bskey Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I'm thinking about picking up this car and would like your opinion. I just need a commuter car, and think the head gasket should be a relatively easy fix. Here's the ad. Thanks!! ______________________________________________________________ I am selling my 1987 CRX Si. It's a car with great potential and is great on gas too (35 to 44 Mpg). I have replaced many parts : -new Tockico Illumina adjustable shocks (+ a set of almost new KYBs) -Timing belt -water pump and thermostat -radiator -starter -alternator -battery -CLUTCH -Clutch cable -Transmission has been replaced with a very strong and smooth shifting one (Old one goes to car, didn't shift into 5th gear -CD player The odometer is at 215000 miles and the engine was rebuilt at 160000 miles. It runs strong. The exterior is in good condition end the little rust on it is cosmetic only: the frame is perfectly fine. Interior is fairly clean with only a piece of the side of the driver seat missing. The only real problem with this car is that it runs hot (Not redline) and may need a head gasket. ______________________________________________________________ http://images.craigslist.org/0101020102120116092008030262169bd637c182795200adcd.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/01010401150101160820080302065630399d32563835000f7b.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/010110011505011608200803022f14285c8093c360e00084fa.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/0101020102100104122008030205c71aa6e8489e098d00a894.jpg life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-lo Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 selling cheap if it needs a head gasket? hell, if everything else was cool on it, I'd hit it. I need one.! 258k miles - Stock engine/minor suspension upgrades/original shocks/rear struts replaced at 222k/4 passenger side wheel bearings/3 clutches/1 radiator/3 turbos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hassa Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Hmm - not sure.....not definite that all that is needed is a new headgasket. Last thing you want in a commuter car is to be stuck as the side of the road...... Not to mention that car is older that some of the newbs that are showing up here lately in the "previously owned" LGTs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 A head gasket problem would eventualy lead to overheat. Did you drive it for at least a half hour? If it runs hot in traffic, it is an airflow problem. If it runs hot on the freeway it is a coolant flow or radiator effiency problem. The tranny probably lost fifth gear because Honda uses 10w-30 MOTOR OIL in the MT's. Not gear oil, classic failure is fifth gear. That is a great car, entertaining to drive too. You should look carefully at the rear suspension parts and rear subframe areas for rot. Those areas are notorious on those models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euclid Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 b16 swap time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 meh to this car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkjohnson1950 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Friend had one of these, great car. Check closely for rust esp around suspension mounts. If you like the car the engine can be swapped worst comes to worst. Lots of Honda bits out there. You're just jealous that the Voices talk to Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bskey Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Thanks for all the advice! I am going to take a look at it tonight. He said it runs hot, not redline, but hot. He also said that there is no rust, but that I'll need to verify on my own. Thanks for the info and trouble points. life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euclid Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 if it is a rust free car, i'd definitely buy it. Unmolested CRX's are getting hard to find. If it's clean it would make a great project car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 subliminal message..........rust in the rear areas for the sake of pete bring a screwdriver and poke around down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bskey Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Yeah, I have gotten plenty of experience finding rust with my '85 4Runner life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j0ebert Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If you ever plan on modding the car at all I would make sure you find a 89+ Civic or CRX. You'll find it a lot easier to find the good suspension parts with the forged rear lower control arms as opposed to those sheet metal arms on the pre-88 cars. FWIW I found an unmolested 1990 Civic HX hatch with 135k on the motor. So far all i've done is a new clutch, a half-shaft, and oil changes. I'm up to 160k now and I average about 38-40 mpg. It makes me really appreciate my Legacy when I hop into that Civic every morning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deimos Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 If you ever plan on modding the car at all I would make sure you find a 89+ Civic or CRX. The next gen CRX is quite a bit better, but if this one is truly clean and cheap who cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Old Toyota's. I had an 88 SR5 4x4, 22RE, virtually indestructible. I relpaced it with a 98 Tacoma. Def not as durable as my 88 but still a good truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bskey Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 So... now my stable consists of an '85 Solid axle, EFI 4Runner built (locked, lifted, armored, etc.... ) and a brand new to me '87 CRX Si. I test drove it and it was great. Very little rust on the fenders, none below. It came with Toyco (?)5 way adjustable dampening shocks, and all the new parts listed above in the first post, and the old KYB shocks and tranny. It also has only 50k on the rebuilt engine that runs very strong. It only runs at 3/4 hot, so nothing to kill anything. I paid $1k. The battery needs to be replaced and I need to repair the head gasket. The old owner knew this car in and out. He has done all the work on it himself, and was close with the previous owners. He autoX'd it here in Colorado, and with the previous owner it won a national title. I am still looking for that hard data, but it seems is has a bit of pedigree in it. I'm stoked. It will be fun to drive, and now I have a good variety to use in any weather and condition Colorado throws at me. This should be fun in the mountains! life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight705 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 they auto'xed that thing? wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkjohnson1950 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Congrats! Keep us updated on how it goes. You're just jealous that the Voices talk to Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTTuner Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 So... now my stable consists of an '85 Solid axle, EFI 4Runner built (locked, lifted, armored, etc.... ) and a brand new to me '87 CRX Si. I test drove it and it was great. Very little rust on the fenders, none below. It came with Toyco (?)5 way adjustable dampening shocks, and all the new parts listed above in the first post, and the old KYB shocks and tranny. It also has only 50k on the rebuilt engine that runs very strong. It only runs at 3/4 hot, so nothing to kill anything. I paid $1k. The battery needs to be replaced and I need to repair the head gasket. The old owner knew this car in and out. He has done all the work on it himself, and was close with the previous owners. He autoX'd it here in Colorado, and with the previous owner it won a national title. I am still looking for that hard data, but it seems is has a bit of pedigree in it. I'm stoked. It will be fun to drive, and now I have a good variety to use in any weather and condition Colorado throws at me. This should be fun in the mountains! Congrats! I am a former Honda technician, I know that car very well. PGMFI FTW! PM me if you have issues. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew.anderson Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I like the CRXs. I agree that you should hold out for a newer one though. Plus the newer ones look better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bskey Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Congrats! I am a former Honda technician, I know that car very well. PGMFI FTW! PM me if you have issues. Good luck! Thanks! I am looking into the few small issues it has and I got the Haynes manual, so I'll dig in tomorrow and see where my basic knowledge falls short; I'll probably take you up on that offer! I like the newer ones too, but all the ones I have seen out here are heavily modified or they are asking $3k. Too much imho. This one will work, and be fun! life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alighieri256 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 So... now my stable consists of an '85 Solid axle, EFI 4Runner built (locked, lifted, armored, etc.... ) and a brand new to me '87 CRX Si. I test drove it and it was great. Very little rust on the fenders, none below. It came with Toyco (?)5 way adjustable dampening shocks, and all the new parts listed above in the first post, and the old KYB shocks and tranny. It also has only 50k on the rebuilt engine that runs very strong. It only runs at 3/4 hot, so nothing to kill anything. I paid $1k. The battery needs to be replaced and I need to repair the head gasket. The old owner knew this car in and out. He has done all the work on it himself, and was close with the previous owners. He autoX'd it here in Colorado, and with the previous owner it won a national title. I am still looking for that hard data, but it seems is has a bit of pedigree in it. I'm stoked. It will be fun to drive, and now I have a good variety to use in any weather and condition Colorado throws at me. This should be fun in the mountains! Once you get the heat / head gasket issue figured out, you're going to like this car. My second car was an '87 CRX Si, and I really liked it. Plus it's great on gas. I managed to squeeze 48 Hwy MPG on one occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanger Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 my friend bought a 86 MR2, after 6k dump into maintainence and replacing parts.. problem still kept coming up ○ ○ ○ Instagram: itshangertime :spin: ○ ○ ○ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bskey Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 I am not your friend. life in spin cycle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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