Date
(mileage) |
Incident |
Final Cost |
July 10 2002
(86.5k) |
Well, today marks the start of another car adventure. I could not
manage to get US Customs to let me keep my car in the US. I tried
everything down to bribing Toyota dealerships to try and get a "Letter
of Compliance". No dice. My 11 year relationship with my poor Tercel comes to an unfortunate end. I
want something faster and fun, but being Canadian cannot get credit or
a loan rate better than 15.5% (!) so I opt to buy something I can pay
cash for. Enter my new obsession, the classic 5th generation red civic EX coupe.
|
$6200, +tax, +registration, +fees, +MD inspection "insurance" = $6900 |
July 11 2002
(90k) |
The only thing my car needed to pass inspection was a new muffler
(which I had predicted). I am treating myself to a Honda muffler, so I
am paying a bit more that needed.
|
$300 |
Sept 18 2002
(91k) |
Factory tape deck sucks. Need audio. Purchase Alpine CDA 7894 mp3/CD player
(240 Watts; $360). Infinity Reference rear speakers ($100). Door speakers too
expensive to purchase now. Will wait. Deck requires adapter parts. Will let them install it. |
$570 |
Nov 11 2002
(92k) |
Honda 90000 mile service. Passed as well as predicted. Clutch master
cylinder leaks and will need replacing (quoted $300). Front brakes
ready for a re-do (??). One of my rims is bent resulting in a shudder
that cannot be balanced away (quoted $89). I'll deal with these later.
|
$400 |
March 2003
(93.7k) |
Honda 93750 mile "Oil Service". This is code for a $150 oil change. I need
a new master clutch cylinder (est.$300), front brakes (on sale $99) and
the oil "service" (note emphasis on "service").
|
$550 |
June 2003
(96k) |
Timing belt due for replacement. Fortunately, my water pump is leaking and
my front brakes need pads/rotors etc
|
$1000 |
Oct 2003
(100k) |
Driving to Halifax and Ontario this winter. Need to replace crappy old "Grand Spirit" tires with some good new ones. Internet recommends Bridgestone Potenza, but local shops tell me this is a mistake since they are special order and will cost over $100 per tire (plus intallation). Internet runner up is the Dunlop Sport A2 ($63/tire). I get 4 new tires at "Just Tires" plus balance and alignment. Feeels like a new car. No shimmys or wiggles or pulling up to 110 mph. Best $400 spent yet.
|
$400 |
Nov 2003
(100k) |
Driving to Halifax suggests I purchase those door speakers. Doors need
component speakers with crossover (see interior pic above). Too complicated for me to install. Purchase
Infinity Reference speakers again ($200). Love it. Sounds amazing. |
$260 |
Dec 2003
(103k) |
On trip top Halifax, Alpine CD player breaks. Won't accept CDs anymore. Despite
being slightly over the one year warranty, Alpine agrees to fix it for free anyway, even though they really don't have to. I now love Alpine. I am a life-long customer. I pay shipping.
| $17 |
Jul 2004
(108k) |
110k Service ($320), rear brakes ($350), ripped CV boot ($300), leaky master
clutch cylinder (check above, repaced last March, not covered, Honda paid part,
I paid labour ~$200), fuel filter, PCV valve....
| $1400 |
Sep 2004
(109k) |
Moving to Hawai'i. Looks cost effective to ship car from west coast to HI.
Road Trip to Oakland! Place car on ship using Matson. Wait for it in Hawai'i.
| $1005 |
Jan 2005
(113k) |
Starter slowly dies. Each morning instead of starting, it just clicks when I
turn the key. Checked Clutch Interlock, Ground Wires, Battery. There's no
escaping it. I need a new starter. I opted for a Authentic Honda starter for
$260, since I dig the Honda starter sound. Almost 3 hours labour (!). Now it starts when it sees me approaching :)
| $460 |
Jul 2005
(121k) |
After months of non-use, I decide to turn on my AC in Kona one hot day. No cold
air, and a hissing noise. Evaporator died. I dont use AC much, but when it rains (as it does in Hilo) it is really hard to keep the windows defrosted, so I decide to fix it.
| $1200 |
Aug 2005
(121k) |
AC stops again. Aparently, when they were replacing EVERYTHING last month, they decided not to replace a $10 hose. It needs replacing. Not covered under AC repair warranty because it was "ok" then. Bah. I feel taken. | $200 |
April 2006
(129k) |
On a spirited Saturday run to the Kona Airport, my clutch explodes completely. I can only speed shift, which is a catchy term for shifting without a clutch. I coast all the way down the saddle road into the Kona airport (on time for flight!) and rent a car for the weekend. It is Merry Monarch, so I was lucky to get one. Get car towed to Kona Honda on Monday. They fix my car on Tuesday (without appointment!). Towing, car rental, clutch, unexpected torn CV boot, airport parking set me back quite a bit. |
$1700 |
Aug 2006
(135k) |
Hit a big hole on Komohana. Exhaust falls off. It is rusty. No Honda parts expected for several weeks. Go to a back alley near the dump where a guy replaces missing pipes for "OH, how 'bout $80". Good deal. Doubt the repairs will hold up long though. |
$80 |
Nov 2006
(138k) |
Transmission input shaft bearing starts to die. It is getting loud and sounds like a helicopter. Decide to get it replaced, since I heard my mecahnics child needs braces (yes, there is some one at Honda "assigned" to my car...). I need a new battery also. |
$700 |
Feb 2007
(141k) |
Car is idling rough. Check engine light come on during a trip to the airport (I really should stop going to the airport). Oxygen sensor is bad. |
$450 |
May 2007
(155k) |
Car dies on the way to work (instead of the airport for a change). It is like it stalled. It will not restart. Cranks but doesnt catch. Needs new "ignition kit", coil assembly, ignition wires and plugs, etc. | $1015 |
