Hi everyone,

Please forgive the very rookie nature of this question, but I don't know much about cars. I have a 96 Accord LX w/ almost 120,000 miles. I bought it used back in 2000 and has served me well.

I took it in for its 120,000 maintenance, after skipping maintenance for the past 30,000 miles. I don't make much money and so didn't get my car checked unless I had to. I took it in this time because I was hearing some clicking/thumping whenever I turned. After doing some research online, it seemed like my CV boots needed attention, so I figured I should get that looked at.

I'm glad I did.

Here's what they said I needed done (along with estimates):
Replace both front axles - $840
Replace oil pan and gasket - $610
Replace both front upper control arms - $830
Replace both front stabilizer links and bushings - $360
Clean out evaporator and replace insulators (moldy smell) - $650
Replace rear brake shoes and drums - $590

Given that repairs would cost around double the car's value, is it worth having these repairs done? I don't have the funds to buy a new car right now, but I need a car for work and other activities. The technician I spoke to was concerned about my driving this car much longer without having at least some of this work done.

If I do go ahead with these repairs, is there anybody in the Boston area who can recommend a good shop?

Thanks for reading!

 

Who ever gave you those prices are trying to rip you off.you should be able to get both axles from Autozone or online for no more than $150(with the core charge),and a new oil pan should run you no more than about $100.

The other parts I'm not 100% sure on the cost but you can find them here.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/honda~rep.html
They seem to be raping you with labor.I had one of my axles put in for $50,so with the cost of the part it came out to around $130.Now if you multiply that by 2,then you see that there is something wrong.

It would seem that your best bet is to try to find a place that might be a little low key,or a place that mods cars because you can generally get better prices for labor with them,especially in or around bigger cities.

Good luck.

 

I agree. Those prices are completely rediculous. Go somewhere else, it should cost a quarter of that.

 

that's probably Gemini Goodyear
they charge 500 for a "full brake job" which is replacing your front brake pad, replacing brake fluid, and "cleaning" rotors
resurfacing is extra and the rear brakes aren't even touched unless you ask for an inspection.

 

The Honda dealer here charges less than that.

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

These are rates quoted to me by the Honda dealership. Wow, I knew dealers charged a lot, but I didn't know they were that ridiculously high.

Are any of these things jobs I can do myself? I don't know much about cars, but I can follow instructions well and am somewhat handy around the house. I've been reading on the forums that a Helms manual is the way to go, right? Would that have instructions about how to do some of the jobs?

Thanks again.

 

I was gonna say don't go to the dealership because they are the main ones that rape you the most on labor,but the one thing that they provide is guaranteed work if you are looking for peace of mind.

The oil pan should be a cake walk and the driver's side axle shouldn't be too hard,but I've heard that the passenger's side is a little harder but nothing major.Looking at what you need done again,with enough time and the right tools and know how,you should be able to do all of these things on your own.

 

Replace both front axles - $840 (If your CV boots are cracked, it is a good time to change this as well).
Replace oil pan and gasket - $610 (If it is not leaking, you should be fine. Not critical at this point).
Replace both front upper control arms - $830 (My front is squeaking due to the upper control arms, as long as you can live with the squeaks, not critical)
Replace both front stabilizer links and bushings - $360 (If it is only a daily driven car and you don't drive aggressively, this can wait.)
Clean out evaporator and replace insulators (moldy smell) - $650 (Do you have allergy or you are obnoxious of the moldy smell? )
Replace rear brake shoes and drums - $590 (This needs to be done for safety, but they priced too high)

Please see my 0.02 in quote.

 

A Helm repair manual is maybe $80 from www.helminc.com and it'll have VERY detailed instructions for all that. If you want to begin doing your own work, it's absolutely the book to have.

A friend of mine by luck found a Helm manual for his Legend at the public library. It's worth a phone call.

If you're not sure about doing EVERYTHING yourself, look for Chiltons or Haynes repair manual at places like Autozone. They're sorta OK, but nowhere near as detailed as the Helm book.

 

There's a bunch of repair manuals online...which you can download.