I have a 1998 Accord LX which has needed a tune up for awhile. I was widowed awhile ago, formerly full-time mom and my husband did all the car maintenance. Unfortunately, since he died, it's my job and also since he died, I make ends meet.

I have a bad cylinder and it is misfiring as of yesterday. (Code P0303).

Recently, I had a front passenger tire blow out that left nothing but a chewed up rotor. There was rubber everywhere but no sign of the rim, lug nuts, bolts. It was towed and fixed but 5 days later as I turned onto the street where I work, I felt something very bad and all the bolts had sheared off, not a lug nut in sight and the tire was up in the car.

My right bumper had been hit in a parking lot and was insecure but hanging only slightly. Another tow, new mechanic and the tires stayed in place but, as I turned into a parking spot at a bagel shop, the reattached right bumper "gave" forcefully. I had no recourse but to tear the bumper off, along with a black box with I believe was attached on he right to two pipes. It damaged the drivers side, just in front of the front door. The problem is I have very little money and a car that looks like hell, drives choppily.

I almost forgot the post tire problem, overheating that was supposed to be simply low on coolant. Five days after it was filled more overheating, empty reservoir. I added coolant and it's not overheating but my check engine light is blinking and I need to fix that bad cylinder and a tune up is not affordable at this time. I have to work and drive 15 miles each way. Can I just fix that one cylinder until I can afford a tune up and what is the black box with the two cylindrical doodads? My heater runs fine. My AC is barely cold. I don't want to drive the car until it's a big block of useless crap, but I have no disposable income. Any suggestions?
Bobbi

 

Without funds, this might be hard to figure out. Also not sure what tools you are left with and how much you are willing to do.

With the overheating and now a miss in #3. I'd want to check for a bad headgasket first.

From there, you could pull the dist cap and inspect the contacts on the cap and the rotor.

 

The car is beyond your capability to maintain given your situation & knowledge. Outright sounds non-economical to repair.
Call it bad "Ju Ju," or whatever, I'd consider a 1998 as toast with the ownership problems you describe. As the old song goes,
referring to a poker game ... "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em..."

From what you've said it's time to 'fold 'em,' in my humble internet opinion.
Also, you don't say where you live; there's always a chance a forum member might know of a seldom used car that's available...

Best luck. $.02

 

You can save a lot of money doing the work yourself. I don't know what tools you have. Do you want to do the work yourself?

Did either of your mechanics explain why you had a tire blowout?

When the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and make sure the coolant is filled up to the top. If you lose coolant, you need to find out where it is leaking and fix it.

Is this a 4 or 6 cylinder accord? How many miles are on the car? When did the car last get a tuneup?

 

Sorry for your troubles...

Did it look like this?

Based on the description and location that sounds like the resonator. You could run without the resonator, people remove them intentionally to do cold air intakes and stuff but just removing it and not replacing it sounds like a bad idea.

http://www.ehow.com/info_12156112_air-intake-resonator-do.html