what to pick! which civic?

[silversol]

Im kinda in a dilima. I have a very clean and nice 99 honda civic ex 2 door automatic. I am a mechanic/bodyman by trade Im currently debating on what to do keep the 99 and do a 5 speed swap on it which will cost me a few hundred bucks. I hate driving a automatic

Or I have found 2 95 4 door 5 speed civics in my area one runs and drives but needs some bodywork/paint. The other has a blown motor but comes with another running motor that needs a head gasket. Im a thinking about trying to pick on one of these 4 doors fix and paint them. Because I will paint either one I get anyway and sell my 99 and put the extra money in my pocket. Both of the 4 doors are in the 500$ range. I know I could probably get better gas mileage out of one of these 4 doors civics

[silversol]

The only reason Im am considering "downgrading" Is to save as much money as possible money is tight right now!

[IndyFetch]

I'd hang on to the '99 you have now. It sounds like the others need a LOT of work, and you never know what else they need. This goes double for a non-running car.

[silversol]

Like I said I am a mechanic/bodyman. Needing work does not bother me

[i-DSi]

Originally Posted by silversol

The only reason Im am considering "downgrading" Is to save as much money as possible money is tight right now!

How much money you think you can save?:
1) how much with a bit lower fuel consumption
2) how much by selling your car - buying other - cost for parts - bringing another car in traffic (taxes)
(not counting the hours you have to work).

Do you really think it is worth it?

I'm curious about the calculation you 'expect' (nothing is for sure and a lot of extra work = parts might be needed).

[theholycow]

Yeah, definitely try to put all the variables in a spreadsheet and see just how much you will save. Be pessimistic with numbers that you have to guess.

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know. The transmission swap should be a cakewalk (compared to mine!) and you know your car. Also, your '99 is OBDII while the 1995 models are not.

However, if you want the presumably better FE of the 1995, my opinion would be to get the one that needs bodywork. You can test-drive it and observe how it drives right now...and then you can begin driving it as soon a s you buy it.

The other one comes with two broken engines, and once you get one working in it who knows how the rest of the car will be! It's quite a gamble, IMO that car should be sold for barely more than its scrap value or fixed by its current owner before selling.

[kit352]

looks like the gains would be minimal at best but it seems your more inclined to do this because you have an auto now and hate it not for the mpg war. it looks like you may end up in about the same place either way in regards to mpg.
id probably just stick with what you got and do the 5sp. you know that car and know its issues. the others may just nickle and dime you to death even with the added funds of selling your old car. if your looking into really upping the mpg you should be looking at the mpg kings like the del sol or a vx. only then can you really start seeing the difference mpg can make in your wallet.

[bowtieguy]

agreed. keep what you have...

consider the increased costs of registering/transferring tags and such. you KNOW your present vehicles issues(or lack thereof). these other vehicles could have other issues.

something else to consider however...

buy one or both, repair them, then sell 1 or 2 of your now 2 or 3 vehicles. sorry, it's the capitalist in me speaking.

[VetteOwner]

if u still feel the need to buy one id go with the runnign one...the other one just doesnt "blow an engine" me thinkins someone was dogging the crap outa it so the trans may be fudged up and or the clutch gone too. if not brakes and whatnot too