I've been on HCF for some time now, but have been on a bit of a hiatus. Mostly because I didn't actually OWN a civic, I was just really interested in owning one.

Well, last week (week of thanksgiving) I hit a deer in my DD (2002 Chevy Impala) and totaled it. Insurance paid out $4200. However, I had to borrow my mom's van for a little while until I could find a new car. She had to use a rental, which insurance paid for. however, she could only keep it for a week, so I had to buy a car fast.

there was a 98 with an ls swap in St Louis that I had my eye on but he wanted $5400 and wouldn't budge, even tho I offered to help him take off some of the parts. (he sounded interested at first, but later decided to sell it all in one piece)

Then I found a couple stock civics in the Kansas City area (I live in the middle of Missouri, lol) but they were both sold before I could even look at them. I ended up driving waaaay down to Springfield (4 hour drive) to look at a high school kid's '00 civic hatchback DX. he wanted 3 grand and said it needed paint.

boy, he wasn't kidding. its flaking off everywhere and several spots have body putty on them. the hood is black because he wanted it to look like he had a carbon fiber hood. *facepalm*

The kid had just put a new cap, rotor, plugs, wire and tie rods on it. when I popped the hood it had a vtec SOHC in there. I told him it wasn't the original motor as DX's never came with vtec. he didn't know what the hell I was talking about. it was lowered too, but he didn't know what brand they were, just that they were coil overs.

well, I chewed him down to $2800 and on the way home the power steering went out. I'm in the process of replacing it, but I have to wait b/c no shops in town had one on hand.

the next day, after I got it home, I found an envelope full of receipts. One was for a 96 civic ex motor for almost 1000. Another was for a used jdm transmission because the 1st and 2nd gears had a grind in them. apparently the mainshaft went bad and took out the syncro's. also found receipt for some Dropzone coilovers and a centerforce clutch.

what pisses me off the most is that I really have no idea how many miles are actually ON this car. Do you guys think I got a decent deal? there also seems to be some oil on top of the tranny, where might it be coming from?

boy, I hope I didn't just get myself into something I'm going to regret. =[

 

I would see if you can get a Carfax on the VIN from the engine. There might be some mileage info on it.

 

always be sketchy bout a youngin's honda cuz we all nkow they love wrenchin and beatin cuz thats the game but i would just let them monkey wrench the hell out of it ,because that monkey wrench is why your second guessin now about that car ,but then again, the cars are tanks lol thats why i was pleased to find that the previous owner to my ef is grown folk

but yaa that kid done it all on that thing,from learnin how to launch n powershift,to vicious misshifts and thats why the gears and synchros were spentttt...most teens hondas get abused wat can ya say..but hey they can handle it for so long and is relatively cheap and easy to fix (compared to other cars realistically)and who doesnt love that.aha i know i do

 

oh, its not an ls. its a single cam vtec, (d16y8, not b18 ls). its like the ones you find in 96-00 civic ex's. boost is not in my future.

I do plan on doing a swap however, but that won't be for a few years if I can get this d16 to stick around for awhile.

the KBB value of the car is 2000 in fair condition, which it definately is in. So it does sound like I kinda got screwed out of at least 800.

and no, none of the gears currently grind. or at least, not that I've noticed. I haven't gotten the chance to drive it much since the p/s went out on the drive home. =(

 

well thats good to hear about your gears..and yea my bad bout that ls call... i re-read and see that you were reffering to a car that was sold before you checked it out.

i just hope the experience gets only more and more positive for you

 

and who needs power steering anyway, rack n pinion alll day aha

 

I got the power steering fixed. the bracket holding it on was only held onto the block with ONE BOLT. what the hell? the shop that "took care" of this thing was full of idiots.

but anyways, I'm pretty sure its taken care of now.

I'm gonna use the rest of the money I have to take it to our family mechanic to make sure that its in tiptop shape

I've also been talking to an old friend of mine from high school about painting it. he does paint jobs on the side and would probably give me a hell of a deal. I'm gonna paint it green.... just a few shades darker than John Deere green probably. then, maybe with my tax return, I'll finally get a carbon fiber hood *drool*

 

nice what kind of wheels are on it btw?

 

motegi dv5's

like these: http://wayneswheels2000.com/Motegi_R...eels_2007.html

scroll down about half way, they're on the right, black with polished lip