6. How We’d Spec It: 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI With the Stick

The First-Generation Honda Civic Changed the World It’s almost agonizingly small and looks dowdy to modern eyes, but the first-generation Honda Civic—like this one spotted in Santa Barbara, California—changed the world. The Civic wasn’t the first Honda car. The first Honda cars sold in America were barely cars. They had dinky 598cc, 36-horsepower two-cylinder engines that groaned on like overloaded rock polishers. And the S600 was super-tiny at only 125-inches over a 78.75-inch wheelbase while riding on tiny tires wrapped around 10-inch diameter wheels. There may be some nostalgia today for these misery machines, but back in 1969 when the first Honda S600 went on sale here as a 1970 model, it was immediately apparent that they were crap. The Civic wasn’t crap. “Honda is canceling out of the semi-car market now.” C/D continued on first encountering the 1973 Civic. “As soon as the dealers roll their current supply of 600s out the door the transition will be complete. Because, waiting to take its place, is the new Civic, at $1973 P.O.E. a serious contender in the under-$2000 real car market. . . and, if the automotive price spiral continues, perhaps the only contender before long.” The Civic was obviously a big hit for Honda. Before it arrived in the United States, the best Honda could do was sell 20,000 total Honda 600 sedans and coupes. That was in 1972. After the Civic arrived for 1973, sales jumped to 36,957 Hondas during 1973. Then 43,119 in 1974. And sales just kept growing from there. During 1979, after the Accord went on sale in 1976 and the first-generation Civic line had expanded to include a small wagon alongside the sedan and hatchback, Honda sold 353,291 cars. All that was great for Honda, but the Civic meant something even greater to the market as a whole. The Civic was the first commercially successful front-drive Japanese car in North America. Subaru, for example, had been selling front-drivers in the United States for a few years, but only in dribbles. The Civic on other hand was a smash hit. Toyota, Datsun (Nissan), and Mazda models of the early 1970s were all rear drives machines. Some of them, like the Datsun 240Z and rotary-powered Mazdas were even fun to drive. But it was the dinky Civic that truly showed the way forward for Japanese cars in America. The first front-drive Toyota Corolla, for instance, didn’t arrive until the 1984 model year. Front-drive’s advantages were such that soon virtually all Japanese cars sold in America for the mainstream market were front-drive. Yes, the first Civic had a few other innovations. That included the sweet natured, catalyst-free Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) engine which was introduced for the 1975 model year, displaced 1.5-liters, and was rated at 60 horsepower. This particular example, spotted in Santa Barbara, California while I wandered around with my new puppy waiting for my Tundra to be smogged, isn’t a CVCC. Instead it’s the base Civic with the 1.2-liter four. If it’s a 1974 model, as I suspect, then it’s engorged with a trembling 52-horsepower. That’s before 47 years of intrepid service. And it’s equipped with the lazy t wo-speed “Hondamatic” semi-automatic transmission. The last first generation Civic was produced for the 1979 model year. And the generation’s seven-year run remains the longest for a Civic over its now 11 generations. Keep in mind that means the 2022 Civic represents the 50th production year for this car.

How to Change Your Car’s Air Filter Think back to the last time you had your oil changed at a quick lube. The mechanic brings you What Does an Air Filter Do? out to the car to show you how filthy your air filter is and tells you it’s time to replace it. You’re a busy man with places to go and people to see, so you nod and give him the go ahead. You go back to the lobby and read the six month old Field and Stream that was there at your last oil change while the mechanic does his thing. “Shouldn’t be more than $10 extra,” you think to yourself. “And your total today for the oil change and new air filter is $45.77,” chirps the cute young lady with bad highlights at the cash register. What the wha? That’s right. Your $20 oil change doubled its price in just a matter of seconds. I’ve seen mechanics charge anywhere from $18 to $25 to change an air filter. About the same price as an oil change. The air filter itself is only about $10 for most vehicles. Where the shop gets you is where they always get you- on labor. You’d think with what they charge, replacing an air filter is some complicated task that necessitates special tools only available to licensed mechanics. You’d think that, but you’d be wrong. The reality is that changing your car’s air filter is quite possibly the simplest maintenance job you can perform. It seriously takes about a minute to complete and requires no special tools. If you’re a man who has never done any auto maintenance and would like to get started, but you’re not quite ready to change your oil, start off changing your own air filter. It’s a quick way to save some cash- money that you can use for more important things like paying down your debt or buying a squirrel lamp. For your engine to run, it needs air. The air mixes with gas, the spark plug gives a spark, and-presto!-you’ve got internal combustion. For an engine to run efficiently, the air that it takes in needs to be as clean as possible. Problem is that the air outside is full of junk that doesn’t burn cleanly or evenly at all. Dirt, pollen, salt, and bird feathers are just some the things your engine will suck in to create the controlled explosion that moves your motor. You don’t want that stuff in your engine. That’s where the trusty air filter enters the picture. Air filters are connected to the engine’s intake manifold. Most filters are rectangular (older cars that have carburetors use a donut-shaped air filter) and are made of a porous, paper-like material, folded like an accordion. The filter prevents dirt and other particulates from getting into your engine while allowing the clean air through. Simple, yet effective. How Often Should You Change Your Air Filter? It’s recommended that you change your air filter once every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you live in a particularly dusty place, do it more frequently. It’s always a good idea to at least check your air filter at every oil change. If you take your car into a quick lube and the mechanic says you need a new one, just tell him you’re going to wait on it and then go change it yourself. Check your owner’s manual for specifics on when to change your air filter for your make and model.