First Gen Honda Civic-CVCC Or Volvo 780 Bertone?  

"flyingmetalbird" (jonsavage) 10/04/2015 at 14:51 • Filed to: None

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I love the first gen Civic. So much so that I might buy myself one for my birthday this Tuesday. It lives about 3 blocks away from me, it is (or used to be) red. Or maybe orange... I’m not completely sure. The motor itself runs, and it moves. However it overheats very fast. And it doesn’t break. The brake issue is for sure a master cylinder. I think the overheating is from a blown head gasket or cylinder head problems. Probably from coolant getting into the oil. Because when you turn the car on, lots of smoke starts to come out the front of the motor. Almost like its coming out of the manifold. It also is very rusty. Like the panel below the door is so bad that when you open and close it, more of it falls off. I have come to you guys many times recently asking for advice or knowledge on weather I should buy this car or that car, so now this one. Tell me more! Advice would be greatly appreciated.

My next option is a 1990 Volvo 780 Bertone. It has the 2.8 PRV V-6 and 215,000 miles. I’ve had my eye on this one for a long time. It’s within my price range, a little more than the Civic though. This one runs and drives right now, where as the civic will need work. The 780 shares almost all underpinnings with the other 700 series cars I’m pretty sure, but body panels are a bitch to find. There isn’t any major body work going wrong though. All of it seems to be in pretty good shape. It might need a tranny soon, I’m not positive.

I’m buying one of these cars on Tuesday and I’m not positive what one I want. I want something I can work on, something I can maybe drive in the winter, something I can take to Cars and Coffee, something sort of reliable and simple. So which car should I buy on Tuesday oppo?

Thanks!

jkm7680 > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 14:53

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Those early Civics are awesome. My Aunt used to have one, great little car.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 14:58

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Civic

ly2v8-Brian > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 14:59

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Volvo. My opinion doesn't matter. So listen to this buy the one you feel the most passion for.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > jkm7680 10/04/2015 at 15:02

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No, that’s a Civic, this is a Great Little Car.

sorry, that was bad.

GhostZ > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 15:02

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Civic will get you more stares and attention and probably a safer investment if you know what you’re doing. Volvo is probably the better car and more viable in actual traffic.

flyingmetalbird > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 15:11

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So do you think the Volvo would make the more reliable daily driver? I want something I can have fun working on and building, but also something I can drive and depend on a little bit

Birddog > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 15:18

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Volvo all the way without a second thought and twice on Sundays!

Being based on the 700 series means you can easily do a Manual swap too.

Klaus Schmoll > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 15:28

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The way you describe the Civic, it seems too far gone (Read Mark’s post just below). Once unit-body cars are REALLY rotted it makes no sense to even start the cutting and welding. Also think that all you see on the outside is only the tip of the iceberg. Most of it sits in the little cavities that give the car it’s structural strength. Better spend your money on one that isn’t rotted, it will be more expensive, but still only a fraction of what this one will cost to put back into a somewhat decent shape. Such a full on resto-job MIGHT make financial sense with a Cossie 190 or a E30 M3. With a Civic you might spend 10 or 20K to get it in good shape and will only have a 3K car.

Keep in mind that this is coming from a fellow Honda owner who would like to see one of the early ones in good hands.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 16:08

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Jon, that Volvo is most definitely not a money pit. Ball hard

Berang > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 18:04

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Unless the civic is almost free, it’s not going to be worth it.

flyingmetalbird > Berang 10/04/2015 at 20:20

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It’s only 300 dollars...

flyingmetalbird > Berang 10/04/2015 at 20:23

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Is that close enough to free do you think?

Berang > flyingmetalbird 10/04/2015 at 22:07

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I would take it if it were $200. You are easily going to be in over $1000 in repairing it, and you can be certain there are other smaller problems you can’t see yet. I feel like you would be able to find a decent one for $1500, spend maybe $500 or so fixing it, and having a reliable classic. You might spend $1500 fixing this one and not have that.

flyingmetalbird > Berang 10/04/2015 at 22:41

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I will be doing all my own work though, So I figured with just parts I might be able to do it

pip bip - choose Corrour > flyingmetalbird 10/05/2015 at 03:16

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780.

Amoore100 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/07/2015 at 22:30

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Is that what GLC actually stood for?

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Amoore100 10/07/2015 at 22:31

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Yep, that’s exactly what it stood for.

Amoore100 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/07/2015 at 22:35

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Talk about pretentious...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Amoore100 10/08/2015 at 06:20

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I think it was probably a joke among executives.