Civic HX, what are the best years?

[firehawk618]

Originally Posted by figit090

GRAH!

Another Civic HX popped up by me but it's got 113k miles on it without a new timing belt, and they're asking $4k!

I'll try and go see it but I'll have to offer $3k, citing immediate timing belt replacement.

This sure is aggravating. the 130k mile civic I was hoping to go see has dead-ended and I'll have to call the owner soon, see if that results in a reply.

You're in the same boat I am. A *CLEAN* HX is rare as can be around here. Most are hacked up. They're asking north of 3k for the molested ones!
Crazy.

[jcp123]

That probably ends what I thought might be a viable successor to the Echo: a DX sedan with LX instrument cluster, and HX drivetrain with JDM HX ECU.

But not at these kinds of costs.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by firehawk618

You're in the same boat I am. A *CLEAN* HX is rare as can be around here. Most are hacked up. They're asking north of 3k for the molested ones!
Crazy.

that sucks. There have been a few that aren't molested but definitely not well taken care of around $3k up here. I saw some punk kids driving one I passed up later and I was glad I didn't get it.

Another I was actually offered by the guy that bought it when I passed it up...and I passed it up again (higher asking price!). Later I saw it with cigarette packs in the center console and soot above the tailpipe. Glad I didn't get it for the carbon buildup, sad I couldn't save it from cig smoke.

IT's just a Honda though. haha. It's funny when you're looking for them, they aren't so rare but it is difficult to find a good one.

I'm not paying a premium for one though, that will counter the point of saving a few hundred a year on gas...

[figit090]

Originally Posted by jcp123

That probably ends what I thought might be a viable successor to the Echo: a DX sedan with LX instrument cluster, and HX drivetrain with JDM HX ECU.

But not at these kinds of costs.

Uhm...if you're swapping all that crap how do you expect to save money?

Your idea is so unique you'd have to do your research on engine and chassis costs. since you won't care about a nice body you could get just the drivetrain or a beat-up civic HX, and a blown-engine DX, then hit ebay for the instruments (not sure why you even want that...what's the diff?)

In any event your idea will weigh heavily on your perseverance and patience holding out for deals, and whether or not you can find the parts in a reasonable timeframe and in usable (not needing a rebuild) shape

Of course if you find a decent and cheap HX you could also sell the shell, but then you're cutting an HX out of the market that we could have bought!

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by figit090

Uhm...if you're swapping all that crap how do you expect to save money?

Your idea is so unique you'd have to do your research on engine and chassis costs. since you won't care about a nice body you could get just the drivetrain or a beat-up civic HX, and a blown-engine DX, then hit ebay for the instruments (not sure why you even want that...what's the diff?)

In any event your idea will weigh heavily on your perseverance and patience holding out for deals, and whether or not you can find the parts in a reasonable timeframe and in usable (not needing a rebuild) shape

Of course if you find a decent and cheap HX you could also sell the shell, but then you're cutting an HX out of the market that we could have bought!

All true. The idea intrigues me, I find I am so picky that nobody really builds a car I like...I'd have to build it. I have pretty much passed up that idea in favour of a run of the mill 03-08 Corolla with stick. BTW LX instrument clusters have the tach. I like having a real analog tach even though my UG will display that info.

Then sell the Mustang and build either a good old 9-passenger wagon or a hot rod. Still on the fence there.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by jcp123

All true. The idea intrigues me, I find I am so picky that nobody really builds a car I like...I'd have to build it. I have pretty much passed up that idea in favour of a run of the mill 03-08 Corolla with stick. BTW LX instrument clusters have the tach. I like having a real analog tach even though my UG will display that info.

Then sell the Mustang and build either a good old 9-passenger wagon or a hot rod. Still on the fence there.

LOL! No tach in the DX? so why not get an EX or LX, something better but the same body? I must admit; beyond the HX I have little interest in civics and do not know much about the trim levels besides some guesses about what EX, LX, and DX (assuming I got those right) might mean. I also don't really care to know about the features in the deluxe civics because that will only tempt me.

Yeah I have felt the same way, like having a 4-door HX would be nice, but whatever. 40mpg is pretty slick, and I'll use the trunk for crap and make the occasional passenger squeeze in the back. My supra hasn't much of a trunk. (subwoofers...)

There's a build for a four-door HX powered rig, and lots of info on potential drivetrain swaps, so I'm not saying it would be terribly hard beyond finding parts. But yeah, I am saying that the cost of a good runner is actually not terribly high at $3k, considering the cost of a comparable Prius and associated running costs I believe $3k is a sound investment. As far as swaps are concerned, I think the money you could have earned at your job, assuming you have one, *may* hopefully be equal to or greater than the value of simply buying a car equipped with what you want.

I see some people going to crazy lengths to get an extra few MPG out of a car, when the time and money they'd spend on the goofy plywood and foam mods endeavor make me question the savings on the fossil fuels burnt by just NOT doing the silly mods. Mainly because time=money=fuel. Mainly though; I appreciate vehicle aesthetics.

Then there's the the whole prius idea, and the data suggesting they cost our earth MORE to produce in CO2 emissions than a good 'ol v8 muscle car run it's entire lifetime, so running costs aside; earth-savers are actually on a thin line there. It's all relative, and everybody has their hobbies I guess. I wouldn't mind a prius, assuming I'd sell it before it's battery went flat.

Personally, I need another vehicle and I wanted over 35MPG, because something I read suggested 40mpg was a savings sweet-spot. So I looked for a cheap <$5k vehicle with a decent safety rating, decent size (not an insight), and MPG to help my small income take me further. Thanks to ecomodder I became hell-bent on the HX... Nothing else this side of a diesel or ugly does what I want with reliability in my price range, sadly.

Rambled a bit there...

[jcp123]

4 doors is a must with the kids...want a DX so there's no power windows, ETC.

What's hard about my pickiness is

A. I don't want options and power stuff. I don't like gadgets and goodies in my cars.
B. Certain little things such as a tach, etc. are disproportionately important to me. I have found that I like what I like and little details can spoil the whole thing for me.

[figit090]

Originally Posted by jcp123

4 doors is a must with the kids...want a DX so there's no power windows, ETC.

What's hard about my pickiness is

A. I don't want options and power stuff. I don't like gadgets and goodies in my cars.
B. Certain little things such as a tach, etc. are disproportionately important to me. I have found that I like what I like and little details can spoil the whole thing for me.

is the echo four doors? haha I saw an HX I almost inquired about with TWO baby seats in the back.

Well at least the tach is an easy add-on. Good luck figuring out what you want!

[firehawk618]

Originally Posted by figit090

LOL! No tach in the DX? so why not get an EX or LX, something better but the same body? I must admit; beyond the HX I have little interest in civics and do not know much about the trim levels besides some guesses about what EX, LX, and DX (assuming I got those right) might mean. I also don't really care to know about the features in the deluxe civics because that will only tempt me.

Yeah I have felt the same way, like having a 4-door HX would be nice, but whatever. 40mpg is pretty slick, and I'll use the trunk for crap and make the occasional passenger squeeze in the back. My supra hasn't much of a trunk. (subwoofers...)

There's a build for a four-door HX powered rig, and lots of info on potential drivetrain swaps, so I'm not saying it would be terribly hard beyond finding parts. But yeah, I am saying that the cost of a good runner is actually not terribly high at $3k, considering the cost of a comparable Prius and associated running costs I believe $3k is a sound investment. As far as swaps are concerned, I think the money you could have earned at your job, assuming you have one, *may* hopefully be equal to or greater than the value of simply buying a car equipped with what you want.

I see some people going to crazy lengths to get an extra few MPG out of a car, when the time and money they'd spend on the goofy plywood and foam mods endeavor make me question the savings on the fossil fuels burnt by just NOT doing the silly mods. Mainly because time=money=fuel. Mainly though; I appreciate vehicle aesthetics.

Then there's the the whole prius idea, and the data suggesting they cost our earth MORE to produce in CO2 emissions than a good 'ol v8 muscle car run it's entire lifetime, so running costs aside; earth-savers are actually on a thin line there. It's all relative, and everybody has their hobbies I guess. I wouldn't mind a prius, assuming I'd sell it before it's battery went flat.

Personally, I need another vehicle and I wanted over 35MPG, because something I read suggested 40mpg was a savings sweet-spot. So I looked for a cheap <$5k vehicle with a decent safety rating, decent size (not an insight), and MPG to help my small income take me further. Thanks to ecomodder I became hell-bent on the HX... Nothing else this side of a diesel or ugly does what I want with reliability in my price range, sadly.

Rambled a bit there...

I am putting together a 4dr hx next week. I started a thread on it here tonight.

Power windows, cruise AND a/c!

[figit090]

Originally Posted by firehawk618

I am putting together a 4dr hx next week. I started a thread on it here tonight.

Power windows, cruise AND a/c!

I'm hoping my right foot will be more fuel efficient than cruise would be. But...I'd still like it, lol.

I think the HX has power windows and many have a/c...but none have four doors! I'll look for that thread I'd love to see how your MPG economy runs go.