So it sounds like a new used LR tire of similar size, a transmission fluid change, and the brake interlock is it.
Drive until well done...
Drive until well done...
Prioritizing Repairs, Luxury Car Edition
- Thread starter The Critic
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Originally Posted By: PandaBear
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: supton
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That total doesn't seem to have the anticipated repairs for alignment, tires and shocks (struts?); is this just a "get it back on the road for now" estimate? I'd be all over this estimate, if that was all it took to pass inspection. I know it's an 11 year old car, but I bet it's rust free. Most of that stuff seems piddling.
That said, I'd rather send a car to the junkyard (or off to a new owner) with lots of problems that I didn't spend money repairing. Nothing worse than fixing up a car only to sell and not recoup that money. Fix and keep for a few years, sure. Fix and trade in a few months? Nah.
Good point about suspension parts. It could need hundreds there too.
[
That total doesn't seem to have the anticipated repairs for alignment, tires and shocks (struts?); is this just a "get it back on the road for now" estimate? I'd be all over this estimate, if that was all it took to pass inspection. I know it's an 11 year old car, but I bet it's rust free. Most of that stuff seems piddling.
That said, I'd rather send a car to the junkyard (or off to a new owner) with lots of problems that I didn't spend money repairing. Nothing worse than fixing up a car only to sell and not recoup that money. Fix and keep for a few years, sure. Fix and trade in a few months? Nah.
Good point about suspension parts. It could need hundreds there too.
That era of Hondas are famous for blowing up the transmission. This particular example already is on its 2nd one.
I do not believe the owner bought this car new.
How in the world is she driving without rear view mirror? She is not in Italy! By the way, just buy the thingy that goes on the windshield from Honda and the correct epoxy to glue that part back to the glass. If that part is still intact, then the plastic part which hooks up to it is very cheap from the dealer. This is all based upon my own experience with 1983 Honda Prelude.
The same question about "does not shift out of park". Did she brought the car on the tow hook to your place?
The "inspection"; are you talking about formal state inspection?
I do not believe the owner bought this car new.
How in the world is she driving without rear view mirror? She is not in Italy! By the way, just buy the thingy that goes on the windshield from Honda and the correct epoxy to glue that part back to the glass. If that part is still intact, then the plastic part which hooks up to it is very cheap from the dealer. This is all based upon my own experience with 1983 Honda Prelude.
The same question about "does not shift out of park". Did she brought the car on the tow hook to your place?
The "inspection"; are you talking about formal state inspection?
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Long list there. Funny how the hood struts wore out when the hood wasn't up that much. With a car like this, I'd categorize the things that need attention in the following format:
Immediate
Near future
Long term
Since getting everything done at once would be pricey and risky since the transmission could grenade which is a known weak point already mentioned. As Click and Clack would say, fix what is broken and/or a safety issue. I'd ballpark the value to be around $3k currently if that. Readers Digest(?) used to suggest not putting more than one third of the value into the car for maintenance/repairs. So one thousand there. I'd start with the small pidley things and safety items(brakes, tires etc). Don't let this thing become a money pit. Since the owner wants to keep it, see if they have a budget in mind to work with. Which is a big variable in this equation.
Immediate
Near future
Long term
Since getting everything done at once would be pricey and risky since the transmission could grenade which is a known weak point already mentioned. As Click and Clack would say, fix what is broken and/or a safety issue. I'd ballpark the value to be around $3k currently if that. Readers Digest(?) used to suggest not putting more than one third of the value into the car for maintenance/repairs. So one thousand there. I'd start with the small pidley things and safety items(brakes, tires etc). Don't let this thing become a money pit. Since the owner wants to keep it, see if they have a budget in mind to work with. Which is a big variable in this equation.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
The same question about "does not shift out of park". Did she brought the car on the tow hook to your place?
The "inspection"; are you talking about formal state inspection?
There’s a ghetto override for won’t shift out of park issue. You stick the key into a slot on the shifter, move the shifter out of park, then start the car.
Inspection = inspection that I personally did on the vehicle.
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
To be honest, I see most of the items listed as basic maintenance. Not sure why people are advocating to get rid of it? I've seen too many cars, just like that one go on to live a long life after some TLC.
For the pan and rear main leak, I'm not too sure I'd worry a lot about it. Even a small leak over time can look quite large. I would impress upon her to monitor/maintain the oil level as long as she can tolerate any spots on the ground.
The transmission is still the wildcard on these.
Oil usage seems minimal. When the car came in, I think it had been 8k since the last service and it was only 1 qt low.
The same question about "does not shift out of park". Did she brought the car on the tow hook to your place?
The "inspection"; are you talking about formal state inspection?
There’s a ghetto override for won’t shift out of park issue. You stick the key into a slot on the shifter, move the shifter out of park, then start the car.
Inspection = inspection that I personally did on the vehicle.
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
To be honest, I see most of the items listed as basic maintenance. Not sure why people are advocating to get rid of it? I've seen too many cars, just like that one go on to live a long life after some TLC.
For the pan and rear main leak, I'm not too sure I'd worry a lot about it. Even a small leak over time can look quite large. I would impress upon her to monitor/maintain the oil level as long as she can tolerate any spots on the ground.
The transmission is still the wildcard on these.
Oil usage seems minimal. When the car came in, I think it had been 8k since the last service and it was only 1 qt low.
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
Nah, I was talking more about the mirror and air box tabs, SRS computer, etc.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
Nah, I was talking more about the mirror and air box tabs, SRS computer, etc.
I would fix all of the visible stuff...detail it and trade it in.
1. Acura Cl is not a luxury car.
2. Yes, this is the age of bad Honda Acura transmissions.
3. If you do free labor repairs for a friend, the friend may just sell it as soon as you are done. Since repairs to a running car do little to increase trade in value, you might be wasting your labor.
4. Yes, you can paper clip from 4 to 9 on the obd connector to read the SRS code. Did it along with lots of repairs on my unreliable Honda. http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=636707
Best of luck.
2. Yes, this is the age of bad Honda Acura transmissions.
3. If you do free labor repairs for a friend, the friend may just sell it as soon as you are done. Since repairs to a running car do little to increase trade in value, you might be wasting your labor.
4. Yes, you can paper clip from 4 to 9 on the obd connector to read the SRS code. Did it along with lots of repairs on my unreliable Honda. http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=636707
Best of luck.
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Originally Posted By: thrace
1. Acura Cl is not a luxury car.
Is that a jab at Acura or the CL itself?
It is regarded as a "personal luxury coupe" Basically a TL coupe.
Originally Posted By: thrace
2. Yes, this is the age of bad Honda Acura transmissions.
Yes it is.
1. Acura Cl is not a luxury car.
Is that a jab at Acura or the CL itself?
It is regarded as a "personal luxury coupe" Basically a TL coupe.
Originally Posted By: thrace
2. Yes, this is the age of bad Honda Acura transmissions.
Yes it is.
Originally Posted By: The Critic
This past weekend, I worked on a 2003 Acura CL Type-S. It was in for an oil service, inspection and window regulator. The current mileage was 148k.
After looking over the car, it was clear that it had seen better days. Aside from a remanufactured transmission at around 70k, the car had not seen any maintenance other than oil changes.
Here were the items that I found to be in need of attention:
- 105k/Timing Belt Service, not done
- Rear Main Seal, moderate leak
- Engine Oil Pan, moderate leak
- Rearview mirror, fell off and wiring harness needs repair
- Does not shift out of park, shift/lock issue - possible brake switch or fuse
- SRS Light is on, need dealer diagnosis
- Power Steering Pump, small leak
- Power Steering Fluid Level, low - suggest top off
- Cabin Filter, dirty
- Transmission Fluid, dirty - suggest multiple drain/refills
- Hood shocks, dead
- Brake Fluid, dirty
- Air Box, broken tab - still seals adequately
- Battery Tie down, missing
- Battery terminals, moderate corrosion
- Slight play when rocking tires side-to-side, may need inner tie rods - need further investigation
- L/R tire has severe cupping, suggest replacement and 4-wheel alignment
- Front & Rear Shocks, marginal performance
Upfront, I told her that walking away and getting another car should be seriously considered, but I think she's adamant about keeping it.
Therefore, I think I should do the timing belt service, replace the trans/brake fluids, replace the rearview mirror and brake switch, replace the cabin filter & hood shocks and keep an eye on the other items.
What do you guys think?
IMO, order of importance...
1. T-belt, top off low PS fluid, clean battery terminals and spray some protectant on them, replace the brake switch, replace cabin a/f.
2. Trans fluid...at least the first drain & fill. It's probably going to go out again anyway though, she already went too long without changing the fluid. CL transmissions are really bad.
Those things first because the severely overdue maintenance could kill the car at any time, corrosion can keep it from starting at any time, and the brake switch issue has got to be really annoying and is not very safe. Cabin a/f is just too cheap not to do, I don't understand why people let them get so nasty. If really clogged it can kill the blower motor.
3. Tie rods, tire, shocks/struts, alignment, anything else marginal in the suspension.
Those next because a ragged out suspension can really make a car [censored] to drive, it's damaging her tires, and it's also a safety issue.
4. Battery tie down, hood shocks, brake fluid. Moderate safety stuff, but not stuff that's needed right away.
5. Air filter housing because OCD.
I would leave the PS pump alone unless it makes noise or leaks a large amount.
Though it is a safety issue and the car's air bags are likely inop if the SRS light is on, it's probably not worth fixing. Lots of Honda vehicles from that era have the SRS light on. Might be worth a diagnosis though just in case it is something that can be fixed reasonably.
This past weekend, I worked on a 2003 Acura CL Type-S. It was in for an oil service, inspection and window regulator. The current mileage was 148k.
After looking over the car, it was clear that it had seen better days. Aside from a remanufactured transmission at around 70k, the car had not seen any maintenance other than oil changes.
Here were the items that I found to be in need of attention:
- 105k/Timing Belt Service, not done
- Rear Main Seal, moderate leak
- Engine Oil Pan, moderate leak
- Rearview mirror, fell off and wiring harness needs repair
- Does not shift out of park, shift/lock issue - possible brake switch or fuse
- SRS Light is on, need dealer diagnosis
- Power Steering Pump, small leak
- Power Steering Fluid Level, low - suggest top off
- Cabin Filter, dirty
- Transmission Fluid, dirty - suggest multiple drain/refills
- Hood shocks, dead
- Brake Fluid, dirty
- Air Box, broken tab - still seals adequately
- Battery Tie down, missing
- Battery terminals, moderate corrosion
- Slight play when rocking tires side-to-side, may need inner tie rods - need further investigation
- L/R tire has severe cupping, suggest replacement and 4-wheel alignment
- Front & Rear Shocks, marginal performance
Upfront, I told her that walking away and getting another car should be seriously considered, but I think she's adamant about keeping it.
Therefore, I think I should do the timing belt service, replace the trans/brake fluids, replace the rearview mirror and brake switch, replace the cabin filter & hood shocks and keep an eye on the other items.
What do you guys think?
IMO, order of importance...
1. T-belt, top off low PS fluid, clean battery terminals and spray some protectant on them, replace the brake switch, replace cabin a/f.
2. Trans fluid...at least the first drain & fill. It's probably going to go out again anyway though, she already went too long without changing the fluid. CL transmissions are really bad.
Those things first because the severely overdue maintenance could kill the car at any time, corrosion can keep it from starting at any time, and the brake switch issue has got to be really annoying and is not very safe. Cabin a/f is just too cheap not to do, I don't understand why people let them get so nasty. If really clogged it can kill the blower motor.
3. Tie rods, tire, shocks/struts, alignment, anything else marginal in the suspension.
Those next because a ragged out suspension can really make a car [censored] to drive, it's damaging her tires, and it's also a safety issue.
4. Battery tie down, hood shocks, brake fluid. Moderate safety stuff, but not stuff that's needed right away.
5. Air filter housing because OCD.
I would leave the PS pump alone unless it makes noise or leaks a large amount.
Though it is a safety issue and the car's air bags are likely inop if the SRS light is on, it's probably not worth fixing. Lots of Honda vehicles from that era have the SRS light on. Might be worth a diagnosis though just in case it is something that can be fixed reasonably.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
Nah, I was talking more about the mirror and air box tabs, SRS computer, etc.
Sorry, I missed that. I agree with you there. Looks like the car also may be a candidate for many junk yard parts in the near future too lol
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
1st stop: junk yard for parts.
Junk yard for these parts??? Don't think that us wise at all.
Timing Belt Kit - $300 (Genuine Honda Timing Belt, Water Pump, Drive Belts, Hydraulic Tensioner)
Spark Plugs - $60
Cabin Filter - $12
Trans Fluid - $80 (10 qts @ $8/qt for Honda DW-1)
Brake Fluid - $8
Brake Switch - $30
Hood Shocks - $65
Total: ~$600
Nah, I was talking more about the mirror and air box tabs, SRS computer, etc.
Sorry, I missed that. I agree with you there. Looks like the car also may be a candidate for many junk yard parts in the near future too lol
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