Honda buying guide?

[tom13]

Hi guys,

I'm after a quick Honda for some cheap thrills. Would quite like a VTEC but doesn't have to be. Don't really know loads about them so was after a bit of advice.

After the type r variants (which are fetching good money at the min) what are the good models beneath them. I would like a civic I do even like crx too but they are pretty expensive at the min too.price range is sub 1000 but cheaper the better you know. I know its not a good comparison but the golf gti's are a lot of car for money so my question is what's the right Honda to buy?

Cheers
Tom

[retroade]

Here's what you want, if you can live with two seats!

This was mine for 6 years, sold few months back for just over your budget. Had 170k miles on the clock and still ran like clockwork. Only sold it because I found an E30 325i and didn't have garage space for both cars.

Mine was a UK 1.6 ESi, nippy little 128 hp vtec, the VTi with the twin cam is around 170 hp, but with your budget you may find you're looking at JDM spec cars.

Like all Hondas if it's been looked after it will generally be mechanically good but look for rust. Del Sols rust badly on the rear arch and rear inner wing and tend to rust from the inside out, so if you see bubbles around the rear arch investigate! Mine had a bit of welding and new rear arches about four years ago.

Fun little things to drive, and the roof comes off! What more do you want for a grand?

[Dan_betG]

Rear arches and sills are pretty much a given for rust on civics, so be sure to check those. Also check filler pipe and neck if you can.

If you're going for vtec obviously check it engages properly on a drive, watch for smoke and and rattles in vtec. Check the sump and rear of block around the cam cover gasket for oil leaks

Civics have wibblepoo electric windows, so check that they operate on the runners correctly, but don't be surprised if they don't.

Aside from this, they're Hondas so pretty much bullet proof, just check the usual things when buying a car and you're laughing

Oh and with regards to which car to buy, it's difficult to say with your budget. Ideally you'd be after a b16 civic or b18 converted, but that may be hard to find unless you settle for a rough one.

Your budget probably restricts you to d15/d16 engined civics which are single cam, BUT do turbo well with off the shelf kits available

[logicaluk]

Ive got a 2002 civic sport for my daily, 1.6 vetec, half leather, heated seats, AC, Thatcham alarm, sunroof, ect. Picked up with 11 month MOT and 6 tax (when you could do that) for 800 quid. Guy opend with if u pay the asking price ill put 6 months tax on it for you. 113k miles on it and the Idle is so quiet i had to check the rev counter to make sure it hadn't stalled, drove it around a bit loved it and bought it.

Apparently its not possible to tweek the engine management system as the earlier ones so not as popular with the air filter and exhaust tuning crowd, but i think a nicer shape than the later ones. Great fun to drive, i find it lacks some off idle power(ive stalled it at the lights occasionally), been told its the egr system needs cleaning out but its not too much of an issue.


Front lower suspension A arms go and will fail MOT (ill be doing mine this year) ive also changed most of the arb links. I did a cam belt change when i got the car and wish id done the water pump too but thats life. The original battery has finaly started to get a bit weak but ill try to get it through another winter, the standard stereo wouldent turn off one day and i had to disconnect the battery to turn it off, after a couple of goes at it, it wouldent turn back on, so it ws replaced.
With the back seats down its a useful load lugger, ive made a heavy duty boot floor to replace the hard board one as I'm prone to slinging heavy stuff in the back.
Hope that helps.
Dan