few questions before purchase

[Assault800]

looked around for a "before you buy" type of thread, but couldnt see one. If i missed it, sorry for making this thread.

Im going to look at a few civics next week, hopefully ill end up with one. so basically just had a few questions.

I'm new to civics, and Honda, what are the typical things to look for other than the common sense things.
like Civic specific things if that makes sense.

heres some links to the ones im looking at if it helps.

http://manitoba.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1998-Honda-Civic-1-6L-DX-Hatchback-W0QQAdIdZ344597354

http://manitoba.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1997-Honda-Civic-Hatchback-Safetied-W0QQAdIdZ344013781

http://manitoba.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1998-Honda-civic-hb-CHEAP-quick-sale-W0QQAdIdZ343521446

 

[JohnS.]

As with any car, look at it up and down, inside and out. Look for any rust or rot. Frame, subframes, control arms, brake lines, brakes, engine bay, etc. Drive it, make sure it drives good, shifts smoothly, operates well, idles normally, etc. Inspect the belts, look at the fluids, listen to the engine idle at operating temp, etc.

Really just common sense stuff. 6th gen power window motors are notorious for having problems.

 

[Assault800]

ok cool. i guess these are pretty solid cars, ill remember to check the windows and how they go up and down.
i just remembered an old friend of mine had an issue with his so he swapped in hand crank windows.

 

[JohnS.]

I guess with a Honda it could be a different story... Depending on the type of person the previous owner is, you may want to be careful. If the car is modified, I'd pay extra attention to details. Look inside the engine oil filler cap. If it's black and gunky inside, I would personally think no bueno. Honestly, it's not really the best indicator but it at least gives you a hint.

Ask for any maintenance records as well. Any maintenance I do to my car, I always write down the date, mileage, what I did, and what parts I used down to the brand. I still have records from the very first oil change. It's in an old notebook but it's better than not knowing at all.

 

[Failsafe88]

Go with number 2 number 3 sounds like to much trouble

 

[Assault800]

Thanks John.

Go with number 2 number 3 sounds like to much trouble

Yeah i was leaning towards #1 and #2, why do you say #2 over #1?

 

[young_]

Go with number 2 number 3 sounds like to much trouble

Agreed. And number 1 is a dx anyway.
Number 2 looks clean.


But yeah everything to check into has already been mentioned. Just use your judgement and don't be afraid to take your time looking things over.

 

[TokyoSkies]

From my experiences, this is what I do:
1. Check for rust on the body, put my head under the car, look for rust or any signs of modification to the exhaust/cat (here in California, smog laws are super strict).
2. Pop the hood, check for ticking valves/knocks etc. Check all fluids, check oil 2 or 3 times while car is on.
3. If the car has it, test both a/c and heat. With heat in particular, leave it running for a few minutes, and make sure the heater core isn't going to pour radiator fluid all over the floorboard, and that it actually produces heat.
4. Before you drive it anywhere, of course check the tires/suspension. Peek at the springs. If they're cut/heated, it's going to ride like s**t, and be prepared for camber wear on the tires (if it's already not eating them away).
5. Test drive car, if possible, get onto a fwy and get it to just over 80mph (128kmh). If there's any significant wobbling/shaking, that's no good.
When test driving, a few other things to look for:
Make sure all signals (front and rear) work, including hazards.
Make sure it doesn't have the infamous "tweaker blinker" (super fast blinkers, indicating missing bulb, blown fuse, or poor wiring).
Do at least one u-turn, to check for axles (not a big deal, but if the cv boots have been torn for a while, it's a possibility the wheel bearing is toast). If you hear the axle clicking, probe the seller about it.
As JohnS said, maintenance records are cool, but hardly anyone has all of them (at least in my experiences). If they have records dating past 2 years, you're in pretty good hands... usually.

Most importantly, know that whatever you buy will require money. All used cars are going to have at least SOMETHING wrong (even if it's as simple as an air filter). Good luck man!

 

[Assault800]

thanks dude! very informative post. Ill be sure to try all that. however the 80MPH thing might be tough, speed limits here are 60MPH (100km/h) and cops are plentifull on the highways by the city lol.

 

[TokyoSkies]

thanks dude! very informative post. Ill be sure to try all that. however the 80MPH thing might be tough, speed limits here are 60MPH (100km/h) and cops are plentifull on the highways by the city lol.

Haha, well in that case, keep it at the speed limit. Around 60-80mph is when you'll feel any wobbling if the alignment is jacked up, or if the motor mounts are bad.