scrooge

Hey so finally after my accident which was exactly a month ago today, i get my check yesterday BUT im still waiting to get my car ******* insurance company anywayss. i have some money and theres two cars i really intersted in seeing, today, tommorow whenever i have time. So since this is my first time buying a car on my own i really need you guys' help. The car i want is a 96-98 civic coupe and the look im going for is the japanese 96-98 civic sir LIKE UM MR "SiR Mark"'S CAR THAT THE WHOLE WORLD LOVES. ANYWAYSS i get side tracked to easily lol. So things that ive come up with are thing that are common sense

-Check if its a crashed car, i think some hondas that have oem fenders have the vin on them... i dont know for sure but ive seen it on an acura 3.2 TL
-Check for rust on the honda spots
-Test drive the car is a must

please reply and add anything that i would have to look for this is my first time so help me out here thanks

Hardedge

Yes, make sure that all the VINs match, fenders, firewall, engine, doors, trunk, etc. Also, if you can, check the suspension components for factory sorting paint marks (hinting at original suspension). Pay attention to the tires; believe it or not, tire condition has a pretty big effect on value so if they're questionable that's a price negotiation advantage. Check for any soot in the tailpipe for signs of bad engine conditions. If the guy is really serious about selling the car, see if he'll let you run a compression test.

slacks

here are some things i tend to overlook..

is it inspected? (not sure how it works in canada)
how are tires, breaks, ect ect...
be aware of previous body work done, tap certain areas to make sure of it.
are there mods done to the car?
hmmmmmm

how does the engine run? (no smoke, loud bangings, does it take long to start up.. ect ect...)
transmission's condition? (shifting smoothly, good clutch..)
suspension good? (are the shocks not blown?)

above all get a car fax report (optional but useful... 30 usd or so...)
and!
get a mechanic YOU know and trust to look the car over for anything wrong or suspicious. my mechanic only charges roughly $50 for a complete look over of the car and some might do it for free.

just make sure you keep an eye out for anything and everything, and good luck