1995 Civic EX

[mtnairlover]

With 107k miles. Automatic. No working radio. A/C works. New tires. Good interior and sunroof. Ummm...runs well, good brakes, turns great.

Anyone have any opinions on such a vehicle?

Oh, it's cheap, too...relatively speaking. My daughter and I actually have the combined cash to afford this particular vehicle.

Oh and yes, I'll do a carfax search, but will wait on that, since it will cost me.

Soooo....opinions?

[Zach929rr]

Those goddamn civics run for ever. I'm absolutely astonished how much crap I have seen teenagers put them through and they will be reliable each day to the next.

[mtnairlover]

Hmmm...thanks, Zach. Hoping my daughter isn't the crap dishing out kinda teen, but I am looking for a vehicle that'll take a beating. =)

[Zach929rr]

No problem. I have seen a lot of reliability from the '90's Nissans and Hondas. I've seen the Civics easily hit 300k with steady maintenance. Hell, even the 1994 Nissan Centra my sister (brother after her) had was reliable up until the mid 200's and my brother drove the piss out of that car during high school.

[asp_125]

LOL it's the Fast & Furious Civic! If it's been taken care of, they're pretty bulletproof. Slap a fake "Type R" sticker on it and gain some powahh!

[#1Townie]

only 107k miles?? good find.. i have a 97 sitting in a garage back in nevada.. damn good cars take alot and keep goin.. as long as it was taken care of and im asuming it was with low miles id buy it.. if you dont want it pm me the info i got a buddy needing a car..

[mtnairlover]

There were several on clist, which is where I found it.

[TurboGizzmo]

I have a 1995 Del Sol (different version of the Civic) and i beat the crap out of it daily bet i could help with the radio.

-lower it
-green neons
-subs
-5 point racing harness

then she will be good.

They will last forever

[denver_whitest185]

if you post up the vin number and your email address, i can get you a free carfax through my dad and he'll forward it to you.

[denver_whitest185]

i also have a stock headunit out of my sister's 91 accord that would probably fit that car if you want a working radio. i think it also has a tape player too

[Tipys]

Have a 95 Accord sitting out front 260k. My first car 90 Accord 290k ran strough till i decided to mess around on some ice and hop a crub and get rear ended.

But great car will run forever. Even if you beat the crap out of it. And some people wonder why so many people dont buy American

[sergio]

Agreed, civics can take a real good beating. My first car was a 90 civic which sustained alot of abuse by my dumb young self, a thing of the past ofcourse. If you wouldnt mind sharing, how much is the asking price? Just curious.

[whitebrad]

me and my people have had these cars forever... my cousin and his best friend build hondas... you need it checked out before you buy it? let us know...

[mtnairlover]

me and my people have had these cars forever... my cousin and his best friend build hondas... you need it checked out before you buy it? let us know...

Me and my people? Thanks. I am going back today to see if the guy will take what I want to offer. I do have a limit. There was one thing that didn't seem right to me when I popped the hood. It could be just the way the engine is, but I am curious to know what's up with what I saw. (Warning, I live way north and the car is further north.)

Oh and Chris...um, thanks. I will let you know if Anja can afford to add a new radio. Maybe you might be able to get the current one working. It seems to be a tad touchy electronically speaking, cuz the wipers don't run right and almost didn't turn off. I had to turn the knob several times to the off position before they finally did.

Oh and thanks for the offer of carfax, Ted. Someone already sent that to me this morning.

[= Buckeye Jess =]

I agree with everybody else on this one Cathy...I had a Civic and just LOVED that car! Honda cars overall are great machines. If the engine is taken care of, they can keep running after the rest of the car has rusted away into nothing. lol

[TurboGizzmo]

Me and my people? Thanks. I am going back today to see if the guy will take what I want to offer. I do have a limit. There was one thing that didn't seem right to me when I popped the hood. It could be just the way the engine is, but I am curious to know what's up with what I saw. (Warning, I live way north and the car is further north.)

Oh and Chris...um, thanks. I will let you know if Anja can afford to add a new radio. Maybe you might be able to get the current one working. It seems to be a tad touchy electronically speaking, cuz the wipers don't run right and almost didn't turn off. I had to turn the knob several times to the off position before they finally did.

Oh and thanks for the offer of carfax, Ted. Someone already sent that to me this morning.

Humm wipers are on the column and radio doesnt work.....do a carfax make sure it was never stolen and that the title isnt salvage.

[Foolds]

Good cars but don't do great in crash's. I can help you with the radio thats easy, just bring it by the house one day and we can put a new one in.

is this a 4 door, 2 door or hatch back?

[TurboGizzmo]

Haha found this online for a Civic ad, good rules to follow and helping pick a first car, but i am guilty of doing strange addons to mine....

CAR DOES NOT FEATURE
Suicide doors
Obnoxious spoiler
Aftermarket parts to make it look fast
Aftermarket parts to make it drive fast
Stickers on the windshield/rear window stating that it is, in fact, a Honda Civic
Dragon seat covers/floormats

[Fly boy]

I am pretty sure I have an old Alpine that I yanked out of my old civic. Shoot me a PM if you get the car and I will search the garage.

[Mental]

Even with it being a Honda, you still want to check for some maint items. When was the last time the timing belt was changed? Thats an intereference motor, so if that belt goes at speed, you're looking at a new head minimum. If they have had the water pump replaced, ideally this was done at the same time, if not, find out why. Its a $16 belt, but labor will bury you. You can do it at home, but you bascially have to pull the whole "front" (as it's FWD, really the side) of the engine off, and you'll need a compressor to get the crank pulley off. You have enough buddies here that are capable of doing it, so if it needs doing, you don't want to delay on that.

CV joints, when they go, they go. Labor is expensive. It can be done in your driveway as well, but its at least a weekend, if everything goes well. When you test drive it, take a slow left turn and listen for a clunking noise.

You also want to look at the basic stuff, fluid changes, especially in that trans. If they are cared for, they will go forever, but those Honda autos can get expensive to fix in a hurry. Get under it and make sure there is no twisted metal that would indicate a wreck. Just becuase it's your kid, if it was repaired badly, the crumple zones that are soooo important to the safety of that car can be compromised.

Of course don't count out the stuff you may have to replace, tires, the exhaust, shocks etc. Walk to all four corners, give them each a solid push downward, the car should go down, come back up and stop. If it keps bouncing, budget for some shocks. Look the wear patterns on the tires to ensure it doesn't need an alighment.

These aren't deal breakers, really none of this is on its own, but too often we just budget for the vehicle and not the stuff it needs right away. Tire are obvious, but bad shocks and alignment can increase wear on tires very quickly. A leaking exhaust can have an impact on the valves and any time that comes into the equation, it gets pricey.

So just becuase its a Honda, don't assume its bullet proof, this is your kids car and if it dies on the side of I-25 in January, its gonna bother you. Its is a cheap car to own, just apply the smarts you already have when you look at it.

[Zach929rr]

+100000 to what Mental said on the timing belt. The interference engine runs the pistons stupidly close to the valves on the compression and exhaust strokes. That went out on my buddies Integra at a very low speed... he got ridiculously lucky and suffered no valve damage.

[mtnairlover]

Thanks for all the comments and offers of help guys.

The d-&*^ er sales guy, sold it out from under me...after I had called and said I was coming back to make an offer.

I just needed to find a friend who would help me drive it back to my place and when we got there, it was gone. The...er...sales guy had my number and didn't even bother calling me to tell me it was gone. Nice.

Welp, back to the drawing board.

All of your info does help me and it is much appreciated.