I'm looking into buying a del Sol and wanted some advice on what year/trim i should be looking for. I'm looking for a daily driver, so reliability is my first concern. Safety is next, followed by Fuel economy and power; I know that I'll trade one for the other.

Trim lines: obviously from a power perspective, I'd want the b16 motor. But it takes premium, and only(!) gets 26-30 mpg. Is it worth it? Or is the SOHC VTEC enough for a del Sol for everyday use? Additionally, the VTEC trim has better standard brakes and ABS, as opposed to the Si which doesn't have ABS.

Years: obviously, new cars will be more expensive, and have fewer miles. What about OBDII? I believe it was introduced in 1996 on all cars sold in the US; is this also true for the del Sol? If not, what years have OBD II and what years have OBD I? Is there a big difference from a weekend mechanic's POV?

Thanks in advance.

 

Yes, '96 was the first year OBD-II was required on all US market vehicles and was the model year all Honda cars changed to OBD-II. Some manufacturers switched to OBD-II in '95, but Honda did not.To '95 was OBD-I, after is OBD-II. OBD-I is easier to work with at home simply because there are less things to go wrong.

 

as to the rice thing.. its a personal line..... i didnt think my car was riced out when i started.... but then i did.... i took off my red seat covers, im selling my headlights..... im on the road to recovery.....

id say any accesory that is purely show sets the guideline, and then you go from there

 

i would say the 93-95 si (sohc vtec) 1 cuz u dont want a beast wit potential.....u want a daily driver....2 93-95 = obd 1= easy to work wit.....3...its not slow like the s model (sohc non vtec) but its not as fast as a wooping b series motor its right in the middle for gas mileage and its still quick enough to hold it down on the streets.....4 abs.....ahh ...... suck it up u dont need it!!! lol

 

i dunno maybe im just not easily impressed by the stock d16 is in no way "fast". But, neither is the stock b16.
If you plan on doing any exstenstive mods, then keeping it OBD1 will save you alot of head aches down the road. Alternativly, if you know that your not doing much beyond intake, header, exhaust then throwing on some wheels, id go for the newest car you can afford, with more emphasis on miles and condition.