Should I buy this car

Hi my friend is wanting to sell his '92 accord 4 cyl to me for $400. The only thing is that it has no muffler and it smokes sometimes while driving.
I'm not worried about the muffler since they are easy and cheap to install, but I was curious on what you think about the smoking. The car goes through oil quickly and my friend sas that it smokes due to one of the four cylinders in need of a honing. I was wondering if a cylinder being in need of a hone would cause it to smoke if so then how much would it cost to get this done. If not what do you guys think may be causing the smoke. Thanks for your help.

Does no one really have an opinion on this subject?

I can't give you any advice on the smoking, but yes I think you shoul buy it. I mean look, even if the car needs a new engine, you can buy an engine for around $400 (using ebay). So that'd be a good reliable car for $800. I doubt it even needs a new engine, I'm just using it for an example.

Neg, in my opinion, the only thing being honed would be you if you bought this car. Why toss your good hard earned money at known problems?

I dont know about u, but if it were me, i'd buy the car. I am mechanically inclined, the things you are describing would at most take 2 days to fix with the right tools (or one evening if u work on it non-stop and know exactly what your doing), etc...but if u arent inclined mechanically....i wouldnt buy the car. It seems to me though that combined with the oil problems, and the smoke, that u may need a head gasket. It could be that oil is getting into the combustion chamber.
Not a super knowlegdeable guy on this, but just my opinion.

i dont ur financial situation, maybe u cant afford a nicer car. i dont no. but u can do better than that im sure. get a newer more reliable accord if u even want an accord.

The smoking can be many things.

1st thing I would do (BEFORE YOU BUY IT!!) is pull all the plugs and see if they are oily. That tells you if just one cylinder is bad, 2, 3 or all four. The oil could be getting past the valve guides also. Check the PVC valve also and see if it is clogged.

Why does he think just one cylinder needs a hone? I'll bet all need rings and honing just for starters. Honing is the process after you check the cylinder roundness. If it is within spec then you don't need to bore it. Not in spec then they get bored & new oversize piston & rings and a hone job. The honing roughs up the cylinder ever so slightly so the rings in a short time make a perfect seal between cylinder & ring edge.



How many owners to this car?

Mileage?

What shape is the rest of it in?

If he couldn't afford to put a muffler on thats an indication to me it probably need all kinds of things besides motor work and the muffler.

If overall the rest of the car is pretty bad which for 400 it sounds like it is, I think your better off just buying a good solid Honda that you know the history of for around 15-2500.

That car just sounds like it will nickel & dime you the whole time you own it.

Can you post a picture of it inside and out?