1998 Honda Accord EX from North America - Comments

The front wheels tap (just recently)

Front right caliper now sticks.

The car is virtually painless to own. Just recently the wheels tap like a machine gun when I make a turn in either direction. I do not know what this is so if any of you know please let me know how to fix it. Also the right front caliper sticks so I have to replace the pad often. Other than this the car is perfect. I have almost 150k on the engine and it runs better than most newer cars than I have been in. I owned a grand Am (1994) and at 100k the car nearly fell apart.

I really like the comfort of the ride and I would definitely recommend this car for anyone. The stereo still sounds great, but I need to replace the speakers soon. For anyone thinking of getting a Honda- DO IT! They will last longer than you will! a friend of mine had a 94 civic dx that had over 220k on it and never failed to start. I want to start adding aftermarket parts on the car, but I don't want to sacrifice the quality and the comfort that it has now. The car has a decent amount of power also for an auto. I can take smaller lighter civics and smoked a stock eclipse n/a. The interior still looks really good and has no wear. The steering wheel just started to peel at the top I guess its from where I hold it. But that's 150k later. I always get compliments on how the car looks and they always think it's a 2002.

In conclusion the car is the best car I have ever owned and I don't think I will ever sell it either. If you are in the market for a new ride get a Honda. Stay away from domestics. They are money pits. They are made of cheap material and they will not last you at all. If you don't believe me then sit inside of a pontiac, chevrolet, dodge and then sit a honda, the way they are built and the material feels cheap and looks generic. My accord's interior look much better than many of the cars that were made in 1998. And still looks better than many of the newer cars. I just need to get some reverse indiglos, anyone know of good place to get these? I need some good ones not those boring GLO GAUGES.

Thanks for reading.

You need to replace your Drive Axles. Drive slower when accelerating when making a turn and they will last a lot longer then 150k miles. My 1991 Honda Accord has 198k miles and I am still on my original Axles.

Hey thanks. How much does that cost? Can I do it myself? How much longer can I go without changing them?

Don't floor it while pulling into traffic. That destroys the CV Joints/drive axles. It may look nice and feel neat, but it murders your car in a lot of ways. It's not too expensive to repair, maybe $1000 or so.

Sounds like your everlasting Honda isn't so everlasting after all. I've owned/driven a couple of domestics (Pontiac, Dodge) that needed new CV joints about 175K. Your import is no better. The guy with 200K has something to talk about.

Depends how you drive it. Me, 81 Accord, 313,000 miles, original clutch, drive axles, engine and trans. Me again, 95 Sable, 213,000 miles, original drive axles, engine, but on the 3rd transmission. Cars last a very long time if you drive nicely.

I replaced the drive axles myself on a toyota tercel for 90 bucks each remanufactured from Autozone or Rock Auto. You need a pry bar to push them out of the trans and a rubber hammer to whack em back in again. Anyone wants a grand to do two drive axles is onto a good thing if he can get it.

Just taken in my '97 Accord (6 cylinder) to fix oil leaks. It has 87000 miles on the clock. My mechanic pointed out to me that the cv joints need to be replaced. The rubber covers have broken and I guess grit and dirt gets in. I believe he said it would cost about $395 for the job. The wheels haven't started clicking yet so I will wait a few months before I get the change done. Honda schedule indicates that the water pump should be replaced at 105000 miles, also timing belt should be changed at 90000 miles (he said it used to be at 60000 miles, but it was changed). The labor cost for replacing the leaking seals is about $500 as a lot of stuff has to be removed, and the same work is needed to change the water pump, so the pump should be changed if the seals are to be replaced otherwise it will cost another $500 later on.

Ken in Katy TX.

A rule of thumb with any front wheel drive car is to check your CV boots every time you change your oil. The CV boots are on the CV shafts (or drive shafts), the cover the joints which are bathed in grease. When the boots crack, the grease flies out all over the back of your wheels. Then the joints dry out and break. Just before they break, they start clunking.

Also, for about $50 more that just replacing the boot, you can get a whole CV shaft installed. The labor cost is the same, so if you plan on keeping the car for awhile, REPLACE THE WHOLE SHAFT.