So there I was... (III)
#1
Backing out of the in-laws driveway this morning on my way to work when snap...grind....

The big front piece of plastic (that one would call the bumper on any normal car) on my 2002 Honda Odyssey snaps off when it bottoms out on the pile of snow left at the side of freshly plowed road. Curse

I actually don't blame the city or the snow. I blame Honda. This mini-van in recent years has been nothing but a lemon and has just started to remove its peel in order for me to get the bitter taste of its sour goodness. :x At just over 100,000 klicks its tranny drops. $5,000 dollars later we have a replacement and a big hole in our wallets. Just about every time we take it in for service there is something "wrong" with it.

"Your brake pads need replacement." "You need a rad flush." "You need a tune up."

:hey: FRACKING H-E-Double Hockey Sticks!!! Wallbang

Here is the kicker. We barely clock 10,000 kilometers in a single YEAR on the vehicle! No kidding. Our last vehicle a Civic, which we owned from brand new for four years, when traded in had just over 35,000 kilometers on it. We've used our vehicles as a grocery getters, and park them at the subway parking lots and take the tube into work. A full tank of fuel for this pig lasts me two weeks. In my 16 years as a decent driver, (no accidents, no speeding tickets, couple of parking tickets) have never owned a vehicle that seems, well, so bloody fragile! I fear if I sneeze at this thing the wrong way something will break or it'll keel over while parked in the driveway. Bloody ridiculous.

I despise cars. Literally. Nothing but money pits. I own one not out of choice, but as a necessary evil. You can't haul the kids around in a bike trailer in minus 20 degree weather to grandma's house or to shopping on the weekends now can you?

So tonight in the cold, I get to go home and devise way to strap this sucker back on. I will not take it to the dealer. They will end up charging me a few grand and telling me I need more work done on it. I may just get some metal strapping, some pop rivets and be done with it. I don't care either how ugly it looks either. :x



Sorry...thanks for letting me rant...
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#2
No worries about the rant.

My secret to car happiness is to get another when my old clunker costs more then the fool thing worth..Of course I find good use cars from trusted car dealers and local sellers.

My current car is a 94(with a 95 engine) Buick Lasabre that is in excellent condition since it was well taken care of..

The best part? $1500.00 cash with 78,000 on the 95 motor..

I bought it in 2006 and its been a very good car with very little maintenance other then the routine oil change,a new battery and serpentine belt-the rubber band that runs everything.. 357
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#3
Normally, I don't care much for suv's. I think they became popular as an alternative to the manufacturers stopping production on station wagons for families; but if I lived in snow country, I think I would have an suv with four wheel drive and plenty of ground clearance. I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the Honda. I am a "car nut" and one of the things that amazes me is that the Japanese cars seem to be riding on a reputation earned when they built good cars. I have had too many friends tell me about the "lemons" they got when they bought late model Japanese cars thinking that they were getting the sort of quality and reliability that Japan built their reputation on 10 years ago.
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#4
I've got a 1994 Dodge Shadow ES, with a mitsubishi 6 cylinder, automatic. 211,170 miles and still going well. The cost of repairs, so far, has not exceeded the "monthly payment" I'd have to make on a "new" car, and I like the car.
Yeah, it just cost $500.00+ to replace the rear brakes (after 210,000 miles,drums, lines,shoes,etc.) but it's been several months without any maintenance costs. It does get oil, oil filter replacement every three thousand miles, and has since I bought it.
Oh, the brakes failed two blocks from where I get the car serviced, and were done that same afternoon.
There are some things, that go well enough for me, so I can't be too upset by the things that don't.
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
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#5
Your first mistake was in taking it to the dealer for service the minute your warranty ran out. Ask around and find a good local service centre - one with a reliable, honest mechanic. They're out there, you just have to spend a little time to find them.

Actually, your first mistake was in trading in your Civic.... those things are pretty bullet-proof... unless you suddenly had octuplets or something, I can't see why you'd unload the Civic for a mommy-mobile.

Finally, the answer to your problem can be found in duct tape. There's nothing you can't fix with duct tape. Just ask Red. Tongue Wink
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#6
Squidbait Wrote:Your first mistake was in taking it to the dealer for service the minute your warranty ran out. Ask around and find a good local service centre - one with a reliable, honest mechanic. They're out there, you just have to spend a little time to find them.

Yep. :? We've stopped taking it to dealer after the tranny fiasco.

Squidbait Wrote:Actually, your first mistake was in trading in your Civic.... those things are pretty bullet-proof... unless you suddenly had octuplets or something, I can't see why you'd unload the Civic for a mommy-mobile.

Second Yep. :? Been kicking myself in the arse for years over that one now. If one could predict the future, one would not make these silly decisions though. Sad

Squidbait Wrote:Finally, the answer to your problem can be found in duct tape. There's nothing you can't fix with duct tape. Just ask Red. Tongue Wink

Duct tape and now Zip Ties. I got it back on. A couple of zip ties and bammo. It'll have to do.
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#7
This is why I stick with fords, I worked on one (mustang gt) first, and it's like working on any other ford. after I took everything apart on the mustang for mods I knew the inside and out of it. The second ford I worked on was kind of the same, easy to work on. So I looked for a ford escape and found a mazda tribute. 100,225mi later and we own 2 of them. They are easy to work on and they are cheap (Since american cars can't hold their value)

Since the 100K, I had one COP (think of a inline sparkplug distributor) go bad. $78 part I replaced and still runs great!

Only thing I have a quirk about is the low MPG I got since it's a V6 4WD
Tom

Model Conrail

PM me to get a hold of me.
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#8
If I won a Honda on a game show...I would trade it for a Dodge.

One of my nieghbors ahd bought a Honda Accord, brand new out of the lot. They took it in for the first regular service.
They were told they need a tranny and radiator flush. $700. dollars(Funny, they wern't covered on the warranty.) A few months down the line, the brakes started to squeal. They took it in and were told there was a recall on the brakes. They had not recieved any letters, didn't hear nothing on the news. The dealer told him:"We let people know when they come in for service." "What!!!!!!!. I have a two year old....Theres a problem with the brakes!...And now you're telling me!. See that Grand Caravan over there.....I think you better start the paper work on transfer, cause I'm not driving this POS home. And...if you don't do it, I will be calling DOT and having you investigated(Never PO a police officer)....Oh..There better be the six disc changer and DVD palyer also."
He did report them, they did get closed down. Seems like the dealer was scaming people for years. This was five years ago. He still has the Caravan....Loves it! He told me, after he told his sister what the Honda dealer did, she immediatly traded in her Honda(She lives out of state). She told him that it was causing her more to keep it, then it was for her husband to renovate a '64 1/2 Mustang.
Go figure......

When Better-Half and I went shopping for a new car, well used, the Grand Caravan we bought, was parked next to a Honda Accord. Without any prompt from me, she picked the Grand Caravan. I love the thing. Oh...Yeah...We don't have kids. So its not like we needed it.
Torrington, Ct.
NARA Member #87
I went to my Happy Place, but it was closed for renovations.
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#9
I have a 1995 Honda Civic. It has 280,000 km (168,000 miles for you luddites) on the original engine. I have had to replace the brakes when they wore out, an exhaust pipe and muffler and radiator when they rotted out. The timing belt was replaced every 100,000 km, and again this year, when it blew a head gasket (the most expensive repair to date). It gives me between 40 and 50 mpg (imperial), and has (apart from the head gasket) never let me down.

My buddy has the exact same model and year Civic, has 312,000 km on his, and has only replaced brakes, exhaust and timing belts as needed.

You can't paint a car as bad because of an unscrupulous dealer. There's a reason Accords and Civics rank so highly in owner satisfaction - they're well-designed and well-built. And, they're built in North America, by North American workers. So don't give me any of that. Tongue
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#10
Quote:Second Yep. :? Been kicking myself in the arse for years over that one now. If one could predict the future, one would not make these silly decisions though.
I can only say that about one car, my 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T, 340 4bbl,4speed. It was a rare beast, as most of the Challenger R/Ts, were either automatics, or had larger V8's. Everything on the 340, was readily accessible. I could do plugs, points, set the timing and dwell (even with the dual point system), in under two hours. I still have my old timing light, and dwell/tach meter. Big Grin
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
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#11
if your hondas bumper simply broke the clips a quick trip to a local auto parts store can fix it with push clips or possibly big "christmas tree" type clips. but beyond that the way you planned should work if the mounting tabs themselves broke.
on the other conversation,todays cars i believe ARE getting worse,but older cars did rot out quicker.the big 3 used to skimp on rust proofing and even put in strategic rust spots to make peole buy new cars. i still drive my 1972 monte carlo SS with the original 454 :race: . the things a beast,gets about 16-18 MPG and is heavy enough to do well in the snow. it was Z-barted back in the 70's (wow am i showing my age Nope ?) and besides,its built heavy enough that if i tag a new car i get a dinged bumper,they get a new door 35
Women may not find you handsome,but they'll atleast find you handy--Red Green
C&O ALL THE WAY--[Image: chessie.gif]
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#12
Quote:Finally, the answer to your problem can be found in duct tape. There's nothing you can't fix with duct tape. Just ask Red.

and always remember,if women dont find you handsome,they'll atleast find you handy Icon_lol
Women may not find you handsome,but they'll atleast find you handy--Red Green
C&O ALL THE WAY--[Image: chessie.gif]
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#13
Ahahaha! I blame the snow Smile 75 and NIIIIIIIIICE here today! Big Grin I am gonna go outside, harvest veggies from my garden, plant some things, and fill up the hummingbird feeder.

Have fun in the snow and cold, chumps. Goldth Big Grin Goldth Big Grin Goldth 219 Waveof7 1990_dancing

Confusedtooges:
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Kevin
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#14
Kevin:
We'll be thinking about you as you pay your electric bills for your air conditioning.!!! 120 in the shade, and no shade is no fun, either! Been there, done that. (former Az resident.)
I only know what I know, and I don't understand very much of it, either.
Member: AEA, American Legion, Lions Club International
Motto: "Essayons"
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#15
My ex and I had a 1992 Camaro RS. GOD was that thing cool. Red, T-Tops, just SWEET. Felt like driving a Nascar Late Model Stockcar. Built like a tank. Lived like Methuselah. She always drove my truck to work as I had a 1992 Chevy S-10 (No stinkin' Fords in that relationship!) she had a 27 mile commute to San Jose, I had a 5 mile commute to the West Oakland Yard. So, I always drove (and took IMMACULATE care of) the Camaro. 250,000 miles on it when we split up, and the only thing I ever changed on it was shocks, struts, tires and brakes. Shocks and struts only once. I had it in getting shocks and struts done at the local Winston Tires when up on the lift, it wouldn't start. Neds a new starter. (What a time and place for that to happen huh!) The manager said "No problem, I can get one across the street at Napa at cost. I'll put it in for $50. Done. While at it, I replaced the battery and had the kid working on it replace the serpentine belt too. I got rear ended on I-880 once in Union City. I was stopped for traffic, I got rammed by a 1983 Olds Cutlas (a BOAT of a car) at an estimated 35 mph. Wiped that suvver out. They had to remove the engine from the passengers lap to extract him from the car. He was broken up pretty bad (recovered though I'm sure). Of course, illegal aliens, no license, no insurance. Damage to the Camaro? paint scuffs (removed with some solvent at a buddies race car shop), a 3/8" slit in the bumper (vinyl bumper cover) at the mounting bracket (fixed by same racer buddy with some goop he used on his racecars that have nose and tail covers made out of the same material, kinda like a rubbermaid garbage can). Just a GREAT car.

When we split up, she had two kids. She let her (now ex) talk her into trading it in on, honest to God, a 2002 Honda Oddysey. I used to drive it once a month playing one of two designated drivers for her and Alicia's ladies wine club, driving sloshed broads home. Second biggest POS I have ever seen. I hate it. She hates it.

Everytime we are around each other (she's my current GF's best friend, has been since childhood), she and I start talking about how much we miss that Camaro. 35

Her son, now 8, is trying his best to talk her into getting one of the new "retro" Camaro's, he really likes them. We both told him at the exact same time, the exact same thing "Jason, it's not the same car!"

Me? I went from a 1992 Camaro to a 1992 Chrysler New Yorker Salon. My family and friends jokingly refer to it as the "G Ride" (for granny mobile). Laugh all you want folks, on a 4 hour road trip, you'd come to appreciate the creature comforts in it like I do!
Tom Carter
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