'98 w/165k+ and wanting to keep it running a couple more years...
Hey all, according to my profile my last post here was in February of 2005!
Anyways, to give a little background on my car - I've got a 1998 base model with manual trans that's approaching 200k. Only mods are the AEM CAI and 17" wheels. The last major work done to the car was the timing belt back around 125k and a new alternator/battery not long after that. I do admit I haven't been as good as I used to about the plugs/wires/filters/etc., but it still gets done.
Current/known performance related issues include: shocks and struts are shot, some major clunking when accelerating from a stop (shock knock?), brakes vibrating, CEL visible, minor but consistent oil leak, and a rough idle that's particularly bad when the AC is on. Other than that, it seems to drive just fine, lol.
While I'd love to know the ins and outs of all these problems, I don't have the means to address them myself, nor do I have a regular mechanic I can go to with $1-2k and say "hey, make it work for a couple more years." So I guess I'm looking for some guidance on how I can keep this car running strong for without breaking the bank, and the best way to go about doing it. My thinking is I should get an intensive diagnostic to see if there are any other major issues creeping under the hood that should be priority #1, but is that really going to tell me much more than I already know? Is it best to do that at Honda or does it matter? Do you think it's reasonable to sink another $1-2k into this car (knowing I'll get next to nothing as a trade-in) or should I just let nature take it's course? Should I spend some money on the shocks/struts/brakes and see how it feels afterwards? I could go on and on haha!
I'll do that, thanks. Nobody has been too specific about the oil leak, just that it's noticeable when they're doing my oil change I guess. The last place just said it was on the bottom of the motor.
When it comes to parts, is there any more money to be saved via buying online? If so what's the best place to go to these days?
I read somewhere that worn out shocks actually can decrease gas mileage and it was for multiple reasons why they did too. I'll have to look it up and find the reason they gave about that little piece of information.
But your shocks probably are attributing to your lousy braking performance and clunking when accelerating because the car's dynamics are trying to make it move around in ways the shocks normally control during acceleration and deceleration.
Your CEL will probably point to an engine problem which, when fixed, will probably make the excessive vibration go away. I don't know about anybody else but when a CEL first comes on, i can feel the car run noticably worse in terms of engine coarseness. It probably has to do with the engine running on safe mode and cutting back on timing and increasing fuel being injected into the cylinder (it's the engines way of protecting itself in case of detonation)
Understood, I guess I was just trying to justify spending any more money on this car. That's obviously more dependent on my needs/finances, and I think dropping another grand or two will be worth it in the long run versus having a car payment. So in order to make sure this is money well spent, should I invest in a thorough diagnostic?
Regarding the shocks/struts; when I was at Firestone getting an alignment last month the guy started talking to me about replacing them. I really wasn't paying too much attention at the time but he mentioned something along the lines of additional parts that should be replaced. Now a couple years ago, I did throw on some aftermarket struts/shocks with a friend and I don't really remeber anything else that could have been replaced. I know I should dig up my helms manual but are there any other parts that I need to pick up? Are there any good deals online or am I better suited at NAPA or something...
So...I'm back. Unfortunately this little endeavor has turned in to a nightmare and my car is currently running like crap, so I need a little help. The problem centers around the suspension and the fact that it feels like my car has no shock absorption in the front end. It literally feels like I'm driving over a curb instead of a speedbump or rough roads. I'm going to get whatever is on there replaced with the OEM parts (versus part store junk) and see how it goes, but do I need to check on anything besides the springs and struts? Thanks in advance...
1st post for me, so hello everyone…
I am in a similar situation myself. I have a 98 base and have just recently gone past 175k miles on the odometer. I am also wondering if I should continue putting money into my Lude or look for something newer. I bought the car used in 2001 and it had about 35k miles on it. It has been a great car and other than regular maintenance I have not had to replace anything major. I had just brought it in for some routine maintenance and had the shop do a thorough inspection as well. I now have a list of repairs (about $2000) to get done and I am also in need of a new set of tires as soon as the winter ends.
clutch slave cylinder (leaking)
front and right motor mounts
valve adjustment and reseal valve cover (leaking)
both rear lower ball joints - knuckle assembly
oil cooler o-ring and oil pressure switch
Are there any places that offer OEM parts online that would still be cheaper than local dealers after shipping?
I've only used them once, but I had a great experience with rockauto.com. Bought the topside O2 sensor(before the cat) from them, Autozone was asking $215, got it from them for $40~ shipped. Not a universal, either- the real deal in packaging(Denso branded at that). I'll be putting that in this weekend, and still looking over their site for more stock stuff I can use
I'd def go oem with suspension parts. good site to get parts from Majestic Honda - The Internet's #1 Honda Automotive Parts Store
They are not dirt cheap, but pretty good all around. Personally i think its cheaper to maintain the lude rather than buy a new car, have a monthy payment and possibly have something go wrong with that car on top of that. I've had 2 ludes so far, both with high mileage 160+ and i've been on top of the usual maintenance and they have served me well.
Oh yea Oil cooler ring tends to go out with high mileage, they are infamous for those gushing oil type of leaks if not replaced in time.
Yeah, I pretty much decided I didn't want a monthly payment + higher insurance. Unfortunately my buddy's little brother turned out to be a scumbag, and a pretty crappy mechanic to boot.
So, I remember majestic from back in the day - should I be looking at replacing all the little stuff illustrated with the front shocks (basically #6-16)? And it says 'reqd. quantity,' does that mean choosing a quantity of 1 literally gets you one of those parts or one set of the reqd. quantity? Check it out:
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