Used Honda del Sol Buying Guide (1993-1997): Targa Top, Rust

A used Honda del Sol is a good buy when the body is solid, the removable top seals keep water out, any engine swap is documented and the title history is clean. Honda sold the del Sol in the U.S. for the 1993 through 1997 model years. It shares much of its mechanical layout with the Civic of that era, so parts are easy, but every surviving car is now close to 30 years old.

Trims and engines

U.S. cars came as the S, the Si and, for part of the run, the VTEC with a higher-revving engine. Many del Sols have since had engine swaps from other Hondas, which is common in this community. A swap is not bad by itself, but it needs to be legal in your state and done properly. In California, swapped cars usually need a referee inspection; the California DMV and your state's emissions program explain the rules. Decode the VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder and compare the engine code stamped on the block with the original.

Recall record

When I queried NHTSA's recall data on Nov. 5, 2026, the only factory campaign for the car itself was 95V203000, which covers passenger air bag module retainer tabs on 1994 cars. The other results were aftermarket lamp campaigns (such as 06E026000 and 06E049000) that matter only if those headlights or taillights were installed. Check the VIN on Honda's recall lookup and through our Honda recall check by VIN.

What to inspect

• Rust. Check rear wheel arches, rocker panels, the trunk floor and the area under the rear window. Rust here is common and expensive to fix properly.
• Targa top seals. Old seals let water into the cabin and trunk. Lift the carpets and look for stains, rust and mildew.
• The power rear window. It should go up and down; the motor and tracks can fail.
• Transmission. Listen for grinding on shifts, especially into second and third, which can mean worn synchros.
• Oil leaks and timing belt history. These Honda engines use timing belts; ask for proof of the last change.
• Suspension. Worn bushings and old shocks are normal at this age; budget for them.

A pre-purchase inspection with the car on a lift will show the rust you cannot see standing up.

What the history report should show

Cars this old often have thin records, especially for the early years. Thin is not the same as bad. Look for:

• Salvage, rebuilt, flood or total loss records. Check NMVTIS too.
• Odometer readings. Old five-digit-style odometer histories and long gaps are common; the odometer rollback checklist helps you sort normal gaps from suspicious ones.
• Theft records. Older Hondas were heavily stolen for parts. Run the VIN through NICB's free VIN lookup.
• Title moves across states, which can hide a brand. See title washing.

Questions to ask the seller

• Is the engine original? If not, what is it and who installed it?
• Has the car passed smog or emissions inspection recently?
• Does the top leak in heavy rain, and have the seals been replaced?
• When were the timing belt and water pump last done?

Clean, original del Sols are getting harder to find, and values reflect that. Check recent sales on Bring a Trailer for a sense of the top of the market.

Costs to plan for

Seals, bushings, shocks and a timing belt are the usual first-year bills. Rust repair is the cost that can sink the deal. Body shops charge for cutting out and welding in metal, and a cheap patch with filler will come back. Get a written estimate from the inspection and subtract it from your offer. Ask an insurance agent about agreed-value or classic coverage if the car is clean and original; specialty insurers such as Hagerty explain how that works.

If you are buying from a private seller, match the VIN on the title, the dash plate and the door jamb sticker, and make sure the name on the title is the person selling the car. Our post on CARFAX for private party sales covers what to check before you meet. Older Hondas with a lost title or a bill of sale only can be slow and costly to register in some states.

Pulling a report yourself

As of early November 2026 a CARFAX bought direct usually costs around $44.99, and AutoCheck sits a little lower. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Our guest price has been about $5.50 a report, about $4.50 for members, and about $6.75 for a CARFAX and AutoCheck bundle. Confirm the price at checkout, since it can change.

The short version

Buy a solid, dry del Sol with a believable history and either an original engine or a legal, documented swap. Pass on rusty cars and swaps nobody can explain.