New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
#1
Registered!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Age: 44
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
Long story short I just need A car.
I found a 1989 Honda Civic wagon blue in color in the next town over for $750. It has a straight body and it runs and drives and has 229K miles on it.
The seller says he spent about $400 getting it running by putting on a new coil, starter, and battery. It runs but he says it runs rough. He says it won't rev very high. I asked him if it would go highway speed and he said it will but it just takes a while to get there. He also said a mechanic said it probably needs a new throttle position sensor. I wonder if that's true or if it's about to die completely?
I'm not a mechanic and I'm not wanting to just get this thing and not even make it home with it. After all I'd have to drive it 60 miles over a pretty steep "mountain" highway. Then again, I know these cars can be reliable for a very long time and so long as it just works I'm not worried about it being a nice car. Just don't want something that will leave me on the side of the road.
Can I get you guys' thoughts on this?
Thank you!
I found a 1989 Honda Civic wagon blue in color in the next town over for $750. It has a straight body and it runs and drives and has 229K miles on it.
The seller says he spent about $400 getting it running by putting on a new coil, starter, and battery. It runs but he says it runs rough. He says it won't rev very high. I asked him if it would go highway speed and he said it will but it just takes a while to get there. He also said a mechanic said it probably needs a new throttle position sensor. I wonder if that's true or if it's about to die completely?
I'm not a mechanic and I'm not wanting to just get this thing and not even make it home with it. After all I'd have to drive it 60 miles over a pretty steep "mountain" highway. Then again, I know these cars can be reliable for a very long time and so long as it just works I'm not worried about it being a nice car. Just don't want something that will leave me on the side of the road.
Can I get you guys' thoughts on this?
Thank you!
#2
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Barrie, ON Canada
Posts: 8,991
Received 1,122 Likes
on
937 Posts
Rep Power: 190 Re: New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
Sell those rims to some kid and you can probably get half your money back. Could be an intake/exhaust restriction, spark, fuel.
Shouldn't be too bad to get it going properly.
Shouldn't be too bad to get it going properly.
#3
Registered!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Age: 44
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 Re: New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
Well, I bought a different one.
That one was 75 miles away up a mountain and REALLY high miles - to heck with that problem once I found this other one. Today I lucked out and found one for sale about 7 or 8 miles from my home.
1989 Civic Wagon with 144K miles. Nearly perfect body. Super crazy clean inside. Runs great! Brakes are a little off. Needs a valve cover gasket. A/C needs service. Also probably needs a new front axle as it clicks when turning hard right. $850
I'm very happy. This is my first Honda and I'm going to fix it up a little. Can't wait to start driving it once I pick it up on Tuesday.
#4
Registered!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Age: 44
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 Re: New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
Well, I bought a different one.
That one was 75 miles away up a mountain and REALLY high miles - to heck with that problem once I found this other one. Today I lucked out and found one for sale about 7 or 8 miles from my home.
1989 Civic Wagon with 144K miles. Nearly perfect body. Super crazy clean inside. Runs great! Brakes are a little off. Needs a valve cover gasket. A/C needs service. Also probably needs a new front axle as it clicks when turning hard right. $850
I'm very happy. This is my first Honda and I'm going to fix it up a little. Can't wait to start driving it once I pick it up on Tuesday.
That one was 75 miles away up a mountain and REALLY high miles - to heck with that problem once I found this other one. Today I lucked out and found one for sale about 7 or 8 miles from my home.
1989 Civic Wagon with 144K miles. Nearly perfect body. Super crazy clean inside. Runs great! Brakes are a little off. Needs a valve cover gasket. A/C needs service. Also probably needs a new front axle as it clicks when turning hard right. $850
I'm very happy. This is my first Honda and I'm going to fix it up a little. Can't wait to start driving it once I pick it up on Tuesday.
#5
"Marge, anyone could miss Canada! All tucked away down there."
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Barrie, ON Canada
Posts: 8,991
Received 1,122 Likes
on
937 Posts
Rep Power: 190 Re: New member: considering purchase of an old '89 civic wagon beater - need help
That one looks much better, congrats on the purchase!
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
80civic1300
Archive - Vehicles for Sale/Wanted
3
03-16-2015 09:46 AM
bonecrusher
Archive - Vehicles for Sale/Wanted
16
09-17-2011 04:00 PM
MojoMyCivic
Member's Rides
34
10-25-2006 09:54 PM