My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

** I KNOW THIS IS LONG. EITHER ENTERTAIN ME OR SKIP TO THE TL;DR AT THE BOTTOM **


Alright, it's story time. :popcorn:

I'll try to keep this short(ish), but will admit that ranting is one of my specialties, so we'll see how that goes :shrug:

To begin, I'll say I've never been much of a Honda person. I've respected them, of course. The Civic is a pretty iconic car in the JDM arena. Still, my main love was Nissan. Of course, I am biased. Over the last three years I have been working on my pride and joy. My prized possession. This car meant the world to me. I bought it when I was eighteen and never looked back. If you haven't guessed from the pictures below, this car was my 1989 Nissan 240sx hatch. I purchased it from a girl that only used it to commute to and from school in high school and college. 132,000 original miles. Completely stock. When I bought it, I didn't know much about the s-chassis cars, but I learned fast. I absolutely loved this car. I put on 17x9 Rota Grids, Hankook tires. S14 seats. A Sparco steering wheel with an NRG quick release and short hub. I put brand new BC Racing coilovers on alongside the new Circuit Sports camber eyes. I picked up an authentic '90s Cusco front strut bar that had been completely refurbished. Climbed in the hatch and put on a DCSports rear strut bar. I did a full Q45 brake swap, slotted rotors and ceramic pads. I put so much into repairs and modifications. Around $10,000, if we're being honest (in hindsight, where did I get that money???). I wanted to drop in an SR20DET with a manual transmission. I wanted to make it a Sileighty (absolutely love them).

But it wasn't meant to be.

** Cue dramatic pause while you reflect on the pictures below **
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...8e88193483.jpg

Things started getting pretty busy (and pretty stressful). As I finished my last semester of college, graduated, got a job, left a job, etc. Then I bought a house and started to move, and I had to admit defeat -- I didn't have the time or money anymore. Too much had been going on, and I'd barely driven my 240sx in the last few months. Maybe even the last year. At some point I did stop using it as my daily, and picked up an Xterra to fill that gap. Part of me stopped daily driving the 240sx to protect it, since I had so many plans. But there were also issues. It had idled rough since I'd bought it. Not too bad, at first. I'd tried everything, and nothing fixed the issue. It slowly began to worsen. Alongside that issue, the automatic transmission started slipping. Then it started slipping badly. I was still able to drive it, but it seemed to be a bad idea to continue to do so. But I never ended up with time to get back to it, or the money to try to fix it. Honestly, I was also running out of energy to put into it. So I did give up, because I knew, at this point, it was the best choice to make.

So, despite my love for my outstanding 240sx, I listed it up for trade on Craigslist and the Facebook Marketplace. I was just looking for a basic daily that was good on gas. No more projects. It didn't seem like too much to ask. And I got tons of offers. A lot were for trucks and motorcycles, both of which I didn't need. Some were for very high mileage vehicles (kinda makes me uncomfortable). I even got offered a 2018 Ruckus... I didn't really want a moped, but, in hindsight, I should've just taken it! But I also received quite a few offers for JDM vehicles. Let's be honest here -- the 240sx isn't well known outside the JDM community. Some were highly modified, which I steered clear of for a few reasons. Then there were a few that weren't really modded at all, and seemed like good candidates. So I set up a date to go see a 1996 Acura Integra and 2000 Honda Civic. Both would be good choices, even just for a commuter.

So I head out on the day of. The 240sx might not have been in the best shape, but it was driveable. It had never let me down. So, with my wife driving behind me, we head out to the first location. And everything is just fine. The car sounds great, and I was reminiscing. After all, I loved this car. I didn't want to see it go. But, on the other hand, I knew it was time.

Fast forward about 20 minutes. I'm coming up to a light, and I brake. Suddenly, the 240sx stalls. I managed to get it over into the left turn lane (this was a highway with no shoulders on the side) and I activate my hazards. My wife has pulled up behind me, and put her hazards on as well. I'm sitting here thinking it's no big deal. I go to get it started back up. Nothing. I try again. Nothing. And Again. Still nothing. (Plot twist: It doesn't start!). So now I'm a bit confused. It hadn't been overheating, and hadn't really been showing any signs of an issue. My wife then informed me that some white smoke had been coming out the car for a bit, and then right before it stalled there was some light gray/blue smoke. No puddle on the ground under the car. No leaking, or anything like that. Battery was good. Coolant was good. There were no obvious problems. While it is always possible for something to happen that you cannot see, it was just so sudden that I was a bit startled.

I ended up having to call the non-emergency line for the sheriff's office, and two nice deputy's helped us push it through the intersection and into a gas station parking lot. From there, I tried a few more things. I checked everything I could again. And then I knew it was over. I only had a few options:
- Call a junkyard and watch my prized possession get taken away to die :(
- Pay for it to be towed back, either to my previous apartment or my new house (would have cost me hundreds of dollars)
- Or try to make some kind of deal.

So I reached out to the two people I was supposed to meet to see if we might be able to make something work. The guy with the Integra never responded (I don't really blame him), but the guy with the 2000 Honda Civic did. He really wanted the 240sx. So we made a deal: He would get the 240sx (and rent a trailer to retrieve it over an hour away), I would also provide him with $1000, and I would still get the 2000 Honda Civic. While it wasn't the deal I wanted, it was a deal. And it was better than any other options I had. Ever been stuck between a rock and hard place?

And so we did the deal. And now I have a 2000 Honda Civic DX.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...bf8637d03b.jpg

BUT, I really did get screwed. He advertised the Civic as having 120,000 miles and being in great shape. Now, let me tell you, that really isn't the case at all. But, by this point, there really was no good option. I'd rather come out with a car than with nothing at all.

Rather than ranting about each problem, here's a basic list of what I've noticed so far.

THE BAD (AND UGLY):
- Massive cracks in the windshield. You can't see it too well in the picture above. The guy I bought it from said the previous owner got angry because the clutch went out and punched it??? (FUN FACT: This is NOT a healthy way to deal with anger)
- Ripped up visors and headliner
- Trim on the door panels looks like someone took a hatchet to it
- Locking pliers where the window crank should be??? (Guess what? It destroyed the mechanism that the cranks attach to, so now I have to worry about the entire thing...)
- Odometer is at 166,000. Definitely not the 120,000 I was expecting. But guess what's worse? IT DOESN'T EVEN WORK. Neither does the tripodometer...
- No title. I'm going to have to get a bonded one.
- Strange denting on the body panels??? It's kind of hard to see. It looks like someone tried (and failed) to fix something.
- The tires were all 100% bald. I mean that. One had 3 places where you could see the steel belts.
- The back tires were 215/45/17. The front right tire was 225/45/17. The front left tire was 205/40/17.
- Two types of locking lug nuts?? Of course, I wasn't provided with a key (thanks AutoZone for helping me with that dilemma :thumbup:)
- The mechanism that holds the hood up is just??? Gone?? I don't really know how you manage to break/lose that, but to each their own I guess :shrug:
- Looks like the filter on the cold air intake should have been changed a decade ago.
- I haven't even dared to check the fluids just yet. I'll be doing a basic tune up ASAP.
- Smells like cigarette smoke. I'm asthmatic, so that's a ton of fun :ugh:
- VERY dirty...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...ba73a94afe.jpg

BUT, it isn't all bad (I guess). Here are the diamonds (or not-so-dirty rocks) in the rough.

THE GOOD:
- Aftermarket exhaust that sounds really good. He didn't have any clue what it was. (I'll get a video soon)
- Cold air intake (kinda)
- 17x7 Motegi MR116 wheels (meh)
- New window tint
- New clutch
- Nice headlights
- Drives well despite its flaws

(Pic for attention)
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...81eea46b2b.jpg

Of course, I'm not saying this to sound like I don't like Civics. In fact, I'm not even saying that I don't like my new car. Sure, my heart is still breaking from losing my 240sx (:cry:), BUT I am actually growing to love this Civic. I love cars too much to hate it, and, to be honest, I'm very excited to build it up. I've already bought some parts and thrown them on (Civic parts are SO MUCH cheaper and easy to find!!). I'll post later for some updates on that. I'd also like to say that I know used cars have issues. I know Civics can have issues. This isn't my first rodeo. I'm a bit disappointed in what I got, but the fact that it is a Civic is not the problem. I also don't like seeing cars that have been beat to sh** :shrug:

MY GOALS:
- Save the interior from its untimely death
- Make it safe and reliable
- CLEAN IT
- Do whatever my heart desires


Honestly, I'm going to make this build fun. I'm really not going to focus on power much. I just want it to look good, and be an enjoyable car. I'll admit, it is pretty fun to drive :yas:



TL;DR
Had 240sx, decided to trade 240sx. 240sx engine went kaplooey on the way to trade. Made a deal with dude that had 2000 Honda Civic. Got Civic. Wasn't what I expected. I love it anyway and can't wait to work on it.



If you stuck with me through all of that, A+ to you! If not, that's cool. Updates will be below ;)

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

Honestly, the interior parts that were torn/damaged should be fairly easy to source at either a pick'n'pull (try Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market to source) or through Craigslist/eBay. The wheels I would ditch, as they're doing nothing but hurting the car's potential in both drive-ability and in fuel economy (15's are going to be very cost-effective and leave you with a ton of options for affordable/grippy tires). Seats can be sourced from a ton of various platforms (Integra, Del Sol, etc...) and improve the comfort level immensely (I loved my Del Sol seats for that).

Either way, the Civic should prove to be a good choice as long as you can maintain it. Hopefully it won't be just bad luck. :)

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

Where are you at in Texas ?

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

No worries there! I've already been by the local wrench-a-part and will be headed by another yard tomorrow. I just moved, so I didn't have many tools with me the last time, so I only got a few things. This time I'll be prepared, and hopefully will come out with more to show for it!

As for the wheels, I already ditched them. I bought/traded wheels from a guy I stumbled across on the Facebook Marketplace. They're still 17" (I was hoping to go smaller) but they're pretty nice wheels. *cough*they're also worth more*cough*

I am actually expecting it to be a great car. It's just going to need a bit of love to get there ;)

I'm in Central :)

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

Just to update you guys on where I'm at now:


DAY #1

The day after I got the Civic I swung by my local Wrench-A-Part (it's like Christmas!!) and picked up a few interior items for the Honda. I didn't have too many tools with me, since I had just moved (I literally had a flat head and phillips head screw driver, a mallet, a basic socket set, and a tire iron...). I pulled off one manual window crank handle and two decent visors (better than what I had). I also picked up some emblems (it is currently debadged), a donut spare, and (maybe??) a few other things. Nothing special or anything like that, but it's a start. When I got back I set to work pretty quickly. While it wasn't much, I still felt better to be getting something done.

When trying to put on the window crank, I learned that these (in pic below) were too worn :shrug: Not too happy about that. Also, side note, WHAT ARE THESE CALLED?? (forgive me if that's a stupid question! :newb:)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...99ffe217ff.jpg

So I just moved on from the window crank for now. The visors really bothered me. Maybe that's petty, but it was irritating. Plus, it was something I could do quickly and easily. These are the old visors, by the way.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...948b25a6c5.jpg UGLY OLD VISORS

Obviously, it only took me a few moments to take the old ones off and put the new ones on. The new ones aren't great, but they are a thousand times better!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...19f16e261d.jpg THE NEW AND SLIGHTLY BETTER VISORS

Also, the visor clip on the passenger side was fine, but completely torn out on the driver's side. I tried to get some from the junkyard but managed to break them :cry: They're super cheap new though, so I'll be fine :thumbup:

And I put this thing in temporarily (it's a different color but the hole was bothering me :baseball:)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...008882245f.jpg

That was Day #1 for me! Not much, by baby steps :thumbup:



DAY #3

So, on the third day after I got the car, I bought some wheels off of a local guy. Super chill dude. I paid $200 and got a set of 17x8.5 +30 STR 606 wheels. They're in really good shape too. One still needs to be painted, but he offered to do that sometime over a bbq :thumbup:

Here are the wheels I got (sorry that it's a bad picture):
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...abe6e8f9dc.jpg

Came with all of the center caps as well. I will be replacing the tires. Two of them are good (and one is actually brand new), and two are bald on the sides from being stanced. But I'm actually going to change them all because these are sitting on 205/40r17 tires. WAY too stretched. I'll be moving to 225/45.

And I know, these wheels are pretty big for the Civic. I'm not sure yet if I'll end up sticking with them. But they are a style I've always wanted, so there's that! :)

Currently they don't rub at all. With the larger tires I am expected more of an issue with that, but I don't have a problem with rolling my fenders. (The 240sx was on 17x9 all around and had rolled fenders).

So I went ahead and got started with changing out the wheels. I love these STRs, so I was pretty hype.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...16d370645a.jpg

(Side note: The guy I got the car from had two different types of locking lugnuts on the wheels. He didn't provide me with a key. One type was easy enough to find a key to, but the other wasn't. Discount Tire didn't even have one. I ended up finding something that would work through an interesting team effort at AutoZone :thumbup:)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...05be00fc1a.jpg

Anyway, I'm not going to sit here and describe the process of taking off/putting on wheels to you guys. Instead, take a look at the results!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...9e6903ccb8.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...6ec8bd2a85.jpg

Anyway, that's all that I've done so far. I do have a cluster in my garage waiting to be put on (I think my entire cluster currently doesn't work, so yeah). I also purchased a steering wheel/quick release/hub setup for really cheap. Honestly, I don't really care for it so it'll be posted in the marketplace soon!

(PS: Anyone in central Texas interested in trading for the wheels? :devil:)

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

Is the wheel turned in that last picture, or is that a ton of positive camber?

The plus side for those wheels is even though they are still 17s, the stepped faces help a little with making them look smaller than they are. If the car was lowered, you'd probably not really be able to tell.

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

It does look like positive camber, but the wheel is just turned a bit (thankfully!).

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

UPDATE!

Not a whole lot to report today, I'm afraid. But, nonetheless, there is something! Something is always better than nothing, right?

Anyway, remember my super nice looking wheels?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...cf506dedc5.jpg


Well, I decided to get rid of them. I knew from the start that running 17" wheels wasn't really what I wanted, but can you blame me?? These were the type of wheels I always wanted on my 240sx! Unfortunately, the Civic is not the same.

So I made a deal with a guy and got some stock steelies off a 2001 Honda Civic. They have very good tires, which saves me a lot of money. I'm sick of having a ton of bald or partially-bald tires.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...0fae57c2b4.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...1cbe15c605.jpg

They might not look pretty, but they're a better choice. Better for the car, better gas mileage, and better tires. And, strangely enough, I'm okay with steelies. I think they can look good when painted. Maybe I'll do that until I can get some better wheels.

I'm going to be putting on the new cluster tomorrow. I'm not a fan of the steering wheel/quick release/hub that I picked up, so those will be going up for sale.

I did pick up a cool shift knob. It's made for an auto, so I probably won't keep it long (gotta love junkyard finds!)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...7c69fa50c0.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-t...4f7b49936c.jpg

Re: My Civic Duty: The 2000 Honda Civic Build I Didn't Ask For
 

Silver steelies look dope. Digging that steering wheel too!