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

Why Pay More Automotive ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube, Auto Transmission
Address: 3 Harko Cir Suite C, Essex
Phone: (443) 231-7862

Wes Greenway`s Waldorf VW ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers
Address: 2282 Crain Hwy Waldorf, Md, Hillcrest-Hgts
Phone: (301) 441-2500

United Transmissions ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Auto Transmission
Address: 31 Perchwood Dr, Nanjemoy
Phone: (540) 658-1818

S.A.P. Automotive Center Inc. ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 420 S Kresson St B, Bwi-Airport
Phone: (410) 342-2800

Robey`s Service Center ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Auto Oil & Lube
Address: 1065 Dorsey Rd, Arnold
Phone: (410) 424-0432

Roberts Custom Exhaust ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems
Address: 80B Wyche Rd, Nanjemoy
Phone: (540) 288-2232

Auto blog

Leno checks out '64 Honda S600 hot rod

Wed, May 27 2015

Among the hundreds of cars and motorcycles Jay Leno has in his own enviable collection, he's got a classic 1964 Honda S600. It's a cherry example that he's been restoring and it was recently featured in an episode of his popular video series. But this new video shows a different take on the little beast altogether. Rather than go for preservation, this vintage Japanese roadster has undergone the full hot-rod treatment. Or more like a rat rod, we should say, given its heavily patinated appearance. But don't let looks deceive you: this weathered little roadster is packing quite a punch, from the worked-over mechanical bits and motorcycle components to the nitrous tank in the trunk. Turn up the speakers to hear it shriek and check it out in the video above.

Honda Recalling 900,000 Odyssey Minivans

Mon, Mar 17 2014

DETROIT (AP) - Honda Motor Co. is recalling 886,815 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. because a fuel pump cover can deteriorate and cause a fuel leak. Odysseys from 2005 through 2010 model years are involved. The recalled minivans were made between June 23, 2004, and September 4, 2010. According to documents posted Saturday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the cover on the fuel pump strainer can wear down from exposure to high temperatures and acidic chemicals, like those found in fertilizers. Fuel leaks can cause a vehicle fire. Honda says no fires or injuries have been reported. Honda dealers will repair the vehicles for free, but the company says replacement parts may not be available until this summer. It will notify owners of the recall next month. Related Gallery The Ugliest Minivans Of All Time Recalls Honda Minivan/Van

Does the 2017 Honda Ridgeline have street cred?

Thu, Feb 11 2016

From a sales standpoint, the gen-one Ridgeline was an utter failure. It had a very narrow appeal, that being the suburban Harry Homeowner crowd. Traditional truckers hated it; no, make that HATED it! They hated it as much for what it was as for what it represented. It was assumed to be soft, a mommy truck; and to their eyes, it was ugly as sin. "Real" truckers would not accept the independent rear suspension, yet seemed ignorant about the fact that our military has been using IRS on severe-duty trucks for years. If IRS is good enough for the combat conditions, using it on a light-duty civilian pickup truck should be a piece of cake, no? I think there's also another issue at play here: classism. I suspect that many truckers didn't like those who were buying these trucks. Ridgeline buyers tend to be college-educated, suburban, and earn enough to have a decent if not better-than-average lifestyle. Many were schoolteachers, accountants, doctors, and lawyers – professionals. In short they weren't blue-collar, hard working, struggling-to-make-a-living truck guys. That didn't sit well with many. It was like their "space" was being invaded, maybe even their lifestyle was being threatened. I can't tell you how many derogatory comments I've read from traditional truckers over the last decade directed against Ridgeline owners. Many centered around a lack of masculinity of Ridgeline owners, or that that they were bought by people who didn't "need" a truck, that a minivan would have been a better choice. Many were owners of big diesel pickups who felt compelled to compare their heavy-duty trucks to this smaller mid-size truck. You get the picture. So here we are with the gen-two Ridgeline. Has Honda rectified its image as a truck maker? Yes and no. Yes in that the truck has shed its polarizing looks. In fact I think it's quite handsome, and will have a vastly broader appeal as such. Yes in the fact that it's been brought up to date mechanically, and the technology is vastly superior to the old model. Yes in fact that it should prove to be more economical than the old truck. Yes in the fact that it's more powerful, and that the AWD is vastly superior to what was offered before. Yes in the fact that it should function better, both as a truck and as a family vehicle. No in the fact that it will still be viewed as a "girlie truck" by many. No in the fact that there is no "macho" trim level available.