things to check & test on used rsx-s ???

okay,

based on reading hundreds of posts here, i gather that when i test drive the '02 rsx-s i should go through *all* the gears to check for the well-known gear grind that the big recall/bad fix was about

and--

i should question the dealer about the ECU?

how do i make sure the ECU is good? is there a way i can tell?

any other things to watch out for in case it's a bad one or has been mistreated?

thanks in advance.

There was never a recall, or official admission of fault regarding the gear grind. It's something that exists and is really a non-issue if you are a competent driver. It just takes some time to get used to the gates and get to the point where you know when you are in gear and when you are not. Most people who have had serious problems are just plain stupid- shifting quickly at very high rpm and shift into the wrong gear causing damage.

You can have a mechanic check for codes if you like. The dealer will most likely give you a bewildered look, flat out deny any grinding issues and tell you the motor didn't throw any codes (naturally). Personally, I would just check the normal stuff- belts, tread, clutch etc. It's a Honda, after all. I wouldn't worry overly much.