# 1998 Honda Accord



## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

Hi All

We are possibly getting a 98 Honda accord with about 200,000Km on it. It was dealer maintained by the same mechanic my Dad takes his Honda to. The mechanic says its a great car and has had no problems. Is there anything to look for? I know the timing belt was replaced at about 150,000 kms.

I know nothing about Honda's so any help would be great.

Its $5,000


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## Strimkind (Mar 31, 2005)

Honda's are great as long as they are well maintained. Rust is one thing Honda's are very vunerable to so have a good look for that. Otherwise they are pretty good cars...my friend has beated the **** out of his Civic and barely taken care of it and doing stupid things like trying to brake on gravel and failing, etc etc. Yet it still runs alright (its in the shop today when it needed to be 6 months ago).


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

I heard they were pretty tuff. 

Im tired of costly VW Jetta repairs. I know Hondas are supposed to be more reliable so I think this a good idea.



Strimkind said:


> Honda's are great as long as they are well maintained. Rust is one thing Honda's are very vunerable to so have a good look for that. Otherwise they are pretty good cars...my friend has beated the **** out of his Civic and barely taken care of it and doing stupid things like trying to brake on gravel and failing, etc etc. Yet it still runs alright (its in the shop today when it needed to be 6 months ago).


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## gngan (Apr 6, 2005)

Hi Moonsocket,

I can only share with you some of my own experience:

Recently I traded in a 99 Accord EX - 4dr with 240,000KM on it. I sure was running good and I felt there's quite a bit of mileage left in the car. I'm not sure about the difference between the 98 and 99 models. The dealship gave me $5000. 

I had my first timing belt replaced at roughly about 140,000KM and it cost me about $700 (the water pump has to be replaced as well), so for your 98 Honda you're looking at about 80,000KM before another timing belt change is due (depends on your driving habits and the condition of the belt as well).

Further, my car had very minimal rust and that's also something you should be looking out for. Is the air conditioning working ok? If there's any freezing agent leak then you're probably looking at about $150. Be sure to ask about the conditions of the tires too...as it definitely is a fun and dependable car to drive.

All in all, I am really happy with my 99 Accord...there's really no big service items all along, other than the replacement of the 4 brakes (discs + pads) which cost me $1,000.

Depending on the condition of your 98 Accord, I think it sounds like a reasonable deal.

Hope this helps.


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

Thanks for the reply gngan. The car is in Moncton(we are in Fredericton) and my Dad is the one who is checking everything out. The Honda dealership in Moncton is the one that sold the car and has been maintaining it so I think it should be OK.


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## gngan (Apr 6, 2005)

Well then, should I wish you good luck with your new car?


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

Quite possibly!

It'll be nice to drive something different. We've had VWs for 15 years apart from 1 Volvo that was awesome. Im just getting tired of VWs. the early models seem to be of better quality than the newer models.


gngan said:


> Well then, should I wish you good luck with your new car?


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

My first Accord ('88 EXi) went 425000km in my hands and is still running (on the original motor) for the dude who bought it off me. My second ('92 LX coupe) I kept 340000km and is still running strong (again original motor) in the hands of a dear friend. My third ('95 EX Wagon) is with my daughter and has *only* 250000km on it and is running well - just hauled her and all her stuff to New Brunswick. I just bought a brand new 2006 Element (very much an Accord/CRV under the skin).

Change the timing belt and ignition (plugs, wires, rotor) on schedule and change oil often (5000-7500km) (and *NOT* at one of those bottom feeding Jiffy type joints) and it should go long... My mechanic claims he has never had to change out an Accord motor.

I went to Accords after getting tired of replacing brakes and/or suspension parts AFTER *EVERY* WINTER in VWs - Rabbit and Jetta.

My experience with Volvo is of the 'never, never ever again' variety. A Rabbit diesel could run away and hide from it - for the money the Volvo was a slug - might have been barely halfway acceptable if it was a Pontiac...... Remember: Volvo is now a Ford (wretcchh!!!)...


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

We (actually my eldest daughter now drives it) have a loaded 1990 Accord exr, that my mother originally purchased new. Despite a little rust the car just keeps on going. Everything still works, including the a/c, power sunroof & windows, etc.. That says a lot for a 16 year old car.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

rgray said:


> Change the timing belt and ignition (plugs, wires, rotor) on schedule and change oil often (5000-7500km) (and *NOT* at one of those bottom feeding Jiffy type joints) and it should go long... My mechanic claims he has never had to change out an Accord motor.


Wow, talk about painting every oil change shop with the same brush. 

Shame on you.  

My friend Frank runs the Lubex in my town and has changed the oil on every vehicle I have owned for the past ten years. I have send hundreds of people to his shop and all of them are pleased. He cares, does great work and is a well respected oil change location, even though he is part of a franchise.

To label them bottom feeders is like me labelling a Honda a pile of crap. I don't own a Honda, so I won't label them, but neither should jiffy oil change shops be labelled "bottom feeders".

That is just plain wrong and juvenile.

*end rant*


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

SINC said:


> Wow, talk about painting every oil change shop with the same brush.
> 
> Shame on you.
> 
> ...


Your friend would appear to be a worthy exception. OK, let me narrow my comment. Preference should be given to places that have a hoist and where a real licensed mechanic goes under the car where he can see suspension parts and so on and so forth.. Cars these days are by and large are so reliable that they rarely get scrutinised underneath. Unfortunately, product cheapening has resulted in things like brake and fuel lines and gas tanks, even oil pans rusting through. Many of these quicky oil joint have no mechanics on the premises.

Apologies to Frank, but he is an exception.


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## JAGflyer (Jan 10, 2005)

Hondas are good cars. You have to take care of EVERY car and it will last. Replacing a timing belt at 150K is a bit of a stretch. We usually replace the T/B in our cars at around 80-90K. My mom has a 2000 Accord (same body) and we haven't noticed rust, but it has nearly no mileage. Her first car (90 Accord) was traded in with 150K (which is mystery since my mom drives 10K a year). I carfaxed it and its now running somewhere with 250K. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Honda with 200K for the price. If the timing belt and major repairs are done you can drive it.


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

JAGflyer said:


> Replacing a timing belt at 150K is a bit of a stretch.


Honda's maintaince schedule says 168k km (100000miles) or 100k km if driven regularly in cold weather -29C.. I get antsy on timing belts at about the 120k km. I broke one on my 88 but did not do damage as the motor is not a 'valve slapper'. In newer models and other brands valves hit pistons when the belt breaks, destroying the motor in a semi-spectacular fashion.....


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

rgray said:


> Your friend would appear to be a worthy exception. OK, let me narrow my comment. Preference should be given to places that have a hoist and where a real licensed mechanic goes under the car where he can see suspension parts and so on and so forth.. Cars these days are by and large are so reliable that they rarely get scrutinised underneath. Unfortunately, product cheapening has resulted in things like brake and fuel lines and gas tanks, even oil pans rusting through. Many of these quicky oil joint have no mechanics on the premises.
> 
> Apologies to Frank, but he is an exception.


Not in western Canada, he ain't.

There are thousands of hard working honest Franks out here.

And for the record, he does not have a hoist, rather he has an underground pit, which incidentally gives him the same access to all those parts you speak of during an inspection.

And that whole line of reasoning kind of defeats your purpose in praising the virtues of any vehicle lasting for 400,000 km. If they really built all that stuff so cheaply, the car would fail far more quickly. 

Now I am confused. So are those Hondas good for the mileage and duration everyone is touting, or do they only fail if you take them to a jiffy change place?


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

Why is it so cheap? $5000 seems like a steal.


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## SoyMac (Apr 16, 2005)

SINC said:


> Wow, talk about painting every oil change shop with the same brush.
> Shame on you.
> My friend Frank runs the Lubex in my town and has changed the oil on every vehicle I have owned for the past ten years. I have send hundreds of people to his shop and all of them are pleased. He cares, does great work and is a well respected oil change location, even though he is part of a franchise....


Good for your friend, SINC. Three cheers for Frank!
But I know I've had the same experience that rgray speaks of. The JiffyLube or whatever it's called, (with an underground pit) broke my oil level gauge. I took my car back and while fixing the gauge they created a leak that spewed a pencil-sized stream of oil out of my car. I was on the highway between towns when I saw the gauge dropping again. I was lucky to find a farm co-op where I bought several litres of oil to get me to the nearest Canadian Tire. Never again will I take my car to _one of those bottom feeding Jiffy type joints_.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

SoyMac said:


> Good for your friend, SINC. Three cheers for Frank!
> But I know I've had the same experience that rgray speaks of. The JiffyLube or whatever it's called, (with an underground pit) broke my oil level gauge. I took my car back and while fixing the gauge they created a leak that spewed a pencil-sized stream of oil out of my car. I was on the highway between towns when I saw the gauge dropping again. I was lucky to find a farm co-op where I bought several litres of oil to get me to the nearest Canadian Tire. Never again will I take my car to _one of those bottom feeding Jiffy type joints_.


OK, that's two out of how many? Hundreds of thousands, If they did what you claim to every customer, they would not remain in business.

Crappy Tire is the biggest rip off service facility since the Firestone store days IMHO.

Even dealerships are out to screw you bagging used parts you never needed and came from someone else's vehicle. Wonder why they phone you an hour or so after you drop the car? The mechanic has a quota to meet and he "invents" a problem just for you. 

Get to know your local jiffy lube guy, get under the car with him and save thousands every year.


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

moonsocket said:


> We are possibly getting a 98 Honda accord with about 200,000Km on it.


I know Honda has an excellent reputation, but 200,000 Km is a lot. If your budget will allow it, you might be better off with a lower mileage example.


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## Gerbill (Jul 1, 2003)

200,000 km is a lot, but it _could_ be a good car.

One thing to watch for on these older cars is the shock strut units. They are pretty expensive to replace - not like separate shock absorbers on larger cars. Bounce each corner of the car - get it bouncing good and then stop and count how many times it bounces by itself. Anything over 1 1/2 bounces indicates a problem.

Also, make sure that all the little electronic functions work 100% - warning lights, climate controls, power windows, heated rear glass, etc. Seemingly trivial, but fixing them is expensive.

It is important to get the car up on a hoist so the weight is completely off the wheels - then you can give the suspension a good shaking to check for wear. Make sure that nothing in the undercarriage is leaking - steering rack, CV joints, axle seals. Don't worry about _slight_ oil leaks at the front and rear of the motor and transmission - they're almost inevitable on an old car like this. If they're serious, of course, they have o be fixed.


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## shoe (Apr 6, 2005)

Vandave said:


> Why is it so cheap? $5000 seems like a steal.


MILAGE

I owned a 98 accord drove it till 04, put 160 000 on it used it to haul mail for Canada post for a while. great car, EXCELLENT in winter driving. I had the coup ( 2 door) I had to replace the tires the timming belt the water pump and the oil. One thing no one else has mentioned though was the lower ball joints I had to have them replaced, do a search for that on the net it comes up as something taht wears on these cars and something taht needs to be replaced, if not serious damage can occur ( its part of the front end suspension)

oh and they like to resurface the brakes at honda forget that idea its about the same to just get new rotors put on.

shoe

ps just rememebred the cd player didnt like crappy cdrs, I had to buy memorex brand so they wouldnt search for the next song if i hit next track


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## imactheknife (Aug 7, 2003)

hey Chris...this is why I love accords and import cars...they just work....like macs...you may remember this video...

http://pulsar.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/HondaCog.mov


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

I had a '92 Civic that I traded in for my Ford Focus in 2000 the Civic had 260,000k's on the original engine and it was still going strong. Good luck Honda's are amazingly engineered machines and with care it should last twice the mileage it has now.

Laterz


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

imactheknife said:


> hey Chris...this is why I love accords and import cars...they just work....like macs...you may remember this video...
> 
> http://pulsar.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/HondaCog.mov


allways good to watch that comercial, do you know that the whole comercial had to be taken in a single shot everytime the timing went off they had to reset all the pieces and try again.

Laterz


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## moonsocket (Apr 1, 2002)

Got the car a few days ago. Very nice car. I like it much better than our Jetta. It was serviced at the dealer byt the same mechanic my Dad has used for his past few Accords.

It doesnt have a cd player and we'd like to get one. Do they have the trunk cd player option or does anyone know of good solution for a CD player?(not too expensive as it will probably be a Christmas present)


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