mrwillie
mrwillie Reader
3/14/11 10:33 p.m.

Looking for a car for one of my nephews, I ran across these....

1994 Swift http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2263277999.html

1991 Civic 4wd( bad main relay or fuel pump?) http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2264289245.html

I kinda like both of them for myself.

Anyone know some pros and cons of either of these? I don't know much more about these other than what I just found in the inter-webs

Zomby woof
Zomby woof Dork
3/14/11 10:45 p.m.

Check the frame rails/front control arm mounts on the Swift for rust, and the 1-2 shift synchro (it will be obvious). If those are OK, the car will last forever. It is fairly basic, but very frugal transport though.

DaveEstey
DaveEstey HalfDork
3/14/11 11:20 p.m.

Civic main relays are a known issue. You can resolder it or just buy a new one.

If the rear wheel wells and rocker panels are ok then it's going to be a solid little car.

Duke
Duke SuperDork
3/15/11 8:18 a.m.

I've got a thing for the AWD Civics. So unless it's a bucket, that gets my vote. Then you go to town with the madd swapz yo.

Lugnut
Lugnut HalfDork
3/15/11 9:06 a.m.

I love my Swift. Mind you, mine's a GT. But my ex-wife had a 4cyl Metro that was still a (slow) hoot to drive.

93EXCivic
93EXCivic SuperDork
3/15/11 9:11 a.m.

4WD Civic.

Bobzilla
Bobzilla Dork
3/15/11 9:12 a.m.

Is there a "neither" button?

Zomby woof
Zomby woof Dork
3/15/11 9:34 a.m.

Just because you can't drive, it doesn't make the Swift a bad car

mrwillie
mrwillie Reader
3/15/11 10:04 a.m.

So, it seems like its between "parts availability" and "uniqueness"..... I'm kinda leaning towards the civic b/c of the service history. Keep it coming....

White_and_Nerdy
White_and_Nerdy Reader
3/15/11 9:22 p.m.

Here's something to push you toward the RT4WD Civic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8kED8S39wI

PubBurgers
PubBurgers Dork
3/15/11 9:35 p.m.

My pitch for the Civic:

I bought my 89 FWD wagon pictured below just how you see it. I then proceeded to put 10,000 brutal miles on it, mostly delivering newspapers. During those miles I performed the following maintenance: Added gas, occasionally added oil (but never changed it), replaced two leaky coolant lines. Civics of that era are near indestructible.

mrwillie
mrwillie Reader
3/16/11 11:10 a.m.
PubBurgers wrote: My pitch for the Civic: I bought my 89 FWD wagon pictured below just how you see it. I then proceeded to put 10,000 brutal miles on it, mostly delivering newspapers. During those miles I performed the following maintenance: Added gas, occasionally added oil (but never changed it), replaced two leaky coolant lines. Civics of that era are near indestructible.

Did you have the issue w/ the main fuse? And were there any other problem areas?

JFX001
JFX001 SuperDork
3/16/11 11:12 a.m.

I'd go for the Civic as well.

http://www.hondacivicwagon.com/

poopshovel
poopshovel SuperDork
3/16/11 12:07 p.m.

Posting deleted, but yeah, main relay was an issue, though I drove my wife's 88 Civic for years with a flaky one. Every once in a while, you'd have to reach under the dash and tap it with a screwdriver...or you can be a non-lazy berkeley and resolder it.

The swift will probably get far superior fuel economy.

mrwillie
mrwillie Reader
3/16/11 2:51 p.m.

Yeah...neither guy responded to the emails. I liked the civic b/c of the maint. that had been done.

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