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Old 08-28-2013, 06:44 PM   #1 (permalink)
Ryland
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
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How much rust is to much on a Civic VX?

About 8 years ago I bought a 1992 Civic VX with 200,000 miles on it, it had a little rust at the time, I ended up doing a bunch of work on it like replaced the transmission and o2 sensor, all of the suspension bushings and shocks, seats and who knows what else, then about 4 and a half years ago I found a Civic VX with no rust! so I sold my first one to a friend and I've helped her here and there with small repairs but all in all it's been very reliable, it's about to turn over 300,000 miles and it's looking rusty, the after market sun roof is leaking a little, in heavy rain it gets water in the drivers foot well and the rear wheel wells have a good 4" or more of rust in some spots not to mention the plastic running board/under panels are falling away.

The friend who has it doesn't want to put any money in to it, I checked it over and figure the tires will be bald in a year, CV joint boot is ripped but not making any sound, upper control arm ball joint needs to be replaced and I welded up a few cracks in the down pipe on the exhaust but that's going to fall apart more in the next year as well! so $100 in exhaust, $100 in axle and suspension parts and tires and it would still be a very rusty car!

So my big question is, where are the weak points that I should look at on this car as far as it being safe to drive and I offered to buy it from her if she just wants to outright replace it, so what's a reasonable amount to pay a friend for what could very well be a parts car? I figure I could use the alloy wheels and put snow tires on them, seats are still in great shape (mine have the drivers bolster ripped) and it had factory options like the clock that I wouldn't mind having but never wanted to pay much for.

Other option is buy it from her and fix it up for my parents who's Geo Metro is falling apart, but for them again it's the same question of how much rust makes a Civic VX unsafe???

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