Older Honda Accords

rhard49

torque steer happens at any speed. My issue with it was it was unexpected. I'm sure after owning it for a short period of time you know how to compensate for it. I have owned 6 cars over hte last 10 years BMW's Maxima's Acura's and none of these were ad pronounced

gee35coupe

In a 240 hp car. Especially not MY kids if I had em. I'd get them a Civic. That's irresponsible.

spleck

I had never had a FWD car powerful enough to know what torque steer was. Heard about it from a Maxima owner who went to BMW to get away from it. I test drove a 2003 Maxima and I was shocked by it. Extremely pronounced at takeoff, only noticed it at speed slightly, after shifting and stomping (manual transmission though!). I've driven 2 V6 Accords and couldn't get any torque steer. I suspect the 3k mile test model you drove may have issues from abuse by 100-300 test drives--maybe alignment, tire pressures, etc.

stretchsje

240hp or a 115hp Civic, they can still go to unsafe speeds. One just gets better mileage while driven recklessly.

Torque steer is almost inevitable in a FWD car, particularly in torquey ones. Anyone who thinks the Accord is bad should drive an Altima.

Torque steer usually happens as a reaction to sudden throttle on a launch. Once the car is moving, acceleration becomes linear, and while it can still torque-steer, it shouldn't be as strong. You can get a reverse torque steer by engine braking, too.

It sounds to me like the car isn't balanced and one wheel is losing its grip before the other. If only the right wheel looses it's grip, the wheel will jerk left, correct?

diploid

"torque steer happens at any speed. My issue with it was it was unexpected."

Torque steer does not happen at any speed. It is common for it to occur very early on, but at 20mph and up, there shouldn't be any torque steer. You're confusing it with something else that could've been wrong with the car.

You mentioned that it corrected itself - if you're free, go out and test a FWD vehicle by stomping on the accelerator from a stand still. You'll experience torque steer and it's not going to correct itself the way you described the Accord correcting itself. Whatever direction the tires pull you, you'll continue in that direction unless you steer the car in the path you want.

gee35coupe

Excess power can be dangerous a very low speeds. It doesn't take very high speed to do harm/damage.

charliecar

pj23, aming, cds12 -- thanks for your comments. I am quite sure I was looking at '03's, because I've been shopping extensively for one. Perhaps there's some regional variation -- I'm near Philadelphia, PA. cds12, you're also in PA and saw the same thing I did. But pj23, I see you're in NY, not far away, and you saw the opposite. I haven't checked which factory each car comes from, but I'd sure like to be able to get the light characters on dark. One salesman told me he'd never seen it. Now I know that I can at least ask for it!

bowke28

for starters, all accords, no matter where they are built, have the same components.

the display on all the radio displays are white (or a little off-white) characters on a dark gray background. this is on all accords from dx all the way up to the exv6. even in the navi, the display above the navi screen is white on black.

i dont know what you were looking at, but it was definitely not a 2003 accord.

bamacar

Wrong. I think you need to take a tour of your car lot and look at ALL the products. CD changer cars have white numerals on the black background as you say. Take a look at a DX or LX with the single CD player. Whoops! black numerals on a white background. I see mine everyday. Different components on different cars. CD changers versus Single CD players.

charliecar

bowke28,

   I believe I've seen in previous posts that you are a dealer, so I'm sure you know what you see. With all due respect, however, the salesmen I have spoken to insist just as firmly that they've never seen the display you describe (even though it does appear in the 2003 Accord brochure!). And because I would prefer it, I've checked the display in their cars and asked the question rather often.

   Also, cds12 tells us in post #8527 (cds12 Jan 28, 2003 8:18pm) that the display was dark characters on light background in an LX test drive.

   I have a couple of photos that I took myself of Accord interiors at dealers. Unfortunately, none shows the radio actually turned on, but they do show the light screen when there's no navigation system. I will trim down their size, put them up on the web, and put links here when they're ready.

bamacar

Don't know if this is okay to post. But here is a try.

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_040410

pj23

I think all I've seen are EX displays, so perhaps the difference is as bamacar said. And I guess the picture is the proof!

charliecar

Bamacar's picture is wonderful because it has the radio turned on, and his distinction between the changer and non-changer models makes sense, but I've been looking exclusively at EX's, which all have the changer (if I understand correctly - I haven't actually tried to load them with CD's).

Here are links to three pictures of an EX without navigation (note the leather, the audio controls on the steering wheel, and brushed aluminum trim). The radio isn't on, but the screen is clearly light from all three angles. I have seen them when they ARE turned on, and the characters are dark.

EX Photo 1
EX Photo 2
EX Photo 3

bamacar

I have not driven an EX, so I was only assuming that the pictures I had seen of the EX were due to the changer vs. nonchanger. I just knew that the LX and DX models that I had seen (including mine) all had the dark letters on white.

Somebody with an EX-4 , EX-V6, and EX-Nav need to confirm what they have. Of course, if one of the dealer types could have a look at all the models, that would be great, too.

pj23

With a CD changer in the dash, and the display is white letters/graphics on a dark background.

Charliecar - those pictures that you posted look just like my display (although I think they were from an EX-V6). The background looks light because the radio is off and the sunlight is shining on the display. Check out photo 2 more closely - the background is not really white or light. You need to turn the radio or climate control on to see the white on dark.

cds12

Not all 2003 Accords have light characters on a dark background. The 2003 LX I test drove had Dark characters on a light background.

The light characters on a dark background look much better - IMHO

pj23

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_040424

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_040409

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_040395

Note that all pictures are from EX Accords, based on the dual-zone climate controls. The first is from a six-speed coupe, but the other two are from sedans, based on the wood and steering wheel.

gee35coupe

That makes the difference. Notice the lighter background pics have a smaller display.

1997montez34

My '03 LX has dark characters on a light background. No doubt about it.

communipaw

Going to your URL with Opera 6 brings up this messge:
Your Browser is Not Allowed at this site

bowke28

i stand corrected. i apologize to all. i guess i just assumed they were all white on dark. i guess my post was good for edmunds' traffic though...lol.

pat

communipaw -- that's the fault of the website, not the poster here. More than likely you'll have to use Netscape or IE.

mike2741

did you know that your cd's will unload if you hold down the eject button..even if you car is turned off..or the window is down?

dinu01

Yes. CDs unload when no key is in the ignition on most cars, but you cannot load them.

Dinu

mike2741

did you know that your cd's will unload if you hold down the eject button..even if you car is turned off..or the window is down?

bowke28

that is by design...ford had a problem with the lincoln LS a couple years ago, where if the car or battery died, they had to send the unit to alpine to have the cds removed, and most of the time, the owner never got them back. the changer/player now has a small power reserve so you can get them out in such a case.

bburton1

To get torque steer at say 50 mph IMHO would take an engine with a huge amount of torque-well beyond anything honda sells. The engine torque would have to overcome the vehicle direction and stability of the tires/wheels and all that other running gear. Take some really healthy detroit iron to do that IMHO. Comments.

diploid

A little late to the party bburton, but you're absolutely correct.

diploid

For those who still haven't caught it, the C&D comparison is now online.

 http://makeashorterlink.com/?W1D722643

cwd200x

Bought Silver EXL-6 three weeks ago. As with other posters, I am growing with the new Accord style. Saw an identical car today (except it had a tail on top the trunk) in my office parking lot (I don't usually drive the car) and found out that car was very stylish. The tail made the style even more appealing (futuristic).

Two things I don't really like. Stiff ride and speakers. For stiff ride, I read lots of helpful postings from this board. Conclusion, it is the Honda way.

As for stereo, Honda offered no options to upgrade. Has any one had ever replaced the speakers on 2003 Accord? How big and the power of the speakers should be? Could not find any information about the speakers in the owner manual. Is Circuit City or Good Guy a good replace to look for, or there are some other places to shop? Just worry about the airbags if need to replace the speakers. Any information is greatly appreciated.

gee35coupe

The speakers in that car REALLY sucked.

moolman

If you're going to change your speakers out, don't get top of the line speaker unless your changing out the head unit, which is hard at the moment or add an amp. Very good speakers will sound like crap if you don't do those 2 things. I don't really have a specific recommendation but I found that crutchfield.com has good answers, call them up and they will suggest a good set. They will also recommend the mid to lower things in their catalog. But of course mid to lower things in the crutchfield catalog will blow away the factory speakers, usually.

Alex

charliecar

I notice that in the last few days, Edmunds' TMV's on the EX seem to be changing at least daily, and decreasing steadily. I'm wondering why. Is their "statistical model" responsive enough to pick up the "end-of-the-month-deals" phenomenon?

Perhaps a more important question is whether there really IS an end-of-the-month-deals phenomenon or not. The urban legend is that dealers drop prices to meet monthly quotas, but at least two salesmen have told me it isn't true ... that it depends more on inventory than the calendar. I could imagine that they may use the naturally occurring calendar deadline to increase sales pressure and change special financing offers, but do the cars' actual selling prices really go UP on the first of the next month?

cds12

no kidding?

charliecar

But wouldn't it serve their interests to tell me it IS true, to press for a quicker sale?

bowke28

it depends on volume nearing the end of the month...as for my dealership, the management is noticeably more flexible when we are short of our monthly average. (way short this month) but it all depends on the individual dealer/manager, and their current circumstances.

twinpower

I bought a 2002 EX (non-leather)late in 2002, and am still trying to get used to/comfortable in the driver's seat. The front part of the seat seems too firm and/or angled up too much... sometimes the support feels good, but most of the time it hurts. Although there is a height adjustment, there's no way to adjust the angle of the seat bottom. I think it would be fine if I could just tweak the angle a little and lower the front of the seat relative to the back. Anyone else experience this?

tblazer503

for the whole Hyundai Sonata/Honda Accord argument..

But here are my inputs...
1)resale:
  Honda Accord EX-L '00 new: 21,8 trade value now: ~13k
  Hyundai Sonata GLS '00 new: 18,5 trade value now: ~8k

2)safety:
  Honda has generally above average crash ratings
  Hyundai has generally average crash ratings

Perhaps it(honda) does cost 3k less off the floor, but in 3 years, it is worth 5k more? I don't worry too much about the warranty, because for the most part, any car can last 100k if you maintain it, and the manufacturer knows what they are doing. Honda also has longer service intervals than I have seen on Hyundai, so it would cost less to maintain, and the MPG ratings are better with Honda.

s852

I don't like Sonata much, but don't forget that the real world purchase price would include rebates and very heavy discounting on the Hyundai, so the actual depreciation may be less than your numbers indicate (unless you paid msrp or the same % off MSRP you would have paid for the Accord).
It is going be worth way less than an Accord at resale, but you should be paying way less at purchase time also due to gigantic discounts that should be available from an MSRP that is alreayd less than the Honda even before rebates and other discounting are considered.

confuseddesi

Any suggestions to maintain my Light grey leather interior ( Redondo Red exterior) is appreciated.

  Thx

mdwjcw

I'm am also interested in proper care for leather in a 2003 EX V6 Accord(currently on order for delivery soon). I believe some of the "leather" is actually leather, while some is imitation leather. Does anyone know which areas are leather and which are imitation, so I can use the proper product on each type surface?

Also, thanks to all who have been posting such informative info on the new Accord. It helped me to settle on the Accord. I had been considered an Audi A-4. Fewer and less serious problems, plus dealer location, were deciding factors.

robr2

...typically the seating surfaces are leather and the rest are vinyl. I treat all the same with a leather cleaner and conditioner about 4 times a year.

Good Luck.

bowke28

whenever a manufacturer offers rebates, the resale value of used models drops in proportion.

ie:$3000 rebate on a $20k ford ranger.=$17k or 15% less.
2 year old identical ranger with average miles has a trade value of around $10k. real world trade-in would be closer to $8500 (15% less).

the same thing happens with 0% and other incentives. thats one of the reasons why honda holds its value so well, and why honda is incentive-light.

moolman

The most simple way to to treat and clean with Lexol, Lexol can be found at most automotive stores (pep boys) or at numerous website, ie. autogeek.com and properautocare.com etc. You just need the cleaner and the conditioner, not the neatsfoot, unless you have cracked old leather. Use cleaner first of course and finish off with the conditioner, you can follow up with more conditioning every other month or more and clean only twice a year. The fake leather can be treated with the lexol, it won't harm it and will just be better for it. Vinylex made by Lexol is a good product for the dash and plastic. OF course there are many other brands but bottom line lexol does the best job at a fair price and easy to find and your leather will out last the car mechanics.

Alex

k103

I have a 98 Accord EX with original Michelins on them 195 65 15. I had a 92 Accord that I purchased a set of Artic Alpines 195 60 15. I have since sold this car, but have the tires. Does anyone know if I can put the Alpines on my 98 Accord even though they are 195 60 15's? Will this cause any problems? I would like to get one more winter out of these Alpines. Thanks for any input!!

dinu01

The only thing that will change is that you will have a bit (3mph or so) of a misreading in your speedometer. This is too little of a change to cause handling issues.

I went from the stock Poortenzas 195/55/R15 to Yokohama AVID Touring 195/60/R15 in my Protege last summer. No problems. Smooth sailing so far.

Dinu

stringreen

I am a musician and an audiophile...I was very disappointed in the stock unit when it was new. When I got the unit, both the treble and bass was boosted (much to the deleterious performance of the mids). I nulled everything out to 0 except for the fader adjusted so that I could hear the rear as well as the front speakers. It took a little time, and now that it's broken in, I think that the unit performs as well as any car unit I've heard. Be patient - don't rip anything out, spend lots of money and still not be any happier.

robertsmx

By going to the lower profile tire and keeping the same rim size, you'd be reducing the wheel diameter from 24.9 inch to 24.2. This will cause the engine to rev higher, for the same speed, by about 3%. So, at 60 mph, if the car today maintains 2300 rpm, it will go up about 2375 rpm. As for other effects, I believe Honda discourages use of a different size wheel as it could interfere with ABS. See if that is mentioned in the manual.

stringreen

Did you 03 Accord owners know that power stays on in the car after you turn off the key? Really nice when you realize that the windows or sunroof is still open after shutting the car down. Power goes off in a couple of minutes. ...also, if you leave the headlights on, it shuts itself off in a couple of minutes after you leave the car.

s852

This isn't new. The previous generation had this, at least in some Accord models, if not all.