Nuggs

Hey there. With my rusty 99 Plymouth Breeze at the junkyard, I'm in the market for a "new" car. Always wanted a Civic, so here I am. My budget's about $3k plus a few hundred if needed for repairs. From reading around on here it sounds like 6th generation is actually going to better than something a couple years newer, which is good because I'm seeing a lot of 98s/99s on Craig's List anyway.

What do you think of this car or something similar to it:



http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/3011742036.html

"1999 Honda Civic EX
1.6L SOHC VTEC
176,000 Miles
5 speed
Power everything. Sunroof, Windows, Locks, Mirrors, Steering.
Keyless Entry!
This car surprisingly runs very strong still! VTEC engages pretty loud for a single cam. It has an AEM SRI, Skunk2 Coilovers, Black Housing Headlights, Mugen Front Lip & 8K Hi/Low BiXenon H.I.D's. Has a few dings/dents but very little to no rust at all anywhere. No rust on the wheel wells or fenders. Paint is so so, needs a good wax. Clutch is in good shape, no grinds in the shifting. Drives straight and smooth, no shakes.

Just had 4 brand new tires installed less than 1000 miles ago.
New battery.
Needs new power window motors. Windows roll up and down fine, they just stop short of closing completely, seems as if the window motor is running out of juice. I just close them with my hands if its going to rain.

KBB Value shows: Excellent $3,732 - Very Good $3,457 - Good $3,332 - Fair $2,707

I consider this Civic in the Good to Fair condition so I'm looking for $3,000 or best reasonable offer!

Car is pictured with Si rims on it. It will not be sold with those wheels as they are long gone. Car has stock wheels on it now! Thanks for looking."




Of course I would test drive and take it to a mechanic before buying anything. But is there anything I should be generally aware of buying a late 90s Civic? How about the modifications?--I have seen a couple on CL with this kind of suspension and cosmetic stuff. What kind of maintenance would be reasonable to expect to do after buying it?
Thanks for your help.
Rachelle

Nuggs

Also, I will basically be using this car for a 30-minute commute over rural NH back roads and other short trips.

rollondad

The concern I would have with the mods is does if point to how the car might have been driven...ie, young kid hotrodding it. Also any maintenance records that could be obtained might be helpful...how many owners has it had and are there any indications of how it was maintained in its past life. I know the timing belt is an 84 month or about 100K mile recommended change, so if that hasn't been done yet it could be a concern. I just bought a 99 EX coupe and haven't driven it much, so I can't speak from experience, but those are things I thought of when looking at the ad. Good luck!