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Honda Accord vs. Toyota Camry vs. Volkswagen Passat

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Comments

  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    Before you go test drive, read the Edmunds Family
    Car Comparison Test at the Edmunds homepage. The Accord and Passat were the top two cars in the test. As for the Galant, they rated the backseat as abysmal and with two growing kids you will never get five people in this car. I owned a 94 Galant LS fully loaded and had awful luck with the transmission (replaced), electrical system (gremlins everywhere), and bad squeaks and rattles etc. I bought a 00 Accord EXLV6 for the wife and a 00 Passat GLX for myself. While I like the Accord, wife loves it, I love my Passat, best car I've ever owned. While the Accord is a great transportation car, the Passat is truly a "drivers" car. Both have excellent visability and the best backseat room of any cars in this class. Good luck with your search, but I wouldn't even bother with the Galant. Yes, I know it's cheaper and gives you a lot of features, but you get what you pay for.
  • titopuentetitopuente Member Posts: 46
    Haven't been around for a while and this forum is sooo slow!!!

    DAmnit let me jump start it....

    #1 Accord
    #2 Passat
    #3 Camry

    Accord felt more sporty than the Passat...the Passat leans more, and the Accord felt like it had more power even though they have the same power....probably its the Accord's 150 lb/ft torque peak @ 2750 rpm (as stated in another forum) and another VTEC peak 152 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm...nice!

    Passat has nicer interior look, but not ergonomics.

    ACCORD is the best of the 3 IMO....actually it is the best of the 3.
  • genes555genes555 Member Posts: 10
    seems as though the transmission problems with the accord are more serious than we thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    there was someone reporting transmission failure with an accord ex v6 with production date 04/2000 and the car only had 30 miles on it!!! and sure enough the owner noticed a clunk after she bought her car!!!!!!!!

    numerous owners have been reporting oil leaks, transmission leaks, misfires, speedometers being off, harsh shifting, transmission whine, various rattles and squeaks, engines conking out at 70 mph, fuel boilover problem, high road and wind noise and the list goes on and on with new cars that cost $25,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    and numerous owners have reported failure with their older model(94-97) accord that are failing due to various causes including rocker arm failure.... i guess the high revving nature of honda engines does take its toll on metal......

    after all the indy(champ) cars do go fast but the engines barely last 500 miles and often times not even that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    and they get rebuilt after almost every race!!!

    here's the link... that shows the owner of the accord( production date 04/2000) whose transmission failed at 30 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i think it was post #470. also #482 is related to it.

    the following is topic #1886 in the Smart Shopper forum called

    'honda accord issues'

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/engaged/edmund.cgi?t=1886&c=Smart_Shopper&w=E

    then there are the forums in the Maintenance forum #720 that has owners talk about quality problems with the honda accord called

    'does honda really live up to its name'

    in the first post #0 you will find an owner of a 1998 honda accord ex v6 whose transmissions failed at 30,000 miles along with a plethora of other problems....

    then 3 posts later in post #3 you will find a 4 cylinder accord owner whose car failed at 5500 miles and the car was only 3 months old!!!!!!!!!!

    (note: the oracle setup at edmunds will only let you go foward to the end of a certain topic so you may have to go forward 40 topic then back, to see post #3, or you can just put in #3 in the goto box)

    here it is...

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/engaged/edmund.cgi?
    c=Maintenance&f=0&t=720&q=0-

    but the thing that blows me away is the fact that the regional office and american honda assured him that a new transmission would be put in when indeed a remanufactured( read: some else's broken tranny: used) tranny was put in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i mean the sounds like he is beside himself with rage that
    honda lied to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    there was another owner whose tranny was replaced that was told by the service manager of the dealership that 28 remanufactured tranny's were on back order!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i wonder how many other customers were lied to or not told the truth..........

    so the honda accord transmission problems do go back to 1998 and does affect 4 cylinder models!!!!!! and recent (04/2000 production) accords as well.

    yeah isellhondas has been telling you otherwise but that not what the actual owners are saying. and besides he is a honda salesman so what is he gonna tell you???

    then there's another topic pertaining to the reliability or lack of it in the maintenance forum #903 called

    'HONDA ACCORD PROBLEMS'

    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/engaged/edmund.cgi?c=Maintenance&f=0&t=903&q=0-

    and the clunk that so many people are complaining about is not even clunk or jerk that one hears or feels when the gear is moved from P to R or D to R but rather an audible clunk that is heard and sometimes felt after the car has been moving 5 to 10 feet like one owner with a replaced tranny pointed out!!!!!!

    and this noise is known to happen when in drive as well!!!!!!!! then there's the issue of tranny whine and the shudder that won't go away!!!!!!!!
    along with numerous other problems!!!!!!!!!!

    check 'em out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i was flabbergasted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    Try to get an answer as to why Honda is not allowing recall/tsb data to be devulged to www.alldata.com thus the public?? Why are other manufactures letting consumers see this data? I called the number but was shifted here and there. Here is the link try yourself. http://www.alldata.com/includes/honda_notice.html
    No data for 1999/2000 Honda's, Hmmm...
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    I have found this site just today. Please tell me the previous post is a joke (as I suspect it is). I have a 99 Accord LX and absolutely love it. I have had several new cars in the last 7 years (Toyota, GM x2, Ford x4, saturn,) Not a single one has even come close to the quality and reliability of the Honda. I find the Accord is head and shoulders above the troublesome $35k fords and GM products I have owned. Yes it is plain, but d#!# Honda sure builds a great car! If you want something to really complain about, go out and spend $35-$40k on a piece of American Junk. You find yourself cruising wantingly by the Honda dealer on your way to the service dept for the domestic car (if it is running at all)!
  • AcuraGRLAcuraGRL Member Posts: 15
    sanandton: I also have a 99 Accord (EX 5-speed) and it is great. 30,000 miles and not one glitch.

    I do recommend replacing your factory spark plugs with Bosch Platinum +4's. I recently did this right before I took it to the dealer for the 30,000 mile service and it makes a big difference. I also use Synthetic oil. Not sure if it makes much difference but I have used it in every car I've owned.
  • jmb979jmb979 Member Posts: 1
    Right on jin_satx!

    This person who went on and on about how unreliable Honda's are must be a big Ford, GM or "something" lover. I currently own a '91 Accord and totally love the car. It never really gave me problems and never broke down on me withing the 132,000 miles I put on it. In about a year or so, I am considering on buying a new car. My top choices are the Passat and the Accord, since I prefer sporty-handling cars. The Passat does seem pricey and the dealers do not make deals since it is a high ranked car. However as the case may be, I might buy another Accord. Then again, I may wait for the replacement for the Acura Integra. I'll just have to wait and see!
  • lillady1lillady1 Member Posts: 1
    First of all I want to say thank you to EVERYONE in this forum. I am an 18 year old female who currently owns a 1992 Honda Accord (I have had it for 4 years now) that I am personally in love with. However, my mother owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. For the past few hours I have been jumping for web site to web site in search of helpful information. I am now contemplating buying a new car or at least a newer model car. The three cars I have been interested in are Camry, Corrola, or another Honda. After reading all the posting in this forum and in several other forums, I have come to the conclusion to buy another Honda Accord. I am looking for a car with reliability and good performance. I am, also looking for a car that can handle long trips, because I do travel. All in all, I just wanted to say that I have little to no knowledge about cars in general, but after reading these postings I feel confident enough to say it will definately be an Accord. Once again, to EVERYONE in here...Thank you. The knowledge that you have bestowed on me within such a short period of time is astounding. Sincerely, Lillady1

    PS to any other females within this forum: I hope you don't find my name offensive, it is just that when I first entered this forum that is how I felt like a little lady but now I feel much more confident. Thank you.
  • gpwgpw Member Posts: 2
    I would like to buy a Honda Accord EX 4 cylinder, and have considered a 4 cyl. Camry as well. I would prefer a manual transmission if I can find one. I would appreciate comments on wether or not you folks feel that a 4 cyl. engine is sufficient for this size car. I don't need to burn rubber, but I want to be able to feel like my car has enough gusto to pull out in traffic, pass, etc. Thank you.
  • AcuraGRLAcuraGRL Member Posts: 15
    gpw: I have an Accord 4 cylinder with a 5-speed and feel that is has more than enough power for everyday driving. I have never felt that it didn't have enough power to pull out in traffic or to merge at highway speeds.

    I can't comment on a Camry 4 cylinder 5-speed because I have never driven one. However, if I am not mistaken the 5-speed is EXTREMELY hard to find in the Camry. Accord's seem to be a little easier to come by with a manual transmission.
  • gpwgpw Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your help! Actually, I am 95% certain that I will be getting an Accord and not the Camry, due to previous good luck with Honda's. Where I live it is hard to find 5 speed Accords also (maybe because we live in a retirement area), so I will probably have to order one.

    If anyone else has comments on this topic, I would appreciate them.
  • youmsyoums Member Posts: 2
    I love my new 2000 Passat GLS w/Auto, although I have been happy with my 95 Accord LX! It has been 28 days / 1300 miles since I bought The Passat. Before making the purchase decision, I test-drove Accord V6 and Camry V6. The Camry is simply too expensive for what it is and feels too cheap inside, the seats are very uncomfortable. Having been a loyal Honda owner in the past 15 years (2 Civics and 2 Accords), I found the new Accord not really a whole lot better than my ‘95 Accord. The auto transmission is too jerky, even for V6. Too much wind noises, too.

    I was not so impressed when I first test-drove Passat. I bought it because of its standard features, a lot of car for the money. But as days go by, the more I drive, the more I like it. Smooth, excellent seats, powerful, and quiet. I tested the brakes in one windy and stormy night. The car stopped straight and short from high speed. Excellent!

    But, I wish the VW quality control could be as outstanding as Honda’s. The MPG display in the MFD has been out of order after just 3 days. It went crazy! Sometimes goes up to 140, even 200 miles per gallon! Although it really has no effect to the driving performance, but everything should work as it is supposed to, period. The fabric of the seats is too easy to trap lint; there is no small compartment for tokens and changes; the cup holders are a joke. No big deal, but an amazing car like this should not let details like these escape.

    For 5 years, I had ZERO trouble with my ‘95 Accord. Let’s see if this Passat can be as reliable.
  • chrisneechrisnee Member Posts: 11
    I have a 98 Accord LX 4 Cylinder, automatic. There is more than enough power in this car. When passing or merging into freeway, I just step on the gas a little harder, the engine revs to 3000-3500 rpm and off it goes. I believes that rpm range is where the peak torque is, allowing the car to accelerate quite nicely. A V-6 would be nice, but an I-4 in this car is more than adaquate.
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    Have a 99 LX. Find the engine quite peppy. Acceleration is quick. Equally quick in passing at freeway speeds. Never a concern about merging or pulling into traffic from a stop. Only notice the typically "quiet as a sewing machine" engine gets noticeably louder under full pressure on the gas pedal.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    I just bought a 99 LX 5spd and this car goes. Once it reaches about 25-30 you can feel the engine open up and start to breath. My wife and I test drove a Jetta and it was nice and solid. But interior room and options were pretty sparse.. The Passat was way out of our price range.
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    I have both a 00 Accord EXLV6 and a 00 Passat GLX.
    The Accord is the wife's car and the Passat mine. While I like the Accord, great value for the $$$$$, I love my Passat. The two cars are really different, just goes to show Japanese thinking versus German thinking. Yes the Passat uses better materials and the fit and finish is the best I've ever seen in a car in this price class. There are numerous things better on the Passat, such as the stereo, memory power seats, rain sensor wipers,trunk Hinges, auto trans, ride and handling, solidity, etc. etc. That said, the Passat should be better, it cost me $4500 more than the Accord. Both fine cars, but the Passat is just a dream.
  • ritzillaritzilla Member Posts: 1
    Hi Folks! My name is Ricahrd, and I am diligently
    trying to research a used Volkswagon I've had my
    eye on all week! Presently I'm weighing my options
    between a 1991 Accord EX and a 1993 VW Passat GLS VR6
    "Special Anniversary Edition"? Does anyone have
    info pertaining to this particular VW model. The
    only models I've discovered for that year are the
    GL or the GLX - and nowhere have I found info on
    the VR6 for that year, not to mention the existance
    of an Anniversaty edition. Any news would be much
    appreciated by me and my wife.
  • pjdonnellypjdonnelly Member Posts: 7
    My cars are not new. So this response is for those who own newer Accords and Camrys and want an idea of what to expect if they hold on to them for a while. I had a '92 Camry XLE 4 cylinder, purchased new. It had 150,000 miles on it when it was totalled last year in a highway accident. Both my wife and I walked away without a scratch, so I have nothing but praise for its crashworthiness. Absent that accident, I believe I'd have kept the car another 2-3 years, or until 200,000. Had not a single problem with it. One of the best cars I ever owned.

    My other car is a '95 Accord EX 5-speed coupe, purchased new. Car has 93,000 miles in over 5 years. Not a single problem; I've done nothing other than routine maintenance. But for the dings, dents and scrapes that come with parking at the malls, this car could pass for new. I still get anywhere from 31 to 34 miles per gallon, something I'm much more conscious of now with gas going for $1.50. The seats are confortable, car handles the road exceptionally well. My wife and daughter think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm keeping this car another 10 years. By then I should still be under 300,000. I think this car just might do it.

    So, all you owners of "00 Camrys and Accords, you got yourselves cars that will go the distance. Treat 'em right and enjoy.
  • pjdonnellypjdonnelly Member Posts: 7
    Richard, just read your post about which to buy - '91 EX or '93 Passat. Look at my posting, #354, and consider this additional information. My daughter leased a '95 VW Jetta "Celebrity Edition" for 3 years while in college. Don't ask me what "Celebrity Edition" means - probably much the same thing as "Special Anniversary Edition". I think it only refers to the wording on the nameplate they stick on the side of the car. Anyway, the car had electrical problems, sunroof problems, went through tires like I couldn't believe. I drove it a couple times and, while it was quick and cozy, it was noisy, turned at revs about 500 rpms higher than my Accord at similar highway speeds. Granted, we're talking Jetta, not Passat. But they're both VWs. At the end of its 3 years, the Jetta looked good but ran tired. I don't think it has the staying power to be a good used car. Just an opinion from a happy Honda owner.
  • lmtodd1lmtodd1 Member Posts: 6
    I have a 93 Accord LX Tenth Anniversary addition with 122,000 miles and it still runs great. I expect to get over 200,000 miles of driving out of it. On April 30, 2000 I bought a 2000 Accord EX four cylinder automatic. The car has several refinements over the 93 Accord, specifically in the way the transmission shifts. The quietness and the steering response are outstanding also. The only negative I have experienced is the stiffness(or firmness) of the driver's seat. I have some back problems and it makes my back a little sore on long drives. I have a little over 2,000 miles on the car and find that the seat is "breaking in" a little, but not as much and as soon as I would like it to. Has anyone else experienced discomfort with their driver's seat or did I just get one with a really firm seat?
  • tbear53tbear53 Member Posts: 4
    I've never driven a Honda before today, when I tested a '00 Accord EX v6 coupe. The car was very responsive, the ride was VERY firm, the car had a feeling of luxury... BUT... there was considerably more wind noise and road noise than I expected, the sound system was soso (didn't really have a chance to play with it much).
    My questions: Is wind/road noise characteristic of these cars? I'm not an audiophile, but spend 20+ hours/week in my car and a good stereo is key. Will I be disappointed? Have decided to test drive another one for sake of comparison and to spend some more time with the car. Probably most important, what kind of deal can I expect to get in the Chicago area. Dealer's initial price was $1450 over invoice, I'd buy at $300 over but don't know if that's realistic on Hondas in this area. Thanks in advance for your input.
    P.S. Spent some time reviewing this topic and really enjoyed the back and forth.
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    I have noticed at least 3 recent post re: wind noise. It seems that they are all with the coupe. I have a sedan LX 99 year and do not notice the wind noise mentioned. I have owned 10 different vehicles in the last 10 years and my Accord is much quieter. Some of the previous mentioned vehicles were the most luxurious in their line. None were Lexus, infinti, or BMW though. I guess my question is.. Does the Air noise problem occur only on the coupes, or does it also happen on some Sedans?
  • markz2kmarkz2k Member Posts: 112
    I took a new Accord Sedan (EXV6) for an extended (3.5 hour) test drive yesterday. I too noticed wind noise that seemed like a lot. After returning the Accord and driving my 626 home, I realized mine had probably just as much wind noise, but never noticed it because it has more road noise than the Accord.

    I'm going to get the Accord, hopefully this week, but have to sell my car first. The amount I was offered as a trade was completely unacceptable.

    They must want to move some inventory, cause I was able to get them to match CarsDirect.com's price, which is under invoice! (So. CA)

    I wanted to compare it with Camry, but the toyota dealers have been unwilling to let me take an extended test-drive on my own. (I can't learn enough about the car in a 10-minute test drive with a salesperson talking about the car the whole time.) So, based on a couple of short drives in a Camry, and that a similarly equipped Camry is $3000 more than the Accord, looks like the Accord wins! (And so do I)

    It's kind of funny, cause when I first started looking, I was mainly considering Camry. I started seriously considering Accord after reading all the posts here on Edmunds about how great it was. After driving it, I gave it much more consideration!
  • jbratterjbratter Member Posts: 15
    tbear53,
    From all the postings I've read lately (hundreds!), there seems to be a common thread about the wind noise. However, it may also be due to everything else being a little quieter. Shouldn't be a significant issue. Regarding sound system, Honda's system is absolutely terrible. Rear speakers are pathetic. No dynamic range whatsoever. That said, you could probably replace the rear speakers with a higher quality pair and be happy. It's not the system, its the speakers (door speakers are good, though?!?). Just my $0.02...
  • jbratterjbratter Member Posts: 15
    I was debating the Accord Coupe vs Toyota Solara, but the wife put the kabash on me getting a coupe... Now that I have to look at sedans, Passat enters the picture. I'm not a fan of the Camry interior styling, so its between accord and passat. Can anyone tell me if Passat can be had at or around invoice, and if so, how much more does that put it above accord. Basically, I'm looking at accord se (4 cyl).
    Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    Just spent the whole weekend with the wife's 00 Accord EXLV6 and it's a terrific car. I liked this car when I bought it and 5 months later I still like it. There is no more "preceptable" wind and road noise in the Accord than any other car in it's price class. You want to hear "noise", drive a 626, Altima, or, Galant. As for the road noise, most of it comes from the Mich MXV4 all season tires, which are good tires but noisy. As for the stereo, I agree with jbratter, good unit, better if you replace the rear speakers, which is not a big deal or expensive to do. My Accord has been flawless, no tranny probs, smooth V6, good handling, no squeeks or rattles, etc. etc. For the dollars I spent, 22,500 +TTL for a fully loaded EXLV6 Sedan, the Accord is a best buy in a crowded field. It many not be all that my 00 Passat GLX is, however, similiarly equipped, it was 5K less than the Passat making it a damn good "bargin".
  • writetome1999writetome1999 Member Posts: 1
    What is a good price for a Accord EX V6? I see the the post above stating $22,500. Is that with or without destination charge? How much over invoice should I expect to pay for this car?
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    Invoice cost on an Accord EXLV6 is $22,255 which includes the destination charges. There have been some posts about below invoice pricing of 21 to 22K, but I don't know what areas and wether they are "bait and switch" ads. I paid 22,500 back in FEB., but I've been in the business and basically had to use the same dirty tactics on the dealer that he used on me. Try for a price between invoice and 500 over. If you have good credit or large downpayment this should be easy. Be careful of dealer "adds", such as paint sealent, dealer prep, fabric protection, etc.. They are all dealer profit and should not be paid for. Also, read all your documents carefully, my dealer tried to sneak in an extra 399 for dealer fees on my purchase order. Be wise and careful and you can get a good deal. If a dealership feels "creepy", it's probably a sleazeball dealership. If you must, get a price, but go buy it somewhere else. Simply take the price from this dealership and "shop" it, somebody will beat it. If you get a fair price and treatment from a dealer, don't hesistate to buy then and there. Saving a 100 just to shop it is not fair to the "good" dealerships, they deserve your business. You will probably get better service from this type of dealership and save more than 100 in the long run.

    Good Luck
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    I've a '98 Accord with 43K miles. As far as wind noise goes, I hear it only when,
    1. It's gusty outside.
    2. I'm going too fast (80+ mph).

    Road noise is little more pronounced but depends on the surface type. Perhaps the Michelins don't like concrete surfaces or roads that have not been re-surfaced for years. These look like hard tires, but will last longer than most. My car's tires will ask for rest in about 15-20K miles from now! That's about 60K miles from the original set of tires.

    I have taken several long distance trips (from as little as 200 miles one way to 1200 miles one way), and the car is comfortable, responsive and fuel efficient (31-32 mpg on highway, in Dallas, averages 25-26 mpg depending on weather). I LIKE THE SEATS, so does my wife. They can be better, but not in terms of firmness, rather thigh support. Rear seat is extremely comfortable. I have not driven an Accord with cloth seats so can't say about it.

    I think invoice price on EXV6 must be around $22.5K, which is what I would had paid in October '97, instead I picked four cylinder model. LXV6 is about $2K less. This was when the car was new and there was no waiting time. Couple of months later (after my purchase), Accord V6 was in high demand, and selling at MSRP. Not sure if that continues in any way. Good luck.

    '98 Accord EX (black/Leather/auto)/42.9K flawless miles
    '00 Prelude (black/5-speed) / 9K fabulous miles
  • tbear53tbear53 Member Posts: 4
    ... for your input. Could you elaborate on dealer tactics and effective buyer negotiations you mentioned in post #364. Or point me to a forum/topic where I can learn more if you know of one.
  • biddaddybiddaddy Member Posts: 2
    Have a 99 accord, to be honest, after 1 year driving, seems like the "wind noise" is not that obvious to me. The "Road Noise" is. Other than that, great car. Already got 16,000 miles on the odo. Not a single glitch. Except the remote sometimes fail me :*-(

    Always been a honda fan, this is my 2nd accord.
  • titopuentetitopuente Member Posts: 46
    I live in Toronto and I've had my Accord SE for just over 3 months now. I can say that I haven't much to complain about...if any at all. I am completely surprised with the performance of its 4 cyl. it seems to continuously pull and on the highway it feels like the car is on rails, the steering is so secure and the suspension and everything else really allow you to feel the road. I am not saying that the Accord is in any way a road rager, but it is an extremeley competent car nevertheless. For the family sedan category, the Accord is one of the best performers, the Maxima is probably the "funner to drive" car but only in the V6 category. In the 4 cyl. category I am quite confident that the Accord is the king of the hill.

    oh yeah...I do have 2 complaints about the Accord
    1) there is a strange tendency for it to fog up on the inside, but a quick application of rain-x anti-fog solves the problem.

    2)being an 18 year-old testosterone driven kid, this car does not attract any attention from the chics...unless I roll down my window....>-)
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    Your complaints tito:
    1. Try keeping the 'circulation' button on fresh air instead of re-circulating it.
    2. Unfortunately, to keep the windows rolled up and yet have them look at you (or was it your car?), is possible in a few ways that Accord cannot fulfil… the car has to either look terribly ugly or nice looking, and in either case, it should be rare (which can also take care of price tag at times!).
    But there was a news item on NBC in Dallas area a few months ago, as to what is the easiest way to get a 'date'. A good looking man was given the chance on camera to try a few things, and get phone numbers.
    1. A toddler.
    2. A Golden Retriever
    3. A Jaguar XK8.

    Guess what yielded the best results. In fact, exactly the same order. XK8 yielded no response, Golden retriever helped getting four numbers, and the baby helped in 7!
  • cmacfarcmacfar Member Posts: 1
    I have recently test driven two accord ex's with over 100,000 thousand miles on them and have found they run great and do indeed have a very spirited 4 cylinder. I recently sold my Porsche 944 which also had a 4 cylinder and fell that the engine in the accord does not sound half as cool as mine did but it runs much smoother and fells like it has almost as much power and they are awesome on the highway. They run smooth, did not notice lot of wind noise and the gearing is great on the 5 spd.
  • groundhoggroundhog Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 2000 Accord EX V6...I know that cars are built to run best using gas of a certain octane level. The manual says 86 or higher...can anyone out there tell me from experience what grade gasoline I should be using?

    Also, I've heard that it's wise to change the transmission fluid on a new car after about 5k miles (my brother did it on a new Sienna and the fluid was almost black after 7k miles)...can anyone comment on this advice?

    Thanks.
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    My 00 Accord EX V6 runs just fine on regular grade 87 octane unleaded gas. If your car pings, mine doesn't, move up to mid-grade 89 octane, anything higher is just a waste of money. As for fluid changes.

    1) Follow the recommended service intervals in the owners manual. I doubt that there is a trans fluid change required before 24K miles, it would be crazy to do it before. Absolute waste of money at 7K miles.
    2) Do not perform the first oil change before the mileage/time recommended in the manual. Most cars now use some sort of break-in oil to "seat" the engine and this oil should not be changed before it is necessary. All this talk about having to change oil/filter every 3K miles is B.S. perpetrated on us by the Jiffy Lubes of the world.
    3) If you don't believe me, call your Honda dealer and talk to the service manager. He will tell you the same thing.
  • tbear53tbear53 Member Posts: 4
    Just got my July issue of Consumer Reports, comparing Passat GLS, Accord 3.0 EX, Galant V6 ES, 626 LS V6. Rated Passat first by a hair over Accord, altho all 4 are CR 'recommended'.

    Selected excerpts:
    "Passat V6...upper crust lineage shows clearly...its overall sense of solidity and refinement".
    "IF the Passat could pass for an Audi, the Honda Accord could pass for an Acura TL. The Accord is roomy, refined, comfortable, and quick, with capable handling and a compliant, nicely controlled ride. But its transmission isn't as smooth as the Passat's and road noise is more pronounced.
    Passat 'Highs': Comfort, quiet, roominess, handling, safety. 'Lows': Storage space in cabin, premium fuel, price.
    Accord 'Highs': Visibility, handling, roominess, price. 'Low': Road noise

    CR faults the Passat for having virtually no storage in the cabin, glove box barely has room for the owner's manual and the cupholders are too shallow. Mirror controls and cruise control are 'awkward'.

    "The Accord lags slightly behind the Passat in several areas." "The Accord features a deep glove compartment and assorted bins, map pockets and pouches." "The controls are logical and mostly convenient." "The automatic climate control system works powerfullly, quickly, and quietly." In a photo sidebar: "The Accord has a sound system and climate controls that are well designed and easy to use."

    Obviously I'm taking liberties with CR's article to make a point. In the areas that matter to me, the Accord is a better car. I think the Passat's interior is unrefined -- I think American car when I see it -- while the Honda's is near luxury, IMHO. The Passat's exterior styling is more eye catching than the Accord, but once you're sitting behind the wheel, how much does it really matter what the car looks like on the outside? I need places to put my 'stuff' so it doesn't end up all over the car, ESPECIALLY beverages.

    YES, I like the Accord much more than the Passat.

    As for mergers... < just kidding ;-) > although I have yet to experience first hand a corporate merger that came anywhere close to achieving the benefits touted up front.
    Sorry this turned out to be so long !!!
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    I bought both a 00 Accord EXLV6 and a 00 Passat GLX two weeks apart back in late jan, early feb. While the Accord is a fine car and great people hauler, the Passat is a great car for pure driving pleasure. Believe me, I live with both cars on a daily basis, the Accord is good, but it can't hold a candle to the Passat. Don't judge the Passat by it's cupholders or glove box. Just get inside and feel the quality and solidity, then drive it. If you don't believe the Passat is more car than the Accord, go buy a Daewoo because you just don't know sq**t about fine driving cars, but a lot about cupholders gloveboxes and "stash" bins.
  • hiflyerhiflyer Member Posts: 79
    Although the Accord's interior may be somewhat more "pleasant" looking than that of the Passat's, it's a real stretch to state that the Passat's interior is not refined. The quality of materials, the precise operational feel of the switches, fit of components and the "way cool" night-time illumination of the dash and interior controls (even in the back seat) are among the features that make the Passat much more refined IMHO than that of the Accord. (I hated to touch some of the interior controls in the Accord out of fear of breaking them. Overall though, the Accord's interior exuded a good to very good quality feel versus that of being excellent for the Passat.)
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    Like I said, I own both cars and the Passat interior in both material quality and fit and finish is much better than the Accord. Don't get me wrong, the Accord is a fine car, but the Passat is really much better. I could make a long list of differences, but if you have driven both cars, especially fully loaded models like the Accord EXLV6 and Passat GLX you already know the differences, and, other than cabin storage and cupholders they all favor the Passat. I even think the Passat is better than the Accord relative, the Acura TL. That all said, the Passat should be better, it cost me $4500 more than the Accord and I had to beat the "crap" out of the VW dealer just to get it that close.

    If you can afford the difference between the Accord and the Passat, buy the Passat. I bought the wife the Accord because she is in sales and will beat a car to death in 4 years so I had a 23K budget. I refuse to spend more than that for a work car that will be driven to death. As I explained to my wife, it beats a Taurus. As for the Passat, it's our pleasure and driving car. I could have bought another Accord or TL, but the second I drove the Passat I had to have it.

    P.S. - The Camry was out of the question. I refuse to buy a Buick even if it is a well made Japanese Buick.
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    Hiflyer:
    Just out of curiosity, which interior control(s) did you find in Accord that felt fragile. Haven't seen any of them so far with 43K miles on odometer, and would love to know if I can avoid something breaking off!
  • titopuentetitopuente Member Posts: 46
    haha
    that was funny!
    I never would have known that the Jag yielded no responses, I'd have thought of the order the other way!
    Well, I can't count on the looks of the Accord to attract any attention then...It's all up to me, which is why I'd have to roll down the window.

    I am very impressed with the interior of my Accord SE. The plastic feels nice and is EASY to use. The Passat had better seat cloth, but this year's Accord SE has nice cloth too...an improvement from last year's cloth, at least I think so. The material is the same, but the 2000 cloth FEELS much nicer.
  • tbear53tbear53 Member Posts: 4
    Jin Satx, if anyone is in a position to compare the two, you are. You've convinced me to take another, closer look at the Passat.
  • manchuzamanchuza Member Posts: 6
    I couldn't agree more with the poster above who said that what matters is what happens when you get behind the wheel--That's why I think the Passat is a better car than the Accord.

    The Accord feels like a family sedan that is trying to be something more--a la "TL" or otherwise. However, the Passat has the handling and feel of a much more expensive German luxury car--firm grip to the road, and roomy, too. Just upgrade your tires to 16" and see what you get! Believe me, I've owned VW, BMW, AND Honda--Honda has many strong points. But, if you are a driving enthusiast and want a car that is capable of doing what you are, without breaking the bank, the Passat is a great choice.
  • scape2scape2 Member Posts: 4,123
    What about reliability? Isn't VW kind of low on the food chain? Go to JD powers and see where VW sits. And we have the price difference between a loaded V6 XE Accord and a V6 Passat. Isn't the Acura TL more of a match?
    I come in at the lower end of this market. Wife and I just bought a 00 Accord LX 5spd, with remote entry/alarm and spoiler. We test drove the Jetta. Upon sitting in the Jetta we immediatly noticed the lack of space, compartments, pockets, ect.. The Jetta was very solid, handled great too... styling was outstanding. Room, was the sticking point. We needed a larger family sedan. The salesperson took us over to a Passat, Sticker shock!! We walked out. Upon more investigation into long term reliability Honda won every where I looked.
    VW wins the styling war no doubt, maybe a slight edge in interior feel. I must stress I am not trying to put VW down, they make very nice looking vehicles..
  • lxcargolxcargo Member Posts: 1
    Just received the latest issue of Consumer reports and what you say is valid. The VW is not as high on reliability as Accord. But, VW (Passat) does make a really beautiful car which by the way is considerably higher priced than Honda Accord.

    I guess I am just into reliability. They can put in all the features they want but my main concern is all about keeping my wallet intact and in my pocket.

    rd
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. I just wanted you to really drive both cars again and give them a hard objective look as to what you want from a car. My wife needed a nice, well appointed mid-size car, with good visablity (she's short and the Accord is great for short drivers), and decent ride and handling characteristics. I purchased her the Accord because it met this criteria better than anything else we looked at in that 23K price range. The Taurus was IMHO not up to par, I wouldn't touch anything put together, if you call it that, by GM and the Toyota was a "wallow bucket" and more expensive in XLEV6 trim. I've always had "drivers" cars with 5sp transmissions, but my age, bad knees, and daily commute dictated an automatic this time. I looked at the TL, too much like the Accord, BMW 323i, too much at dealer asking price of 35K, Mercedes C230, nice but not a "real Mercedes, Maxima, didn't like the styling or ride with the se 17" handling package, Volvo V40, just a Ford Mitsu joke, etc. etc. Then I drove the Passat and fell in love. Paid 27,300 for a fully loaded V6 GLX with tiptronic auto and consider it a bargin basement Audi A4. Doesn't handle quite as well as the A4, but it's larger and somewhat more refined. Besides in V6 form it's about 6K cheaper and in my price range.
    Drive both the Accord and Passat again. The Accord is best in it's price class if you are looking for a family car that's got some pizzazz, above average ergonomics, and decent ride and handling characteristics. However, if you are looking for a "drivers" car with a real "smile" factor at an affordable price you will love a Passat.

    P.S. - as for reliability, both my Accord and Passat have been perfect. Also, consumers upgraded the reliability on the V6 Passat to acceptable based on 1999 numbers, and I can vouch that the 00 model is even better.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I'm considering the 1.8T Passat and the 4cyl Accord (Also the S40).

    I've priced out the EX Accord and the 1.8T Passat. It comes out to about 2K more for the Passat.

    So far I have the Passat in the lead. It also costs more too. It comes with more features/better features. It also comes with a 5spd tip compared to a 4spd, as well as traction control (the tip is a nice "extra" for us people who HAVE to get an auto).

    Something more important than features is the safety(especially for a family car). The Passat has a higher rankings in the gov's test (5 stars vs 4 stars) as well as higher in the IIHS test.

    Another plus factor for me is the 1.8T. I have no problem with aftermarket mods and the 1.8T has many chip upgrades(with huge gains).

    I find the interiors different, but equally pleasing. exterior: the Accord is a very good looking car, and the Passat is very beautiful

    Gas mileage is similar Passat 24/31 vs 25/31 mpg

    I've driven the Passat, but have yet to drive the 4cyl Accord (driven a V6), this will be a late year decision(to get the 2001 models)
  • jin_satxjin_satx Member Posts: 40
    Skip the S40, it's really not a Volvo, but a Ford/Mistsu joint venture. Car was actually designed by Mitsu and Mitsu sells its version in Europe. I priced one and don't be deceived by the initial advertised price. By the time you put the options on the car you need, it's over 28K. Believe me, there are no 23K S40's to be found. If you want to spend 28K buy a Passat GLX 4 Motion, it's a bargin basement Audi Quattro.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I actually have an Audi quattro now...an A6, but for various reasons I'll be selling it at the end of the year(Love the car though).

    I haven't driven the S40 yet, but the price does seem to get higher than a similarly equipped Passat.

    I'm not too concerned with Ford's input(they did pretty good with Jag), but from what I've read (mags and here) the quality/reliability isin't up to par with other Volvos.
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