just bought a 97 civic off my mom and dads neighbor for $500.00

i figured it would be a good little back and fourth to work car thats gonna get alot better gas mileage than my truck. this will be my first attempt at a "project" car. can you guys point me to some good places online for parts and accessories? not looking for anything over the top, just something practical that i can have some fun with.

forgot to mention the car does run....

Edited April 4, 200817 yr by rjajmr0221

At $500 it isn't worth putting a dollar into "accessories"

dont let the price fool you, its not a p.o.s.

it was his wifes car and they are going through a nasty divorce and he just wanted to get rid of it.

runs pretty good, and body is in good shape, no rust and only a few dings...

What kind of "accessories" are you planning on putting on it?

i guess not so much accessories, other than a radio. because as we know stock sucks, not to mention no cd player. other than that mostly performance stuff. i am not real sure as i am not much of a gear head at all so i wouldnt even know where to begin. just some basic stuff for now, to help improve the overall driving performance of the car. suggestions?

As for the radio, that isn't an accessory, but a necessity. I thought you wanted to rice out the car which really doesn't make sense.

i buy parts from Hondapartscheap.com lawl, that's because i keep my car stock and whenever i need clips that i pop and break i just buy OEM chit.

i'm about to order a bunch of clips for my trunk right now. noticed i'm missing like 6 clips that hold all the carpetting in my trunk.

blah blah blah.

I would tighten up the suspension if its not tight feeling already. Its no fun to drive a car thats leaning all over the place when you take a turn. Sway bar kits aren't that expensive, but should keep the body under control. If the shocks are old and dead, perhaps new ones are in order as well. You don't necessarily have to be going fast to have fun.

As for the radio, that isn't an accessory, but a necessity. I thought you wanted to rice out the car which really doesn't make sense.

agreed on the radio part. i have an alpine 9855 thats probably going in this weekend. followed by diamond d6 comps, as soon as i get something to power them with. as far as ricing goes....not so much. i am not into the body kits, turbos ect.... just simple yet effective upgrades. its a 97 that has sat for about a year. it as been driven around since but only a half dozen times or so. he also said through the winter months he would start and let run for a few min. every couple weeks. first thing i plan on doing is oil change, and changing the air filter ( its almost black). but after that i wouldnt know where to begin.....

sorry if i wasnt clear, i dont know much about turning a wrench but i am trying to learn...

also thaks for the oem site, i am sure it will come in handy.

rob

I would tighten up the suspension if its not tight feeling already. Its no fun to drive a car thats leaning all over the place when you take a turn. Sway bar kits aren't that expensive, but should keep the body under control. If the shocks are old and dead, perhaps new ones are in order as well. You don't necessarily have to be going fast to have fun.

thats more of the stuff i am looking for. i want it to drive/ride good. dont care so much about how fast i can go, and how quick i can do it.

Good tires can really make a difference, every time I've put expensive tires on a car it rode/handled better and was quieter. Not something you like to replace until you need to, but sure makes a difference.

I hate vehicles without a sub, I have a cheap 8" tube I used on stock systems when I was driving rentals for a job. First thing I'd be doing is getting some reasonable tunes setup. I agree with the shocks, if they are gone that makes a big difference too. Those cars are holding value really well here with gas the way it is.

If its been sitting around awhile, you've got the right idea. Change the oil, oil filter (Wix makes great filters, Napa Gold are rebranded Wix too), fuel filter, air filter, PCV valve, and probably flush and bleed the brake fluid, since brake fluid is hygroscopic (it absorbs water). Check and top off the power steering, and transmission fluid. If either of those fluid look kinda dirty, have them replaced. (I know visual checks aren't the best indicator of fluid wear, but it will give you an idea of whats going on.)

This shouldn't cost you too much, and if the car is in good condition, then its a bit of insurance to keep it running, seeing as its just over 10 years old now

steve- i will definatly look into all of the above. thanks i did notice the engine light is on, so i am gonna try and get it in to my mechanic to see what it is. my neighbor seemed to think she mentioned the o2 sensor being bad, but wasnt sure.

Mechanical first...