Well since the car had 246,000 miles when I got rid of it, it obviously had a lot of things go bad, but most of them were minor/normal things. Here are them major replacements:
1) Transmission died at 150k, second one was dying when I traded it in at 246k.
2) Cat Converter went out at about 200k.
3) Front suspension (control arms, tie rods) all had to be changed between 150k-200k miles, but that's not unusual or unexpected.
4) I had to keep the EGR ports in the intake manifold clean or else I would get a rough idle/poor performance, but it only took an hour to do it.
5) EGR valve was replaced twice.
6) Cruise control actuator broke at 200k miles - $40 part. simple fix.
7) Parking brake cables replaced at 220k.
8) Front wheel bearings lasted 100k miles (so changed twice), rears lasted 150k miles (changed once)
9) Alternators on these cars SUCK, changed mine at 150k and at 200k (bought a cheap one off ebay, my mistake). But very easy to replace and only a $140 part.
That's all I can think of... at 246k miles the engine was incredibly strong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kff_Oe8TZbQ.
I would highly recommend this car except for its transmission problems... if you buy one, make sure the fluid has been changed with Honda ATF and NEVER flushed. Typically the trannies last for 120k-180k miles. But the engine is absolutely bulletproof. If you buy one that has recently had a new transmission put in or you don't drive many miles a year, it's a perfect car.
Amazingly reliable... fantastic car for anyone. Performance was pretty good - great highway acceleration, not so much on the low end. Extremely comfortable. Stock stereo was brutal.
Handling sucked - but it's a heavy FWD car. What do you expect?
Seats are good for 8-10 hour road trips.
Very easy to work on - did everything myself after 150k miles including timing belt.
I would get 30-31MPG highway REALLY trying. Once I got 34 but that may have been a fluke. Towards the end of its life it usually got 26-28 in 80% highway driving.
What can I say about a car that goes up to 246k miles without ever having more than the intake manifold removed? The only thing I didn't like was the automatic and I wanted more power...
Traded it in for a 2003 Accord Coupe EX-V6 6MT :-) Now I have 240HP, 6MT, leather and 34MPG highway.
I have a 1999 V6 that has 160,000 miles, and the only thing wrong have been the wheel bearing in the back, alternator (delphi part), and the EGR. So far the tranny has held up well, but I have been told by many people they fail because it was not built for so much power... more for the four cylinder.
I should have 200,000 miles by June of 2009. I have driven this thing all over the midwest from Minnesota to Iowa, to North Dakota to Michigan, to Wisconsin to Ohio, to Illinois to Indiana. Next year I am taking her through the south and up into North Carolina. It's certainty better for traveling than my 2000 Honda Civic with 150,000 miles.
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