The hunt

[festetech]

Hey! I'm a full time student in college, and my plan is to save up over summer to buy myself a Honda Civic Hatchback. I'm looking at the 5th generation, and i have almost six months to figure out where to start. My resources are around 3k.

lets get this out of the way, I don't know too much about cars, but i figured this would be a good page to seek help and information.

I'm looking for a pretty basic civic because i want to do the upgrades myself.
For starters, the hatchback is a must and it has to be a manual, so I'm pretty much looking for a stock civic 5th gen hb, however, I the odds of finding a stock civic is unlikely, so I'll have to research how much the work is actually worth.

Q 1: What would be the price range for a stock 5th gen civic hb with a SOHC VTEC enigne?
Part 2: Would you suggest buying a cheap body and importing a engine from Japan? *I have not had the time to research the difference between a Japanese motor and "others."

Q 2: Is it possible to swap a SOHC VTEC engine into a non-si or ex 5th generation hb?

Q 3: What are some things I should pay extra attention too while inspecting and test driving a civic?

Thank you for your time.

 

[justinturner92]

only one i feel like answering is question number three.. sorry.

but this is how i inspect when i wanna check out a car.

start out by looking under the hood for any abuse/neglect.
then look for any posible oil leaks or any buildup in any given area.
if there is any oil/buildup, wipe it off, and it's time for the drive.
i usually drive it for about thirty to fourty five minutes.
make sure it shifts smoothly, doesn't knock or make any weird noises.
and MAKE SURE you LOVE how the car rides. if you don't love it, you will eventually sell it..
at the end of the test drive, take it back to original destination, BUT park in a different spot.
leave the car running (check for any oil that may have leaked, any other leaks underneath)
that is also a good time to make sure there is no smoking or anything weird.
pending where you're from, you might want to check the underbody.
if you live anywhere near where it may snow, you need to check it out.
when it snows, they lay road salt on the roads in order to melt some of the ice.
this road salt can cause body rust. that is a big thing to check for, is rust.

overall, you have to LOVE the car you are about to buy, or you will end up regretting it.

hope my answer helps you out sir, and good luck!

 

[festetech]

thanks

 

[justinturner92]

no problem man! i actually just checked out a 93 civic hatchback a couple hours ago. too bad it was raining...