"Audi on a budget" -- H O N D A?????

[Mike Arman]

S'truth . . .


Got an 01 Accord out of an estate sale, in five years and 50,000 miles:

One bad tire (car pulled right, tried alignment, alignment, alignment), replacing tires cured it 
completely. Tires are a wear item.


Sand got into the trunk release lever lock next to the driver's seat. Remove, clean, reassemble. 
$0.00 total cost. Not the optimum location for this, but we're a mile off the pavement here so we do 
get a little sand into our cars.


Positive battery cable corroded - stealer wanted $141, fancy Siamese cable with insulating sleeves 
and various attach hardware. Found online for $32 and it even arrived in a sealed OEM Honda bag. 
Took an hour to change, some of which was figuring out how not to cut power to the radio so it 
wouldn't lock up.


Set of front brake pads - $22.00, lifetime replacement warranty - another wear item.


And that's IT - the damn thing just runs . . .


It will need a timing belt soon, $150 for all the parts (and there are a bunch of them), need a $25 
crank lock tool, it is supposed to be about a three hour job (we'll see).


Headlights are unimpressive, they don't exactly suck, but they aren't far from it. The plastic is 
getting hazed, too, which doesn't help.


I can see why they sell a LOT of these - it is the perfect car for people who aren't interested in 
cars. Cheap to run, 25mpg city/30 hwy on regular gas, unobtrusive, totally un-engaging. If you just 
need to get there, it is the perfect choice. (Just try not to die of boredom on the way.)


Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90V8Q - and THAT is a whole 'nother story!