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My 98 Honda Accord is dying

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by Joe, Nov 7, 2013.

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  1. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Well crap. My trusty 1998 Accord w/240,000 is dying. Blown head casket and possible cylinder warping because of it. And...brake lines to the rear wheels are rusting out.

    Bought this car with 8 miles on it and have loved driving it for 15 years.

    Now what to buy? I'm tired of a manual transmission, I've had one going back to to 1981 and I'm tired of shifting.

    I want bigger and taller. I don't really care about mpg since I only drive the car about 9,000 miles per year these days.

    So far, on-line, looking at Equinox, Outback, Forester, Traverse, Escape, Acadia and Santa Fe.

    Feel free to throw out any opinions. I've only owned 2 two cars since 1981. I buy and run them forever. My previous car was a Saab and until I bought the Honda, I never realized how that Saab was killing me on maintenance.

    I'd really like to buy American this time around. It seems they have done a great job of improving their vehicles since 30 years ago, when I dumped my Ford Escort after two years.

    Brands like BMW, Benz, Jaguar, Cadillac and Lexus are not in consideration.

    A depressing thought for me...this might be the last car I ever own.:cry:
     
  2. Keyser Soze

    Keyser Soze Low-Roller

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    Back when I was a working stiff, I was a consultant for the auto industry. My primary experience was steel, but I worked for all the major auto makers and got to know them very well.

    My advice is always the same- Honda, Toyota, or Subaru.

    The Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler) still have a ways to go.

    My Honda Accord (built in Marysville OH) is 'more American' than anything in the Big 3's lineup.
     
  3. FXT

    FXT VIP Whale

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    As an automotive tech, I'd recommend a Subaru. Have owned a couple and worked on a ton of my friends and customers. Quite possibly the least problematic cars I've worked on.

    Can't go wrong with a Forester. I own one now and used to have a WRX before this.
     
  4. hillwood24

    hillwood24 High-Roller

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    +1 on the Subaru. We have 3 in the family and love them.
     
  5. Hoowaa

    Hoowaa Tourist

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    Subaru Outback is to be my next vehicle. (2000 Camry still running like a top though).
     
  6. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    What do you think about Kia and Mazda? I'll be in the market in the next year and my two favorites in my price range are the Optima and the new Mazda6.
     
  7. Keyser Soze

    Keyser Soze Low-Roller

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    Don't know. My experience with Mazda is limited. And with Kia, its nonexistent.

    I also think very highly of Nissan and Hyundai.

    Also, don't mean to bash the Big 3 in any way. I know many former and current employees. Lots of good hard working people. But their business model is broken.

    Today's cars are better, more dependable and safer than ever. All brands.
     
  8. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    I had two subaru legacy wagons I ran over 100K miles and am currently in a 2007 Lexus IS awd that just hit 100K. So I get where you're coming from:peace: I love the lexus more than I loved those subarus - and I really loved those subarus! But my needs now are different - I needed more space when I had the subarus (in the first, I was skiing weekly and needed to be able to easily mount a rack, carry all my skiing stuff, and camping stuff in the summer) Now I have a long commute and want good gas mileage in a really comfortable vehicle, and my lexus drives more smoothly than the subies did.

    But I would look at a Subaru again, and I would buy a Lexus again, so....

    (I have to stick with Japanese/American cars because I am IN LOVE with my mechanic - I've been with them 15 years - and they only do Subaru/honda/toyota/lexus...) Finding a new mechanic would be more traumatic than pretty much anything else:ssst:
     
  9. sporty8705

    sporty8705 VIP Whale

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    I had the equinox and the gas mileage sucked a lot. I also do not like the design of them,,
     
  10. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    I agree, I love my Subaru. Have had it for about 6 years now and besides regular maintenance the only thing I've had to do on it was replace the O2 sensor. 1/2 hour of my time and $140 later I was good to go.
     
  11. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Everything dies...better the car than you, if you loved that accord, buy another one.
     
  12. dean_1492

    dean_1492 High-Roller

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    Honda CR-V Joe, my Honda Accord V-6 is more American than any Ford or Chevy or Dodge.
     
  13. Julie888

    Julie888 VIP Whale

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    After 19 years we sold our Accord. Loved it. Test drove many others and they didn't feel as solid or handle as well. Ended up with an Acura. Just a more fancy Honda. I still miss that Accord.
     
  14. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    If you ever want to give me that car let me know! I am IN LOVE with the IS250 and want one so bad. All the good ones I find online are 2,000 miles away on the east coast though, and if I do find one close to me its a crappy RWD one.
     
  15. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    Check out the Ford Edge. The V6 has lots of zip & I get decent gas mileage. Like you I drive my vehicles til they drop. Just had to retire my 94 Buick century las year. Had a 91 accord up until 2 years ago. Very happy with the new Ford
     
  16. DonD

    DonD VIP Whale

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    Joe, the newer Accords are larger than the 1998 models. We've got a 2008 V-6 and really love it.
     
  17. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Aside from saying you put 9K miles on it annually, you didn't specify the way you drive or what you might use the vehicle to do. Please let us know if there's any info that could narrow the field.

    We're a 2-Toyota family. Had a stickshift Camry for 15 years, sold a 2001 Avalon to my cousin (she still has it), currently own a low miles 2000 Tundra which runs like new and a 2007 Highlander hybrid we got used because it suits our needs nowadays better than the Avalon did.

    So do you have any particular needs, and is used an option?
     
  18. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    The car is just to get me from point A to B and mostly city/country driving. Snow is a factor since we live in WI. But no commuting since I'm retired.

    Don't take this the wrong way, but once the dog dies, then I would like to do some extended driving vacations. The way it stands now, we don't like leaving her in the kennel for more than 5-6 nights at a time. We haven't done a driving vacation in 10 years.

    Oh, and used is an option.
     
  19. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Honda Ridgeline. Done. Thank me later.

    AWD with lockout. Medium-sized bed. Can stick five in it easy. Great visibility. Good high profile but doesn't roll and bounce like a pickup since it's unibody not ladder/frame. In-bed trunk which is the coolest built-in cooler come tailgate time. Nifty lift and swing gate. You can put a set of clubs underneath the rear split bench (and two in the trunk if you don't pack some gonzo tour bag). American built. Last forever. And it gets the shitty gas mileage you crave. lol

    Had mine for 6+ years now. It is the perfect do-a-bit-of-everything vehicle.
     
  20. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

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    Why don't you look at the newer Honda Accord 2 doors with the v6. Very luxurious cars. They don't give me the tingles but I can appreciate that they're nice cars. Maybe splash out on some options you didn't get last time? Like leather butt warming seats, sunroof, performance upgrades.

    If you can get cheap enough financing on a new car and run it into the ground, it works out cheaper than buying used in the long run. I stopped buying used when I found that out. I buy new, for as cheap as possible in financing and price. I'm a nightmare at the car dealership. I'm sure they have a voodoo doll of me. Which kind of explains a lot. Anyhow, why tie up cash in a car if they'll give you cheap money and you're not reselling it until it's almost dead?

    Anyhow, good luck. I put buying vehicles up there with root canals on the fun scale.
     
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