The 1200 I'm driving now as my winter driver-junkyard chaser rat, I bought in 1987. It cost me 300.00US and I drove it home, though it did have a weeping headgasket. The car had 57,000mi on it at the time, and I know it was all origional. All I did was have the head milled the minimum to get it flat, and bolted her back together, So I know the car is still on the origional factory 1200 EB3 motor. I don't know the actual mileage now, as the speedo quit working six years ago, at about 103,000mi, but at 6 to 7 thousand a year...you do the math... this is no B.S. story. I will attribute it all to first a 5-sp tranny, second 13" wheels and tires, and last but not least a 1300 EJ electronic dist. and I am sure the car would not have lasted this long without that. Unfortunately the car is dying of terminal Missouri winter rust, but at this point everyday is a free day. BTW the 1200 I had before this one lasted me 10 years after I bought it for 200.00 with a blow motor in Virginia, and with the help of some friends built a hot 1335 EB3 with hot cam and 9:1 Goldwing pistons. That car rusted out in ten Missouri winters, but the 70,000mi motor is still in my basement waiting to be spiffed up and be put into yet another 1200 I have waiting in the wings.

By go4mo (213.89.251.33) on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 04:34 am:

in 1974 my neighbours bought a silver civic - i was 10 - i talked my folks into selling the nova - and buying a civic - i went to the dealership and brought the brochures home -- after much salesmanship on my part, we ended up with a 1975 dark metallic brown Civic 1200 hatchback. - they were sold ! -and followed that up with a 78 civic -- and i promise you i drove the hell out of both of them (my mom started me early!) --

after a brief 10 year affair with mid 60's american convertibles, i returned to the civic --
i have three - 2 78's and a 76 -- hope to accumulate more !

what we need folks, is an official "International Honda Reserve" - where autoparts shops and wreckers from all over send their old honda stuff - in order for us, the custodians, to invest in the preservation and integrity of our weeee beasts ! ..

By sony (68.7.165.149) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 11:25 pm:

My Mom owned a 1979 Honda Civic CVCC wagon Automatic.
in 1999 I purchased a 77 Accord CVCC. Sold it
in 2001 I purchased a 78 Civic CVCC 4speed hatchback, sold it
in 2001, I purchased my 2nd 78 Civic CVCC. Still have it.
in 2002, purchased a 77 Civic CVCC, sold it
in 2003, purchased a 78 Civic Wagon Auto. My primary car.
in 2004, purchased a 79 Civic Wagon, sold it.
Here's my baby now.

By Civic81wagon (Civic81wagon) (64.12.116.199) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 08:55 pm:

I didn't fall in love with Hondas until after I bought my 1996 Accord. To make a long story short, I joined various Honda car clubs/message forums and started doing research on the company and their history. One thing lead to another and I am now the proud owner of a 2nd gen Civic wagon that I purchased about four months ago. I LOVE it, and have no plans of ever giving it up. My dad bought a 1981 Dodge Colt hatchback (rebadged Mitsubishi) back in 1985, and had to junk it by 1991 after it gave him nothing but trouble the entire time he owned it and finally the carburetor caught on fire! If only he had gone to the Honda dealership instead!! I plan to eventually add a 1st gen Civic, Accord or Prelude to my collection if one ever comes available and I have the proper storage space. An S600 or coupe series would be nice too, but I doubt I'll be coming across too many!

By Jarcaf (Jarcaf) (207.55.238.216) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 03:33 pm:

I was just thinking about this the other day, and it seems that most enthusiasts of these cars stumbled across one at some point in their life and THEN realized its greatness. It's not as though people are out hunting around for these things unless they've been previously exposed.
The tale of the underrated vehicle

By Vccivic (24.85.232.159) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 01:05 pm:

ahhhh yes dark...common theme from people - 1st gen = fun original sweet ride...I guess thats why we are all here....

By Sue (205.188.116.199) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 12:37 pm:

My daily driver is a 1978 Civic Wagon. I've been driving it since 1988 - 17 years!

By Chaffneue (Chaffneue) (66.183.190.188) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 08:50 am:

since last year... no intention of selling it yet.. fun little low to the ground rocket

-Richard

By Tom grey (151.123.128.10) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 08:16 am:

Got my first civic in 74. Still have it. Paid extra for upgrade to 13" wheels. Have since upgraded tranny to 5 speed and head to unleaded gas. Would like to have a tach cluster and now you all have me thinking I want and EK1. could also use a driver side seat. Three kids learned to drive in it and two of them wrecked it, body damage. I got it back when they were through with it

By Philip (Pikme) (67.42.24.90) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 07:20 am:

my first civic was a 1975 1200cc I had it for 4yrs during high school I finally blew it up racing a corvette. I have now purchesd another 1975 1200cc some 20yrs latter. It needs alot of work but I plan to keep it to pass on to my daughter in another 6yrs when she can drive.

By DaRk (66.50.181.39) on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 03:55 am:

Congrats!

By Jarcaf (Jarcaf) (207.55.238.216) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 10:44 pm:

My dad bought the '82 Civic Sedan in '92 and it became "mine" when I turned 16 two years ago. I've loved it, painted it, and suped it ever since. It's just so nice to have the car that everyone at school likes but can't find or build up with wads of cash and kits I can't wait till they hear that BOV!

oh yeah...next week is the 2yr anniversary of me driving my civic for the first time!

By Aryl (Aryl) (216.99.219.229) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 01:17 pm:

bought a beat up 73 1200 in 2000. drove it from LA to portland. picked up a '76 1200, in decent shape, in 2004. gutted the '73 and sent the shell to the wreckers last year.

By Vccivic (24.85.232.159) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 12:39 pm:

1980 accord bought 96 sold 2000, 1992 prelude 4ws bought 1992 - still have in storage in Calgary...trying not very hard to sell. 2002 civic si 2 door - 2002 sold 2003. 82 civic bought in summer still have, 1975 civic bought last month...super project....if the old civic keep starting, they will always look good, so keep driving them. I wish I kept the 80 accord to....

By CVCC x 2 (209.167.61.189) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 12:10 pm:

Bought my 76 CVCC in September 1997. It will be passed on to my daughter when I am gone. (hopefully not for another 40 years or so :P)

By Darrell--Arizona-- (68.109.151.121) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 10:08 am:

I've had my civic (off and on) for about 10 years.

By kris (Kris) (207.216.228.77) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 08:17 am:

Well, my civic is coming tommorow. I will be using it for my mechanics classes for about a year and a half. Then I will probably drive it for a few years and hopefully a really long time.

By DaRk (66.50.182.21) on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 06:20 am:

Have You had You Civic? And for how long will you keep it?