201,500 miles on the Honda and counting

[locomaster1969]

This has been a great car. The automatic tranny is the only weak link so I do a drain and fill every 30k usinf Honda fluid and I don't push the tranny hard. I have been doing 10,000 mile oil changes. I use the Autozone closeout syn oils that I learn about on this site. Have used Mobil 1 0w30, RP 10w30, and now Rotella T5 ala the 2.5 gallon jug. I currently have enough oil for 8 oil changes at .25 cents a quart, thank you BITOG!! The V6 on this car only consumes a bit of oil if I use Mobil 1 but I'm not complaining. I drive 1 hour each way to work so I rack up easy hiway miles. Only thing outside of regular maintenance that I have done to the car is I replaced the fuel pressure regulater due to the vaper lock issues that are common to this car from 98 to 2001. I grabbed a regulator from a 2002 accord for 12 bucks at the junkyard and did the swap. Works great however MPG has dropped with the swap but the Honda is reliable. Since I have owned it I have changed a set of plugs, cleaned out carbon from the intake plenum which is common on the J30, brake rotors and pads all the way around, and 2nd set of tires on the way before winter. Might be needing some front end work soon. Tires wearing well but the front end is a little loose.

 

[locomaster1969]

Sorry I made a typo. That 201500 miles

 

[JHZR2]

Original AT?

 

[92saturnsl2]

My brother had an '02 Honda Accord V6 auto (J30) that he ran well over 200k. I think when it got to 240k or so and he was confronted with another timing belt change that he got rid of it. After the car spent two or three winters in VT, the body rusted and it all went downhill from there. I used to race him in my 2001 VR6 Jetta 5sp, and he'd give me a run for my money. Don't think he had any major problems with it.

My Honda Odyssey looks like it will hit 200k no problems. It needs motor mounts soon, but otherwise no issues with car or drivetrain.

 

[locomaster1969]

Yes original AT

 

[mclasser]

Pretty impressive that it still has the original tranny!

I love my '02 as well

 

[TinyVoices]

Impressive trans in that car. I have some friends and family with these with the v6 and automatic and they all did or have done 200k but it was on the 2nd or 3rd trans.

 

[skyactiv]

I was a mechanic at a Honda dealer eons ago and a member at my synagogue had the automatic transmission rebuilt in her daughters 2000 Accord EX 4 cylinder. I looked into doing the job for her and found a shop in a depressed area of town that rebuilt it for $1400. A re-manufactured one at AutoZone is $1800.00, fluid and labor not included. So be sure you shop around if it konks out on you. PM me if anyone in the Columbus, OH area wants the name of the shop.

 

[6starprez]

Originally Posted By: locomaster1969
The automatic tranny is the only weak link....(snip)


Is it shifting normal or are you experiencing a problem?

 

[Balrog006]

My two Honda's (one Acura) are at or well over 200K and still going strong with very few issues for either. Good luck with yours!

 

[locomaster1969]

The tranny doesn't like to go from 4th to 3rd, 3rd to 2nd. It doesn't like to downshift in general. When I need some good acceleration and punch the gas pedal the tranny shifts hard into the lower gear. That is what these trannys do. I just use the gear shift and all is good. When I first drove the car the tranny shifting was goofy. I spoke with a Honda tech and he told me that the tranny likely needed to have the fluid changed. He told me to change the fluid and drive it for 100 miles then change fluid again. I noticed a big improvement after I changed fluid the first time. No more improvement after the 2nd change. Been changing fluid every 30,000 and all is good.

 

[CELICA_XX]

How's your paint ?

I take care of a 2002 Accord EX with a stick.

The drive-train is good, but everything else is kinda falling apart at 145k

 

[brages]

285k and counting on a '98 4-cyl manual...

 

[Omahaug]

Family member had 198k on a 95 Accord that was totally abused and neglected. The outside was never washed or cared for so it had the usual Honda rust where the rear bumper meets the body, clear coat was totally gone and paint felt like sandpaper.

Overheated the engine twice too and boy did it leak oil. Never had a head gasket problem and car ran great after all of that. Barely any rust on the underside strangely.

It met its match when he neglected to have the timing belt replaced and it snapped on him while on the road, that was about two years ago. Compression was gone and car was junked after that. To think a timing belt and the car could still be running today, breaks my heart.

 

[SevenBizzos]

I ran a Prelude well over 200k miles. It spent 22 winters in WI and IL before the body just plain fell apart. There were no mechanical issues at all. Plenty of people in better climates hit 300k easily. If you take care of them they'll go nearly forever.

 

[Schmoe]

Wow. Really surprised to hear some of ya'll have gotten over 200K on the J30 tranny. Ours went out at 125K and got the Honda goodwill program involved. Was a great car, that's why I keep buying them.