hello everyone... first post!

i'm 18, live in kalamazoo MI, and am thinking about buying a accord.

i've been into old school vw's for the past 4 yrs, but now i need somthing more reliable...

background:
ever since i was about 14 i've been into the import scene, at 14 i bought a 89 crx, it was a automatic and i never got it on the road due to not having any money. at 15 i bought a 86vw scirocco 8v and completely rebuilt the top end with a cam and beefyer springs and such, it was the funnest car any 16yr old could have. i got into both auto-x and ice racing with the little beast, then it got hit by a drunk driver. so i bought another one, a 84, it diddnt run so well so i junked it out. fast forward a year, i'm 17. so i picked up another, i needed to get back into the scene and i saved up a grand. i got a 87 scirocco 16v, threw some headers exhst, shift kit and some suspension and had a awsome sub-1000 dollar ride, i couldnt drive it in the winter so i bought a beeter vw fox and drove it for 2 months now its dead, the fuel system took a crap and i'm out of a car. i cant drive my scirocco because of the snow, its too low and i dont have tires that will keep it on the road.

i'm putting both of my cars up on the market tomorow, and want a accord. somthing a little bigger than what i'm used to, and it has to be reliable... i cant be worrying about making it to class and work because my cars broken down. i need something that has the potential to hang with the smaller cars in the turns. the accord seems to be the best bet.

so i'm shopping around, what should i look for? i'll only buy the vtec motor, but what are some common problems to look for in the 94-97 accords?
where are the common rust spots?
are there any mechanical defects that i can point out to drop the price a bit?

thanks in advance

 

I got a 96 EX and you've already pretty much hit on everything. Along with VTEC on the EX you also get all wheel disc brakes. Get a manual cuz the Honda auto's can be hit or miss, but guessing from the autocross you're already sold on that! Aw man me and a buddy were dying to get into that, had a VW rabbit (wanted something cheap that could survive a rollover) manual and everything...now he's dead to me and got married

Rust spots? Fenders I guess like nearly every other car but nothing I'm really aware of. I will mention that on a good wet snow the front wheel wells fill up with muck, thus I have no plastic liners anymore.