From: minor@rtsg.mot.com (Kevin Minor)
Subject: Re: Honda perfection management
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 23:06:46 GMT

surge@en.ecn.purdue.edu (PhD-in-Training) writes:

|>The Hondas have a good reliability record as far as break down on
|>the road, I don't doubt that.  The point of this thread is that
|>most Honda owners conveniently seem to forget the ridiculously
|>high maintinence costs of their cars.  I don't have to have my
|>timing done (not till past 100K if ever, thanks to engine
|>management).  I don't have to have my valves adjusted routinely.
|>I don't have to have a rubber timing belt replaced (mine is
|>chain).  Wait till you have to replace your timing belts to the tune of a
|>couple hundred bucks (at 60K)....you will still be singing the
|>"reliability" song.  That's what annoys non-Honda owners.

Well, my first Honda has 106K before I gave it up for my current Honda
(at about 18k). I'll agree the timing belt is expensive to change. On my 
first Honda, I didn't have it done until 90K (probably living a little on
borrowed time :-) ).
If you get the timing belt done, you might consider getting the 
water pump replaced at that time. From what I understand, much to the 
labor overlaps with that of the timing belt.

But overall, most of the maintenances are adjustments and checks.
Now you can opt to skip them - most aren't all that necessary anyways - 
but the idea is that it helps extend the life of the car.
I seriously doubt a Honda would be in any worse shape than an American
car if they both used the American maintenance schedule...

I'll probably do most of mine myself except for the major ones.
Actually, on my first one, I skipped a lot of them period.

I guess the difference is that I've never had a Honda break down and
leave me stranded with the exception of needing a jump. And I didn't
need anymore jumps after I stuck a Die-Hard Gold in there... :-) I little
over kill. But after having to get a jump in sub-zero Chicago weather, I
wanted a battery that could light up Soldier Field + 2 boats + a plane, 
etc.. :-)

I also continously run into people who have Hondas well over 200K.
One guy at work has had about 5 so far....

The thing that impresses me about Honda is that I've gotten extremely
good support from them even after warranties expirations...

Heck, Honda even covered an item that I wanted to replace myself.
I was asking for a quote and my service guy tells me that Honda
will cover it.

|>So I paid $125 (after 50K miles).  I rather have that than several
|>special dealer visits that would have totalled more than that.
|>You Honda owners sound like all you've done is put gas in and
|>change the oil (and filters, etc).  I think this was the point of
|>the original poster.

I know a couple of people who did exactly that with their Hondas...
I mean they barely changed the oil in over 100K... That impressed me a
great deal... I figure if I actually take care of the car, I should
be able to hit 2-300K easy... And the way I put miles on, I need it.

I've put a fair amount of maintenance in my Hondas both at home and
at the shop. But I'd rather those minor expenses which I can easily budget
than those major unexpected ones. I'd say I had about $3000 total in 106K
on my first Honda and that included timing belt, clutch and several brake 
jobs. Not too bad...

I know plenty of American car owners and just shiver when I hear about their
service experiences. I've been looking at a couple of US products but
have been scared by the first hand stories that I have heard.
It seems that American cars are great until you have to get them serviced
and then you meet the American car service person...
And then it's bad news.
-- 
	/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\
	|	Kevin Minor	UUCP: ...uunet!mcdchg!motcid!minor	|
	|			Mail: minor@rtsg.mot.com		|
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Newsgroups: rec.autos