hondaman wrote:
> i may be buying a 1991 accord that has 274,049 miles on it. the timing belt
> and water pump have already been replaced probably for the 2nd time in its
> life about 40,000 miles ago. the auto trans shifts ok. is there anything to
> be extra concerned about with a car with that high of miles on it engine
> wise. the body is better than some with lower miles that old.
>
> -jeff
>
>
as stated by others, if you know about cars and can fix them yourself,
go ahead and buy it. it'll be fast, probably reliable and comfy. cheap
to insure & gas too.

quick & dirty:
check inside the oil cover. gummy deposits are a bad sign. excess oil
consumption [if you test drive it long enough to find out or the seller
is honest] is a bad sign. excessive blow-by [oil filler cap off with
the engine running] is a bad sign.

radiator cap, oily is a bad sign. dry is a bad sign. bubbles are a bad
sign [once fully bled].

touch wheel hubs after driving. fronts should be warmer than rears, but
any difference in temp side to side means binding brakes and the need to
recondition. if you're handy with that stuff, look to recondition the
brakes yourself pretty much right away after purchase.

beware steering system oil leaks of any kind.