You can't get a cheap used Civic because its a sellers market. 3 yr old civics cost as much as new. Dealers aggressively try to buy back Civics they sell.
A quick search on my local classifieds section shows a 2006 for $6,000, and a 2008 for $10,000, all the way to a 2011 (with rebuilt title) for $7,500 and everything in between. Used cars are almost always a better choice.