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P.S. Neither price included a tire balance. Do any of you balance your tires with every rotation? The car rides the same (no shimmy or shake at any speed).
I will be taking the car in to the dealer to have the seat checked out. (The same dealer who, incidentally, did not tighten my oil drain plug after my 15K dealer service resulting in a big oil leak on my garage floor!) The seat shifts side-to-side when turning. Has anyone else had any success with this problem? Are there any TSB's out there that refer to this? How about the sliding sun-blocker rattle on cars with the sunroof?
Thanks.
Is this true?
According to the Honda brochure, the LX V6 has the same security system as the EX models. The LX 4 cylinder does NOT have that security system. Both cars have the Immobilizer system which requires a chipped key to start. The more advanced security system has an alarm that goes off if doors or trunk are opened while it's armed.
anonymousposts -- in post 14943, you mention aggressive downshifting when going down hills and suggest 89 octane gas to cure this. How does the octane of gas used affect the transmission's performance? So far (4000 miles) I've never noticed any particularly strong downshifting, and I have gone down some steep hills on the Interstates I drive.
Thanks to both of you for any information on these questions.
The second issue is a "No reverse" condition that potentially affects only 2003 4-cylinder units. The problem can manifest itself if the driver shifts quickly and repeatedly between a forward gear and reverse (such as when trying to get out of snow or sand), reverse may no longer engage. This was corrected with a firmware update for the transmissions, and doesn't affect any 2004 models.
The 3rd TSB is another firmware update that affects only V6 models.
So it seems like you're in the clear, as long as you didn't get the above mentioned notification letter.
My unsolicited advice to you is to opt for the Mazda 3 for two reasons: First, the 3 is an excellent, although smaller car, that is fun to drive, which seems important to you. Also, you will enjoy many accessories, such as the upgraded stereo system, not available on the DX. Second, the resale on an Accord DX model will probably not be as good as a loaded 3 when you decide to sell.
The only reason I can see you choosing the DX in this comparison is that you need more room for a family.
And I have to agree with Ramped about the Mazda3.
Get it, you will get many more features and a less spartan interior with the Mazda3. The Materials in the Accord might be slightly better, but the 3 has more appealing things (metallic trim,etc.)
Also, the Mazda3 will have all the power accessories you would need, as well as air conditioning, because air is an OPTION from the dealer on the Accord DX if I am not mistaken.
Resale value would probably be similar to each other, but it would be harder to sell an Accord DX over any other Accord IMO.
Also, don't forget about the added versatility of the Mazda3 hatchback...
both are tops in their respective segments....gotta decide which way you wanna go.
Hondas typically have better (sharper) suspension geometries than Toyotas, though.
Id say- take a DX then an LX/EX out for a spin- literally, if you can go somewhere open and without a dealer rep.
~alpha
I don't know what your prices are like, but a fully loaded Mazda 3 here costs over $20k (the hatch with leather and all options is like $23k) while the Accord DX without air is about $16k, and one can generally pick up an LX manual for about $18-19k.
I also agree that maybe you should take a look at a van. You may have to buy used to keep the price down but that extra space might come in handy.
Unless of course the parents tried to seat three children in a row on a long car trip. In that case, inevitably an adult would end up having to be planted between the children to keep them from driving the driver crazy with their constant bickering.
And yes, I am speaking of my parents' personal experience with me, my younger sister and my three younger brothers. I, of course, was never the source of the problem. THEY DID IT, NOT ME!
My wife and I have two kids and never had anything bigger in the family than a Maxima SE for the first seven years the kids were growing. It's amazing how much stuff you can pack into a sedan if you have to.
My wife won't be caught dead in a minivan. She opted for a midsize SUV a few years ago, but primarily because she had to haul a lot of stuff around for her job. I can pack almost as much stuff into the Maxima as I can into the SUV, except, of course, for very large and bulky objects.
The gist of this is that I am pretty confident that you can haul 99 percent of what you will need in the Accord. It is a very roomy vehicle.
gee35coupe -- thanks for your response to a question I had about a post from anonymousposts about downshifting. You know, I was actually misreading that post -- I had in mind downshifting when going downhill, to keep the car from going too fast. When I was shopping around for cars last fall before buying my '04 LX, I'm sure I came across the idea of "grade logic" wherein an automatic transmission would downshift automatically when going downhill if the car seemed to be gaining excessive speed. I guess this wasn't the Accord -- can't remember which car it was.
The higher octane to give the car more power going uphill to keep it from downshifting so much sounds interesting. May try it. I'm using 87 octane now and the car runs great. It typically downshifts from 5th to 4th on some Interstate hills. Once or twice it has kicked down to third, which really jacks up the rpms at 70 mph. Other than that, it's been a very quiet highway cruiser.
but the NEW Accords don't have issues with V6 trannys. i don't even think the 4 cylinder "no reverse" issue is a HUGE problem.
i have a feeling that the transmissions in the new Hondas will be bulletproof BECAUSE they have the bad image to improve from last gen Accords.
i would hope so anyway.
Check the current discussions about the Odyssey trannies and in the Pilot discussions too. Are those V6 transmissions?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The bottom line here is that we are all loyal Honda consumers, reason being is that Honda makes great vehicles with exceptional value. This was one of the main reasons we went from a Lexus to an Accord. No vehicle is perfect, and it does not matter the cost of that vehicle. If the transmissions have problems, I am sure Honda will extend the warranty in this generation's line. I have read that the Camry's as well have their flaws as nearly all manufactures have some type of drivetrain malfunction, no vehicle is bullet proof to human error. We should not be slamming each other over something that has and may always occur, malfunctions/defects, etc. LOL
These transmissions are of the same design family as the gen 6 Accords. The transmissions in the gen 7 Accord are a new design and a new design family.
If you drive a gen 6 V6 Accord and then drive a gen 7 V6 Accord, the fact that the new automatic transmission is a totally different animal is abundantly clear. The gen 7 transmission is dramatically smoother and it's also far more responsive. Does this ensure that there won't be any problems? Of course not. But it certainly helps to assure me that problems with the previous generation were not carried over.
Whether or not you trust the statements that no transmission problems exist with gen 7 Accords is your choice. That some people are hesitant to do so is understandable. But that doesn't change the fact that there are no problems at this time.
Even though I agree that things like this can happen to any car, I am particularly devastated that it has happened to me. I truly, truly love this car, and that makes it all the more harder. For now, its pen down and feeling blue
Man unbelievable. Is your vehicle a 4 or 6 cylinder? How many miles on it? Did it show any signs of tranny failure? How did the dealer come to this conclusion, special testing, etc.?
I thought they fixed the tranny issue with the 03, but, at least in my case, it doesn't seem so. I hope it is not widespread becuase that would hurt a lot of Accord owners.
Thanks
Sorry to hear about this...
If it makes you feel any better, what they have done in the past is to install a remanufactured transmission, rather than a rebuilt. With a remanufactured transmission, all of the "guts" of the transmission is brand new, they just re-use the very expensive transmission case. Whereas with a rebuilt transmission, they replace only parts that were determined to have failed, so many used parts could be reused.
And I had a 2000 Accord that had its transmission replaced, and it worked just like new afterwards. Hopefully that's a bit encouraging.
Could you ask them what prompted them to decide to replace the transmission? Is there some kind of new TSB, or was the decision made just for this specific case?
I also wonder what engineer decided to make the arm rest come into a point with hard plastic when you lean your leg against it. The Acura RL which is built on the same frame have a nice flat arm rest like just about every other car. Engine and everything else are great.
does your 03EXV6 engine make a light noise when the car stopped and you turn the steering wheel?
I've owned a 2004 Accord EX Coupe since December. I cannot get my knee anywhere close to the armrest in my normal driving positions. In fact, there is about 5" - 6" of leeway there. I would have to contort my hip joint in order to "lean" my "leg against the armrest" for more than a few seconds. Perhaps its different in sedans.
Additionally, my arm rest is soft and rounded, not "hard plastic" as you describe yours.
I've experienced NONE of the noises that you've described, nor do my brakes "grab". Great car!
The dealer replaced the starter relay, the problem went away.
Otherwise, you'll continue to worry about it not starting and you'll be afraid to take it any distance.
Instead of guessing and worrying it just makes sense to have it checked out!
It's fourteen years old. It could be anything.
I have not yet been told details about the actual reason the tranny is being replaced, but I intend to find out in detail this week. Will keep everyone posted. I trust Honda to stand by their product and am sure all assistance will be provided to me.
Just wondering-many dealers like to include mud guards, in fact many cars seem to come with them already installed. Since I don't care for them in terms of their looks- was wondering how easy it is to remove or uninstall them, and if uninstalling them would leave any "holes" that shouldn't be there. I heard that installing them requires drilling new holes, so perhaps uninstalling them will reveal holes that may show? Any thoughts or comments appreciated.
There are at least 4 recommended places.