Spending more on my 2008 civic this year than a luxury lease...is this normal??

[Pear Martini]

Thanks for the replies. I do not get repairs done at the dealer but at tire kingdom and other kind of chain shops. I don't know the first thing aboutt doing the maintenance on my own car! I wish there was a class I could take.

I also live in miami now so not having A.C. during my hour commute is not sustainable for me. During the summer it feels over 100 often even tho it's in the 90s.

My brake job consisted of getting new rotors as well and I have free break pad changes for the rest of my cars life at tire kingdom now.

I think I kind of came to terms with all of the repairs I have needed since I'm near 100k and I know a lot of things tend to need to be replaced around then but once I found out my brake light is burning/melting through the tail light I flipped out.


If this can go wrong what else can crop up???? It seems so ridiculous that this would even happen and I need to buy the part at Honda dealership near me which has horrible service.

[Gemdiver]

You paid $500 for a brake job... on a Civic!? Whatever shop you took your car to, run away and never go back to them for any reason. I paid about $170 for a front brake job on my CRV.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I have officially had it. I bought my 2008 civic used with 5000 miles in 2008 for 19k. It currently has 95k miles and I drive about 250 miles each week on the highway.

Since January 2017 I have had to get the following repairs on my civic:

Starter went out $500 March or April

New battery $100 April

New A.C. ( I don't know how much it cost because my mom got it replaced because she felt bad for me since this happened right after the starter went out) May


New brakes $500 July

Now I just found out my brake light is burning through itself and I need to replace the whole tail light. Guessing this will cost around 300.


I drive this old ass paid off car around because I thought it was the responsible thing to do to keep an old "reliable" car around but I did not expect this many repairs in such a short amount of time. Is this normal??


Should I keep this car or replace it? Since I just spent so much on this thing I want to keep it but if it costs me this much in 2018 I will be livid.


I thought Honda's were supposed to be reliable and cheap to keep. I might as well be driving a new Audi with the amount I'm spending on this thing. I'm a recent grad and I don't have a ton of money to be throwing on a car. Is Honda even considered good quality anymore?

You just had a lot of maintenance "come due" one way or another in this year. You now have a car with a new starter, new battery (wear item) new brakes (wear item) and then whatever you need to do with the tail light. Don't go to the $tealer for this, find an indy shop that will put a rear lens assembly from a yard into it (used parts). There is no reason to think any of these issues will re-occur in the next few years.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

Thanks for the replies. I do not get repairs done at the dealer but at tire kingdom and other kind of chain shops. I don't know the first thing aboutt doing the maintenance on my own car! I wish there was a class I could take.

I also live in miami now so not having A.C. during my hour commute is not sustainable for me. During the summer it feels over 100 often even tho it's in the 90s.

My brake job consisted of getting new rotors as well and I have free break pad changes for the rest of my cars life at tire kingdom now.

I think I kind of came to terms with all of the repairs I have needed since I'm near 100k and I know a lot of things tend to need to be replaced around then but once I found out my brake light is burning/melting through the tail light I flipped out.


If this can go wrong what else can crop up???? It seems so ridiculous that this would even happen and I need to buy the part at Honda dealership near me which has horrible service.

Chain shops generally rip you off. You probably can find a good "powder puff mechanic" class at a local junior college.

You *may* be able to go to LED type brake light bulbs and that might cure the heat problem. You can get them online or even in most parts stores anymore.

[ginmqi]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

Should I keep this car or replace it? Since I just spent so much on this thing I want to keep it but if it costs me this much in 2018 I will be livid.

I thought Honda's were supposed to be reliable and cheap to keep. I might as well be driving a new Audi with the amount I'm spending on this thing. I'm a recent grad and I don't have a ton of money to be throwing on a car. Is Honda even considered good quality anymore?[/quote]

Yes this is normal. It's part of keeping up with an older car.

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I might as well be driving a new Audi with the amount I'm spending on this thing. I'm a recent grad and I don't have a ton of money to be throwing on a car.

"new Audi"

"I don't have a ton of money to be throwing on a car"

You're joking right.

No money...hey let's buy a new Audi vs keeping a more reliable older Honda.

You have to remember....taxes, gas, insurance, tires, and potential lost down time to warranty work. But I do hear Audis have been getting more reliable these days.

But Audis are gonna cost WAY more...plus if a tail light breaks or you need tires or new brakes on an Audi....get ready to pay EVEN MORE than what you paid for the Honda.

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

Is Honda even considered good quality anymore?

Of course it is.

Go drive a 9 year old Audi or BMW and come back and tell us how unreliable Hondas are.....

[sirtiger]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I thought Honda's were supposed to be reliable and cheap to keep. I might as well be driving a new Audi with the amount I'm spending on this thing. I'm a recent grad and I don't have a ton of money to be throwing on a car. Is Honda even considered good quality anymore?

9 year has passed is still a recent graduate? 19 grand divide by 9 years.....soon it will be less than 2 grand a year. After the normal big fixes, your car can go an easy 9 more years.

[sirtiger]

Originally Posted by ginmqi

Go drive a 9 year old Audi or BMW and come back and tell us how unreliable Hondas are.....

My 13 year old BMW is very very reliable. Mostly regular maint. I did myself...easy easy in the era of YouTube and car forums.

[unit731]

Back in 2008 there were a wide variety of new automobiles that could be purchased for $19,000.

Too many don't do scheduled maintenance.

When I get an oil change I have my independent mechanic shop check the brakes. If low, I have the pads replaced. No need for extra parts.

Got to learn to read the manual. Got to ask to view underside of car.

And skip the chain stores. Find a good honest independent shop. Skip the $17.95 quicky oil changes. Go to the same independent repair shop. Get to know the mechanic (s) and shop owner.

Bring the shop a homemade apple pie at Christmas time or a basket of fruit. Goes a very long way.