In 2nd position is the Honda Civic which came into the Malaysian market under Kah Motors in 1989. It was a popular choice with all ages and over the years has proven to be reliable and easy to maintain. This is some of the many reasons why it is still popular in the used car market today. We are talking about the 1989 Civic DX. This fourth generation Civic was a better built, roomier, more aerodynamic car that looked very much like its previous 3rd generation brother but with a more streamlined look.
The ’89 Civic came in two body styles: 2-door hatchback and a 4-door sedan. New engines powered these stylish 4th generation Civics. Power for the DX hatchback and also base sedan came from a 1.5-liter 16-valve single cam engine that produced 92 horsepower. A high-performance 1.6-liter 16-valve twin carburetor engine that kicked out 105 horsepower was also installed in the sedan as a range topper and this was a rare model.
Malaysian dealers only got the carburetor versions to sell and grey importers entertained buyers with the more powerful and desirable Si version which had a 118hp fuel injected twin cam engine that was the hot sports sedan of the early nineties. The 2-door local DX offered sports car like handing and was capable of zipping from 0 to 100 km/hour in about 9.2 seconds which was pretty fast at the time. It was also an extremely fuel efficient vehicle and with a 5 speed manual gearbox, it managed 7 litres/100 km (40 mpg) in the city and 5.6 litres/100 km (50 mpg) on the open highway. The three speed auto was less frugal and less exciting on the go. A double-wishbone suspension system was used at all four wheels.
The 1.6 twin carb Civic sedan came with features such as all 4 power windows, locks and mirrors, tachometer and intermittent wipers providing good value to buyers who paid a premium. However its twin carb engine consumed higher fuel. Interior colour for the local versions were dark blue and or grey and provided reasonable comfort for 5 adults. Imported versions came with either a beige or brown trim. Boot space was commendable and its closet competitors was the Corolla Liftback limited edition which came with a twin cam 1.6 engine producing better fuel consumption but with slightly lesser power.
There are many units in the market both local assembled and also grey imported. Depending on your budget and criteria there is a model for you. If you are looking at a reasonable sedan to run then the 1.5 sedan is best and is priced from RM6,000 for a decent car. There are many abused hatchback units (and lesser modified sedans) which have been modified and used for street racing so better to look at one that is still in its original condition. The hatchback costs a little higher at between RM7,000 to RM11,000 depending on what work has been done to the car.
This means fancy bodykits, alloys and a transplanted engine. Interior trim was good quality, so if very worn and with cracked plastics, then better to avoid. Body damage on a car this old will be common, but check to make sure chassis is okay. A quick look in the engine bay to make sure the rivets and panels on the side of the engine bay are in-line and with no unusual weld points is good news. Open the boot and check in the spare tyre well to make sure that the welds are all in-line and the spare tyre sits in flushed. Body panels should also be relatively straight and on your test drive make sure no excessive noise is heard in the engine bay. Also make sure that the rear suspension is not sagging. Consumable components like brakes, clutch, suspension and pumps are relatively cheap to buy and easy to source anywhere. A full service history will be a bonus but rarely as it is common for a car like this to have changed hands a few times. Having 7-8 names on the registration card is not all bad if well looked after.
