[CL9] Condition Update (Nearly 200,00km's)

Hi Everyone,

Well I bought my Honda Accord Euro 2004 Standard (nothing custom, stock) in Late 2010 with ~100k's or more on it. Had no problems, apart from my nitpicking at stiff ride, heavy steering (I had a 99 VT commodore with lighter steering) and that's about it from the top of my head. The car was serviced by Honda every 5000km's at a Honda dealer and every 10,000km's after 30,000k's so it had good history.

After a 100,000k's I took it over and did the following:
- Serviced: oil change, spark plugs, auto trans flush, power steering flush...major service basically
- after that i did my own oil changes and another auto trans flush (i lost track and stopped stamping)
- basically serviced every 10,000k's
- All 4 brakes machined and 4 new bendix pads put in
- Tire changes of course
- Pedders Wheel Alignment only done once

The Result

I have 192,000km's on the clock so could be considered an old girl.
These are the "problems" I have:
- Side airbag light turns on and off randomly on occassion
- Auto Trans seems to be sticking or slipping as i drive up and down hill a lot especially when im rolling downhill then approach an uphill the engine revs up to 3000rpm...
- Engine revs up after applying brakes especially around corners or after a down hill i slow down then climb up (immediately after i stop braking)
- One day after installing sheep skin seat covers at my wifes request I left the car on idle for 30mins whilst having the lights on (as i didn't want the battery to die, paranoid i know) and the temperature guage went past the middle...long story short...i ended up replacing the radiator with an aftermarket one cost me $320 in total.
- I hit a big pot hole where the left side of the car made a big bang noise at 65km/hr and on the same night my CD player stopped working, it won't turn on at all (initially it kept looking for a CD when there's 6 in there) Radio works fine. 2 days later Drivers Side won't lock when i press the lock button and LHS headlight stopped working - low beam only.

In the next few weeks i will be doing the following:
- Auto trans flush at an auto trans specialist Craig's transmission specialist or something $180
- Power Steering Hose/Pump replacement per the recall $0
- Brake Fluid & Fuel Filter change at Honda - $120 & $80 respectively
- Spark Plugs changed
- Oil & Oil Filter
- Air cleaner element & Air Filter

So it's going to cost me a lot over the next few weeks.

But overall I can say the Accord Euro (apart from its somewhat frequent services and expensive major services) was quite good and it's nearly at 200,000k's

If i didn't hit that pot hole I would safely say that the only issue I had was getting a new radiator. So average Service cost of $350 ever 10,000km's (and that's OVER budgeting) along with a new radiator for a car that has travelled 200,000km's nearly I think is pretty good (Mostly Highway km's). So I praise the CL9 Honda Accord Euro for lasting thus far.

In this Post I like other "older" euro owners to share their experiences with a car that is coming of age. I hope it makes it to 350,000km's or stay nice enough to trade in for either a CU2 or the next Euro or an Infiniti sedan

Also I have a few questions:

- Any advice on my apparent transmission issue? Or do you recommend any Trans specialist in Sydney or NSW, Honda charge $280 for a flush
- Recommended oil for my next change that will SMOOTH the engine even more than it is? 5w-30 still feels more lively over the 10W-30 stuff for some reason and oil filters, is it worth getting the 'better' ones or just the Honda one.
- Should i see an auto electrician for the door or DIY, please note im a noob at these things i can barely wrap my own sandwiches up in glad wrap haha..
- Recommend any VALUE for money detailing places as the interior is ageing and exterior for that matter - still got that euro shine though...
- Should I get a kit from ebay to put in those GPS consoles or replace the CD player or what?
- Philips Xterme Vision/Osram Night Breakers/HID Conversion (I know a lot of ppl are against this last option?
- Pedders 28 point suspension/shock test any good or is it a marketing scam? My ride is a tad harsh, always has been, but seems more so than before. Can I get replacement shocks from wreckers? Or is it the brushes? IDK and don't have a clue want a smoother ride
- I want those Mugen looking side skirts along the windows, where and how much?
- Lastly any tips, tricks, places to visit to service Euro for a car reaching old age?


Thank you for reading this far if you did.

I was quite happy with the Philips X-treme Visions when I put them in my old car (R31 Skyline).

They lit up a longer distance and also at a wider angle, but I've never tried other brands to compare.

Recommend them though :)

Mine is at 150000.

Full service history from Honda (same workshop every time).

the rear brakes tend to need to be done too often as far as i'm concerned. (I hope to fix that with a disc and pad upgade soon)

I had a particularly spirited drive and cooked my original clutch. Since then I have replaced with HD clutch.

aside from that it does the commute to and from work a lot better than my CD5 accord or Barina ever did.

First of all, DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THE HONDA PARTS STORE YET.

Look up amazon for the following parts:
- Air cleaner element: Aircon filter I got from Amazon for $20 bucks shipped
- Air Filter: I got a performance K&N air filter for $40 shipped from USA (cleanable and reuseable)
- Redline Racing 5w-30 engine oil (if you want the good quality group 5 synthetic oil, in bulk tho)

Look at the following sites for Oil and filter (depending on where you are, NSW or VIC, in addition to amazon):
www.gllubricants.com
www.performancelub.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sceuro

[I] - Any advice on my apparent transmission issue? Or do you recommend any Trans specialist in Sydney or NSW, Honda charge $280 for a flush

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If you mean 'flush' like engine flush where chemicals are used to breakdown the ATF. thats not recommended. Usually people use 3x3 or 4x4 drain/fill instead.
If you have been using Honda ATF-Z1 following the recommended service interval then the problem you experienced is expected. because of 2 things:
A) Honda ATF doesnt last the recommended service interval, more change frequency needed.
B) Service interval too far apart for the auto tranny for the fluid quality
Honda auto's are infamous like that. If you are getting fluid change, use a synthetic fluid like the new Honda "ATF-DW1" or Redline D4 or Amsoil or something similar.

And change more frequently (do a single drain and fill once every 20k instead of 40/60k as rec by Honda)

Quote:

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- Recommended oil for my next change that will SMOOTH the engine even more than it is? 5w-30 still feels more lively over the 10W-30 stuff for some reason and oil filters, is it worth getting the 'better' ones or just the Honda one

---

.
What oil are you using? IMO use synthetic oil. Honda has the FEO Ultra 5w-30 which you could use. Or, I used Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w-30, which the car is really smooth as result.
Note 'smooth' also needs the engine and injectors to be clean.

Quote:

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- Should i see an auto electrician for the door or DIY, please note im a noob at these things i can barely wrap my own sandwiches up in glad wrap haha..

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My door lock stopped working too, it's the door actuator, do NOT buy it from the honda dealer, it'll cost you an arm and leg, buy it off ebay, much cheaper, and it's 1/2 hour labour so around $44-50 labour

Quote:

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- Should I get a kit from ebay to put in those GPS consoles or replace the CD player or what?

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ebay aftermarket head unit is hit and miss. you'd better off hitting the wreckers and see if you could get a 2nd harnd nav unit.

Quote:

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- Philips Xterme Vision/Osram Night Breakers/HID Conversion (I know a lot of ppl are against this last option?

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http://www.powerbulbs.com/
Xterme Vision or Nightbreakers are fine, just rememebr those high performance bulbs dont last.
Just for the record I use: Philips Vision Plus H1, which is plenty for me.

Quote:

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- Pedders 28 point suspension/shock test any good or is it a marketing scam? My ride is a tad harsh, always has been, but seems more so than before. Can I get replacement shocks from wreckers? Or is it the brushes? IDK and don't have a clue want a smoother ride

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As long as you dont buy anything it should be okay *shrugs*

200k, shocks are probably on it's last legs, Dont get the pedder brand stuff tho, and you dont really want 2nd hand shocks.
A new set of sports shocks (koni yellow) is $150 per corner + install. You should do wheel alignment and balancing more tho (and tyre rotation)

Quote:

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- I want those Mugen looking side skirts along the windows, where and how much?

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ebay? group buys round here, probably set you back a grand or a bit more once painted and installed.

Quote:

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- Lastly any tips, tricks, places to visit to service Euro for a car reaching old age?

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Check your electrical grounds in engine bay
Consider a throttlebody and fuel injector clean.
Disconnect and reconnect the battery (wait 10-15 minutes) to reset the ECU
^^^^^^ That might fix the funny rev issue


In terms of workshops, I dunno where you are but heres a few you can use (I hate Honda dealer with a passion)
- Brisbane: Hondacare
- Sydney: AutoOne Hanny's etc etc
- Adelaide: Hontune (a member here)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fredoops

ebay aftermarket head unit is hit and miss. you'd better off hitting the wreckers and see if you could get a 2nd harnd nav unit.

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if he can't even wrap his own sandwich with glad wrap his not gonna be able to custom fit a nav unit :P i know cause i couldn't do it and had to hand it over to an auto-elec mate hahaha.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fredoops

ebay? group buys round here, probably set you back a grand or a bit more once painted and installed.

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i think he means the window visors. which can be found for roughly 300 dollars.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by longers

if he can't even wrap his own sandwich with glad wrap his not gonna be able to custom fit a nav unit :P i know cause i couldn't do it and had to hand it over to an auto-elec mate hahaha.
.

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LOL it took me a few hours to figure out how to remove the head unit, it's actually pretty straight forward lols

I think he meant mugen look alike so does he he meam reps?? Hehe

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sceuro

Any advice on my apparent transmission issue? Or do you recommend any Trans specialist in Sydney or NSW, Honda charge $280 for a flush

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All Nu Automotive in Revesby is an A/T specialist. The main mechanic Drew is very honest and has saved me over $1,000 in the past.

At 200 000 kilometers,the Euro is just run in,I am sure yours will easily get to 350 000 ks the way you are looking after it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sceuro

- I want those Mugen looking side skirts along the windows, where and how much?

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I think he meant window visors cause he said along the windows? Correct me if im wrong. But if it is the window visors you are looking for, you can get replica's on ebay over here:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rain-Viso...f#ht_834wt_982

there is a great thread on the acura tsx forums regarding ongoing maintanence of a tsx i think it had done 300,000km? not sure but interesting read none the less.

My cl9 has 136,000km on the clock, i have had it since 100,000 and i have had my wallet hit hard. I wasnt really car-savvy but after paying Hondas astronomical prices i have learnt to DIY where possible, and i found a independent Honda repairer nearby which i will flick the rest of the time

Had the 110,000 and 120,000 done at Honda, at 130,000 started servicing it at Accord Auto Repairs which unless anyone else in Adelaide has anywhere better is where i will continue to go.

New door actuator - dont get this done from Honda, i was an un-educated idiot and did and got slugged hardcore. ebay is your friend like others have said

Replaced rear disc pads, did this myself with the old man. wasnt prepared to pay Honda for that.

New A/C Compressor - got a quote from Honda, almost 3k. took it to an auto electrician. turned out he does all Hondas work anyway $2200 which i still thought was a bit rich. it did take 2 days, had to flush out system as compressor seizes and shoots metal filings all throughout.

New Clutch - worn out at 120,000km. guy before me was definately a drifter so i wasnt surprised when they told me. Got a few quotes, ended up just going to Honda - $2000 later...regret that decision

APP Sensor - VSA light and limp mode would randomly kick in, took it to Honda and charged me $200 to clear the codes and let the apprentice take it for a 100km joy ride. told me if it comes back that i would need the APP sensor or a new drive by wire. wanted $600 for the sensor. At this point i said to myself **** that, found that website above, found the TSX service manual online and DIY'd it. Roughly $340 delivered and half an hour of my time, no trouble since.

Someone before me had put some sort of aftermarket air filter in, looked like it didnt accomplish anything and was a botch job. purchased the parts from website above and returned it to stock.

Havent had too much drama but as others say - find someone local and reputable and go there isntead of Honda, too much money imho

Wow nice replies everyone good to see others experiences.

Phorist - what brakes you get and how much? My pads are bendix, all replaced but my discs have been machined not replaced. My brake performance is good, however, brake pedal swishes or sponge feel...not a smooth feeling bumpy braking as i press it. Hopefully new brake fluid improves this.

Fredroops - had i heard from you sooner I wouldn't have bought myself Castrol Titanium 5W-30 and Narva 120%+ globes...cause looking at the oils i would have gone redline from that performance website, and the injector cleaaner product. Currently I have royal purple in the system, I've used Castrol Edge Sport, RP, Penzoil, Honda FEO Ultra....all good, i tried RP 10W-30 however driving performance felt a bit more numb (remember could be my brain as well)...

Narva 120 Plus lights well they are excellent, i can see easily the side of houses without being directly in front of them, from what i can see the light spread is nearly 180 degrees so if i were driving in the middle of a 4-way highway the lights would spead over 4 lanes, obviously the light is stronger directly in front. White colour light, couldn't see much yellow which is good. The only thing i would say is the distance forward of the light is not as great but far better than the conventional globes. Not sure about HID but this is close. It's bright without being blinding to motorists - I heard Philips/Osram is like having high beems on so i have to try that out! The price you gave me from your power bulb and performancelubes is 48 dollars which is REALLY GOOD. My globes were 78 in supercheap.

I bought the castrol edge titanium 5W-30 for $49.95 at Supercheap so will use it at my 193000 drain interval - 500km left so next week. When i reach early 200,000km's I will switch to Redline OR Mobil 1 Extended Drain and will report the difference. Haven't tried the new titanium one, but i think it's more of a marketing hype.

Thanks - ill buy the alternator from ebay and get the auto electrician to install it.

Keni Shocks 150 per shock? how much cost to install them? I struggled with light globes so don't expect me to do it. Also I don't want a sports feel, i want COMFORT, will Koni be hardher in terms of the ride quality? And will they work with existing springs (not willing to change them)...Just want not such a thumping ride.

Unfortunately, I only have ATF-Z1...and i've only ever drained the system every 20,000km's so the 2.8L's worth. Right now ATF is at higher levels than the second dot on the dipstick so it's good im going to see Southwest Automatics at Liverpool - they said they will drive it around and determine if i require a flush. He said it's $150 for a service of the transmission and $350-400 for a full flush as he'll need 20-30L of genuine oil. I won't do a full flush but let him do a service first then ill follow this 3x3 drain and drive for 10mins in between tactic.

The ECU reset thing seemed to work a bit, my car stopped the revs being so high before a gear change, it seemed to have shifted nicer. But i haven't tackled the mountain drive yet so will let ya know.

Ok - as for ATF oil, well, I read on here some use redline, some use Armoil, is the RP stuff good? I also read that NO ONE should use anything except genuine eeven from this popular dude called aarong... if that's the case maybe ill try and use ATF-DW1 but where do i get it? I only bought my trans oil a few months ago and it was still the D1 stuff. I am in the Newcastle region so...

Thanks everyone i did mean the window visors, they look great. Probably won't match my standard euro with standard wheels i just thought and not so tinted windows but ill give them a go. I also have to get new windscreen wipers.

Aiutn - jesus, you gone through a lot of crap with your euro! New A/C compressor - why? Was the aircon not cold enough or...? My aircon feels week too.

On the agenda - I want to upgrade my internal lights with white ones make them brighter, what globes do i get. Also if i buy the fogs for TSX from Amazon will they fit on my standard euro? Or is there an alternative. I dont have any light in boot as well...

Keep the history up I like reading and learning.

Oh yeah and after 200,000km's should i restart the log book process again?