Is it worth it?

We have no car at the moment and are looking to buy something inexpensive but reliable. A friend has offered to sell us their 1994 Accord LX w/214,000 miles for $1,300. The paint is in pretty bad shape and the ABS light is on. They said that the ABS need to be replaced/serviced but it would cost about $1,500 so they haven't done it. Other than that, the car is in pretty good condition and they said its mechanically sound and well taken care of. Considering the cosmetic problems, the high mileage and the ABS problem, is the car worth it? Would it really cost that much to get the brakes fixed and is ABS really necessary? I know NOTHING about cars, regrettably, and I hate having to buy a car because I'm terrified I'm going to get a lemon. But, my family has to have a car, and I know that Hondas are usually good cars. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Joanna

Hello Gothic Romance

I am from England, and as such I have no idea about the price of a car in the US for what you can get for $1300

However, here in the UK, that is what I do, run a car sales, service and repair garage

So my advice to you is :

ABS on a car means when you step on the break pedal, the braks go backwards and forwards, this allows the car to stop quicker, as this jolting action is better than applying the brakes so the disc and brake pads stay together

There could be a number of reasons the ABS light is on, all of which could be as simple as replacing the brake pads, or the complete ABS system, and judging by the repair costs I would say this is a complete exhcnage, however I would check out what that price is for and why

214000 miles on a car is getting to the stage where major problems can start to occur

What these problems are, is generally down to how the car was driven in the first place

But one of the more serious conditions of high mileage is the engine head and gasket are worn

A gasket is a seal connecting the engine head to the engine body (where the pistons go up and down)

When warn, this can cause several syptoms, of which, oil and water and petrol start to mix.

This can then cause the engine to consume huge amounts of oil and water

The water is consumed and leaves nothing left in the radiotor to keep the engine cool, so it over heats and stops running

On top of this other mechanical defects can start to occur, which require a trip down the garage to fix, all of which can be done easily but time consuming and therefore costly

The price of this car is $1300 which is about £800 (approx)

At this price range, the cars are designed to be running for about a year (if you are lucky) but will require maintence all the time, if you are looking at buying a car with high mileage you need to know how to fix the basics at least, because you will need to fix something

Hondas are good cars, but they still have a shelf life, and buying a car off a friend can be something that eventually destroys the friendship, so my advice to you is becareful on this one

We had a 1994 Accord EX and it developed an ABS problem, where the clear ABS reservoir became empty of fluid. Honda had a major problem with this system, which they acknowledged. It cost $800 to patch the system. If their initial repair work did not last, it was going to cost $2,000 to fix it permanently. That car is long gone; however, I still have the 1993 Civic DX without ABS--it's a keeper. My advice is to pass on it.

So I found out a few more details. Its only had one owner, an older woman, who bought it new in 94. She takes it to the dealer for all the maintenance, has had the oil done every time it needed to be, has had the timing belt and water pump replaced twice, with the last time being at 180.000 miles. She recently replaced the radiator. She has all the paperwork from all the things that she's had done. It sounds like she took really good care of it. We drove it last night and it drives great. It doesn't pull to either side, brakes well, no noises, shifts smoothly, corners well and could hardly feel the railroad tracks when we went over them. It has power locks, windows, and mirrors, good heat and a/c, the interior is clean with no rips or holes. Should I still pass? I've only got $1,800 to spend on everything including winter tires, tax, registration, plates, insurance, etc. so I know that no matter what I'm going to wind up with an old car with high mileage. Does the above make it more likely that this car will last at least until my husband is out of school in a year? We just need it to get him back and forth (about 60 miles a day).

Thanks guys.
J

Find out what ABS codes were thrown. Also, find out if the car will pass safety inspection, in your state, if the ABS light is on. If you do buy it, be sure to change all fluids; i.e. engine oil and filter, brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, and clutch fluid.

Morning Gothic

As TX states, changing the fluids when you get a car is always a good idea

The problem of high mileage on the engine will still be there

However, if I was selling the car on the lot, I would only do so if it had all the documentation you have seen

The car has probably been looked after and considering the amount of money you have to spend it is better to get a car that has paperowk history than one than hasn't

I have looked up car prices in the US and seen what you can get for your money and if you say you need it for a year, then chances are this could be the best you can get

Please note, this is only advice on what I would say to a customer or a friend, and without seeing the engine itself I cannot guarantee anything

I'm not sure what the code was, but she said that the honda dealership said it was the modulator and that it was okay to drive w/out the abs, that it would just be like regular disc brakes. We are going to see if she will take less for the car, as we will have to get winter tires and such so that its good for the winter here in CT. I don't think I'm going to find a cheaper car or one that has been taken care of for that price around here. Thanks for all your help.

J