Most Reliable 200K Mile Car? Let's Settle This!
Summary
TLDRThe video script details an extensive restoration process of a high-mileage vehicle, emphasizing the potential of older cars to become highly reliable with proper maintenance. The narrator shares their experience of purchasing a $500 car with 200,000 miles, and investing around $11,000 in parts to enhance its reliability. The process includes repairing the front end, replacing worn-out components like the strut assembly and drive axles, addressing engine and transmission issues with new parts, and updating the vehicle's appearance with restored headlights and a new cabin air filter. The video also covers essential maintenance tasks such as changing brake fluid, replacing the thermostat, and servicing the battery. The total cost of parts and fluids is revealed to be $823, highlighting the economic benefits of maintaining a used vehicle instead of purchasing a new one. The script concludes with a comparison of the costs associated with owning a new versus a used car, and an encouragement for viewers to share their vehicle maintenance experiences and suggestions.
Takeaways
- ๐ Investing in a high-mileage vehicle can be a cost-effective choice if you're willing to put in the effort and money for repairs and upgrades.
- ๐ง A thorough inspection and diagnostics are crucial for identifying issues like a bad thermostat or transmission problems, which are essential to address for reliability.
- ๐ฐ The cost of parts and labor for refurbishing an older car can be significantly lower than purchasing a new vehicle, making it a financially sensible option.
- ๐ ๏ธ Regular maintenance, such as replacing worn-out brakes, struts, and drive axles, is key to extending the life of a vehicle.
- ๐ Checking and maintaining the health of the car battery, including the electrolyte levels, is important for preventing breakdowns.
- ๐ก Restoring headlights and replacing cabin air and engine filters contribute to the vehicle's performance and the driver's comfort.
- ๐งด Using quality lubricants and fluids, such as transmission fluid and motor oil, is essential for the smooth operation of mechanical components.
- ๐ฉ Replacing worn parts like serpentine belts and spark plugs can improve engine performance and prevent future breakdowns.
- ๐ก๏ธ Applying a ceramic coating to the vehicle's paint can protect it from the elements and enhance its appearance.
- ๐ The script emphasizes the potential savings in car payments, insurance, and maintenance when choosing to refurbish and maintain a used vehicle over purchasing new.
- โ๏ธ A detailed vehicle maintenance checklist can be a helpful tool for keeping a used vehicle in good condition and identifying issues early.
Q & A
Why does the narrator prefer to buy cars with high mileage like 200,000 miles?
-The narrator prefers to buy high-mileage cars because they are often available at a lower price, and with significant investment in parts and repairs, they can be made highly reliable.
What are the two trouble codes found in the vehicle's engine and transmission?
-The two trouble codes found are P0128, indicating a low coolant temperature which could be due to a bad thermostat or malfunctioning coolant sensor, and P0847, which is related to the automatic transmission and requires replacing the third clutch pressure switch.
Why is the front bumper skin of the vehicle loose on both sides?
-The front bumper skin is loose because it may not have been properly secured or could be damaged, leading to its detachment from the vehicle's body.
What is the issue with the headlights of the vehicle?
-The headlights are in bad shape with scaling that is blocking quite a bit of light, and the chrome coating has delaminated from the hubcaps, affecting their appearance and functionality.
Why does the vehicle make a lot of noise when making sharp turns?
-The noise is likely coming from the strut assembly, which may be worn out or damaged, requiring repair or replacement.
What is the significance of the ABS wire in the brake line?
-The ABS wire in the brake line is connected to the strut and is part of the vehicle's anti-lock braking system, which is crucial for maintaining control during hard braking or in slippery conditions.
What is the reason for replacing the drive axles and the strut on the vehicle?
-The drive axles and strut are replaced because they are worn out, as evidenced by the drive axle shifting inward easily and the CV boot being out of place with a worn-out CV joint.
Why is the coolant temperature code P0128 considered critical?
-The P0128 code indicates that the coolant temperature has been too low, which could be due to a bad thermostat or a malfunctioning coolant sensor. This is critical as it affects the engine's ability to maintain proper operating temperature.
What is the process for replacing the brake shoes on the vehicle?
-The process involves compressing and removing the spring clip, releasing tension on the brake shoes, removing the old shoes and hardware, transferring the hardware to the new brake shoes, installing the new shoes with the horseshoe clip, applying lubricant on the moving parts, and finally tightening the brakes.
Why is it necessary to change the brake fluid if the moisture content is over 4%?
-High moisture content in brake fluid can lead to a reduction in boiling point and decrease the effectiveness of the brakes. It's necessary to change the brake fluid to ensure the brakes remain reliable and safe.
What is the total cost of parts and fluids used in the vehicle's restoration as mentioned in the script?
-The total cost of all the parts and fluids used in the vehicle's restoration is $823.
Outlines
๐ Restoring a High-Mileage Vehicle
The script details the process of purchasing a high-mileage vehicle for a low price and investing in parts and labor to make it reliable. It covers diagnosing issues like a noisy front end, loose bumper, and bad headlights. The vehicle has a good paint condition but requires significant repairs, including fixing the front brakes, replacing the drive axles, and addressing engine and transmission trouble codes. The focus is on transforming a $500 car into a reliable vehicle with an investment of $11,000 in parts.
๐ง Brake and Shock Replacement
This paragraph outlines the replacement of worn-out brake components and the process of changing brake fluid using a DIY fluid extractor. It also includes changing the rear shock absorber and the thermostat, with a focus on the importance of using the right tools and techniques. The paragraph emphasizes the need for regular maintenance and the benefits of replacing parts to ensure the vehicle's longevity and safety.
๐ ๏ธ Transmission and Engine Maintenance
The script describes the process of changing transmission fluid and addressing an oil leak caused by an improperly installed drain plug. It also covers changing motor oil, installing a new oil filter, and replacing spark plugs and ignition coils. The importance of checking and maintaining the car battery, including adding distilled water to the electrolyte, is highlighted. Additionally, the paragraph discusses the replacement of a cracked serpentine belt and the benefits of using a portable jump starter and tire inflator.
๐งผ Exterior and Interior Refurbishment
The final paragraph focuses on enhancing the vehicle's appearance and performance. It covers cleaning and restoring the headlights, replacing the cabin air filter, repairing a windshield chip, and improving the hubcaps' appearance. The paragraph also details the creation of a fluid extractor for future fluid changes and the application of a ceramic coating for paint protection. The narrator emphasizes the cost-effectiveness of maintaining and upgrading a used vehicle compared to purchasing a new one, providing a breakdown of the total costs and potential savings.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กVehicle Reliability
๐กCoolant Temperature Sensor
๐กStrut Assembly
๐กDrive Axles
๐กBrake Fluid
๐กThermostat
๐กTransmission Fluid
๐กSpark Plugs
๐กSerpentine Belt
๐กWindshield Repair
๐กCeramic Coating
Highlights
The transcript describes the process of purchasing a high-mileage vehicle for a low price and investing in parts to make it highly reliable.
The car initially had issues with noise during sharp turns, indicating problems with the front end.
The front bumper skin was loose, and the headlights were in poor condition, with the chrome coating delaminated from the hubcaps.
The paint was in surprisingly good condition, despite the vehicle's rough appearance.
The front windshield had a crack that required repair.
The check engine light was illuminated, leading to the discovery of two trouble codes, one for the engine and one for the transmission.
The engine code P0128 indicated a potential bad thermostat or malfunctioning coolant sensor.
The transmission code P0847 required replacing the third clutch pressure switch.
The front brakes were recently replaced, so only a tire rotation was needed.
The process of replacing the drive axles and strut assembly on both sides of the vehicle is detailed, including addressing a worn-out CV joint.
The back brakes were worn out and required replacement, including a demonstration of how to safely remove and reinstall brake components.
The brake fluid had a high water content, indicating the need for a fluid change.
A DIY fluid extractor was built to facilitate the brake fluid change.
The rear shock absorber was replaced due to wear and tear.
The thermostat was replaced with a genuine Honda part, including a demonstration of how to purge air from the cooling system.
The mass air flow sensor was cleaned to improve engine efficiency.
The third clutch pressure switch was replaced with a genuine Honda part for the transmission.
Transmission fluid was changed, noting the importance of draining the torque converter for a complete fluid exchange.
The vehicle's oil change process is detailed, including the discovery of an overly long drain plug causing oil leaks.
Spark plugs were changed, and the engine sounded significantly better after the replacement.
A cracked serpentine belt was replaced to prevent noise and potential breakdowns.
The car battery was tested and found to be in good health, though the electrolyte level was topped up with distilled water.
The process of repairing a windshield chip using a Permatex repair kit is demonstrated.
Tire pressure was checked and adjusted as necessary, emphasizing the importance of regular checks.
The hubcaps were cleaned and restored using a DIY approach to improve the vehicle's appearance.
A fluid extractor was built for efficient and clean fluid changes.
The vehicle was treated with a ceramic coating to protect and enhance the paint finish.
The total cost of parts and fluids for the vehicle's restoration was $823, highlighting the cost-effectiveness of maintaining a used vehicle.
The importance of regular maintenance for the longevity and reliability of a vehicle is emphasized.
Transcripts
when a vehicle has 200,000 Mi on it most
people are trying to get rid of that
vehicle those are exactly the kind of
vehicles I want to buy so let's take
this $500 car spend $11,000 in parts and
make it highly reliable there's a reason
why my friend was able to purchase this
car for $500 when making sharp turns a
whole lot of noise is coming from both
sides of the front end this is going to
take some time and money to repair the
front bumper skin is loose on both sides
of the vehicle and the headlights are in
really bad shape the scaling over the
headlights is definitely blocking quite
a bit of light the Chrome coating has
delaminated from The Hub caps this car
is looking pretty rough the good news is
that the paint is still in pretty good
condition the front windshield does have
a crack that needs repaired the check
engine light is illuminated so let's see
what's going on with the engine the
onboard diagnostics Port is located
under the kick panel near the center
console I'll be putting together review
on budget code scanners very soon it
looks like there are two trouble codes
there's one for the engine and one for
the transmission and the engine code is
p 0128 the coolant temperature has been
too low indicating a bad thermostat it
could be a coolant sensor that's
malfunctioning but I doubt the
thermostat has ever been replaced the
trouble code for the automatic
transmission is p 0847 so we'll have to
replace the third clutch pressure switch
so this vehicle has great potential for
being highly reliable in a pretty decent
looking 200,000 Mi car the front brakes
are recently replaced so let's leave
those alone and the front tire looks
fairly even and it's time to rotate the
tires to the back of the vehicle so
let's get started working at the front
of this vehicle first I'll detach the
ABS wire in the brake line from the
strut I'm really curious about how badly
the axles are worn the windshield wiper
arm is out of the way so we can access
the three nuts at the top of the strut
now that the plastic trim is out of the
way there's plenty of space to access
the three nuts now that the three nuts
have been removed just a couple more
bolts and the strut is coming off as
Cousin Eddie says liquid Wren smells bad
but works good and both bolts were more
than tight enough that clunking noise is
more than likely coming from the strut
assembly and removing the strut takes
about 15 minutes while the strut is out
let's go and replace the drive axles and
the axle nut did come off a lot easier
than expected and the drive axle has
already shifted inward without having to
apply Force since the strut is out of
the way the actual shaft was slide out
of the Hub with plenty of room to spare
and the CV boot is out of place and the
CV joint is definitely worn out the end
of the pry bar between the transmission
and the drive axle and the drive axle
popped right out and the outer CV joint
is in really bad shape definitely glad
we're changing this one out since the
process is the same I'll go ahe and
replace the drive axle and the strut on
the passenger side of the vehicle off
camera I'll apply some lubricant where
the shaft makes contact with the
transmission seal and this blind for the
new CV axle lined up without a problem
and the drive axle is fully seated in
the transmission and the spline on the
CV slid right into the axle Hub pretty
easily and the axle nut is in place I'll
install the two bolts at the bottom of
the strut for now and won't tighten the
nut just yet I'll use the floor jack to
lift the control arm and the strut
everything is lined up and the strut is
in place all three nuts are tight and
I'll go ahead and reinstall both pieces
of plastic trim and the axle nut is
tight enough for now once the vehicle is
back on the ground I'll torque the axle
nut to the proper torque spec used in
the torque wrench the ABS sensor in the
brake line are fastened to the strut I'm
told that the front brakes recently
serviced but the back brakes are pretty
much used up let's lift the back wheel
off the ground place a jack stand under
the vehicle and then remove the back
tire fortunately the brake drum isn't
stuck a little back and forth on each
side of the brake drum and it's off with
a collection container below I'll spray
down everything with brake parts cleaner
to avoid Airborne brake dust I'd better
take some pictures just in case I forget
how everything goes back together I
could use some diagonal cutters to
really bite into the springs for easy
removal but diagonal cutters are likely
to cause a little bit of damage to the
spring there is a special removal tool
for brake Springs or you can just use
needle dose pliers before closing the
pliers I'll compress the spring now that
the spring is compressed I'll grip the
pin with the pliers and rotate the pin
90ยฐ the pen and the clip are in great
shape so let's move on to the other side
I'll compress the clip spring grip the
pin and then turn 90ยฐ and the pin and
clip look good I'll pull outward on the
brake shoes at the bottom this will
allow the shoes to move closer together
to release tension on the bottom spring
and the spring is in great shape I'd
rather not use the diagonal cutters on
the top spring so I'll lift both shoes
away from the wheel cylinder which will
release the tension on the top spring
for easy removal I'll go ahead and
remove the top spring and the adjuster
I'll go ahe and remove the parking brake
lever from the cable instead of trying
to capture this on video while
everything is suspended in the air
there's a special type of pliers
designed for removing this horse clip or
a regular pair of pliers will also do
the job a couple of gentle Taps and the
Horseshoe clip is off I'll go ahead and
remove the washer and DOW pin comparing
the old brakes to the new brakes the
shoes are just about worn out I'll go
ahead and transfer the hardware over to
the new brake shoe installing the
Horseshoe clip with pliers is easier
than removing it and the horseshoe clip
is secured in place I'll apply some
silicone grease that's designed for
brake parts onto the backing plate where
the brake shoes ride I'll reinstall the
parking brake lever onto the brake cable
I'll start reinstalling the brake
hardware beginning with the pin and
spring clip I'll compress the spring
grip and then twist the pin and the
brake shoe is secure I'll apply some
brake parts lubricant on all the moving
Parts on the brake adjuster I'll
position the brake shoe on the wheel
cylinder and then position the brake
shoe for easy installation of the top
spring the adjuster screw and Hardware
is all in place and the hold down pin
and clip are secured in place the spring
that pulls the bottom of the shoes
together is also in place and the final
spring is pretty easy to stretch to
install the new brake drum fits nicely
but the brakes do need to be tightened
I'll use a flat screwdriver to rotate
the adjuster the brake shoes are barely
coming into contact with the drum so
we're all finished new brake fluid
should be at 1% or less water content so
let's check out the moisture content
using a moisture meter and the meter is
maxed out at over 4% water content and
this definitely needs changed out you
could use a turkey baster but a fluid
extractor can reach into areas not
accessible by a turkey baster this fluid
extractor only took about 10 minutes to
build and I'll show you how to build one
later in the video the brake fluid is
very dark I just filled the master
cylinder reservoir let's put the fluid
extractor to use on changing out the
brake fluid beginning with the drum
brakes at the rear of the vehicle first
instead of using a fluid extractor
another option is to use a oneperson
brake bleeding kit the dust cap is off
of the bleeder valve and the extractor
hose is connected a fraction of a turn
is plenty so let's power up the
extractor and slowly extract the old
fluid I'll tighten the bleeder valve
occasionally and then we'll check the
brake fluid at the reservoir to avoid
running out out a brake fluid and the
fluid extractor is now pulling out new
brake fluid so we're all finished with
this corner of the vehicle I'll close
the bleeder valve and replace the dust
cap while we're already back here let's
go and change out the rear shock
absorber the three plastic buttons
holding the fabric liner in place have
been removed and the fabric liner will
just lay over I'll remove the nut that
holds a shock absorber in place as well
as the washer and bushing an impact
wrench makes very quick work of the
lower shock absorber bolt and the shock
absorber is off and this shock absorber
is definitely worn out it needs to be
replaced now that the new shock absorber
is in place all in the lower bolt first
to make it easy to line up the hole for
the bolt and the Top Nut is in place and
tightened the fabric lining is back in
place and we're all finished with the
shock let's go and replace the
thermostat next the engine is nice and
cool so it's safe to remove the radiator
cap before we drain the radiator let's
take a sample and measure the quality of
the antifreeze and the antifreeze
actually doesn't look too bad but let's
measure the ph and the concentration
level using a test kit my color vision
just isn't the best but the glycol
appears to be around 60% which is pretty
good and the pH appears to be very close
to 9 which is also good so the coolant
is still in good shape but we'll replace
the coolant that we drain out of the
system anyway and the petcot valve is
very easy to access and the antifreeze
is draining into the Container while the
radiator is draining I'll go ahead and
use the fluid extractor to clean out the
overflow tank it's not necessary to
remove the radiator hose but I'll do it
anyway to allow for a better view of the
thermostat assembly I'll go ahead and
remove the two bolts holding the bracket
for the oxygen sensor wires only two
bolts need to be removed to gain access
to the old thermostat and the two screws
are out so I'll go ahead and use a long
screwdriver to gently break the seal and
the old thermostat is out and the
thermostat is oriented with the jiggle
valve on Top This valve really comes in
handy for purging air from the cooling
system a genuine Honda thermostat wasn't
too much more than the aftermarket the
thermostat came with a new rubber gasket
and there's a carve out for the jiggle
valve the new thermostat and gasket fit
properly I'll gradually tighten each
side of the thermostat just to make sure
that everything stays in the proper
position and the two bolts for the
oxygen sensor wires are back in place
and I'll go ahead and reinstall the
radiator hose definitely a very easy
thermostat to replace this radiator has
a very small mouth and I only have one
funnel that'll work I'll use some
double-sided tape on the funnel to hold
it in place and to form a seal to avoid
spilling coolant squeezing the upper
radiator hose really helps get rid of
the air that's trapped in the system
most of the air is finally out of the
system so I'll go ahead and use the
fluid extractor to avoid making a mess
with the radiator cap installed we're
almost finished with the thermostat job
I just need to add some new premix
coolant to the overflow tank I need to
replace the air filter and while we're
at it let's go ahead and clean the mass
air flow sensor there are a couple of
clips and wiring connectors that need to
be removed in order to remove the air
filter assembly there are four buckles
holding down the air filter assembly and
the air filter is ready to come out the
air filter doesn't look too bad but
let's replace it anyway two Philips head
screws hold down the mass air flow
sensor and here are the filaments that
need to be cleaned the sensor uses these
filaments to measure the amount of air
that's entering the engine sometimes
cleaning this sensor can help the engine
operate more efficiently if you decide
to do this for your vehicle I highly
recommend using mass airflow sensor
cleaner instead of using another solvent
and the sensor is had a few minutes to
dry I'll reinstall the sensor and I'll
go ahead and clean out the inside of the
the airbox since everything is already
opened up I'll go ahead and reattach the
connector to the mass airflow sensor the
four buckles are snapped back in place
and the air filter and mass airflow
sensor job is finished let's go ahead
and replace the third clutch pressure
switch with a new one that's a genuine
Honda replacement part it's easiest to
access this sensor from underneath the
vehicle it's located on the driver's
side of the vehicle and it's very easy
to access I'll use a pick to release the
connector and the connector is a little
bit challenging to remove and the sensor
was also pretty tight there is a washer
that we need to reuse with the new
sensor the new sensor is a little bit
longer than the old one but everything
else looks the same I've cleaned up the
washer that we have to reuse so let's go
ahead and install the new sensor and the
new sensor threaded in very smoothly and
the connector fit nicely as well the
transmission fluid definitely needs to
be replaced even though that looks like
really dark used motor oil that is
indeed transmission fluid just draining
the fluid does not drain all the fluid
in the transmission since the torque
converter holds several quarts of
transmission fluid so I'll have to
repeat this process a couple more times
after driving the vehicle to freshen up
the fluid the old fluid is on the left
and the new fluid is on the right what a
difference the drain plug has a magnet
and there's a lot of metal on the magnet
fortunately I don't see any really large
pieces of metal the drain plug is back
in place so let's go ahead and add close
to three quarts of transmission fluid
I'll check the transmission fluid once
the vehicle is off the jack stands and
perfectly level let's go ahead and
change out the motor oil while we're
already under the vehicle it appears
that the oil change place installed a
new drain plug that's too long and leaks
oil I purchased a new drain plug that
fits properly and should offer a good
seal I've added some lubricant to the
new oil filter seal and the oil filter
is ready to be installed and the oil fil
filter's hand tight which is perfect so
let's add new oil and then we'll make
sure that we've added enough I've
already started the engine and the oil
level does look good but I'll need to
check it one more time once the vehicle
is back on the ground and the vehicle is
level I don't know how many miles of use
with the spark plug so let's go ahead
and change them out with brand new aums
a 10 mm nut holds down the ignition
coils the connectors need a little
squeeze to release them from the coil
the old spark plug took quite a bit of
force to break loose but it's finally
out other than the spark plug gap being
out of spec the old spark plug actually
doesn't look too bad I'll apply some
electric grease around the ceramic part
of the spark plug and the spark plugs
are ready to be installed I'll hand
tighten the spark plug just to make sure
that I don't start them off
cross-threaded I'll use a torque wrench
to torque the spark plugs this back I'll
go ahead and change out the remaining
three spark plugs install the coils and
the wiring connectors and changing out
the spark plugs is a very quick and easy
process on this vehicle not always the
case on a
V6 and the engine sounds pretty good and
a serpentine belt doesn't look too bad
but it is cracked so let's replace it
I'll place a wrench on the Belt tenser
to release the tension and the belt is
off the old belt is on the right and the
new belt is on the left as a serpentine