Is My Car the ONLY One On The Planet With One Of These?

[NVMyMPG]

OK. I have been looking everywhere to even find a mention of another car like mine much less the part I need. I have a 87 Accord 3door LXi with a manual sunroof. The crank handle in my car is broken so I can not use the sunroof. Since my A/C doesn't work either I need all the air movement I can get. I have look at every year Honda in my local junk yards and have not found another manual roof. Nothing on EBay or any of the parts pages I have found. i am about ready to :pc: :)

Oh While I am posting maybe someone can enlighten me on another little bit of weirdness. I have a LXi with power windows and pretty much every other gizmo you might expect in a top of the line car of this year except for power locks? Really no power locks? Is my car just some kind of freak or what?

[lostforawhile]

OK. I have been looking everywhere to even find a mention of another car like mine much less the part I need. I have a 87 Accord 3door LXi with a manual sunroof. The crank handle in my car is broken so I can not use the sunroof. Since my A/C doesn't work either I need all the air movement I can get. I have look at every year Honda in my local junk yards and have not found another manual roof. Nothing on EBay or any of the parts pages I have found. i am about ready to :pc: :)

Oh While I am posting maybe someone can enlighten me on another little bit of weirdness. I have a LXi with power windows and pretty much every other gizmo you might expect in a top of the line car of this year except for power locks? Really no power locks? Is my car just some kind of freak or what?

is it a hatchback? there wasn't enough room in the door beams for the power lock actuator, the sedans have a notch in the door beam to clear the lock motor. I've never seen a manual sunroof, But some some reason I'm thinking they had a manual crank handle for emergencies. I wonder if yours just stopped working and they put in the manual handle.

[Vanilla Sky]

Only sedans came from the factory with a sunroof. Hatches and coupes with them had them installed either by the dealership or by a shop after purchase. Find out who made the roof, and I bet you can find out where you can get parts.

[lostforawhile]

Only sedans came from the factory with a sunroof. Hatches and coupes with them had them installed either by the dealership or by a shop after purchase. Find out who made the roof, and I bet you can find out where you can get parts.

There are a few oddball ones with factory sunroofs, the one at the yard now has a factory one, it's possible it was installed by the dealer though.

[Vanilla Sky]

It may be a factory replacement part, but it wasn't installed at the factory. Aftermarket sunroof installs are incredibly common, and if a dealer had trouble moving a high-priced car, they would likely make an addition such as a sunroof to help the car move off the lot. Remember, these cars are from an era in which Honda was heavily into price fixing.

[NVMyMPG]

Thanks everyone. It is a hatch so that explains the locks. I was wondering if it might have been a aftermarket although I did find a 3 door hatch in the junk yard that had a electric roof that had all the same buttons and styling that the sedans have. I didn't see any brand names on it but I admit that I didn't look that closely. I will take a better look and see what I can find.

[DBMaster]

They didn't offer power locks on the coupes, either!

[2drSE-i]

They didn't offer power locks on the coupes, either!


I know, kind of aggravating really. Have a car with ALL the bells and whistles, but manual locks? Really?

[DBMaster]

I think it is in keeping with the Japanese philosophy of the time period. I guess they figured that it was easy enough for someone to lock the door when exiting, or for the driver to reach across to lock the door. The optional cupholders on these cars were pretty much an afterthought, and it showed. They were not especially deep and placed the drink right in front of the stereo. Even though Honda was big in the U.S. by this time they still hung onto a few prejudices like thinking we were all a bunch of lazy pigs who should not be eating in the car and who should be able to deal with a two door car with manual locks.

[2drSE-i]

I think it is in keeping with the Japanese philosophy of the time period. I guess they figured that it was easy enough for someone to lock the door when exiting, or for the driver to reach across to lock the door. The optional cupholders on these cars were pretty much an afterthought, and it showed. They were not especially deep and placed the drink right in front of the stereo. Even though Honda was big in the U.S. by this time they still hung onto a few prejudices like thinking we were all a bunch of lazy pigs who should not be eating in the car and who should be able to deal with a two door car with manual locks.

TRUTH.


The cupholders are perfect for cans. But that's about it. And the doorlocks aren't a big deal to me. It'd be nice to have keyless entry, but that barely even existed at the time.

[DBMaster]

I wouldn't mind keyless entry. I am constantly having to either wait until my passenger exits so I can lock the door, or reminding them to lock it. Everyone is pretty much used to remote power locks at this point in time.

I had that on my to-do list for years as the kits to add them are not expensive, but at this point it is the least of my concerns. Between this car and my daughter's 99 I30 I always seem to have to replace or repair something.

[2drSE-i]

I wouldn't mind keyless entry. I am constantly having to either wait until my passenger exits so I can lock the door, or reminding them to lock it. Everyone is pretty much used to remote power locks at this point in time.

I had that on my to-do list for years as the kits to add them are not expensive, but at this point it is the least of my concerns. Between this car and my daughter's 99 I30 I always seem to have to replace or repair something.

I'm just sick of having to do the same jobs two or more times. Replaced the water pump less than 6 months ago, stupid thing is squealing like a banshee. Guess I shouldve gone with the Honda one...


Starter is the same way, but I got a lifetime warranty one from Advance for $45 (Their online coupons are AWESOME) unfortunately, I'm afraid I'll have to take advantage of the warranty more often than I'd like to.

[DBMaster]

I made the mistake of going with a non-OEM water pump in 1999 when I changed the TB. It was a decent branded part from NAPA that I only bought there out of convenience. It started rattling and leaking after about sixteen months. Per Honda, their pump has a patented bearing/seal design. For the few dollars in shipping I will use nothing else until I have no choice.

I used to buy "lifetime" rebuilt parts from the old Chief Auto during my college years. I eventually realized that the warranty was pretty worthless if I had to keep tearing my car apart. I replaced a starter three times in one year, got pissed, and then went to my locally owned parts store and bought one of their 90-day warrantied starters that was properly rebuilt. It was still on the car several years later when I sold it. With the alternator on that car I had to go through three in one month to get a good one.

The moral of the story, for me, is that I will only use rebuilt parts from companies that specialize in that field and then only those that are recommended by my local Honda mechanic. He gets most of his from California and, based upon my steering rack and transmission, he has selected well. I steer way clear of places like Auto Zone. I can almost guarantee that they partner with their rebuilders based upon price and not quality.

[charliekuney]

I know, kind of aggravating really. Have a car with ALL the bells and whistles, but manual locks? Really?

This is the code I live by.

[DBMaster]

Other cars in this class (and price) and of 1989 vintage on the domestic front would have had power seat(s), goodies on the dash (outdoor temp, instantaneous MPG, etc), maybe climate control. Since I am older than a few of you I actually helped my grandmother pick out this car. The dealers were not doing much dealing at the time. My grandma paid sticker and many dealers in this area were charging over sticker - and people were lining up to pay. These cars did not have all the bells and whistles and they had suspensions and automatic transmissions that most American car buyers didn't like (suspension too firm, shifts too noticeable). These were all things I liked about these cars back then - appeals to the driving enthusiast and some level of simplicity. Plus, the quality "feel" of the cars was unmatched at the time. It's no wonder they became the top selling car (retail) during the 3g's entire run. They were family cars that almost felt like sports cars. A true sports car does not have blazingly fast acceleration. It has a balance that includes adequate power, good handling, and attention to detail. The mere fact that many of these cars continue to be reliable, fun daily drivers says a lot.

How many 89 Taurus' do you see on the road these days. That was the number 2 selling car at the time. It was number 1 if you count rental fleet sales, which I do not. Honda didn't need those sales because they had folks lined up outside their dealerships.

[lostforawhile]

They didn't offer power locks on the coupes, either!

yep the doors are just like the hatchbacks,it's not a mater of they didn't want to add it the door lock actuator won't fit. All of the cars use the same door latch itself, you can take a manual door latch out of the door, and attach the actuator motor to it, but it won't have the clearance to go back in

[obdriver6]

I know, kind of aggravating really. Have a car with ALL the bells and whistles, but manual locks? Really?

Not really ALL the bells and whistles, the JDM models got that, but I do wish they would have added power door lock on the coupes.

[lostforawhile]

Not really ALL the bells and whistles, the JDM models got that, but I do wish they would have added power door lock on the coupes.

they are very simple to add with sliding actuator motors that move the lock rods

[charliekuney]

Not really ALL the bells and whistles, the JDM models got that, but I do wish they would have added power door lock on the coupes.

I think he means all the bells and whistles for a USDM 80's Honda.

[obdriver6]

they are very simple to add with sliding actuator motors that move the lock rods
I know and I believe honda should have added those little actuators but thats just me.

I think he means all the bells and whistles for a USDM 80's Honda.
Yeah but I'm just saying that compared to the JDM models, we didn't get much.

[NVMyMPG]

I guess every car maker does their little weird things. I can't seem to complain about Honda quality. I would rather give up power locks and have a car that will last 25 years and 200K then one with power locks that is dead after 150K.

Now if I could just get my A/C to cycle when I push the A/C button life would be good. Does anyone know of a thread that goes through the electrical side on the A/C system? I have done several searches and they all seem to start with a sort of working system that has leaks or something like that not one where you turn it on and nothing happens at all not even a blown fuse.

[Dr_Snooz]

Download the manual (http://honda.roadpwnage.com/manuals/pages/usdm-accord-1989-full.php) and go through the troubleshooting procedures in the A/C section.

[NVMyMPG]

That is a AWSOME Manual. Thanks! That is just what I needed.

[bullard123]

Yeah sunroofs are super rare on the hatches....Did you figure out the problem yet?

[thomson85]

$40 keyless entry.

Universal Central Door Lock and Unlock Conversion Kit for 2, 3, 4 car truck doors 4 actuators : Amazon.com : Automotive (http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Central-Unlock-Conversion-actuators/dp/B0033YECEK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2FACKEU80BJGO&coliid=I3BZH5J4ZUW1OP)

[charliekuney]

Every hatch I see has an aftermarket sunroof...

[King Peetis]

Every hatch I see has an aftermarket sunroof...

I gotta hatch with a sunroof and one without. Love'em both!!

[Legend_master]

I gotta hatch with a sunroof and one without. Love'em both!!

Factory?

[charliekuney]

Coupes and hatches couldn't get factory sunroofs in the states.