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Honda Civic: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • hprickettxhprickettx Member Posts: 23
    I'd bet that your shop has missed diagnosing the inner cv joints as being the problem.

    Is your shop a dealer or independent? Try taking it to a another shop for a second opinion.
  • bigmojoman2bigmojoman2 Member Posts: 10
    i took it back to the honda shop (dealer) and they have concluded that is is definately inner cv joints. the only problem is that they cannot determine which joints, that they will have to get worse. they did say that it was definately two of them.

    i am planning on just going ahead and replacing the half-sleaves which hold the inner cv joints myself with the aide of my shop savvy father in law. anyone have any advise on this procedure? i believe it would cost in the ball park of around $200 to do. i don't have the patience to wait till my problem gets worse. to me, the problem is bad already whenever i am driving the thing.

    honda quoted me at $800 to replace 2 inner axel joints. an independent quoted me $400. hopefully we can do it by replacing the half sleaves for around $200.

    (i may be incorrectly calling them half sleaves. i think that is what my father in law told me)

    anyways...thanks for all the input. you guys rock.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    It is not real hard to do except for the axle nuts being on there kinda tight and at times the shafts freeze themselves in the hub.Neither is a big deal just take some muscle work and a little persuasion with a hammer.If you need step by step instructions let me know and I will do my best to give them to you.I would also take a guess on left or right and do one at a time. If one side or the other has ever had a leaky boot then that is the one I would start with.
  • bigmojoman2bigmojoman2 Member Posts: 10
    hey auburn! if you can, step by step would be very, very, appreciated. if not, no sweat. i think i could buy a chilton or something if i need to. also do you know if axel nuts are right or left hand thread? and what size socket is required to loosen nuts?

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
  • spokanespokane Member Posts: 514
    The axle nuts have right-hand threads. It's easiest to break them loose with the tires on the ground ...but just barely crack them loose at that time. Next, put the car on blocks to get the weight off the tires and loosen the nut(s) about two turns. If the end of the axle is not loose in the wheel bearing, force it loose with a wheel puller or (second choice) a hammer. Remove the axle nuts and the wheels. Now Remove the damper fork(s). Next separate the ball joint from the lower arm. This can result in damage to the ball joint an/or its grease boot if not done carefully - some hammering and tugging are involved here. You will probably want help from someone who has done this before on a chassis similar to the Honda. Also note that, after the ball joint is separated, you can turn the steering wheel away from the work side to position the knuckle so you have more room to now slide the outer end of the axle from the knuckle assy. Now remove the axle from the transmission by using a large screwdriver to gently pry the inner CV joint housing away from the transmission housing. Ease the axle assy out straight to avoid damage to the seal.

    Install the replacement axle assy in the transmission being sure the ring snaps in place so the inboard CV joint housing can't slide in and out. Slide the other end into the knuckle and install the axle nut finger tight. Now install the fork being sure the tang on the back of the strut fits in the slot on the fork. Snug the two fork bolts; don't tighten them yet. Attach the ball joint to the lower arm. Tighten the castle nut to 36 ft-lb; a little more if necessary to fit the cotter pin. Now torque the axle nut to 135 ft-lb and stake the nut in place. Lower the car to get full weight on the wheels and torque the fork bolts; top bolt 32 ft-lb and the bottom bolt to 47 ft-lb. Refill transmission. Hope I didn't forget any crucial steps. Good luck.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    Yeah what he said....... :) I find that if you get a good hit with a hammer on the lower arm near the balljoint it shocks it loose and you can pull it on out. Axle nut is a 1 1/4 inch,lower ball joint castle nut 17mm, shock fork bolt and nut 17mm, lugs of course 19mm...Good luck
  • dash400mdash400m Member Posts: 55
    I have a near-mint, automatic '85 Civic Wagon with ~240,000 miles (1.488L). This past Saturday the cam shaft snapped.

    The local Honda dealer has recommended the installation of a Jasper reman'ed engine, including all new parts/accessories. The total cost is $3,700, with a 3yr./50,000 mi. warranty. Given the near-mint condition of this car, is the $3,700 too high. My alternative is a new Civic HX/CVT for ~$16,000. Are these Jasper remans' of known quality?

    Comments appreciated.
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    Heck no, it's not worth $3700. Getting any money when you go to sell an old car is next to impossible... especially with that kind of mileage. Even if the engine is new, other things will go and probably be costly. I just bought a new '00 EX coupe, and with persistence, you can get a really good deal. It's a great car, just the dealer sucked. Be real aware of dealer aftersell, it's all grossly overpriced unnecessary stuff. Sticker was $16,800 and I paid $15,300. From reading this board, I see I should have paid $14,900 or $15,000 using Cars Direct. It's a good value for a well equipped Honda. But your choice is a personal decision, if YOU feel the car is worth $3,700, go for it. Let us know what you decide.
  • grdgrd Member Posts: 4
    Is it necessary to replace timing belt on 94 civic with 85000 mi.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    Dash,
    Sounds a little high but the warranty on the motor is 2 years better than the ones we get. 3 years 36,000 is on ours.But even with that said I kinda agree with Smore, thats alot of money for a high mileage car.The 3700 dollars is probably about a years worth of payments on a new one and in a year you will probably need to put more money into the 85.Good luck

    Grd,
    6 years 90,000 miles is the recomendation and I think that Honda has a good idea on how long they last because I see several break in and around that mileage.There will be those that have taken the gamble and been lucky to never break one in 100,000 + miles but it is just that a gamble on breaking down and possibly causing engine damage.So I would replace it soon if not now then before 100,000 atleast.
  • kblaukblau Member Posts: 5
    This is a re-post from another board. I was told that Auburn96 might be able to help. Any advice would be helpful---


    I have a 96 Civic DX Coupe with almost 64,000
    miles on it. For the last 5 months, I have noticed
    when i check the oil between changes, it seems
    low. I've added 1/2 a quart here and there, but
    never gave it much thought. I changed the oil on
    9/3, put 600 miles on it this week, and now it is 1
    1/2 quarts low again. It's not leaking at all and
    I have had no problems driving it. No warning
    lights, nothing out of the ordinary. I have been
    advised to keep checking the oil and get rid of it
    ASAP before the motor dies on me. I have used only
    synthetic oil since day 1 and I never expected
    this car to last only 4 years. Part of the reason
    I paid more than I really could afford to for the
    civic was it's reputation. I had hoped it would
    last an easy 100,000 miles with no sweat. Needless
    to say, I am extremely disappointed that a 4
    year-old car has become so unreliable that I am
    afraid to drive it. My next car will be a Toyota.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    That is unusall for a Honda that young that has been well maintained.Do you see any smoke coming out the tail pipe? The only suggestion I can think of besides calling America Honda and speaking to customer service would be to try and see if you can clean the cylynder rings.If you can see smoke out the back on accel then you could try getting the motor to operating tempeture.Then drain the oil and refill it with Automatic trans fluid. Let it run at 1,000 rpms for about 10 minutes.Then take on short drive(5 min) and then drain fluid and refill with engine oil and new oil filter.We have used this method on Passports to clean out lifters and stop noises and have also used it on a 80,000 mile old Accord that was burning oil and it helped it.However results may vary for you depending on what your actual problem is.I would try to call Honda customer service first and see what they say.I think the phone number is in your owners manual if not call your local dealer for the number.Good luck
  • ec123ec123 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2000 si with 2,600 miles on it. I know the owner's manual recommends oil changes every 3,750 miles. I'm so used to having an oil change done every 3,000 miles. Will I be okay in sticking to the factory schedule? Or should I do the oil changes at the conventional time...3,000 miles. And why the disparity in mileage? Thanks guys!
  • grdgrd Member Posts: 4
    Why don,t HONDA mention anything about replacihg timing belt in maintance book at 6 yrs. or 90000 mi.
  • rfruthrfruth Member Posts: 630
    Had the oil (& filter) changed at 3000 then 6400 miles in my Civic hatch but have read in newsgroups (alt.autos.honda & rec.autos.makers.honda)that they (Honda's in general) don't need the oil changed every 3000 miles, lots of RTFM (read the fine manual) and follow their suggestion messages.

    Rob Fruth - Houston, Tx
    http://freeweb.pdq.net/rfruth

    1981 Raleigh for commuting, errands & fun
    1997 Trek 2300 for real fun !
    2000 Civic DX hatch non v-tec 1.6 L 5 speed
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    Regarding your oil change intervals, remember the 3750 mileage interval is a guideline AND it's a huge marketing tool for Honda! Everytime your car is in there for an oil change, it gives them exposure and an opportunity to sell you more things (accessories, parts, repairs, or even a new car). Be your own judge based solely on your driving. Heat burns off impurities. I drive the highway alot and have always gone very high mileage on all my cars with oil changes at 5 to 8k. But if you do alot of city driving, and the car rarely reaches normal operating temp, then frequent oil changes are a good idea. Whatever you do, do NOT exceed the recommended mileage in the owner's manual for normal driving (I think it's 7k) or you may void your warranty. By the way, how do you like your Civic?
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    I have a 1999 Civic EX sedan (automatic) with 43,000 miles. When I bought the car in November 1998 I was travelling 100 miles per day (99% on the highway) to and from work. I moved and now drive about four miles to work in stop-and-go traffic. While I have always changed the oil every 4,000 miles, I followed the "normal" maintenance schedule in the owner's manual when driving long distances. Now the dealer wants me to follow the "severe" maintenance schedule in the owner's manual. Is this really necessary? I live in central Pennsylvania, so it's not extremely hot or cold for long periods of time.

    Another question - I took my car in for an oil change and tire balancing today (every time the dealer rotates the tires it throws the tires out of balance - don't ask me why.) I made an early appointment and waited for the car. The service advisor comes in and asks me if I want this "new service" that cleans out the carbon and removes "varnish" from inside the engine. The dealer is now offering it to customers whose cars have passed the 20,000-mile mark. It supposedly improves performance, smoothness and fuel economy. The cost? Only $79, which was impressive considering that this "new service" couldn't take more than 20 minutes. (It was a little after 8 a.m.; he knew I had to be at work by 9 a.m.). I said no.

    What could he have been talking about? How can you remove carbon and varnish in that length of time? I never had this type of service performed on any of my previous Hondas (a '93 and '96), and they always ran well even and still got great gas mileage when I traded them (at 90,000 miles). I'm not going back to this dealer if the service advisor pushes unnecessary services. I don't have this much money!
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    First: Frequent oil changes for a car which only goes 3-4 miles in traffic is not a bad idea.
    Second: Do NOT waste $80 on some new service which is probably nothing more than a can of fuel injector cleaner (if even that!). A good friend of mine worked at a car dealer and the only word he used was "unscroupulous". I believe it. I am not saying all dealers are bad; but my experience is most of them have their hand in you pockets and really push for completely unnecessary services.
  • markwmarkw Member Posts: 8
    my 98 Civic had an slowly worsening speed vibration that turned out do be bad hub on the front.
  • liefertliefert Member Posts: 1
    I do not know if anyone has broached this possibility with you, but I do not want to surf the responses to see. My wife's 1988 LeSabre started to shake in the front end like out of balance tires. At first, the shaking was intermittent; then it occured after 2 or 3 mies of driving. It only showed up above 30-35 mph.

    I asked all of the so called experts their analysis and replaced the (whatever took the place of a coil for fuel injection) ??? with one that metered good at a salvage yard. At first I thought the problem was gone.

    But, it showed up within days. I went back to the area Vo-Tech (they replaced a sparkplug at an earlier visit)(I did notwant to spent $60/hr at a shop that was telling me they would analyze the problem) and this time got a student about 40 years old. He was from Africa, where his arab parents had moved to.

    A long story, but guess what. The student called me and said your car's computer is faulty for plug or injector (memory dims after 65) and your car engine starts loading at higher speeds. So, for $90 (No labor charge) he replaced the computer. Walla, the car has operated smoothly (82,000 actual miles now, 72,000 then). I told him he knew more than all of the previous "experts" I asked and he apparently agreed. He quit school (think he got a diploma to work in the USA) and went to work.
    Whoever gets him as a mechanic will get a smart one.

    My point is, find out if your computer is o.k..
  • ec123ec123 Member Posts: 12
    To answer your question, smore...I really like the car a lot. I'm hoping to hang onto this car for a while... :-) I'm at student at the Univ. of illinois...and so a lot of my trips are short ones. My question was between changing the oil at 3750 or 3000...I guess I'll stick with the 3750 mi, since that's what the manufacturer recommends. The only problem I've noticed with the car is an occasional squeak that seems to be coming from the drivers seat when I do a "not-so-smooth" shift in the lower gears. Has anyone else experienced that problem?
  • dash400mdash400m Member Posts: 55
    Smore and Auburn63,

    Thanks for the comments. I've gone ahead and ordered the 1.5L remanufactured engine from Jasper (through the Honda dealer). The final estimate was ~$3500 -- engine at $2100, accessory parts at $300 and labor at $1100. The car will be ready late next week.

    As I said, the car prior to the camshaft break was in near-mint condition at ~240,000 miles. Throughout the years I've had regular maintenance, including major repairs resulting from normal wear.

    A little history on this dude: It was built in Tokyo. I ordered the car from Wilde Honda (Milwaukee) in February, '85 -- I waited ~3 months for its delivery. As you might guess, the car wasn't very popular, so the waiting period was a result of, "Gosh, who the heck wants that car?" The only accessories I ordered were automatic transmission, AC and an AM-only radio. The first thing I did when the car arrived was a trip to Ziebart for a "super" undercoating. As you might already know, Honda was still having rust problems with their cars in the mid-80s.

    I had no problems with the car until 55,000 miles -- failing floats in the carburetor. I had the transmission rebuilt from scratch at 130,000 miles; replaced the alternator at 140,000 (Bosch); replaced the front axle assembly at 175,000; installed heavy-duty seat covers at 180,000; replaced the ball joints (radius arms), and front and rear struts (KYB) at 210,000; and now, the engine at 240,000. I've gone through a few sets of CV boots, a clutch on the AC unit (still have original compressor) and three starters.

    Performance: What can I say? ~75HP and four Mic. tires will give the rednecks a run with their domestic junk on highway exit ramps. The car handles well, but I'd be lying if I said it could run a q-mile in anything less than 25s.

    I have an '89 Civic Wagon (175,000) that I'll probably get rid of next year. I may try the HX/CVT Civic. I also have a '98 Accord (4CYL/VTEC).

    Summary: I just spent $3500 for the deal of the decade [?]!

    j.w.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    That was our affectionate name for it for years because that is what it reminded us of. Glad to hear you have had good luck with it.I have several customers with 300,000 + and one that has like 450,000 so you have many more years of good luck to go :) ...Enjoy
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad I said "no" to the dealer for that special "engine cleaning" service. How dumb do they think we are?

    Regarding the maintainence: I will continue to have the oil changed every 4,000 miles or so, but should I stick to the "severe" maintenance schedule outlined in the owner's manual for the other items, as opposed to the "normal" maintenance schedule? The main difference between the two schedules seems to be more frequent checks of certain items and minor adjustments.
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    You have to do what you think is best. I am a huge believer in "A fool and his money are soon parted". I also have driven EXTREMELY high mileage on all my cars with virtually no trips to the dealers. Start with three things, first a good car. Hondas are excellent cars. Second, regular oil changes. Even if the interval is 5 to 7K, just make sure they're regular. Third, timing belt replacement, usually every 70 or 80k. Today's cars are so precise,they'll usually run a long long time without tune ups. SO to me all that dealer stuff is a waste of money, unless something actually breaks. But I'll stick with my methods as I've had three cars that ran over 200K almost trouble free with oil changes and timing belts only. That's a tough record to beat.
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    Glad you like your Si. I am kind of sorry I went for the EX rather than the Si. Where I live, they don't discount Si's at all, and the EX I got about $1600 off sticker so it seemed the way to go. I live on the East coast,and SI's are very stealable here... so that was a consideration too. But, every time I really step on the gas... I think I should have gone for the SI. GOod luck to you with it. If you're a student, is insurance really high?
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    i was reading an article about the new civic. it said that there isn't any room to add a front tower strut brace. i've always found that a rear stabalizer bar and a front tower brace is all that is needed for the civic ex to give it great handling characteristics. tell me it's not true about the tower brace.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    I haven't really taken notice so I will have to remember to try and check.
  • gross7777gross7777 Member Posts: 1
    My daughter had an accident in her 92 Civic as she rear ended someone and damaged the front of the car to the extent that it pushed the radiator and A/C fan back. The airbag did not inflate or appear at all. The firemen said that the impact was enough to activate it. I checked another web site and it said there had been some problems with them activating when they shouldn't. The manual says it only activates in severe conditions. Any comments?
  • dash400mdash400m Member Posts: 55
    What a name. A friend [?] at work calls it the "Rice-Bucket-Coffin-Box."

    I hope this new engine goes 300,000+. Too bad for me with this cam snap. The mechanic told me that the cam had no extra play, so it probably snapped from tension (old age). Oh well...

    I've been driving Civics since '74. I'd really like to get my hands on a mint 600-series sedan from the '70-72 vintage. Do you ever service any of these?

    Thanks again for your comments.

    j.w.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    I never did get to work on any however I did get to see them. I started with Honda in 83 and we had a customer coming in with one(not sure what year)but he asked for one of our A Techs at the time to work on his car.I had just started so I didnt get a chance at it.
    Good luck with the new motor...
  • dww67dww67 Member Posts: 1
    I have a '95 Honda Civic EX coupe. The "SRS" light has been on for about a month now. I just took it in to the dealer (Eagle Honda Dallas, TX) and I think they're trying to screw me.

    They tell me that the computer has stored 4 errors and it is impossible to "reset" the unit. Actually, they say that the unit "will not take a reset". The long and the short of it is that
    they want $1000 to replace the unit. $850 for the unit and $150 for labor.

    I have also talked with a couple other car repair places, not Honda dealers, who specialize in Honda. They tell me that only dealers can work on the airbag systems. They say that they don't
    even have the diagnostic tools to start with. They also tell me that the Honda dealers are interfaced together via computers, so I expect to get the same story from any other dealer that I would go
    to. This is compounded by the fact that they charge about $70 to even look at the problem. Getting a couple more opinions from
    Honda could add up fast in the cost department.

    Is there any way I can get a second opinion? Can this be true? Do I have any options? I have a sneaking suspicion that if I were allowed access to the diagnostic tools and told what to do with them, I could reset the unit. It seems fishy to me that a component which has never been used would suddenly need to be replaced without any other options for resetting or repair.

    Help!

    Bent over in Dallas,
    Greg
  • bigmojoman2bigmojoman2 Member Posts: 10
    thanks so much for the help you guys have provided. i spent sunday night and monday night replacing the half shaft on the driver side of the honda. it wouldn't have taken two nights if the auto parts store would've provided me with the right size half shaft. anyways, it wasn't that hard to replace thanks to the help you guys provided, as well as supervision from my father in law. most importantly, the car is driving wonderfully!!!!! no shake! thanks again!!!!
  • bigmojoman2bigmojoman2 Member Posts: 10
    hey guys. i have a question. is replacing a timing belt pretty easy or should i just take it to a shop? thx.
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    Been there, done that. DO NOT replace timing belt yourself. It is not for the Saturday mechanic. Honda engine compartments are very tight, and the positioning of a timing belt is very delicate. I strongly recommend having it done professionally. Make sure you go to a competent reputable shop. That's about the only thing I recommend the dealer for. If they tell you to get a water pump at the same time, it's really a good idea because access to the water pump is great while doing the timing belt, thus saving future labor costs. Good luck.
  • kblaukblau Member Posts: 5
    Thanks, auburn. I'm going to try that this weekend. The car has been kept in excellent condition and nver smokes or leaks. One question: does anyone know if synthetic oil smoke when it burns? Like I said, I hate to get rid of a relativly young car that I expected to have for 10 years.
  • echiang62echiang62 Member Posts: 14
    I have a couple of questions for you...I have a 3 month old Honda Civic LX sedan with manual transmission. After about 700 miles (it currently has 4800 miles) the engine idle speed is higher during a cold start than when it is warmed up. During a cold start the idle speed is about 1700 rpm vs 800 for a warmed up engine. Also even after the car is warmed up there is a 2 or 3 second delay between when the car comes to a complete stop and when the engine goes down to its normal idle speed. Is this normal? Also is it a good idea to change the manual transmission fluid the first time a lot earlier than when the manufacturer recommends? Thanks for your help in advance.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    Everything that you have said is normal operation.The cold idle will be higher and may even go a little higher than 1700 and then once warm the idle will drop down.It is also normal for a stick shift to have that delay. This is designed in to help with smoother shifts between gears and to keep the car from stalling while coming to a stop.
    There is no need(unless you just wanted to) to change the trans fluid before the recomended time.Once you do decide to change it I would highly recomend using the Honda manual trans fluid.We have seen problems with those that haven't used it.Good luck with your car..
  • ronlemronlem Member Posts: 1
    I've got a '97 EX sedan and this weekend the remote stopped working. Now I have to use the key to lock and unlock the doors. I don't think it's the battery because both remotes stopped working on the same day. The power lock button inside the car still works. Any ideas as to what is wrong with the remotes? The warranty ended log ago and I'd rather not bring it to the dealer if there is an easy fix.

    Thanks,
    Ron
  • cravecrave Member Posts: 4
    I just got a new 2001 civic EX sedan with a stick shift. it has a noticable whining sound when i drive on the freeways over approximately 75mph. can't really pinpoint where its coming from, but somewhere in the right front. i know it's a new car and probably only few people have this car but if you happen to know what i'm talking about, please let me know. i'm gonna take it to the dealer but it'd be nice to tell them the problem in more detail. thanks !
    btw, never pay above invoice. be firm and ready to go to another dealer is my advice.
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    are you saying you only paid invoice for a 2001 ex? if you did, you must be a great negotiator! if you have a secret.........share it with us.
  • cravecrave Member Posts: 4
    before i got my car, i did a ton of research on prices online. i never found invoice prices on the 2001's, but it's probably around the 2000 models. don't think that just because the design is new, they can charge more. thats what they want you to think. they're gonna make money from this design for years to come.
    you just have to prepare yourself for all kinds of tactics they throw at you. the bad dealers will have super nice sales people, and then give you vague numbers and throw you into the financing office as quickly as possible. in there, they'll start printing out contracts and explaining how they have to make a profit. don't buy it. they'll pretend to be shocked when you make your counter offer.. they'll bring in more and more 'managers'.. they'll tell you if you can find a better deal, good luck. they'll make you sign stuff they written on scratch paper.. you can play along with them, it's ok. just don't sign the actual contract and hand over a check the first time you go in. if you think y're getting a good deal, say you'll come back tomrrow. the car isn't going anywhere. honda doesn't make just one car that happens to fit all your needs. remember, if they're willing to sell to you, they ARE making a profit. so see how low you can go at one dealership, and go to another one and start there. you gotta make them think you're serious and ready to buy, and then they'll be willing to lower the price. go to a dealer that has won some consumer satisfaction awards from Honda. they'll be nicer and more willing to deal.
    as for invoice price, i think it's mostly crap. would you buy a t-shirt from GAP for 28 bucks if they told you it cost them a buck fifty? if GAP was a car dealer, it'd tell you the invoice for the t-shirt was 26 and MSRP it 30.
    don't back down. you'll be a lot happier to pay a price that YOU give them 3 years later when you're still paying the payments.
  • cravecrave Member Posts: 4
    err.. that last message seemd alot shorter when i was typing it. sorry ;) incase you're wondering, i paid 15500 for the car, and i KNOW that's high. if anyone is buying a EX sedan, aim below 15K and stay there (:
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    $15,500 is approx $200 over invoice. 15k would be under invoice. you got a great deal.
  • smoresmore Member Posts: 25
    You did get a great deal. Please let us know how you like the car. Interesting post about negotiating. I got a great deal on my Y2K EX, because they thought they would kill me on aftersell. Didn't work. The dealer where I bought was relentless and unscrupulous. But I was too smart for them. They really didn't know how to handle me. They "accidentally" added in the extended warranty which I vehemently refused. They also "accidentally" wrote up the deal with the wrong finance rate. Coincidentally, they also tried to screw me left and right. You're so right about more managers coming in, but, I just viewed that as more of a challenge and an opportunity to figure out where i could outsmart them next. It's a shame the industry has gotten like this, but it just goes to shwo you really can't be too alert. I do understand from others I know who recently bought that alot of car dealers operate like this now. SAD!
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    don't post your techniques in the smart shopper section of edmunds like the "any questions for a car dealer" or "inconsiderate buyer". those car sales "professionals" will rip you a new one :)

    they'll call you a few names like mooch or grinder and use some sarcastic dialog to show you what they think of anyone that would dare to try to get a good deal. i've been reading those forums for a few months and you'll find some real sleeze posting there.

    great job you guys....... that's the way to negotiate!
  • bnormannbnormann Member Posts: 335
    OK,

    Back to Maintenance folks. I co-hosted Smart Shopper for 6 months and don't want to hear ANY MORE car shopping nueroses.

    TIA Your host, Bruce
  • cc15cc15 Member Posts: 5
    I got this new Honda Civic 2000 Ex auto with ABS
    about three weeks ago. I posted a message about the noise from my car. It happens only after you first start the engine and drive forward (actually I heard it once when driving reversely). On the day I picked up the car, I went back and asked the salesman about the noise. He told me it was normal and it was from the ABS. Since I never heard it on other Honda cars with ABS, I went to the dealer's service department at downtown,and had a technician checked the noise. He told me immediately that it was a problem from the exhaust system. He also said he had never seen such a problem on a brand new car in his 21 years working as a technician. He changed a gasket, but the noise was still there. I
    went to the dealer's maintenance center on the same day and had another technician (who has 12 years experience)test drove it with me. This technician also told me it was the problem of the exhaust system. He changed the whole pipe (pipe B). We test drove together. The noise was gone then. But when I drove my car again a day after that, the same noise came back again. I went back to the downtown service again and asked the same technician (with 21 years experience)about the same noise, this time he told me that it was from the ABS. I'm still not sure whether it's normal or a problem from any part of the car. So I went back to the downtown service again today. The technician insisted that it was the ABS. The other person there (looks like he is a manager assistant there, with 15 years
    experience), told me that it was ABS. I asked him how come both technicians (one has 21 years
    experience, one has 12 years experience) told me it was a problem of the exhaust system and changed
    the gasket and pipe for it. This person said that
    the Civic ABS is new and a different system from
    other ABS,and maybe the first diagnose was wrong.

    Does anyone know anything about the Honda Civic EX
    ABS? Does it make any noise (it's loud enough not
    to be ignored)every time only after you start the
    engine and drive forward? Thanks.
  • auburn63auburn63 Member Posts: 1,162
    If what you hear is like a little buzz after start up and moving the car, then not again until the car is shut off and the conditions are repeated then, yes it is normall and is the ABS.To verify this find your ABS pump under the hood(big orange connector)usally a 2Pin and disconnect it and see if the noise is gone.Then reconnect. If you are not comfortable doing this then have the tech do it with you in the car with him.The noise will happen every time the car is started and moved so it is easy to duplicate the noise.The ABS does this as a self test and to keep the system active, which helps keep the solenoids from sticking.Good luck..
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    you're right. this forum should only be about maintenance and i'll try to control my neuroses. although i was very impressed, what does you hosting the smart shopper have to do with it?
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