1997 Honda Civic rust problem

Hi, my car has rust problems underneath at about 89,000 miles. Everything else seems to be in good working condition, with some small replacements coming up. Do you think that the engine, transmission will be a problem anytimes soon? Any other larger issues that may be a problem? Looking forward to your answer thanks!

That will be the death of the car far, far sooner than the engine or transmission. Rust never sleeps and it will compromise the structure of the car to the point it won’t be safe to drive. It can be fixed, but not cheaply, and not permanently.

The car is 22 years old, there is no way to predict with any certainty what mechanical parts might go bad given you did not tell us anything about how well this car was maintained over those 22 years. In any event, the the timing belt and water pump should be changed right now unless you know with certainty when it was last changed.

The only thing that is rusted is the brake lines, and sub frame(s). Car had 1 owner before me, and got it serviced regularly, with no accidents or problems passing inspection. I’m considering replacing the heavier rusted parts, knowing that the rest of the car is in great shape. The timing belt is the next thing to be changed as well, but the water pump is new.