zeitgeist57 Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 A friend of mine has an '03 Civic EX coupe that he's looking to dump. giving me right-of-first-refusal @ $1500. I told him: let's get a CarMax appraisal and see where the value comes in. - bought off of the original owner 5-6 years ago. 140k miles on it now, mostly local (2mi to work each way). Hasn't run for 1-2 months, he drives his other vehicle now. - Silver/blk cloth, A/C is weak, power everything else. - Drivers' side looks like it was repaired/repainted, as it's a different shade of silver, and there is rust on the rockers/qtr panel not showing on the passenger side. Alloy wheels corroded, pin-spots of rust on hood, discolored headlights, rusty bolts in engine bay. - He's done major servicing from his ownership (80k to 140k) except for clutch. Definitely needs some attention now on account of it sitting (batt dead, rotors are totally rusted over, dirty af). Is it worth trying to do a cheap rust-repair/silver paint job to try to either flip it outright, or drive it for a bit then flip it? Curious what CR thinks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I'd rock it as a long trip vehicle for that price. Just make sure it's sound mechanically and maybe drink a few beers over cleaning it up and then enjoy. Can't beat that price. My millionaire next door neighbor has had 2 civics in addition to his CRV, the oldest of which is a 2003 and all of them have over 250k on their ODO's. Crazy reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robochan Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 treat cheap cars as cheap cars. My civic gets abused and it likes it. Just do barely enough maintenance to keep it running and enjoy basically free transportation because you can sell it for 1500 in a few years when gas is $6 a gallon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustlestiltskin Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 treat cheap cars as cheap cars. My civic gets abused and it likes it. Just do barely enough maintenance to keep it running and enjoy basically free transportation because you can sell it for 1500 in a few years when gas is $6 a gallon. This. wouldn't touch a thing on it besides doing any reliability maintenance to it when the time arises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 pass on it. You already have a stable of nice cars and I wouldn't give up any of them to own a POS commuter spec civic. Is their money to be made flipping it? eh maybe, based on the description $1500 is about what it is worth in rough condition - so if you do go through with it figure out how to get it to $2800 condition the cheapest way possible and whether you want to do all that work (including dealing with the kind of craigslist numptys that would show up for a 140K mile 2003 civic) for $1300 profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergwheel1647545492 Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Buy it, drive it till Daphne gets her license and then gift it to her for her first car. FWIW i have a spare engine with a blown head if you need any parts off the motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 Buy it and use it as a beater. Civics will run forever with basic maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bastard Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I had a 265k mile accord that wouldn't quit. Honda's make decent dd's that sip fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 If you want a beater that gets good gas mileage I would grab it. My '96 has almost 230k on it now. Runs like a champ, gets better than 30 mpg and high 30s highway. I don't think it would be a mistake. I also don't think you would lose money on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 I'd pass, those EM Civics had very little going for them when they were new and the deal doesn't seem that good. Ask yourself what you'd do if you paid $1500 for it and the engine blew the next day. Seems like it's too nice (expensive) to just cut your losses and have it towed to a yard, and not expensive enough to justify putting the money into it. But that's me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdhill Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 charge the ac and drive it...you won't lose money. My o2 accord ex has 236k...bought it with 228k. Handles like shit, slow(2.3 spd) averages 29mpg. paid $1000. no regrets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downingracing Posted April 6, 2016 Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 Sounds like a good deal. I just sold a 2000 civic lx with 268k on it for $1300. Ran good, a/c didn't work, basic transportation (int and ext were 6.5/10). Sold it in 12 hours on cl. This one sounds better with lower miles. Hard to go wrong with a cheap civic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berto Posted April 6, 2016 Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 When was the timing belt done? I ask this because I have to do it on my Wife's 04 civic, for the second time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlight44 Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 When was the timing belt done? I ask this because I have to do it on my Wife's 04 civic, for the second time. Yep, make sure to check the timing belt. They are not too bad to replace on the SOHC motors (I think 2003 is still D17) but it does take a couple hours and cost ~$75-100 for a belt and water pump. You should also check to see if the Takata airbag recall applied to the vehicle and if it is completed. Another person died today from metal fragments getting stuck in their neck after the airbag deployed. http://www.motortrend.com/news/teen-driving-honda-civic-dies-takata-airbags-rupture/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirks5oh Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Your friend is offering you the car because he knows you're a car guy, and I believe his offer is meant for you to buy it and use it as a beater. I'm pretty sure you're going to offend your buddy if you buy his car and immediately flip it for a profit. Even if it's fixing shit and selling it. Just seems wrong to me. Buy it, get it mechanically sound, and drive it. Skip the carmax bs, the rattle can paint job, etc. just drive it till the wheels fall off Or pass on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Your friend is offering you the car because he knows you're a car guy, and I believe his offer is meant for you to buy it and use it as a beater. I'm pretty sure you're going to offend your buddy if you buy his car and immediately flip it for a profit. Even if it's fixing shit and selling it. Just seems wrong to me. Buy it, get it mechanically sound, and drive it. Skip the carmax bs, the rattle can paint job, etc. just drive it till the wheels fall off Or pass on it Kirk, with all the talk on flipping cars, I appreciate where your comment comes from. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124522&highlight=flip+game To be clear, my buddy is looking to just get rid of it: he's got a GLK 450 for the family he's MUCH happier with now but even when I looked at it last Sunday, I told him my specific plans: I'm either going to fix it up to drive it over the summer, then flip it to some student in the fall...or just outright flip it. He said he didn't care: he just doesn't want to deal with it anymore, and it sits on the curb in front of his house. He just got back from 3 days in Buffalo for work and he's ready to be done with this thing; it has sat for nearly 2 months in front of the house (batt was dead when I was there Sunday) and he's ready for it to be gone. Current plan is he and I are taking it to CarMax tomorrow to get a cash purchase appraisal. He and I are now at around $1000, because he's not done any recalls (especially the Takata airbag). If CarMax is lower, he can take their deal or I'll match it. If CarMax is higher, he can dump it to them. We're still grabbing beers either way together. Us carfolk at CR often realize that unlike many of our friends and coworkers, NOBODY CARES about their older cars once they get to a certain point. My UA dad-friends are examples of this. I've got a few "right of first refusals" out for the next 10 years on some guys' cars and Jeeps. They know where to turn to in their social circle when they're ready to dump an old car for cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergwheel1647545492 Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 clay, if you decide not to buy it let me know what carmax offers and i might grab it as a fixer upper. I love my current 03 civic and would love a lower mile one if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 clay, if you decide not to buy it let me know what carmax offers and i might grab it as a fixer upper. I love my current 03 civic and would love a lower mile one if possible. Thx, grrg. I've waffled on cars in the past but as I've found out with my tee-ruks, Lincoln, this Honda...my wife is more understanding of a decent cheap-car-with-a-purpose. If CarMax beats my offer, I'll be just as happy if he sells it to them. Regardless, I'll keep this thread updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryBMW Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 clay, if you decide not to buy it let me know what carmax offers and i might grab it as a fixer upper. I love my current 03 civic and would love a lower mile one if possible. Same. I wouldn't mind a little gas saver on the cheap. -Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Hey, guys...appreciate the input in this thread. I helped get the Civic started and he followed me in my car as I drove it up to CarMax. It had a horrible drift to the right, but aside from rusty brakes the engine/trans was in great shape. We got to CM and they gave him an offer of $1,500. We both turned to each other with a "TAKE THE DEAL" look. Happy to help out a friend, and would've liked the Civic at $1k or less, but it definitely felt like at least $500 in parts, plus work. Lord knows I've got enough projects already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1647545532 Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Well that's a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.