I have a '91 Honda Civic that I’m selling and an interested buyer. I want to offer a fair price for it. My problem is that it is no longer listed on Kelley Bluebook (the oldest on their website is a 1994). The '94 model for one in similar (fair) condition is $752. A relative says it is a “cult” car and that I shouldn’t ask less than $800. The alternator was just replaced and the clutch is starting to go out on it. It has about 230,000 miles, but hasn’t needed many repairs through the years (the only person to own it before me was my mother). I was thinking it was only worth about $200. Does anyone have suggestions for a fair price?
Which trim level and what body style? Any rust? Post pics if you can.
If it’s a rust free Si hatch, you could probably get at least 800 for it. I know a couple of guys with good-condition 4th gen hatches. They routinely find notes on their windshields asking them to call a phone number to sell the car as-is.
Clutches in those cars are child’s play to replace, and a true 4th gen aficionado would not let that stop him from buying a good example.
Your relative is correct, btw - the 4th gens are more desirable to oldschool Civic fans than the 5th gens.
$500.00
Edmunds says a 1991 Civic DX sedan with manual trans and AC in clean condition is worth $800. Tell us what model, options, and if it needs anything (tires, brakes, etc) and we can price it for you.
\It’s worth LESS than $1000. That means it’s worth whatever you can get for it. List it on craigslist for $900 and take the best cash offer…
A lot depends on how it looks. If it has been garaged all its life, washed and waxed on schedule, has no dents and just a few missing paint chips from parking lot door swings, and the interior looks clean and little used (for example, it always had seat covers), then it might be worth quite a bit more than $800. But if it looks well worn for its age, then it could well be worth considerably less than $800.
The advice that this car has potential as a “cult” car has merit. The Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla both are likely to attain the same resto-status as the air cooled VW Beetle. Eventually this car will likely become a valuable classic. In 20 years it could be worth much, much more than $800. Maybe $25 K after a “like-new” restore. But you probably don’t want to wait 20 years.
In 20 years $25K will probably be worth $800.
I’m not convinced that this vehicle is or will become a “cult” car or a “classic”. It’s a Civic, not a Morgan. It was a great car for the budget-conscience, and if it’s in great shape it’ll still be a great car, but it’ll never be a classic.
You say you have an interested buyer. There’s nothing wrong with being honest and telling him/her you want to be fair, but also get an honest amount and don’t know its true worth, and asking $800. Give him/her the opportunity to make a counter offer.
So was the CRX, TSM, and I’ve had ludicrous offers from people to buy mine. We’re talking 5-7 grand for what is essentially a Civic with a lighter body and almost 200 thousand miles on it. I don’t think his Civic will pull in CRX prices (they’re both cult cars, but the CRX is moreso) but if it’s an Si in nice shape, yeah, he could potentially get more than a grand for it.
Point made. I just see so many people that think their cars are worth more than t hey actually are. Me, for example. The Si is a nice car, but they made gazillions of them.
230,000 miles on a 23 year old car with a slipping clutch? I’m assuming that this is a garden variety Civic? Take what you can get and run.
Let me put it this way, if that car came this shop for a clutch replacement, I would ask for 50% up front before work began, because the cost of clutch replacement would exceed the value of the car.
Whatever you do do it before the clutch goes completely. If the car won’t move it’s worth scrap value.
It’s a dx model without any special features (no a/c), brakes are fine, tires aren’t new, but aren’t nearly worn out. Besides the clutch, it doesn’t need any major repairs. The body and interior has some issues: rust, touch-up colors not matching original, tears in seats. Like I said, it is in fair condition. I’m still leaning to the $200-$300 range.
I forgot, it has a dented oil pan as well.
I’d ask for $1,000 for the car and negotiate from there. A reliably running car is worth at least that in my opinion.
@Whitey 23 years old, 230,000 miles, needs a clutch, body rust, mismatched paint, torn upholstery, and a dented oil pan. You really think it’s worth a thousand bucks?
best offer
@asemaster, no, I don’t think it’s worth $1,000, but if I were selling it, that is where I would start the negotiation. If I were on the buyer’s side, I’d counter with an offer of $500 and go from there.
It sounds like it would make decent reliable transportation with a new clutch, as long as you don’t mind driving an eyesore and as long as the rust is only cosmetic and isn’t dangerous (structural).
rust
Yeah, then you’re probably pretty close to what it’s worth. The DX isn’t particularly desirable to collectors, and rust is a very bad thing on Hondas of that vintage.
I would ask for $500 and negotiate from there. You’re just about at scrap value anyway.
When economy cars get to that age and mileage they are worth up to $1000 if everything works and no repairs of any kind are needed.
We sold my wife`s old 1994 Nissan Sentra with some rust, but mechanically perfect, and with extra winter tires, for $750 in 2012. It had 140,00 miles on it.
The Civic you describe would be worth no more that $300 to me. If I owned such a car, I would sell it “as is” to a mechanic for a few hundred dollars or donate it and take the tax benefit. I would not dream of selling it to a person without any car knowledge.
You’re in the right range at $200-300. The slipping clutch is the biggest problem (assuming rust isn’t widespread), could make the car undrivable in short order. You might call around to junkyards to see what they’d pay you to drive it to them.