two things. The automatic transmissions on the 2001 and 2002 cars flat-out fail. And the D-series engine likes to blow head gaskets, which shows up as overheating. The EP3 hatchback skips that problem, because it runs the tougher K-series engine. You’ll also see cracked exhaust manifolds and a worn second gear on the manuals. If the transmission already went and it won’t move, I still buy it as-is.
8th Generation (2006–2011)
This is the big one. The R18 1.8-liter engine block can crack on the 2006 to 2008 cars and some early 2009s. The coolant leaks out and the engine overheats. Honda knew it was a real problem and extended the engine warranty to 10 years, though they left out the Si and Hybrid.
Here’s the catch. That 10-year window has closed on all of them now. So if it cracks today, a shop will quote you a few thousand for a new engine, more than the car is worth. That’s when folks call me, and a cracked or non-running Civic is no problem. You’ll see smaller stuff too, like worn control arms eating the inside of the tires and a droopy sun visor.
9th Generation (2012–2015)
These got a lot more dependable, with the R18 and K24 engines. So it’s mostly small stuff now. The sun visor problem carried over into a class-action settlement. The paint still fades, and a weak battery can cause electrical gremlins, even cutting out the steering assist. There was also a software recall on the 2014 and 2015 CVT. If yours has a check engine light on, it doesn’t change my offer.
10th Generation (2016–2021)
Newer, so I’ll keep it short. The headline was the 1.5-liter turbo mixing fuel into the oil, worst on short trips in cold weather. Honda fixed that with a software update. The A/C condensers also leaked, and Honda covered those with a 10-year warranty extension.
11th Generation (2022 and Newer)
Too new for me to see much. There’s a steering gearbox recall on the 2022 to 2025 cars, plus a fuel pump recall on some 2025 sedans. Both get fixed free at the dealer. If you’ve got one, run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup or Honda’s recall page.
No matter the generation, running or not, I buy Hondas all across Southern California. Any of these problems, or none of them, it doesn’t change a thing.
A Couple of Civics I’ve Bought
After 20 years of buying these cars, I see the same thing over and over. Somebody has a perfectly good Civic and keeps getting offered scrap money for it, just because it isn’t pretty. That’s not how I work, so let me give you two real examples.
A while back I bought a 2004 Honda Civic out in Anaheim with around 180,000 miles on it. It ran great, but it had a few dents and the paint was faded, so it wasn’t cosmetically perfect. The owner had been calling around, and everybody kept throwing junk and scrap prices at them, even though the car was registered and running just fine. When they heard my offer, they took it and were really happy, because I paid them for a running car, not for a pile of parts.
Then there was a 2001 Honda Civic I picked up in Granada Hills. The door handles were broken off and the interior was a little rough, but it was the same story all over again. The owner kept calling around and kept hearing scrap prices, so they were glad when I gave them a fair number instead. I’m just not going to treat a running Civic like it belongs in a junkyard.
What Honda Civic Owners Say
I’ve bought a lot of Civics over the years, so here’s what a few of those owners had to say after the sale.
“Sonny came in hours, paid me cash, and handled all the paperwork for my 2004 Honda Civic. Two thumbs up.” — Sami M.
“Sonny was very nice, fast, and paid me in cash for my 1999 Honda Civic. Would highly recommend.” — Deborah R.
“Sold my Civic to them in one hour. Surprised how fast they responded. Highly recommended.” — Kyle S.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling a Honda Civic
Do you buy Honda Civics that don’t run?
Every time. A blown engine, a dead transmission, or a car that won’t start, none of it stops me. I bring my own equipment, load it up, and pay you on the spot.
Do you buy high-mileage and older Civics?
Yes, those are some of my favorites. These engines run forever when they’re maintained, so 150k, 200k, or higher is no problem. The older ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s cars are exactly what I’m looking for.
Can I sell my Civic without the title or with a salvage title?
Yes to both. A lost title, a missing title, or a salvage title is no issue. I handle all the DMV paperwork for you on my end.
Do you buy Si and Type R models?
Of course. The Si and Type R are some of the most sought-after Civics out there. I’m always interested, stock or modified.
Ready to Sell Your Civic?
Feel free to call me anytime, even if you’re not selling. If you just want to price your Honda and get an idea what it’s worth, that doesn’t bother me. Any way I can help, I’m here to help. Thank you, and have a good day.
Sonny Miller, GoCarBuyer.com
Cypress Office: 10601 Walker St Suite 102, Cypress, CA 90630, (714) 900-3723
Van Nuys Office: 6360 Van Nuys Blvd #16, Van Nuys, CA 91401, (818) 405-8808
Open 8 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week. Find us on Google Maps
