1987 Honda Civic 3rd Gen 1.3DL Auto

Description

• UNSOLD at auction March 2023
• One owner from new** see below
• Genuine 34,560 miles
• Original Sales invoice and manuals
• A well preserved example

What is happiness with a classic car? Try dropping in to the cockpit of a one owner Honda Civic with a genuine 35,000 miles and you’ll find out.

Honda introduced the Civic in 1972. It was quickly followed by the second gen Civic in 1979. It didn’t look much different, very 60s/70s and Honda were still learning. By the time the third gen arrived in 1983, they’d nailed it. The Civic went on to become one of the most successful cars ever produced.

History & paperwork

This Honda Civic was first registered 1 October 1987 and was supplied by J Sheppard & Sons, Honda Main Dealer in Hove, Sussex.

**We are advised that the gentleman bought 2 cars from J Sheppard and the garage put both V5s into his name although this Civic was for his wife – it was only transferred into her name in 2002**

The Civic remained in Sussex, in Shoreham on Sea and it was always a second car, playing second fiddle to a larger Honda the family owned.

We are advised during its ownership it has always been garaged away.

This Honda Civic comes with:

• Original Honda Owners Manual and Warranty Cards
• Two keys
• Original sales invoice from purchase on 1 October 1987
• Service book with 6 stamps
• Invoices for servicing/parts
• Two original Honda Civic sales brochures

Enclosed with the documents is a delightful touch; a handwritten note from the registered owners wife that confirms the history of the car that her husband bought for her almost 35 years ago.

The Civic will also have a new MOT for the winning bidder.

Inside

Open the door of the Honda Civic and you will see an almost entirely original and amazingly well preserved light grey interior.

The cloth seats show no wear or damage. The rear seats look like they have barely been used, despite having been equipped with optional seatbelts when new. The carpets are also in excellent condition with very little wear and no damage. Looking at the dash area, nothing has been altered, and all the various controls operate perfectly we’re told.

The headlining is in good condition.

There is a Sony radio/cassette (with removable front) mounted in the dash which operates as it should.

At the rear, the hinged glass opens effortlessly and stays open. The original rear shelf folds back to access the boot space below.

The grey boot carpet is clean. Beneath the carpet is a hardboard cover for the spare wheel and tools which are all there. Overall, the inside of this Honda Civic shows the lightest wear.

Outside

Study the paintwork closely and you will find a few places that give away the age of this Honda Civic, but nothing major.

On the driver’s side rear corner, just above the indicator, you will spot some minor bubbling in the paint, not inconsistent for a classic of this period.

The sides of the Civic are remarkably free of dings and dents and remain straight and flat.

To be critical, the front the bumpers have minor scuff imperfections on both corners, and on inspection we noticed some slight grazing along the factory option plastic side protection mouldings.

These are just very minor cosmetic imperfections. Our vendor is just showing the car how it is.

The glass is all intact with no chips to the screen and with original security etching to the side glass. The wheels are basic 13 inch steels with Honda logo centre caps, all in good undamaged condition and the tyres are a lightly worn set of Avons.

Looking at the underside, there is a light dusting of oxidisation on the running gear that gives away the age. The floor is flat and solid with a good covering of factory applied underseal.

Adjusted to run on unleaded fuel at racing legend John Cooper’s Honda Garage in Ferring, West Sussex in 1988.

The Civic is described as “original as could be, with hardly any signs of typical wear and tear commensurate to its age”.

Additional Info

Our vendor says this about this cracking Honda Civic.

“Reading the charming handwritten note from the original owner’s wife tells us that the Civic was a treasured possession, carefully maintained and always garaged. This explains the well preserved condition, and along with the exceptionally low mileage, and regular visits to the original dealer and John Cooper garages for servicing, we can be pretty sure that the Civic will prove to be reliable. Known for their reliability in period these Hondas came from a time where if you wanted trouble free motoring, you bought Japanese!

This Civic deserves to go to someone who will appreciate the well preserved condition. perhaps it should be part of a collection of low mileage rarities? We think this is a real gem, and we hope that its new owner will carry on giving it the care and attention it has always had.”

Our view

Honda definitely nailed it with the third gen Civic, more so with the final face-lift version. It was bang-on trend and, as you can see, it has stood the test of time.

It also, of course, provided the launch pad for the legendary Type R and we all know that sporting Honda values are through the roof right now.

Classics like this are a rare and delightful find. This one is a mobile museum piece, marvellously preserved. It provides opportunities in a number of ways. Firstly as a genuine milestone of Honda’s history for a collector; but we think the most wonderful opportunity is entry in to the classic car world. This is a beautiful window to step through in to that world. Take the step, is our view.

Good luck bidding.

Please remember, our site uses anti-sniping software which ensures fairness to all bidders. So, if a bid for a lot is received in the last minute, the auction will go into a 2-minute overtime period for each subsequent bid.

Vehicle Location: with our Trade vendor in Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex BN43– it’s the responsibility of the buyer to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Would like to arrange a viewing or have a question about this Honda Civic? Please contact us at team@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at team@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

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