Cheap and practical
Written: Jan 18 '05 (Updated Sep 10 '06)
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Pros: Cheap to buy, run and maintain.
Good handling.
Practical.
Cons: Doesn't look sexy at all. Creaks/squeaks.
Acceleration is lousy when engine is cold.
The Bottom Line: Ugly, cheap, basic and functional.
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| petersterncan's Full Review: 1987 Honda Civic Wagon |
I'll start by listing some specs of my Honda Civic Wagovan:
Engine: 1.5L 4cyl 12 valve (2 intake valves, one exhaust valve per cylinder) with 3 barrel carb, 76HP @6000rpm
Transmission: 5 speed manual
Date acquired: November 2002
Mileage on date acquired: 242,000KM
Current mileage (as of Jan 5, 2006): 303,500KM
Observed real-world fuel economy: 7.5L/100KM
Fastest speed driven: 175KM/H (wanted to see what it could do. I think I could have got it up to 180-190km/h, but didn't want to push it since I only have T-rated tires and I'd like to keep my driver's licence)
I bought this car because I wanted some sort of wagon (for putting baby strollers in). I got a good deal on it by buying it from an acquaintance at work.
I need a car that is practical. And what this car lacks in looks, it makes up for in practicality.
I have two small kids which means that that the interior of my car gets more abuse than the typical childless driver.
The base of the rear seat flips up so you can store things under it and the seat back folds down so you end up with a completely flat cargo area. I carried a fully assembled barbecue and a dishwasher (not at the same time) with plenty of space left.
When the engine is cold, it has NO POWER. Not surprising since it's carburetted. It's not bad when warmed up, but I still won't be winning any races. A low restriction exhaust helped the power situation over 5000rpm.
Handling and brakes are good ($900 brake jobs have a way of doing that).
The shifter is a little notchy when cold (likely due to wear).
The seats aren't the most comfortable, but acceptable.
In my opinion, the car looks ugly both on the inside and outside - but I didn't buy this car for the looks. The seat material are blue plastic and what looks like blue mouse fur... with stains. The dashboard looks plasticy but functional. In addition to the glove box, there is a shelf underneath the passenger side dash and there are also map pockets in the front doors.
The exterior is a unique combination of tall boxiness, delaminated blue paint and unpainted black bumpers. The boxy shape leads to quite a bit of wind noise at highway speeds.
Repairs are quite reasonable, but finding parts isn't that easy in some cases if the part is specific to the wagon/wagovan model.
And now for all the things that have either gone wrong, needed replacing or were upgraded over the past 38 months I've owned this car:
-replaced Alternator and (at a later time)the belt that drives it
-Replaced Battery
-replaced radiator
-replaced struts that hold the trunk open
-Cylinder cover gasket (due to major oil leak). Still have a very minor oil leak which I think is coming from the oil pan gasket. Might get around to fixing when I replace the timing belt when I hit 320,000KM
-half of the lines on the rear defogger don't defog. Won't fix since it's still working well enough
-Windshield wiper stalk got damaged by my son (who is quite young) playing with it. The spring doesn't hold it up anymore. If it is not held up, windshield wipers stay on high all the time. "Fixed" by sticking carboard under it to hold it up. Things like this make me glad that I don't have a really nice car.
-Replaced the horn which stopped working...twice. The 1st time I replaced it with a crappy $20 horn which lasted 3 years. The 2nd time, I replaced with a $26 horn, which seems to be better quality (we'll see).
-Replaced the pipe that goes from the engine to the Catalytic converter because it rusted out
-Heater fan switch only works on 2 upper speeds. The 2 lower speeds don't work. Not going to fix.
-Seized brake caliper. Replaced both front calipers along with front pads, rear shoes and front rotors. CAN$900.
-Replaced 4 way flasher switch which stopped working
-replaced all 4 tires with Pirelli P400 tires
-Had to get one tire patched due to it developing a slow leak
-replaced a suspension piece on the front right so that the wheels could be properly aligned. Since I only did one side, it now pulls to the left slightly.
-Replaced the original dealer-installed junky "HiComp" brand radio/tape player. It had a broken display and the tape player didn't work. Replaced with a very good Panasonic stereo that can play CDs, MP3 and WMA files
-Replaced the garbage factory 4.5" speakers with Sony Xplode 260W 6x9 speakers. Needed to buy a rotary tool and cut out the doors and add a 2" spacer and had to cut off a bit of the dashboard so that the speakers would fit when I close the door. The install looks good... if slightly ridiculous (who the hell puts 6x9 speakers in the FRONT DOORS? I do because I need the space in the back for baby strollers, grocery shopping, etc.)
-Routine oil changes and oil filter changes. I change my oil once a year using Amsoil 25,000 mile oil and my oil filter gets changed twice a year using an oil filter made by Wix. This oil costs $9-$10 a bottle and the filter costs $6. Substantially more than the cheap stuff. The cost over the entire year works out to be the same as cheap oil, but I have the added convenience of less frequent service and it is better for the environment.
-Replaced plastic cover for front left turn signal (rock hit and broke it)
-Replaced one of the front corner lights (rock hit and broke it)
-Routine tire rotations
-Routine air filter changes
-routine radiator flush
-some rust and paint delamination
-the air return tube by the gas tank is cracked. If I overfill the tank, some gas leaks out. I avoid the problem by not overfilling the tank. Not going to bother fixing this.
-as of late 2004, engine has started to make a ticking sound between 2000 and 3000 rpm under moderate to hard acceleration. Oil/filter change had little or no impact. Was told it was a sticking valve which will gradually get worse. Only an engine rebuild will fix this. Does not seem to affect performance or fuel economy. Sometimes the noise goes away when fully warmed up. Not going to fix.
-Muffler rusted out. Got a new high performance exhaust installed from the Cat-converter to the end tip for CAN$350. This repair/upgrade has resulted in noticeably more power above 5000RPM. Now it's actually worthwhile now to rev it to 7000rpm. Before this, there was no point in revving the engine beyond 5500-6000rpm. The downside is that my car is a little too noisy... may have to install a silencer or an additional resonator.
-Made my own silencer using a pipe clamp, screen and some steel wool - cost less than $5. Surprisingly effective.
-Stalling problem: Replaced spark plugs, plug wires, coil wire, distributor rotor and cap because the car was due for this service and to fix an occassional stalling problem which was actually fixed by replacing the ignition switch (part cost $70 from the dealer in Canadian funds plus tax, installed myself in 45 minutes - note that I'm an amateur, not an experienced mechanic. Canadian Tire wanted to charge me 2 hours of labour for this.)
-also replaced ignition coil because I thought it would fix the stalling problem - it didn't fix the problem, because the real problem was the ignition switch previously mentioned(Can$80 wasted, including tax. Took about 15 minutes to install it myself. Easier than changing a tire)
-makes a mild squealing sound that is caused by the belt that drives the alternator. Replaced the belt, which changed the sound a little. Might be a tensioner or something. Not going to bother fixing.
-replaced some light bulbs
-Both front torsion bars squeak. Not going to fix.
-Replaced original starter at around 310,000km at a cost of CAN$65 (used part)
Total repair/maint/upgrade costs now stand at $5390, or a monthly cost of $125.
All these repairs, upgrades and maintenance items cost about CAN$5390 (about US$4850)
This sounds like a lot to sink into an old car, but consider that I only paid $800 and my total average monthly cost works out to about $290 to $350 (about $260 to $315 in US funds).
$125 of that is for repairs, maintenance and upgrades, and the rest is for gas and insurance (I do about 20,000KM a year).
As of September 2006, I have purchased a 1995 Ford Escort Wagon, which will replace my 1987 Honda Civic Wagovan.
The Wagovan is at about 317,200KM now.
The exhaust just went and the car is LOUD. Other issues that would have needed addressing (if I wasn't replacing this car):
-due for a timing belt in 3000km
-need new tires
-would need brake service soon
-needs new windshield
-horn stopped working (I have a new one, but haven't gotten around to installing it)
-Coolant overflow bottle has a leak
-has a small oil leak
-the spring for the windshield wiper arm (on the right side of the steering column) is broken and is being held up by a crumpled piece of paper
-the rust is getting worse
-the engine ticks (possibly a burnt valve)
-some of the lines of the rear defogger don't work
-adjuster arm for left rear view mirror is broken
-centre rear view mirror doesn't stay in place very well
The most critical things (Tires, brakes, exhaust) would have cost at least $1100 to take care of.
So instead of addressing some or all of these issues, I opted to buy a 1995 Ford Escort Wagon for $1150, safety certified and emissions tested. Same fuel economy, more power, more space, less mileage, much less rust, no immediate issues that need attention... except maybe for the stereo (no CD or MP3 capability).
This is my last update on this vehicle. It has served me fairly well in the (almost) 4 years I have owned it.
This isn't my favourite car of all time, but it's far from the worst I've driven.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 600
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1987
Model and Options: Honda Civic Wagovan 2 wheel drive (FWD)
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Epinions.com ID:
petersterncan
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Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
An IT manager...
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