Is it time to trade in my Accord?

[orton1227]

Originally Posted by namegoeshere

What are the chances you'll get in another wreck?

What are the chances you'll keep up with the cars regular (preventative) maintenance?

A wreck isn't a huge deal. My deductible is only $200. My estimate right now on the damage is $4000! I guess my rates would go up slightly, but don't they go up for a new car?

I take it to Firestone every 7500 miles and they give everything the once over. I've known the guys there for 20 years, so I trust them. If they spot any maintenance needs, they let me know and I do it.

[namegoeshere]

Originally Posted by orton1227

I take it to Firestone every 7500 miles and they give everything the once over. I've known the guys there for 20 years, so I trust them. If they spot any maintenance needs, they let me know and I do it.

You're too trusting of them. They lied to you about your timing belt when your car has a timing chain. Yup, you definitely replaced it "way ahead of time" since the chain should last the life of the car. In rare cases, the chain may need replacing (stretched chain), but only after inspection. Did they inspect the chain before telling you it needed to be replaced or said it should be replaced based on mileage? I wonder if they even replaced it.

The only thing that might need replacing is the timing chain tensioner.

In the end, they're just there to make a profit.

Originally Posted by orton1227

I thought it was a timing belt, maybe it was a timing chain. It was pricey though. I remember them saying they were replacing it way ahead of time. But that was at 110k miles early this year.

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted by orton1227

Basically, what are the chances that I have to spend another $2000 or so in the coming year on maintenance/repair?

I'd say 100% if you keep letting Firestone work on it. I remember when getting new tires at 58k on my 99 Accord(which was 4 yrs old) they wanted to replace the timing belt, coolant etc for $1300. They almost always want to do a ton of unneccesary work everytime a car is brought in.

I hate to ask but did Firestone replace your cat. converter also?

If you keep going there for oil changes at least bring your own oil filter for them to install. Otherwise they use cheap generic ones. I had an oil change done at Firestone once and watched them the entire time. After 5k miles the oil was solid black. Next oil change used a very similiar oil(MC syn blend instead of Kendall) with a Motorcraft oil filter and after 7k miles the oil was still a medium honey color. Not that color is a tell all but is still a good indicator.

[orton1227]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver

I'd say 100% if you keep letting Firstone work on it. I remember when getting new tires at 58k on my 99 Accord(which was 4 yrs old) they wanted to replace the timing belt, coolant etc for $1300.

I hate to ask but did Firestone replace your cat. converter also?

Yeah, but I think Firestone's quality/honesty varies from store to store. They replaced my cat. converter yes.

Every once in a while I took it to the Honda dealership when they sent coupons for free oil changes and they were terrible. Wanted $200 to replace cabin air filter, which i can do for $12 and in 15 minutes. Honda told me I needed new brakes and bushings at 110k miles; I took it to Firestone and they said it checked out fine to them. I feel they've been honest with me.

[cascivic]

Yea when lube places tell you "everything looks good we checked it all for you" it's to calm housewives nerves. All there doing is checking dipsticks and putting washer fluid in your car. These fluids need to be changed out as the manufacturer states


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[orton1227]

So you're all saying I should keep the car.

[cascivic]

Think to yourself do u want a payment every month. Personally I wouldn't but only you can answer that


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[bigballer]

Agreed, OP you got ripped at firestone. The rare exception to changing the timing chain is maybe changing the tensioner, but that's a different story.

I would even go so far as to say that I don't even think they even changed the chain. They could've "claimed" to change the chain but didn't do it, unless you requested to see the old parts.

I used to go to firestone, until they kept pushing unnecessary products on me. They said I needed a new battery, when my old one was perfectly fine and lasted through a rough winter just fine. They also refused to honor their lifetime warranty wheel alignments because they claimed I needed new balljoints. Funny, I went to a local alignment guy (who works in a pit and works on old school vettes) and said my balljoints were just fine.

[orton1227]

Originally Posted by cascivic

Think to yourself do u want a payment every month. Personally I wouldn't but only you can answer that


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If I'm paying $1000 every few months for a repair on the Accord, it's a wash.

Part of the appeal of a new Civic is a warranty. Plus I've got them down to $22k flat from an MSRP of $27,790.14 for the Hybrid (actually $24000 but I have a $2000 private cash incentive that I received from Honda). So I don't know if that's too good of a deal to pass up.

[redhat]

I don't think its worthwhile for us all on here to continue to try to convince you to keep your Accord when you clearly want a new car. Do what you want to do and enjoy.

If you take some time to either find a reputable mechanic who does a decent job or learn the basics of maintaining your car, you can keep that Accord very happy for a very long time and not spend excess funds on fake repairs.

IMO, you can't think of the car as "costing $1k every few months" when more than likely it didn't even need those repairs -- you were flamboozled.

[HADriver06]

I would keep the car and go elsewhere for maintainence. I don't know about you, but I'm meticulous when it comes to maintaining my Accord, yet everything altogether doesn't add up to $2500 the entire time ive had the car (I've had it since new). Mind you, this includes all the synthetic oil changes, all the fluids and fluid changes, wipers & inserts, filters, brake rotors, brake pads, lights, rotations etc. the only thing not included are tires, wheels and the only major repair that I had was done to fix the huge dent I had on my hood from a collision with a deer (another thread).

06-07 Accord are very reliable cars. 07 is supposedly slightly more so, if anything.

Forgot to add. There is no timing belt to replace for an 06-07 i4 Accord.

[orton1227]

Originally Posted by HADriver06

I would keep the car and go elsewhere for maintainence. I don't know about you, but I'm meticulous when it comes to maintaining my Accord, yet everything altogether doesn't add up to $2500 the entire time ive had the car (I've had it since new). Mind you, this includes all the synthetic oil changes, all the fluids and fluid changes, wipers & inserts, filters, brake rotors, brake pads, lights, rotations etc. the only thing not included are tires, wheels and the only major repair that I had was done to fix the huge dent I had on my hood from a collision with a deer (another thread).

06-07 Accord are very reliable cars. 07 is supposedly slightly more so, if anything.

Forgot to add. There is no timing belt to replace for an 06-07 i4 Accord.

Any ideas for where to go for maintenance? We've got every chain imaginable in Dallas.

[redhat]

Originally Posted by orton1227

Any ideas for where to go for maintenance? We've got every chain imaginable in Dallas.

That's the thing.... avoid the CHAINS. Try to find a good small local place from people around you. Where do your friends go? Family? Have a crazy in-law who fixes cars?

Word of mouth speaks a million times over. Also a website that caters to this is Angies List. They have shop reviews a lot there.

[bigballer]

try word of mouth or if anything get yourself a tool set and dig in. Watch a few youtube videos and you'd be set. you can't screw up that and there's a certain satisfaction that you get when you do the job yourself, correctly.

[GradyPhilpott]

I'm speaking from experience.

Never ever drive into a Firestone service center.

They're about the biggest ripoff artists on the planet, especially among those with a brand name.