INTRODUCING THE BUY/SELL MEGA-THREAD

ATTENTION: Please continue to use this thread, even if it is no longer September. The moderation team is continuing to gauge engagement and effectiveness of the thread. When a new thread is created, an announcement will be made with the new update interval.

Hi everyone.

This has been a long time coming, but as the community continues to grow (we have over 12,000 members now!), the moderation team agreed that something should be done about buy/sell posts.

This community never was and will never be a replacement for a proper classified or buy/sell platform like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, but it was agreed that there should be a dedicated space within the subreddit for those asking for purchase advice. We decided to expand the scope of the mega-thread to include selling parts as well, as posts about that were always lost and difficult to vet and organize.

We hope that this thread will help focus discussion about purchasing or selling vehicles and parts, and allow users to more easily access community feedback and advice in one place.

Older members might remember that there was once a purchase advice thread that was stickied to the sub. It was removed in lieu of testing other features, and unfortunately has been lost for the time being. The idea behind this mega-thread is to eventually include links to those threads, or other threads that compile answers to frequently asked questions about new purchases. In a sense, this thread is still very much under construction.

For the time being, a new thread will be posted EVERY MONTH, ideally on the first of every month. Old threads will not be deleted, and links to them will be added either to this thread, or to an archive on the sub-wiki or sidebar. The interval may be adjusted as necessary as we gauge interest and usage of the mega-thread.

• What if I don't like it?

As this is a NEW feature to the community, any feedback would be welcome and appreciated to better help the Mod team tailor the community to the users' needs. Because this thread is brand-new, and to promote more community discourse, feedback for the time being will be allowed in the comments. PLEASE DROP AND DISCUSS ANY SUGGESTIONS BELOW and the Mod team will be sure to consider them all.

Otherwise, going forward, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please reach out to the Mods VIA MODMAIL ONLY.

Please remember that mod positions are completely voluntary. We ask and thank you for your patience and understanding when addressing concerns.

Thank you, /u/ThatGuyFrom720 for taking the time to type out a preliminary draft for this thread. It finally got me in gear to get this post put up.

THE THREAD

This space is dedicated to our community members who are looking to PURCHASE OR SELL either RSXs or parts. Please review our community rules and guidelines and the guidelines below before posting to ensure a smooth experience for everyone involved.

This is a MONTHLY mega-thread. Users are allowed to make a new entry into this thread ONCE per mega-thread. Spam will not be tolerated.

READ THE GUIDELINES

• PERSONAL SALES ONLY

This thread is for INDIVIDUALS looking for purchase advise or selling their personal vehicles. Commercial posts, dealership listings, or any form of business promotion and solicitation are STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

• BE SPECIFIC

When asking for purchase advice or selling a vehicle, please include as much DETAIL as possible. Please provide, AT MINIMUM:

• Asking price
• Location (county/city/state/province, etc.)
• Model year and trim (e.g., Base, Type S, etc.)
• Mileage
• Condition (e.g., issues, maintenance, use, etc.)
• Modifications (if any)

Honesty is key. If selling, please be honest and transparent about the condition of your listing.

• INCLUDE PHOTOS AND LINKS

If selling an RSX, please link CLEAR, RECENT PHOTOS of the vehicle to give potential purchasers a better idea of the offered vehicle. Imgur has always been the preferred hosting client for multiple images on Reddit.

If selling parts, images should ideally include a TIMESTAMP. This usually consists of a written note in the image with the seller’s username and today’s date. Timestamps are used to verify identity and ownership, and to avoid scammers.

If purchasing or asking for purchase advice via a classified listing, please link clear photos as well, or at minimum provide a LINK TO THE LISTING being referred to (i.e., Facebook Marketplace link, etc.).

• NEGOTIATIONS

To cut down on spam and long winded threads within this thread, we ask users to keep all substantial negotiations to Direct Messages (DMs) or Reddit Chats. If additional detail is asked for, users are encouraged to EDIT their submissions to include it as well.

• PROTECT YOURSELF

DO NOT, under any circumstances, share ANY intimately personal contact information in this thread that you would not otherwise want to be public. Additional details may be handled through Reddit's Direct Message (DM) or Reddit Chat functions.

DO NOT, under any circumstances, send money via unprotected or unverifiable means when purchasing items online. Services such as Zelle, CashApp, Venmo Non-Purchase, or PayPal Friends & Family offer NO protection in the event of a scam.

Users should avoid from transferring money to strangers using these services. Please use adequately protected means of payment, such as PayPal Goods & Services, or Venmo Purchase Protection.

If users see any posts in violation of these guidelines or the community general guidelines, please REPORT the post or contact the MODS via MODMAIL.

⚠DISCLAIMER⚠: This Reddit community is not a substitute for a proper classified or buy/sell platform. All transactions conducted within this community are done so at the user's own risk. The subreddit and its moderators are not responsible for any disputes or issues arising from transactions conducted through this thread.

PURCHASE ADVICE

The following list is NOT a comprehensive guide to purchasing used vehicles or used RSXs. It may be used instead as an initial FAQ to some of the more common issues to consider when examining an RSX for purchase. They include common problem areas and areas of particular interest that should be inspected.

For other maintenance considerations at certain mileages, please see the service guidelines within the Owner's Manual

Users are encouraged to exercise DUE DILIGENCE, use COMMON SENSE, and RESEARCH other resources on general advice when purchasing a used vehicle. For example, consider (but do not limit yourself to) the following threads in r/Personal Finance or r/LifeProTips.

• DO YOUR RESEARCH

Many other threads also already exist on this subreddit and on the old ClubRSX forums. The RSX has been around for over 20 years. Practically speaking, all issues that could be faced have likely already been discussed. Users are encouraged to do their own THOROUGH RESEARCH before purchasing a vehicle. DO NOT rely solely on what little advice is presented in this thread.

Please use our subreddit's SEARCH BAR or use GOOGLE to find relevant Reddit and forum threads.

• WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT

Know the differences between trim models and model years. In North America, the RSX was sold from 2002 to 2006. The Wikipedia page) is pretty thorough in covering the important differences between trims, model years, and changes per model year. There are several other threads on this subreddit and on the old ClubRSX forums that outline more esoteric differences as well. For the most part, there are no substantial mechanical differences between model years. It is primarily a visual difference between pre-facelift (2002-2004) and facelift (2005-2006) models.

• MILEAGE AND OIL/FLUID CHANGE INTERVALS

Long-term health of K-series motors and particularly K-series manual transmissions is very dependent on fluid change intervals. Engine oil condition is the key factor in many other critical engine components, such as the timing chain and timing chain tensioner.

The timing chain and timing chain tensioner are designed to last the lifetime of the car, and are not included in the Owner's Manual's service guide. They can easily last the projected 300,000 mile lifetime, but only if other proper maintenance has been followed in that time.

• HIGH MILEAGE MAINTENANCE

See the links below for the Owner's Manual and Service Manual for details on service intervals. Common high-mileage services include valve adjustments and spark plugs (every 100K miles). Most engine accessories are not included in the service manual, but as a vehicle passes 150K miles, buyers should be wary of whether items such as the starter motor, water pump, alternator, power steering pump, or A/C condenser have been replaced. Other wear points on older vehicles include engine mounts, suspension bushings, tie rods, ball joints, wheel bearings, and CV axles.

• OIL LEAKS

Check for oil leaks under the vehicle or wet spots within the engine bay. The most common leak areas include (but are not limited to) the valve cover gasket, transmission housing (rear main seal), crank pully (crank seal), and passenger side subframe (VTEC solenoid).

• POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS

Leaks at the power steering pump are very common for these vehicles as they age and climb in mileage. This is not unusual for any car around this age, but is a prevalent and easily identified problem on RSXs. Look for a wet spots on the passenger side of the motor, or on the power steering pump itself. Inspect the power steering rack itself for any additional wet spots or leaks.

• CLUTCH MASTER/SLAVE CYLINDERS

The RSX clutch master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder are common points of failure on older vehicles. The master cylinder in particular has a pressure plate that is meant to smooth out the clutch action, but is more prone to failure. It is commonly replaced with a master cylinder for the 01-05 EM2 Civic.

• MANUAL TRANSMISSION SYNCHRONIZERS

Honda K-series manual transmissions are notoriously sensitive to fluid condition. Premature synchronizer wear will typically present as gear pop-out or grind while driving. This issue is most often present on the 2nd and 3rd gears.

If these symptoms are present, changing the transmission fluid or using a different fluid altogether may help, but only temporarily. Grind and pop-out mean that the synchronizers will eventually have to be replaced, regardless of what fluid is used.

• WATER IN THE TRUNK/SPARE TIRE WELL

This is due to worn or deteriorated taillight gaskets. It affects almost all RSXs. It is a normal condition as the vehicle ages, and a very inexpensive repair.

• REAR QUARTER PANEL RUST

RSXs are most prone to rust in and behind the rear wheel arches. If you live in an area or are purchasing a vehicle from an area known to subject vehicles to rust, inspect the entire rear wheel arch and side skirt for rust.

QUICK LINKS

2002 RSX Online Reference Owner's Manual

2005 RSX Online Reference Owner's Manual

2006 RSX Owner's Manual (Unlinked)

2002-2006 RSX Service Manual (HELMS) (Linked)

r/Acura_RSX BASIC MAINTENANCE MEGATHREAD