‘CVT is always a gamble’: Man buys 2015 Honda Civic with 195,000 miles at online auction. Is it worth $7,000?
A car expert is going viral after revealing how he may have accidentally thrown money at a dud Honda Civic.
Kenny (@kennycompcars), who shares car-buying tips and used car advice on TikTok, recently posted about purchasing a “non-running” car with 195,000 miles on it from an online dealership. In other words, he knew the car wouldn’t start when he bought it.
That didn’t deter him. Kenny said he planned to swap out the battery, get the engine running, and flip the car for a profit. But that plan fell apart when he discovered a much bigger—and more expensive—issue that could cost him thousands to repair.
As of Wednesday, his video detailing the misstep had racked up over 534,800 views.
Why buy a non-running Honda Civic?
In his video, Kenny wondered aloud whether he’d been “ripped off” in the sale.
At first, viewers might’ve assumed he was upset because he bought a defunct car thinking it would run. But as he explained, the issue went deeper.
Kenny said he purchased the non-running Civic at an online auction for $1,200, with plans to flip it for $7,000. By the start of his nearly six-minute video, he’d already put just under $2,000 into it.
“So why did I buy a car that does not run?” he asked. “Let me show you.”
His plan was simple: replace the engine, get it road-ready, and resell it—bringing his total investment to around $3,000. He even found a replacement engine nearby for under $500.
Things initially looked promising. After confirming the battery was dead and that the car had oil, Kenny jump-started it—and it worked.
“This might be my steal of the century,” he said, clearly excited.
Content creator expressed fear he got ‘scammed’
Then the bad news came in. Though the moment of realization wasn’t caught on camera, Kenny explained that part of his job is “all about risk vs. reward”—and in this case, the risk didn’t pay off.
He suspected the seller intentionally listed the Civic as inoperable to avoid disclosing a much bigger issue: a bad transmission. “By saying it wouldn’t run, they did not have to guarantee anything,” Kenny said.
Fixing it wouldn’t be cheap. Kenny estimated a used CVT transmission would cost between $2,000 and $4,000—a far cry from the $500 he originally budgeted for a battery swap.
It’s unclear where Kenny got that estimate. According to Lemon Law Assist, replacing a CVT transmission is indeed pricey, typically running between $3,000 and $5,000 for a new one. But used transmissions—like those listed on eBay—can sometimes go for under $1,000.
Still, the price can vary significantly based on the vehicle’s make and model. For a Honda Civic, some retailers list used CVTs between $1,000 and $2,000. It’s unclear whether Kenny found a better deal or managed to flip the car for the hefty profit he hoped for at the beginning of the video.
“Sometimes as dealers, we take those risks. Sometimes we’ll pay the price,” he said.
Car experts warn against CVT engines
Even though a CVT transmission is what Kenny said he needed to properly flip the car, some auto experts have long warned that CVTs are unreliable and prone to problems.
In a viral video from September, one mechanic argued that CVTs are less dependable than traditional automatic transmissions with red ATF fluid, saying the latter “last so much longer and have been proven.”
That said, CVTs may be getting an overly bad rap online. As Car and Driver has pointed out, these transmissions come with benefits too—including a lighter build and the ability to change gear ratios continuously, which can improve fuel efficiency.
@kennycompcars Will this 2015 Honda Civic run? Did I get scammed? Risk vs reward is the theme in the used car business. My hopes quickly took a dash on this one. I think this was intentional but I have no recourse. It’s part of the business. No wonder you guys don’t trust car dealers! You shouldn’t! #cardealership #mechanic #carsales #honda #hondacivic #carsalesman #usedcars ♬ original sound - Competition Cars and Classics
Viewers question why expert bought Honda Civic
In the comments under Kenny’s video, some viewers were skeptical of his initial claim that he could turn a profit on the car—even if the issues were as minor as he first believed.
“How are you going to get over $7,000 for a car with 200,000 miles on it,” one TikToker questioned. “Just curious.”
“Who would pay over 7 grand for this,” another asked.
“With 200k on it,” a third viewer asked, similarly skeptical.
Others also warned Kenny that buying a CVT engine might not fix all his problems, as they can be unreliable.
“CVT is always a gamble,” one man commented.
“All CVT transmissions are junk,” another added. “Stay away from them. Sorry that happened to ya.”
And some said that—despite the drawbacks—Kenny should try to look at the bright side: that he’d still be able to make a profit, albeit a smaller one than he thought.
“Man, you hit the jackpot!” one viewer gushed.
“That is one of the best cars I ever owned,” another said. “Good luck, bud!”
“Too bad, but you’ll still make some money on it,” a third TikToker pointed out.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kenny via TikTok comment and to Honda through email.
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