1984 Honda Civic 1.5L? gasoline

Summary:

Cheap Thrills

Faults:

The car was actually very reliable, considering how rough I was on it.

The clutch needed replacement at 100,000.

A bent rim was replaced (does NOT handle well in the snow!)

AM radio stopped working in '88.

General Comments:

My parents bought this car new in 1984. My dad drove the thing to work everyday, with no problems.

Then he gave it to me, when I was 18 in 1994. I had the Civic only four months, but I put 36,000 miles on it during that time. I drove from my home in Portland to Tijuana, twice to Vancouver, B.C., Salt Lake City, all over Oregon and Washington, and every night at least driving around Portland.

The car began looking rather shabby after about a month of my careless ownership. I invited people to kick the fenders and litter all over the cabin. I took it on my own suburban version of rally racing and I did almost no scheduled maintenance. In fact, it was 10,000 miles overdue for an oil change when I totalled it.

It wasn't a pretty end either. I rear-ended a Bronco in stalled traffic on I-84 was rearended by a GTI and thrown into a Cadillac. Ouch.

But it was a nimble little car that handled like a go-cart. It took an incredible amount of abuse, was great on gas, and comfortable enough for a young man.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th May, 2003

26th Jun 2004, 17:06

Do you know where I can get rear altezza lights for my 1984 civic ??

1984 Honda Civic Sedan 1.5

Summary:

The last of the forgotten Civics, remembered by few and praised by those few

Faults:

Head gasket blew once after about thirty thousand miles of REALLY hard driving.

Blew again two years later, also after REALLY hard driving.

Had to replace most components in cooling system.

Have problems with front suspension every few years.

Had one incident where the alternator went bad (probably due to heavy power consumption from 600-watt amplifier).

WAY too many vacuum lines, so keep hose clamps handy.

General Comments:

This car is generally reliable, as long as you take care of it (much as I didn't). Faults lie in cooling system, vacuum system, and front suspension.

It lacks a great deal in performance. The five-speed gives reasonable pep around town, while the three speed is utterly useless in that regard. Highway travel is surprisingly easy on the engine and the car feels like it comes out of its shell here.

Hard suspension without the performance that usually comes with that. Bumps and alignment problems are transmitted strongly through the thin steering wheel (at least with the non-power steering versions).

The car will comfortably accomodate four people with very little ammenities. It has been a challenge for me to add some of these ammenities (such as drink holders). Good size trunk space as well.

I have seen many of the faults in the cars design and have begun to improve my car with the following additions:

-Added 6x9 spacers to accomodate 6x9 speakers.

-Replaced stock stereo and front speakers.

-Built custom center console (empty space between dash and floor!).

-Added drinkholders and armrest for this console.

-Added thicker steering wheel (I think it was from a newer Integra, anywhere from 86-93).

-Added shift boot, cut the shifter down, and added new shift knob to hide the disgusting automatic shifter.

-Added newer Civic floormats (the ones that say Civic).

-Added drink holders to rear extension of center console.

-Added 16" QT wheels + 40 series tires.

-Lowered car 3" front (adjusted torsion bars), 2.5" rear (cut springs).

-Added front lip to bumper (from 86 Integra).

-Added sideskirts (from older Grand Am).

-Tinted the windows to 20%.

-Gutted air conditioning system, including air conditioning radiator which blocks main radiator.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd April, 2003

3rd Apr 2003, 11:15

I am appalled by the last comment made on your review. People "come along and stick things onto perfectly good cars" because It is a free society. There is nothing wrong in driving an older vehicle, asides from the lack of snob value people like yourself seem to revel in. The more financially prudent amongst us realise that New Vehicles are a great way to lose a lot of money fast.

7th Dec 2004, 04:53

I have to disagree with the dude. If you bought a car (second-hand 'cus you don't have the money to buy a new one) and you realise now that it's pretty crap (which the Civic Shuttle is, in terms of performance and interiors) and you do have the money to make it better, then why not?

By the way, this car is pretty dam slow. If your age starts with a 1, don't buy it.

PS: it says here, in the spellchecker that shows up when you post a comment, that the word 'realise' is not a word. Great.

27th Oct 2009, 21:13

I have an 1984 Civic DX and I think they do well on gas myself. I bought it for about 400 dollars and is worth it. The only things I've had to replace is the front left axle, the distributor cap and rotor, and the timing belt. Also there is nothing wrong with personalizing your car. It's not the car that makes the owner, it's the owner who makes the car!