Buying a Civic HX. Tips and price on this car??

[user removed]

Consider a Toyota Echo, no timing belt, same basic engine as the Prius. A generation better technology, darn near bulletproof reliability. A little funky looking to some but I have packed 4 200 pounders and their golf crap in mine and averaged 45 MPG.

Beam rear axle so only a two wheel alignment.

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4851868065.html here is one but the total miles is not listed, if under 150k a decent deal as long as the clutch is good.

Yes on the fluid leak from the water pump destryoing the t-belt. I had a few customers refuse them and had the pump go on the DC beltway at 2 in the morning. The $50 they saved cost them $600 within a year and they did not loose the belt or it would have been $4k+.

regards
mech

[mswehx]

I have a 97 hx 469,700 miles and still has original clutch and starter brushes still good yet and I change my timing belt every 125k,car runs great wheel bearings just starting to go bad. I bought this brand new in Feb 1997 only owner.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Consider a Toyota Echo, no timing belt, same basic engine as the Prius. A generation better technology, darn near bulletproof reliability. A little funky looking to some but I have packed 4 200 pounders and their golf crap in mine and averaged 45 MPG.

Beam rear axle so only a two wheel alignment.

toyota echo here is one but the total miles is not listed, if under 150k a decent deal as long as the clutch is good.

Yes on the fluid leak from the water pump destryoing the t-belt. I had a few customers refuse them and had the pump go on the DC beltway at 2 in the morning. The $50 they saved cost them $600 within a year and they did not loose the belt or it would have been $4k+.

regards
mech

Great info mech! Sadly I am one of the individuals who dislikes the looks of that car.

When I get images I'm either going to give him my estimated offer price, or go see the car and offer it there...not sure which yet. Either way I won't offer above $3000 for it.

Thankfully I'm not buying to save money, I'm buying to replace an aged car, so the initial cost of the car isn't as bad as if I were replacing a car that did not need significant maintenance soon. That's how I think of it anyway, and since I'm replacing my car, I should do so with one that saves on gas so I can save over time.

Originally Posted by mswehx

I have a 97 hx 469,700 miles and still has original clutch and starter brushes still good yet and I change my timing belt every 125k,car runs great wheel bearings just starting to go bad. I bought this brand new in Feb 1997 only owner.

Hello again! I forgot you were at almost 500k, but knowing the original clutch is in your car is fantastic! Do you have any grinds or reverse problems?

I'm leaning back and forth on this but I think if I can get it for less than $3500, and install A/C by myself then have it charged or whatever for under $300 I'll be happy. I have some things to sell that can recoup the costs.

My current car really is suffering and I can't travel with it, nor afford trips. Gotta get something soon, and I really haven't had great luck finding better options than this. I feel that, at least here in Northern and central California, pickings for HX's are slim, let-alone single-owner clean title 5spd vehicles with no modifications.

The other HX I went into a store to ask them about selling today didn't have A/C, so I left. It's my possible backup, I'll ask later. No soot on the bumper indicating engine issues, so at 160k maybe it's another option.

The one I checked out in the past (and was offered twice from different sellers) has significant soot above the exhaust. Glad I missed that boat.

[user removed]

I saw a Diesel 1983 Maxima with 864k miles and a 1982 200 SX with 564k miles, both original engines, neither one had a timing belt to replace. The Maxima had covered enough miles a year to be driven at 60 MPH for 1600 hours a year. Plenty of examples of cars going over 1 million miles, including a Honda Accord.

Driven carefully most cars made in the last 30 years will last a very long time, especially with one careful and meticulous owner.

In cases of extreme mileage, the death of those cars is usually rust, collisions, or failures of electrical accessories and rust and collisions are avoidable if you are meticulous enough.

The mistake is where you apply that understanding to the purchase of a used car of which very few are ever cared for to that level of expertise and thoroughness.

I think board member Ford Man got close to half a million out of his Fiesta. Seen many cars with over 400k lots of Fords and Chevys, not unusual with superb maintenance and a good ear and careful observation.

regards
mech

[j12piprius]

I never use a/c or cruise control, so those would not be factors for me.

FWIW, I had the timing belt, water pump and seals changed at 115,000 miles, and the old ones looked pristine, exactly the same as the new ones.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

I never use a/c or cruise control, so those would not be factors for me.

FWIW, I had the timing belt, water pump and seals changed at 115,000 miles, and the old ones looked pristine, exactly the same as the new ones.

Curious, does your car have those options?

Thanks for the note on the belt and pump

[j12piprius]

Yes, however I've never used the a/c, and have removed the cruise control. Radiant barrier foil under the moon roof has helped quite a bit, and I have yet to install the window tint.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Yes, however I've never used the a/c, and have removed the cruise control. Radiant barrier foil under the moon roof has helped quite a bit, and I have yet to install the window tint.

Dang, if you had both off and I bought the car, I'd be asking if I could buy all the parts from ya! If they would fit of course... I won't use cruise to hypermile but I know of a few stretches of road where it would ROCK. (I5, lol)

didn't notice your car was an EX!