I currently have a 1996 Black Honda Accord and it has around 180k mileage on it. It's about to die in a couple of years.. maybe. I just want to know what you guys would recommend mods or just minor add-ons to the car that would be kinda helpful in making it look more cooler/better. It's all stock right now.

 

Sound system, projector headlights, coilovers, rims

 

May as well throw a cheap eBay fart can on it and a damn spoiler. Your suggestion sounds incredibly ricey.

Don't install some random intake, don't install some random exhaust. If you want performance its going to cost a lot of money and take a TON of research. Also to note, I HATE HATE HATE when people say "the car is going to die" cars don't die, owners either get lazy and decide not to fix them or run out of funds. F series only makes decent power on boost or an ITB setup. If you want all motor build a H. What sort of things will you be doing with this car even?

Never forget, when you mod a car its YOUR car. If you think its cool be on your merry way, but don't ignore the suggestions.

 

ricey would be a cheap spoiler and as you said a nasty loud egg funded fart exhausts. I merely suggested rims and coilovers. Crucial aspects for a clean look. Maybe ignore the projector headlights.

 

Oh sorry about that then.. and I'm on a very small budget of less then 500$ so I cant go all out with new engines and such. I just want minor tweaks and stuff that can make the car more of a better car. I may be getting a newer car in a year or 2 so I just want stuff added to it that will make it look fine in those years.

 

buy a fake ID and go to the strip club.

waste of money to put parts that will barely help into a car you know you're going to get rid of

 

180k is nothing unless it's never been properly maintained. I would make sure all the routine maintenance has been done and it's in good running condition. A c-west voltage stabilizer (not those tube bullshit stereo capacitors) will help smooth things out a bit. I put one in my car and noticed a bit more pep going up hills.

 

Make sure it's good on maintenance, then put a big rear sway bar on it. Keep saving money, then buy good shocks(koni's/bilstein's), then light wheels and sticky tires.

My '97 just went past 190K and it still looks pretty fresh. Under the valvecover looks incredibly good. These cars last forever with proper maintenance; 190K is NOTHING compared to what I've seen some Accords have. Neglectful owners kill them. The '90 I grew up in had 245K on it when we donated it, guy that bought it drove it for at least another 5 years after that. Had to have been at least at 300K.

 

Basic maintenance will swallow that $500 in no time....

Engine Tune-Up
- Spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, air filter

Engine maintenance
- Water pump
- Timing and balance belts and tension pulleys
- Valve adjustment and
- Gaskets

Breaks
- Rotors and pads

Suspension
- Struts and springs
- Bushings
- Ball joints and tie rods

These things should all be checked and replaced if required. Before you go wasting money on fart cans and spoilers. Nothing worse than having a car fail on you when you are least expecting it.

 

180K miles is nothing. Although it is getting close to timing belt replacement. Check the FAQ on how to replace the belts and water pump. Rock Auto has pretty good prices, use Gates kit with waterpump and idlers(~$85) plus replacement cam/valve cover gasket and grommets(~$25)
If the car has a light surging or pinging at cruise, look into cleaning out the EGR passages/ports. That is also in the FAQ at the top of the page.
Before you do any modifications make sure the car does not need anything repaired or replaced. Nothing gumpier than someone throwing money at rims/springs/exhaust/etc and the damn thing burns oil, belches smoke, all the while knocking pinging and unable to stop.

If your headlights are looking a bit yellow, pickup a can of

~$6.50
and some polishing clothes(3pak for ~$3.50) and go to town. Should be able to knock it out in about 15mins.

Have grungy brake dust caked wheels/tires? Pickup some Super Clean(32oz spray bottle ~$6.00) and soak the wheels for a few minutes and then blast them off with the hose Save yourself from scrubbing. Do the same with the engine bay. Blow your friends away at how much nicer/easier it is to work on a clean engine.
Pro tip: Get your engine nice and warm and go to the coin op car wash, coat the wheels, pop the hood, spray the grungy parts of the engine bay, put the pressure wand on high pressure soap and watch the years of crud disappear. No more gloves when working on the engine.

With the car cleaned, move on to safety items.

When was the last time the brakes where flushed/bled? If the fluid is brown or black its time to bleed. If this is your first time bleeding brakes pickup a gallon of Castrol Dot 4(black jug~$35), this replaced GT LMA if you find GTLMA on the shelf it is probably too old now.,~, Mity Vac vacuum kit(~$30), some yellow gas pipe tape and an empty gallon(milk) jug, and a roll of mechanics shop towels. If you don't have a 10mm 6 point offset 'brake bleeder' wrench, pick one up for ~$4. Have a hose or small bucket of fresh water handy, but off to the side.

-Loosen lug nuts on all four wheels.
-Using front jack point raise car up, place stands under factory jacking points. Lower car. Remove front wheels.
-Using rear jack point, raise rear of car, place jacks under factory jack points, lower car. Remove wheels.
-Check pads and/or shoes for wear and look for leaks.
-Depress brake pedal several time to remove boost assist.
-Note pedal travel and pedal firmness. Do not touch pedal til bleeding procedure is complete.
-Remove the old fluid from the reservoir with the mity vac.
-Remove the filter cup from the reservoir.
-Remove the remaining fluid that is in the bottom
-unbolt clamp and remove reservoir from MC
-with some Super Clean and a bucket of water clean the reservoir and filter.
-Wipe dry, reinstall
-Refill MC with fresh fluid.
-Place paper towel over reservoir to prevent debris from falling in.
-If rear drums, keep parking brake off and remove drums. Inspect hardware for any wear, seized self adjusters and leaking wheel cylinders. Replace, repair, readjust, regrease as needed.
-Go to Driver Rear wheel remove bleeder screw, inspect it is unobstructed, use a couple of wraps of plumbers tape on threads, reinstall bleeder enough to seal threads.
-Connect brake bleeder(mity vac) to bleeder nipple with bleeder cup, and put 15inHg of vacuum.
Pro Tip: Stop off at your local hardware store and pickup 3' of clear nylon tubing that will fit your bleeders.
-When bleeder cup is half full check MC reservoir. If there is still more than half left fill bleeder cup. Dump cup contents into empty gallon(milk) jug.
-Refill MC reservoir and bleed again. (this is the longest run and will need to first be purged of old fluid, and then you will want to make sure there is no debris coming out of the line. Bits of rust and crud will build up in the piston bores.)
-Remove bleeder screw, remove plumbers tape, reinstall and tighten bleeder screw closed. Wash down any spilt brake fluid with water.

-Refill MC reservoir.

-Move to Passenger front, remove bleeder screw, inspect it is unobstructed, use a couple of wraps of plumbers tape on threads, reinstall bleeder enough to seal threads.
-Connect brake bleeder(mity vac) to bleeder nipple with bleeder cup, and put 15inHg of vacuum. This will be a faster bleed as it is a shorter run.
-Repeat til clean clear fluid is running through the lines.
-Remove bleeder screw, remove plumbers tape, reinstall and tighten bleeder screw closed. Wash down any spilt brake fluid with water.

-Refill MC

-Same procedure with Pass Rear, and Drivers front. The system is diagonally split. When done make sure MC is at the FULL MARK on the MC reservoir.

-Test the brake pedal it should be firmer than before. If not look for leaks at the wheel cylinders, calipers, hoses, or MC itself.

-If ABS equipped, install hose onto bleeder nipple, and other end into gallon jug. Turn nipple and the accumulator will pressure bleed the system for you.

Remove #13, 12, 14 and with the funnel refill the reservoir up to the seam. Refill very slowly as air pressure will quickly build and barf any fluid out.

Turn the engine on and wait a few moments, the ABS system will represurize and the tank will empty.

Do this at least three times to make sure all the old fluid is out, refill to FULL mark and reinstall #14, 12, 13.

-reinstall all caps and clean up any spilt brake fluid with water.
-reinstall wheels, remove from jack stands, torque lugnuts(80ftlbs) and go for a test drive.


-Check the front endlinks, usually the bushings crack and need to be replaced, if the rest of the hardware is still good you can purchase just the bushings. 51314-SM4-020 from Honda ~$3 each or ~$24 to replace the front ones.

Throw in an oil change with a quality filter, you are pushing $250 already just to get the car back up to par.
If the pads/shoes are worn order parts from Rock Auto and use the CENTRIC brand, they will have the best deal and performance for a great price. ~$15 for a set of front or rear pads, ~$12 for rear shoes.

Use discount code for an additional 5% off 1560041612778514
(expires on August 18, 2013).

 

You can modify anything as long as you have funds, and the education to attempt such modifying procedure.

I'm 17, work at the local grocery store (soon to be a shop bitch at a body shop for more pay/hours), and I drive a manual conversion, turbocharged, tuned, lowered, 94 CD7 that has all basic maintenance performed at regular intervals. If you're going to get rid of the car perform all basic maintenance and let it be. Like I said, if you want any real performance you will have to go boost. Just don't go rice the thing out with tacky rims/headlights/taillights/exhaust/intake/etc..

 

I didn't care to read through this .. just wanted to put my .02 in..

If you only have 500 ... just do all the regular tune ups and keep it running till you get another car like you said.. No use in wasting money on a bunch of bull **** when you're going to get another car soon. If you absolutely love the car (like I do mine) . keep it and save and spend as you please.

No spoilers
No ridiculous rims
No Nitrous
No aftermarket headlights
No Ebay stuff (exhaust/ intake/headers)
Unless you like all that gay ****. Then by all means, its your car.
But just take care of the oil. replace spark plugs and cap etc.
Replace the necessary as it comes.
But don't go crazy thinking you're Paul Walker

 

Nothing wrong with nitrous if you properly install it and tune correctly for it. I was planning on running a Zex dry setup with a 45 shot until I got my first turbo.

 

Getting your car running properly is way cooler than throwing cheap, poorly tuned parts on a car that shudders and crawls out of the school parking lot. Also, you'll learn how to maintain your car and will be able to maintain that WRX or S2000 after college and not have to trust someone else with your car. Excellent previous posts.