Hi, Folks.

I've got a 97 Civic LX, 4 Dr, Stick/Air/ABS, in Toronto, ON, Canada.
It's got 160KKms on it. (about 100,00 miles)

I'd like to hear your opinions - about keep it for a couple more years
and maintain it vs. trade it in..  (probbably for an accord)..

I purchased it new, in 97, because I knew it'd last without incurring
stupid high maintenance costs later in its' life.  I'm now in the
process of trying to decide about maintenance costs vs. trading it in
for a new Honda.

Really, it's been a great little car.  Totally reliable.  Meets my needs
in all respects.  I'd love to put it in a time capsule for 50 years and
see it again when I'm 83 years old.

I've treated it well -- done regular oil changes at roughly 5KKm
intervals, timing belt at 100KKms, water pump, plug wires, etc..

My problems with this one have been:

1) A little electrical problem that probbably resulted from driving over
an ice-bank up here in Canada.. shorting of something.  Gauges all went
nuts.

2) I think the Exhaust manifold has cracked again (first replaced under
warranty).. Is this a common defect?  The car has had no crashes, other
than typical canadian winter snow-bank bunking.

3) It seems to eat windshields at an abhorrant rate (about to put my 3rd
on it..).

4) Alternator went insane recently.  Out-ed close to 19.5V, which cooked
the battery.

The current problems are:

A)  The air conditioning is weak.  I have no idea what that'll cost to
get fixed.

B)  I own two sets of tires (winter, summer)..  but only one set of rims.

C)  Windshield needs to be replaced.

D)  Pads on front rotors got done around 75KKms, I assume, now, at
160KKMs, there's significant cost about to be discovered regarding
brakes.  (What's typical for this vehicle? -- rotors at this point?  How
about the rear drums&pads?)

Thanks for taking the time to read this, everyone!

Replies cc'd to the (valid) email address included would be VM appreciated.

Cheers,
Scott.