2003 Honda Accord Running for Nearly a Million Miles

I got the opposite. While you have to put parts and work into it, it never reached a “tipping point” where it got substantially different per mile. OK, axles at half a million. Engine mounts. A seat.

They were all one time deals, and his list of repairs, for which he kept a spreadsheet, wasn’t that big.

There is scheduled maintenance: oil, filters, brakes, tires. This doesn’t change over the long life of the car. It’s known, and can be planned for.

There is unscheduled maintenance. This is the surprise. The variable cost. But his weren’t that big.
This is why I don't like putting questionable replacement parts on my truck. There could come a tipping point if the vehicle ends up with a bunch of replacement parts such as starter, alternator, water pump, wheel bearings etc all from the local Napa or AutoZone etc...and they're all going to fail much much sooner than the original factory part did. Otherwise I believe your statement to be true.
 
Terrible engine choice with approx $1000 timing belts every 105k. Guessing he stretched that out to maybe 150k especially as it aged.
 
So glad it was Justin Kilmer....not that chuckling joker who talks, "round 'n round".
But... Scotty would say 'you're stoopid if you think any vehicle except a Toyota can make it to 1 million miles!'
 
timing belt for $1000 at set intervals, or timing chain rattle and timing chains are harder to replace... its a trade off. many timing chains (ford, Chevy, mazda, bmw, probably other cars too) start rattling before 300k and have to be replaced, and to replace the timing chain is way more work than a timing belt. this varies by manufacturer, many v8s have really short timing chains and no guides, these last longer than the 3 foot long chains that they put in ohc cars
 
timing belt for $1000 at set intervals, or timing chain rattle and timing chains are harder to replace... its a trade off. many timing chains (ford, Chevy, mazda, bmw, probably other cars too) start rattling before 300k and have to be replaced, and to replace the timing chain is way more work than a timing belt. this varies by manufacturer, many v8s have really short timing chains and no guides, these last longer than the 3 foot long chains that they put in ohc cars

One of the unspoken rarely acknowledged realities of a pushrod SBC style motor - if put together with a quality double row chain, it will likely have a very long life even at high HP levels.
 
@ecotourist
I didn't forget about this thread. I was going to swap in a JDM engine. Found an issue with it and changed course to a new Honda OEM J30A4 from Power Rev Racing.

I just checked all of the valves on my original engine that has not had a valve adjustment. Valve clearance listed with valve on the left listed first and the valve on the right listed second.

2003 Honda J30A4
Specs:
Intake 0.20-0.22mm
Exhaust 0.28-0.32mm

#1 cyl
Intake: .305
.330
Exhaust: .229
.254

#2 cyl
Intake: .305
.330
Exhaust: .229
.229

#3 cyl
Intake: .279
.279
Exhaust: .076
.254

#4 cyl
Intake: .305
.305
Exhaust: .178
.229

#5 cyl
Intake: .254
.254
Exhaust: .203
.254

#6 cyl
Intake: .254
.279

Exhaust: .102
.279

As you can see, a couple of the exhaust valves are pretty tight.
 

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@ecotourist
I didn't forget about this thread. I was going to swap in a JDM engine. Found an issue with it and changed course to a new Honda OEM J30A4 from Power Rev Racing.

I just checked all of the valves on my original engine that has not had a valve adjustment. Valve clearance listed with valve on the left listed first and the valve on the right listed second.

2003 Honda J30A4
Specs:
Intake 0.20-0.22mm
Exhaust 0.28-0.32mm

#1 cyl
Intake: .305
.330
Exhaust: .229
.254

#2 cyl
Intake: .305
.330
Exhaust: .229
.229

#3 cyl
Intake: .279
.279
Exhaust: .076
.254

#4 cyl
Intake: .305
.305
Exhaust: .178
.229

#5 cyl
Intake: .254
.254
Exhaust: .203
.254

#6 cyl
Intake: .254
.279

Exhaust: .102
.279

As you can see, a couple of the exhaust valves are pretty tight.
Great information. Thanks.

Not gapping yet but a few exhaust valves are certainly tight. As I recall that was after a few hundred thousand miles.

The intake valves are loose and the exhaust valves are tight, just as you would expect. The tight ones are all on the same side. Interesting.

I was planning to have the valves on mine adjusted with the second timing belt. The first timing belt was done a bit early due to a few very cold starts.
 
@TX Accord

Yours is the Accord V6 that made a million miles (and 920,000 miles before an exhaust valve burned). If the valve clearances on yours are typical I have a ways to go before a valve adjustment would become critical.

Did you ever hear any ticking (which you might have heard with loose intake valves)?
 
you consider what the property taxes are on new vehicles and the above mark up pricing...it's reasonable to keep it running vs letting it go to the junk yard. As a die hard fan of Honda and Acura, if I hit the big number I would still use it either as a backup car or make it a hobby car with basic bolt ons.
 
@TX Accord

Yours is the Accord V6 that made a million miles (and 920,000 miles before an exhaust valve burned). If the valve clearances on yours are typical I have a ways to go before a valve adjustment would become critical.

Did you ever hear any ticking (which you might have heard with loose intake valves)?
I've seen videos where people complain about Hondas sounding like a diesel and making all kinds of noise. I never felt that way about mine. Never really heard any excessive noise except for the engine sounded pretty bad after the valve issue past 920k. Even that noise seemed to get better. Otherwise, no excessive ticking on mine IMO.

I also thought it was interesting the tight exhaust valves seemed to be on the left side. I can definitely feel a difference there just by grabbing the rocker arm.
 
hondas do sound more rattly than other engines, until those engines get lifter tick or piston slap, then the honda sounds smoother.
 
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