Need to replace the 1990 Accord

[96Qowner]

Ah geez, the wife rear-ended a girl on the Interstate this morning.

Little sweetie decided to change lanes in front of wife on a slippery highway. It woulda been ok, except all the cars were slowing for the exit ramp and sweetie had to jam the brakes on as soon as she pulled in front of wife. Boom, wife hits sweetie (sweetie is, of course, petulant and pissy about it all).

So ... bent hood, both lights and grill busted and pushed into the radiator. Sigh. I loved that car - had it for 18 years and almost 392,000 miles. I'm mourning - just SO sad. I spent a LOT of hours in that car.

Anyway ... probably gonna have to replace it. I'm still considering putting it back together, as little sense as that makes, but I suspect it's going to be over $3000 - kinda stupid. I'd LOVE to find a nice '90 to replace it, but there aren't any for sale close to me right now. I've been on ebay and craigslist all morning. So I'm looking at Camry, Acura Legend, J30, etc. This'll be a city runaround car, so I don't really need a 6 cylinder ... just want something highly reliable and fun to drive.

So, advice and thoughts from my fellow NICO members? How much damage do we think it is? (I'll find out this afternoon). Any other suggestions for a replacement?

Gawd, 18 YEARS!

Hmm, this 325i is close to me ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...h=011

[qship96]

I am surprised it hasnt rusted out before now,as all the pre 94 accords here are taken by rust before mechanical problems

[Jesda]

Time for a 94 Accord!

[maxnix]

ABS?

No BMW unless you want to curse auf Deutsch.

Accord is toast.

Hate the mouse belts anyway.

Civic Si for sweetie.

Or old I30/35 in great shape.
Modified by maxnix at 5:38 AM 1/23/2008

[Q451990]

I hate to hear about these wrecks... it sucks to loose an old friend, but I'm glad to hear your wife is OK. My wife's best friend is spending the night in the hospital in Lafayette, IN tonight after hitting a patch of black ice and spinning their Dodge Caravan into a semi. First responders were surprised that she walked away, but as best we can tell she has a sprained shoulder and chipped front tooth. That winter weather you guys have to deal with sucks... we just call it a "snow day" the two or three times it happens a year and stay the hell home!

Hope you can find a suitable replacment. How about a later G20?

Heath

[RAP]

So, advice and thoughts from my fellow NICO members? How much damage do we think it is? (I'll find out this afternoon). Any other suggestions for a replacement

http://www.nola.com/autos

Has some Accords for sale every week. NON FLOOD and not even lightly salted. Expect to pay a premium for an Accord. I shopped for awhile for one for my grand daughter and finally settled for a 2003 VW Passat instead. Car for car the asking was 3-4000 bucks more.

Accords are highly rated and that is reflected in the prices. The new ones sell like hotcakes also, along with the Camrys, Maximas and especially the Altimas. I looked at some nice Mitsubishi Galants also. Seemed to be nice cars but selling for much less than the Accords Camrys or the Max.

Then there is always the Tarus, Malibu, etc in the US offerings???

Seems like I read here that you bought your Q 45 here in LA?There are six Q's , currently for sale in the paper from individuals and dealers. Also some other Infinitis.

ABS ? ? ? someone mentioned. Better stay home if you think an ABS system will save you from rear ending the car in front under the circumstances as reported.

[elwesso]

Buy my BMW!!

[Jesda]

G20s suck. Glad to be rid of that heap of crap.

[96Qowner]

No ABS on the 90 Accord. Wouldn't have mattered anyway - just no room to stop.

Ditto on the G20, Jesda - a Yoogly car, ick.

I'm still drolling over that 325i ... but .... rear-wheel drive - already got one of those - need a nice well-behaved FWD for winter around here. And, the wife needs an auto, so can't take Wes's car either.

Been looking at mid-90s Subaru Legacy AWD wagons. They're amazingly cheap. Anyone have any experience with them? Also have a couple old Maximas around here for sale. When I bought the 90 Accord new, it was between that or the Max, but the Nissan dealer was one of those kind that didn't hide their hard-selling, big-hype approach - walked out in disgust and bought the Accord from the very well-respected Honda dealer.

RAP, heheh, I'd love to come down to Louisiana and shop for cars. I hear it's even warmer than -10 degrees down there, eh? *Sigh*, all the good 4th Gen Accords seem to be over 1000 miles from me.

Q451990, give the wife's friend my regards - chipped tooth? OW. Mine just got a wrenched shoulder from the seatbelt. BTW, I drove a turboed Audi 5000 diesel through Columbia in the worst blizzard on record there back in the 80s. That was the storm that didn't melt for a week, if you remember. Drove from Greenville to Charleston the day it started. Had great fun watching y'all slide sideways spinning your wheels - when they were finished, I drove on past 'em and continued on my way.

[maxnix]

Oh yeah, ND. Get one of those little AWD Honda SUV.

My freind has spent more on his 1997 Passat than I have on any of my Q45 individually, and it still needs more repair. The sale discount is not enough, believe me.

[96Qowner]

Oh yeah, ND. Get one of those little AWD Honda SUV.

Heheh, nah, we've both been laughing for 10 years at the silly women who think a modified truck with a comfortable cabin is the cat's pajamas. We prefer a well-handling sedan on a genuine car chassis. SUV's have merely been a means for car manufacturers to avoid the CAFE standards, since trucks (excuse me, Utility Vehicles) are exempt. Just a big hype and lie.

Remember, this is the "girl" who took the Q to 140mph one morning on a whim.

[maxnix]

Ain't no Honda short of a S2000 gonna satisfy that urge.

Not many new speed limited sedans either.

[96Qowner]

She did get a little flushed and breathy over that 325i ....

Purdy car:

[Jesda]

SUV's have merely been a means for car manufacturers to avoid the CAFE standards, since trucks (excuse me, Utility Vehicles) are exempt. Just a big hype and lie.

Last night I pulled a Chevy Aveo and two small children out of my air dam.

[96Qowner]

My 98 lb sister drives a Yukon XL - says it makes her feel like she has a pen15.

What's your excuse?

[Jesda]

My 98 lb sister drives a Yukon XL - says it makes her feel like she has a pen15.

What's your excuse?

It accomodates my fat arse.

[96Qowner]

I've narrowed it down to 4 cars - Acura Legend or Vigor, Lexus ES300, or another Japan-built 4th Gen Accord.

I'd love everyone's input.

I know about the head gasket issue on the Legends, but I don't know much about the ES300. I think I'd really like that Vigor - based on the Accord chassis, I believe - hard to find, though.

[oldmako]

I bought a high mileage 88 Legend years ago. It was a bit rough. I was in a jam and very tired of chasing cars which tho advertised as prime turned out to be crap.

I LOVED that car. It was fast, comfortable, roomy, stylish and cheap to operate. I put tires and an alternator on it and flogged it up and down the interstate. I drove it 4 years and it ended up with 230K when I traded it in on a 98 3.2TL (which was also a great car).

It was happy as a clam at 80 on the road, and yet still felt sprightly around town.It's a HONDA after all....it will run forever. Nothing more than a gussied up accord. The challenge is to find one that's not run to hell. They are very popular with the youngsters. Gnomesayin??

[Rex]

I've narrowed it down to 4 cars - Acura Legend or Vigor, Lexus ES300, or another Japan-built 4th Gen Accord.

I'd love everyone's input.

I know about the head gasket issue on the Legends, but I don't know much about the ES300. I think I'd really like that Vigor - based on the Accord chassis, I believe - hard to find, though.

Only thing I'd add is an early Lexus ES250, they even came in 5 speed. Look for ones with the darker leather, it holds up better. Weak spots are power steering hoses and trunk hinges. There's a well cared for one near me I'm trying to pick up. I low balled the guy so badly he just said no thanks, didn't even bother countering my offer . We'll see what he thinks in a month or 2 if he still has it. Just like houses, used cars is a buyers market right now.

[greg_atlanta]

ES300 could have engine sludge problem if prior owner was not religous about oil changes (which is more likely as a "girl car"). Toyota extended the warranty to a certain extent, not sure of the details.

[RAP]

Well as a current Acura Legend owner I will chime in here. My '95 L legend has been a nice car to own and drive. I purchased at 86000 K and it is now at 142000. I've been through the head gasket failure and spent 1200 bucks to rectify. The radiator changed also. The OEM rads break, usually at less than 100k. Brake jobs are easy. CV joints are easy but the rubber boots don't last too long (can be bought separately though).

If the head gasket is holding the valve stem seals go bad and oil consumption goes up, burned through the combustion chamber manifested by puffs of blue exhaust smoke especially after prolonged idle. I would burn about one quart per thousand prior to head gasket change and O after.

I did about 22-23 mpg at first but now down to 18-19 mpg. I need to do some parts changing.

There is a transmission mount (at rear end of transmission) that goes bad and needs to be changed. A clunking sound is the clue when working the engine. I checked mine a few days past and it looks OK but to change, part of the exhaust piping must be dropped. The transmission itself hasn't given me any problems so far.

The timing belt recommended change, along with water pump and of course all belts is at 90000 k. 250 - 300 bucks for parts currently. A fairly easy DIY.

My ABS is out and to fix can run 1600 bucks for the whole thing so I accept the yellow lite as a decoration. The ABS usually goes out for most of us Legends owners.

If the windshield needs to be changed there will be some 400 bucks of trim to replace, plus the windshield + / - 250.

There is some vibration in the steering wheel that is un-avoidable with high mileage front wheel drive cars. Maybe changing the entire ( $ $ $ ) front end suspension would help. It's really not that bad though.

I looked at a Vigor for sale recently, locally (don't remember the year) and noted that it is set up like the Legend power train but with a straight five cylinder engine. It is also long out of production and there you will run into the 10 year rule and since there were not too many of those models sold there will be problems with parts, possibly. That's about all I know about the Vigor except that it didn't take too well so...

I frequent the http://www.acuralegend.com website and there resides the bad/poor English gang, for sure. But if you are into fixin' stuff, the FSM will serve you well and other than reading about ALL the problems the youngsters encounter with their poorly maintained ( read here: I ain't got no money to fix my car) cars there is much useful information to be gleaned. I go there to keep track of the latest malfunctions cropping up. I would be very leery about buying ANY car from young guys never mind a Legend or Vigor... No offense intended towards any young persons but the truth is what it is.

Actually there are probably many Legend cars available throughout the country that would serve you well but probably not too close by, to you. They pop up from time to time.

If all you have in mind is to keep the little women rolling the Accord will be hard to beat, all around. Oil changes and wash jobs is what defines that car.

However I have seen some Maximas that have served their owners well also and since this is a website about Nissan cars...

Good luck. Jack

[JOHNQ]

one thing i can say is the vigor is one of the most reliable cars ever.i had 4 of them and 1 parts car that ive owned from 1996-2006.the back seat is tight and they tend to leak oil from the distibutor,oil cooler, and spark plug tubes all due to age but once those seals are replaced they will go for another 150k mi. youll love the car.. one of the best handling fwd . yuo will fell like your sitting in a custom lowered vehicle. beware it will grow on you forever oh i forgot to mention i now have a 2.5 tl .has the same engine as the vigor with a little more backseat room but does not handle or feel like the vigor did.

[96Qowner]

Well, I couldn't find a decent Vigor, the Legend is just too much like the Q, and no one has a 4th Gen Accord for sale for under $1500, so ....

I put the old man back together.

I found a local guy who rebuilds wrecked Hondas and has a big garage full of parts. Got a hood, grill, lights, bumper, radiator, and fan assembly swapped over for $900 - just couldn't turn it down.

So the old man is back on the road, headed for 400,000 miles. Give the old guy a hand! He's a real trouper. Jus' can't kill him.

[maxnix]

Well as a current Acura Legend owner I will chime in here. My '95 L legend has been a nice car to own and drive.

If the head gasket is holding the valve stem seals go bad and oil consumption goes up, burned through the combustion chamber manifested by puffs of blue exhaust smoke especially after prolonged idle.

Since new 1990 Acura Legend LS. 187K I will get rid of it sometime, but it keeps running and burns little oil between OCI. Have spent too much money maintaining it as major systems have been replaced as they have worn, like radiator, AT, ABS,..

Second generation 3.2L V6 known for valve stem failure problem. Honda cheaped it out. Techs told me never to get rid of mine as they will go forever, but it is a 4th car now while the 3 Q45 are under VC replacement.

It's kind of cool to drive a car that is old enough to vote.
Modified by maxnix at 7:07 AM 4/3/2008

[Jesda]

So the old man is back on the road, headed for 400,000 miles. Give the old guy a hand! He's a real trouper. Jus' can't kill him.

Amazing. Any pics of the damage?

Recycling is good for the environment.

[96Qowner]

No pics, sorry. It was odd damage - missed both fenders, just buckled the hood and pushed the lights and grill into the condenser, ruining the fan assembly and popping the radiator housing. We just bent the condenser straight and it was fine.

I'm tempted to post pics of the old man in all his dinged and rusted glory. All the parts work though. Kinda like me.

[qship96]

I am shocked it hasnt been consumed by rust yet in your area. How is your Q doing, any rust issues yet?

[ddrumman]

.............I'm tempted to post pics of the old man in all his dinged and rusted glory. All the parts work though. Kinda like me.

Do show us some pictures. I love Hondas. I think they are probably the best bang for your buck, especially when you purchase then new, no matter which model.

[SynisterQ]

Glad to hear the "Old Man" is back on the road. My best friend has a 92 Honda Accord that he bought new with 300+ K miles on it and it is still running strong. He recently had to change the clutch out but thats normal wear and tear. I hope you'll hit 500k and beyond with your Accord!!

[maxnix]

Only thing I'd add is an early Lexus ES250, they even came in 5 speed.

Man, those cars were so poorly gilded Camry's that even the LS outsold them.

A really dull Kenmore appliance compared to the then current Accord and especially the Acura Legend.