Getting a car tmrw, just need some info

[Hellotalkie]

Found a nice 1998 honda accord ex. Has 123,000 miles, which isn't too bad for a honda. Just had a some questions for people who have them.
1. How are they on gas mileage
2. is this line aimed at women or men.
3. Is it expensive to maitenance.
4. Is it expensive to repair.
5. How many miles do you have on yours, any recent problems.
Those are the only question I have at the moment, but the person is selling it at 5650 which I can lower once I show him the BB value.

 

[Funyuns101]

try this site: link

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I have a recommendation for a website as well: http://www.google.com

Edmunds.com is a good resource for basic specs.

Generally, on a Honda, maintenence isn't too big of an issue outside of the expected things - change oil, brake pads, etc.

One thing to keep in mind though is the timing belt and when it was last changed, or if it still needs to be changed.

Repairs - It'll probably cost more to repair than many domestics, parts generally aren't as cheap, but cheaper than german/swedish cars. (BMW, VW, Volvo, etc.) As with any car at all, expect to have to repair things when issues arise. Just because it's a Honda doesn't mean it won't have any issues at all, it's a car.

I'd take the car to an expensive mechanic or just one that overcharges, go back to the person selling the car, and show them what needs to be changed. You can use this to bring down the price if you do it properly. Have you seen the car and owner in person? How well off are they? It's possible that once you show them the repair quote and blue book values before that, you can get a lower price and they won't care - they just want to move onto their newer car. OTOH, it might not be that easy, in which case you should be adjusting blue book values based on the condition it's in and using that as an arguing point.