I have a 2004 honda accord ex 4 cylinder. Now I need motor mounts and rack and pinion fixed. I know this is about 1300 from what the one shop told me but I can have my mechanic do it but not sure how much he would charge. Do you think it would be better to get rid of my car for lets say 500-600 and just buy something else? And just so it's known I'm on a budget and don't have a lot of income at this moment.
You didn't mention how many miles are on this 18-year-old Accord or anything about its overall condition. Needing engine mounts is not unusual at that age. What is wrong with the steering rack?
Car prices are at an all time high. You will not be able to find anything better than what you have for $1300 unless maybe a friend or relative wants to get rid of something and is willing to cut you a break. A running beater these days frequently goes for $5000. New cars if you can get one (it can take months) are going for at least MSRP and many dealers are tacking on additional fees. Late model used cars are going for as much as and sometimes more than new ones.
With money being tight, if your Accord has been well-maintained and is in good condition (doesn't burn a lot of oil, transmission is OK, no check engine light or bad codes, timing belt changed on schedule, etc.) and doesn't have an outrageous amount of mileage it's probably better to fix it and keep it for now.
Hey sorry I didn't realize I did not add that information. I was writing this at work and was just trying to write it quick. It has around 120,000 miles, that's what my car says. But was told after running a check I was told it was really around 280,00. I was told by Firestone it needed a rack and pinion. I noticed my steering wheel was super hard just to turn after start up and got lose only after I drove a little and I also hear a rattling sound sometimes when I drive and I seen on Google that is a symptom. I do have enough money to get something decent but I don't trust people most the time to be truthful when selling there cars. There is no check engine light or burning oil. Just small issues decides those 2 things I mentioned. I was told a rack and pinion job is a lot of money. But I do have a mechanic who can do it for a lot cheaper. But with Firestone telling me this I wonder if I should get a second opinion and see if I actually need to change the whole thing.
Don't believe anything Firestone or any similar type chain shop tells you. Their service writers are paid a commission and are encouraged to make the bill as high as possible. Rack and pinion replacement is a labor-intensive job and is expensive. Definitely get a second opinion from a good independent mechanic.
Ok thank you, I have off work for a week pretty soon and I know the perfect place to take it. I will definitely get a second opinion. Thanks again
Do not trust what Firestone or any chain store like it (pep Boys for example) tells you. Dealers especially.
Thank you
the guy i bought the car from over a year ago said he changed the cluster(not entitrly sure how that works), so i assume there was some foul play there.
Not necessarily. That's an old car. He may have changed the gauge cluster due to a malfuction in the original, and the mileage stored in the replacement was lower. However if he didn't notify you about the change that would certainly be foul play.
That happened with my '99 Jeep Cherokee when I needed to replace the cluster - suddenly it had like 140,000 less miles on it! However, I put a prominently-displayed sticker on the dash noting the discrepancy and normally the next "owner" of my vehicles is the junkyard anyway. I run them until they're no good to anyone else any more.
do you think i should just get a new car and spend like 6-7 thousand on something good or just take 2 thousand and fix everything that needs to be fixed and save all that money?
Depending on how bad the rack and pinion leak is (assuming it's really leaking) you might be able to get by for a while putting some ATP "AT-205 Reseal" that Scotty has talked about into the power steering fluid. There are a lot of things that could be wrong with your HVAC system, some easy and cheap, some an expensive pain in the rear. You could install an aftermarket radio, and the window problem could be as simple as a bad switch or busted wire going into the door.
IF engine and transmission are sound, the car is not rusted, and the needed repairs can be done for for a reasonable amount I'd do it. (You could spend $6K or $7K and wind up with a real turkey.)
There are way too many variables to know whether you could get 500,000 miles out of that thing. It's already nearly 2 decades old and has high mileage. You really don't know how it's been maintained over the years. You'd have a better shot if it's a standard shift - Honda automatics from back then were fairly weak. However if everything else is in good shape you'd probably be buying yourself at least another year two with minor repairs.
Thanks for the reply. I guess I can drop a hundred to get a second opinion at a independent shop. It was Firestone who said I had a rack and pinion leak. If the shop tells me the same and other things that need fixing and if its more then 2500 for everything I'll probably just get a newer car and pray it's not a turkey haha
Firestone and other chain shops are definitely to be avoided! If you do get another car be sure to have a thorough inspection done by a good mechanic BEFORE buying it.
@chuck Tobias, indeed I will. Im hoping someone will let me take it to a shop if my choosing for diagnostic test. I know people who hiding something will have an issue. But I will be paying for the diagnostic test myself and if all is good I will purchase on the spot, they need to know this
@chuck so for the ato, do you think its possible it can help me turn my steering upon starting my car. Bevatwhen it's really cold out It takes me like 5 minutes to get out my parking spot cause the wheel don't turn right away it takes so long. It moves like 2 inches then stops and then keeps doing that until it finally turns on the way. And it also does it sometimes when I go to turn which can be dangerous so I tend to just drive straight until it finally starts to turn normal which takes at least 29 minutes of driving to do so. I know I have some issue with power steer/ rack and pinion. Do you think this liquid can help at least with the trying if the steering wheel?
While Honda is an amazing and reliable brand, it is not immune to time.
I’m rolling in a 1999 Accord as my daily / project. And it has been reliable for the past 20+ years.
At the same time, the age is showing, and there are things that eventually wear our, expensive stuff like suspension parts and stupid cheap stuff like a tiny plastic brake pedal stop, that caused a power drain.
I personally keep mine because it’s been with me forever. However if I picked one up used, it would be easier to let it go.
I'm wondering if I should stay with Honda or go Toyota. And if I maybe should stick to no later then a 2010. Still older but I dk
Top two choices for sure. It really depends on the specific cars you are comparing. Sometimes Honda will have the edge. Sometimes Toyota will have the edge. Overall, Toyota has a slight edge.
Is anyone that stands out more, like a Camry vs a Corolla vs a Avalon, or maybe an SUV from Toyota, possibly a truck?
It depends on the model year. If I had to pick one, I’d pick the 4Runner because they barely change that thing. It’s been basically the same truck based SUV for the last decade and a half.
ill make this quick. and i know some may have different opinions. so i have a 2004 honda accord ex with about 122,000 on the dash, but was told its really around 300,000 from a company that ran a car check usuing my vin number. the guy i bought the car from over a year ago said he changed the cluster(not entitrly sure how that works), so i assume there was some foul play there. my car needs motor mounts, was told i have a rack and pinion leak. also it now makes a very weird sound when i drive. i have no ac/heater, driver side windows dont work, i dont have a radio and i have a few other things that need fixing. so my question is, do you think i should just get a new car and spend like 6-7 thousand on something good or just take 2 thousand and fix everything that needs to be fixed and save all that money? i just feel 300,000 is a lot, jujst dont know if i fix everything how many more miles i can get out the car, i assume with maintenance regularly i could get up to 500,000 maybe i dont know. so what would you do, if you arent a mechanic like me and can fix things yourself??
Yeah youre right about the gauge cluster thing.
Id say its okay to do little things to keep it going, but dont dump too much money into it. I mean you could put 2-3k worth of work into it, just for the engine or transmission let loose in a few months.
Yeah I was thinking that might be an issue. I think I'm just gonna try to sell it and get at least a few hundred to put towards another car.
so for the ato, do you think its possible it can help me turn my steering upon starting my car.
Probably not. The only purported function of ATP AT-205 is to revitalize dried-out/hardened but otherwise undamaged rubber seals. That kind of "morning sickness" is usually caused by a worn-out steering rack. The stuff may help a little if the problem is being caused by internal seals in the rack that are still in good enough condition to be helped. However any additive of that type is just a temporary band-aid if it works at all.
You could also try pressure-testing the pump see if it's putting out sufficient pressure.