Honda Civic or General Car Maintenance

I have a 2000 Honda Civic EX. I bought it new in 2000 and it has 85,000 miles on it. I have a few questions about the maintenance of it for those car junkies that might be on the FUSA board.

1. How much does a well done tune-up cost?

2. How much does it cost to buy and get a timing belt replaced?

3. My battery has not been replaced since I bought the car six years ago. My car is still starting on the first turn of the key, but I can tell it is struggling a bit lately. Is that likely the battery? If it is the battery, how much can I expect to pay for it to be replaced?

Thanks in advance! I am not much of a car junkie and know nothing about these things. Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Cheers!
Tom

 

Thanks a lot Heather! I hate car maintenance.

 

A word of warning to you Tom, Timing Belts are a pain and are EXPENSIVE but should be done after a while. You can check when you're cars timing belt is 'recommended' to be changed.

 

Yes, my timing belt broke and I was stranded on the GW Parkway. If they say it needs replacing, do it.

 

Re: RE: Honda Civic or General Car Maintenance

Dave, how many miles were on your car when this happened?

 

RE: Re: RE: Honda Civic or General Car Maintenance

Around 80-100 thousand.

 

RE: Re: RE: Honda Civic or General Car Maintenance

Thanks!

 

Here's my tips, tom.. and I know what I'm talking about.
Yes it's timing belt time. But also have other service done at a good rep mechanic or shop.

Outline your driving habits first:

percentage of trip/time {meaning how long your car is running per start from engine cold} per week:

IF you make at least three long trips {engine running warmed up at least 30 minutes for three times a week} you are a commuter.

If your typical trip is less than 20 minutes and long trip, over thirty minutes, only once or twice, you're a Grocery Getter

Whichever:
Only buy your gas from high volume brands, at high volume stations
Price of gas does not reflect quality.
If you have numerous Speedway stations and they are high volume, I recommend them highly. NEVER have a fuel system problem and have logged over 500,000 miles using them almost exclusively.
Otherwise BP as they have switched to the ARCO formula in their gas.. before that BP were bottom of my list.

NEVER use Oil filters with four letter name starting with 'F' or any oil associated with keystone state, in any way.
Recommend Purolator; and the second price level though their cheapest is usually better than the other guys next up. Also Wix.

Change your Anti-Freeze every two years. DO NOT use a cooling system flush UNLESS you have never changed Antifreeze.

NEVER buy that 'Engine Flush' crap. You either dont need it or the flush, doing the job quickly MIGHT ruin your engine.
Even if you've previously used the highly touted oil, Use Mobil 1 and run the oil extended intervals, instead... after youve run it for 5000 miles and changed oil filters several times. mobil 1 will keep sludge out and reduce/remove existing sludge slowly and safely.

Commuter level driver:
You can easily run mobil 1 oil, even the regular formula, never mind the new one, for 15,000 miles in a newer fuel injection car.. UNLESS you've had a fuel problem where the oil gets contaminated with too rich a mixture. Change filters every 7500 if you want to play safe.
This makes it worth the initial investment in the oil, esp because you dont have the hassle.

Transmission fluid changes every 50,000. AGAIN- no flush.. even starting at 80,000. UNLESS your car has overheated. Biggest enemy of Trans is HEAT... burns the fluid shortens life.
Use only brand name trans fluid.

Groc Getter:
Change oil evry 3 or 4 moths, forget mileage. This is because engine gets condensation and due to it not running long enough to boil it out, will form internal sludge.
Good oils: regular dino type like Valvoline or Castrol.. forget the 'specialty labels' like 'high mileage', only marketing.
Use only the weight (10w-30, etc) recommended except special circumstance, then ask me off line.
Trans fluid changes at 80,00o or so unless overheated, as said above.

Spark plugs, it's time.. new ones go 70-80 K easily, but not much longer.
Use only the brand and type came in the car...BOSCH is all hype*. NGK is good, also Auto-Lite and AC-Delco. You DO need double-Platinum

Plug Wires: Open hood in the dark with engine running, no engine hood lite on. Do you see any fireworks, or st elmo's like corona? No, good. Yes, change whatever lites up with sparklies. These WILL show up with poor starting/running, without being able to see them on a foggy morning or any time the engine has water condensed on it.
Good names: Echlin or whatever honda sells.

Belts and hoses... usually age/environment related: 6-8 years.

Battery: before next winter or if engine seems to drag when cranking. Walmart is good enough. Forget the most famous advertised brand, you'll get less for more.
- -- -
* Bosch PLATINUM almost NEVER runs good in Ford engines

 

Short summary for Tom special circumstance:

Get timing and accessory belts changed, new plugs only.. you're now 'tuned up'

Go to Walmart for the battery, oil and antifeeze change, while there..buy 4 new goodyear viva touring tires, balanced but forget the life warranty.

Spend the rest on detailing, including underhood, and sell the car or find the best deal with trade-in.
Remember get the price first THEN offer the trade-in.

 

Thanks a lot for all the info Petty! Much appreciated! I did not know you were a master of cars as well. You are a man of many talents.

Now, a few questions.......

1. How much should I plan on spending for the timing belt?

2. How much should I plan on spending to buy and change the battery?

3. Will a basic tune-up do the trick in changing spark plugs and all that or is that a completely different venture? If so, how much would that cost?

4. Is there such a thing as cleaning the fuel system or cleaning the fuel injectors? If so, how much would that cost? Is it wise to put some of that fluid in a bottle you can buy at AutoZone or something to help clean the fuel system/injectors?

Thanks in advance Petty! You are a good man!

 

Read my second post.. Walmart for Tires, batt and oil/AF change

Good Honda specialty garage - maybe as much as 300 for timing and accesory belts, no sense in not rplacing the ACCESS BELT as it's part of the labor to remove when changing timing belt. Make sure the mech knows you know that.

AGAIN.. almost all preventive services and products ESPECIALLY FLUSHES, are CRAP to make money for the retailer.

IF oyu have a particular problem, there are some that will work, given the problem and circumstance. I can advise then.

{added:} You will have up to 1000 bucks invested even to make the car snap for a potential buyer. You have to decide whether it's worth it to do ANYTHING.. but a smart buyer will want you to knock off 400 for having to do timing belt. May balk if the oil, AF or trans fluid is murky or smells funny.
And we havent even mentioned brakes. (Always use a small garage for that.. national shops will roll out the ad-on "you need to's" faster than your server boots up.)

Sell it.
- - - - - - - -
If you'd have googled my handle you would have had a hint ..

 

Sounds good Petty! Thanks again!

I am not looking to sell my car, I am just looking to keep it in good working order. I just got new tires about six months ago so I am good to go with that.

Thus, I will need to get the timing belt and accesory belts changed, get the tune-up with the sparkplug changes, tje new battery and I will be good to go.

Petty, last question what can be done if I have noticed gas mileage is going down? Can I clean the fuel system or something? I think I have seen that offered at Jiffy Lube for $75 or so. Is it worth it? Other than that, what can I do to improve my gas mileage?

Thanks again Petty!

 

Do you have a fine ear?
The car would normally be missing or sluggish if you are losing mileage... usually it goes UP in summer due to less ethanol
{YES.. ethanol SUX!}
I hear "Seafoam" is quite good for the DIY.

I never use a fuel additive because I buy Speedway BUT if you go to alt.autos.honda and ask.. you might get some answers.
You could do it from Google Groups and search on it while you're there but you appear a newby if you dont do it from a newsreader.

 

I would like to think I have a fine ear, but when I do not know what I am listening for, it makes it kind of hard. I am not hearing noises or anything, but I just know that over the last two years my gas mileage has not been the best. However, that could easily be attributed to the car being six years old and driving city streets here in Chicago everyday of those six years with little highway driving.

As for using the net to get answers, I have been trying the last few days to do just that. I went to a messageboard and signed up, posted something similar to this and have not gotten any responses.

Thanks again for your help Petty! I really do appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. Needless to say when it comes to cars I am not the most knowledgeable person.

 

First off, I don't come close to knowing as much about cars as Petty has shown.

I know there are a number of things that can result in gas mileage dropping over time. Anything from a clogged/dirty air filter to having your tires over/under inflated can cause a drop in mileage (http://www.goodyeartires.com/kyt/tireTips/). As long as you aren't hearing any huge differences in engine sound I wouldn't work with the fuel system until the other needed maintenance is done, as the maintenance/new parts alone may bring your mileage up.

 

Thanks Rumstove! I appreciate the advice! That is what I think I am going to do. Once I get all the other maintenance things done I will see how things are.