Btw I plan to buy a Honda Civic 5-7th gen for a first car. (The newer ones are beyond my price range 😂)
Which generation would you guys recommend and why?
Here's a video by Scotty on years to buy and years to avoid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7az0i6Dr_Js
I don't think anyone has deep knowledge of 22-31 year old Japanese econoboxes.
But it's defiantly not the 7th generation, probably a late 6th gen.
Assuming the car checks out. A car after 1996. So that rules out the fifth generation.
After 1996ish, cars needed to come with OBD-II ports, which makes diagnosing problems easier.
Seventh generation had some automatic transmission issues.
Which leaves the sixth generation Civic. Out if those choices.
Just make sure the timing belt is good (or set aside money to have it changed). It’s a maintenance item.
I've seen a lot of modded 5th gens listed for sale and got an impression they are still liked. But they are quite old. Most of them will have rust on the frame and require repairs. Personally I both love and hate how a 6th gen looks. But I tend to think of them as boring. Kaizen mentioned automatic transmission problems but I don't care about that - I want a manual. Plus 7th gen are quite roomy.