how's much should i pay for the 1989 civic auto hatchback?

The car could be worth that. You will have to give it a very thorough going over though. A car this age can have substantial rust on the undercarriage. Check brake lines fuel lines and general underside condition. Check all the fluids make sure the car has been properly maintained. Look for levels AND condition of all the fluids. Make sure there is no oil in the radiator overflow. Make sure tranny fluid is not burnt and has nice pink color to it. Any red flags on a car this age should make you very cautious. If everything checks out try to get him down a couple hundred.

i bought my girlfriend a 91 civic hatchback auto. only had 130k garage kept, bone stock. no rust at all. paid 2300 for it. 1000 is reasonable, ^just follow what he said

spending a little bit more than a grand wont hurt..and it's true that a car that old will have a few problems unless you swap newer engine and replace all the fluids and the spark plugs.you wont be able to utilize some upgrades other than a few bolt ons though.. you should concentrate on the under chassis, suspension, brakes and of course the tires if ever they need to be rotated or changed...