Advice for buying used Accord/Civic, please?

Buying used is like gambling. The high resale value on the Honda makes it
possible for the crook to pan off a lemon while using the car's inherent
reputation to justify the $2000 charge.

Also, GM's Automatic tranny, from a decade ago, has a better reputation then
Honda's Automatics from the same generation. When shopping for a $2000
Automatic, the durability of the transmission
should be the most important qualifier. It doesn't make sense to spend $1500
on a rebuilt tranny for a car that's worthless.

Pars

 

I disagree....

Ever notice how FEW complaints in this NG are for a 96 Civic?

Its one of the best cars Honda ever made, reliable, economical
and fun to drive.

--
"I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain --
I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the
interesting thing about being the president.
Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they
say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody
an explanation. "
- George "Dubya" Bush

 

I disagree....

Ever notice how FEW complaints in this NG are for a 96 Civic?

Its one of the best cars Honda ever made, reliable, economical
and fun to drive.

--
"I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain --
I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the
interesting thing about being the president.
Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they
say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody
an explanation. "
- George "Dubya" Bush

 

I disagree....

Ever notice how FEW complaints in this NG are for a 96 Civic?

Its one of the best cars Honda ever made, reliable, economical
and fun to drive.[/QUOTE]

That's right.

As a matter of fact, the Civic chassis was all-new in 92. 96 saw the
same platform with some freshened up sheet metal and a redone interior,
but mechanically it's more similar to the 92-95 models than not.

It wasn't until 2001 that the Civic platform was completely redesigned.
That would be the one to stay away from.

You'd think the 92, being the first year of a platform, would also be
one to stay away from--but I bought a 92 Si brand new, and it lives to
this day in awfully good shape with about 137K miles on it--still on its
original clutch.

So it may be the case in general to stay away from first model years,
but your exposure on a Honda first model year is much less than probably
your exposure on, say, a GM that's been around forever, using the
venerable V6 pushrod engine.

 

I disagree....

Ever notice how FEW complaints in this NG are for a 96 Civic?

Its one of the best cars Honda ever made, reliable, economical
and fun to drive.[/QUOTE]

That's right.

As a matter of fact, the Civic chassis was all-new in 92. 96 saw the
same platform with some freshened up sheet metal and a redone interior,
but mechanically it's more similar to the 92-95 models than not.

It wasn't until 2001 that the Civic platform was completely redesigned.
That would be the one to stay away from.

You'd think the 92, being the first year of a platform, would also be
one to stay away from--but I bought a 92 Si brand new, and it lives to
this day in awfully good shape with about 137K miles on it--still on its
original clutch.

So it may be the case in general to stay away from first model years,
but your exposure on a Honda first model year is much less than probably
your exposure on, say, a GM that's been around forever, using the
venerable V6 pushrod engine.

 

strictly speaking, the 88-91 was the first of that platform. the
suspension is identical in the rear to both the 92-95 & 96-00. there
are minor variations in front suspension between all 3 generations, with
the last 2 being the most similar, but the overall suspension config &
chassis layout for all 3 is the same.

 

strictly speaking, the 88-91 was the first of that platform. the
suspension is identical in the rear to both the 92-95 & 96-00. there
are minor variations in front suspension between all 3 generations, with
the last 2 being the most similar, but the overall suspension config &
chassis layout for all 3 is the same.

 

strictly speaking, the 88-91 was the first of that platform.[/QUOTE]

Ummm....79 ended the first gen. 80-83 saw the second gen, a beast all
to itself. 84-87 was a new platform, but 88-91 was the same platform
with refreshed sheetmetal. Then 92-95 was an all-new platform,
unrelated to the 84-91 platform. 96-00 (when they changed to a 5 year
model changeover, up from 4 years) was the same with fresh sheetmetal.

Come to think of it, the decision to move to a 5 year cycle--made in the
middle of the Civic's 96-00 reign--signaled the beginning of the bean
counters, and the end of engineering at Honda.

 

strictly speaking, the 88-91 was the first of that platform.[/QUOTE]

Ummm....79 ended the first gen. 80-83 saw the second gen, a beast all
to itself. 84-87 was a new platform, but 88-91 was the same platform
with refreshed sheetmetal. Then 92-95 was an all-new platform,
unrelated to the 84-91 platform. 96-00 (when they changed to a 5 year
model changeover, up from 4 years) was the same with fresh sheetmetal.

Come to think of it, the decision to move to a 5 year cycle--made in the
middle of the Civic's 96-00 reign--signaled the beginning of the bean
counters, and the end of engineering at Honda.

 

Ummm....79 ended the first gen. 80-83 saw the second gen, a beast all
to itself. 84-87 was a new platform, but 88-91 was the same platform
with refreshed sheetmetal. Then 92-95 was an all-new platform,
unrelated to the 84-91 platform. 96-00 (when they changed to a 5 year
model changeover, up from 4 years) was the same with fresh sheetmetal.[/QUOTE]

dude, with respect, i've owned a waggonload of the 88-91's, still own a
00 and have worked on a bunch of the 92-95's. i'm telling you, all 3
gens are the same.

front suspension:
88-91 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SH30/007/2.jpg
92-95 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SR30/007/7.jpg
96-00 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13S030/007/2.jpg

rear suspension:
88-91 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SH30/007/5.jpg
92-95 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SR30/008/1.jpg
96-00 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13S030/007/5.jpg

the 84-87 was utterly different:
front: http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SB30/010/3.jpg
rear: http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SB30/010/6.jpg

 

Ummm....79 ended the first gen. 80-83 saw the second gen, a beast all
to itself. 84-87 was a new platform, but 88-91 was the same platform
with refreshed sheetmetal. Then 92-95 was an all-new platform,
unrelated to the 84-91 platform. 96-00 (when they changed to a 5 year
model changeover, up from 4 years) was the same with fresh sheetmetal.[/QUOTE]

dude, with respect, i've owned a waggonload of the 88-91's, still own a
00 and have worked on a bunch of the 92-95's. i'm telling you, all 3
gens are the same.

front suspension:
88-91 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SH30/007/2.jpg
92-95 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SR30/007/7.jpg
96-00 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13S030/007/2.jpg

rear suspension:
88-91 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SH30/007/5.jpg
92-95 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SR30/008/1.jpg
96-00 http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13S030/007/5.jpg

the 84-87 was utterly different:
front: http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SB30/010/3.jpg
rear: http://www.slhondaparts.com/images/PCI/13SB30/010/6.jpg

 

hmmmmm.....

 

hmmmmm.....

 

Yep, I wouldn't belittle the 88-91. In my opinion, the best looking of the
bunch and it shared the same suspension design as my 98 Hatch. That model
has been around for 16 years and there's still a lot of them on the road.
But mechanically speaking, I think the last iteration of the front double
wishbone Civic was the best.

Pars

 

Yep, I wouldn't belittle the 88-91. In my opinion, the best looking of the
bunch and it shared the same suspension design as my 98 Hatch. That model
has been around for 16 years and there's still a lot of them on the road.
But mechanically speaking, I think the last iteration of the front double
wishbone Civic was the best.

Pars

 

the 98 looks butt tho... 88-91 is the best! if i could really be
bothered, i'd put the 00 ex motor & electronics in my 89. fast & frugal!

 

the 98 looks butt tho... 88-91 is the best! if i could really be
bothered, i'd put the 00 ex motor & electronics in my 89. fast & frugal!

 

im pretty sure the 96-00 civics were all pretty much carryover
technology from the 92-95 models.

 

im pretty sure the 96-00 civics were all pretty much carryover
technology from the 92-95 models.

 

if something were to happen to my 98, id definately consider getting a
91 Si.