Car needs fixed - need advice (1 Viewer)

Pinkdan

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Okay, so I have a 2014 Honda Odyssey, it has 124k miles on it and still has a small amount left to pay on it.

Here’s the work that needs to be done:

1EBAFD7C-757E-4283-B0AC-C069C66D7433.jpeg


So my question is, do I just sell this to Honda for a trade in on a different van? I heard the chip shortages are making buying a car crazy right now.

This amount of $ is too much for me to pay all at once so I’d have to finance it which sucks, especially because it’s no guarantee that something else won’t break on it soon. And of course I just put new tires on this thing, haha.

So I’m feeling stuck with what to do.

Any advice is welcome, thanks

-Dan
 
I'd get another estimate. If the estimate seems high it probably is.

I'm too lazy to look, but what is the KBB value of the car right now? A good general rule of thumb is that if the repairs will cost you more than the value of the car, it's time to move on.
 
Okay, so I have a 2014 Honda Odyssey, it has 124k miles on it and still has a small amount left to pay on it.

Here’s the work that needs to be done:

View attachment 821040

So my question is, do I just sell this to Honda for a trade in on a different van? I heard the chip shortages are making buying a car crazy right now.

This amount of $ is too much for me to pay all at once so I’d have to finance it which sucks, especially because it’s no guarantee that something else won’t break on it soon. And of course I just put new tires on this thing, haha.

So I’m feeling stuck with what to do.

Any advice is welcome, thanks

-Dan
I work at a honda dealership. I’ll PM you.
 
Can't comment about the top issue, but I can say I've had to do a Toyota and Honda timing belt before and that's not too far off. Maybe a hint high, but I've heard of people paying alot more. I'm kinda confused why water pump isn't being replaced with the belt, but I'm not the most car savvy guy in town. I can say I always find a good mechanic and stick with them, but the Honda El Camino hasn't had an issue yet.
 
The amounts seem backwards. I’d think the timing chain would be more. 6 cylinders for plugs and coil packs should be about $1k with labor. It all depends on how much they have to dismantle to get to them. My explorer requires a good bit removed to get to cylinders 1,2,&3
It's the ring replacement that is the issue, means full engine removal, bottom end tear apart, basically full rebuild. Not just coil packs and plugs.

What I don't understand is why if the engine is already pulled why it would be $900 for a timing belt, the belt is only like $90 and you already have it ripped apart.

Put new plugs in her, drive her till she blows or change the plugs and trade her in! Crate motor installed is probably $5k, she will probably burn oil for years and keep running!

It's going to have a hesitation that wasn't there before, going to need to add a quart of oil a month and a bit of burnt oil on the bumper, but she will keep on trucking! Pay them to throw plugs in it and close her up bro!

You didn't say why you took it in for service, was it running rough? A small amount of oil on a plug and they are going to say this S**t to make money. Did you ask to see the plug? Take a pic and send it to your red neck buddy Ben!

Been keepin clunkers running my whole life! Lol
 
Just assuming but misfire is likely due to spark plug covered in oil. Doubt piston ring would really need replacing.

I say change spark plugs yourself or get a small shop to do it and likely will solve misfiring.

Small shop could prob do timing belt without dropping engine too
 
It's the ring replacement that is the issue, means full engine removal, bottom end tear apart, basically full rebuild. Not just coil packs and plugs.

What I don't understand is why if the engine is already pulled why it would be $900 for a timing belt, the belt is only like $90 and you already have it ripped apart.

Put new plugs in her, drive her till she blows or change the plugs and trade her in! Crate motor installed is probably $5k, she will probably burn oil for years and keep running!

It's going to have a hesitation that wasn't there before, going to need to add a quart of oil a month and a bit of burnt oil on the bumper, but she will keep on trucking! Pay them to throw plugs in it and close her up bro!

You didn't say why you took it in for service, was it running rough? A small amount of oil on a plug and they are going to say this S**t to make money. Did you ask to see the plug? Take a pic and send it to your red neck buddy Ben!

Been keepin clunkers running my whole life! Lol
It was the engine light blinking yesterday. Then today it was solid. I had it towed to the dealership this morning.

So yeah, they might see the car being towed in and think, we can take advantage of this guy.

Your advice is really solid. I didn’t even know that was an option.

Thanks as always Ben
 
Also at 124k the belt is probably recommended to be replaced between 90 and 100k... how many people do it.... zero! Lol

Company truck 176k and running strong, never changed the timing belt... it is a recommendation they are trying to get you for bro!

Most hate rednecks until something breaks and all of a sudden we are best friends again! Lol

Seriously towed in for a engine light? I have had them on for years, including regularly in my work truck and the personal truck. Do you know how many sensors are in there? A stupid o2 sensor that does nothing can throw the engine light! Don't freak out! Change the plugs please and I will come get my van!

They definitely saw you coming? Did they even give you the scan results as to what the computer threw codes for? Dude move in next door, we will keep her runnin strong for years! Haha and I can scan at the house! If not I got plenty of mechanic friends! A 30 pack goes a long ways in MD!
 
I blew the turbo, intake manifold and block on a tdi jetta. Like poured coolant into the bulb and it ran out the oil plug...

It didn't cost that much to replace the motor.
 
That seems a bit spendy... Are they trying to upsell you on the piston ring? Seems like they're jumping to the extreme when there are other options to consider (like just doing the coils and plugs) first. The oil alone isn't a sign of bad ring... that could just be due to the misfiring, which could just be due to a bad plug.

I'd start with 1) a second opinion, and then 2) do the coils and plugs and see if/how that changes things.

In the best case scenario, you could just have old/bad spark plugs.

1638491108257.png

1638490860276.png
 
Most hate rednecks until something breaks and all of a sudden we are best friends again! Lol
Red neck fought the mining company. Rednecks are great. You got lame ones though. Real babies about every damn thing. Rednecks are fine. Bootlickers can take a hike.

@Pinkdan you really need "a guy" for this. "Oh yeah you're fine buy the part and like $50 labor"
 
It's the ring replacement that is the issue, means full engine removal, bottom end tear apart, basically full rebuild. Not just coil packs and plugs.

What I don't understand is why if the engine is already pulled why it would be $900 for a timing belt, the belt is only like $90 and you already have it ripped apart.

Put new plugs in her, drive her till she blows or change the plugs and trade her in! Crate motor installed is probably $5k, she will probably burn oil for years and keep running!

It's going to have a hesitation that wasn't there before, going to need to add a quart of oil a month and a bit of burnt oil on the bumper, but she will keep on trucking! Pay them to throw plugs in it and close her up bro!

You didn't say why you took it in for service, was it running rough? A small amount of oil on a plug and they are going to say this S**t to make money. Did you ask to see the plug? Take a pic and send it to your red neck buddy Ben!

Been keepin clunkers running my whole life! Lol
Or just find a low mileage engine from a wreck for $1000

I agree change the timing belt and coils/ plugs and wires and send it
 
FWIW on our last trip visiting family in MO my wife's Santa Fe started misfiring. It was noticeable under hard acceleration and driving up hills. We had the plugs and wires changed and she drives like new. MPG is back to a normal range as well.
 
Honda shop on a check engine light"Yeah that's due to a hole in your line maybe, not big deal. We could fix it but it would just cost you money. We reset it if it comes back on don't worry. We will keep an eye on it next time you come in"
 
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Former auto mechanic here.

There’s a few reasons why a spark plug may be oily. Rings, valve seals, sometimes even a bad spark plug or wire.

Have they done a compression test? That is a quick way to verify bad rings. If compression in that cylinder is low, and a squirt of oil into the cylinder brings the compression up, then the rings are probably shot. If oil doesn’t bring compression up, then probably a leaky valve.

If compression is good, but plug is oily, may be valve seals, but it’s rare for only one cylinder seals to be bad. Check the condition of the other plugs, and if f it’s the only one and compression is good, I’d think about replacing the plug(s) and possibly the spark plug wire(s).

I agree that it makes no sense to charge an extra $900 to change the timing belt and tensioner when the motor is completely torn apart anyway (but that’s the nature of the flat rate system).
 
Okay, so I have a 2014 Honda Odyssey, it has 124k miles on it and still has a small amount left to pay on it.

Here’s the work that needs to be done:

View attachment 821040

So my question is, do I just sell this to Honda for a trade in on a different van? I heard the chip shortages are making buying a car crazy right now.

This amount of $ is too much for me to pay all at once so I’d have to finance it which sucks, especially because it’s no guarantee that something else won’t break on it soon. And of course I just put new tires on this thing, haha.

So I’m feeling stuck with what to do.

Any advice is welcome, thanks

-Dan
I HIGHLY recommend 2 things...in this order:
  1. Replace your spark plugs and your wires. Watch a couple of Youtube videos and I GUARANTEE you that you can do it yourself.
  2. If you have serious problems; e.g., backfire, care pauses and stutters, etc., then watch a couple of more videos on how to change your timing belt. I GUARANTEE you that you can pull it off. It's not rocks science.
  3. If you have to change the timing belt, then you might as well change the waterpump and thermostat as well. You in this deep and kicked ass...might as well do these too!! :)
Seriously!! Doing some of this yourself is simple and will save you thousands of dollars.

Good luck!!
 
Former auto mechanic here.

There’s a few reasons why a spark plug may be oily. Rings, valve seals, sometimes even a bad spark plug or wire.

Have they done a compression test? That is a quick way to verify bad rings. If compression in that cylinder is low, and a squirt of oil into the cylinder brings the compression up, then the rings are probably shot. If oil doesn’t bring compression up, then probably a leaky valve.

If compression is good, but plug is oily, may be valve seals, but it’s rare for only one cylinder seals to be bad. Check the condition of the other plugs, and if f it’s the only one and compression is good, I’d think about replacing the plug(s) and possibly the spark plug wire(s).

I agree that it makes no sense to charge an extra $900 to change the timing belt and tensioner when the motor is completely torn apart anyway (but that’s the nature of the flat rate system).
Yeah the advisor is going to price the job like that (flat rate) but with the feedback you got now you know where to ask for your fist discount. And change the water pump while they are at it.
 
I HIGHLY recommend 2 things...in this order:
  1. Replace your spark plugs and your wires. Watch a couple of Youtube videos and I GUARANTEE you that you can do it yourself.
  2. If you have serious problems; e.g., backfire, care pauses and stutters, etc., then watch a couple of more videos on how to change your timing belt. I GUARANTEE you that you can pull it off. It's not rocks science.
  3. If you have to change the timing belt, then you might as well change the waterpump and thermostat as well. You in this deep and kicked ass...might as well do these too!! :)
Seriously!! Doing some of this yourself is simple and will save you thousands of dollars.

Good luck!!
LOL- math is hard.

(I recommend 2 things:

1.
2.
3.)
 
Okay, so I have a 2014 Honda Odyssey, it has 124k miles on it and still has a small amount left to pay on it.

Here’s the work that needs to be done:

View attachment 821040

So my question is, do I just sell this to Honda for a trade in on a different van? I heard the chip shortages are making buying a car crazy right now.

This amount of $ is too much for me to pay all at once so I’d have to finance it which sucks, especially because it’s no guarantee that something else won’t break on it soon. And of course I just put new tires on this thing, haha.

So I’m feeling stuck with what to do.

Any advice is welcome, thanks

-Dan
Yes chip shortage has made car prices skyrocket. I don’t think they’ll come down though until 12 months from now at earliest, so waiting it out isn’t that great of a proposition. You also get the same % benefit on your trade-in (which is a smaller value so you are not ahead, but does reduce the effect slightly). If it’s me, I go the higher cost route and just trade, and get something in warranty (either new or used with a warranty). This is not the cheapest or efficient route, but if you aren’t handy with cars/have a trusty shop, this is probably your easiest and safest plan.
 
I had an engine light on in my van for years, for some environmental O2 bull spit. Last time in the small independent shop, to fix something else, they say they'll "take care of it" and it's been off ever since lol. Love those guys. I've got a grinding brake in my other car and they're about to get that one too.

Best of luck my friend!
 
I had an engine light on in my van for years, for some environmental O2 bull spit. Last time in the small independent shop, to fix something else, they say they'll "take care of it" and it's been off ever since lol. Love those guys. I've got a grinding brake in my other car and they're about to get that one too.

Best of luck my friend!
Man I really need a guy haha
 
I had a Honda Accord that leaked oil. These engines are available in ever junkyard. I paid $300 for a low mileage engine and paid a small shop mechanic $500 to install. He said it was easy
I second this. If one ring set failed, one of two things are happening. Either the motor is slowly dying and the other rings aren't far behind or you have a defect in the block causing that set of rings to die prematurely and they will continue to die. A buddy of mine is the owner/mechanic of a small shop and it is normal for him to get a yard motor for a customer for 1000 and installing it is another 1000. If he is replacing motors for 2 grand why repair one for 3?
 
Check your local craigslist... look for traveling mechanic, ask him to come by... if he shows up in a 1994 wood panel Cravan that looks like shit but runs like a "top" that's your dude! Also if he takes payment with beer, subway gift cards or better yet he looks in your garage and starts bartering work for your junk, thats really the guy for the job.

Let him run the codes but say hey man... I just want you to change the coil packs n plugs! The coil packs will be high (you can get a used set on eBay for $61... I already checked) but still going to save you a ton! Haven't seen a Honda die yet with less than 240k on her! Shes fine Dan... you just need a good local "traveling/redneck mechanic!"
 

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