A while back, a friend of mine was looking into a 95 ex coupe and asked if I could provide him with a list of things to check. Since I took the time to do it for him, and I see a lot of "What do I look for when buying a used Civic" threads, I figured I would post it here also.

This is intentionally noobish, as I came up with it for a friend with little mechanical ability.

Again, this is for a 5th gen ex. Some things (idle rpm, power acc, etc.) may or may not apply to other models.

Please point out any corrections or omissions and I will edit as needed.

...Hope this is helpful:

--------------------------


First and foremost…
If you are serious about buying a car in the immediate future, drop $25 and get 30-day access to CARFAX.com. This entitles you to check an unlimited number of VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers) for 30 days. Seriously, it’s the responsible thing to do as a consumer. CARFAX reports will give you info on previous owners, accidents, possible odometer rollbacks, etc. Do it.

When contacting the seller, some things to ask...
1. Original owner?
2. Does the car have a clean title?
3. Timing belt, tensioner and water pump replaced? - Usually go bad between 90k and 120k.
4. Clutch replaced? - Depending on how it was driven, usually goes between 100k and 120k.
5. Oxygen sensor replaced? - Again, usually ends up going bad between 100k and 120k.
6. Brakes in good condition?
7. Tires in good condition?
8. Power windows work OK? - Seems to be a problem area with Hondas.
9. Cold AC?
10. Check Engine Light on? - Could be a multitude of things.
11. Ever been in an accident? If so, what was damaged?
12. All service been done by Honda with Genuine Honda parts? - No big deal if not, but a HUGE plus if so! If the seller has been that **** about the car it is probably perfect (although there are no guarantees).

When checking out the car, some things to look for...
1. Engine sound OK? - Completely subjective, use common sense.
2. Engine idle should be steady at 670rpm (+or- 50) with the engine warmed up, shifter in neutral and clutch not pressed down.
3. Clutch feel OK? - Shouldn't feel excessively loose, like you're putting your foot in a bucket of water.
4. Transmission shift smoothly? - Any grinding when shifting means worn synchros, which means eventually you’ll need to rebuild the transmission.
5. Brakes feel/sound OK? - Grinding, squeaking or really mushy feel means work needs done.
6. Check oil on the dipstick. - There had better be oil in that bitch! If it is low, that’s OK. If there is no oil in the engine, that indicates a complete lack of responsibility on the part of the owner and the engine is probably a ticking time bomb.
7. Check coolant in the overflow. - There had better be coolant in that bitch too! If not, it could mean a leak in the coolant system.
8. Coolant on the block or around the head gasket? - Coolant here is indicative of a blown head gasket.
9. Check hoses (radiator, fuel, AC, etc). - Hoses that look old, dry and/or cracked could be a sign of poor overall maintenance.
10. Check valve train appearance. - Remove oil cap, look inside valve cover (probably need a flashlight) to make sure the valve train doesn't look like it is varnished with a deep reddish-brown chocolate sludge (indicating the oil hasn’t been changed regularly). A light brown tint on the metal is fine. The metal should be gray or light yellow in color.
11. Check the spark plugs. - Grab some deep sockets with an extension and pull out the plugs. Each plug’s electrode should be a light brown/gray color. If it is white, the engine is running overly lean (not enough gas). If it is dry and black with carbon deposits, the engine is running overly rich (too much gas). If it is oily and black, either oil is being drawn past the valve guides or the piston rings are bad ($$$).
12. Check the shocks. - Press down hard (use your body weight) on each corner of the car to compress the suspension. The corner should return to ride height without more than one or two little bounces. If it bounces like Master P, the shock is blown.
13. Uneven wear on the tires? - If one side (inside/outside) of the tire looks new while the other is worn/bald, or if one side (driver/passenger) of the car shows a lot more wear than the other, it needs an alignment.




Modified by OBD1Kenobe at 5:09 PM 6/3/2004

 

I'm sure this will prove very helpful. Good post by a fellow Northeast Ohioan

 

i think i can add something.
ask how many coats of wax were on the car so u know how to treat the paint.

 

good to know for most people

 

Great thread, this is exactly the kind of thing I needed to read right now (I'm just a noob looking to get in on this).

-bump

 

Thanks for the info. I'm shure that it will come in handy sooner or later.

 

Hey dont forget about that REAR QTR PANEL RUST!!!!