Model: Honda S-MX
Year: 1997
Mileage:124,000 km (circa 77,000 miles)
Tax: Irrelevant now
MOT:06/06/15
Pics: here and some below
Location: Leamington Spa, CV33
Price: No longer for sale
Contact details: 07880777915 or PM
Hi all,
I am reluctantly selling my Honda S-MX, bought from this section a few months back. (original thread)
At the time it needed some work doing for the next MOT. I fixed all the issues and the car flew got its MOT with advisory on handbrake performance and two tyres worn on inner threads. Those issues have been subsequently addressed (read-on)
I have since then used the van to support my house renovation and as a commuting car. It performed both roles exemplary, being to able to get a 40m2 load of wood flooring loading and returning a noticeable 35mpg averaged on my commuting journey (not with the wooden floor in that is!).
Unfortunately, the steering rack started to leak from the offside seals last the weekend. A house renovation and a baby shortly upon us means that I do not have the time to fettle with the car and replace the steering rack myself (as much as I would like too). It might be an easy job, but most likely it is a pain and a subframe off jobby. I haven't have the time to look into it, so assume the latter if you want to buy it.
Hence, the car is now for sale as repair for any good soul who would make good use of this funky little thing.
The car is not without service history although admittedly there isn’t a great deal of it.
During my ownership:
114507km - 03/05/14 - new front drop link bushes, new steering gaiter and new front brake pads. Rear drum shoes adjusted (for the handbrake)
114530km - 05/05/14 - new engine and gearbox oil
118729km - 18/07/14 - front wheel tracking done
123390km - 25/11/14 - new engine oil, oil filter and air filter
Before my ownership:
Not much, a few early stamps of the service book and record of the timing belt having been replaced at 96851km on 08/12/10.
Current MOT is valid until 06/06/2015.
I must also mention that the two nearside doors now feature a big dent courtesy of the missus. I have located a couple of doors in the right colour for £50 each and was going to go a collect those. However, the aforementioned steering rack failure made me reconsider my long term plan on this car.
If you buy the car, I can provide you with the contact details for the friendly chap who is holding the doors for me. I am pretty sure he also has a few steering racks for sale for this car.
Now for the car itself:
The Honda S-MX, for those who don't know is a compact day van powered by the 2.0 16V non-VTEC B20B engine. The engine is coupled with a 4-speed auto box. The car takes you back 50 years every time you select a gear with its column shifter! Front row bench accentuates the retro feeling.
The van can double up as a bedroom, with the two benches folding down to made a full size double beds (larger than what I could fit in the 3rd bedroom in my house). I have not tried to sleep in it but I was told that it does make a comfortable sleep.
Performance wise, I have to be honest here, it is not the most dynamic drive I have experienced and the feedback from the road is almost inexistent. Take it a bit hard around the corner and you will now what front wheel drive understeer is all about. It might well be a Honda, but Type R it is not! And to be honest, you wouldn't buy it to impress your mates around the track.
Still there is a decent amount of mph under the bonnet with circa 120bhp and a fairly low kerb weight. So it will take you to legal speed quickly enough.
What really does it for me was the driving position. You sit high up, straight like in a van but yet, it drives more like a car. Long journeys are not unpleasant. Again it isn't the most refined car but it is better than some of the cars I've owned in the past and you are sitting comfortably.
It is also amazing how much attention you get, specially from the JDM/VIP community. Personally I like its quirky look although I realise it is not to everyone's test. However if you've read that far down then you probably have the same weird taste as I do.
There is literally nothing like it on the UK road and I can't think of any substitute for it.
As you can probably tell by the write-up, I really enjoyed this car and was planning to keep it for a while. With the option of sliding the rear bench back and forth it makes it a nice little family car with plenty of room for 5 plus luggage, which would have been perfect for our needs.
Unfortunately current circumstances mean that I am unable to keep it on the road for the foreseeable future. However if it doesn't sell I will keep it until I finally got a bit more time to look at it.
I think the car has been priced fairly. £150 will get you 2 new doors and a steering rack and the car will easily be worth £900-£1000 after that. It has lower mileage than the few cars car advertised on Ebay/AUto trader, most of them going for above £1000.
Also I do not need another car in p/x, I have another two cars to use so please leave any temptations away from me!
Finally some pics of the car.
Apologies, the car is far from looking its best and could do with a good clean. I took the rare opportunity of being back home during daytime today to take some quick snapshots.
Weather permitting, I will give the car a good clean inside out over the weekend and will take some better pictures.
Any questions, just ask.
Nick.
Year: 1997
Mileage:124,000 km (circa 77,000 miles)
Tax: Irrelevant now
MOT:06/06/15
Pics: here and some below
Location: Leamington Spa, CV33
Price: No longer for sale
Contact details: 07880777915 or PM
Hi all,
I am reluctantly selling my Honda S-MX, bought from this section a few months back. (original thread)
At the time it needed some work doing for the next MOT. I fixed all the issues and the car flew got its MOT with advisory on handbrake performance and two tyres worn on inner threads. Those issues have been subsequently addressed (read-on)
I have since then used the van to support my house renovation and as a commuting car. It performed both roles exemplary, being to able to get a 40m2 load of wood flooring loading and returning a noticeable 35mpg averaged on my commuting journey (not with the wooden floor in that is!).
Unfortunately, the steering rack started to leak from the offside seals last the weekend. A house renovation and a baby shortly upon us means that I do not have the time to fettle with the car and replace the steering rack myself (as much as I would like too). It might be an easy job, but most likely it is a pain and a subframe off jobby. I haven't have the time to look into it, so assume the latter if you want to buy it.
Hence, the car is now for sale as repair for any good soul who would make good use of this funky little thing.
The car is not without service history although admittedly there isn’t a great deal of it.
During my ownership:
114507km - 03/05/14 - new front drop link bushes, new steering gaiter and new front brake pads. Rear drum shoes adjusted (for the handbrake)
114530km - 05/05/14 - new engine and gearbox oil
118729km - 18/07/14 - front wheel tracking done
123390km - 25/11/14 - new engine oil, oil filter and air filter
Before my ownership:
Not much, a few early stamps of the service book and record of the timing belt having been replaced at 96851km on 08/12/10.
Current MOT is valid until 06/06/2015.
I must also mention that the two nearside doors now feature a big dent courtesy of the missus. I have located a couple of doors in the right colour for £50 each and was going to go a collect those. However, the aforementioned steering rack failure made me reconsider my long term plan on this car.
If you buy the car, I can provide you with the contact details for the friendly chap who is holding the doors for me. I am pretty sure he also has a few steering racks for sale for this car.
Now for the car itself:
The Honda S-MX, for those who don't know is a compact day van powered by the 2.0 16V non-VTEC B20B engine. The engine is coupled with a 4-speed auto box. The car takes you back 50 years every time you select a gear with its column shifter! Front row bench accentuates the retro feeling.
The van can double up as a bedroom, with the two benches folding down to made a full size double beds (larger than what I could fit in the 3rd bedroom in my house). I have not tried to sleep in it but I was told that it does make a comfortable sleep.
Performance wise, I have to be honest here, it is not the most dynamic drive I have experienced and the feedback from the road is almost inexistent. Take it a bit hard around the corner and you will now what front wheel drive understeer is all about. It might well be a Honda, but Type R it is not! And to be honest, you wouldn't buy it to impress your mates around the track.
Still there is a decent amount of mph under the bonnet with circa 120bhp and a fairly low kerb weight. So it will take you to legal speed quickly enough.
What really does it for me was the driving position. You sit high up, straight like in a van but yet, it drives more like a car. Long journeys are not unpleasant. Again it isn't the most refined car but it is better than some of the cars I've owned in the past and you are sitting comfortably.
It is also amazing how much attention you get, specially from the JDM/VIP community. Personally I like its quirky look although I realise it is not to everyone's test. However if you've read that far down then you probably have the same weird taste as I do.
There is literally nothing like it on the UK road and I can't think of any substitute for it.
As you can probably tell by the write-up, I really enjoyed this car and was planning to keep it for a while. With the option of sliding the rear bench back and forth it makes it a nice little family car with plenty of room for 5 plus luggage, which would have been perfect for our needs.
Unfortunately current circumstances mean that I am unable to keep it on the road for the foreseeable future. However if it doesn't sell I will keep it until I finally got a bit more time to look at it.
I think the car has been priced fairly. £150 will get you 2 new doors and a steering rack and the car will easily be worth £900-£1000 after that. It has lower mileage than the few cars car advertised on Ebay/AUto trader, most of them going for above £1000.
Also I do not need another car in p/x, I have another two cars to use so please leave any temptations away from me!
Finally some pics of the car.
Apologies, the car is far from looking its best and could do with a good clean. I took the rare opportunity of being back home during daytime today to take some quick snapshots.
Weather permitting, I will give the car a good clean inside out over the weekend and will take some better pictures.
Any questions, just ask.
Nick.
