What do you think???

[fallout09890]

I was looking at an Accord on craigslist and saw one for $3000. It has 152K and its an EX Coupe MT I4. I asked the owner about the condition of the car and he told me that he does oil changes every 3K and the Timing Belt, Water Pump, and Drive belts have all been changed 30K miles ago. The problem is that he says that there is a whining sound in 5th gear. He said that he got it checked out by a honda Mechanic and was told that it was nothing to worry about. According to the seller, its been doing that since about 72K miles. Now, Ive done my research on this and found that a whining tranny indicates worn out gears. I need your help in determining if this is a real problem or if it is nothing to worry about. I dont wanna have to drive 3 hours to test drive only to find out that its a major problem. Im already sold on the 6th gen accord and it is the only car I will buy (good MPG, reliable??, and mix of performace and comfort) so my choices are limited. Is this a good deal or is this car a lemon?

 

[HondaLuver83]

Take to a honda mechanic yourself before you buy it. Dont ask us, we cant drive or hear the sound. It could be a wheel bearing only heard at highway speeds, could be a transmission problem. What bothers me is if its only isolated in 5th gear. Anyhow, any whining or humming sounds coming from the transmission means you need to crack it open period.

 

[RedRyder]

^+1. Any sound coming from a transmission is serious. That's a long ways to drive to test a car you already know has a problem.

I'd look for another car, you should be able to find one closer to you.

 

[ryan s]

if you can drop in a transmission yourself...you could probably pick one up for $300-ish.

he put 80k on it already, so it should be able to make it home. if he's "dumping" the car cause the tranny **** the bed, you'll know on the test drive

the car is probably worth $3300-3500 in good shape with a good transmission, so if you pick up a new 5 speed for $300, you're getting a deal. my car is an EX auto sedan with identical mileage and it books at $3400 (if it didn't have tons of rust).

IF you can find a trans and IF you can install it yourself, that is.

 

[fallout09890]

if you can drop in a transmission yourself...you could probably pick one up for $300-ish.

he put 80k on it already, so it should be able to make it home. if he's "dumping" the car cause the tranny **** the bed, you'll know on the test drive

the car is probably worth $3300-3500 in good shape with a good transmission, so if you pick up a new 5 speed for $300, you're getting a deal. my car is an EX auto sedan with identical mileage and it books at $3400 (if it didn't have tons of rust).

IF you can find a trans and IF you can install it yourself, that is.

Most of the people here overprice on their 6th gens. The only ones I find that is in the $3K-3.5K are all beat up LXs. I wanted an EX sedan preferably. Do you guys have any idea on how the V6 trannys hold up. Ive seen some on the market for $4K but have 150K+miles on them. Are Accord trannys really unreliable. Ive had good experience im maintaining my familys 02 Odyssey which has 86K and know someone who has 161K on their Ody on its first tranny. I also know someone who has 245K on their 02 Accord on its orig auto tranny/ motor and its still running strong. But Ive been hesitant because of all the Honda tranny troubles Ive read, but from family experience Ive seen nothing bad of them. Im trying to go manual because Ive heard that they last longer and are easier to maintiain but Ive never touched an MT. Do these Accords have any specific problems besides its tranny that I need to look for when buying one?

 

[Russianred]

Make sure it's not burning oil. If the tranny is going bad, then it may need to be replaced. the I4 manual transmissions are very strong, especially with an aftermarket clutch and flywheel. V6 transmissions are FAIL any way you look at them.. They are always AUTO, unless you swap a 6-speed in from an Acura.

I4 manual = good (very reliable)
I4 auto = worse
V6 auto = bad

 

[fallout09890]

Make sure it's not burning oil. If the tranny is going bad, then it may need to be replaced. the I4 manual transmissions are very strong, especially with an aftermarket clutch and flywheel. V6 transmissions are FAIL any way you look at them.. They are always AUTO, unless you swap a 6-speed in from an Acura.

I4 manual = good (very reliable)
I4 auto = worse
V6 auto = bad

This is what the guy told me:"The trany has a whine only in 5th. It goes away when you let off the accelerator. I have no clue what the problem is, only that it did it for the last 2 owners and hasnt seemed to be causing any issues. I'll check the inspection tonight." In yalls experience, is this a major tranny problem, or could I get away with it for lets say a year or two. And how do I know if it burns oil by just an hour long test drive

 

[CanadianEh48]

This is what the guy told me:"The trany has a whine only in 5th. It goes away when you let off the accelerator. I have no clue what the problem is, only that it did it for the last 2 owners and hasnt seemed to be causing any issues. I'll check the inspection tonight." In yalls experience, is this a major tranny problem, or could I get away with it for lets say a year or two. And how do I know if it burns oil by just an hour long test drive

stomp on the gas pedal. if you see blue smoke in the rear view mirror, its burning oil.

look for soot on the rear bumper.

check the engine oil level before you drive it. it should be in between the two dots.

 

[SykVSyx]

If you are up for a road trip, go and check it out.

Otherwise, don't bother, and keep on searching.

If you are willing to do the tranny swap, then go for it.

Hope it all works out.

 

[fallout09890]

I found this other accord.99 4dr I4 MT. We test drove it and there were no odd sounds. But I heard a rattle coming from the glove compartment with the A/C on high but not on low. I had this similar problem when I changed the A/C filter on my Mom's Ody with the Fram Arm and Hammer one. It shifted smoothly and the engine seemed to idle fine. When I looked at the exhaust pipe, there seemed to be a black oily residue but it was not an overwhelming amount. I think its with the age of the car and it didnt look like there was smoke coming from the exhaust. Brake pads and axles are new and it has 170,000. Its priced at $3700.My friend is insisting that I get a mechanic to look at it, but Im itching to buy it because with the mechanic inspection me and the seller are having scheduling conflicts. Has any1 tried the used car inspection from Midas. Since the VA state inspection is new(6/11) what are the odds that this car is a lemon? I think for that price, even if there is a minor problem, I will still be getting a good deal. How long do clutches wear out on these cars? Also, I saw some white spots on the engine block and the alternator. someone told me that it could be battery acid. Is that true? Its like water was splashed on it and just dried up. Overall the condition of the car is like new. Carfax is clean and it was garage kept. Hopefully if this goes through, I will be a member of this forum for a long time.