So, due to my 2000 Honda Civic's motor going, having to sell it, and not having good credit/enough money in savings to get a car, I ended up taking on my sister's old 95 Honda Accord LX......and, it's got issues. I'm 27, female, and honsetly know nothing about cars, although I owned a Honda before. My bf and others took care of me in fixing it.

The one thing I hate the most is the muffler sound apparently. When I press the gas and everything when it's first going up a hill, on the highway, it's that bumblebee sound, and I hate it.....but how would I be able to get rid of that?

This also has a broken passenger side mirror (just the glass) and I think I can replace just the glass. I also need to replace the blown out speakers, stereo, steering wheel, get the tires balanced, fix the trunk keyhole because it doesn't work apparently, fix the hood latch (told it was fixed but it wasn't).

BF says it's a great looking car and everything but I just want to be comfortable drivnig it and not embarrassed driving it. Suggestions?

 

Welcome to the HAF...

Thank you for joining the forums.

It looks like alot of those fixes are just goining to be easy for your boyfriend to do..if you 2 run into many problems on your car, just ask the questions in the correct forum threads and Im sure that some of us will step up and help you with suggestions..

WheelBrokerAng

 

Well there's a list of things that need to be done, but the way it drives for me is #1. I want to feel comfortable on the road, no matter what.

Here's a list of what I know needs to be done, so if any suggsetions/advice for cheap ways to do this or anything else to this car of mine, please shout out

-Headlight restoration (only one light needed)
-Passenger Side Mirror Broken (need replacement glass)
-new Windshield wipers
-left side (driver's side) windshield wiper fluid motor is broken (won't spit any water out)
-tires need air/balancing
-front driver's side window is off track (it's now outside of the track now, so I'm screwed when it rains, hopefully will be fixed tonight)
-trunk keyhole wono't work (you have to pop the trunk from inside the car)
-speakers are blown
-need stereo installed (nicer one from my old honda haha)
-muffler replacement (hate the bumblebee sound)
-there's a horrible squeaking noise sometimes when it starts up,a dn sometimes when I gas it, and I'm told the belts are slipping (brother in law gave me new belts, that I'll need put on at one point or another, it doesn't do it all the time but enough to annoy the crap out of me)


I THINK that's it for now, I know there's more but I'm cheap/broke so yeah, any suggestions/advice is needed T hanks!

 

I'll move this over to General Tech because it's becoming more of a fix-it thread. You'll probably get better answers over there.

Now then, I'll take a shot at a couple of them...

Headlight - Stores like AutoZone or WalMart sell kits with polishing compound for that. If it's too far gone, try to find a headlamp at a junkyard.

Mirror - here's a picture. #1 & 17 shows the motorized ones from your EX. I think the glass has 3 plastic ball/socket fasteners and snaps out. Carefully so you don't break the plastic stuff.


Windshield wipers just clip on & off. Or are you talking about a broken motor??

Windshield washer fluid is only one motor for both sides. If only one works, then look for plugged hoses. Might have to disconnect a hose & try to get hot water thru it to clean it out.

Air in the tires - got a bicycle pump?? Balancing has to be done by a shop but call around because prices can vary A LOT.

Squeaking is probably the old belts. Wait to see after installing the new ones.

 

For the washer, if you strip off the "plastic" from a bread tie it is the proper size to fit into the two holes on the nozzel.

 

In the common diy thread on top of the gen tech help forum, there is a link for online shop manuals where you can get one for free. Get the 94 shop manual as it is identical to the 95 accord (this is a 4 cylinder right?).

The shop manual will have a lot of information on how to do some of these repairs. You can ask us questions as well.

 

Plan A - muffler installed will be $150 approx around here (that's a most car price). can't do it yourself.
for cheapest go to muffler shop on edge of poor part of town.

Plan B - To quiet bad muffler, I used to use muffler wrap, auto parts store ~$10, and fencing wire, hardware store $5.
1st is like super thick nonsticky duct tape that you wrap tightly muffler to cover hole and secure it with multiple loops
of the bendable fencing wire so it stays in place for several months before it ultimately falls off - or muffler develops new hole.

have to back car up, engine cold, on curb to get clearance to crawl under rear to muffler.
You'll get medium dirty.

 

for plastic lens 'clouding' (don't know your car) you can do this yourself using grade 0000 steel wool (finest grade, but cheap) from hardware store.
wet down headlight w/ sponge or spray. swirl motion to steel wool. wet wipe. repeat. 3 minutes. done.



enjoy your car