1987 Honda Civic Wagovan review from North America
"Practicle and cheap"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator
Rear Defogger- half of the lines done defog
Horn stopped working
Heater fan switch - 2 lower speeds don't work
Seized break caliper
4 way flasher switch stopped working
Slight pull to the left.
General comments?
This is an old car.
It doesn't have things that are common in most cars today like fuel injection or 3 point seatbelts in the back.
Bought it for $800 off of someone I knew because it was cheap and I was planning on getting some sort of wagon anyways (for putting baby strollers in).
The base of the seat also flips up so you can store things under it and the seat back folds down so you end up with a completely flat cargo area. I carried a fully assembled barbecue and a dishwasher (not at the same time) with plenty of space left.
When the engine is cold, it has NO POWER. Not surprising since it's carburetted. It's not bad when warmed up, but I still won't be winning any races.
The seats aren't very comfortable and in my opinion, the car looks ugly both on the inside and outside.
Repairs are quite reasonable, but finding parts isn't that easy in some cases if the part is specific to the wagon/wagovan model.
I'm probably going to keep this car at least until the end of the year (when it's due for an emissions test), but possibly as long as 3-5 years.
Recommended reviews
![]() ![]() | A very reliable compact car |
![]() ![]() | 1986 - Civic Wagovan 1.5 liter Inline 4 A tough little Civic that truly earned the right to carry the Honda Insignia |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.5L 3V SOHC w. 3bbl Carb Manual |
| Performance marks | 3/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 4/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 242000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 268000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Ford Escort |
| Date of Entry | 9th February, 2004 |




