engine and drivetrain Dumping this old car and getting a used Honda - Yes or No?

[KFunk]

Replaced distributor

Replaced center resonator & muffler

Replaced gas tank with rebuilt gas tank, repaired/repainted rust damage

Replaced clutch master & slave cylinders

Added High Intensity LED turn signal & relays in rear

Replaced headlights (Hella H4)

Sanded and painted rear of car

Replaced tie-rods

Replaced alternator

Replace windsheild wiper

Repaired damage to grill and repainted front

Replaced transmission/exhaust bracket

Replaced flasher relay

Repaired Wheel Arch damage

Replaced alternator bracket & bushings

Replaced tag light lenses and remounted correctly

Replaced ignition wires

Changed Oil & Filter

Bled brakes and clutch

Replaced Valve cover gasket

Replaced exhaust hangers & Clamps

Topped up transmission

Topped up and Adjusted Steering Box

Re-sealed gas cap flange

Replaced fan belt

Replaced Air Filters

Repaired wheel well rush through on left ft.

Remounted rear bumper correctly

Replaced spark plugs

Adjusted timing and idle

Adjusted clutch pushrod length

Adjusted bumper mounting

Does anybody else think much of this list is BS?

A whole lot of it is just cosmetic stuff, and says nothing about the reliability of the car. Like the wheel arch thing, if you smack the wheel arch of the Honda into a tree or something, you'll have to repair the wheel arch damage too.

Other stuff is just so basic and easy, I would never include it as a task.

If these things are as difficult for you as you're trying to make them seem, then perhaps you are better off with a new car and a warranty. Just make payments and have the dealership do all the work.

[Lorfjord]

Ive taken care of my Honda and she's dependable. Both cars are manual which in LA traffic...well...

at 78000 miles the timing belt broke...Ive had the seals replaced last year (over one hundred thou miles). I get the oil changed aprox every 3-5 thou miles, and am just now noticing that when I turn the a/c on, the power "get up" changes. Not bad for a 10 year old car.

My 02 mechanic intro'd me to my honda mechanic, (trust) and my honda mechanic says my car is great. I had a vtec civic ex for a year, so I dont know about those, but I prefer the prelude. the driving experience is alot better. And the car is the "top of the line Honda" which is considered better construction.

Unfortunately my honda has been hit ALOT but never sustained any mechanical injury (which may mean something). I spun out on Laurel canyon, was hit in 3 places (or should I say I made it hit 3 places) and mechanically she was still good.

my opinion is: keep the 02 (for love) but daily drive a prelude. You can find one for 2-6 thousand depending on the year.

As many people who have given me their opinions, as I go round and round about getting another old bimmer as a daily driver, the dependablilty says honda. I drive approx 50 miles daily, and I fill the gas tank once a week.

mechanically...the honda costs $10 less an hour for a mechanic than a bimmer

If you decide on a honda...thats 10 years old or so..specifically check the timing belt, the seals, and the clutch. I'm just now ready for a new clutch at 1038000 miles.

I'm open for questions. IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY...KEEP THE 02. the prelude is fun...but not the fun of an 02. the civic doesnt even come close.

If you get an old vw rabbit, (that was my first car) thats another set of issues.

the mechanics cost the same, as a bimmer & I had MAJOR MAJOR electrical problems. but the car was an 1984 rabbit. 10 years old at the time, she blew up....fire etc....

[MBH297]

If you don't need the money from parting out the car (is this not a bit of a waste?) then keep it as a 'sunday car'. Enjoy the 02, work horse the Honda.

[f1reverb]

I wouldn't be so harsh on 1984 Wabbits, as my brother has an '84 GTI he bought new and it now has about 300k on it and it still looks new as he's never been hit and maintains it properly. No engine work, no tranny work, no clutch, just the occasional CV joint/halfshaft replacement. His Cwazy Wabbit has been literally bulletproof, although he has strutbars, short springs, konis and some other goodies, so it vibrates your eyes out of their sockets on anything less than a billiard table. I think an early to mid '90s Nissan Sentra Se or SeR is the hidden gem that is overlooked. The Audi Fox was advertised as the BMW 2002 of the 1980s, and the Sentra SeR was advertised as the BMW 2002 of the 1990s. Also, what about an early 318ti?

[Guest Anonymous]

Get a Honda as it fits your lazy gen-z lifestyle and your parent's wallet is bottomless.

WTF is gen-z?

I'm almost 50, my parents are long dead, and I find it difficult to work on a car when all I have is street parking.

So tell me, have you relied on just an '02 as your ONLY car for the past 8 years living in an apartment and working on your car curbside?

[Mike_R]

I use hagarty and pay only $150 a year for insurance. So the only real cost to keep it is the money I spend on improving it. I have a 2001 C-RV and 1998 Civic for my wife. Oil changes, plug wires, regular maintanence, and the are both fine cars for everyday and commuting to work. Oh yea, they are paid for!!!

[Guest Anonymous]

Does anybody else think much of this list is BS?

Yeah most of it is cosmetic as the car has gotten to be an a bit of an eyesore. The front got caved in from someone backing into it and the wheel arch was also busted from someone running into it.

I include it as a task if it takes time. Bodywork takes time and it's difficult to do on the side of a busy street as I only have street parking. The time & effort of the previous 7 1/2 years before that list is a consideration too.

The fundamental cost of the car is one of time, not money.

If these things are as difficult for you as you're trying to make them seem, then perhaps you are better off with a new car and a warranty. Just make payments and have the dealership do all the work.

Great! I can count on you co-signing on my loan since you offer such wise advice right? That's my standard response to people suggesting your solution.

I don't get any takers.

[Mike Self]

'02, buying a $3k used car would be swapping the devil you know for the devil you don't know. As us logisticians/maintenance folks would say, you've now established a maintenance/repair baseline for your '02, so you can predict future failures and take care of 'em accordingly.

You've also learned how to work on an '02, which makes future repairs easier.

Buying another make, whether it be Honda, Toyota or Yugo will mean learning that car's repair philosophy, I had to go thru that when I bought a CRX winter beater a few years ago...I quickly learned that Honda doesn't screw cars together the same way BMW does, and that the CRX FAQ board wasn't nearly as informative as the 02 board...

As a 37 year '02 daily driver, yeah, my winter E30 is quieter, quicker and has a better heater, but I can hardly wait for the salt to get off the roads ievery spring so I can get my '02 out....and that counts for something when you think of cars as other than appliances.

BTW--didja consider a nice E30 as an alternate? They're pretty bulletproof and nearly as much fun as an '02.

cheers

mike

[Guest Anonymous]

BTW--didja consider a nice E30 as an alternate? They're pretty bulletproof and nearly as much fun as an '02.

Absolutely. My car previous to this was a 1985 318i I owned for 7 years. I wouldn't want to work on either a Japanese or American made car because I simply don't like their design philosophy. I own this car because I can work on it, and generally enjoy doing so when I have to.

[f1reverb]

on your car at an apartment parked on a busy street. Then it pays to have friends with houses who are car enthusiasts that will let you work there. It also helps if you've been a good friend over the years and helped your friends with their car problems and rescued them when they were stranded somewhere. The Friends of BMW book is a good place to look to see who is local to you, as those listed in there are willing to help too. You'll find me there even if I live in L.A. where there are tons of BMW people listed.

It actually takes less time and hassle to do your own work than to dump you car off at a mechanic, arrange a ride and do it again to pick up your car. I do have two cars and don't use my '02 as the beater, that's what my 533i is for and you can get one of those for under 1500 bucks and keep your '02. But you better be a good mechanic or repairs will kill you. You could always get an '85 Chrysler 5th Avenue with low miles from a granny for under 2k, and have a more reliable car than any import. Gas mileage of a car is not the only consideration, and paying a mechanic to repair a car isn't paid for by 30mpg.

I think the '02 is one of the cheapest cars to maintain there is -- no power windows to fail, no air to fail, no computer to fail, no seat motors to fail, no airbags popping that cause your car to be totalled even if there's no damage if hit, ten-buck headlights and on and on.

[scottt]

You may find parting one out from a parking space in front of an apartment can be difficult as well. If you're in the Boston area and want to sell it whole, let me know, I have an impending teenage driver at home that won't be driving the 73 that I've been working on for 4 years.

[Harv]

I think an early to mid '90s Nissan Sentra Se or SeR is the hidden gem that is overlooked. The Audi Fox was advertised as the BMW 2002 of the 1980s, and the Sentra SeR was advertised as the BMW 2002 of the 1990s. Also, what about an early 318ti?

I would have to agree on this one. Grassroots Motorsports has been playing around with one over the last year or so.

A friend has a e36 318i that he put H&R springs, bushings, billy sports inand it has treated him very well. He says it doesn't go fast by accident and it still gets 34mpg. I think an e36 318i might be a little out of your price range, but they are often overlooked.

John

[eastsidebimmer]

First off, keep your 2002. Get a collector car policy on the insurance so it's cheap to own and then find yourself a nice, used but well maintained daily driver—something that takes gas and oil only.

In my example, I picked up a 1992 Accord from a co-worker for 1,000. It needed a wheel bearing and the timing belt was due for replacement, but it’s a DAMN FINE car for the money. The car has 180,000 and runs like new--try to do that with a Chevy Caviler. Sure--new cars are nice, but no car payment is nicer!

Another smart choice for an Asian vehicle is an older Nissan Sentra. I'm not an expert, but I believe they use timing chains not belts, a good bonus that will keep maintenance costs low.

If you are smart about it, you can also pick up a used GEO Prizm for a very good deal. The car is a bone stock Toyota Corolla with GEO emblems, and that alone usually makes it worth less because of the defunct name. $10 worth of emblems and you can change it back into a Toyota.

Also, sticking with a 1995 or older anything will keep you out of trouble with costly OBD II sensors and associated parts that fail—you can virtually say goodbye to the check engine light forever.

Good luck.

Ben

[skipsfcr]

I'd keep the 2002. But if you get crazy and decide to go Jap I'd buy a Toyota Corolla...3 times the car a Civic is. Boring? Yes to be sure, a Corolla is boring as hell. It doesn't have the "ricer" sporty feel of a Civic but it'll spend a LOT less time in the shop and won't be the target of every thieving pimple faced 16 year old. Look at it like this: I own a retail auto repair business. There nearly an equal number of Hondas / Toyotas on the road around here. We work on FOUR times as many Hondas as Toyotas. Nuff said.

[meeks]

Get a Honda as it fits your lazy gen-z lifestyle and your parent's wallet is bottomless.

WTF is gen-z?

I was thinking the same thing.. I run my own business with 15 employees. I sure hope you aint talking bout me!