Old but great!
Written: May 17 '04 (Updated Jul 19 '04)
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Pros: Stable, fun, fast, roomy for its size, great seats, amazing gas-economy and power sunroof
Cons: Easy to rust, very few options and many minor annoyances
The Bottom Line: Considering how cheap it is, and in spite of all the issues I had with it, I still recommend it due to overall quality and fun-factor in driving it.
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| cs982005's Full Review: 1990 Honda Civic |
Intro:
I bought my 1990 Civic Si Hatchback from a friend in the summer of 2000 . It was a decision where my only regrets had to do with my financial status at the time. More about that follows. I have since driven this car until early 2004 (and it is still being driven by my brother) and my only complaints were involving either natural issues due to aging (the car was 12 yrs old) or caused by my own accidents (lol).
Comfort/Space:
This car continues to amaze me to this day because by looking from the outside, the small size and height of the car give the impression that it is small inside. Well, WRONG! This car boasts enough space inside to match any typical mid-size sedan even in the back.
Then comes the seats, friends and family agree that the driver/passenger seats are among the most comfortable seats they ever had the pleasure of sitting in. The backseat isn't bad either albeit being rather "flat". The car's interior is generally slick black with the seats having a hip horizontal-stripe pattern along the center down.
In the back, the backrest can be folded down (in a 1/3, 2/3 configuration) completely and the top rail (including the rear speakers and trunk cover) can be removed from the car to allow for complete unobstructed cargo space extending from the backs of the front seats all the way to the rear door/hatch. You still won't be able to fit very large objects into the car due to the hatch size itself but you get ample space for many smaller objects.
The only problem relating to comfort is the ride, the 1990 Civic has a rather rough ride as you get to feel the smallest bumps in the road. This may have been related to the age of the car but it is too severe to be ignored.
Performance:
I must say that driving this car is a very nice experience. I describe it as "you really feel your speed". It is very stable for its size, thanks to its low profile and wide body. You tend to feel the speed/road a bit too much but IMO as the driver this added to my enjoyment. I currently drive a Mazda Millennia and I still sometimes long to the days of driving my good ol' Civic because of that.
The Si trim comes with a 1.6L engine that IMO is very powerful for the size/weight of the car. This translates to very nice jackrabbit starts from traffic lights, lots of power uphill, and very satisfying acceleration (however, the car seems to have a somewhat weaker response at moderate speeds).
Tranny-wise, she comes with a 4-speed auto with overdrive. It behaves very well for its age. However, I have noticed that it tends to up/down shift too early, occasionally downshifting unnecessarily at somewhat slower traffic and thus annoying the driver (and others behind, heheh).
As mentioned earlier, the suspension seems too weak and transfers a lot of the shocks from road bumps to the passengers. Also at full load of 5 people I have occasionally felt the muffler touch the asphalt which doesn't sound very pleasant.
Finally, this car has unreal gas economy. I drive to work 15 KMs everyday (one way) and with some economy I can get through 2 whole weeks without refilling the tank (it takes about 45L to fill up).
Options:
The 1990 Civic Si model is somewhat limited in this department. You get cassette/radio, power sunroof (nice) and speakers that are quite nice for the car's age/class. The glove compartment is large and there is also a lot of space above the dashboard to put your things. You have side pockets in the front and one large pocket in the rear right passenger's side. Finally, you also get access to the trunk from within the car by folding down one of the two parts of the back rest.
Otherwise, there is a lot missing. No power windows/door locks, A/C, or cupholders. So aside from the absolute basics there is nothing other than the sunroof.
Problems/Issues:
I have personally experienced 3 different problems that are worth noting and eventually found them to be issues that plague many other Civics and Accords that were made around the same period. However, none of them appeared during the first 2 years of my owning it except for the first one.
First of all the body is VERY prone to rust (in my case, many parts of the body were already breaking off or completely open to rain leaking into the car). Secondly, the CV-Joints are known to break (causing the notorious, loud, clicking effect while making sharp turns) which is a relatively expensive problem to repair (it cost me, including the credit for my old CV-Joint, around CA$300 for one side). Finally, the car exhibited many issues that prevented starting it especially in hot weather which is a major inconvenience.
Overall:
The 1990 Civic Si model is very popular among enthusiasts due to high stability and good engine/transmission. Considering how cheap it is, and in spite of all the issues I've had with it, I still must recommend it due to the overall quality and the fun-factor in driving it. It is great as a first car or for young drivers and also as a second car in the house.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1990
Model and Options: Civic Si Hatchback (auto)
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Epinions.com ID:
cs982005
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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