anybody know a good mechanic?

[ljjames]

I had similar problem with my _much older_ 4runner... I took it in to CK Automotive

http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/1 ... otive.html

I was ready to write the check for a new alternator but Chris wouldn't let me till he drove it around the block, and threw the output measuring device on it... He got back, said "she's idling low... let's fix that and see if it helps" Voila! no more abject fear of stopping on hills, no more dead batteries, no more starting weirdness... I tried to pay him for his time, but he said "just give me your business next time.." and sent me out the door. He does a lot of work for divers, and is a diver himself...

Seriously, before you kick it to the curb, i'd say go check with Chris..

-L

No blue smoke ... I've actually gotten out and looked while the car was idling.

Definitely reduced performance ... very noticeable. Car stalls when attempting to take off from a stop on a hill. Idle fluctuates while sitting at traffic lights. Difficulty starting ... cranks a few times before turning over.

Today I'm thinking more in favor of getting another car. Gonna give it some more thought over the week-end and make a decision next week. This one's been a gem up till now ... nothing ever needed but oil changes and scheduled maintenance. But this is such a significant problem that I probably won't opt for another Honda ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[cardiver]

If you are looking at Subarus, look at the past one or two model years, too. Some (all?) of their cars have... swelled over time. I hear that the Forester and Legacy were more fun to drive before they were fattened up.

I have been thinking about a new car too, maybe not real seriously, but window shopping and planning ahead... I just read about the Volvo V70R, which hits all of my needs.

* AWD
* Fast!
* Manual transmission available
* Wagon format
* Plenty of room for gear, it ain't small

It looks like a family hauler, or if you prefer, a Q-ship.

Never though a Volvo would be on my list of candidates.

1996-1999 were the bad head gasket years. It seemed lik all of the Japanese cars were haviong those problems back then. Nissan and Toyota had major recalls on there head gaskets, as did Subaru.
The new Forester (2009) sits up higher and has a little bit more room than the 2008 and older. It's also much quiter and not as boxy as it was in the past. The Forester was Motor Trends suv of the year last year and is Consumer Reports baet small suv this year.

[Pez7378]

Thanks all ... after thinking about it a coupla days, I think I'd be better off putting my money into a new ride.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

That's what I'd do. The last time I put that kind of money into repairs, the only difference it made was to my account.

Oh, and I've seen you drive Bob so I'm surprised you even got 140k out of the Element! Good luck on your new ride!

[WylerBear]

I love our Forrester. It's an '09 and has plenty of room for lots of dive gear. We bought it in July of '08 and already have over 45,000 miles on it. No problems so far-just oil changes and scheduled maintenance. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[spatman]

+1 for a subie. we have a 2005 outback and it's fun to drive and no problems so far.

though i do love my 2003 toyota tacoma as well.

[Grateful Diver]

Oh, and I've seen you drive Bob so I'm surprised you even got 140k out of the Element! Good luck on your new ride!

Yeah, I'm thinking that last trip to Port Hardy might've had something to do with it ... probably should've kept it under 100 trying to get around that logging truck ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Nwbrewer]

Oh, and I've seen you drive Bob so I'm surprised you even got 140k out of the Element! Good luck on your new ride!

Yeah, I'm thinking that last trip to Port Hardy might've had something to do with it ... probably should've kept it under 100 trying to get around that logging truck ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

It's not really the speed, it's how much dive gear you must have been hauling at that speed.....

[Dusty2]

Though I haven't owned a Japanese car in a long time I'd have to give my vote to the forester also. I have several friends that drive subies and I have heard nothing but praise for them. You'll probably end up with a new one though cause subie owners don't tend to let go of them till there pretty far down the line unless they are forced to and the dealers really don't deal much on them. They tend to really hold there value which is the best recommendation you can get on a cars true value.

[cardiver]

Though I haven't owned a Japanese car in a long time I'd have to give my vote to the forester also. I have several friends that drive subies and I have heard nothing but praise for them. You'll probably end up with a new one though cause subie owners don't tend to let go of them till there pretty far down the line unless they are forced to and the dealers really don't deal much on them. They tend to really hold there value which is the best recommendation you can get on a cars true value.

And there is 1.90 for 63 months.....

[dlh]

I am on my second 3 year lease for a Toyota RAV4. I just got a new Limited Rav4 for about $350 a month with 2K down. Leasing is not for everyone, but as a second car it gets low yearly mileage and it never gets old. Anyway, it's a great dive car and tons of space for gear in the rear. Drop down the rear seats and you have as much space at a pickup or minivan. Toyota has lot of great deals now with all the bad PR they had this year. Worth check out.

[dsteding]

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

[cardiver]

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

Payload is 900 and max towing is 2400 on the Subaru Forester.
Looks like around 700 and 1500 for the Element.

[dsteding]

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

Payload is 900 and max towing is 2400 on the Subaru Forester.
Looks like around 700 and 1500 for the Element.

That is what I thought. Take two people, say, three tanks each, backplates, weight, can lights. Toss in a scooter or two and you're over that.

Two tech divers and you're certainly that.

Tough on suspension, engine load, all that.

[Grateful Diver]

Payload?



Use caution when opening the overhead bin. Contents may have shifted during flight ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[dsteding]

Payload?



Use caution when opening the overhead bin. Contents may have shifted during flight ...



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

My point.

[Grateful Diver]

Yeah ... I know ... lots to consider that I hadn't thought about previously.

Hey, my previous two cars were pickup trucks ... but then, neither one of 'em even made it to 142K ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[kat]

used to put 1500 lbs in my 92 jetta. after a while the springs weren't as springy. could only get away with about 1000. 250k miles, and would still be going strong if i had wanted to replace the tranny. sold it to a guy that had one laying around. should be good for another 100k for him. gotta love german engineering.

[Bric Martin]

Oh, and I've seen you drive Bob so I'm surprised you even got 140k out of the Element! Good luck on your new ride!

Yeah, I'm thinking that last trip to Port Hardy might've had something to do with it ... probably should've kept it under 100 trying to get around that logging truck ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Steve McQueen couldn't have done it better. But you got us to the ferry on time.

[ktb]

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

You are absolutely spot-on regarding payload capacity. There are quite a few cars we've had to dismiss over the years (the Rav4 and Element being two of them) when we realized that 4 people or 2 people with heavy suitcases would overload the damn vehicle. When you factor in scuba gear or lots of 20-lbs boxes (for my job), it's ridiculous.

[BASSMAN]

Bob,
How many scuba tanks fit in to a Honda Element?
Or at least how many have you fit in to it?

My vote is for the Forester.

Although, I also like my Toyota Tacoma.---> 25 mpg!

If money was not a factor, I would have a Honda Ridgeline.

[sitkadiver]

I had similar problem with my _much older_ 4runner... I took it in to CK Automotive

http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/1 ... otive.html

I was ready to write the check for a new alternator but Chris wouldn't let me till he drove it around the block, and threw the output measuring device on it... He got back, said "she's idling low... let's fix that and see if it helps" Voila! no more abject fear of stopping on hills, no more dead batteries, no more starting weirdness... I tried to pay him for his time, but he said "just give me your business next time.." and sent me out the door. He does a lot of work for divers, and is a diver himself...

Seriously, before you kick it to the curb, i'd say go check with Chris..

-L

No blue smoke ... I've actually gotten out and looked while the car was idling.


Definitely reduced performance ... very noticeable. Car stalls when attempting to take off from a stop on a hill. Idle fluctuates while sitting at traffic lights. Difficulty starting ... cranks a few times before turning over.

Today I'm thinking more in favor of getting another car. Gonna give it some more thought over the week-end and make a decision next week. This one's been a gem up till now ... nothing ever needed but oil changes and scheduled maintenance. But this is such a significant problem that I probably won't opt for another Honda ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob,

For what my 2 cents are worth I gotta say I'm siding with Laura and Blitz. Here's why...

First: Even if you still decide to buy a new car, having yours in better shape machanically is only going to increase your trade in value and possibly allow you more time to shop around since you can still drive your care. What's it gonna hurt to a reliable mechanic looka t it. He probably has experience with this issue and can give informed advice, far better advice than a group of moldy divers anyway.

Second: I think Blitz is on to something. They are definatelty giving you a shot gun repair order. It would be a good idea to work on all those issues while the car is at the shop, but it seems low compression without blue smoke would indicate something on the top end and not a worn out ring. Also, your compression is all over the place. I was under the impression all the cylinders should be within 5 - 10 % of each other.

I haven't worked on a Honda, with the exception of an outboard, but I'm recalling someone telling me they did have a valve guide issue and it would cause loss of power and valse to stick open(low compression). That would be a much cheaper fix than 4 grand.

Good Luck

[dlh]

The V6 Limited Rav4 I have has a payload of 1045 pounds. The Rav4 was overhauled about 4 years ago and is considerably bigger than it was before the 2007 models.

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

You are absolutely spot-on regarding payload capacity. There are quite a few cars we've had to dismiss over the years (the Rav4 and Element being two of them) when we realized that 4 people or 2 people with heavy suitcases would overload the damn vehicle. When you factor in scuba gear or lots of 20-lbs boxes (for my job), it's ridiculous.

[cardiver]

The V6 Limited Rav4 I have has a payload of 1045 pounds. The Rav4 was overhauled about 4 years ago and is considerably bigger than it was before the 2007 models.

Bob,

One thing to think about in terms of a new ride is payload capacity. People think if it fits in the car, the car is good to go, but your test results sounds like that small Element was ridden hard and put away wet (TWSS).

I bet if you look it up, the payload for that rig is ~750 pounds, tops. With you, a weekend's worth of scuba gear, and another passenger, I bet you've been above that for a majority of those 140k miles.

In getting a new rig, consider what you are doing with it, might help with longevity.

You are absolutely spot-on regarding payload capacity. There are quite a few cars we've had to dismiss over the years (the Rav4 and Element being two of them) when we realized that 4 people or 2 people with heavy suitcases would overload the damn vehicle. When you factor in scuba gear or lots of 20-lbs boxes (for my job), it's ridiculous.

The Rav is a good vehicle for every day driving.If, however, AWD is an important consideration for you the Subaru beats everyone, hands down.

[ArcticDiver]

Thanks folks ... here's what the diagnostic report says ...

Cylinder #2 compression 65 psi, cylinder #3 compression 105 psi, both low
Cylinder #1 compression 130 psi, cylinder #4 compression 150 psi

Recommend in-frame overhaul, P&L approx $4000
new rings, rod bearing, R&R cylinder head, valve grind, valve guides, seals, pressure test

Guess the first question I gotta answer is whether it's worth it on a car with 142K miles and a fair smattering or rust in the back end

Or do I just put that money toward a different vehicle

I'm not at all a gear head ... in fact, I don't even know what most of that stuff above means.

Whatty'all think? If it was your car, what would you do?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

May I suggest the framework for the calculation ought not to be New vs. Old but instead Cost for Transportation. If the car is is relatively good condition and let's say in addition to the $4K for the engine it needs another $2K for everything else and that would give you another 50K miles that is going to be a lot cheaper than buying a new vehicle. I know many people who just figure that they are going to need a thousand or so dollars in their vehicle every year. Which, while it sounds like a lot, is still cheaper than buying a new one.

Financially speaking, the only time it makes sense to buy a new one is when the amount of money needed to keep the old one going is greater than what it would cost for a new one. This is especially true now when major technological changes are happening in conjunction with some pretty strong political and economic winds.

But, there is one other factor, Reliability. No matter the cost if a vehicle isn't reliable it needs a new owner. I've disposed of vehicles while still under new vehicle warranty because they left me sitting at random times. Not acceptable, especially where I drive and the climate I drive in.

So, if it were me, and in fact we are going through the same decision process right now, I'd figure out what it costs to get another couple years out of the car and then weigh that against the cost of a new one.

Of course, if you want a new one, can afford a new car and are just looking for an excuse to buy one, this is that excuse, go get it.

[Grateful Diver]

Bob,
How many scuba tanks fit in to a Honda Element?
Or at least how many have you fit in to it?

I've got 11 in there right now ... to be dropped off at Tacoma Scuba later today.

Had as many as 14 in there before.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)