Want a Toyota or Honda?

Dargo · Sep 5, 2005

( I like Toyota personally since I have a Lexus. The Honda's are good but they lack style for me. )

No wonder I slightly prefer the Honda; I have no style or class. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I actually just chose a loaded up '06 Accord over the Acura RL. If prices were equal, and I were not shown the badges, I would have picked the loaded Accord; so that's what I did. It doesn't hurt my feelings at all either that I saved about $13k for not getting the Acura nameplate either! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

8561 · Sep 5, 2005

I prefer the Hondas as well. I find my Accord is just a little sportier than the Camry my brother-in-law used to own. A little stiffer with a little crisper handling. Both are excellent cars. Mine is a 2000 Special Edition 4 cylinder auto with 130,000 miles, bought it new. It has had one set of front brake pads. That's it. No other service (other than oil changes, air filters and new tires) of any kind at any time. I'll probably do the timing belt this fall and I may splurge for a new set of spark plugs. They are remarkably well built cars.

NY_Yankees_Fan · Sep 5, 2005

( 130,000 miles, bought it new. It has had one set of front brake pads. That's it. No other service (other than oil changes, air filters and new tires) of any kind at any time. I'll probably do the timing belt this fall and I may splurge for a new set of spark plugs. )

Tim,

I have a 2000 Odyssey with 128K miles, 98 Accord with 120K miles and 2000 Camry with 108K miles. The timing belts should be done around 105K miles. My mechanic tells me when they snap they do a lot of damage to the engine. Only down side to these engines, wish they used a chain like most other cars. Transmission on the Odyssey has been changed at 105K along with a catalitic converter,and front brakes at least every 30K miles.Honda does not do as good a job on vans. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Dargo · Sep 5, 2005

( My mechanic tells me when they snap they do a lot of damage to the engine. )

On a Honda or Toyota, not true. There are two ways to set the valves in the heads of cars. For lack of better terms, they are clearance, and collision. Both Honda and Toyota use the clearance method. If their timing belt breaks, they simply stop running and coast to a stop. On most domestic cars, a Chrysler product for example, they use a collision style of heads. When the timing belt breaks on those, the valves are allowed to drop down into the cylinders and collide with the pistons. Bang, the engine is completely finished.

Why everyone doesn't use clearance engines, I don't know. If your mechanic told you that a Toyota or Honda engine would self destruct if the timing belt broke, he is either trying to sell you something, or he simply does not work on those engines. If you spend just a little time and do a simple search, you will find out what sort of engine your car has. Shame on any mechanic who cannot spend 5 minutes to learn about such a thing!

NY_Yankees_Fan · Sep 5, 2005

Dargo,

Thanks for the info, I will just let them snap and then replace them in another 120K miles or so from now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Alan L. · Sep 5, 2005

I was under the impression that Toyotas had timing chains since 1998. Or at least Corollas. I read that somewhere.

Whether I decide on Honda or Toyota it looks like right now I am going to have a pretty slim selection and probably can't get a very good deal, if the dealers I have visited so far are any indication.

JimR · Sep 5, 2005

Buy a used 1 year old low mileage demo for a lot cheaper money. The moey you save will pay for your gas for quite some time.

Dargo · Sep 5, 2005

( ...I will just let them snap and then replace them in another 120K miles or so from now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Sounds like a plan to me. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif With the worst penalty being that I may possibly stranded, I fully intend to go 125k at least before I have the belt changed.

AlanL
I began wanting a late model used Honda. I found that I could buy a new one for only about 1500 bucks more. I can get '05's at invoice, and I paid $300 over invoice for my '06 Accord EX V6. I am honestly concerned that with the current gas crunch, the pricing I received may not now be the norm. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif If you are close enough to my area to pick one up, I'll be happy to get a price for you. I do quite a bit of dealings with my local Honda dealership.

Alan L. · Sep 5, 2005

Dargo, thanks, I'm way down here in Texas. I have not actually tried to make a deal other than to see the low stocks and assume the deals would not be very good. I should look around I guess and see what deals are available.

The Toyota dealer I visited didn't have any Corollas new, but had an '05 with 8500 miles on it which I drove. It had a used car "sticker" on it for $18,995, which is probably as much or more than the sticker on that car had been when it was new. They said they would sell it for $15,850 which I thought was still too high for a used Corolla.

I think I want side air bags, preferably the curtain air bags, and I am told they are hard to find. Might have to get an 06 model for that.

Also, there are tax breaks for waiting until after the end of the year if one is buying a hybrid. Through the end of this year there is a $2000 deduction, but beginning in January there is a tax credit (reduces your tax dollar for dollar) of varying amounts based on projected gas savings for each particular model versus the 02 model. A table I found estimates the credit for the civic hybrid at $2100, which puts a pretty good dent in the price differential which is about $3K from what I see.

The civic hybrid also has something called variable ratio auto transmission, which helps increase gas mileage. I wonder how much trouble that might give in the future?

I also notice there is a regular non-hybrid model call "lean fuel" that has an EPA rating of 44 hwy (vs 38 for the other models). I wonder what that is?

gsxr1100 · Sep 6, 2005

(

On a Honda or Toyota, not true. There are two ways to set the valves in the heads of cars. For lack of better terms, they are clearance, and collision. Both Honda and Toyota use the clearance method. If their timing belt breaks, they simply stop running and coast to a stop. On most domestic cars, a Chrysler product for example, they use a collision style of heads. When the timing belt breaks on those, the valves are allowed to drop down into the cylinders and collide with the pistons. Bang, the engine is completely finished.

Why everyone doesn't use clearance engines, I don't know. If your mechanic told you that a Toyota or Honda engine would self destruct if the timing belt broke, he is either trying to sell you something, or he simply does not work on those engines. If you spend just a little time and do a simple search, you will find out what sort of engine your car has. Shame on any mechanic who cannot spend 5 minutes to learn about such a thing! ) )

well the TB is wrong here for Toyota/Lexus.

Before 1999 Lexus/Toyota did not have VVT-i technology=variable valve timing w/INTERFERENCE. So if it broke, nothing would happen.

AFTER 1999 they all have VVT and if they break, look out!