w9cw@yahoo.com

I would agree with Jim Beam. I've owned Honda's and SAAB's for 25
years. I still have two classic SAAB 900's, one of which is my
daughter's who's away at college. Both, of course, use timing chains.
One is a 1985 8-valve SOHC, and my daughter's a 1987 16-valve DOHC,
each have over 160K miles. So far, so good, but I can tell on the '85
that the chain tensioner is about max'ed out maintaining the tension on
the chain. Replacing it is not an easy, nor an inexpensive
proposition. And with SAAB's engine/transaxle design, the easiest way
to replace it is to pull the entire system out of the chassis. Smart,
and experienced, SAAB Certified Master Technicians can change it out
while the engine is still in the car, but it's hard to find these folks
in some areas. Either way, it's generally Big $$$ . . .

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a Gilmer (that's its actual
name!) reinforced rubber timing belt design. They're much easier, and
generally much less costly, to replace than a chain. The practical
problem in the field is primarily because of: 1). failure of the owner
to replace the belt within the recommended limits, and 2). use with
interference engines. Should the belt break with an interference
engine, very bad things happen to valves and pistons! With today's
naturally-aspirated high-compression engines, interference designs are
more commonplace.

JXStern

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 09:06:39 -0800, jim beam <nospam@example.net>
wrote:
>most people have their car serviced at a dealer, so let's look at dealer
>costs. if the car's 100k miles old, and worth say $5k, most people will
>pay $1000 to do the belts, pump, ignition wiring, etc. as a high mileage
>"tune up". and it's worth it to keep the car on the road for another
>100k miles. but most people will /not/ pay $3000 to get to the same
>place with a chain replacement. chains generally cost more, require new
>driving cogs, and require a much more substantial strip-down of the
>engine to replace, hence the job is much more expensive. add to that
>the fact that chains get noisy, and soon the motor is on the slope
>toward driver irritation [and a new car sale] /long/ before a belt
>driven motor would be.
>
>agreed, chains "last longer", but they don't last 400k, and anything
>much beyond 150k, the value of the car vs. cost to replace equation
>makes keeping the car on the road uneconomic. if you're a manufacturer
>run by bean counters and those bean counters are under some misguided
>impression that customer loyalty is something that won't evaporate so
>they can start, as caesar once said, shaving their sheep, not shearing
>them, chain drive is the way to go.

Say you just lease the new car for three years. That has recently
been a very economic way to go because the resale has been so high.
If Honda starts making it so you need another $2,000 to keep the
vehicle on the road after 100k, maybe half that is going to come out
of the 3-year resale value, which increases lease prices, and/or puts
pressure on the sales price.

Not arguing, just running some numbers on the consequences.

My lease is up in December, but I'm getting close to the 36k miles
already so might trade in early. Let's see, $1k over 36 payments is
another $30/month or so, just to pay for the chain, if my numbers are
somewhere in the ballpark. See if I can lease a new EX4 for the same
$279 this time around, plus or minus a little dealing on the drive-off
costs.

J.

mopa

Thanks guys, I am thinking if they just put a timing chain in the V6
model. The car that I bought is the 2003 Honda Accord Coupe 2.4 Liter
Vtec 4 Cylinder Manual Engine. This is what it looks like:
http://images.andale.com/f2/103/120/...8_P1060135.JPG

I wanted the 4 cyl, because it gets very good gas mileage, compared to
the V6 model and I think the insurance is cheaper too, and maintenance.

I am 25 years old, and it will cost me $198 dollars a month for full
coverage, I have a good driving record, but I do not see why it is so
high? I heard it drops when you hit 28, but in the past I heard it
drops when you turn 24. I am told one thing, than something else. I am
using Statefarm.

Thanks!
Johnny
---
be your own boss, earn residual income, and help others while you do
it!
http://www.idrink.us

High Blood Pressure? Pains? Monavie can help!

magix23

I feel that 1993 ex is the best and most reliable accord ever.
as for chains ask why all of the most expensive cars use chains.
Why all of the rigs that do over 500K before overhauls use chains?.
Belts allow the manufacturers to save cost in engine design and assembly..

High Tech Misfit

magix23 wrote:

> I feel that 1993 ex is the best and most reliable accord ever.

I reckon that the '93 DX would be more reliable due to the lack of power
windows and door locks. :-)

Jason

In article <k1tsdct91je3$.dlg@hightech.misfit>, High Tech Misfit
<me@privacy.net> wrote:

> magix23 wrote:
>
> > I feel that 1993 ex is the best and most reliable accord ever.
>
> I reckon that the '93 DX would be more reliable due to the lack of power
> windows and door locks. :-)

In most cases, the last Honda Accord in a series is the best ones to buy.
The 1993 Accord, the 1997 Accord and the 2002 Accord were the last ones in
each series. If I am wrong--I'm sure someone will let me know.
The reason: Honda fixes any problems they find. The last Accord in each
series mentioned above usually does not have any problems since all of
those problems were fixed. The first Accord in a series such as the 1998
Accord would be the one in that series that had the most factory problems.

Jason

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