Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

20,000 Original Miles: 1991 Honda Civic Hatch

Ah, the venerable Honda Civic. It is rare to find one of these low-spec models in mint condition. Although it’s still difficult to track down any Honda of this vintage in preserved shape, cars like the CRX Si still pop up from time to time due to its enthusiast fan base; however, everyday commuters like this low-mileage 1991 Civic hatch here on craigslist are an anomaly. 

It’s likely safe to say we’ve all known someone who drove one of these cars, whether it was a friend in school, your teacher or a former co-worker. In the case of this Civic, it was owned by an 80-year-old woman who apparently took very good care of her things – at least cosmetically speaking. As a vehicle model that’s prone to rust, the seller’s claims of it being stored in a climate-controlled setting may indeed be true.

As you can see, it is the poverty-spec “DX” trim, which typically indicates crank windows, no A/C and manual locks. You still get a rear wiper, though, so there’s that! If you haven’t driven one of these cars in a few years, it’s shockingly simple and pleasingly light. You get in and it feels like you’re transformed to an era where cars were built to provide actual feedback, and visibility wasn’t compromised by 16 airbags.

All that said, the seller has already gone full-flipper, punctuating his listing with anecdotes of having received big cash offers and teasing that he’ll take $5,500 but he wants to see what else is out there. He’s also interested in trades, but doesn’t say for what – of course, he’s just testing the waters. Argh. Despite this nonsense, I hope this little Civic makes its way into a collector’s warm garage, as there aren’t too many of these left.

Comments

  1. Avatar Joe

    Flipper can only take text messages as we can’t understand his high pitched squeeks. Seller is the village jester.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    Probably a Great car, BUT:

    It looks to me that the lister doesn’t have the car for sale.
    Quote: “I’ve had some big cash offers on this car but don’t need the money just testing waters too see what wild offers I can get on it don’t need to get rid of by any means so it will take the right deal for it.”

    Why is it that a jerk like this finds such a car, and dangles it in front of others, obviously just out of reach?

    What an a$$hat!

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Jay M

    It’s a disposable commuter car.
    Fun to drive? Sure. Cheap to run? Yes.
    Low mileage or not, I can’t see how this will ever be a collectors car.

    Maybe put it back in the barn for another 25 years?

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Bill

    give me $50.00 and I will tow it to the scrapyard for you.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Otto Nobedder

    I suggest you click “Prohibited” in the C/L posting. It’s in clear violation of the TOU, and the Flipper is a D*ck. After a certain amount of ‘flaggers’ it will be deleted.

    Like 0
    • Avatar leiniedude Member

      Hello Otto, please tell me about the prohibited option, and what is TOU. I like to learn and defend others as well as myself. I see a lot of ads that are questionable, thanks, Mike.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Mark-A

        TOU is Terms of Use & the prohibited option will be to flag an add as in this case he’s not actually wanting to sell the vehicle he’s just basically giving it a “Look what I Have & NO MATTER what I’m not SELLING it, (especially to You!) that’s the way of the world unfortunately! Guy doesn’t deserve to have the chance to make money! As we’d say in the UK he’s a TW@T!

        Like 0
  6. Avatar Moe G

    I just picked up a 93 civic last week for my commuter running, registered and in great shape for 500.00 bucks. No rust in Southern California. These prices for import cars and trucks are way too high.. low miles yes, but it’s still not worth much.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Dan

    All I keep hearing is how hard it is to find an old Honda in great shape. Yet here is another one. Maybe a common car then is still pretty common now?

    Like 0
  8. Avatar KeithK

    My son drives this very model same color and all. It got him though high school, college , and still going strong 5 years after that. Not a day goes by that he isn’t asked to sell. Finally had to put a small sticker in the corner of the windshield saying “not for sale. “That said, these hatches are extremely popular with the tuner crowd and trim level,trans,interior and suspension will all be replaced. I’ve even seen one with a honda V6 3.5 liter ! Quite a nightmare for me though. As a 30 yr. Honda tech we hate to see these butchered. Most are so low they won’t even get on a lift.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar John P

    Guy in Oklahoma is advertising all over a ’64 VW Bus basically the same way.. So I call him and inquire what he is asking price wise and he says “I’ve had some offers–” (insert odd silence after that response). I tell him I have no idea what that means and that I’m not looking to buy via the silent bid system.. He needs to list the car on EBay and quit fishing in the Craigslist barrel hoping to get rich.. These “testing the waters” and “seeking best offer” ads are ridiculous and the sellers deserve the rash anyone gives them for wasting people’s time..

    Like 0
    • Avatar John P

      For reference–

      found in the woods 1964 vw van
      http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/5956162529.html

      Like 0
      • Avatar Paulbz3

        According to the map on the VW ad, that bus is in Nebraska somewhere north of Omaha…

        Like 0
      • Avatar Alan (Michigan)

        Geez.
        What I see there is this: “I found this while out hunting on land I don’t own. If I get $ in hand, I’ll throw a couple at the guy that has the real rights to it, and the buyer can go try and pull it out of the field himself.”

        Like 0
  10. Avatar hhaleblian

    This has to be one of the most annoying ads I’ve run across. Who would want to deal with this putz? What’s the point of posting on BF?

    Like 0
  11. Avatar jaymes

    nice EF, needs to go to a deserving owner tho

    Like 0
    • Avatar Brandon

      I own it now, it’s staying stock and in good shape, no rice burner upgrades here ha

      Like 0
      • Avatar leiniedude Member

        Congratulations Brandon! Drove my 91 DX to the Village for one today. Take care and enjoy! A little hard for me to get in and out of. Kind of like the Stingray. Still fun! Best of luck. Mike.

        Like 0
  12. Avatar nessy

    5500 for a base 26 year old Civic? Low miles or not, this seems high. Believe it or not, this orange machine is also a Honda Civic. It’s my car. Took us two years to build. All steal, no glass. It was rated best custom Honda in the world.

    Like 0
    • Avatar nessy

      Here is another photo of my Civic.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Joe

      I would promptly smash it into a tree. That is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. Sorry. Just being real.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Jay M

      You have impressive fabrication skills. A real labor of love. How many hours did you put into the bodywork?

      Like 0
  13. Avatar leiniedude Member

    I own 1991 teal green DX hatchback 5 speed like this with air, like they say needs charge. I have used it as my work car for many years now. 180,000 plus miles and still runs strong. Pretty surprised to see one here. Fun car, now, all I have to do is get called back to work so I can drive her.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar JP

    These are great cars, I had the ’91 Si model one of the best all around and dependable cars I’ve ever owned. That said, the seller is delusional and a DX isn’t worth squat. He actually says it’s the ‘holy grail of the Honda world’ …guess he’s never seen an NSX.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Coventrycat

    I see enough “testing the waters” thing on CL, why bother promoting here on BF?

    Like 0
  16. Avatar JW454

    Waste of “BF” space.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Pieter

    My son is restoring a similar one, full electric mirrors and seats, sliding sunroof and all. Replacement CRX engine. Bought last year for 600 euro’s. That’s still the going price in my opinion.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Rich G

    Surprised that nobody’s commented that the DX isn’t the stripper model. The base model had no designation, a 4 speed instead of 5 speed, black rubber bumpers, and a more anemic engine (still a D15, but milder cam and smaller TB, think it was the D15b2).

    Like 0
    • Avatar BradL

      I had a base model 91 Civic, and this is no base model. I put 90k miles on it in 3 years with the typical A/C failure as the only problem. I sold it to a co-worker for her daughter who promptly wrecked it – twice. It was a great car but rather anemic.

      Like 0
  19. Avatar Bruce Best

    I had the 1984 SI version of this Civic and it was the most wonderful small car I have had for many reasons. Fun to drive, would go anywhere, looked good then and I still think looks good today. However a young man with a Yacht sized Delta 88 rear ended me at over 100 miles per hour as he was being chased by the police.

    I was very lucky in that I left enough room ahead of me so I was not killed but my car they tell me was airborne for almost 200′. There was not a solid piece of glass in the car and I had to get out of the door thru the window but I was not hurt even though the car was now 4′ shorter.

    If left original these are fun cars for daily use. Small enough to go and fit almost anywhere and can carry four full sized men in a pinch. I would love to find another SI like I had but so many of them have been modified for street racers over the years that good ones are almost gone.

    I have a number of exotic cars in my past and today but this is one I still love as much or more than some of those heady machines for being just a fun piece of machinery.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CarNut from Winnipeg Member

      There is an 84 non si for auction on that “other ” site. 4 spd.

      Like 0
  20. Avatar Jubjub

    Shall we all make “wild offers”?!

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Bill

    The car was never suppose to be on barn finds somebody copied it from craigslist and put it on there the reason it was worded the way it was in the add which everyone is talking about is cause I was mainly looking to trade it for something else that caught my attention I have an addiction for cars and don’t really need money but if I got asking price it will be sold I have a garage and a storage building with over 25 fully built or rare cars literally sitting in front of this ef sits a true rhd k swapped integra type r Bay next to that sits a 91 skyline I just bought and big turbo’d high boost s2000 and true civic type r too all kinds of stuff not being rude but I know people all over the country in the honda game and have heard horror story’s about excepting anything but cash and now that the banks here have had trouble with fake cashiers checks I just need to protect myself on my end of everything I don’t care what people on that site have too say I’ve built some of the wildest cars anywhere in my area my name is know in the honda game by many of many people over here on the east coast so they can talk all they want doesn’t bother me one bit

    Like 0
    • Avatar Bill

      Haha that’s what the seller said

      Like 0
    • Avatar Alan (Michigan)

      Wild Guess:
      Trust Fund Baby. Missed out on/was too disinterested/stoned to get a good secondary school education.
      I know, go ahead and downvote, I’m being negative here….

      Like 0
  22. Avatar Rustytech Member

    I can testify there have been serious problems here with fraudulent cashiers checks also. Had a cl buyer try to scam me this way. Now to the car, this is a fine example, and the mileage is believable. I would not pay asking price, because I can get a later model Civic for less if I need a beater, this is not a beater, nor is it collectible, And it’s never going to be. I think though, we need to get back to talking about cars, and car memories, and less about trashing sellers.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Dave W

    Ad’s been deleted by the seller…

    Like 0
  24. Avatar rando

    Not a barn find and not for sale. Seriously?

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Marty Member

    “Never going to be collectible” is wrong. ‘Rare’ does not dictate ‘collectible’. Not the same thing at all. It can be as common as dirt, and still be collectible. “I owned one of these in high school, and now that I’m middle aged I want another…” which has zero to do with how ‘rare’ it is.

    These cars have a loyal following, and nice examples are already collectible now. But I agree, due to the seller’s ad and ‘don’t care if I sell’ attitude, a different car could have been featured.

    Like 0
    • Avatar CarNut from Winnipeg Member

      I had this exact car 5 spd, which my first wife convinced me to trade my 1985 5spd Prelude for. Had to actually buy a right side mirror at the parts counter. Was OK car for a few years but not one I would want to drive again at this point in my life. My present wife did support my purchase a couple years ago of a 1986 Prelude SI as that was a car I did want to drive again. Since replaced with a 1992 Integra 3 door, mostly stock(appearing).

      Like 0
  26. Avatar Pete

    I had a friend who had one, I could not believe how roomy the interior was. I am 6’5″ so fitting comfortably in a vehicle is a rare thing for me. I wouldn’t mind owning one just for the comfort of driving it. But that flaky add though. A best offer ad I have no problem with. If I don’t offer enough I can always offer more if I choose to. I have listed a few cars on CL and the calls and txt ya get are just stupid sometimes. I tell people don’t be trying to negotiate over the phone not gonna work. Wave cash in my face that will get my attention. That is how it works in real life. No I don’t want a wire transfer or cashiers check and I don’t want your agent to come and get the car after it cashes. Clearly a scam with a nigerian accent. Also I put in my add if you need your wife’s permission to buy a car, man up and get it before ya call me. Seriously? LOL/

    Like 0
  27. Avatar JMB#7

    These are great cars. Sure it would be nice to see it preserved, but…. if you think the price seems high, it really is not. As a daily driver this thing could save you a lot of money. I bought a 1989 Civic DX hatchback many years ago with 102k miles on it for $1700. I just sold it last summer with 320k miles on it for $1200. These cars get 36 to 42 mpg in about any combination of driving. They are very reliable & low maintenance. My son is 6′ 5″ and never complained about headroom. With the Tokico HP (blue) shocks and 14″ Miata rims, it was as much fun to drive as it gets at 40 mpg. Everyone in our family misses that car. By the way, that color is Subaru WR-blue.

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to BradL Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.