Hi all,

I'm just finishing up college and starting to get used to the idea of
not being poor, and am trying to buy a used car. I understand that
Hondas are an excellent choice for good mileage/low maintenance, and
I'd like to get a car that I can keep for at least 5-10 years. Looking
around in the newspapers, it looks like the Hondas available for $3000
or less (my budget) are usually ~1990 Civics and Accords, usually
around 160k, but occasionally I'll spot e.g. a 1994 Civic with 70k for
$2500. Since you guys are the Honda enthusiasts, I thought I should
probably ask: is there anything I should be especially aware of when
buying a used Honda? What about those especially low-mileage deals--is
that the reward for patience or is there likely to be something wrong
with the car? Is it reasonable to expect a Honda to still be reliable
at 160k? How much is it reasonable for a '90-ish Honda owner to expect
to spend on maintenance? Any recommendations for where to find a good
mechanic for a pre-buy check?

(If it makes any difference, the car I buy will be a manual
transmission.)

Thanks!
Max Wilson