Drive Accord Honda Forums banner

My maintenance cost for 2005 Accord LX V6 174K miles is $14,898

6K views 54 replies 26 participants last post by  2accords 
#1 ·
This is an information sharing post in case you guys find it interesting. I attached my service history details. Please don’t be overly critical as I admit to my single female cluelessness. I am the original owner no DIY. View attachment Honda Accord Service History Feb 2020.pdf


2005 Accord LX V6
 
#3 ·
Thank you for posting this extremely detailed record.

I am still reviewing, but the 2nd timing belt job done at 43,000 / 4 years after the first timing belt job was a little early.

$1,000 a year for upkeep is just too much for an Accord, even if you are not a DIY-er.

$800 for tires and alignment- for 16 inch tires, is just too much.

At about 100,000 miles, you got the Honda V6 power steering hose replaced under warranty. But at 107,000 miles, you needed a new power steering pump? Why?

You must find another mechanic.



You cannot manage that which you don't measure. So measure!
 
#5 ·
Quit using Greenhaven. Oil changes/tire rotation shouldn't cost you $300.

Next time use Walmart. They're competent enough to change oil and if you buy tires there they (or Les Schwab or Discount Tire) rotate and balance them for free.

Your tires don't need to cost $150-200 each. Any $60 tire is a superior tire.

Replacing brake pads should be $120-150. Your 11/21/19 brake job shouldn't have cost over $400.

Walmart for a battery.

$800 to replace a door latch? Holy cow.

Sorry to sound like an a**.

Start asking friends for a mechanic they like and trust.
 
#9 ·
For all you married guys you can point at my spreadsheet to quantify the value you bring to the table when it comes to car maintenance.

I try to get referrals to mechanics but so far its hit or miss. I think Prestige Autoworks was the best one I worked with now looking back.


2005 Accord LX V6
 
#6 ·
Yikes.
15 large is more like what German cars can cost, over that same period...
As has been suggested, shop around for any big dollar repairs.

$800 for tires and alignment- for 16 inch tires, is just too much.
^Like Rick said, that cost is pretty crazy...and I didn't even look at your whole spreadsheet.
Again, places like Town Fair Tire, for example... do that stuff, way cheaper.

I am still reviewing, but the 2nd timing belt job done at 43,000 / 4 years after the first timing belt job was a little early.
Holy shnikes...the guy who suggested that should be hung....by his thumbs.
These belts can go 7 years( and even longer) easily.
 
#7 ·
I'm wondering:

  • Why the second timing belt and water were replaced at 171781 miles, just 43000 miles later after the first timing belt job. Neither the time of 4.5 years nor the mileage of 43k miles meet the requirement of 6 years or 105k miles for replacement. That is totally unnecessary and massive waste of money, especially at the dealer.
  • Why did the starter replacement labor cost $264 on 7/19/2018? That is a half hour job. The starter on the V6 is a breeze to replace.
  • Why the radiator was replaced a WHOPPING 4 TIMES?!? The only brand you should use is Denso and it's just about $100. Talk about a massive waste of time and coolant also. -> I have yet to replace a radiator by the way, at 317000 miles.
  • NO suspension work is ever performed. You are looking at front lower joints breaking if you haven't tended to that already.
 
#8 ·
Looks like you got comfortable with Greenhaven and they started to take advantage. The first oil change there was ~$70 then in a few years it went to over $150.

PS pump went bad in less than 60K?

Hood struts? Yikes!

I hope that $420 front brake job included calipers.

I'm sure some of those service jobs were pure up sell and not all critical but you paid for you peace of mind. I got rid of my 07 last year at 165XXX miles and I didn't spend a 2/10th of your costs. Of course I'm the type who will ignore the seep on the PS pump because it wasn't leaking.

Major expense was 1 and half set of tires in 10 years. Got a st free from a site sponsor also. Bought 2 set of ball joints because MOOG failed me. Did maybe 3 brake jobs all around $100 - $150 in parts. Did spark plugs once and a serpentine belt. All DIY.

I'm sure those records will help get top dollar if you decide to sell.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I wish i kept detailed maintenance records back when I first got my V6! I'm almost exclusively DIY'ing. I totaled up some estimates previously and it was around $2,300, most likely up to around $2,800 now for 47,000 miles and 5 years ownership now. Did you forgot to record some of the oil changes? I see a 33,000 mile gap at one point. The only oil to use for that kind of distance would be Amsoil signature series with an additional finer oil filter installed.

TO AVOID A VERY LARGE POTENTIAL EXPENSE, HAVE A SHOP CHECK THE TIGHTNESS OF THE SPARK PLUGS PERIODICALLY! These V6 engines like to work the spark plugs loose over time, and when they are loose enough the force of combustion can tear the threads out of the cylinder head. When I got my car at 135K miles, one of my spark plugs was not even hand tight! I try to check mine every 15,000 miles to be safe. if the shop wants labor, don't pay more than $50.

Shops like Discount Tire will do free rotations and balancing if you buy tires from them, even if you don't in some cases. Try to time the rotations so that the tires wear evenly and can all be replaced at once. Check for tire rebates when buying, usually they will require 4 tires for the rebate to take effect.

Cabin air filters can be replaced in under a minute, and without any tools.


Replacing the air filter in the V6 is kind of a pain, and requires tools, so i could understand not wanting to do that. Don't pay more than $20 labor.

Things like oil changes with rotation should be in the $50-$80 range. They should do the inspection for free, they are looking for their own work to do.

Tires will vary widely depending how cheap or expensive you go, but for the small and common 205/60/16 it shouldn't be more than $550 for 4. Check out the Discount Tire website for pricing, they are pretty competitive, but even then there is huge profit in tires. If you haggle, you can get them to drop the price.

Don't pay more than $80 for an alignment. Also don't let them upsell you for adjusting camber. Adjusting camber in these cars requires different parts, so it is just toe they will be adjusting.

Timing belt and water pump + tensioner and pulleys should not be more than $800. The second one was way too early.

Brake pads with rotors shouldn't be more than $250 per pair.

Also, if you really want to track total costs, track fuel and insurance costs as well!

Example:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sylliec
#12 ·
Great post and hope you don't take any of feedback as personal. I think most of the shock is that other people are willing to charge you the way they do.

I never realized what happened at the dealership until my wife went. I've provided explicit instructions and they still try to railroad her into things that don't make sense. One time I wrote a personal email because I was deployed. I described the problem and fix... Requested feedback before showing any other service. They decided to charge her almost $3K for a very simple fix. It's frustrating when you can't find people with integrity.

Good to see that you log it all. Hindsight is an amazing tool.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 
#14 ·
Wow @qman ! Gold!

I would add to read the owner's manual, available FREE as a pdf or to download online here: Owners Manual for | Honda | Honda Owners

You have a 2005, like me. There is a maintenance schedule printed in there- follow it and not the suggestions of upsellers.

As @qman suggested, get work suggestions in writing and post here. Smart peeps will review and offer advice BEFORE you commit.
 
#17 ·
You're right. Superior probably is the wrong word. There used to be a day when there were (EXPLOSIVE BOWEL MOVEMENT) tires and good tires. These days just about any American made tire is on the "good" side. Any name brand tire $60 and over is a great tire. You can spend more and probably get more but there's no need to.
 
#20 ·
i'd probably bump that up to $80ish but yea, the key is to get something that's a decent brand, no matter where it's made- i've got some korean-made hankooks on the car now and they're a vast improvement over the $60 store-brand jawns i had before

I can't remember the last time I only paid 60 bucks for a tire...maybe when I owned my first front wheel drive car...a 1984 Corolla, I guess.
yooooooooooooo 84 corolla gang (mine was an 84.5 gt-s)
 
#22 ·
Some answers:
The timing belt was originally done by a girlfriend’s boyfriend. Then the shop found a leak. This was related to the radiator debacle (won’t use Napa parts again ever).
If you used an aftermarket timing belt kit then that's the cause, especially if you used a Gates water pump, it is known to leak. You should only use an OEM water pump, or at least one from Aisin.
 
#23 ·
If you used an aftermarket timing belt kit then that's the cause, especially if you used a Gates water pump, it is known to leak. You should only use an OEM water pump, or at least one from Aisin.
The guy bought the parts at an O’reillys store so probably not OEM. Now I know to ask for OEM parts. This is what I get for trying to save money and letting a girlfriend’s boyfriend (who was also married at the time) do the job.

It's too bad you can't find someone good and honest. My mom's car threw a code one time after my brother in law replaced a thermostat. The code said something about the MAP sensor being an issue.

She took it to the dealer that my nephew worked for (he recommended them because they are all nice guys) and they told her she needed a $400 tune up. Turns out my brother in law accidentally unplugged a vacuum hose to the MAP sensor. I plugged it back in and problem solved.

Here's my advice to you so you quit being taken advantage of.

1. Next time you have an issue come here first and ask.
2. Do your oil changes with someone who only does oil changes. I would recommend Walmart. Looks like your mechanics use the oil change as an opportunity to sell you their services whether they're needed or not.
3. I only buy tires from Walmart. Walmart stores are everywhere and if you get a flat or hit a curb and need a tire replaced or re-balanced you can always find a Walmart. Get tires by known brands (Goodyear, BF Goodrich, Michelin, etc.) that are in the $50-75/tire price range. Take your car in every 5000 miles for rotation and balance.
4. Batteries only from Walmart.
5. Try the Car Guys for a shop recommendation. Mechanics Files.
6. If you have to take it to a shop and the shop tells you you need your Johnson Rods re-chromed, don't let them do it right off. Have them put it in writing then come here and share that info. We'll do all we can to help out. This is a good forum too because it gets a lot of traffic, the members are knowledgeable, and almost all of us want to help.
Thanks for the tips. I liked the website for finding Auto Repair shops (one of mine was rated high). And since I need a new battery (badly as per the Honda dealer guy I just visited) I will try Walmart.


Thanks for all of the input and tips. This forum has been eye opening and helpful.

Your responses to this post made me realize that I should focus on getting a new car. I don’t have anywhere near the knowledge a person needs to maintain an older vehicle and get the maximum number of miles out of it. It will cost me too much money. Either get a new car or educate myself or hunt for a single man who is car savvy.

And I will get an all electric vehicle (Tesla if I can). No more internal combustion engine for me. Praise Heaven! No more oil changes or ATF fluids or timing belts or whatevers.

Someday we will ALL look back and say “remember when we had to maintain our cars and put oil and new filters in them all the time, man those were bad days indeed”.
 
#25 ·
I don’t have anywhere near the knowledge a person needs to maintain an older vehicle and get the maximum number of miles out of it. It will cost me too much money. Either get a new car or educate myself or hunt for a single man who is car savvy.

And I will get an all electric vehicle (Tesla if I can). No more internal combustion engine for me. Praise Heaven! No more oil changes or ATF fluids or timing belts or whatevers.

Someday we will ALL look back and say “remember when we had to maintain our cars and put oil and new filters in them all the time, man those were bad days indeed”.
Getting a new car does not solve the problem- it avoids the problem. This may not matter if you exchange cars before the warranty and covered maintenance runs out. But...

To me, the problem is not that you don't have knowledge to maintain an older vehicle- it is that you don't want to know how to manage maintenance, don't want to say "no" or "I'll get back to you tomorrow" to bad suggestions, and you never read your owner's manual or questioned "authority".

Coach Lombardi said, "Winning isn't a sometime thing. Winning is an all time thing. Unfortunately, so is losing."

I get that a new car will have things covered for 3 years- but it seems that you ignored qman's advice. My nieces- before they received used Civics and Corollas for college, had to read their owner's manual and join a car forum. They learned "critical thinking". In college and through graduate school- they never had a mechanic, oil change place, nor dealership pull a fast one on them.

For everyone else, read the manual, and do what @qman said above (re-read it!). If you get some "Recommended service" quote, post it here before you commit. It is not difficult to change if you follow @qman the benevolent. Join a forum BEFORE you get a new car. Read the owner's manual. Ask for help.
 
  • Like
Reactions: enne and qman
#27 · (Edited)
@RickBlaine nailed it. Getting a new car isn't gonna solve any problems. Even if it is a Tesla. Have you priced one? Tires, brakes, shocks, struts, and even electric motors still fail and you'll still have to deal with shady mechanics.

Car maintenance isn't rocket science. One quick look at the neanderthals that work on your car and you should be able to conclude that. Really, and I'm serious here. All you need to do is find a single mechanic/shop/friend who has a small amount of knowledge and won't mind if you lean on them a little just for advice. You don't need someone to commit to you to work on your car. Just someone like the folks here who just wanna help.

I taught my daughters the same thing I showed you up there. They both live out of state so when they need a car repair they take it to the shop, get the recommended repairs in writing, give me a call and I walk them through what is needed and what is not. I have them look at this and that to help them to understand exactly what is wrong or not wrong with their car. That helps them go back in to the shop and say "just do this." They have both shared with me how mechanics kind of stop in their tracks when they hear a girl talk to them that way. The mechanics also tend to become more honest.

I was just looking at the list of "recommended" repairs that the local dealer handed to me after I took the car in for the airbag recall. They wanted $59 to replace the cabin filter. These things are like $5 and take 1 minute. They wanted $159 for a power steering fluid flush. I just laughed. This is something anyone can do if they know how to pour from a plastic bottle and use a screwdriver. And, four bottles of fluid is $20. They also recommended a $200 brake fluid exchange. This is slightly harder than the ps fluid.
 
#28 ·
I keep detailed records on my phone app also... and just to give you an idea:

My 2005 LX (4 cylinder engine) cost me $9378.37 in maintenance and repairs so far. It has about 153k on the clock now and this includes the following major things:
  • Around $2000 - a full car repaint and most of the car hail damage repair (not all, but most obvious stuff)
  • Around $400 - at home damage repair after my son clipped a small tree when learning how to drive
  • Around $2000 - transmission rebuild
Items #1 and #3 above were financed by the check that insurance gave me when the car was totaled after the mentioned hail event (I bought the car back from insurance for $1200 when they took off the check they cut me.

I do pretty much everything DIY... except the transmission rebuild and the starter just a few weeks ago due to how and where it died, a shop replaced it for about $400 total (including towing). That starter is also included.
 
#29 · (Edited)
You can save money, but in the correct way. O'Reiley or any other local auto stores most likely sell GNB timing belt kit. Just google that and find how many people installed and found it leaking.

You really save money when you start working on cars yourself. Put the money toward tools which are lifetime use most of the time. If you aren't keen on doing that, find a reputable independent shop to get your car serviced, this will be hard. What makes a great service is the tech that touches your car, not the shop.
 
#30 ·
You don't have to be a mechanic, former mechanic, or dedicated garage warrior diy type to know how not to be taken advantage of with car repairs. You do need to know how to reach out to those who know about your car, or have a friend who does. We're here.
 
#32 ·
I will take the advice and read the owner’s manual. And since the Honda guy told me my battery needed replacement I searched this forum for battery information, watched a you tube video linked in one of the comments I read, went to Walmart, and was more informed during the transaction. You guys are right, its not rocket science.

Thanks for the advice. I invested a lot of money in this car and it would be stupid to sell it now.


2005 Accord LX V6
 
#33 ·
Parts stores, dealers, and home repair people can take advantage of the uninformed. I used to work at an auto parts store as a part time job. There would be contests and promotions where we were supposed to push certain items to customers. We had a guy who prided himself on upselling people on parts. Unfortunately some people look at women as an easy target. Honest people will treat everyone the same and be straight up about the solution and cost to fix the problem.
 
#39 ·
You have this listed in your spreadsheet.

06/28/18 155,996 Prestige Auto Works Oil and filter; brake fluid flush; hood lift support

Do you know exactly what they did for the "hood lift support." Our cars do not have hood struts that wear out and have to be replaced. Our hood is held up with a steel rod that never wears out. I'm just curious what they did.
 
#40 · (Edited)
You have this listed in your spreadsheet.

06/28/18 155,996 Prestige Auto Works Oil and filter; brake fluid flush; hood lift support

Do you know exactly what they did for the "hood lift support." Our cars do not have hood struts that wear out and have to be replaced. Our hood is held up with a steel rod that never wears out. I'm just curious what they did.
"hood lift support" might be "hood struts". They do wear out. It's easy to replace and the hood struts are less than $20 for a pair. The OP paid $155 ! for parts.
You might want to investigate if you can install hood struts on yours, so much nicer than the rod.
 
#41 ·
don't be so hard on yourself , in my past life i was a journeyman line mechanic working at a new car dealership.
and can tell you first hand there are good and bad mechanics, say theres 20 mechanics & the mechanic that works on your car is bad, doesn't care on a downer whatever your experience that day of the repairs & or dealership will more than likely be negative , on the other hand if positive then your experience will be positive.
remember if you have a mechanic that you feel treats you correctly & solves your problem consistently , you can ask for that mechanic anytime you take your car back.
however as many have stated already expect to pay more $ at any new car dealership.
another thing to keep in mind at the dealership when they advise you that a certain item is in need of replacement , they are using a spread sheet as to wear & tear , after 5000 or so miles most all parts are not in original specs, however to replace every part a mechanic says needs replacing is just wrong.
you definitely have to have a mind set that your the ultimate boss, the repair shop by law has to give you a price to do a given job & if they need to do additional repairs costing X number more $ they must get your permission Period,
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top