I hate Hondas!!!

[65LoveAffair]

My mother-in-law has a 98 Honda Accord 4cyl. The battery cables were looking pretty beat so she asked me to replace them. After finding out the box store "direct fit" cables were anything but, we got OEM cables from the local stealership. There's the first $80. When I started replacing the cables, the negative side went smoothly. It was the positive side that caused the problems. When I went to unbolt the cable from the starter solenoid, the whole tip of the solenoid snapped off. :banghead: There's another $180 from NAPA. FML

View attachment 20150604_172941.jpg

To top it off, I didn't realize that I was supposed to transfer the bracket at the top right of the starter from the old one to the new one. There's a hose bracket on the upper radiator hose that is supposed to screw into it. Since I didn't transfer it, I have to go back out to NAPA first thing and hope their cores haven't been picked up yet! Yay me!

On the plus side, there are some nice, pretty new parts under her hood. Also, I have to add that pulling the old starter and putting the new one on was pretty easy. It was all accessible from the top of the engine. It just pisses me off that I had to do it in the first place!

 

[Mopar Tim]

My family WONT but Japanese cars. Really, AT ALL! MT

 

[lilcuda]

Sorry, have to disagree. Hondas are great cars. They do have their issues, like any car, but overall they are very good. The early Preludes were crappy, but Civics run for a long time, properly cared for. My wife is on her third Honda (first one was a crappy Prelude). Nothing really wrong with her last one (a Civic), but it was time to upgrade to nicer vehicle and her dad had a 2009 Accord that he didn't need so we bought it from him. It's a great car.

I have a Toyota truck that I really like and my previous Toyota was a Celica that I beat the crap out of and drove everywhere. It's the best car I've ever owned.

 

[65LoveAffair]

Sorry, have to disagree. Hondas are great cars. They do have their issues, like any car, but overall they are very good. The early Preludes were crappy, but Civics run for a long time, properly cared for. My wife is on her third Honda (first one was a crappy Prelude). Nothing really wrong with her last one (a Civic), but it was time to upgrade to nicer vehicle and her dad had a 2009 Accord that he didn't need so we bought it from him. It's a great car.

I have a Toyota truck that I really like and my previous Toyota was a Celica that I beat the crap out of and drove everywhere. It's the best car I've ever owned.

Oh, I have nothing against them personally. My wife's family has had the car since it was brand new. It just happened to be the car I was working on when things went to sh*t. I did get the new starter and battery cable on and the car fired right up, so it's all good. It was just frustrating.

Out of curiosity, what do you have against Volkswagens? I saw your signature.

 

[lilcuda]

Oh, I have nothing against them personally. My wife's family has had the car since it was brand new. It just happened to be the car I was working on when things went to sh*t. I did get the new starter and battery cable on and the car fired right up, so it's all good. It was just frustrating.

Out of curiosity, what do you have against Volkswagens? I saw your signature.

I hate VWs because they are junk. I worked at a machine shop for ten years that specialized in German engines. I couldn't believe how crappy those things were designed and built. What's worse is that people think they are good cars.

 

[A38Valiant]

Had
One
Never
Did
Again!

 

[mischiefdart]

I have a 98 Honda CRV that has been a great car so far. Way better than the peice of crap 98 VW Passat it replaced. VW = TOTAL JUNK! At least the newer ones.

 

[Abodybomber]

Good cars, bend over on OEM parts. Volkswagen/BMW/Mercedes, crank their prices on replacement parts higher, than the Japanese companies...

 

[65LoveAffair]

My wife and I have an 02 Passat GLX V6. It's a nice car, but I've been trying to convince my wife that we need something else. When the PCV system costs $400 just for the parts, it's time to abandon ship in my book. Hell, I was ready to sink the f*cker myself when I found out you had to pull the front of the car off just to replace the thermostat. God, I hate "service position!"

 

[AJ/FormS]

I figured out years ago that purchasing a VW was expensive,but maintaining it was even more so. The fuel savings would quickly be offset by the periodic maintenance schedule. The only winners are the original purchasers.
I promised myself I would never under any circumstances,buy a car that required "periodic timing belt replacement". Nor a FWD that could "crash the valves if the chain let go".
That criteria really thins the herd.

 

[greymouser7]

My mother-in-law has a 98 Honda Accord 4cyl. The battery cables were looking pretty beat so she asked me to replace them. After finding out the box store "direct fit" cables were anything but, we got OEM cables from the local stealership. There's the first $80. When I started replacing the cables, the negative side went smoothly. It was the positive side that caused the problems. When I went to unbolt the cable from the starter solenoid, the whole tip of the solenoid snapped off. :banghead: There's another $180 from NAPA. FML

[

To top it off, I didn't realize that I was supposed to transfer the bracket at the top right of the starter from the old one to the new one. There's a hose bracket on the upper radiator hose that is supposed to screw into it. Since I didn't transfer it, I have to go back out to NAPA first thing and hope their cores haven't been picked up yet! Yay me!

On the plus side, there are some nice, pretty new parts under her hood. Also, I have to add that pulling the old starter and putting the new one on was pretty easy. It was all accessible from the top of the engine. It just pisses me off that I had to do it in the first place!

I own two 1991 Civics-every bit as reliable as any slant 6 praise. Both are on second motors & second clutches- swapped out after 300K miles. Reliability & ease of maintenance depends on model and year as well as make.

Had
One
Never
Did
Again!

I have had family that bought a lemon Honda once. Dad's civics usually lasted far past 250K

I hate VWs because they are junk. I worked at a machine shop for ten years that specialized in German engines. I couldn't believe how crappy those things were designed and built. What's worse is that people think they are good cars.

Got a 2002 VW Jetta, used at 83K miles-now 150+K -no problems, ever. All vehicles we own are manual. Automatic transmissions require maintenance.

Oh, I have nothing against them personally. My wife's family has had the car since it was brand new. It just happened to be the car I was working on when things went to sh*t. I did get the new starter and battery cable on and the car fired right up, so it's all good. It was just frustrating.

Out of curiosity, what do you have against Volkswagens? I saw your signature.

My wife and I have an 02 Passat GLX V6. It's a nice car, but I've been trying to convince my wife that we need something else. When the PCV system costs $400 just for the parts, it's time to abandon ship in my book. Hell, I was ready to sink the f*cker myself when I found out you had to pull the front of the car off just to replace the thermostat. God, I hate "service position!"

 

[Frankie]

I know a few people who have Hondas. Mostly Civics and Accords. There are two people in particular that I know who's cars represent both ends of the spectrum regarding reliability.

One has a 1987 Honda Civic HF. The car had 380,000+ miles on it last I saw it, about two months ago. She bought the car new back in 1987. she had roughly a 80 mile commute, one way, to work.
The car served her, and two of her kids, and now it's just a "spare" that she keeps. The use it when needed or when they have something to do that might be a little messy. Her husband calls it a "trucklet". But, the thing is, at nearly 400,000 miles, it still runs with no major repairs to it. The engine and transaxle are original, and never rebuilt. they've replaced a few clutches, water pumps, etc, but no major components.

Another friend as a 2012 Accord, and he believes the car is haunted. No major issues, so far, but, as he puts it, "a thousand little things" have happened it. Even though everything, so far has been covered by warranty, it's the inconvenience of bringing the car to the shop, or having it towed in, loaner cars, etc. Things like window switches, A/C, brake lights stuck on. No dash lights, false readings on gas gauge, no turn signal
cancellation, engine cuts off. No start. Stuff like that.

In talking to these two people, one couple is completely sold on Honda, and the other wouldn't buy another Honda on a bet.

Opinion based on personal experience.

 

[phogroian]

The cars are nothing special, but I have a nostalgic soft spot for Hondas due to the number of Honda motorcycles I've enjoyed over the decades.

 

[philcollins]

Bought a 1990 Prelude new. Had it for 10 years and 400 000 kms later, was still going strong. Only maintenance item like brakes, timing belt etc. Engine, transmission clutch never been touch. Put new brush (2,50$) in the alternator.

 

[stroked340]

That figures "jap crap"...would never own a foreign piece of crap if it ain't built by an AMERICAN based company i don't own it..

 

[71340Duster]

Yes they are spendy to work on esp. if you have to get parts from the stealership. Gotta love all that engineering too, makes it a true joy to do maintenance on. Growing up we had a Toyota Corolla, V-6 that blew a head gasket going over a pass. The cars my parents owned that I remember and like best, all American:

1963 Rambler
1955 Chevy Belair
1965 GMC Panel Van

 

[CudaDust]

Love the "Jap Crap" 5 Hondas no major problems. All other makes (Chevy Dodge Ford)had heads, trans, transaxle problems. Ferd 6.0 gave up on it after I had more in parts than almost what it cost. O and most of my Hondas where made here in the U.S.A. . I kept up on maintenance on all of the different brands but the Hondas last.

I will give credit to the U.S. companies seems like they have improved a bunch in the last 5-10 years. The only U.S auto company I would buy from would be Ford they did not $u€k any government tit when the market went south that I know of.

 

[ramenth]

Sorry, couldn't get me to own one, simply 'cause of the fact I've worked on 'em.

Pain the *** that Honda treats cars like "Civic" or "Accord" is the make and the letters ("DX, LX, EX") are the models. Different brakes, different exhaust, sometimes even different suspension parts and engine pieces.

Kind of a pain in the *** when you have a "EX" in the air, and it takes a "DX" pipe with and "LX" muffler and then next "EX" that comes in has and "EX" pipe with a "DX" muffler.

 

[lilcuda]

That figures "jap crap"...would never own a foreign piece of crap if it ain't built by an AMERICAN based company i don't own it..

How do you feel about new Dodges? Previously, they were owned by Mercedes, now owned by Fiat.

 

[lilcuda]

Love the "Jap Crap" 5 Hondas no major problems. All other makes (Chevy Dodge Ford)had heads, trans, transaxle problems. Ferd 6.0 gave up on it after I had more in parts than almost what it cost. O and most of my Hondas where made here in the U.S.A. . I kept up on maintenance on all of the different brands but the Hondas last.

I will give credit to the U.S. companies seems like they have improved a bunch in the last 5-10 years. The only U.S auto company I would buy from would be Ford they did not $u€k any government tit when the market went south that I know of.

The funny thing is, Accords are built in Marysville, OH.

 

[CudaDust]

Just have to know how to read the vin. and you can get an American made one evreytime. That way a least I know I'm supporting American workers. Makes me feel a little better.

 

[hemi71x]

My daily driver is a 2001 Honda Accord EX, 2 door, coupe, V6 automatic.
I have had it for the past 11-12 years, and now has about 190K on the odometer.
Other than regular maintenance items on it, all that i ever had to fix, replace, was the front engine mount, and the odometer numbers started to not show up, as they are digital, so i had to replace the instrument cluster.
Those two things only took one hour of my labor time to replace.
One hell of a reliable car, for me, in my estimation.

 

[stroked340]

How do you feel about new Dodges? Previously, they were owned by Mercedes, now owned by Fiat.

Wouldn't buy one of them either....

 

[71340Duster]

Wouldn't buy one of them either....

Well, I bought my wife a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. The warranty just expired and we've had a couple of problems with the display, they "fixed" that with a firmware upgrade. Every now and then the hatch won't close with remote, switch that's in the rear, or switch that's at the drivers position. I took a video of it not working into Jeep dealer when it WAS under warranty, they said they don't call it a "problem" unless the stealership can duplicate it or there's a code (both of course were non existent). I've owned a "fix it again Tony" Rally, needless to say I'm a little concerned. Hesitant to buy the extended "warranty" too.

 

[Abodybomber]

Sorry, couldn't get me to own one, simply 'cause of the fact I've worked on 'em.

Pain the *** that Honda treats cars like "Civic" or "Accord" is the make and the letters ("DX, LX, EX") are the models. Different brakes, different exhaust, sometimes even different suspension parts and engine pieces.

Kind of a pain in the *** when you have a "EX" in the air, and it takes a "DX" pipe with and "LX" muffler and then next "EX" that comes in has and "EX" pipe with a "DX" muffler.

That "parts counter guy/wrench experience" ,makes you think different than most standard folk. Dealing with electrical issues on late model V.W,'s, or sorting out spark plugs ,on early Honda hybrid Insights, it really makes you think....