Hey dudes, new to the forum and new to the honda world. This is a very nice forum you have here. I would like to buy a civic hatch back and wanted to know what i should look for to make sure it is in good running condition. I was looking at the 92-95 models. Is there anything that i should look for or listen for to know it is in good shape? Is there a particular milage cap i shouldn't buy over? Are there any models that get better gas milage than others? (CX, VX, DX, SI) My budget is about $4000 and my goal is a daily driver that gets better milage than my '72 chevy truck (9mph), gas prices are killing me now. Thank you very much in advance.

 

Purchase one with a swap already installed, you will save money in the long run.

Perferable a B18C1

 

what are your goals for the car? it sounds like you just want a car for commuting if so then get the si. it has all the nice stuff and has the most powerful motor out of the group. if you really want a gas saver then go with the vx model, they get about 40 to 50 miles per gallon on the freeway.
if your going to swap in a motor and dont care for power everything then get the base models either vx or cx and dont care about the mileage and get a car that hasnt been in an accident and is in good shape.

 

Thanks for the input dudes. Basically this car will be for around town, and i have a short work commute, just a mon-fri car. Right now just about anything would be better than my truck at 22 gallons for 200 miles. I wouldn't mind something quick though. A friend of mine has a '93 with a B16 motor (DOHC i think) that moves pretty good. I dig the digital vtec deal he's got mounted on the dash and watching it go 10,000 rpm!?!?! I don't now if the hatch back will see any track time, all through i've seen some of these hatch backs do pretty well in the 1/4. Being a chevy person for so long i still have to admit, i'd like to see how fast i can get one of these to go.

 

I have a CX model... I've heard from a few people that it has "gas mileage" gears. I can do 70mph in 2nd gear! I don't really have a tach though, so I'm not sure what the cruzin rpm is at around 65mph in 5th gear, but I seem to get excellent gas mileage!!

 

I forgot to ask in the last post, but is there a url for general technical information? Like what does EG, EK means, what is the difference between B16, B18, B20? Thanks

 

EG = 92-95
EK = 96-00

B16 = 1.6L DOHC engine
B18 = 1.8L DOHC engine
B20 = 2.0L DOHC engine

Not sure what the B means...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CNY Hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">EG = 92-95
EK = 96-00

B16 = 1.6L DOHC engine
B18 = 1.8L DOHC engine
B20 = 2.0L DOHC engine

Not sure what the B means...</TD></TR></TABLE>

B is the engine series.

Some people here with heavy modifications can still get 26+ MPG.

 

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. Hopefully i can get on the ball and sell this truck soon.

 

The CX model is the lightest and longest-geared and will net you the best gas mileage, although I've got a little piggy Si hatchback and, though I run it up into the higher rpms several times a week, it gets 30mpg, the majority of which is city. It also has a power sunroof, which kicks ***. It comes with the D16Z6 engine (SOHC, VTEC 1.6 liter), mine has 250k miles on it and she pulls a 16.7 in the quarter on shittier-than-stock tires and a 2.5 60".

Your SS sounds like a beast...you hitting low 11's on the spray, I'd assume?

 

Hey Archidictus, thanks for the info. The best the SS has put down N/A was 11.9@116 w/ a 1.6 60'. F-bodies are difficult to work on and the drive train comes pretty sub standard from the factory, hence the stg3 clutch and 12-bolt rear replacement (The clutch took a dump at the 12,000 mile mark). I haven't run it on the bottle yet due to $$$ shortage for a good dyno tune. One things honda people have going for them is the abundance of tuners out there. A friend of mine goes in probably once a month for tune for something new he puts on his hatchback and its a couple hundred dollars. Unfortunately good LS1 tuners are few and far between and those that are out there charge between $600-$800 for a good dyno tune, more than half the cost of the entire nitrous system. I won't put a 180hp shot of N2O through the motor on a whim. LOL, i can buy two hatch backs for the price of one LS1 motor.

 

So that 11.9 is with boltons, suspension and chassis upgrades and gears ONLY?!?! Even on slicks that's a helluva time! I can't wait to hear that you've sprayed into the 10's .