Carfax, Buying Used, & Craigslist.org

I see...

Main relay, or - bigger problem like head gasket.
I am seeing blown head gasket the major fear of
older civic owners compared to other japaneese cars.

But compare the benefits of driving 2000 year model year with 89.
Yes, it is more expensive but it is a better car overall.

I am glad you are so enthusiastic about this little car

 

That was exactly my feeling about it.
I would not take my family for a ride in anything '89
especially if I did not owned it for the last 10 years
and I am not really sure what the previous owner did
to the car - this is the case when you BUY that old car.

 

That was exactly my feeling about it.
I would not take my family for a ride in anything '89
especially if I did not owned it for the last 10 years
and I am not really sure what the previous owner did
to the car - this is the case when you BUY that old car.

 

I got my 1995 toyota camry when it had 47k miles in 1998.
Since then I hapily drive it still today, with 246k miles.
No head gasket problems or any other major things to worry.
But I KNOW THIS CAR! Every day of its history since May'98.
It does not mean I would seek a camry that old from a stranger.

No matter how much time you spend inspecting the car at the
seller location there will always be something that can
surprise you after the purchase and cost you in a long run...

Look yourself at your original post - how many cars you
have already seen and rejected? How much time and gas
you spent driving there to look for them? How long more
you are going to look for this crazy-cool'89 civic deal?

Is it really worth so much trouble?
Maybe is not rational anymore but just emotional? ;-)

 

I got my 1995 toyota camry when it had 47k miles in 1998.
Since then I hapily drive it still today, with 246k miles.
No head gasket problems or any other major things to worry.
But I KNOW THIS CAR! Every day of its history since May'98.
It does not mean I would seek a camry that old from a stranger.

No matter how much time you spend inspecting the car at the
seller location there will always be something that can
surprise you after the purchase and cost you in a long run...

Look yourself at your original post - how many cars you
have already seen and rejected? How much time and gas
you spent driving there to look for them? How long more
you are going to look for this crazy-cool'89 civic deal?

Is it really worth so much trouble?
Maybe is not rational anymore but just emotional? ;-)

 

Freeway 40mpg? I think it is just average for a small car like civic.
You should achive it easily with modern models of nissan sentra.

I make 32mpg easily on my 4-cyl 2004 accord coupe EX-L.
And it is not just freeway for me, its probably mixed 80/20.

My 1995 camry does not perform as good anymore @ 246k miles.

 

Freeway 40mpg? I think it is just average for a small car like civic.
You should achive it easily with modern models of nissan sentra.

I make 32mpg easily on my 4-cyl 2004 accord coupe EX-L.
And it is not just freeway for me, its probably mixed 80/20.

My 1995 camry does not perform as good anymore @ 246k miles.

 

Sure, but that's moving the goal posts.

 

Sure, but that's moving the goal posts.

 

in my experience, gasket only fails after the radiator cracks and the
motor cooks. the gasket goes about a year later. moral of the story,
replace the radiator every 10 years.

i strongly disagree. my 89 is a much superior vehicle to the 2000.
better handling, better interior, better ergonomics, better power to
weight...

only thing going for the 2000 is full electronic control of the
automatic transmission, but the benefit of that is marginal, especially
if the mechanical auto transmission is properly adjusted and has the
right fluid.

 

in my experience, gasket only fails after the radiator cracks and the
motor cooks. the gasket goes about a year later. moral of the story,
replace the radiator every 10 years.

i strongly disagree. my 89 is a much superior vehicle to the 2000.
better handling, better interior, better ergonomics, better power to
weight...

only thing going for the 2000 is full electronic control of the
automatic transmission, but the benefit of that is marginal, especially
if the mechanical auto transmission is properly adjusted and has the
right fluid.

 

but that's exactly the situation with your rejection of the older
vehicle! it can be completely rational to purchase it if you know what
you're doing and the price is right!

 

but that's exactly the situation with your rejection of the older
vehicle! it can be completely rational to purchase it if you know what
you're doing and the price is right!

 

there's a bunch of things you can do that might help. egr valve, tw
sensor, valve lash... - it needs a little love.

 

there's a bunch of things you can do that might help. egr valve, tw
sensor, valve lash... - it needs a little love.

 

Agreed, not knowing the history is one of the drawbacks of
buying a secondhand (or thirdhand or more) car. Carfax
helps a lot. I reject a car with too many owners in too
short a time, for example, of which there are many out
there, at least on Craigs List where I am.

I am seeing consistently that the little c. 1990 Civic
hatchbacks feel somewhat too much like a death trap. The DXs
and base model hatchbacks do not have power steering, plus
the suspension bushings generally seem worn (though I could
fix this), so the road feel is generally lousy. Then too
they are small and cramped. Great mileage, but I like
feeling a little more like I am not the smallest, most
vulnerable vehicle on the road.

Only one of the circa 1990 Civics I have seen had what I
would call very good a/c. It also had a great body and 166k
mileage, with only two owners. I made an offer on it, but as
JBeam observes, offering more than KBB was not quite enough,
and it got snatched at a significantly higher price before I
could counter. I was testing the waters. Now I am seeing
good, newer c. 1995 Civics sell within two hours on Craigs
List.

Having driven a few 95-97 Civics now, I am leaning towards
spending more and making this second car the one that will
replace my 91 Civic in a few years. Meanwhile my friend will
use the newer one for commuting in summer, then use my 91
Civic (no a/c) the rest of the year.

Like you were saying when comparing cars, the newer ones
have a much much better feel. I am not in a rush. Which
means I end up saving as much as a few thousand dollars.

 

Agreed, not knowing the history is one of the drawbacks of
buying a secondhand (or thirdhand or more) car. Carfax
helps a lot. I reject a car with too many owners in too
short a time, for example, of which there are many out
there, at least on Craigs List where I am.

I am seeing consistently that the little c. 1990 Civic
hatchbacks feel somewhat too much like a death trap. The DXs
and base model hatchbacks do not have power steering, plus
the suspension bushings generally seem worn (though I could
fix this), so the road feel is generally lousy. Then too
they are small and cramped. Great mileage, but I like
feeling a little more like I am not the smallest, most
vulnerable vehicle on the road.

Only one of the circa 1990 Civics I have seen had what I
would call very good a/c. It also had a great body and 166k
mileage, with only two owners. I made an offer on it, but as
JBeam observes, offering more than KBB was not quite enough,
and it got snatched at a significantly higher price before I
could counter. I was testing the waters. Now I am seeing
good, newer c. 1995 Civics sell within two hours on Craigs
List.

Having driven a few 95-97 Civics now, I am leaning towards
spending more and making this second car the one that will
replace my 91 Civic in a few years. Meanwhile my friend will
use the newer one for commuting in summer, then use my 91
Civic (no a/c) the rest of the year.

Like you were saying when comparing cars, the newer ones
have a much much better feel. I am not in a rush. Which
means I end up saving as much as a few thousand dollars.

 

California cars rarely rust. There are many older vehicles available
that are in very good physical condition. If well maintained, they
can be fairly trouble free vehicles......

 

California cars rarely rust. There are many older vehicles available
that are in very good physical condition. If well maintained, they
can be fairly trouble free vehicles......

 

what an odd statement! they're only 27cm shorter than your 4-door
sedan, and they both have an identical wheelbase. the only reason they
could feel worse is if something is wrong.

the automatics have power steering.

that may be a valid point. i forget that i replaced the bushings and
the shocks on both my current cars as soon as i got them, so they both
drive like new.

how are they different to your sedan? and i can tell you for fact,
there is more interior room in my 89 than there in in the subsequent
generations. get a tape measure out.