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2008 Honda Accord Coupe and Sedan
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Comments
Your car accelerating from a stop more slowly than your previous Accord (which was listed at 160 horses before the new SAE hp test methods were put in place, today it'd list around 156) is because the amount of torque (the force that gets you moving at low RPMs) your car generates is no better than your old one, but your new car weighs around 10% more. Your car has more horsepower, but peak horsepower in your car comes at 7000 RPM; that's why you never feel it from a stop.
Thank you very much.
I look forward to your replies.
Best regards,
Jordi
Engine acceleration: I would guess that the '08 Accord is a good deal larger and heavier than your '03 LX, but the engine is only putting out 20hp more (not sure about how the two engines' torque compares, though). I wouldn't be surprised if acceleration suffers in comparison.
Sheesh. The '08 Accord has been on the top of my list of candidates, largely because of its roomy interior and how it stacks up against the competition (Camry, Malibu, etc.) on paper. After hearing all these various complaints, I can tell I'm going to have to put the Honda through a rigorous test drive. Also, I'll have to give the others more consideration than I had previously given.
It seems to me that those who complain most about the new Accord are previous Accord owners - those who have owned other makes seem to be very pleased with their purchases. It looks like whether or not you complain has at least some bearing on your point of reference. This suggests that I should perhaps consider an '07 rather than an '08. A nearby dealer still has a new '07 Accord Hybrid at a significant discount - hmmmmmmmm..... :confuse:
I will say, that when I tried to pass in the demo car 4cy 08 accord with 3,000k on it. It really took some work to get it going, now my 06 accord 4cyl, really moves, and you don't have to do much. but the 08 seemed to be working a little different. Maybe it was still a little tight since it only had 3k on it. I am not sure. I am very impressed with the 06 4cyl power. I'll have to try the 08 4cyl again to see how it feels, when passing, and the power compared to my 06.
Check out the Camry forums between March 2006 and early 2007- the launch of the 07 Camry produced the same if not more complaints than the new Accord - so it appears...
The early 07 Camry suffered everything from uneven panel gaps and loose interior trim - to engine hesitation and transmission failures...
I think Honda is doing better in the area of quality control than Toyota by far in terms of new vechile introductions- purely opinion
I looked briefly at this link and couldn't find the numbers, but I have the issue in print, and can tell you that the numbers I quoted earlier for 0-60 is correct, at 8.1 sec.
The manual Accord did indeed do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, as seen in the Car and Driver link below.
Quickest cars under $20,000
And, I wasn't trying to be snippy about using the sources. I hope I didn't come off that way!
Take care,
TheGrad
As far as road and wind noise go, from what I heard there is a significant improvement in that area over the previous gen for the 08? :confuse:
Where did you get your car from?
If you are in the market now and don't care much about styling, I'd say go with a 07. For the price of an 08 EXL, you could probably get an 07 EXL V6 if you can still find one, drive around for 2 years(after the bugs are worked out) and trade it in in 2 years for a 'refreshed' 2011. :P
Stay away from the hybrid if resale value is of ANY concern.
When comparing acceleration times, use the same source, as they typically use the same launch methods. Consumer Reports always has slower times than C&D or Motor Trend because their method is just "stand on the gas," which isn't the quickest method of launch.
Let's just use apples to apples.
When comparing acceleration times, use the same source, as they typically use the same launch methods. Consumer Reports always has slower times than C&D or Motor Trend because their method is just "stand on the gas," which isn't the quickest method of launch.
Good idea. I'll do so from now on.
As for the sources, I totally agree it's best to use the same source when comparing numbers(as mentioned, I just couldn't find the exact number for 03-07 from C&D). And no, I didn't find your post snippy. I'm not that into 0-60 anyway. Except for reference use, of course :P
For comparison purposes, here ya go.
2007 Accord SE 5AT (166hp, 3177lbs)
30-50mph = 4.4s
50-70mph = 5.9s
0-30mph = 2.7s
0-60mph = 8.1s
5-60mph = 8.5s (this test exemplifies a standing start, with no launch technique, just standing on the gas)
Top Speed = 130 mph (elec. limited)
2008 Accord EX (190hp, 3365lbs)
30-50mph = 4.5s
50-70mph = 5.7s
0-30mph = 3.0s
0-60mph = 8.2s
5-60mph = 8.7s
Top Speed = 127mph (elec. limited)
So the 07 is indeed faster than the 08. It would be really interesting to see how the matchup would go if they made an 8th Gen SE with 190 horses though(maybe 09?).
What ever it takes. The neighbors think you're nuts, and you think the neighbors are nuts. Isn't that normal? Being nuts can be fun.
Good luck - hope it helps you figure it out.
No.
"If not how easily can it be added to the 2008 Accord?"
Fairly easy if you know how to do installs.
I couldn't get in there without ripping out the speakers to look through that gap so its back to the dealers to have them look at it. I couln't find the top bolt to the strut without taking out the trunk liner. Right now I'm not going to touch it.
There are two others on this forum that had the same problem but I see there were no answers for them. Maybe it will go away! I'll keep you posted but if anyone has any ideas let me know. Thanks. Brian
I am getteing the same noise - like a bolt rattling. When I go over a bump faster I hear the spare and everything rattle. You too? Please let me know what you find out if you do. I will wait to hear the rest of your story to determine what i am going to do. You really cracked me and my wife up when we read your emails something we were going to do. By the way do you have a 4cyl or a v6.
Not a bad strategy, but I've grown to shy away from trading every two years - I'm driving a '99 VW now so it'll be more like 2017 before I buy another new car. Of course, by then the Accord diesel should be out and that's what I'd really love to have.
I've also grown (ahem) widthwise since I last bought a car, so the increased size of the '08 over the '07 is very attractive to me. That, and I really do prefer the new styling for some reason... :P
Today I put a brick behind the left rear tire and drove over it slowly- no noise. Hmmm....? Like another person that posted something very similar in Dec 07, they said it makes the sound whenever the car goes over a bump that makes the whole car "flex" longitudinally.For instance going up an inclined driveway ( like ours)at an angle.
I plan on bringing it to the dealer for a check up Friday AM if I can. I'll let you know what they said. You know other than that noise , we love the car. One other
item.. does your car wander oh so slightly off center when steering on a staight road ? I'll have to check my air press. tommorow and see if that changes anything. I might be nitpicking a bit.
Brian
I wonder if they will make any changes and retest the 2009s.
If you go the NHTSA Government site you will see the complaints filed against the new Accords already. Unbelievable for Honda. By the way this is my 5th honda and I have two of their motorcycles in the garage, so I have an idea about honda quality or lack thereof. Speaking of gas mileage I dont find 24 mpg on the highway acceptable.
I do use these forums as general guidance, its a great way to "take the temp" of the consumers view of the car before you go and spend your money on one. I was considering it because I need a car with a little bigger backseat because we are expecting a new baby soon. Otherwise, I wouldn't even be looking. I agree with you about being way ahead of the game, I just don't think I can fit three carseats in my car. I could probably with the new one since its huge. Thank you for your comments, and your review of the 08, I appreciate it.
Many are leaving Honda, because other company's are offering some amazing lease deals, and unless Honda does something about that, they WILL NOT make their quota. I barely see any around here. Hopefully with Spring on its way, they'll spike up their sales. There are many other good cars out their, and when it comes down to leasing and price, the honda lacks.
With that said, I am waiting on the Accord!
lowe41, I'm not sure you have to "reconsider" the 08 Accord. I can't believe all the negative vibes about the 08 Accords on these forums. My problem is---I own one - a 4-cyl EX-L. It is not a perfect car - but its nice and it IS built with Honda quality. I realize there are some valid concerns expressed on these forums and I don't mean to belittle them one bit -- but Honda cars have never been perfect. They are budget-minded cars. Damn nice budget-minded cars - but budget cars nevertheless.
Please remember who the members of this forum are. . . . we are the people who like cars, like talking about cars and who notice every detail. Our brand new, shiny 08 Accords are like newborns to us -- we are the over-zealous parents who notice every runny nose and slight cough. We are no different that the group of parents who gather at the party and find themselves discussing their child's latest BM
These forums are good and very useful, but they MUST be taken with a grain of salt. I think the comments in here should not be used to form an opinion about the Accord, but rather as general guidance. For example, since there is an entire thread dedicated to the VCM problem, then you should take note of that and invest time in a comprehensive test drive. Since multiple people have noted the headlight flicker, you should explore that on your test drive and make sure you can live with it. If several posters find the driver's seat uncomfortable, make sure it works for you before buying the car. With the possible exception of the VCM issue in 6cyl models, I have not seen one thing on these forums which makes me believe that the 08 Accord is inferior to any other Accord. It certainly may not be better in every respect and, as ALWAYS, when you make 400,000 cars per year, some of them are screwed up. But, I remain unconvinced that they are bad cars or necessarily inferior to any other car Honda has built.
I'll get off my soap box --- really all I can say is that MY 08 Accord is a nice car for me. I remain convinced that, for me, it was the very best car I could buy for $25k.
[p.s. lowe41 -- I think you should keep your 03 - not because the 08's sucks, but because you are WAY ahead of the game in terms of $$ to just keep the old one. An 03 model is not old and likely is still a VERY good car. Take it to a detail shop, spend the money to get it all shined up and save your $25,000!!! ]
Given Honda's record on safety, I suspect the engineers are working on a fix for that shortcoming as we write here.
I say all this, and I have 2 Accords. Drive them both and see if the Accord feels worth the extra money. The $20k Taurus has a 263hp V6, while the $21k Accord has a 177hp I4. The 4-cyl Accord will get marginally better mileage though (21/31 vs. 18/28). The V6 Accord only gets 1 MPG better than the Taurus, at 19/29.
A lot of people dislike the looks of the Taurus, but it is the roomiest car with the biggest trunk in its class. It's going to feel twice the size of your Civic; the Accord has grown a lot too, but should drive smaller.
The Taurus is going to be drastically restlyed again in 1-2 years because it is such a dud lookswise.
Resale value of the Taurus will be a bigger issue.
You can probably worry less about the reliability of the Taurus and more about how little you will get back when you try to trade it in compared to an Accord.
It will only be worth it if you buy it new for a bigger discount than you will give up at resale.
jaxs1 is correct. The 2011 will be out in closer to 3 years (more like 2yrs 6-7 months assuming it comes out in Oct).
As far as size goes, II'm not thin myself yet can easily fit in the car(06 Accord) comfortablely. I can understand why you prefer the new styling though, it does look less 'boring' and more upscale on the 08. However, the styling of 06-07 is not bad looking either IMO(otherwise I wouldn't have bought it).
Are you driving a VW diesel by any chance? If so, diesel is likely the best way to go for you with their high torque and amazing mileage!!!