Any words of wisom when looking to buy a 91 to 93 Accord?

[DMC12]

There are some pretty decent prices out there & I'd be buying an H22A swap or clip off eBay to bring the performance up to my tastes. other than the "usual" used-car stuff, what should I look / look out for? Thanks in advance for your help:smoka:

[hondaman-iac]

worn suspension, going ball joints, bad tranny (auto)

[guyndaccord]

Also look out for bad drive shafts....they aren't very expensive or hard too replace but its always nice to have good ones when you get the car

[DMC12]

During my search, a friend told me that this model & year is the most stolen car in America I might change my mind about buying one if its gonna be gone in the morning

[strodda]

yea, then you shouldnt buy one... STEAL IT!!

but seriously, you cant really worry about that. if you have a nice fixed up car, like you want, it doesnt matter what you have. it will always attract attention, good and bad. just be careful. dont drive around a parking lot revving your engine or bumping your system.

[jam4484]

Yeah accords are the most stolen cars. The second is a camary I think, but I hate htos ecars. I love my accord even though I don't have any more money to put into it.

[sickhonda]

Right you are, this is the model & year most sought after by many. One example, a friend owns an auto repair shop located in the middle of junk yard ‘hood, in Queens, NY(near the Mets, Shea Stadium, where about 100 of them are concentrated in one area), which I frequently go to just to hang out. I’ll always get, with no exaggeration added, at least 10 offers for my 91 Honda Accord SE in three hour time period. Some offers are tempting, but I ‘d like to keep this for as long as I can…I’ll run it to the ground. They go like hotcakes here. I know where to sell it if I ever change my mind. I installed an alarm system on mine for added security, even equipped with this, it’s not a guarantee. Like what strodda said, basically, keep a low profile when you find yourself in the wrong ‘hood.

As for words of wisdom, all I can offer is the following: stay away from dealers if you can…just getting added financing cost, and mostly over priced. As for private party, I can’t say it’s the best, but only good option for something affordable. Depending on your budget, look for one that’s close to mint condition as you can. Accords are well known for rust problem. I wish I can say minimum rust is OK, but they’re not. When a rust is detected outside, inside is even worst. Low mileage is ideal, but high highway miles are OK. Stay away from salvage vehicle(vehicle involved in an accident, put together and repaired.) You can never be sure to what extent was the damage, could be something that caused the chassis to weaken or bend. This will definitely affect the ride quality and safety of the vehicle. Check under the vehicle for any accident damage that might not be visible without lifting the vehicle. Check for white speckle under the chassis, normally a sign for salt damage, commonly seen on vehicles from Florida or any area near the shore. Rusted chassis, for Accord, is not ideal. Water damage or mark in the interior, trunk compartment or engine bay area is a common sign of vehicle involved in flood. Check the oil for any burning smell, but if you intend to swap the engine right away, then this is not an issue, same goes for tranny. Check all knobs and controls if all are in working order. Don’t be cheap to use carfax service to get the vehicle history. It will save you a lot of headaches later. Very informative and all to your benefit. Most important of all, test drive the car…on highway speed and on side roads. By doing so, you can normally tell if any problem exists from all the noise you hear. See if it feels and performs to your liking. Good Luck!

[CivicSkater]

good luck finding one without that damn rust on the rear wheel whells.

[DemonicAccord]

yeah like he said, carfax.com, it will be your best freind, esp when you find that special car you're so sure is the one, and then you find its been in 14 wrecks

[DMC12]

Originally posted by jam4484
The second is a camary I think, but I hate htos ecars.

W3RD - The Camry has no style - designed for the "older" crowd.

Thanks for all the info, peeps :smoka: