Honda vs. Toyota -- Ease of Maintenance

[PandaBear]

Depends on which car and which part, I hate the location of the oil filter on Honda (reverse engine spin) and they have expensive and unreliable radiator that are hard to replace, the brake rotor is screwed on the hub and it rust out every time, you have to use an impact to get it out.

On the Toyota (corolla), I hate their separate differential for FWD, that you can only fill from the back on a leveled ground. Since I don't have a lift, I have to bring it to someone to fill it.

Every car is different, even in the same brand, so you should do some research yourself.

 

[Schmoe]

I'm in the "if it was easy, then we'd all do it crowd." I own a 02 and 06 Accord. I mean, your going to get dirty changing the oil, regardless of location. What? Just think of those lovely technicians at the local Jeffy lube doing it....does that make you feel better? Every car is different. So if it takes you an extra couple of minutes to change the oil, so what? As long as it's done right and you have the satisfaction of doing it right, that's all that matters. All cars are DIY serviceable, just depends on how bad you want to do it and it all can be done. One thing I don't like is changing the timing belts on the V6's. It's a pain and can be expensive. But, do that and get a reliable 105K miles out of the engine in between belt changes, it's well worth it.

 

[brianl703]

I don't think the direction that the engine spins has a lot to do with where the filter is located..the Escort 1.9L has it on the back of the engine too and as far as I know that spins in the normal direction. The difference is that the engine in the Escort isn't crammed up against the firewall so you can get the filter from the top.

 

[Bill in Utah]

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On the Toyota (corolla), I hate their separate differential for FWD, that you can only fill from the back on a leveled ground. Since I don't have a lift, I have to bring it to someone to fill it.

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Hmm.. My Corolla fills from the front and only has one fill for both Transmission and Axle.

I guess you have a automatic then?

I've worked on my Dads 2001 civic and my 2005 Corolla and WHATEVER you want to do, it's MUCH easier on the Toyota.

You name it, it's easier. Airfilter, Oil filter, Oil drain, Timing chain vs belt, Power Steering fluid and such.

I also had a 98 Accord and same stuff.

Glad to see that Honda went to a "normal" oil filter location for the 2006 Civic. Still harder to work on than the Toyota..

I'm sure Toyota will make their 2007 Corollas harder to work on....

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I mean, your going to get dirty changing the oil, regardless of location.

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Nope. When I change oil in my Toyota, It is so easy that I do not get dirty. The Sure Drain straight into the container, take the filter off with a rag and all of the oil that comes out (very little) gets cleaned up with the rag.

Prefill the filter, put it on as I can hand tight, take sure drain off. Put cap on and refill with oil. Not a single drop on the floor.

It's that clean and easy!

Take care, Bill

 

[PandaBear]

My definition of easy: you don't need to have small hand to fit around the oil filter, and you don't need to jack the car up to change fluid.

 

[burnout]

"Honda makes sure you have to jack the car up to reach the filter on some of their models with 4cyl engines."

I don't know if you're kidding, but thats ridiculous. Its not like thats out of the ordinary...

And about 20w oils. They ARE NOT hard to find. Every auto parts store, EVERY ONE has at least 2 brands of 20wt oil around here.

I think some people are over stressing about some things...

 

[brianl703]

Since the thread is about "ease of maintenance" regarding "honda" and "toyota" vehicles, the observation that Honda placed their oil filter in a difficult location is far from ridiculous.

That other manufacturers do the same thing does not change anything. (If there's ever a thread about the ease of maintenance of vehicles from those manufacturers, feel free to bring up their poor oil filter locations).

That being said, I can think of several vehicles with I4/V6/V8 engines where there is no need to jack them up just to reach the filter.

 

[z917990]

I used to do almost all of the work on my cars. Then I bought a couple of Accords. I love the cars, but I can't even find the oil filters! Yikes.

 

[reyjay1]

mmm, just got an older accord, but it has the v6 so maybe vastly different from the new ones, but I find it to be extremely easy to work on, don't have to lift it to change oil or oil filter, or change tranny fluid. Just turn the wheels one way or the other and there is access from the side. engine work is much easier than on the truck with its' huge motor half buried under the cowl.

 

[Palut]

The new V-6s have easy to reach oil filters. My dad was ecstatic when he saw where the filter was on his new car.

 

[Bill in Utah]

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The new V-6s have easy to reach oil filters. My dad was ecstatic when he saw where the filter was on his new car.

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Same here with my Dads Honda Powered Vue...

Now the timing belts...

do not look easy at all...

Take care, bill

 

[Blue_Goose]

I just discovered where the filter was on my wife's 3.5L Vue...turn the wheels all the way to the right...bingo

 

[BearZDefect]

"Turn the wheels all the way to the right" is an old Maxima trick, at least for the VQ30 engines. The filter and drain plug are then right there together after you remove a little splash guard. No jack, no lying down at all.

The Honda 4 cylinders are a pain -- gotta crawl under them and reach way up. Pretty much impossible without raising the vehicle somehow.

 

[Bill in Utah]

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BTW - does anyone agree that the 2006 Civic engine compartment looks more cramped than ever?

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I agree!

Luckly, since it's a honda, you will not have to work on it often!

(and for 2006, Honda matched Toyotas 5yr 60k Warrenty for the powertrain!

)

I also like that Toyota on the Corolla has the exhaust going out the rear of the engine so you don't have to have a hot manfold in the front.

Also the Exhaust pipe does not have to make such a sharp long bend to go under.

Honda has always made their engine compartments crampted.. Maybe they have more room under the dash

where Toyota puts alot of their stuff?

Take care, Bill

 

[oily boyd]

It's easier to change the oil in my 05 Camry than my 04 Civic. Don't even have to raise the Camry. Coincidently - both OEM filters use the same end cap wrench.

Have to put the Civic on ramps to change the PCV, too.

No timing belt or valve adjustment for the Camry... so my vote for "easier maintainence" goes to the Camry. BTW - does anyone agree that the 2006 Civic engine compartment looks more cramped than ever?

My old '88 CRX Si (I miss THAT car!) had the oil filter in the same spot as the current Civic but I could replace that from the top of engine!

 

[Matt89]

Regarding the cramped engine compartment in the 2006 Civic - yeah, very much so. A lot of the engine compt is up under the sloping windshield/ long dash.

As my car passes through certain RPM and/or with the brake partly pressed while slowing down, I get a rattle from in front of me. If I shift into Park it goes away. I wonder if some plastic part is rapping against the dash or something.

 

[seotaji]

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I watched my mechanic change the fuel filter, and he was incredibly frustrated by the end because its so hard to get to.

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The only way I know of to get at the fuel filter easily is to do it when you replace the master cylinder. It'll need one someday. Makes things easier. esp. since the service manual reccomends that you remove the filter by getting underneath the car and cursing

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Ive always said that Hondas are great vehicles for as many miles as you can get on them in 10 years

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I agree, after 10 years my 95 accord is begining to fall apart. It's sad, b/c I really like this car.

 

[csprague]

Where is the fuel filter on an Accord? I confess, the only Accord I owned was an '87 LX. It was carb'ed and decidedly non-tech. But it had the cool popup headlights.

I have to swear by Civics/Integras. I owned a '95 Civic (up until the middle of this year) and now have a '00 Integra and both are very easy to work on. And about the ten year thing, my Civic had 170k on it when it perished in an unfortunate accident, and it was still rock solid. I've owned American cars to that mileage and they've fallen apart but not my Civic. The Integra is nicer than the Civic but I sometimes still miss the thing.

As for the worst vehicles to work on, in my experience, I say Chrysler FWDs. Look under the hood of any late model and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Brons2]

I had an 86 Accord LX, same car as csprague's 87. It was very, very easy to work on...once I broke down and spent the $40 for the factory service manual. If you follow the directions in there, it makes things a whole lot easier.

One of the rules of thumb when working on that car was to just take the stuff out of the way rather than try to go around it...for example when doing a timing belt change, removing the cruise control actuator, unbolting the engine mounts and jacking the right side of the engine up made it a million times easier. I would have never known that without having the Honda service manual. It's a godsend and worth it's weight in gold.

When I got my 92 Legend, it was a no-brainer to pick up the factory service manual. It was invaluable on that vehicle as well. The only major repair I ever did on that car though was to replace the radiator with an all-metal one.

 

[seotaji]

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Where is the fuel filter on an Accord?

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on mine it's below/behind the master cylinder.

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As for the worst vehicles to work on, in my experience, I say Chrysler FWDs.

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i agree, on the intrepid i looked at, you had to remove the tire to access the battery. how strange.