Older Honda Accords

atlantabenny

If you upgrade cars periodically, the big downside for the 300M is its weak resale value, more so that for 2004 D-C will change it to the rear-drive platform currently in vogue. Accord's resale however should still be healthy for the remaining 4.5 years of its model life (or even after a model change, as characteristic of Accords).

According to Edmunds data, a used 99 (same-body) 300M sells for about $12k in the private-party market. At current TMV of $30k for a new 300M, you're seeing approximately a 60% depreciation over 4 years.

An Accord V6, on the other hand, shows $13k for a private sale of a 99 sedan / $24k TMV for a 2003 for a depreciation of 46% depreciation over 4 years.

In absolute dollars, potential depreciation loss after 4 years is $18k for a 300M and $11k for an Accord.

If you plow back that $7k differential into the 03 Accord's TMV of $24k, your budget instantly presents new $31k / slower-depreciating options other than the 300M. Or, consider an non-vehicle investment for the $7k that'll create even more value !

I guess I'll let you take it from here.

justin

anyone have any experience with the 03 sedan EX four cylinder with automatic? does it feel more powerful than the 02 EX auto? is it as smooth and efficient? i know a most people say BEWARE when buying a first model year car. i made that mistake with an 01 Civic EX Coupe. do you think Honda has learned its lesson? is the 03 EX sedan going to be reliable for the long run in your opinions? the new engine, isn't really NEW, right? just tweaked? so it should be without issue, right?

any finally, i know that Honda 5 speed autos just plain stink. are we all under the impression that for the Accord EX, it won't be a problem? perhaps at least for the 4 cylinder, since torque isn't an issue....thoughts?

bodble2

There have been a few 1st-year issues --- just go over to the Accord Problems topic. But for the most part, I think the problems have been related to the V6 models.

jguo

Motor Trend comparison of three 4 cylinder family sedans, Camry, Accord and Altima. Guess who won?

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0304_fam/

vegoen

Yea they are very limited, I went to a local honda dealership and asked for one and they said every dealership a shipment of 1 per dealer. so yea u wont be seeing any on road

seaf

the 03 accord has a new engine developed by Honda, It's been used in other models in the U.S. for about 2 years, and longer in Japan. It's IVTEC, so it develops better low-end torque than previous engines. Also the structure of the new accord is also completely new compared to the old accord, and I may be wrong, but the new accord is manufactured in a new, more versatile and flexible plant so Honda can switch to other models as demand dictates. So I think the 03 accord does represent a lot of "newness" for Honda.

venus537

hey, the 5 speed doesn't stink. it's actually superb. the reliability problems (for the tranny) have been solved and they were overblown in the first place.

on paper the new 4 cylinder doesn't seem much different than before (in terms of power). but with the 5 speed auto and i-vtec providing a broader torque cure, the car is peppy enough. but forget about the i4 and get the v6 (the lx model is the best value). you're coming from a 1.8t for pete sakes.

venus537

hopefully your rattle noises will go away when the car breaks in more.

artieb

I have an opportunity to buy a 1990 5 speed accord sedan from an acquaintance of mine for $900. The major drawback to the deal is 196,000 miles. I am in college and only need the car for another year until I graduate from my master's. What are your opinions on the durability of an Accord of this year. I've heard Hondas run forever.... I hope this is true.
  I understand that this post is for Accords, however I also know of a 94 civic coupe EX with 147,000 miles for around $3,500. Once again I only need the car for a year or so.
  What are your opinions? Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

hmurphy

I love it!! It kicks you know what on the freeway. I was darting around like a jackrabbit.

Compared to my previous car, a 1994 Camry, this car is tons faster but has a harsher ride. Not bad, though, just not Toyota plush. It feels tighter than the Camry on curves, though.

I can't wait until I can get it out on a country road and push it a bit.

robertsmx

I would hate to see moonroof controls anywhere but where it is now. Much more friendlier and doesn't require any attention off the road to operate upon. In cars that I have driven, the switch had been mounted on the headliner, and required a glance. It might not be an issue if there were just one button, but with homelink, sunglass holder and maplights mounted in the stack, that would be a little too much.

emale

venus,

my car has dash rattles that come and go at will. just tonight i discoverd one rattle was coming from the passenger side ac vent. put my hand on it and it went away....hummm. other times i hear popping noises from up around the dash/windshield. this is my first honda (and foreign car) and i must admit that i'm surprised this is happening. i guess it's first year glitches...?

robert,

i've had several sunroof equipped cars and much prefer the headliner placement for controls. because of my height i have to have the seat back pretty far and find the dash mounted controls to be a stretch for me. plus honda could put the homelink controls on the sun visor like my truck. and i also like express open...not sure why honda hasn't adopted this...they have auto up and down driver's window...why not sunroof?

otherwise i love the v6! the car drives very nicely albeit slightly siff legged but that was the intention. i'm still not sure about the tranny. it seems lurchy to me at light throttle/slow cruise. i think honda could do a little more work on the slushbox...

dudleyr

Go for the Accord. It has taller gearing so it's miles have put less stress on the engine. It also is so much cheaper that you could throw some money into a few repairs and still be ahead. The 90-93 Accord is probably the best handling Accord (good chasis and nice and light) so it should be fun. Check to make sure the timing belt has been replaced (twice) and also check into the starter, alternator - they tend to go around the 150-200k mile range. They are not too expensive to repair though. If the car has been well maintained it will easily last a year or more.

justin

oh, i peronally would get the V6 probably. i am not in the market for a Honda though. i was just asking about the 4 cylinder to get an idea. was out looking at Accords this weekend with a friend. i liked the way the car felt, and the interior actually fit me. but i can't go from Honda to VW to Honda. can i? haha.

they don't seem half-bad anymore. as offensive as the new styling is to some, as least Honda finally "styled" it this time around! the white EX-L sedan i saw was SHARP.

thanks for the info. i figured they would work out the 5 speed auto issues too. plus, i thought i had heard that the problems were only related to the V6, torque-rich (for Honda anyway) products....

snodog

Well I've had my 2003 EX-V6 about a week and have 250 miles on it. Love everything so far except the PAINT. Already have 3 chips on the hood. My dealer is going to fix these tomorrow but need something for future protection. Has anyone ever used the clear bras from XPEL, StonGard, Invinca-Shield, etc. They are a little pricey (best quote for XPEL is $495 including hood, fender, mirrors, door edge and headlights) but gotta do something. Don't want to repaint the hood every 1-2 years. If you have any of these could you post your experiences? Any brand better than the other? Thanks.

mikek37

Any car you get, it will receive the occasional chip. When a rock traveling at about 65 to 70 mpg hits your hood, I dont care what kinda paint you have, it will chip sooner or later. I was thinking about getting the 3m clear bra, but after further research I decided against it. Yes its clear, but the down side is, that it doesnt cover your entire hood are, therefore there is a noticeable horizontal strip along your hood. But its up to you. Paint chips are normal, and you only notice them when you are upclose. The same can be said about the clear bra. You cant see it from 10-15 feet away, but any closer and it becomes noticeable. As for the plastic black bra's, they are crap. So its kinda a give and take situation.

gee35coupe

It seems very soft. I got a scratch from a piece of pine bark when we first got our coupe. It seems to have hardened now though.

03honda

Does anybody know why Honda doesn't off HomeLink on 4 cyl. EX-L models? What, do 4 cyl. drivers not have garages? Just a thought.

bodble2

Honda figures if you can afford a house with an enclosed garage, you should be buying the EX-V6!

s852

It would be nice on a 4 cylinder too, but it isn't a big deal.
Some gated communities have now gone to rolling codes so the Homelink won't work for anything other than your personal garage door.
Just get those new very small keyfob remotes or clip a normal remote to the sun visor.

atlantabenny

My coupe's Homelink (similar to the 4-door's) is compatible with our garage opener's (Craftsman) rolling code system. Could be different from the gated communities' gate openers. If not, the Accord's Homelink may still work.

That said, the Accord system is slower to respond than the Craftsman remote and the buttons need to be pushed hard to make contact. It's not Honda's best design.

vegoen

Hey guys do you think a 2001 accord 4cylinder ex is a good value? And also, anyone try modifying the engine for a 4 cylinder accord 2001 or 2002?

s852

It's different for some gated communities with rolling codes because they will not provide you with access to the gate's receiver so your Homelink can "synch" with the rolling codes.
You can synch with your own garage by phyiscally holding down a special button on your personal garage door opener while you're programming the Homelink.
This is designed as a security feature to thwart "code-grabbers."
I used to live in an apartment complex that did not have a rolling code and my Homelink worked fine. I could drive back there even after I moved out and open the gates if I felt like it. Now, I moved to a new gated subdivision and the Homelink would only work for the gates for a day at most then have to be reprogrammed. I finally gave it up. My neighbor's 7 series BMW will not open the gate either.
Each individual remote is now programmed into the gate's computer separately and be made inactive by the Homeowners Association.

according2me

the superhonda board for engine modifications.

akal50

I'm actually glad Honda doesn't put the controls on the ceiling like other cars do. At least in a Honda, the driver has control over the moonroof whereas on other cars, kids sitting in the back seat and open it. Also, I think it's less distracting. If it's on the dash, you just have to tilt your eyes down but if it's on the ceiling, you have to look up and find the controls among the lights and homelink buttons. Given how many incompetent drivers there are out there, it's better to minimize the time their eyes are off the road.

As for why Honda doesn't offer Homelink on 4 cylinder models, I guess they figure that if you can't afford the V6, you probably can't afford a house either so you don't need Homelink.

ctinny

Recently I used the cigarette lighter in my 1990 Honda Accord and it caused my dashboard lights, rear lights and rear defroster to stop working. I checked the fuses and found one that was burned out. This was for the interior light, which when replaced it blew again. Any suggestions on how to fix the problem. I know this happened to other Accord owners but no one was able to tell me the fix.

tcpip1

I saw a picture of a Japanese version of the Accord Wagon (the driver seat is on the right hand side). Any info on the North America version of Accord Wagon?

snowful

I was just wondering if I'm the only one who thinks the moonroof doesn't seem to tilt much. Mine goes up about an inch and a half and I wish it would open bigger than that.

talon95

I agree... the moonroof on my 2000 had a wider opening when tilted.

That's assuming, of course, that you're talking about a 2003.

pat

You might want to also post that question in our Accord Problems discussion. There are a number of ways to find it, but here's one - click on the Accord Owners Club link at the top of the page. That will get you a list of discussions which will include the Problems topic.

Good luck.

bunk1968

I would like to purchase an Accord between 2000 and 2002. I am looking at spending around 15000. I originally wanted to find a four cylinder, but seem to be running across more v6's. Are the four's harder to find? And, if I were to get a V6, how bad is the gas milage? What advantage would the V6 give me other than being faster? I don't care about how fast the car is. Also, if it is not too much trouble could someone tell me which one of these is the best deal.

2000 Accord EX V6
Dark Green
Mil. 37200
$14500

2000 Accord EX V6
White w/spoiler
Mil. 23000
$15900

2002 Accord EX V6
Silver
Mil. 24,000
$16900

Any educated opinions would help.

anonymousposts

Assuming all of them are in comparable shape I think the 02 is the best deal. Sure it's $1000 more than the 00 with the same mileage but in 2001-2002 the Accord received added features and more sound deadening materials.

Other than performance and a little less noise there are no benefits to the V6. It's simply a preference.

pat

Folks, when you encounter a problem message in a discussion, please email the host instead of posting to the host. That is the most effective way to have the problem addressed.

Thanks.

crv16

I'd go with any Accord 01 or newer. That year, they added increased soundproofing, side airbags and indash 6 cd changer stereo.

midnightcowboy

Has anyone actually taken delivery of a 6-speed?

Did you have to pay MSRP ?

Did you look at a CL 6-speed, they seem to be going at a bargain price now since this is their last year. Probably won't be able to get NAV (only major factory option) and color choice my be limited.

Did anybody look at the TSX? or think about waiting for the 2004 6-speed TL?

Having owned many many standard shift cars from many many car manufacturers I think the Honda/Acura line is the best.

currently IS300 5-speed

northwest1

For that price range, can pick up a new 2003 DX sedan. If the EX option level is not a must have, you might consider this alternative. My friend has a previous-generation EX and I have a new 2003 DX. He has A/C and a sunroof...I have a car that is substantially more solid and quiet and has the new car warranty to boot. I suggest a test drive of the 03 DX and compare first hand if the additional EX features are worth the tradeoff of driving the older-generation design vs a brand-new re-design with less options (the DX does have power windows, CD stereo, ABS and a more powerful VTEC engine standard).

mikek37

You bring up a valid point.

But my honest opinion differs abit. I would choose a loaded 2002 EX V6 over a brand new 2003 DX. The only advantage your DX has is a new model year, where as the 2002 has all the creature comforts. Add up all the creature comforts and I think it will barely edge out the new DX 03 in value. Bring in an 03 LX vs a 2002 EX then we are a level playing field.

dudleyr

Yes- consider the 2003. The DX is an incredible value, and the first 30k miles are the best ones, why not put them on yourself. The car is much improved over the 2002.

akal50

Be interested to hear opinions on the Acura TSX vs. Accord EXV6. They're roughly the same price. Each has it's pluses and minuses.

northwest1

Your point well taken about feature level of EX. Main point I was trying to make is that a 2003 a new-generation Accord, which presumably is more "advanced" than a 2002 model (which is based on a platform introduced 5 years ago). Compared to a 2002, you are one year different chronologically, but 5 years different design wise. The current cars are also, I believe a better value, considering advances in manufacturing efficiency and the current depressed economy. It's an individual decision as to whether, for $15K, the improved engineering under the sheet metal of the 2003 DX is worth forgoing the options on a previous generation EX.

umyaya

Whoever had the paint chips, are you paying to have them fixed or is it free? I have one already too (with 2,000 miles), and a bumper scratch (that I didn't do). I'll let the bumper one go, but I feel this paint is too soft! This paint chip scares me though. Will larger areas flake around it in future?

pat

I think that would be a great topic on our Comparisons - Sedans vs. Sedans board.

You wanna fire it up?

brandon19

Hi guys, I wanted to see if any other Accord owners are experiencing the clunking noise I get when the car shift from 1st to 2nd gear (5-speed automatic). This clunking sound only occurs between the 1st and 2nd gear change. No sound when I put it in Reverse.

The sligh clunk noise seems to only happen when it sits for several hours. After the car is warmed up the sound goes away. Anyone else experience this problem other then me? Does this mean major problems down the road? I only have 150 miles on the car now.

emale

brandon,

are u talking about a clunk during the 1-2 upshift, or are you hitting the gas immediately after shifting from reverse to drive? the reason i ask is because my '03 v6 coupe takes a couple seconds to shift from reverse to drive. if i hit the gas too soon after shifting to drive, i'll get a thunk because first gear hasn't engaged yet. then when it does it is definitely felt...!

brandon19

No, this only occurs when I have the car in drive and it is upshifting from first to second. I don't get a clunk when I shift from Reverse to Drive.

I am taking it to the service dept tomorrow. They probaly won't be able to re-create the problem bc the engine will be cold then.

emale

but i thought you said it occurs only when it's cold??

brandon19

I did, but I mistyped. I meant by the time I got my car to the dealer, my engine and transmission will both be warm/hot. I'll ask them to park the car there for several hours to give it time to cool off before the tech drives it.

atlantabenny

No clunking from our 03 V6 coupe or 03 EX-L i4. Family's practice has been to warm engine up a few minutes (conservationists will not approve) before driving off.

Few times not doing this have made the tranny clunk into gear, mainly because cold engine RPM is high and tranny fluid is more viscous.

I figure that over time, the clunking and clashing will take their toll on the transaxle. On a related note, in parking the car - we put the car in "N," firmly engage parking brake, and finally move to "P." This minimizes strain on the drivetrain components especially on inclined parking.

We're drivetrain-obsessed as you might tell.

umyaya

Hey Brandon,

Mine does the same thing. Every afternoon when I leave work, as I get about 15+ feet out of my spot, which must be when the gears shift, I get a noticable clunk. At first I was sure I must be driving over something, but it happens at different spots. It's such an odd, clunking, almost slow, yet short, grinding. Very odd. The car is fine otherwise though, except for the paint which I worry about.

Atlantabenny, I usually think you're right on, but I'd been reading allot lately, here, in the Washington Post, etc., that letting your car "warm up" for more than a minute was bad, as different parts of the engine then warm up at different rates. I don't remember specifics, but it was made very clear in all that letting them warm up like that was bad. Instead one should maybe give it 15-30 seconds, with slow acceloration for the first couple minutes on cold days.

I don't claim to know all this personally, it's only what I read. I guess we all really go with was sounds right to us. On that note I think I'll change my oil for the first time this weekend. I'm at 5,100. Time for some good Mobile 1. Any advice otherwise?

pat

Please, if you see a problem post email the host of the discussion. Posting in the discussion to get the host's attention does not work because by the time the host sees that post, the host has already found the problem. And you complicate the issue by providing more posts that need to removed.

Email is the way to get the host to the discussion in the most expedient manner.

Thanks!