Faults:
Handles kind of oddly because the previous owners put an airbag suspension on it, and apparently bent one of the strut rods (which is a dealer item and not easily obtained). Even after getting new tires and an alignment, the steering is sloppy and scary at high speeds. Not Honda's fault, though.
The fresh air no longer works -- it's stuck on recirculate.
The air conditioning is out of its charge.
Like most Hondas, the power antenna no longer works (my grandma has a '95 wagon with the same problem).
Driver side outside lock no longer works.
Oil leak -- probably due to the transmission being replaced, and the rear main seal not being replaced at the same time.
Replaced battery.
Replaced CV axle.
Thermostat stuck open, preventing transmission from locking up. I still don't understand why Honda doesn't let the torque converter go into lockup if the engine isn't hot enough, but replacing the thermostat fixed the problem.
General Comments:
This car has a LOT of miles on it, but the engine was rebuilt and the transmission has apparently been replaced three times. The car was owned by teenagers who decided to "pimp" it out, and the airbag suspension they put in caused the CV axles to pull out of the transmission -- probably the reason its transmission was replaced three times (I have no way of verifying that that's true, though). The passenger CV axle was clicking loudly when I bought the car, but wasn't that difficult or expensive to replace.
The exterior is in rough shape -- the paint is cracked and in terrible condition on the roof. The interior is in surprisingly good shape, though.
With nearly 300,000 miles, it's incredible how well this car is holding up -- although it doesn't have the original engine and transmission.
It has impressive power. The car that this replaced is an '88 Camry, and the throttle response is much better in the Honda.
I was hesitant to buy a Honda for a long time because of the interference engine. The timing belt broke on my Camry, but I was able to fix it easily enough because it's free-wheeling. With the Accord, I'd be looking at getting a new head. But there's a logical reason: the valves open farther, increasing power. But they can also collide with the pistons if the belt snaps, so it's important to replace the timing belt in your Honda on time.
This car cost $1,000, which wasn't that bad. I've only driven it for a little over 10,000 miles, but my daily commute is 70 miles and it hasn't come close to letting me down.
I replaced the thermostat first with a 195-degree. This was too hot. The cooling fan came on all the time. Then I tried 180. Also too hot. The stock temperature is 170 degrees, contrary to what many auto parts store employees told me -- some pretty argumentative about it. If the computer says it, it must be true. But the factory thermostat that came out of the engine was 170, and it's the same with my Grandma's '95 Accord: 170. I had to get the thermostat special-ordered because the store didn't have it in stock. Contrary to what you might be told, 170 is correct.
There's a reason that Hondas have high resale values -- they're very well-built vehicles and deserve their reputation.
