I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

Hello!

I am ready to buy a fuel efficient car, and the Civic is my favorite. Getting rid of the 13mpg Chevy Tahoe. I have been looking around, and found this car:

1998 Civic EX
VTEC, automatic, sunroof, etc... Simply loaded.

$3,900

The catch: 230,000 miles.

It drives great, runs great, and looks fantastic, but is this too many miles. They are probably all highway, but who really knows for sure. I have read about lots of Civics on this board with 140k-160k on the clock, but the extreme mileage is a concern of mine.

I am looking to possibly buy this car this weekend, so any opinions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Pics:

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

[sm=welcomesign.gif] to HCF. [sm=groupwave.gif][sm=groupwave.gif][sm=groupwave.gif]

The car looks great!
I've been lookin for a Civic for a while now, and I would consider buying a car such as that (even with high mileage). IMO, if the car is in great shape, you like it, it's clean, and the price is right, you have an excellent car for an engine swap.

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

See if they have maintenance records. If the car has been maintained, I see no prob with the 230K. Is $3900 the best they can do on it?

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

yea you could always just swap in an low mile engine...for pretty cheap

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

hhmm.. I guess thats not a horrible deal, but i'd haggle them a little bit more. Like these guys said, its a clean car, so it'd be prime for an engine swap. If i were you, i'd get it, run it till that engine is toast, all the while saving money for a new engine. By the time that one dies, you'll probably have more than enough to go pick up a new D16y8 or something

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

I'd definately try to get the price lower, but it looks to be in great shape. I'd pick it up if the price was lower.

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

So, I am getting the opinion that at this mileage, the engine is getting pretty used up. I just spoke with the seller, and he corrected me, the mileage is 215,000 (not that it matters toomuch;))

He will not budge off of this price, though. Is there a site that I can be pointed to that has some good idea of pricing for a new engine? I am looking at Ebay and a few others, and the prices go from $300-$2,300. Go figure!

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

With that many on a 98' it's more than likely highway miles. Another engine should run about $800-$1000 and install should be around $500-$700, maybe even better depending on who you know. This is not a new engine however, I'm talking salvage.

EDIT: I have 246k on mine and it still runs good, but it's hard to tell from one owner to the next. I admit, 200 plus is getting kind of risky. You never know...

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

like forty04 said, just run it till it dies and you can swap another V-tec for a decent price, you'll probably have saved enough on gas by that time anyway. I've got the same gen and model and I love it... it's my little baby...

RE: I am considering my first Civic. Opinions please
 

1998 Civic EX
VTEC, automatic, sunroof, etc... Simply loaded. [sm=nono.gif]

find a 5sp you will like it more.