1982 Honda Civic RB from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Developed a tappet knock (loud sewing-machine sound) at about 110,000 km; unrepairable, but doesn't affect the car's running at all.

Rust, especially above the doors and around the windscreen wipers.

The handbrake has become weak and needs occasional checking and readjusting.

I learned to drive in this car before I bought a Camira, then I got it back a few years ago. It used to be my dad's car so my example has been quite well looked after.

Most of the problems I have had are age-related, and reliability has been very good indeed.

Economy is also excellent.

Performance is adequate and this car can move comfortably in traffic. However it is rather sluggish in 4th and 5th and should be handled with care on motorways.

The interior is comfortable, but dated and just a little short on space for rear seat passengers. With the back seat folded down the car can take a fair load.

Handling is good for a car this old, and it's actually really fun to drive.

However at speed it becomes skittish and needs a little concentration.

Things to watch out for on a Civic like this: rust! Cars of this era rust badly and it can become very hard to pass a safety check, so check the car thoroughly before you buy it.

All up, if your Civic is rust-free and

you check out the motor beforehand, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a cheap, economical car.

Your tappets can be fixed...it's actually pretty easy to do yourself, but is very messy to get into and shouldn't try it if your uncomfortable working on cars. A good "family" mechanic should only charge you a couple hundred bucks (CDN) max to adjust (or maybe replace) the tappet/tappets that are bad. Your timing may need adjustment after, so do your distributor cap and rotor and maybe any floats in the carb at the same time ;)

Great cars!

Thanks for the helpful info. I just bought an automatic today with only 90,000 km's on it. The car runs great, but yes I am concerned about rust. I am looking into having the car repainted.