Buying a Civic VX?

[Eco_Bob]

Greetings All!

I am debating between going with a 92-95 Civic VX and a Gen 1 (preferably 2003-2005) Insight.

Right now I think I am leaning more toward the VX mostly because it will be lower cost upfront (avg 2-3K vs 3.5k-6k for an Insight) and easier to maintain/more options to find places that can work on them. It also seems that total cost of maintenance will be lower on the VX than the Insight over the course of usage

The MPG will not be as good (I estimate I will spend roughly $250 more in gas per year over a MT insight), it doesn't look nearly as cool as the Insight and can't use odbII gauges (scangauge, etc) ...I guess I could live with that :-/ The only real downside is finding one that hasn't been horrible molested and hasn't seen snow/salted roads?

With that being said it seems finding a VX nearby me that hasn't been in an accident or has had major performance modifications that significant impact on mpg is rare...

However I found these two potential candidates - can I ask your opinions about these?

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Candidate 1 - asking $3,600

1995 CLEAN TITTLE 222000 MILES
HID LIGHTS 6000K
NEW LOWER SUSPENSION COIL OVERS
VX MODEL GREAT IN GAS HARD TO FIND
ENGINE RUNS GREAT / NO LEAKS
A/C BLOWS COLD
SONY BLUETOOTH
95 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK VX, BLUE/GRAY INTERIOR ORIGINAL ITALIAN MOMO SEATS
EXCELLENT CONDITION,COMPLETE,MANUAL STICK
SPORT COMPLETE STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM,
13" RIMS OEM WHEELS
ALARM SYSTEM AVITAL TWO WAYS(POWER LOOKS OPENERS)
MUGEN LIP, MOMO SITS EMBLEM
NEW PAINT GRAY AND BLACK ROOF WITH CARBOR FIBER TRIM
NEW TIRES
RECENTLY TUNE UP
ALL MAINTENANCE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BY HONDA DEALER NEW SPARK PLUGS WITH WIRES NEW DISTRIBUTOR, ON AND ON ..MANY OF NEW PARTS REPLACED ..LOOKS GREAT ..AND DRIVES AWESOME. I SPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN THE CAR.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SELL IT, BUT I JUST BOUGHT A LARGER CAR FOR MY FAMILY.






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Candidate #2 - Asking $2,500 (This one is kinda far...2 hours north of me I think)

I am selling my 1992 Honda Civic VX. I have put a lot of new stuff on this car. It has about 60K on the D15B motor (from Japan) that was installed about 6 months ago. I still have the original D15Z1 motor that will be included with the sale if you want it. The original VX tranny works fine and has new fluid. I am going to try to remember all that is done to this car in a list below. It is a AC car and it does work but on 95 degree days it get down to about 52 degrees, so I am including the compressor that came with the motor from Japan. The windows work and are tinted 20% in the front and 5% everywhere else. It has Acura Integra GSR black leather seats in front but will also include the original VX seats. No cracks or tears in the dash or door panels. This is a very clean VX for a 92 with close to 200K on the body. The speedometer did not work when I got the car so I put one in that had higher miles. The body is around 190K but the odometer say 228K, it is close though. This car still gets 50+ mpg when driven calmly; I have gotten 53 mpg many times on a full tank with the current engine and had 62 mpg with the original motor. This car only has an 8 gallon fuel tank from the factory and it will go as far as my 2013 Taurus with 17 gallons. If you are looking for a vehicle to Hypermile with, look no further, I am sure you can get 70+ mpg. If you don’t believe me then Google it and you will see. Better MPG then most hybrids for a fraction of the cost.

Some of the new stuff on it:

D15B JDM engine installed, not a hack job, look at the pics

Competition stage 4 clutch kit, about 4K miles on it

New axels

New cooling system including silicone hoses (last forever), aluminum radiator, new fan, thermostat. Temp stays at about the ¼ mark on the hottest of days in the worst traffic.

Complete rear brakes about 8K on it, shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, and drums

New master cylinder, slave cylinder and fluids along with new ceramic front pads about 4K miles on it

New tune-up including plugs, wires, cap, rotor

New 4 wire O2 sensor

New muffler is about 1 ½ years old

Various sensors were replaced in the last year including TPS, IAC

New alternator and battery about a year ago

ALL fluids have been changed in the last year

Tires are a matching set of Sumitomo on the original super light and rare VX wheels and have about 70% tread left

I am sure I am forgetting some stuff but this car is very well maintained. I would not hesitate to take a road trip anywhere in this car. Everything is so cheap and easy to replace, so why not fix it.



Some of the aftermarket things I have done to make it a little more interesting to drive:

Short throw shifter, will include the original

HID 8K headlights, can put in stock bulbs if you want, no wires were cut

Traction bar, strut tower brace, lower chassis brace were installed in the front to help the body roll that these cars have. Stock suspension still functions great.



Here are some of the things I had to modify in order to install the current motor:

The ECU was swapped for a stock P28, I do not have the original VX ECU

The above mentioned 4 wire o2 sensor

It is a V-Tec motor and it’s all there but this ECU is not V-Tec compatible but no check engine light is on and for MPG you will not notice it anyway.

The body condition:

It does not appear to have been in an accident. All paint is evenly faded except for the hood which I replaced with a new Keystone replacement and painted in my garage, not perfect but it the same color. There is a dime sized rust spot on the roof by the water channel and a small amount by the rear fender wells and that’s about it. There are some dents here and there but overall in good shape. See pics for the locations of them.

The hood is lifted in the rear because of hood spacers. They help reduce the underhood temperatures. The power inverter will NOT be included in this sale. Also I will be available to show the car by appointment only.






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Of the two which would be a better choice? Better to wait and find one in better condition or maybe an Insight? I would like to get another 125K miles out of these without too much maintenance/possible repair work if possible...

Any guidance on what to look for when shopping for a used VX would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!,

Bob

[UltArc]

I still say Insight. Between the two[VXs], I think C2. You can get an I[nsight]1[stgen] with either 2nd gear grind or bad IMA with less miles [for less money]than C1.

But you do make valid points. To me, it seems harder to find a VX than an I1.

[Eco_Bob]

I really like the Insight, however the potential practicality of the VX is "alluring"...

Thinking more about it - can anyone comment on how the Gen 1 Insight performs on highways without the IMA functioning? From what I've read it seems the mpg really isn't affected too much, but have yet to read how much it impacts performance/keeping up with traffic.

When buying an Insight with a "non-functioning hybrid system" - it is almost always the battery pack that needs replacing or something more challenging? If I have an ODB II scanner/computer - anything I should look for in particular? To repair the clutch/transmission of an MT Insight - its pretty much the same as any other car?

Thanks!

[mikeyjd]

Both are good cars. Just find the best deal you can.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Eco_Bob

I really like the Insight, however the potential practicality of the VX is "alluring"...

Thinking more about it - can anyone comment on how the Gen 1 Insight performs on highways without the IMA functioning? From what I've read it seems the mpg really isn't affected too much, but have yet to read how much it impacts performance/keeping up with traffic.

When buying an Insight with a "non-functioning hybrid system" - it is almost always the battery pack that needs replacing or something more challenging? If I have an ODB II scanner/computer - anything I should look for in particular? To repair the clutch/transmission of an MT Insight - its pretty much the same as any other car?

Thanks!

I believe the battery pack needs replacing, or could use a grid charge which would help balance it out. It may not balance out to perfect, but could go from worthless to semi useful.

I believe the transmission work would be the same as any other standard. I would advise PMing (if they don't chime in) someone with an Insight as they will know more. I am still low down in my learning phase lol

Originally Posted by mikeyjd

Both are good cars. Just find the best deal you can.

Agreed! The Insight is just such a leap forward in progress, and so capable, it seems like a huge opportunity for someone to hypermile. I think if I can see 80%+ over EPA in the Mustang, what are the possibilities in an Insight that I am not afraid to get extreme with? Extreme meaning possibly hurting the appearance.

[Ryland]

If you don't need a rear seat I'd opt for an insight if you can find one and add a charger to the battery pack to keep it in good shape, the CVT automatic transmissions tend to be the weak point on the insight.

Of those two VX's the first one is far better! altho the after market exhaust will most likely destroy the o2 sensor so it should have a stock style exhaust installed.
the 2nd VX is no longer a VX other then the alloy wheels, everything else that makes it an awesome car has been removed.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by mikeyjd

Both are good cars. Just find the best deal you can.

Agreed. The best deal on the most solid car is the first goal.

Originally Posted by Ryland

the 2nd VX is no longer a VX other then the alloy wheels, everything else that makes it an awesome car has been removed.

Also agreed. But he does offer to throw all the other parts in, I think, right? Theoretically, if you're up for the work, the engine could be swapped back and the Japanese racer-kid engine sold.

That Insight will have Lean Burn and a pretty tall geared manual (if it is a manual), and I think MetroMPG drove his insight without the IMA pack most of the time. He scored amazing numbers hypermiling the lean burn engine.

If the Insight is really good too (and not the CVT) then I think you could grad that one. Much about that car in terms of the engine and body is really quite similar to the Civics of the time, except of course for the very very significant exception of the IMA and battery pack.

BTW, here's what 6000K HID headlights will look like:

[02ws6]

I like the first car better than the second but if he's including all the stock parts with the second one you could make back close to $1k on the car returning it back to stock. And that hood gap on the second one is just hood spacers. If that car was all one color it would look pretty good too. The seats in the first one have a fixed position and they will SUCK for longer commutes. Especially if the sliding rails weren't reinstalled. If they are real MOMO seats, you can sell them for a pretty penny though.

Another car you may consider in your listed price ranges is the '96-00 Civic HX. Newer and typically less miles and better taken care of cars the the older VX's.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Also agreed. But he does offer to throw all the other parts in, I think, right? Theoretically, if you're up for the work, the engine could be swapped back and the Japanese racer-kid engine sold.

Assuming the engine is worth putting back in and that it's all there, then sure, last time I paid someone else to install an engine in a Honda for me it was $700 because I don't have the motivation to do that my self.
He did however say that he no longer has the right ECU and there is no saying what was done to the wiring harness to make this JDM engine work, so it could be a lot of work to undo someone's hack job.

[cbaber]

I would pass on both. The first one is posted in all CAPS. I can't stand all CAPS, I associate it with sketchy used car salesmen and Craigslist ads. Also it mentions that it has "original" Italian momo seats. On planet earth the VX didn't come with Italian momo seats. The seats, along with the lowered suspension and "sport" exhaust system, means the car was driven rough because someone thought it was a race car. The second has been modified too much, and it wouldn't even be a VX anymore. He swapped the motor, and even if you could get the original motor the body has been treated as a race car by the previous owners.