31 today, '98 2.0iSE tomorrow!
 

Just registered here so I'm saying hello.

I'm taking ownership of an R reg accord 2.0iSE saloon. I'll be up and down from Somerset (Glastonbury) to London for another season in the Christmas Tree business and would really appreciate any tips or guidance on maintenance practice.

Nice to be here, wishing you all the best.

Mark Ford (Merka) :)

Hello Member
 

Welcome to the Forums..

Thank You for joining.. :) Merry Xmas Tree>

I would try to get maintenance records. And let us know whether you're going to a shop or maybe plan to do maintenance yourself.

Some important ones for you to be aware of...

1) Timing belt every 100k miles or every 7 years. If it breaks the pistons can hit the valves, which isn't very much fun. Costly to replace that belt, so let us know if you would do that yourself.

2) Spark plugs every 100k miles. Use NGK or Denso - some people have had misfiring or other problems with other brands.

3) Inspections?? How much material is left on the brake pads (for example)? You guys have MOT inspections, so you might already have good information on some of those kind of things. Loose suspension ball-joints? Tires are an easy visual but you probably can't get MOT with bald tires.

4) Fresh brake fluid every couple years (bleed the brakes). This one is commonly ignored. Fluid absorbs moisture from the air which makes it corrosive. Old muddy fluid can corrode brake pipes from inside.

5) Fresh anti-freeze every few years (also commonly ignored). Freezing point might be OK by measuring specific gravity, but the anti-corrosion properties get "used up" over time.

6) If it's an automatic transmission you should drain/fill the fluid every 30k miles or so. Honda automatics don't like being "power-flushed". Just drain & fill.

Hey Jim this is gold thank you so much.
1) I was aware that this is a serious issue in any car, I got a fair bit of paperwork today so I'm going to run through and see what I can find out. Quick glance and I've seen regular servicing and a lot with Honda, and thanks for offering help if I do it myself.
2) spark plugs - ok sounds good
3) spot on! tyres ok for MOT, we get advisory notes when they're ok to pass but wearing out. other advisory on the MOT - ball joints!
4) 5)thanks for making me aware of these
6) Manual

Got the original honda manual too which has a maintenance schedule in it so i feel well prepped...

All the best!!

6) Good thing... 1998-2002 Honda automatics are a bit fragile. Manual is bulletproof.

Honda makes real good manual trans fluid, but so does Redline, others. Maybe change that every 60k or something.

Another one...
Power steering fluid should be "HONDA". Anything that says "all makes" is no good. It has to say "FOR HONDA" or else buy it from the dealer. It really is different.

Power steering fluid doesn't have a "schedule" for replacement. Personally I refuse to believe that any working fluid can last forever.