Been screwed--So scrap it or keep it?

[Bizzyb]

I'm pretty sure any decent shop would have just told you to scrap it before doing all that rip off work. It's a no brainer dood if this is even for real to just keep it now that 9 grand is sunk in and just sit on it till it dies, then put it in your back yard on blocks as a yard decoration.

Edit: no offense or anything.

 

[01FTW]

I've been looking around quite a bit on craigslist and autotrader. Pickings on craigslist are pretty sparse around here. Here are some of the cars I found on autotrader:
1) http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=n&car_id=288102140&dealer_id=57242953&start_year=2008&search_type=new&distance=25&min_price=1&end_year=2012&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&address=46168&max_price=12000&seller_type=b This should be about $210 a month for 5 years with 0% APR. It's more than I want to spend but it's new.
2) http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=285953900&dealer_id=58058938&start_year=1981&make3=ACURA&make2=ACURA&make=GMC&model=15SIPU4WD&search_type=used&distance=25&end_year=2006&model3=RSX&address=46219&model2=INTEG&seller_type=b Sweet looking car. Only gripes: no fixed in place cup holder and more than I want to spend.
3) http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=291503014&dealer_id=571003&start_year=1981&make3=ACURA&make2=ACURA&make=GMC&model=15SIPU4WD&search_type=used&distance=25&end_year=2006&model3=RSX&address=46219&model2=INTEG&seller_type=b " " "
4) http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=c&car_id=287649268&dealer_id=73527&start_year=2002&search_type=certified&distance=50&min_price=1&end_year=2012&certified=y&default_sort=newsortbyprice_DESC&address=46219&max_price=12000&seller_type=b This is a nice looking car and it comes with a warranty.

The white RSX IMO is the best choice. Dont even think about the Grand Prix, they're junk. I've known people who have owned those oversized tanks and its problem after problem.

RSX = fairly low mileage, clean, stylish, and reliable.

 

[Cripton805]

^^Uh, a bit harsh my friend Cripton
Im sorry about your car and your dads issue with getting rid of things. Lots of people have issues getting rid of their things. Id talk to your dad and tell him that youd like to sell the car. Get what ever money you can for it and buy a car thats a bit more reliable. When you test drive your next car, turn on all the buttons, flip all the switches and listen for any noise coming from any part of the car. Pop the hood and check for any signs of oil leaks. My engine bay was cleaned up real well, too well, and ended up finding a receipt under the seat after I bought the car for 2 cans of engine cleaner... Had an oil leak but managed to fix it my self. So let this be a learning experience and try to put it past you. Good Luck! -Aaron

My problem is that the car needed maintenance and it's like he's talking bad about the car. He bought one that needed maintenance. A 21 year old car will require maintenance, the previous owner must have let it build up. Looking at all the things he did, thats a pretty reliable little vehicle lasting that long in the wrong hands. This guy just caught up on everything it needed. This has nothing to do with Integras being unreliable and he's complaining on REGULAR things that are needed on any car. Am I being harsh? I don't mean to come off as a jerk, but it's true.

 

[01FTW]

My problem is that the car needed maintenance and it's like he's talking bad about the car. He bought one that needed maintenance. A 21 year old car will require maintenance, the previous owner must have let it build up. Looking at all the things he did, thats a pretty reliable little vehicle lasting that long in the wrong hands. This guy just caught up on everything it needed. This has nothing to do with Integras being unreliable and he's complaining on REGULAR things that are needed on any car. Am I being harsh? I don't mean to come off as a jerk, but it's true.

You came off a little harsh but you made a good point. Perfect example of Honda reliability.

 

[01FTW]

Fixer I'll give you some advice when buying a new car. This is exactly what I do when inspecting a car I am considering:

Fist and foremost get to know as much about the history of the car as you can. Get an autocheck report. If buying in a private sale ask the seller a lot of questions:

-is the title clean?
-was the timing belt and waterpump replaced?
-how old is the clutch?
-how old are the brakes?
-were regular oil changes done?
-what major repairs have been performed if any
-how old is the battery

Things I look at on the car:

-first pop the hood before turning car on and check the oil level (if low, good indicator of there being a leak or if the owner had been driving around on low oil). also see if there are any oil leaks around the head and block

-start car. get on the ground and watch under the car for any oil dripping. look again under the hood at the same aforementioned places for oil leaking. listen closely for unusual sounds like knocks or loud ticks.

-after car has been running a little while have someone stand behind it and you rev the motor. tell them to let you know if they see any kind of smoke coming out the exhaust.

-when driving the car, make sure when pushing in the clutch it isnt making any weird sounds. when shifting a manual feel/listen for grinding between shifts--shift at higher RPM to be sure there are no worn/shot synchros (grinding would be indicative of this)

-make sure clutch isn't slipping

-get on highway and up to speed to see if the car pulls in either direction when driving straight. listen for click and or knocking noises when making turns

Those are the main things I look at when considering buying a car. There are also things like checking that the lights come on, power windows work, etc.

EDIT* I forgot to mention to also look at temp gauge on dash to be sure that there is no overheating.

 

[fixerh]

How 'bout this one?

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=289222953&dealer_id=63756595&start_year=1998&search_type=used&distance=50&min_price=1&advanced=y&end_year=2006&make3=LEXUS&make2=INFIN&default_sort=priceASC&max_mileage=100000&address=46219&max_price=9000&seller_type=b&make=ACURA

 

[TheIVJackal]

For one, any car you buy at the dealer will most likely be more expensive than if you bought it off a private seller, as in another person not a dealer. Second, always check the asking price with KBB.com and see how much you should be paying. Read plenty of reviews on the car your getting and ask for plenty of Maintenance Records as well as a Vehicle History report if possible. Good luck bud.

 

[fixerh]

.

Thanks for the advice and help to everyone. My car isn't going to die tomorrow or anything, so I think I'll just keep checking craigslist and comparing the offers with the blue book values. Then, I'll try to meet with some private sellers and follow the prescribed advice. Hopefully, I can come across something decent for less than $4000. I might post here again for advice on which car to buy. Best wishes to all and Happy Holidays.

 

[fixerh]

Foggy windows

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about why my windows are always fogged up and what I can do about it. The fog is on the inside, especially on the back window. When I first got the car, the trunk wouldn't stay open. There was a piece of wood in the trunk that was being used to prop it up. Acura fixed the trunk so it would stay open, but I'm wondering if the way they did it is allowing cold air to seep in. Could I ameliorate this problem by putting some rubber or electrical tape around the edge of the trunk or something like that?

 

[OGstackadoIIa]

The white RSX IMO is the best choice. Dont even think about the Grand Prix, they're junk. I've known people who have owned those oversized tanks and its problem after problem.

RSX = fairly low mileage, clean, stylish, and reliable.

X2 Grand Prix's are shit cars
The RSX's are the best bet!

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about why my windows are always fogged up and what I can do about it. The fog is on the inside, especially on the back window. When I first got the car, the trunk wouldn't stay open. There was a piece of wood in the trunk that was being used to prop it up. Acura fixed the trunk so it would stay open, but I'm wondering if the way they did it is allowing cold air to seep in. Could I ameliorate this problem by putting some rubber or electrical tape around the edge of the trunk or something like that?

My windows are fogged pretty well in the winter every morning, but my defroster takes care of it just fine. I have a DC so I'm not sure if the DA comes with the rear windshield defroster or not, but I would assume it does.

 

[Cripton805]

It could be there can be a small leak or something in your roof as well too. On my friends, moisture seeps in from the roof and gets into the roof paneling causing it to fog up his rear windows pretty bad. It's not uncommon for cars to fog up anyway in the rear window... I'm not to sure if there's actually something wrong or your describing what happens to most cars in the morning moisture or night time.

 

[fixerh]

Foggy windows

"My windows are fogged pretty well in the winter every morning, but my defroster takes care of it just fine. I have a DC so I'm not sure if the DA comes with the rear windshield defroster or not, but I would assume it does."
There's a rear defroster button and lines on the back windshield, so the rear defrost should be working but it is not. My dad paid Acura to replace it this summer, so it looks like they did the job wrong. And my windows are definitely foggier than the other people's in my apartment building, so there might be something to the roof leak idea. Looks like I'll have to drive an hour and a half to get back to the dealer and see if they'll fix it. My dad has already sent a lot of money their way, so hopefully, they'll do the right thing and fix it for free. If not, then I'll be done with Acura as driving that far for shoddy service is too much to be bothered with after all this.

 

[OGstackadoIIa]

"My windows are fogged pretty well in the winter every morning, but my defroster takes care of it just fine. I have a DC so I'm not sure if the DA comes with the rear windshield defroster or not, but I would assume it does."
There's a rear defroster button and lines on the back windshield, so the rear defrost should be working but it is not. My dad paid Acura to replace it this summer, so it looks like they did the job wrong. And my windows are definitely foggier than the other people's in my apartment building, so there might be something to the roof leak idea. Looks like I'll have to drive an hour and a half to get back to the dealer and see if they'll fix it. My dad has already sent a lot of money their way, so hopefully, they'll do the right thing and fix it for free. If not, then I'll be done with Acura as driving that far for shoddy service is too much to be bothered with after all this.

Damn, bro. I'm sorry you've had such a shitty experience with this one; my car has done very well and I drive the hell out of it, I assure you it was just as bad apple. And driving all the way to a dealership isn't really benefiting you as much as you may think. If you have a brand new Mercedes SLK, then by all means, take that shit to the dealership; but when it's a 20+ year old Honda, it's ok to take it to a decent mechanic in your area; if you have one. And weather stripping may have gone bad; listen for air wistling inside of the car at about 60 or 70 mph, then you may be able to get an idea of where the leak may be coming from if that is the problem.

And FYI; to quote someone in a post, click the icon embedded in their post that reads "quote". The "+" button is for quoting multiple posts

Good luck :thumbs up

 

[fixerh]

Correction

I just talked with Dad on the phone. He says the rear defrost wasn't replaced this summer. He took it in, they tested it, and they didn't find a problem with it. He thinks the problem might be the relay/termister. Or it could be the weather stripping like the poster before me mentioned. I think I'll ask around and see if I can find a mechanic to look at the break pads and check the relay.

 

[OGstackadoIIa]

Keep us posted. I'm interested to see if you come out with damn-near new Integra in the end