Honda Accord Coupe

sandwiches

Kendrid, have you considered that the stock tweeters' design is to reflect off the windshield, and most component tweeters are to be mounted facing the cabin? If you put an aftermarket tweeter in the stock location and have it bouncing off the windshield, might that cause unwanted results such as too bright treble?

cstiles

Typo in my last note. The 6 1/2 speakers are Boston Acoustics FX6, not FX3. These are 2-way, and the 6x9's are 3-way. Found them brand new on ebay for substantially below retail (both for around $180, depending on shipping, versus $240 retail). Plus no sales tax. I had a local installer put em in for $50, and it took them less than an hour and they said it went very smoothly. The 6x9 fit perfectly, and the original Honda covers fit right back on. The door speakers also fit perfectly. The frequency response and sound clarity are significantly better, especially in the mid and higher ranges. Some people may want to put in a subwoofer or other type of bass boost, but I don't think it's needed. With the old speakers I had the treble and bass set at around +2 or +3 depending on the type of music, but with these new speakers, the treble is down to "0" and the bass up to about "+3," and they sound great. I mostly listen to rock and jazz and there is no comparison to the original "premium" speakers.

atlantabenny

Looks like you found an easy, cost-effective improvement. Wanted to confirm that the new front speakers kept the appearance of the door panels stock ? Thanks...

cstiles

The speakers fit perfectly in the doors, and the original Honda covers fit right back on.

blane

Has anyone here had a Honda-branded handsfree cellular telephone kit installed in their 2003/2004 Accord? I'm considering it for my '04 Coupe. If so, how do you like the installation and functionality? I've heard recently that Honda discontinued the part. Anyone know any details?

chazmatic

Does anybody know how to stop the sliding sun roof from leaking. Any help woud be appreciated. Thanks again, Chazmatic.

Mr_Shiftright

Check the sunroof drains for clogging. Be very careful about what you poke down there and how hard you poke it, as you don't want to dislodge any tubing inside the car body.

z71bill

I am very close to buying a 2004 Accord EX Coupe. Main driver will be my daughter - this is her first car - she is a new driver.

I test drove the 2.3L and though it was "OK" power wise. If the car was for me I would want the 3.0L.

Any 2.3L owners out there who wish they would have paid the extra $2K and got the 3.0L?

At this point - I think the 2.3L is a good choice for a new driver, but 2 years from now will we want to trade for a 3.0L?

ral2167

go with the 4 cylinder-- ample power-- save on gas money... new driver-- don't spoil her so soon with a 6 cylinder-- insurance savings probably, too... she has plenty of years ahead of her to eventually get a 6 cylinder... am i nuts?

emale

geez, i wish my daddy would have bought me a brand new car when i turned 16 ... !

sorry, just jealous

dust90

I bought the V6 Coupe and I love the power, but it is so easy to get carried away in it. The car is lounging at 80, feels real comfy at 90 & is still quite secure at 100. I test drove the 4 cyl and many times I wish I had bought the 4. More than enough power. NO 16 yr old needs, or should have 240 HP>

atlantabenny

Since I've been driving both 4 and 6 cyl models alternately for one year now, I can say both cars are equally satisfying although in different ways.

The 4 is effortless yet alive in its driving feel, something I think my wife particuarly likes. The 6 is heavier on its feet, but the stoutness of its power is something missing (understandably) in the 4.

Depreciation of the 4, at 7.2% yearly, is slightly better than the 7.9% of the 6 (ref: Edmunds' 5-year TCO projection for the 03 Accord).

If over 5 years the car will have run 80k miles, the True Cost of Ownership is $3.2k in favor of the 4-cyl.

By that time, your daughter would be ready to step up to a snazzier vehicle, and you'd be ahead by a few thousand $. And I'm guessing she wouldn't have missed the 6 cyl engine.

aggie1995

The 4 has more than enough power for what she could "need" to use the car for. Think back to when you were 16, wouldn't any car have been great to have much less a Accord Coupe with a 160 HP i-VTEC inline 4 cyl, 5 spd automatic transmission, heated leather seats (w/EX-L), 6 CD stereo, ABS, Sunroof, Dual Climate Control(w/EX-L), and paid for by someone else?

You are a very nice and wealthy father to be able to do that for your daughter. Good luck with the car.

z71bill

I am a little amazed at the support for the 2.3L engine - I expected the opposite response.

I was 99% sure the 4 would do the job - but since we will most likely keep this car until my daughter is out of college - I wanted some feedback from actual owners.

 I do recall being a 16 year old driving a 1969 Chevelle SS 396 - and that is one reason I decided on the Accord EX - the 5 star safety rating and the 3 sets of air bags give me a little comfort. Although it is still scary to think my little girl will be driving!

Thanks for the input - looks like I will go for the 2.3L.

mitchflorida

My guess is your daughter could care less if its a 4 or 6 cylinder . . .. You are the one who wants the bigger horsepower.

rcc8179

I test drove both an EX V6 and an EX 4-cyl (both sedans) and I bought the 4-cyl. The V6 was very smooth and very powerful, but I coulnd't justify spending the extra money for it.

After owning the car for a year, I can say that the 4-cyl has plenty of power for normal driving and passing. And it will get 33-36mpg on the highway.

There is one other thing I will add. Your profile says you live in Houston, so you and/or your daughter will probably use the A/C quite a bit. When you test drive the car, be sure to use the A/C and sit in gear at idle for a few minutes (as if you were at a stop light) to make sure the vibration is not too bad for you. This vibration is most noticeable when temperatures are very cold (less than 20F) and/or with the A/C on. This is a widespread issue with 2003 & 2004 4-cylinder Accord sedans (and I assume the coupes also). My service manager (whom I have known for years and trust completely) has been telling me for the last year that other owners have the exact same problem, and that Honda knows about the problem but still doesn't have a fix. I throw that out as a caution. If the vibration doesn't bother you, then don't worry about it.

aggie1995

"This vibration is most noticeable when temperatures are very cold (less than 20F) and/or with the A/C on."

Less than 20 degrees and Houston see each other maybe 2 days out of the year, some years it barely gets below freezing.

Growing up in Houston i thought that was funny.....

midnight_stang

I live just north of Dallas, and it gets below freezing maybe twice a year, or 72 hours total. Never noticed any vibrations from the A/C, but the Accord is my girlfriend's vehicle. We are both 26, and she loves it. Her coupe has the 4 cylinder, and it has plenty of get up and go.

odk

I have an '03 Coupe with factory 16X7 wheels. I'm considering upgrading to 18x7 alloys with 225,40X18 tires. By matching the proper off set etc. I understand, that this should maintain basic geometry of the car. I plan on using this wheel/tire combo from about April to November. The dealer says this voids the warranty dealing with the suspension etc,. OK. Do you think it is
worth it to sacrifice the warranty? Honda is a well engineered vehicle and I'm wondering whether interchanging the wheels/tires would create a problem which could require extensive repairs. I don't mind loosing the warranty if you think that I won't be causing problems with these twice yearly wheel exchanges. This setup would be for normal driving.

blane

odk:

The only major problem that you may have with 40-Series tires is with your back and kidneys. Probably a very rough ride compared to stock.

You could conceivably screw up the speedometer/odometer readings by changing the overall diameter of the tires.

emale

the only time i ever feel any vibration in my accord is when it's about zero or colder out. i attributed it to the fluid filled motor mounts. i know it's not the a/c because i've actually completed turned off the climate control to see if it made any difference...and it didn't.

z71bill

I test drove both a Civic (1.7L) and Accord (2.3L) back to back. After we got home and were comparing the two cars - I did recall that - at a stop - in gear - that you could not even tell if the engine was running in the Civic - but the Accord had a small vibration -could feel it in the steering wheel and also in the "seat of my pants". It was a cool day - so I don't even know if the AC was on at the time.

I did review the Accord problems and solutions board a few weeks ago - but only went back 75 posts. Did not see many problems - today I went back a few hundred posts and did see a dozen or more about vibration problems in the 2003&2004 with the 2.3L.

This concerns me - it seems that no fix is available and Honda is taking the "they all do that" approach.

RCC -I am glad you mentioned the vibration - I will at least pay much closer attention to it on my next test drive - and make sure it is not a problem before I buy the car.

Mitch - As far as 4 VS 6 - you are 100% correct-I am the one that loves HP.

longevity

The 4 cylinders in the '03 accord is a 2.4L i-vtec engine. The old 2.3L is in the '98-02 accord. Just wanted to point that out.

Whenever I stop at a red light, I could also feel a slight vibration through the steering wheel in my '03 EX coupe. It is nothing major but nonetheless, it is there.

dust90

At least we haven't had any posters calling it a V4 for quite a while!!

z71bill

I was also looking at the Mazda 3 - it has a 2.3L -

I brought the vibration up to my sales person today - he did not know of any problems -he said he would check with the service manager.

I got a call from the service manager - he admitted that all 2.4L Accords have a small vibration - some cars are more noticeable than others. He claims Honda knows about the vibration but has no plan to try and fix it.

I am a little disappointed - after looking at just about every car in the $15-$25K price range we finally decided on the Accord - now I am having second thoughts. If it vibrates a little when it is new what will it be like at 50K?

I may have to go back and give the Mazda 3 & Solara another look.

gee35coupe

You shuold have no prblem with vibration. I have driven a few 1990 Accord Autos that had vibration until they were tuned up. This is a very large 4 cylinder engine. You must keep em tuned. Almost 3/4 larger than the Civic engine.

If you were looking at the Mazda 3 though look at the front core support area. It's all plastic. I went by the Mazda dealership today. I still say the steering wheel is off center.

midnight_stang

A very slight vibration from the engine? Cmon people, aren't you being a bit too nick picky? If engine vibration is your major concern, then don't buy a normal combustion engine. Buy a rotary engine (Mazda RX8). Any engine with a crankshaft and pistons will vibrate, only those without very solid motor mounts will dampen that effect.

anonymousposts

I do notice a slight vibration when the car is stopped. But it is very slight and I'm moving more than I am stopped so to me it's not a deal-ender when it comes to the Accord. Smaller 4 cylinders (Civic, Corolla, etc) are going to be a bit smoother just because of the lower displacement. That said, I find the Accord engine to be extremely smooth under acceleration and while cruising.

hmurphy

My 1994 Camry also vibrated at stops. It seemed like it was just a characteristic of a 4-cylinder engine, so I just put it in neutral if it bothered me.

z71bill

I am nit picky when it comes to rattles, squeaks, clunks and vibrations. They drive me nuts.

No need to buy a rotary powered car the 2.3L in the Mazda and the 2.4L Solara have no vibrations. If they can build a vibration free 2.3-2.4L then Honda can too. I have always read that Honda is (was) the best when it comes to small engine technology. It appears they are starting to slip.

It's acceptable for a $24,000 Accord to have vibrations - but a $14,000 Civic is smooth as silk? This seems backwards to me.

I ask the service manager why the Civic was so smooth VS the Accord - he claimed that the 1.7L in the Civic has counter balancing shafts (whatever that is) - he also said that prior to 2003 Accords had this feature - starting in 2003 Honda decided to take them off (I assume to save money)

Honda's attitude that - they all do that so it is normal - bothers me. Something you come to expect from Ford or GM - but I thought Honda was different.

The Accord is still a fine car -I just need to make sure that the vibration will not bother me while stuck in Houston stop and go traffic.

rcc8179

I, too, am very picky about vibrations and rattles in my car. I have taken my Accord back numerous times for various noises and rattles. I have driven several Civics as loaners, and there is hardly any vibration. It seems backward to me too, especially considering that the Accord far outsells the Civic.

I have owned nothing but Hondas. This is my 3rd Accord (1985 & 1989). Both the others were still solid at over 200k miles. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a brand-new $20,000+ car to have fewer rattles that a 14-year old car with 215k miles.

I appreciate that Honda has reduced engine noise and road noise. I don't mind that the ride is a little harsher than in the past. But if you are going to make the car quieter and have a stiff suspension, the interior of the car *MUST* be solid or it ends up sounding like a piece of junk. With the multitude of plastic dashboard panels (all held together with plastic clips, not screws), extreme temperatures and rough pavement produce a plethora of cracks and noises. This is disappointing from any automaker, especially Honda, who didn't have these problems in the past.

I agree that there are many things to like about this car. The 4-cylinder engine does have plenty of power and gets 33-36 mpg on the highway. The 6-dish CD changer and steering controls are nice to have, especially on long trips. But I wish I had done more comparison shopping and will definitely not make that mistake next time. Especially if Honda's attitude is "sorry--deal with it."

z71bill

Now that I think about it the service manager that called me could have been another sales person - it would not surprise me.

The (so called) service manager did say "counter balanced shafts" - not 100% sure but that sounds different to me. Maybe you can bestow your great automotive knowledge on me and explain what the difference is between balanced and counter balanced shafts - or are you sure that they are the same thing?

It would seem fairly obvious that no engine would want unbalanced shafts! LOL

It is not my intention to trash the Accord - I am just trying to make the best decision possible. The way I look at it - it is better to research now before I buy - than to DEAL WITH IT latter.

gee35coupe

Balance shaft -- A shaft in the engine that is designed so that, as it rotates, it reduces or cancels out any vibration.

add "counter" to it and you have the same thing

Balance Shaft: A shaft designed so that, as it turns, it counter rotates the rotational direction of the engine crankshaft in a manner that reduces or cancels out some of the vibration produced by the engine.

By the way I don't have a vast automotive knowledge. Although it is above average. What I do have the ability to use the internet for other things that just reading forums. Nearly any knowledge you wish to have is available online. Or in your owner's manual.

blane

Here comes the boring stuff for those of you who are "Princess and the pea" sensitive to minor vibrations in four-cylinder vehicles. I've plagarized several sources to compile the following explanation:

Any brand of inline four-cylinder engine has an inherent mass unbalance, and it has a strong tendency to shake. This creates a second order harmonic vibration, which means that it oscillates up and down at twice the crankshaft speed. It also tends to rock from front to back because of the piston - connecting rod motion.

In order to smooth out the inherent imbalance of four pistons, a pair of balance shafts are mounted, one on each side of the engine located at opposite sides of the crankcase, and parallel to the crankshaft axis. They run at twice the crankshaft speed. The concept of a balance shaft was first patented in 1911 by Frederick Lancaster in England. The two Lancaster-principle counter-rotating balance shafts rotate in opposite directions (counter-rotating) effectively canceling the imbalance causing by the pistons.

This makes it possible to develop high displacement, powerful smooth running four-cylinder engines, such as Honda’s, that are virtually (not completely) free from vibrations.

gee35coupe

High displacement is the key part of that. 2.0 is usually the cutoff for the need. My Civic Si has them but the RSX version of the same engine does not.

z71bill

The Acura TSX also has a 2.4L engine. I have not driven it - but since it is a Honda engine - I would think almost the same design as the Accord. In fact I think the TSX is based on an Accord sold in Japan (?).

Anyone know if the TSX has a vibration similar to the Accord?

topgun7

I am interested in replacing my Accord's speaker as well. Do I get it correctly that you replace the front speaker with a boston Acoustic FX6 and the back with BA FX93? Do you disconnect the tweeter on the dask? or does the FX6 come with a tweeter and you replace the stock tweeter with the FX6? thanks.

carguy58

You have to realize Honda is competing in more segements where as in 1990 or even in 1995 they weren't competing in at all. I don't like Honda being like that either but I guess they have to save money.

I talked to somebody who has an 03 Accord Coupe and they are really happpy with it. They didn't say nothing about vibrations.

I agree to have a car that vibrates stinks. I mean you are sitting at a red light while the car is shaking.

blane

z71bill:

Your post #868 implies that perhaps you missed the point in my post #866. Of couse the TSX engine, as well as ALL OTHER manufacturers' inline 4-cylinder engines, would be expected to exhibit some small degree of vibration compared to 6, 8, 10 or 12-cylinder engines, especially "V" configuration ones.

If you have such concerns, I'd recommend that you beat the dead horse no more. Just buy anything other than a 4-cylinder vehicle.

timaye

tell us what color honda accord couple u got, and why you choose that color over the other.

anonymousposts

I wouldn't consider the "vibration" any where near the point where you could say the vehicle shakes at a stop. It's just a slight vibration that you can't even feel if you aren't looking for it or if you don't have your hands on the steering wheel.

blane

timaye:

My 2004 is Desert Mist Metallic. I chose it because it was the only vehicle on the lot with a Navigation system.

Love the color though.

z71bill

A few weeks ago the Houston Chronicle had a story about auto companies profit. I may be off a few $ - but the profit per car broke down something like: GM $250, Toyota $1,300, Honda $2,300. (Ford lost money)

I am 100% capitalist - profit is a good thing - I actually own stock in Honda - but it looks to me like Honda better put a few dollars (or yen) back into the quality of their cars or they may loose some of their hard earned reputation.

Blane
Go test drive the Solara 2.4L or the new Mazda 2.3L. Absolutely no vibration at idle. Maybe they found a way to isolate the vibration - preventing it from getting into the cabin. Also -the 1.7L Civic has no vibration.

Anonymousposts
Great idea - I will just take my hands off the steering wheel at every stop sign! If your dash rattles what do you do - turn up the stereo?

gee35coupe

We have owned 1993 1999, 2001, 03, and 04 Accords. I don't see what everyone is complaining about cost cutting. You get more stuff with this Accord than any other. People have ben complaining about what you DON'T get at this price but every objective review of the car is AMAZED by what you DO get. If the 4 cylinder vibrates too much for ya, go get one of the most powerful V6's in this segment.

We own an EX-L and find it quite nice thank you. Sure you know the engine is running at idle but when its above that point it is as smooth as glass. All of our other Accords have been the same way. Again it's just one of the things that our Honda's have done.

A Civic engine is nearly half the size of the Accords. It would not have anywhere near the tendency to vibrate as the Accord would. But if you think the Accord has a rough engine and has been cost cutting, you should have driven a automatic prior to this 03. Makes the current transmission Lexus-like.

z71bill

Went back and did a second test drive on the Solara, Civic and Accord.

Both Solara and Civic are smooth all the time.

The vibration problem with the Accord only happens when the AC compressor cycles on. The car shakes, but only for a second, then the engine compensates for the additional load -and all I feel is a very slight (normal) vibration. I sat for a few minutes and let the AC cycle off and on several times, the car shakes every time. The AC kicking on obviously takes a fair amount of power - but this did not happen with the Solara or Civic. IMO the problem has nothing to do with how 4 cylinder engines run - but is a programing problem in the Accords engine management system. This is not what I expect in a new car - but not so big a problem that I would not still consider the Accord a good vehicle.

The only other problem that we noticed - the passenger side seat was very loose. I assume that would be an easy fix, but the problem was on both Accord Coupes we looked at.

My wife loved the way the Civic handled - the only way I can describe it is "it drives like a go cart". The Accord has a much better ride - and think in the long run would be a better car. Next stop will be Mazda 3 - which is almost a cross between the Accord and Civic. The only major issue with Mazda - resale value.

blane

z71bill:

That slight vibration can probably be resolved with a slight adjustment to increase idle speed rpm.

gee35coupe

Hood latch, radiator support, core support area on the Mazda3 vs the Civic. It seems the whole front facia of the Mazda3 is plastic. I know even metal parts up there are flimsy but I would like to see it all the same.

carguy58

Don't buy it in its first year. Wait till the 2,000 dollar factory rebate kicks in next year this way the depreciation won't be that bad. The first year bugs in the Mazda 3 need to worked out.

I don't know what Gee is saying is true about the plasic. If thats true I wouldn't like to drive that thing in terms of getting into a car crash or something. Got to see what crash test results say.

gee35coupe

I've been to the Mazda dealer twice to look at that. The entire front area of the car ahead of and between the fenders is black plastic. I know you don't buy a car to bash it into stuff, but hmmmm. I'd like to know where the structural steel is in there. I can't see it.

I even brought it up in the Mazda3 room and the usual post happy Bluong has been silent on the subject.

z71bill

I just assumed that the idle speed was computer controlled - not adjustable, but I could be wrong about that.

I do not want to wait a year for a rebate - If I buy the Mazda I know I will take a beating on resale - but after a test drive today - I think the M3 may be "the car". It is just plain fun to drive. I have not heard about any first year bugs in the Mazda 3 - I have bought 1st year models before and not had many problems. The 4 year warranty does give me a little comfort.

I would like to know the safety rating before I buy - but again not willing to wait a year for that. I know that the frame was designed by Volvo -will be used on the new S40 and the car does have anti lock brakes and three sets of air bags. It should be OK considering its size.

I will look over the front clip to see what it is made out of - not sure what you mean by core. But it does have 5 MPH bumpers - what ever that means (can you ram a wall at 5 MPH and not see any damage?) Still not a 100% done deal - but at this point it looks like I am down to two choices Accord EX coupe 2.4L or the Mazda 3.

BTW - the Mazda was 100% smooth - no vibration - even at idle, in gear with AC on.