Honda Car Forum

Information First....

I've got an '87 Honda Civic that runs surprisingly well, the problem is that it broke a ball joint last thursday, drivers side. Did it just as I pulled into work, so I was lucky, didn't crash on the highway somewhere between work and home.
I had been planning to replace the passenger side CV Joint the following Saturday (already picked up the cv joint/drive axle, its sitting on my workbench now).
The car burns/leaks about 1/2 of a quart of oil around 400 miles, although I think it leaks most of the above amount, not realy burning it, but I check it quite often 'cause I don't want it breaking down on me on the way to work.

It has seemed to smoke a bit more in the mornings as of lately, but I did switch oils in it, which might be the cause.

Since the '87 year doesn't have separate balljoints, you end up having to replace the entire lower arm, whch runs around $119 per side (with lifetime warranty), and since I'm replacing one side, I might as well replace both. Their the same age, and one has already broke, no use taking chances with my life.

So, new drive axle/cv joint, new ball joints, new transaxle oil, some seals, possibly some new rubber bushings to replace the originals that MUST be cracked....we're talking around $350 bucks, not a huge amount-unless you ain't got it!

The killer part, the car has 256,000 miles on it.


The Other side......

The car gets 38 to 43 miles per gallon, and I live 40 miles from work. Thats 400 miles a week just to get back and forth to work.

If I drive my truck, thats $300 a month for gas, if the price stays stable, which as of late it sure ain't been doing.

The Question.....

Do I keep it, fix it, and try to take advantage of the good gas milage, or take my chances of the engine going out somwhere on the way to work.
Who knows how long she'll run? A day? A week? A month? Or maybe as much as a year??? I just can't say, other than it runs well right now.

Nobody has any information???