This used to be an active repair shop specializing in Hondas, but sometime in the past, things just kind of ground to a halt. But there’s still plenty of vintage Hondas around, as well as some other Japanese cars, and a even a couple of American ones. Given its location in the rapidly gentrifying Whitaker neighborhood, I foresee a day when these will all disappear. There’s some sweet Hondas that would probably be thrilled to find new loving homes.
There’s a sweet spot for the number of vehicles surrounding a repair shop. Too few and it looks like they’re not busy. Too many and it looks like they can’t actually repair cars.
This is definately the latter. Nice little white Toyota pickup there!
It looks like the owner was partial to Civics. But he clearly was not a real fanatic because there are no early Odysseys there.
I would imagine that in the Portland area, people have “cash money” available for early Odysseys, which quickly moves them out of repair lots and back on the road.
In contrast, Civics reside in a much larger pool of options, and better deals can be found elsewhere. Checking the Eugene Craigslist auto listings for 1995 to 1998 Hondas, there are 2 first gen Odysseys, versus 31 Civics, so call it fifteen Civics for every one Odyssey.
I like red civic i had a 91 and loved it.
I’d take all the civic wagons and the blue Tercel wagon in a heartbeat
There used to be a late 1980s Civic hatchback I would often see parked in front of the apartments around the corner from my house until very recently. I’d been thinking about walking over there and taking a few pictures to post to the Cohort, but I never got around to it. Then this morning I noticed the young woman I’d previously seen driving that Civic getting out of a newer CRV. So I fear the Civic is likely gone for good.
There’s a “Honda specialist” not far from where I live with lots of 90s model cars around his shop (early CR-Vs, Accords, Odysseys and Civics) – there are a couple of Peugeots and a VW there as well.
I’ll take the ’73 Nova. That’s one of the few cars I actually liked with the federally mandated bumpers. Of course I was only 12 going on 13 when these came out, and they were fairly easy to draw.
Kinda looks like the shop I use, except his shop
Is surrounded by Mercedes Benz cars, mostly W123, 124, 126 and 129s.
How many miles does it take on average for an old Civic from the glory days to reach junkyard status in the Pacific Northwest where rust is not an issue?
I have a friend here in Dallas who still daily drives her 94 Civic (I have no idea of the mileage) and except for a missing piece of unobtainiam window trim it’s…. perfect?
I agree that this shop has too many never-gonna’s around. He’s gone to hoarder status.
I would assume around 205 thousand miles is about when a Civic finally wears out.
Since I own a 1993 Camry I only closely observe the mileage on 92-96 Camries in the Portland junkyards and those usually die around 205 thousand miles so I assume the same is true with Civics.
200K miles is the average life, on the first engine – I’ve seen the Civic wagons at 300K miles on the second engine (Japanese used engines available cheap, or at least they used to be).
wouldn’t mind having one of those wagons with a manual. Thatd make a good daily grinder.
It’s been ages I saw these 1980s Civics. They was popular in Quebec but they was killed by rust thanks to road salt.
Wow, that CRX probably hasn’t moved in a dog’s age and it’s still in better shape than at least 90% of the CRXs ever built.
I would love to find another 1982 Civic like my first car. Mine was a 1500 sedan but I’d take a wagon or an S hatch. Don’t see any of them here but plenty of the next generation. Either way, all of the cars pictured here are long gone from my area. With the exception of the GMC, the Tahoe and the 4 Runner.
Some one must be living there for “FIDO” is in two of the pictures.
I think he needs some steroids to achieve Junkyard Dog status??????
Yeah, that’s one scary junkyard dog. Vicious little critter I bet, probably best to slowly back away while not breaking eye contact.
There was a shop packed with cars like this around here. Not a specialist, but a quite nice metal building on a 6-lane main thoroughfare. Lots of cars, but the business was perpetually closed/abandoned. Stayed that way for a few years. Came to find out the owner was in prison for something, and it took the state that long to seize and dispose of his assets.
Civic station wagons! My wife loved our ’86 wagon. I’d get another one if I could find a low-mileage example.
Go for the 1988 – you get a fuel-injected engine, and the non-stranglematic standard 3-point seat belt. I had four 1984-87 Civics and you need a master’s degree and a smoke machine to troubleshoot those carb’d engines and associated vacuum-operated emissions and control systems (there are about 20 different systems IIRC – I used to have the factory shop manuals). You won’t find anybody out there in a shop that knows how to work on them any longer (or wants to).
1988 Civic Wagon is one of the best cars that Honda ever made IMO.
Vacuum hose hell…
Wait, wait, I can translate that arcane diagram. In English it says “Obtain 20 litres of gasoline in an approved container. Pour evenly throughout entire car. Toss match over shoulder as you walk away.”
Seriously, I’ll take “Airtight arguments in favour of electronic fuel injection” for, ah, fifteen hundred, Alex!