My aunt has a 92 Civic DX hatch that only has 12,000 miles on it. She bought it new off the showroom floor in 92. She only drove it a couple miles 4 or 5 times a year. I was thinking of buying it from her for a daily driver.

What problems should I expect since it wasnt driven so much. I was thinking the belts would need replaced and most of the valves seals, gaskets in the head.

thoughts?

platinum

 

-Fuel injectors should be cleaned from running old gas
-oil
-it could probably use a new battery


Thats all i can think of now

 

Buy it. Great find!!!

Change the oil to full synthetic. Replace the coolant and transmission fluid. Also consider replacing the almost 20 year old timing belt and water pump.

 

Buy, flip, profit?

 

If it was a manual it would be a great find... i would prolly mod it out like my last one!!!

so just the fluids huh, nothing crazy needs replaced. Do you think the valve seals are OK?

What do you think this things worth? Im am trying to get her to send me pictures but she says it has no dents and has been under a carport for 20 years

 

ANYONE would be crazy not to buy it IMO

 

It probably wouldn't hurt to replace some of the bushings as I'm sure they are dried to pieces by now.

 

What should I offer for it. $2500?

 

I would think that it's worth more than $2500, so give it a shot.

If you don't buy it, can I?

 

Holy crap!

Belts, seals those things are pretty easy, and aren't to pricy either. But holy crap 12k?!?

I want it, right now.

EDIT- can we get pic's? It's not everyday a car with that low of miles pops up!!

 

pics or your trolling lol

 

Not to rain on the parade.....
But I used to work for toyota...and we got in a 1995 corolla that had 1500 miles on it.
The car was in NY, all its life, and sat in a garage... not heated, just in a garage.

Well anyhow, it came in because a guy had just bought it, off an old lady that had died. He got it for 3k or there abouts.... and thought he got the greatest deal ever. The original owner drove it 2 miles to the grocery store and back once every 2 weeks, and church was about a 1/4 mile away on sunday...thats all she ever drove it...

Well...lets just say this...rubber + sitting around without use is a dangerous combination. The car he brought in needed practically the entire engine/suspension rebuilt. Theres a TON of rubber in your engine...gaskets/rings/plug wires/radiator hoses/etc etc etc . Then the suspension with strut mounts/all the rubber bushings etc etc.

Anyhow, after we looked over the car....the repair bill was in the 6500 range.

(Im not saying the civic will be the same way)

Id go over the car with a fine tooth comb. Alot of electrical items dont like to sit around either, and a 20+ year old car that isnt getting much use is sitting around alot.

Check all rubber items....hoses/belts/bushings/etc etc etc...
CHeck the entire car over....all the windows work? no wiring harness issues like a mouse chewing? Expect to do alot of routine maint that isnt due by mileage but by time....such as all new tires/timing belt/water pump.....all the gaskets...valve/oil pain/o rings/ change the plugs....fuel filter....etc etc etc.

Personally Id rather buy a old civic with 212k....then an old civic with 12k miles...

Cars just sitting around doesnt make them any better then cars being used.....check under for rust...


If you get it for 2k....and can do all the maint work by yourself....Id go for it. I mean a timing belt is 30 bucks.....and about 4 hours of labor....or if you take it to a shop...your looking at 500... all the gaskets on the entire engine are like 60 bucks....if you are adept in doing the work by yourself...you got like $600 worth of parts you need to clean her up....and a whole weekend with a wrench.

 

Also, you should check the brakes. Inspect for any leaks around the seals and flush with new brake fluid.

 

I can definatly do the maintenance myself. When I had my turbo civic, I could change the headgasket in 45 min flat... no joke

Anyway, my wife is telling me hell no cause I already have a couple cars. Trying to get it for a friend now.

 

Only offering your aunt 2500 for a minty 92 hatch? Don't be so cheap. That is worth at least double. It's basically buying a new lease 20 years later. And converting it to a manual transmission isn't difficult. Just keep the automatic trans so you have all the matching parts. I'm sentimental.

 

Id say its more like buying a salvage car honestly.....
Start adding up all the parts you know you have to change....all belts- a/c, p/s, timing belt. Water pump...probably starter/alternator (just to be safe) Tires.... all fluids...various bushings and possible suspension parts....list goes on and on.

I mean after you really start going over the car...if you pay 2500 ish/3k and put 1000-1500 into it, to get it back to up to date on maint....you got around 5k in it...without all your time involved...

Id say it'd be worth (at least on the east coast) 5-6k tops....so all together that's what you'd have into it...

Id offer 2k...and give yourself wiggle room. Til you can get it home and drive it a few days...work things out and get maint on track...your liable to get into the car for alot more then you once set in for...

 

I wish more "salvage" cars were easy to find.

 

Lol yall are heartless. Also, a car that has almost no miles logged in 20 years with one owner is worth more than the same car in the same condition with 150k and 5 owners. Even if both cars are perfect. Offer YOUR AUNT 4,000 and call it a day.

 

My view is if you plan to swap it and replace the suspension bushings go for it. Otherwise expect to spend a lot of money on it. Like someone else said I'd way sooner have high mileage old car then a low mileage old car. Sitting is about the worst thing you can do do a vehicle.

 

i would ask her what she would want for it and go from there. could be cheaper than what ur goin to be asking. i was gunna give 700 for my del sol and i called my aunt up and she told me she would let it go to me for $500. i bought it 10 mins later and with a 30 pack for her. then i put the 200 in tune up parts. good luck

 

Before we go further: what condition is it in? Pics? rust?