Honda Civic

A friend of my son has a Honda Civic for sale. 2000 Honda Civic or 1999 I
can't remember which it is. The car has a manual transmission in it. I am
disabled I cannot drive a manual transmission. I know how to drive one
because years ago I had a car with one.

My question is The car was offered for $1,300.00 My son wants to pull the
manual transmission out of it and put a automatic transmission in. How
complicated is this? Is it more work and money to switch this? Is it even
worth the trouble? I asked my son the same questions. He claims its a
piece of cake. I know he is not car savvy. I just need to know if someone
is telling him right. Or if someone is just out to make $1,300.00 and could
care less about the buyer?

 

Damn, a 1999 or 2000 for $1,300 is a complete steal, what is wrong with
the car in the first place? I paid $2000 and I have a 1993 Civic.

Anyways, your question is if he should remove the stick, and change it
to an automatic. Well, if your son really wants the civic, he is much
better off keeping it a manual. Trust me, i always drove automatic, and
then bought a stick for the first time, and knew nothing about it, and
now I am in love. I will never buy another automatic as long as I
live... at least I hope...

If he changes out the transmission, it will cost around $3,000 or so
and I honestly think it would be a huge mistake. If you can get the car
for $1,300 you got the best deal in the world, and why take the chance
of ruining it?

How old is your son anyways? (I am 24), and if he is a teenager, he
will enjoy the manual so much more, and in the long run manuals suck
less gas, and cost less to fix.

 

mopa wrote:
: Damn, a 1999 or 2000 for $1,300 is a complete steal, what is wrong
: with the car in the first place? I paid $2000 and I have a 1993 Civic.
:
: Anyways, your question is if he should remove the stick, and change it
: to an automatic. Well, if your son really wants the civic, he is much
: better off keeping it a manual. Trust me, i always drove automatic,
: and then bought a stick for the first time, and knew nothing about
: it, and now I am in love. I will never buy another automatic as long
: as I live... at least I hope...
:
: If he changes out the transmission, it will cost around $3,000 or so
: and I honestly think it would be a huge mistake. If you can get the
: car for $1,300 you got the best deal in the world, and why take the
: chance of ruining it?
:
: How old is your son anyways? (I am 24), and if he is a teenager, he
: will enjoy the manual so much more, and in the long run manuals suck
: less gas, and cost less to fix.

He is the same age as you. It will cost 100.00 for the person putting it
in and what ever the cost of the transmission. he is doing this for me not
himself. I am disabled. Some days I am driving one handed so as you can
see, it has to be automatic. I don't know if anything is wrong with this
car. He is the one buying it. I will give him a call later and get the
specs on it. It is sitting in someones yard with a for sale sign on it.

 

a '99-'00 Civic will sell for MUCH more than that unless it's only
being sold as a parts car for some reason.

I'd imagine switching from manual to automatic will cost more than
it's worth.

 

It is a *very big* deal to change from a manual to an automatic - don't even
think about it. I'm not sure, but I believe the wiring harness and the ECU
are different between the two. Besides the transmission, it requires a
controller computer. The radiator has to be changed because the existing one
does not have a heat exchanger for the auto transmission fluid - you get the
idea. Once the manual transmission comes out, the odds of it ever getting
back on the road again are small.

If the car really is a great deal at $1300 (why is it so low, anyway?) it
would make far more sense to buy then resell it and use any profit toward a
car that already has an automatic transmission. Personally, I wouldn't touch
it with a ten foot pole. Something's not right.

Mike

 

Michael Pardee wrote:
: :: A friend of my son has a Honda Civic for sale. 2000 Honda Civic or
:: 1999 I can't remember which it is. The car has a manual
:: transmission in it. I am
:: disabled I cannot drive a manual transmission. I know how to drive
:: one because years ago I had a car with one.
::
:: My question is The car was offered for $1,300.00 My son wants to
:: pull the manual transmission out of it and put a automatic
:: transmission in. How complicated is this? Is it more work and
:: money to switch this? Is it even
:: worth the trouble? I asked my son the same questions. He claims
:: its a piece of cake. I know he is not car savvy. I just need to
:: know if someone
:: is telling him right. Or if someone is just out to make $1,300.00
:: and could
:: care less about the buyer?
::
::
: It is a *very big* deal to change from a manual to an automatic -
: don't even think about it. I'm not sure, but I believe the wiring
: harness and the ECU are different between the two. Besides the
: transmission, it requires a controller computer. The radiator has to
: be changed because the existing one does not have a heat exchanger
: for the auto transmission fluid - you get the idea. Once the manual
: transmission comes out, the odds of it ever getting back on the road
: again are small.
:
: If the car really is a great deal at $1300 (why is it so low,
: anyway?) it would make far more sense to buy then resell it and use
: any profit toward a car that already has an automatic transmission.
: Personally, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Something's not
: right.
:
: Mike

This is what I thought Mike. Thank you. ...and thanks goes out to everyone
else too.

 

Michael Pardee wrote:

maybe, but for only $1300, there's plenty of room to fix an awful lot of
"not right". but i agree with your general position - it's /way/ too
much of a deal to convert. just buy a car that's already got the auto.

 

It could be a decent project car. I'd expect to replace the engine at least
(my instincts are telling me the head is warped or crashed and I wouldn't be
surprised to find it had been run on tap water in the cooling system), but
buying a matching parts car that had been wrecked could make it worthwhile.

Of course, that's for gearheads like us. For somebody wanting to buy a car
to actually *drive* sometime soon, I doubt $1300 is the price we would
expect to pay.

Mike

 

The best solution is to find a car with an automatic. You'll be far
better off in the long run if you need a car with an automatic
transmission, to but one that came with an automatic initially.

 

I am not getting that car. I will look for another one. Thanks everyone
for the info. Much appreciated

 

Weebit,

I am just wondering, what does the car even look like? for $1,300 I
would buy the car, and just resell it. Even a 1999 Honda Civic EX Sedan
4D that is in very fair condition means that the vehicle has some
mechanical or cosmetic defects and needs servicing but is still in
reasonable running condition. This vehicle has a clean title history ,
the paint, body and/or interior need work performed by a professional.
The tires may need to be replaced. There may be some repairable rust
damage, and even that would sell for $6,410

If this car is in good shape, its worth about $7,770, if so I would
just buy the car for $1,300, and resell it for about $6,000 and that
will give you $4,700 for free, and that is more then enough to get you
a civic.

Do you have any pictures of the car?

 

oh yeah, and come to think about it. I never heard anyone change a
manual to a automatic, but you always hear automatics changed into
manuals. This should really say something.

personally, I would only buy a manual!

 

mopa wrote:
: Weebit,
:
: I am just wondering, what does the car even look like? for $1,300 I
: would buy the car, and just resell it. Even a 1999 Honda Civic EX
: Sedan 4D that is in very fair condition means that the vehicle has
: some mechanical or cosmetic defects and needs servicing but is still
: in reasonable running condition. This vehicle has a clean title
: history , the paint, body and/or interior need work performed by a
: professional. The tires may need to be replaced. There may be some
: repairable rust damage, and even that would sell for $6,410
:
: If this car is in good shape, its worth about $7,770, if so I would
: just buy the car for $1,300, and resell it for about $6,000 and that
: will give you $4,700 for free, and that is more then enough to get you
: a civic.
:
: Do you have any pictures of the car?

No pictures. My son saw the car all I know is its a silver four door My son
thinks its a 95. Who ever has this car hasn't drove it in a long time.
That to me is a red flag that something is wrong with it. If a car is in
good shape you drive it you don't park it and then put a for sale sign on
it. I am willing to bet they parked it because it is messed up, and
conserved what ever is left of the car so they could get rid of it as fast
as they can without the car messing up on them before they did sell it. In
other words sell it now before it's completely tore up.