98 Honda Accord. 500 bucks. Should I get it?

[Neshanic]

From California. Not a rust spot on it. Two concerns:

Needs an alignment bad.

Have to pump the gas alot to get it to start.

Otherwise drove it around the block and it runs fine.

[Pierre.Suave]

1. well

two thoughts.

Bring it to a shop and have it checked over well.

make sure the frame is not bent, and ALL it needs is an alignment.

Second, the gas pumping thing worries me. it could be as simple as a clogged fuel filter or something much more serious such as a failing gas pump etc...

[Neshanic]

5. You have to pump the gas pedal about 5 times till it starts.

But then it purrs. The car pulls to the right moderately.

Do shops that just do Hondas do older ones like that? I never owned one.

[Pierre.Suave]

12. Oh yes

find a good independent foreign car shop that will treat you well and honestly, and that car will run forever.

my parents have had 2 mazdas since 1984. The first was a 1984 mazda 626 that they had until 1992 when they bought their 1992 mazda that they STILL have and it still drives and runs like new thanks to their really good shop.

I would think that a honda is capable of the same longevity.

[realisticphish]

2. get it checked

but for 500 bucks, hey, a car to tinker with.

[Pierre.Suave]

4. I agree if...

if the frame is not bent and it is only an alignment problem.

if all it needs is an alignment, then buy it.

[LeftyMom]

3. Miles?

If the body's straight it sounds like it's worth the repairs you know it needs.

For that cheap I'd have my mechanic look it over to see what else was wrong with it, and I'd double-check its' history on CarFax. Maybe you lucked out and the seller just needs the money (it happens- twice now I've got great deals from people who were leaving the country, and my sister's car was real cheap because the guy needed the dough ASAP to keep his house,) in which case I'd buy.

[Neshanic]

7. 180k...

[LeftyMom]

15. High, but a Honda's probably good for 300K,

and you can always drop a cheap engine out of a wrecker into it later, since the body's good. With such a ubiquitous car, one would be be easy enough to find.

And if you find out it's not worth fixing, you can probably get your $500 back selling it off for parts.

[Fenris]

6. Probably not. A ten year old Honda for less than $1K screams "I was hooned into the ground."

[AwakeAtLast]

8. Research the VIN#

It could be a car that has been totaled from flood damage, but did not get removed from inventory.

[leeroysphitz]

9. I would BUT....

You might consider having to throw another 150 bucks or so if the fuel pump is going ( sounds like maybe it is).

Good car.

[atomic-fly]

10. maybe

alignment problems can cost a lot and might not pass inspection.
I'd get aligment checked out and a compression test to be safe.
But if you like it, you can take a chance for that price!

[Neshanic]

13. I think I may. The price is the thing, only 500 bucks.

[Neshanic]

11. My truck is dead. So I need something just to get around in. I don't drive much.

[Neshanic]

14. I am going for it. I will post the pics when I get it. It is not pretty, and I think

it even has an In-N-Out Burger sticker on it.

[ferrferr]

17. Well I'd have been sold by the I-n-O sticker on it! ;)

[PfcHammer]

16. Hondas effing rawk. Snag that bad boy.

vroom.vroom. :rofl:

[NV Whino]

18. Needing an alignment can be an indication that it's been in an accident

I'd be reeeeeealy careful about checking it out.

[billyoc]

19. If it was missing a fuel pump and a wheel, and it was on fire, it would be worth $500.

[DS1]

20. Yes

[TX Screwball]

21. Is it legal for the road?

If it is then buy it. $500 for a running legal ride is a sweet deal.

[old mark]

22. For chrost sake, buy it. In PA, yuou can't get a rusted out

POS Honda for under $1200.

Be prepared to spend a little $ on it, but they were decent cars and get pretty good mileage.

mark

[cboy4]

23. Just keep in mind, Honda Accords are one of the most

popular cars to steal in California.

The criminals strip them down for parts .. they can get up to three times the value of the car by selling the parts separately.

Take this from someone who had his Honda CRX stolen three times and his black Honda Civic Si stolen twice.

FIVE cars stolen in my relatively young life!!11! People's mouths drop wide open when they hear, but it's California.

Having said all of that, they're sure great cars that seemingly never break down.

BTW, I'll never own another Honda unless I sleep in it with a shotgun.

[tismyself]

24. Honda wagon stolen too!

Mine wasn't stolen for parts, it was used as a bumper car. When it was found, all 4 sides had been smashed in. I didn't even have the thing for a year, but it was a really neat car while it lasted. Had a terrific personality.

[masshole]

25. Clean the IACV - common problem on Honda's

Normally there is no need to pump the gas on a fuel injected engine, but when the Idle Air Control Valve (IACV) is dirty and gummed up it can help. It's not that hard to DIY, just locate the valve (usually just below and to the side of the intake manifold) - remove it (one or two small bolts) and clean it out with some spray carburetor cleaner. Save yourself hundreds of dollars if you were to bring it to a mechanic.
Get a Haynes manual from your local Auto parts store.

[Neshanic]

28. Thanks! I am going to go get the car tomorrow.

[pitohui]

26. i wouldn't, bad experience w. honda civic, supposedly a good car

also as another poster points out honda accords and civics are year after year in the top 10 list of cars most likely to be stolen because they have compatibility of parts over many many years and can be broken down and stolen for profit so easily because of the high demand

$500 for a 98 would definitely ring a warning bell with me, could be a flood vehicle, as others say, could have been in an accident, hell, could be stolen by some inept person who then couldn't figure out how to part it out and is looking for a naive buyer -- i'd do CARFAX *and* have a known mechanic to me check it out before i bought

$500 is no bargain if there's a $3K problem with the vehicle

won't dwell on our experience w. honda which i hope is atypical, except to say we won't buy another

[flvegan]

27. I would.