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Try and find someone local that will let you have a long test drive, best way to be honest. Be careful in the wet, awesome in the dry, engine/gearbox to die for, check for complete Honda service history and optional oil changes done preferably.
Here's some helpful info I have in a word doc...
Security
Don't buy a car without a V5 (registration document or log book) and don't fall for the old 'The paperwork's at Swansea' (the HQ of the DVLA) excuse. Check that the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) quoted on the V5 matches those on the MOT certificate (if the car is over 3 years old) and the car: look at the VIN plate on the engine, through the bottom of the windscreen and any numbers etched on the windows. Look for signs that these numbers and plates have been altered or tampered with. Make sure that the registration plate matches the plate quoted on the MOT and V5. Check that the person selling the car is the person named on the V5. If not, why not?
Checking the car
Look for obvious signs of wear and tear, accident damage or rust, but be realistic - a 5-year-old car is quite likely to have a few minor scratches. Do all the panels match? Are there signs of overspray, for example on seals? Are the gaps between panels more or less equal, and do both doors hang and open and shut correctly? Look along the car from the back to the front, do all the 'lines' flow along the car - do this on both sides.
If the seats are saggy and the steering wheel worn smooth, then the car's a high-miler, whatever the mileometer (or the seller) says. Other signs of high mileage include worn or missing pedal rubbers (or brand-new ones), a driver's seatbelt that doesn't retract properly, worn carpet under the driver's mat, damaged trim etc. Are the carpets wet, especially in the driver's footwell? This could mean leaking seals.
Look in the boot, and lift up the carpet. Are there any signs of welding? Or is the floor rippled from an impact? Look under the bonnet at the front for similar signs of front-end impact. Look at both the front corners and down the sides for signs of welding or botched repair to the inner wings (also a chance to note down the VIN).
All the tyres should match, and if they are Bridgestone, they should be of type ES02JZ which are made especially for the car. If the car is a 2004 model or later they will be RE050 rather than ES02. Some owners put other types of tyres on the car, this can improve wet-weather performance which on ES02s, can be entertaining.
On pre-2004 models, if they aren't the OEM tyres (ES02JZ) then check they are slightly wider (245 rear section).
Uneven tyre wear on the fronts is common and not a sign of a problem (they wear more on the inside due to geometry so check across the width of the tyres).
Checking the owner
Check the the owner knows about the various recalls that are needed and are beneficial.. For example:
Necessary - oil bolt recall must be done if applicable to the car to prevent oil starvation and potential engine failure
Nice to have - 055 clutch replacement, not essential as AFAIK the clutch doesn't fail, but it is noisey when hot and coasting (foot off accelerator) in lower gears (2/3/4) at about 5-3k revs. They're all noisey, but the 054 clutch was very noisey at times.
If you get the VIN from the owner, you can check to see if there are outstanding warranty recalls remaining from the Honda website - Honda VIN check - this will only show you any mandatory ones - not things like the clutch or wheels (see below) EDIT - seems this link is currently broken, instead you could call a dealer and ask them to check their database, they all have the ability to do so and most seem friendly enough to help if you explain why you want to check.
Check that they know to regularly check the oil, some cars use a lot of oil all their lives, this is quite normal, some use very little and the oil issue seems to be fixed on 2004 models.
Check that they run it on 98 fuel most of the time (recommended, but not essential)
Check wheels for corrosion/pitting (especially on leading edge of spokes) - can be replaced under warranty, but cars over 3 years of age are likely to be out of warranty (an extended Honda warranty is available for those who have a full Honda service history however).
Check rear (plastic) window is pretty clear, it won't be perfect, but when looked after it should be fine to see through.
Check seat bolsters to make sure that they're firm - they get squashed when getting in and out of the car. Some cars seem to have collapsed sooner than others. (perhaps due to the width of the drivers butt)
Check that the car has a wind deflector between the seats rollover hoops - option on earlier cars and will cost you £60 - £90 from a salvage yard.
Test driving
Driving the car will probably feel different to any other car you have driven, especially if you're used to FWD cars, the car drives from the back end, it also has passive rear wheel steering which makes the car feel like it almost 'twists' when applying power when cornering. The gears are very close and the gearbox is quite tight, however gears should select cleanly when the gearbox oil is warm. The car should pull cleanly up to 9000rpm once there are 3 bars on the temperature gauge, there should be no hesitation. The temperature should never go above 3 bars. The handbrake is notoriously bad and may not hold the car on a
slope unless fully raised. The clutch is also a delicate part of the car and will slip badly if abused - release it smoothly and quite quickly, if you slip the clutch too much, it will begin to lose it's bite and you may have to allow it to cool. Brakes are very firm and the car should not wander under heavy braking.
Doing the deal
Do the vendor's reasons for selling sound genuine? Does what they have to say about the car ring true? How much service history comes with the car? Ask to see the service book, which should show main dealer or specialist maintenance. This can be faked, however, so it might be worth checking with the garage. How long is the car's MOT? A genuine seller with nothing to hide shouldn't mind putting the car through a new test as a condition of sale, and you can then negotiate the sale around any problems found. Bargain for the cost of a new tax disc, if that's about
to expire and remember that a new set of Bridgestone tyres will be £350 or more. be realistic though, if you're buying in the heat of summer, you won't be able to bargain as much as in the middle of February.
I'm yet to try the strip in mine yet...
