Additional info.
Items #1 to #3 were covered by Honda "silent" recall. I bought my 95 Ody
when it has already logged 92K kms. Had the previous owner brought it to the
dealer before 60k, Honda would have fixed it for free. The float arm in the
fuel sensing device is short which results in the wrong gauge reading. The
arm rest squeaks because of wrong design, the plastic material easily breaks
too.

#4 It was not the bushing on top of the shock. It is the bushing on the
lower control arm. You were right, those guys who checked it sucks.

#5 The ball joint snapped at the "neck" part. It did not popped out of it's
socket. I wonder if there is a way to eyeball check if a ball joint is
cracked and about to fail.

This is not to discourage people to buy used Odyssey. I actually like my 95
Ody lot better than my previous Caravan, Voyager and Nissan vans. Howard is
right about proper maintenance and having the right mechanics. BTW, i have
now logged 270k KMs and still going fine without any majors (except those
mentioned).




"Howard" <Howardh@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:gtF_c.21261$Np2.14980@bignews4.bellsouth.net. ..
> I don't know what models you have in your neck of the woods. But here in
the
> States the Odyssey was never based on CRV platform and never had 4 wheel
> drive.
> The Odyssey has always been based on the Accord platform. As an Accord
> platform variant they have been very reliable and practical. The gas
mileage
> was never as good as an Accord because of the additional weight, but is
> quite respectable for a van.
> The problems mentioned by NNTP are mostly because of age and a little
> knowledge could have solved most of his problems. I'm willing to bet he
> never took it to a dealer who would know his vehicle and how to solve the
> problems they see day in and day out. Let's take a look at his problems
one
> by one and see:
> 1.\ Fuel gauge is off by a quarter tank. So even if you fill-up
> your tank,
> gauge shows 75% full. Of course you won't be able to figure out
> how much
> more is in your tank when it points to E.
> Remove the fuel pump/sensor from the tank and clean the buildup on it or
> replace it if it's a problem. "Sh-t happens"
> 2.\ Front door armrest squeaks
> How can an armrest squeak. Something in the door panel is loose, tighten
it.
> No rocket science here!
> 3.\ Ventilation levers too tight, as if they will break if you
> slide them
> Lube cable/linkage with silicone or replace cables. It's called
MAINTENANCE!
> 4.\ My rear suspension thumps and squeaks and nobody could
> diagnose it
> right. I finally decided to do it myself by replacing the rear
> lower arm
> with a used one from a wrecker. Honda doesn't sell bushings,
only
> the whole
> lower arm assembly.
> The top of the shock mount has a rubber bushing that IS sold separately.
It
> is a common item to wear after many a year, and had his tech been aware
they
> could have fixed the problem easily.
> 5.\ My driver side ball joint snapped possibly due to metal
> fatigue.
> Luckily, I was doing only 20 KPH in Vancouver when it snapped.
Had
> it
> snapped when I was traversing the winding British Columbia roads
> at 120 KPH,
> you won't be able to read this post at all.
> Parts do wear out. A GOOD technician would have spotted the worn out ball
> joint and warned the customer before it broke and not put him in danger.
> It's called PREVENTIVE maintenance.
> 6.\ Low-end torque is pathetic. Do not try to pass a 53 footer on
a
> single
> lane road if you are not confident of what you are doing. Well
you
> could
> possibly do it at around 6000RPM on the second gear. Passing
while
> doing 90
> KPH upwards is a breeze though.
> 7.\ Fuel consumption with airconditioning on while on city
streets
> is worse
> than a 6 banger.
> These last two items sound like this motor is either well worn (lots of
> miles) or has also received the lack of attention the rest of the vehicle
> received. The SOHC 2.2L non-Vtec motor is not a barnstormer, but is
> adequate. I would suggest that you look for a 1998 model Odyssey that has
> the V-tec motor (at least here in the States it does). The extra power is
> welcome and makes the vehicle much more compatible.
> Of course if your budget will alow, go for the later model with a V-6.
> There's very little diiference in gas mileage, but tons more room. And
don't
> let anyone scare you about the transmission. Honda is taking care of their
> "problem" by replacing them at no cost to the customer.
> Do have a qualified technician (Honda experienced) check out any vehicle
you
> are looking at. You'll know what to expect in it's future and be better
> prepared to make an offer to it's true value. Good luck!
> Howard
> <geoff_m@bigfoot.com.delete.thisbit.com> wrote in message
> news:1erkj0t3latbf6hpfbk8k09r8vfsta36h9@4ax.com...
> > Looks like a "mommy wagon" is in my future
> > ANy known weak points with the Odyssey wagons? Looking at something c
> > 1995-1997 vintage, 2.2L. Possibly the 4WD version, which I think is
> > based on the CRV running gear.
> > Geoff
>
>