One Eye Jack and his 31 year old Honda Civic.

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 2civics

Over 400k miles? I think it's worth a thread.

It's really not that spectacular. I know of a couple vehicles in our area that have at least half a million miles on them. Especially since he had to do significant work to the engine because it was smoking severely, it's not exactly untouched to get it there.


The 400k is an achievement for any single owner and over 31 years. Anything lasting 31 years for an owner is impressive. This is not a pricey MB but a simple Japanese car.

I concur though this vehicle is "touched" in terms of massive engine work. But it made it 400k miles which is decent.

 

[whip]

I had a 92 Civic and got rid of it around 250,000 miles. Engine and transmission were still in great shape, but the body was shot from rust. 400,000 miles would have been doable if it didn't rust.

 

[2civics]

I can understand why some might have a hard time getting their mind around the concept of owning a car for 31 years and being the sole contributor to it's maintenance past 400k miles. This is quite an achievement and the car is still going strong with almost all it's original parts including the starter and alternator, which you would have thought would have been long gone by now. Forget the shunning of the stigma of driving such an old and outdated car every day. I like this story. Still think it's worth a pic or two. (Car, odometer)

 

[2civics]

Originally Posted By: JavierG
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 2civics

Over 400k miles? I think it's worth a thread.

It's really not that spectacular. I know of a couple vehicles in our area that have at least half a million miles on them. Especially since he had to do significant work to the engine because it was smoking severely, it's not exactly untouched to get it there.

400k miles not spectacular? okaaayyyyy....

Lol...Haters gonna hate?

 

[OneEyeJack]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: JavierG
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: 2civics

Over 400k miles? I think it's worth a thread.

It's really not that spectacular. I know of a couple vehicles in our area that have at least half a million miles on them. Especially since he had to do significant work to the engine because it was smoking severely, it's not exactly untouched to get it there.

400k miles not spectacular? okaaayyyyy....

Not really...heck, it is normal on a taxi.


One difference might be that the taxi that makes it to 500 or 600K and many do, is that everything has been rebuilt, replaced, painted over and redone. In S.Cal the taxi wrecking yard feeds the cars that are worth keeping. The local Yellow Cab operation has a back lot with about 20 Crown Vic's and a store room of bits and pieces that are constantly being turned over to keep the rest of the fleet moving.

The head mechanic says they turn around something like an engine swap in one shift, that is removing the engine from a wrecked CV and getting it into the working car. When a car if finally junked its nothing but shell.

By the way they do oil changes every 3K miles with ordinary 10w-30 oil during a PM where they rotate tires, check the air filter and stuff like that.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


Not really...heck, it is normal on a taxi.


You cannot compare a taxi to a normal commuter car. A taxi driver might go 200 or 300 miles per day, with only one cold start per day. The average car might go 20-30 miles per day, with two cold starts. Since most wear on an engine occurs in the first few minutes of operation after a cold start, you can see how an engine used in a taxi can easily achieve high mileage numbers.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle


Not really...heck, it is normal on a taxi.


You cannot compare a taxi to a normal commuter car. A taxi driver might go 200 or 300 miles per day, with only one cold start per day. The average car might go 20-30 miles per day, with two cold starts. Since most wear on an engine occurs in the first few minutes of operation after a cold start, you can see how an engine used in a taxi can easily achieve high mileage numbers.

Bingo, that covers it.

400k miles, fairly significant achievement imo. Having maintained an 01 Civic since new to currently 220k+ miles, a lot more to it than just a number. In addition to big things, little things start to add up quickly.

As for Pop's pooh poohing it, typical. Note his one upped anecdotes are not his own vehicles.

 

[javacontour]

If I understood, the AC was toast because of the rebuild. I.E. hoses were cut or opened when the engine came out.

Maybe I mis-read. But if I'm reading correctly, it wasn't a failure, but a consequence of removing the engine.

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Everything works except the dealer installed A/C which is not working right now after the overhaul and needs some hoses and some other bits and pieces.


Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
I've never claimed it was anything special. I was just disappointed that the oil control rings failed because the rest of the engine was in such good shape.

It still had factory new compression. And when I tore it down the cylinders had no taper and the bearings were like new. There was no sludge anywhere.

One other minor detail. Everything works, every switch, every gauge, the solenoid for the tailgate release, the locks, windows, windshield wipers, steering wheel switches and I'm still on the original alternator and starter. Nothing has needed repair or replacement except the half shafts, brakes and tires.

It's not a spectacular car. It's a good car.

Everything works? I thought the A/C was toast?

 

[OneEyeJack]

Yep. The A/C worked fine until everything was removed to overhaul the engine.

One small note if it makes any difference, the exhaust valves were in perfect condition and not replaced, only touched up and re-installed.

Without the oil ring failure this engine would have never been opened up. So I guess the oil rings were the Achilles heel of the 1.5 engine of that era. They just lost their temper and failed to seal off the cylinder. The compression rings were working fine and the compression was at new car specs.

 

[Mr Nice]

I've got 2 Civics. One with 100K miles and other with 30K.

 

[2civics]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
I've got 2 Civics. One with 100K miles and other with 30K.



I have 2 civics. One with 63k miles and the other with 27k.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Just one final thought. There are no tears or worn through places in the upholstery and no rust. The dash has 2 small cracks. The windows crank up and down with solid feel and don't rattle. All the original weather stripping is in place, is still flexible and seals correctly. There's nothing that does no work except for the A/C which I disconnected during the engine work to install new hoses.

 

[expat]

The irony is, at least around here, back the early 80's
people were refering to such cars as 'Japscrap' and generally considering them disposable 'toy' cars.

I had a 81 Toyota pu and used to get such remarks from my neighbor, the snide remarks slowed by 100k miles and no comments were made at all by the time it hit 500k.

My current truck is an 84 Toyota it's untouched except for a clutch master cyl and a front wheel bearing. The milage is low (for it's age) but it' still smart and tight. Everything works.

 

[cjcride]

I recall pointing out to blowhard that my Corolla was in fact made in Cambridge Ontario Canada when he berated me for costing Canadian jobs by buying Toyota.
He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, yet an OK guy.

 

[RoadRaceJosh]

Similar story here. I was being give grief by a friend for buying a Japanese pickup. He backed off a bit when I informed him it was built in Mississippi.

 

[OneEyeJack]

...and his all American Ford was built in Mexico.