I worked as a mechanic for many years. Honda and Acura vehicles use a rubber timing belt to keep the camshafts running correctly with the engine. These cars will run for 300,000 miles easily if kept maintained. The problem is the timing belt wears out. Honda/Acura recommend changing the timing belts every 90,000 miles. Normally the belt is under $40 by itself and labor is a few hours. You would be looking at a $300 bill to change the belt, before it breaks, as a scheduled maintenance item.

The problem is when people don't change the belt. After all, the car runs, why spend money on a car that isn't broken? But wait. If the belt breaks while the engine is running, the engine's parts go out of sequence. The pistons will actually hit the valves, causing expensive internal engine damage. It is not uncommon to find the cylinder head has to be rebuilt due to bent valves. Sometimes cracked pistons need replaced, meaning a whole new rebuilt motor. What would have been a $300 maintenance job is now a $2000 engine rebuild.

Why is this important? When buying a used Honda or Acura with over 100,000 miles, the first question asked should be, when was the timing belt changed? Do you have receipts? If the owner can't prove the belt was changed recently, if you decide to by the car, be aware you will need to get the belt changed as soon as possible to prevent ruining the engine.

 

You're not telling us anything we don't know. Nor are you being sneaky by using this to advertise your ebay site.

If you'd like to become a paying sponsor, shoot me a PM and I'll get you the necessary information. Till then, keep the links out of your posts.

 

not that i dont know this already, but thanks for the help?

 

I didnt' know this, and I just recently (last week) bought my civic with 99,000 miles on it. something I'll look into

 

I didn't know either...

 

if u guys didnt know this, i think it'd be a smart idea to read over the maintenance schedule in ur owners manual. if u dont have the ownersmanual, get a haynes manual, it has the full maintenance schedule and it'll also show u how to do it.

 

common sense i'll say.

 

I don't even know when the last oil change was done on my 91 civic.. It's burning oil, and I think the guy just kept on adding oil, like i do, and now I'm adding DIRTY oil from my volkswagen LOL

Anyway it's parked now and when I unpark it (I should receive my clutch next week.. I hope) I'll change the engine oil too...

 

This thread makes me think twice about ever buying a used car. What are the chances that people keep their maintenance schedule current, let alone knowing what's been done and when!! Keeping receipts?? Huh? Is it normal behaviorto wait for catastrophic failure? I know several drivers who keep driving with their CEL on -- for weeks or months! Hey, if the car runs smoothly, what could possibly be wrong?

 

I completley agree^

Luckily once you step up to a nicer/more expensive car, typically the maintence records are kept up to date. I know about everything that has ever happened, and when with my WRX.