What's the problem with ...

My '98 Honda Accord EXL 4 cyl needing a catalytic converter. 113000 miles of
mostly highway driving - check engine light came on so i took it ot the
dealer. The dealer said it needs a catalytic converter. And that they want
$800 for the Honda model, which i think is way too much.

Can i do any damage to the vehicle running it until i can get a cat
converter on it, and is anything wrong with not using the honda dealer
official replacement.

thanks

 

I suggest that you visit several muffler shops and get estimates from each
one. Revisit the shop that gave you the best estimate and have them do the
work. If a shop offers you some sort of warranty--take that fact into
consideration. Honda charges too much.

 

Yes, you can drive it for a while, without hurting anything. I
wouldn't suggest taking it to any other muffler shop because they
might have to put a cat on tha requires mods to the engine bay to fit,
if the cat is in the engine bay, if its under your car they'll just
cut it out and weld a new one in or use clamps (which leak after a
while). The best way is to go ahead and get one from the dealer.
Unless you just wanna get aftermarket exhaust, for about the same
price($800) you get everything replaced, the kit would include
headers, higher flow of exhuast, better muffler(depending on what kit
you get). So overall just take it to import tuner shop get new exhuast
system.

 

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Roger,

It's an expensive diagnosis. Maybe you should get a second (or at least
better) opinion. Why not get AutoZone, or someone else to recheck your
engine light for you. It could have been the old 'loose gas cap' trick,
for all you know. Check your owner's manual if you don't know what
that's all about.

You didn't say whether the light has come back on. Have you had any
misfire problems? Do you only do very short trips? I wouldn't drive it
100 miles at a time until you're sure about the cat, but look into the
diagnosis more thoroughly before turning your Visa card over to that
dealer.

'Curly'



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