GoLowDrew

I actually was looking for something else can came across a good condition 97 Civic with 260K miles on the original 1.6L engine. The owner is not a car guy, but properly serviced. In other words, whatever the car needed, they did, and the owner paid for.

The owner could not tell me much, not a car guy.

The easy answer is, Honda engines will run forever. The car is all OEM, not mods at all.

Do you think this will make a good project car? No plans to swap out the engine. Bolt-on's planned.

Price is right, but that's not the issue. The question is, how much life can I expect this well cared for OEM engine to last?

Yes, with a project I do expect the mileage to be high. 260K was not what I was looking for.

What do you think?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Compression test the engine? I'm boosted on a stock block pushing 220k with no issues.

EJ8mike

That engine will see 400k easy with consistant OCI's. Just curious, did he run conventional oil?

OmgDelSol

I swapped my engine out a couple weeks ago at 280K. W/proper maintenance + responsible driving the motor could last you a long time.

v8eatrr

Had a 1997 sedan with a d16y7
Original engine
Just did the matinance and changed the oil with cheap 5w-30 penzoil
Sold the car in perfect running condition at 320k
No smoke
Valvetrain looked brand new
As long as you change a Hondas oil it will run forever

GoLowDrew

Help me out here guys. Suppose the car mentioned in OP

260K miles is $2500.

I found another well cared for example at $3500 at 200K miles.

Because both of these cars are well cared for (and I believe it), and same age, so it's not unrealistic to think something can go wrong at any time.

So therefore, the mileage and cars that are 17 years old, it almost does not matter, do you think? Yes, 60K miles a lot of miles. It's a big difference if we are comparing a 2010 car vs a 2005 car.

I hope you get the just of my question.

(Cliff) I can't decide which way to go?

P.S. Do plan to spend $2K on mods. Both cars are 100% stock.

jbpnoman

A mod, not using the value sticky, for a value question? For shame GLD

Not a chance in hell I would pay $3500 for a car at 200k. If we're talking about an EJ6/8, get the 260k car, talk the guy down to $2k, or get the 200k, and talk the owner down to $2500. That's more in-line with FMV.

GoLowDrew

Yes, it's OBO, so will do.

Yes, shame on me. Sorry. I didn't expect this thread to turn into a "how much" thread.

I used to own these cars. Should have never sold mine (which I bought factory new). Funny how things turn around and now I'm looking at the "exact" same cars.

Kista20

Two years ago I paid $2600 for a 99 hx w/ 209k miles. When I bought the car the a/c compressor made noise like bolts and nuts rattling around in a can so I knew it would have to be replaced at some point but it still worked good so I removed the belt to keep from using it in case it seized up or anything, also the cel was on but was only for cyl misfires so I tuned it up and cleared the code.

Now I've only put 20k miles during this time and I've already replaced the egr valve, window regulator, primary o2 sensor, all new exhaust, headlight bulb twice and the stuff that still needs to be replaced is the tranny and the cat, funny thing it seems that when I run exxon gas from the station here in town I will get the p0420 code but when I run shell gas it doesn't trip it.

If you do get a honda with high mileage I would plan to keep $1k or so hidden away just in case when something happens. I'm still driving mine like it is and the tranny hasn't gotten any worse but I do have another to replace it with and I'm still getting over 40mpg.

I'd say you would be good but just expect all the typical stuff to replace such as the window regulators but for the most part honda's are pretty much bullet proof.

Maybe we should turn this into a what kinds of issues am I likely to experience with a higher mileage civic thread.