Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

2003 Honda Civic Lx Coupe 5 Speed Manual, Mechanic's Special on 2040-cars

Year:2003 Mileage:159985
Location:

Laurel, Maryland, United States

Laurel, Maryland, United States
Advertising:

2003 Honda Civic 2 Door LX


This car is a mechanic's special.


It is a tough decision to sell this car because I have otherwise kept all service up to date and it has been an excellent vehicle. However, this car has a few critical issues that aren’t cheap to repair but if done will definitely get the car to 300,000+ miles.


It was driven regularly (~150 miles / week) until I parked it about 10 months ago. Since then, It has been driven about 500 miles. It starts on the first crank and has a new battery.


*Alternatively, if you are local to Baltimore/DC and want to fix this car for an awesome price, I’m all ears.*


Body & Interior

The body and interior are in decent and solid condition though it’s not winning any awards. It has lived in the city for 7 years and has all the typical bumper scuffs that go along with that. The left front fender and headlight were repaired from a minor city scuff-up about 2 years ago.


The back seats fold flat allowing for so much hauling. The little beast has hauled 14 8-foot 2x4s with the trunk closed on one occasion and 4.5 bicycles with 3 occupants on another. These are incredible little cars.


Mechanical

Aside from the issues which are outlined below, the car is in good mechanical condition.

Clutch is new with about ~9k miles and shifts well and with incredible ease, just as you would expect from a Honda.

The catalytic converter is less than 15k miles old, the tires have lots of life left, oil always changed on time.


Now for the bad...

  • An internal engine issue is causing the car to burn about a quart of oil / tank of gas and to also return poor fuel mileage. It currently gets about 27 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. Low compression in #3 cylinder at about 70 psi. All other cylinders hit between 120 and 130. I tested dry and warm after taking the car for a quick spin. I did not do a wet test. The car does not smoke at all but must be burning enough oil to foul a replaced o2 sensor shortly after replacement. This issue could be bad piston ring or valve seal though i’m leaning towards piston ring. I’ve never seen it drip oil.

  • Transmission - Bad input shaft bearing. Rattles a good deal when the car is cold but usually goes away after warm-up. This should be addressed before catastrophic failure. Transmission is very strong otherwise.

  • Brakes - Strong but pull to one side. This issue appeared after being parked for some time. I suspect that a caliper piston is the culprit which is a very straight-forward repair.


The Other.


Passenger window glass is fine but low quality,

Used OE replacement in great shape included in sale.


Sale and Pick-Up

  • 25% deposit at close of auction with balance due within 7 days of close of auction.

  • I am confident that the car is capable of making a several-hundred mile trip if the new owner preferred to drive the vehicle away. I can pick you up at BWI airport or at any local train station or other location between Baltimore and DC.

  • Car must be claimed within 30 days of purchase.


Recent Service History

Date
Mileage
Service
6/7/2013155,672Brake Rotors, Brake Pads, Brake Fluid
1/8/2013151,962Rear main seal
1/4/2013151,823clutch service, rear main seal
10/3/2012148,995exhaust manifold, 4 new tires (Yokohama avid), high side hose
8/3/2011131,180replaced cam plug, cleaned degreased motor tech
5/27/2011133,762rear brake shoes, timing belt, water pump, seals, coolant, engine mount (front)
8/19/2010119,827oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket

Auto Services in Maryland

Wes Greenway`s Waldorf VW ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers
Address: Park-Hall
Phone: (240) 205-7330

Virginia Tire & Auto of Ashburn/Dulles ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Used Car Dealers, Automobile Parts & Supplies
Address: 44285 Ice Rink Plz, Boyds
Phone: (703) 858-5100

The Body Works of VA INC ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Automobile Parts & Supplies
Address: Highfield
Phone: (703) 777-5727

Streavig`s Service Center ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 435 E Locust St, Maryland-Line
Phone: (717) 244-7343

Southern Stables Automotive ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 64 E Forrest Ave, Bentley-Springs
Phone: (717) 235-4700

Sedlak Automotive, LLC ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Wheel Alignment-Frame & Axle Servicing-Automotive, Brake Repair
Address: 6403 Erdman Ave, Ruxton
Phone: (410) 488-2393

Auto blog

NHTSA investigating 343,000 Honda Odyssey minivans

Sat, 06 Jul 2013

The recall bug could strike Honda again as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened another investigation concerning the Odyssey minivan. Honda has already recalled 59,000 Odysseys from the 2012 and 2013 model years due to a shift interlock issue, and another 320,000 of the minivans from 2003-04 are being investigated for faulty airbags. Now, TheDetroitBureau.com is reporting that NHTSA is taking a look at the 2007-08 Odyssey for a problem associated with the brakes.
This investigation reportedly includes 343,000 Odysseys that could be suffering from an unexpected application of the brakes. According to the article, at least 22 people have reported such an issue, and in five cases, dealers found a trouble code associated with the steering angle sensor - part of the anti-lock brake and stability control systems. There is still no indication as to whether or not this will become a recall, but Honda has already recalled more than 1.8 million units this year.

Honda recalls nearly 350k Odyssey minivans over unintended braking

Sun, 03 Nov 2013

A problem reported with the Vehicle Safety Assist System has prompted Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a recall for Odyssey minivans from the 2007 and 2008 model years.
The issue revolves around a combination of parts and software that have been reported to cause the vehicle to brake hard and unexpectedly, without illuminating the brake lights. Imagine driving behind one of these vehicles when the malfunction occurs and you can easily understand how an unexpected rear-end collision could ensue.
Unfortunately, Honda won't be able to fix the problem until next spring, at which point the manufacturer will call in the 344,187 units affected into their local dealership for a fix. In the meantime, Honda will instruct owners on how to avoid the situation. For further details, see the full recall notice below.

The Honda Neowing is a future-retro GoldWing trike

Thu, Oct 1 2015

Honda hasn't made a flat-four powered GoldWing since 1987, so it's not that odd to call this trike styled like a Transformer more traditional than the current 'Wings. Then again, with that extra wheel up front and a hybrid drivetrain, it couldn't be less traditional. The styling is decidedly modern, marrying the unabashed futurism of the NM4 with some sport-touring cues. Honda says the Neowing is intended to explore whether the company can combine higher-speed engagement (read: leaning) with low-speed stability. A rider can't fall over at a stoplight on a Neowing, an important consideration when the current GoldWing weighs 904 to 933 pounds. The leaning ability is provided by a proprietary linkage, and even though its method of operation isn't specified, don't be surprised if it's largely the same as a Piaggio MP3 – a pioneer in the leaning three-wheel category.If you're wondering if the Neowing can make it to production, or whether it will look anything like this concept, consider the NM4, pictured at right. That motorcycle pairs pure concept styling with unconventional mechanicals, like the six-speed dual-clutch transmission that allows for full automatic operation. Both the styling and the DCT are intentionally disruptive in the segment; Honda wants to bring in nontraditional riders, and perhaps new riders. The DCT will appeal to those intimidated or uninterested in manually shifting, and the Neowing might appeal to riders looking to tour without fear of dropping a half-ton motorcycle. Honda will have the Neowing in Tokyo, and perhaps the company will shed more light on their plans for the wild-looking concept there.