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Honda spark plugs

pdplot

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Our '02 Accord goes into the shop tomorrow for routine maintenance & tire rotation. The original spark plugs now have over 150,000 miles on them (try that on a Triumph) and I think they should be changed. I just hope they're not cemented/frozen to the cylinder heads so as to make them impossible to remove without breaking something. The right headlight cover is now fogged up and we have a burned out bulb to deal with. The joys of an old car.
 
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pdplot

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It ran fine and still does. Starts instantly hot or cold, winter or summer so saw no need to change. This car sits outside most of the year, only coming into the garage when we go to Florida. It's getting close to decision time for this great car. The transmission is getting a little bouncy, the tires are getting worn, the battery is about 6 years old or more, the front bumper is peeling and the finish needs a good compounding and waxing. Eventually, it will need a new timing belt. No real rust anywhere except a couple of tiny spots in the outer edge of the rear fenders at the wheel well. A hybrid might make good sense for a 2nd car if I can find a good one for not a huge amount of $$$. Maybe a Chevy Volt?
 

JPSmit

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It ran fine and still does. Starts instantly hot or cold, winter or summer so saw no need to change. This car sits outside most of the year, only coming into the garage when we go to Florida. It's getting close to decision time for this great car. The transmission is getting a little bouncy, the tires are getting worn, the battery is about 6 years old or more, the front bumper is peeling and the finish needs a good compounding and waxing. Eventually, it will need a new timing belt. No real rust anywhere except a couple of tiny spots in the outer edge of the rear fenders at the wheel well. A hybrid might make good sense for a 2nd car if I can find a good one for not a huge amount of $$$. Maybe a Chevy Volt?

my thought is that a hybrid makes more sense for a first car - I think there is a certain amount of miles the car needs to be driven annually to break even (quick google says about 15k miles)
 

dklawson

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I would say this information is for future reference... but it probably isn't since you only have 150k miles on a 17 year old car.

We have an '03 Civic with 220k miles and I have replaced the plugs twice now (100k intervals as Don said). The dealer wanted more than $130 to replace 4 plugs. The plugs are MUCH cheaper on Amazon than at the dealer (yes, I mean the OEM type plugs, not cheap generics). Changing them on a "modern" car is only slightly more involved than changing them on our classics.

Regardless, I understand your dilemma. We got rid of our '05 Accord recently for the same "pending expenses" that you listed. It just didn't make financial sense to keep it... especially since no one in the family liked the car.
 

John Turney

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I would look for a used Accord before I would look for a Chevy Volt. My wife insists that her 2009 will be her last car.
 

JPSmit

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The Volts seem to be selling for a premium plus GM is phasing them out. So the Volt is fading away.

So the Volt is no longer current. I would think twice about bring one ohm.
 

glemon

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I did the plugs on my wife's Fit a few months back, not quite at 100,000 miles yet, but over ten years old. Not a huge job, but you had to take the stupid plastic engine cover off. I won the plugs by knowing the model of old Austin in the neighbor of an NGK rep's garage. So for once my arcane knowledge of old British cars actually paid off.
 

dklawson

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My wife's daily driver is a 2012 Fit. It is a little old lady car with under 50k miles on it. We are adding miles even slower now that we have retired. I anticipate the spark plugs on it will be as easy to change as on my Civic.
 

PAUL161

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Ok, Now, What is a Fit? Never heard of that one before.:sleeping:
 

Basil

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Ok, Now, What is a Fit? Never heard of that one before.:sleeping:

2017-Honda-Fit-front-three-quarter-08.jpg
 

PAUL161

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Well, ok, glad I asked. Little smarter today than yesterday :encouragement:
 
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