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I am currently looking to buy a used (2nd hand) Honda Civic ranging from 2002 - 2005. I have been warned from buying a car that has a cvt transmission - how can you tell if you are about to buy a car that has a CVT transmission? Some of the adverts for the cars specify if it is a non cvt version, however some don't! Would a pre-purchase inspection by the AA / VTNZ pick this up??
Or, is there a 'built' year where this problem was fixed?? Thanks.

It is not always easy for the lay-person to tell the difference between a conventional auto and a CVT when you drive the car, however, if you are a little bit mechanically minded you may be able to tell the difference.
A CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission) will not ever change gear. As the road speed increases, the transmission constantly adapts, altering the gear ratio as you go. With a traditional automatic transmission, you can detect gear changes in a similar, but less noticeable way than a manual car.
If you are unsure, ask the AA Inspector when you have a pre-purchase inspection carried out.
There is no build date change, however, to our knowledge all Civics sold new in New Zealand were not CVT (unlike the Jazz). Japanese import models had a mix, with some having CVT's and some not.