Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

isellhondas · March 2011

Why, sure! Hence the 9.95 oil change special.

I have no problem whatever with a shop pointing out work they think needs to be done. It's when they start pushing B.S. stuff that irks me. The quickie oil change places seem to be the best at this.

michaellno · March 2011

If it's anything like my dealer .... they ALWAYS find something else to suggest you do... tires, battery, brakes ... SOMETHING.

I hear ya ... when Saturn closed down last year, a Chevrolet dealer was named as our "Authorized Saturn Service Center". Saturn sent us coupons for 4 "free" oil changes for both the '08 VUE and the '06 ION.

As noted, each visit was met with a suggestion that something else be done.

nyccarguy · March 2011

I saw an ad today for a 2010 Acura MDX w/ 8,314 "loaner miles" with the Technology & Navigation Packages. Original MSRP: $46,765, asking $37,981. It seems like the car is being sold "as is" with the remainder of the 4 year/50K Warranty & not as a CPO Acura.

What do the Galves G-ds say about this vehicle? $32,500 - $33,000?

Just curious. Thanks for your help.

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Yes, we were all born there from 1950 till 1954 but moved a little bit in '57 as I've been told. At the tire store, the guy wasn't pushing me to buy today at all & seemed truthful or else I would've had new sneakers on it now. usually get our tires at Tires Plus but this guy had Cooper Lifeliner's that were pretty meaty for a touring tire...don't really like performance tires...there also was a Yokahoma tire that was a bit more $ but was very meaty also...he told me both tires would not be noisy like the Fuzion sneaks I'm riding on now. But will take his advice for now & wait until the wear bars show & then I'll price match both stores against each other & see who really wants my business. Luckily I drive the Civic 99.9% of the time so no one else will be affected with me waiting.

Right now $'s a bit tight, as my leave is about used up, and I can get rides from other family members a lot of the time so my car can sit. Trust me, if things were different, I'd have replaced all 4 by now...I'm usually ultra conservative when it comes to tires for the wife & suspect I'll be the same with the girls...but honestly, I can wait.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472 · March 2011

And a free tire rotation which I found out once I got there...a money loser for sure, but I'd bet they get other work out of it. He mentioned the 30k service being due, but thin I've done most of it already...have replaced the air filter twice & also had the brake fluid changed at the 25k mark. Haven't touched the tranny fluid or the coolant as of yet...should I do these two things with just 32k on the odo? Would appreciate your advice Craig as you are the "Honda guru" here!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Don't you already have an MDX in charcol ?

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stickguy · March 2011

based on the manuals from my other hondas and acuras, coolant and tranny fluid is something like 7 years/105K. I think you are safe.

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Just what I thought actually...thanks!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

isellhondas · March 2011

No, that's not right!

30,000 miles is the time to change trans fluid, coolant and brake fluid.

fezo · March 2011

I think stick is thinking about the oil in a manual which is an entirely different thing. Yeah, auto trans fluid in every 30K.

stever · March 2011

Oh oh.

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Will I need to use a Honda specified fluid or can my mechanic just do it? And how about the radiator coolant? What mileage and can my mechanic do that also? I'll bet the Honda store will charge a pretty penny for all this. Luckily, all the mileage on my car has been pretty mild and it's almost as tight as when I drove it off the lot...in other words, it's been driven very conservatively over the past 4.5 years. Think I can push off the tranny & coolant swap for awhile longer until I get my 1st government check, which could take until sometime in May at this point. We need to live kinda conservatively until then on one salary or until I find a sedentary part time job, which in this kob market could be very tough to find.

Appreciate your help Isell...really!!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:

fezo · March 2011

You should be OK. Do use Honda ATF in that tranny. You don't want to screw around with that. Craig would know on the others but I suspect their coolant might be preferable.

stickguy · March 2011

I'm entirely too lazy to go out to the garage and get my owners manual (unless, of course, I need a fresh beer), but I am 100% sure that per the owners manual, the coolant and tranny fluid are way beyond 30K. Most likely 90 or 105K for the coolant, and the tranny fluid at 105K if they call for it at all.

I don't have a civic, but that is what I recall from recently looking up for my Acura, and about the same as for my accord.

the brake fluid is more often. Not sure on miles, but I believe 3 years.

Now, if you want to change it sooner, more power to you, but it isn't per the schedule.

nyccarguy · March 2011

You must have me confused with someone else. My wife drives a Black/Black Acura TSX.

grandtotal · March 2011

Haven't touched the tranny fluid or the coolant as of yet...should I do these two things with just 32k on the odo? Would appreciate your advice Craig as you are the "Honda guru" here!

With respect to isellhondas, the expert is in your glove box. Open your owner's manual, it's all in there.

jayrider · March 2011

Edmunds has a nice resource on maintenance for your vehicle. Even gives a ballpark figure on cost.

qbrozen · March 2011

Where can one buy cars at Galves prices, or how do they tabulate prices for cars where maybe 100 or so units were sold per year?

Why, at a dealer auction, of course. :P

But, as I've said around here many times, what matters to me when I'm shopping is what the dealer would pay if I were the one trading it in. So, for that car, if I go to trade it in here in NJ, the dealer will ONLY give me the galves number. So I shop assuming every car they have on their lot they ONLY paid the galves number for. If I pay too much, do you think a dealer is going to care when I trade it later down the line? Of course not. I'm still going to get the galves number for it. So I'm only slitting my own throat if I pay too much.

qbrozen · March 2011

suprisingly, it is telling me $35,500 bottom number. So seems like a darned good deal.

stickguy · March 2011

not sure about his Civic, but that advice is not as easy as it used to be. once they switched over to the maintenance minder system, they took the service interval chart out of the manual. I have the MM on my odyssey, but not my accord (both '05s). So, I use the Accord V6 (and my 2000 Acura TL) manual to estimate when the big ticket items are supposed to get done on the van.

Just for sandy, I pulled out my Accord manual (figuring the fluid intervals will be the same for a civic).

for "severe duty", they are;

oil: 5K/6 months, whichever comes first. They use 10K/1 year for filter, but that if flat out silly. normal use schedule for oil is 10K/1 year

brake fluid: 3 years, regardless of miles.

coolant: 120,000miles or 10 years! (same for normal and severe use)

AT fluid: 60K, miles not specified (normal service duty interval is 120K) .

Since severe duty includes mostly short (less than 5 miles) trips, and frequent hot weather driving, might want to go with that!

corvette · March 2011

The way Honda envisions the MM working on low-mileage vehicles, as described by a TSB, is that when you go in to the dealer at the one year mark for an annual service, the MM isn't showing any service codes on the dashboard display, but the dealer can still plug in the computer and read what the next service is supposed to entail, perform that work, and reset the computer. They are not supposed to try to sell you a generic "30k service" package, since there is no 30k service after the introduction of the Maintenance Minder.

stickguy · March 2011

well, pretty sure most of the dealer service departments didn't get that memo!

especially since whenever I go in,they are trying to sell me (guilt me?) stuff after looking at nothing but in service date and miles!

isellhondas · March 2011

Your mechanic can do this work. It's not rocket science.

Just MAKE SURE he uses Honda Approved coolant and transmission fluid even if you have to stop by your Honda dealer to buy it.

I'm sure you'll be OK waiting until May or even a bit longer.

isellhondas · March 2011

Now you guys are going to make me pull out my owner's manuals.

I'm sure it's not 105,000 miles but a person can certainly skimp if they want to.

You see, Honda and the other car manufactures have this little thing called Total Cost of Ownership that they strive to get as low of a number as possible.

The Bean Counters and the Techs fight over this all of the time. The schedules in the owner's manuals are for the MINIMUM requirements only.

I, for one, like to take better care of my cars than that.

If you walk into and Honda shop and pick a technician at random and you ask them how often they change their oil and other fluids, EVERY ONE of them will tell you that they do not adhere to Honda's schedule.

I suppose if a person trades cars every five years it probably wouldn't matter one bit.

stever · March 2011

I like to peruse owner's manuals before I buy a car. Doubt that many people pay any attention to service requirements at all (there are plenty of posts around here where people are upset to suddenly find that their rig requires a timing belt at 60k).

And there's a big incentive for the automakers to keep warranty costs low. Fudging the maintenance schedules for marketing reasons doesn't help keep those costs down.

I dunno - you were in the biz. How many tire-kickers asked about how often to change the oil or adjust the valves?

isellhondas · March 2011

Only the V-6's (Honda) need timing belt replacements now and it's at 105,000 miles. I took a hard look at a t-belt with 120,000 miles recently and it still looked new.

Fudging the maintenance schedules DOES keep these costs down because even a car that has had minimal service will last 100,000 miles and more these days.

Unless a person plans to keep their car 200,000 miles or more, the minimum requirements would work out fine I'm sure.

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Just found it and it says to replace the tranny fluid at 30k miles. Will be crossing 31k by the end of the month, so I think I can wait a bit on replacing it...probably do it towards the end of the year. Sure there's some leeway built in here but I'll wait a bit longer.
The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Nothing in my manual, guess the oil minder made having it in the manual obsolete. Here in Edmunds, it said to change the tranny fluid at 30k miles, but since I'm at 31,960 as of now, think I can wait a bit...probably by the end of the years. Personally, I'd think it would've been at the 60k mark!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:

fezo · March 2011

I hope our old Accord is good for 200K. It has 211K on it right now....

That is with being a stickler in its early day. Not so much now.

Sandman6472 · March 2011

Well, they tried to sell me the 30k service yesterday but I politely refused to do it then. But I knew going in that he'd say that, so I wasn't surprised when he did. Still plan to wait till years end at this point...I'll be lucky to even have 31.7 on the clock! And like I said, I tend to drive the car a bit conservatively.
The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stickguy · March 2011

the Civic manual calls for a tranny fluid change at 30K? That is surprising, since the Accord is 120k (normal) and 60K (severe).

won't hurt, but given how little you drive, and how long you expect to keep the car, seems like overkill on a Civic.

Now, I do ever 30K on our odyssey, but that is a preemptive strike so that when the crappy V6 tranny dies early, I have some ammo to get a good will freebie!

Sandman6472 · March 2011

It says 30k here in Edmunds, not in the manual which gives no figures. But yes, for the little amount I drive, will wait till the end of the year right now if not sooner.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

grandtotal · March 2011

I don't get it. You have your engine oil changed before it needs it, but you skimp on your transmission fluid change. FWIW I consider your operating conditions to be severe. Hot operating conditions in summer and short journeys.

isellhondas · March 2011

Steve,

I've seen many a Honda with over 300,000 miles and I once took in a very tired old Civic with 437,000 miles. I've heard reports of over 700,000 miles.

One thing that does happen is as the cars get older and the miles pile on, some people get lax with maintenence figuring the car isn't worth spending money on. THAT is when they start going downhill.

isellhondas · March 2011

I don't understand what the big deal is about changing transmission fluid?

On a Honda, you simply remove a plug and watch the fluid drain. Then you use a new crush washer and screw the plug back in.

Add I think three or four quarts of fluid and you're done!

This is neither complicated (as some cars can be) nor is it expensive!

Fresh fluid is always a good thing!

andre1969 · March 2011

Why, sure! Hence the 9.95 oil change special.

I have no problem whatever with a shop pointing out work they think needs to be done. It's when they start pushing B.S. stuff that irks me. The quickie oil change places seem to be the best at this.

My mechanic isn't cheap on oil changes, but when I had the Buick in a couple weeks ago, he also looked it over thoroughly and said there was not one thing wrong with the car. And I had him specifically look at brakes (still at 50% up front, better in the rear), transmission fluid (he said it looked new), coolant, belts, hoses, power steering fluid, etc. The only thing he noticed were the tires, which I know are going to need replacement soon, anyway.

I'm sure some places would find all sorts of stuff "wrong" with the car, but I'd rather pay a few bucks more for the oil change, and have the peace of mind that they're honest. Besides, with my old clunkers that I have in addition to the Buick, I'm sure they know I'll be in for something, sooner or later! :shades:

andre1969 · March 2011

Isn't there a filter or screen or something that's supposed to be cleaned out when you do a transmission service?

jayrider · March 2011

The trans has a filter that is included in a full service. You have to drop the pan and install a new gasket. Hence the expense. Look at the fluid on the dipstick. If it's bright and doesn't smell[taste] burned, then just drain and refill like isell said. Maybe at 60k miles do the filter as well.

isellhondas · March 2011

On Hondas, there is no "pan". Just drain and refill the transmission.

akangl · March 2011

there are plenty of posts around here where people are upset to suddenly find that their rig requires a timing belt at 60k

*raises hand* Guilty!

Of course then I turn right around buy another Honda Pilot, then again this time I *know* about the timing belt.

Speaking of my poor Pilot, it goes into the body shop Monday. Sometime in the past few days one of the chrome exhaust finishers fell off, it got smooshed in the accident and I guess it broke it loose. Progressive (at fault driver's ins) is still fighting to just pull the dents out and repair the gate. Thankfully the body shop is on my side and is fighting for a new liftgate.

Will be interesting to see what I get as a rental, they said it would be at least an SUV.

mark156 · March 2011

Akangl, I was wondering.... and you may have discussed this before, but have you ever thought about leasing since you change so often? Maybe even buying 'overage' miles during the lease period?

A friend of mine has leased many vehicles and currently just bought out his '08 Toyota Sequoia as his 3 yr. lease was up and he had purchased 75,000 miles but only put on about 53K. He got a killer deal to buy it out and decided to go for it (business vehicle).

I hope you get the new lift gate.

Mark156

akangl · March 2011

I was wondering.... and you may have discussed this before, but have you ever thought about leasing since you change so often?

I have thought about it and until we moved it was never an option, I averaged 35k/year. Now I usually hang between 12k-15k, although it does vary. I've had my '11 Pilot 6 weeks, its just over 4k miles now, and considering it had 3 miles on it when I bought it.....

isellhondas · March 2011

Jolie,

Your Pilot will need a timing belt at 105,000 miles or seven years and there is no way in this world that you will own it then!

corvette · March 2011

Modern belts are EPDM and look fine even when they're worn. After 120,000 miles, the water pump and timing belt tensioner are also likely to lock up and should be replaced at the same time as the timing belt. Might as well do the V-belt and V-belt tensioner at the same time.

I know timing chains aren't perfect, but I generally dislike timing belts.

akangl · March 2011

Your Pilot will need a timing belt at 105,000 miles or seven years and there is no way in this world that you will own it then!

You are probably right. I am starting to think it has a bullseye on it, never have I owned a car that's 1. been in an accident like that and 2. has come so close so many times to getting hit. I almost got hit making a turn the other day, my arrow was green for a left hand turn, I started to go and caught movement from my right. Sure enough, here comes a Dodge Dakota through a red light at about 65 mph.

It goes into the body shop tomorrow unless the weather looks like its going to turn bad, then I'll postpone it. I'd rather not be driving an unfamiliar rental with no snow tires on bad roads.

akangl · March 2011

I'm about as happy with how they are going to repair my Pilot as I can be. After tearing it down today they found the rear liftgate was far too damaged to repair, so a new liftgate from Honda is on its way along with a new chrome exhaust finisher, and a new tailight.

So for the next 2 weeks I'm driving a 2010 Chevy Tahoe LT, leather, no heated seats, blah, I want my Pilot back!

Sandman6472 · March 2011

That could be fun...enjoy it as much as possible!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

michaellno · March 2011

So for the next 2 weeks I'm driving a 2010 Chevy Tahoe LT, leather, no heated seats, blah, I want my Pilot back!

Sorry to hear about your vehicle issues. Here's hoping you get your Pilot back soon!

The CX-7 is running great ... got a skosh over 20 MPG on the last tank and the wife loves the feel of the road with it. Still playing with all the gadgets ... next step is to set the memory seats for the two of us.

akangl · March 2011

That could be fun...enjoy it as much as possible!

Hmmmm, let's see, horrible seats, nauseating ride, and about as much car personality as a lump of dirt......no fun there. However it does make me miss my Pilot and glad I didn't buy a Tahoe.

They are hoping to have my Pilot done within 2 weeks, but that depends on parts.

mark156 · March 2011

I signed up on the Honda website to receive information when the new 2012 CR-V is released. I'm having the '07 CR-V serviced tomorrow as it's time for an oil change and tire rotation. I don't take it to the local Honda dealer as they proved to me that they don't care about doing things right.

About two years ago, they had to put in a new battery under warranty, I also had them replace all the wipers too (done in California). When I towed the Honda back to TN with the motorhome, while driving the CR-V in the rain, the driver's wiper flew off never to be found again.

When I checked the new battery, the dealer never tighten it down and it was loose in the holder.

I decided to take the car from then on to my private mechanic for service and have ever since.

Looking forward to seeing the new restyled CR-V.

Mark156

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