I went to a new dealership that's a bit further away but has much better ratings than my local dealership. The people here are very nice folks and I even received a free car wash with an ATF service. However, they did find that the control arm bushings (both of them) are worn and need to be replaced ($550 total). My 2005 Accord hybrid is at 90,800 miles. Could this be a scam, I wonder...

My questions are:
1/ Do bushings usually need to be replaced around 90k miles?
2/ Is there a way for me to be able to tell if the bushings are actually bad? (Noise, car ride, handling, etc...) So far I haven't noticed anything obvious. I would also like to have a visual check at them myself, but I'm not sure where they are located.

Thanks so much for your time!

 

The bushings should be replaced if they are worn. I am guessing that the bushings would be the ones that the shock bolts into on the bottom. You may be able to pry a bit on them and see if there any play.

 

They are probably referring to the compliance bushings on the front lower arms. Occasional problem on some newer Hondas, even with less miles. If they are cracking, the repair can wait a while. If they have cracked/torn all the way through, get the repair performed when you can. The worn bushing will cause uneven tire wear. They can also cause knocking or creaking sounds, and a type of "pull" when the brakes are applied. Honda list price for the compliance bushing is $12.75 each, #8 in attached parts diagram image.

See this thread for how torn compliance bushings look like:

"http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=696480"

 

Thanks for the great information, guys! I will inspect the bushings tomorrow. I figure even though the rubber may be cracked but if there's enough meat left, it would still do the job. If it's worn out or burned out, then it needs to be replaced, and that's what I need to confirm.

By the way, have you guys (PAHonda and Redbull-1) ever had to replace the compliance bushings on your cars yet?