As much as I hate to admit it (Honda Content)

As much as I hate to admit it, I really need a fifth or sixth generation Honda Civic. Why?

-Parts are cheap and readily available

-It gets good gas mileage

-Double Wishbones at all four corners make it handle quite well

-They're cheap to buy

-The aftermarket available is incredible

Although I probably won't be doing anything beyond a subtle textured front lip, a short shifter, lowering springs, shocks, wheels, and possibly some better seats, It actually seems like a decent car. As I will officially be car shopping again in a little over a week, I'm wondering if there are any Honda experts (or anyone who's tinkered with them) in the house who can chime in on what the weak points of these cars are (other than rust). And I promise, this will be the last model-specific learn me I will post for quite a while.

The real problem is finding one that has been cared for. Between rust, a couple decades of kids hooning them, theft, and their reputation for reliability; most have been run into the ground.

Around here they are all rustbuckets or have been poorly modified/stolen/had a questionable engine swap completed. I can't think of the last time I saw a nice original one, all of them have probably been stolen by now. Pre-immobilizer Honda theft is an epidemic in the Midwest...

The EG Civic rules. I wish that I still had my Si, in fact: awesome suspension, great build quality and cavernous interiors plus insane upgrade options.

The trick, of course, is finding a good car.

I hear that mine might return to Solo Nats next year.

Fly and drive to the south part of the US for a rust free survivor

They are nice enough that I still have the Si hatchback I bought after I finished grad school in the 90's. After 18 years of use things like door locks are starting wear out on it by now. The padding in the drivers seat isn't what it used to be. It still starts reliably and averages about 38 MPG.

How about a 2nd-gen Acura Integra?

Good luck finding one worth buying, you're at least 5 years late to that party. Expect to travel.

I see clean examples for sale in SC all the time. Don't be afraid to buy a swapped one. There isn't an easier car to troubleshoot. I've owned 4th 5th and 6th generation civics. They are a joy to work on, everything is easily accessible. I just picked up a running B20 swap for $800. You won't regret buying one! As for seats, all Honda/Acura seats are interchangeable by swapping the seat pan. I have 99 TL seats in my 99 civic.

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5315763763.html

Something like this is a good start. They are out there but it's just hunting and finding a clean one.

I will say, I ended up buying a Fit because they're the closest thing Honda sells to the old-school Civic these days. Sadly, no double wishbones, but otherwise a lot of the DNA is still present.

MCarp22 wrote: The real problem is finding one that has been cared for. Between rust, a couple decades of kids hooning them, theft, and their reputation for reliability; most have been run into the ground.

This. There's not much in the way of rust issues in the Atlanta area, but it's hard to find a Civic from that era here that hasn't been wrecked, driven into the ground, or with poorly done modifications. I have seen a few really nice, well kept examples - but they're in the hands of people who are completely unwilling to sell. The biggest weak point is the nut behind the wheel.

I'd expand your search to 3rd gen (DC2) integras as well. Practically the same car, but with slightly larger DOHC engine. Same problems finding a clean one, but might as well cast a wider net.

Took me all of two minutes to find this: http://victoria.craigslist.ca/cto/5320909983.html

I guess I'm not much of a Honda guy, but I am skeptical that one is a real SI. Wouldn't it have better seats? But anyhow, they are out there, and (for the most part) cars in BC don't rust.

In reply to SEADave:

Canadian Si models are equivalent to US EX models. But you still get VTEC.

^^ The Canuckian Si is the American EX, the folks up north got our Si but it was called an SiR.

The big problem is rust, all of the bushings are going to be shot on them so figure motor mounts and new suspension bushings all around. Weather stripping and gaskets (e.g., tail lights) break down and let water in. I spent a lot of money refreshing the interior of one of my CRXes and for my next car I just gutted it and tolerated the noise best I could, it wasn't worth trying to figure out all the leaks.

Integras are nice because they have the better DOHC B-series motors and don't need aftermarket motor mounts to get them. DA/DC Integras and EF/EG/EK Civics are all lego cars, you just have to do some research.

In reply to steronz:

Had a 2nd gen Integra much like the one in your avatar as my 2nd car. To back up what you're saying, my taillights turned into aquariums at the sight of rain and the rust hole in the trunk was probably a related issue.

My Integra was the worst car I ever had in terms of reliability, though I don't fault the car itself for that. It was (poorly) maintained by a cheap old man my dad worked with prior to my ownership and was totally clapped out by the time I took possession at ~185k miles. Had a chronic misfire I could never permanently cure, compression was WAY down (about 2/3 what it should have been IIRC, but even across cylinders), loved to randomly go into limp mode, and it once shut off with an enormous bang and smoke cloud out the tailpipe that I was sure marked its ultimate demise. Towed it home behind my dad's truck only to have it start right back up once we got it there.

Great car when it was working properly, though.

I find decent un-molested examples on CL all the time in Portland Or. No salt here which obviously helps allot. There were simply so many of them made. Some people know what they are doing so swapped can be good.

Clean 2.3K http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/5303697932.html

Clean 1.8K http://portland.craigslist.org/grg/cto/5322100232.html

Only 1.5 million miles on her! (overp riced 4.5k)

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/5319608172.html

I'd personally opt for a DC ('94-'01) integra. Same as a civic where it counts plus a 1.8 B-series for a bit more torque. Around here, while most sub 3k EG/EK civics are falling to pieces, the integras seem to be holding up well. YMMV

Where I live (Kelowna) all the DCs are either clapped out, dubiously modified or automatic. Clean fifth and sixth gen civics are fairly common, though.

I hated hated hated driving my 92 VX. Dog slow but the damn thing would simply not die. Fun is not a word I would use in combination with That Car.

Sold it after 8 long but economical years. My wife's 08 Fit is much better car in every regard except fuel economy, and even that's close enough. I bet a decent 1g fit and a decent EG would be close in price - the EG might even be more expensive.

I know I'd get the Fit again in a heartbeat.

bastomatic wrote: I hated hated hated driving my 92 VX. Dog slow but the damn thing would simply not die. Fun is not a word I would use in combination with That Car. Sold it after 8 long but economical years. My wife's 08 Fit is much better car in every regard except fuel economy, and even that's close enough. I bet a decent 1g fit and a decent EG would be close in price - the EG might even be more expensive. I know I'd get the Fit again in a heartbeat.

Yeah, the VX models were dead slow. I'm looking at a non-economy model.

Just plan on coming down here and getting one to 'restore.' They don't rust in the South. When was the last time you saw a clean, stock EG coupe? These are in a good spot to acquire right now -- they aren't fast enough to be relevant in the tuner crowd any more, but they aren't vintage either.

I remember the first time I saw a new 92 Civic Si. It looked like it was from another planet at the time. Huge leap forward in automotive styling.