civics4everyone

Why pay hundreds of dollars for a dealer or anyone else to maintain your civic. A 30k or 60k service doesnt really service anything, mostly all they do is a thorough inspection. They only replace your air filter($8 and 5 minutes of work), your oil ($10 and 0.5 hours work) The rest is all inspections. Some places replace coolant ,tranny fluid,and plugs but those services can cost alot more.(they probably wont use the expensive ngk plugs either as they can cost $10 each). The civic( according to my 2002 civic Lx manual) is scheduled to have all 3 of these items changed after 100,000 miles even under the severe driving conditions. Personally ive changed the tranny fluid myself at 30/60k just to be on the safe side. Tranny fluid for this car has no pan or filter its just drain and fill. I use genuine honda fluids and parts except oil .It is highly recommended by almost everyone one to use genuine honda atf fluid and almost no shops do, they use dextron.....hmm.. Ive read a couple articles online from transmission mechanics and they said half of tranny problems are from using the wrong fluid. Anyways inspections are easy enough you just need a jack & jackstand and you can see under your car very well(check online for a checklist or from a previous service). I have 68k miles so far with no problems. My brake pads are down to 1/4 inch so will need replacing soon, and ive already ordered some oem ceramic pads. I plan to drain my power steering, and brake fluid soon(recommended at 3 years).If you arent good with fixing things or get frustrated easy take to a shop by all means but im just trying to help.

Honda01

Well that rant was a little out of nowhere :P
However I do agree with you! If you're apt, and interested in your car enough to come on here, you can likely do all those yourself!
There are a few others that you could add to the list that are as simple as pie to do!
Cabin Filter/ Brake PADS/ ect

Though I wouldn't recommend anyone playing with the drums or changing their brake fluid - but thats me.
I had a bad experince trying that... 2hr brake job took 9 hours and it still wasn't done!! I couldn't bleed my brakes!... I digress

civics4everyone

LOL ..rant . Ive always tried to Do evreything myself so im just trying to share some of the info that ive learned. My sister paid around 300 bucs for a 30k service and they hardly did anything.

Slow Gold

iTrader: (3)

Cake walk with the right tools. Try swapping an engine when its 22 degrees outside.

jamie_civic

iTrader: (1)

if you guys would like a mechanics point of view then i say if its an easy job (oil change, air filter, lubing door hinges...all that crap) then ya do it yourself but i wouldnt recomend doing your tranny fluid, brakes, ball joints, other suspension **** cuz theres procedures to take and torque specifications that cant really be ignored so unless you have the honda bible its not the best idea.....every day theres cars in on towing cuz people think they are mechanics.

runner1738

iTrader: (2)

i wish i had a garage then i could work on my car myself and so forth, but lack of leads me to look for people who do good work

civics4everyone

How can you recommend doing your own engine oil but not tranny fluid in a civic. They are exactly the same. Drain, fill, and torque down drain bolt. Actually the tranny has no filter so its even easier and less messy. I know what you mean though, i can see a guy changing his fluid and loosing the drain bolt 50 miles down the road..lol

jamie_civic

iTrader: (1)

well i dont know the auto tranny anyways but the stick youv gotta fill it up with a bottle and well im sure you know, anyways lots of people dont really understand and might not be able to fill it....
anyways besides what should and shouldnt be done all im really saying is that people come in all the time with stuff they messed up.

Honda01

How often are you supposed to change Stnd. tranny fluid?

I haven't really looked at my eng. to much - winter was setting in when I bought the car!... I don't even know how the ignition works on my 01 civic Lx!
I just got used to the Cap/Rotor of my 91 civic


...another aspect of why not to touch your brakes - liability.
If you do your own brake job, screw up, something happens, brakes fail and as a result you hurt someone - you're liable.
Let a shop do it, and they bear the liability!!
And we all know you crazy americans don't want a law suit on your hands - they get out of control down there

shroomster

bwahahaha I'm sorry but that is funny..........

Honda01

What's funny?
The million dancing locks - it hurts my eyes :P

shroomster

yeah...i thought it was funny..hehe do the lock...