New here, but not that new to Accords. I've owned a 1991 and a 1995, both LX sedans with automatic transmissions in the past.

Last week, I bought a 1996 Accord LX coupe 5spd manual. It's a little beat up, but I got it for super cheap ($245), and I got it running a couple days ago. It has 193k miles, and is a southern car, so no rust (but definitely bad paint due to the sun).

It runs well, but has a major oil leak from the valve cover gasket. I have ordered one, and it's on the way.

My other vehicles are as follows: 2005 Honda Element EX 4wd 5spd, 1995 Ford Taurus sedan 3.0L/AX4N, 1969 Ford F-100 Ranger SWB, and last and MOST CERTAINLY least, 2004 GMC Sonoma 4x4 crew cab.

I am a Ford guy, but I have plenty of love for Hondas. Buying the GMC was a mistake, and I should have known better due to past experience with similar GM products. It is currently for sale.

I will say that I am not into the "tuner" style. You wont find my Hondas lowered, with coffee can mufflers or big wings. Just not my style. I have owned many Hondas in the past, including two CRXs and an Acura Integra.

My Ford Taurus is "my baby", I absolutely love that car. With over 250k miles, its original powertrain is still functioning well, however many of its secondary systems are failing, such as a leaky power steering rack and such as that. It is currently parked, awaiting a mechanical restoration. I realize that the car is not only "worthless" on the open market, but it is also well beyond its expected service life. I will proudly tell anyone that I do not care. I love the car and I will restore it.

Unfortunately, the 1996 Accord would need more work to restore, and so I plan to get it in mechanically good condition, and not worry about the cosmetics. It will be a "beater", for lack of a better word.

I really wanted an EX coupe 5 speed with cloth interior, but this LX was too good of a deal to pass up, even if it will never be a "nice" Accord. One day I will find my EX coupe 5spd that will be better taken care of and will be a fun driver. I may get a Civic EX coupe 5spd instead, but either way, the 1996 wont be my last Honda purchase from this era, haha.

Anyway, I look forward to getting to know all of you, and discussing some of the issues my 1996 has (in the proper forum, of course).

this is the 1996 on the day I bought it. It looks far better in the picture than it does in person, haha.

 

Welcome. That reminds me of my old 97 Sedan with 5 speed.Nice car, but I wanted something a little newer, so I got a 99. The EX comes with sunroof and rear disc brakes. Really the only real difference from the LX. Enjoy your car though, as they're not making any more of these older models.

 

Thank you!

Well, I love a sunroof, and I believe those were standard on the EX. I prefer it with cloth interior, because living down here in the Dirty South, the heat/sun can be brutal and turn leather seats into frying pans.

I would also like a 98-02, EX sedan. For whatever reason, I prefer the sedan version of that generation. I drove one quite a bit years ago, and I loved it. It was an LX 5 speed sedan.

I have a lot of Hondas from the era I want in my collection. Amongst them are the 97+ Prelude, preferably a Type SH. I would also like another Integra, but I prefer the JDM style front end to the goofy-looking quad round headlights (just my opinion, no offense intended to those who like that style).

I also like earlier Hondas, I'd love to have another CRX, as well as a first and second generation Accord sedan.

I realize it is unusual for someone to want to collect cars like this and my Taurus, and I'm okay with that! Haha

Thanks again for the welcome.

 

Yeah, my son wants a sun roof for his Civic too. He's got an 08 Civic Si that has one, but he wants a roof section for his 98, as it'll eventually be the car he really wants, even if he has to build it. He wants to do a K-swap with a 6 speed trans, then eventually put a sunroof section in it. He's already go the engine-trans combo from an 02 Acura RSX-S. He's still hunting up some bits and pieces, knowing he'll need to do a brake upgrade to it as well.

I really do like my 99 Accord Sedan LX 5 speed. It might be a high mileage car (235K miles), but it runs great. I got it for 350, with "needs a motor" on the windshield. I looked at it for parts for my wife's 00 Accord. Turned out it just needed the timing reset, and a new lower pulley and crank key. I've probably dumped another 1500 or more into it though.
I'm not trying to collect them, as I've got a few other cars here to drive as well. I really don't need another one. Oh, and you're welcome.

 

That's awesome, both about the deal you scored on your Accord, and your son's project.

I got a similar deal on my 1995 Taurus, the CHECK ENGINE light would come on, and it would revert to "limp home" mode. I believe they thought the transmission was failing. Turns out, it was just the PCM, and a remanufactured unit was only $100 with the core exchange. That was around 180k, it now has 253k on it, still runs and shifts great. I have bought a lot of parts for it so that I could update and renew some things that are showing their age. Overall, it's been an outstanding car, and I have always loved this generation, so it's a keeper.

The 1996 Accord was just something to keep me occupied, and give me a "beater" to drive. I also prefer driving a manual, but I do have some physical issues that necessitate having an automatic at times, which is where the Taurus comes in. The Accord isnt too bad, especially given what I paid for it, and I look forward to fixing it up.

Monday, the new valve cover gasket should arrive for the Accord, and I will replace that, as well as change the oil and filter. I need to get a radiator cap for it so I can diagnose a coolant leak the previous owner said it has. I snagged one off a junk 1991 Accord, but it doesnt fit. I guess I'll have to order a new one, but I thought the 1991 cap would surely fit. Oh well.

 

Yeah, sometimes the cheap cars we buy turn out to be the best ones we keep. I too prefer to drive a manual, but I keep a couple of AT vehicles around so my wife has something to drive. She can drive a stick, just not very pretty doing it. When we go on road trips, we take her Accord though, unless it's to a VW show, then I drive my 65 VW type 3 Notchback, with factory sunroof.

 

I fully understand that. My ex couldn't drive a manual, and I always planned to teach him, but never got the opportunity (the only vehicle I owned at the time was the Taurus). I do believe it's an important skill, even if one prefers an automatic.

The VW sounds nice. Are there Audis at those VW shows? A buddy of mine had an Audi coupe GT, and I absolutely loved that car (wasnt a Quattro). Another friend had a VW GTi from the same era, and although I'm sure it was quicker, I preferred the coupe GT. Aside from that, my favorite VW product would probably be the Brazilian-made Volkswagen Fox (or Gol as it was known in Brazil). I would love a two door.

Back to Accords, this one definitely belongs in my collection! Too bad I'm 2500 miles away and dont have the budget for it at the moment lol

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/ct...959642385.html

I absolutely love it!

 

Depending on the show, and where it's being held, you might see an Audi there. I used to own a 89 Fox 2 door with 4 speed. It was a fun car, but didn't like winter (had an issue with the Cold Start system). Mine is an old Air Cooled VW, and only gets driven in late spring thru late fll (mid April thru mid October), as I want to keep it out of the salt.And believe, we get asSALTed here.
That Honda Accord looks like a nice one. Price isn't too bad IF it comes with a stack of receipts showing all work done on it over the years. Maybe knock a little off for non-functioning AC.

 

Oh man, I dont envy you, living in the salt belt. My addiction to older cars would be very hard to support up there, lol.

It was far easier to find nice older cars for decent prices when I lived on the west coast. Down here in the Dirty South, cars tend to get used up, and scrap metal pays more, so lots of cars end up crushed.

It would blow your mind to see what goes to the crusher. I've actually watched people drive the car to be crushed. What a shame. That makes the Accord I bought that much more significant, because 9 times out of ten, the guy would have just crushed it.

What really gets my blood boiling is some idiot demanding way more than the car is worth, and refusing to sell it for a reasonable price before crushing it. You'd rather get $300 for the car at the scrap yard than take $800 from a person who actually needs it? I do not get that mentality.

You might think I'm exaggerating, but a few years ago when I had no car and needed something, anything that ran, I called about a 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera for $1200 that needed some work. I told the guy I had $800 and that was it. "Nahh, I think I'll just scrap it." And that's what he did. I'd sooner give the car away for free to someone in need before I'd crush it for spite.

 

We had a '67 type-3 squareback for a few years. Low budget, used, and pretty rusted. Defrosters didn't work too well since the rocker panels were perforated with rust. Typical college-student car. One day the left headlight bucket fell right out of the fender.

But that was my first experience in a car that was small & nimble. Dad always had a full-size ford.