Older Honda Accords

jrct9454

Yeah, I have to chime in here, too - after the breakin period, there is absolutely no harm in using cruise control all day long. Not much of a reason to rent a car, I can tell you that.

On long trips, our cars are always in cc, for hours and days at a time. Never a problem.

richards38

I'm told by a Honda technician who is also a personal friend that extensive break-in is not required.

The reason for varying speeds during the first 600 miles is to permit engine vacuum on deceleration to draw oil to the upper part of the cylinders for lubricating the tight, new engine.

Light braking during the first couple of hundred miles of city driving helps seat the brakes, too.

After a few hundred miles it's not necessary to do anything special--just enjoy the car....Richard

moretc

I just sold my 2000 Accord 4 cyl. with 148,000 miles, 80% of which was done with cruise control on. Never used oil, great gas mileage, great performance. I have been a technician for 25 years and find less engine problems and better fuel efficiency using cruise control.

fender4645

Hi all-

Well, I think I found the Accord I want...however it's about 400 miles away (a friend of the family is the GM of a dealership and is giving me a great deal). My plan is fly down there (Southern California) and drive back up to the Bay Area. This is my first new car so I've never had to deal with the "1000 mile break-in" period. Is this something I should worry about? Any tips on what I should/shouldn't do?

Thanks!!

gregoryc1

Read the owner's manual dealing with "break-in" prior to leaving the dealer. I would not exceed 55 mph, and I would vary the cruising speed on the trip.---If you stop along the way, I would check the engine oil level, after the engine has been stopped for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy your new vehicle.

isellhondas

I think the reason you recieved some of the reactions to your first post was because of your tone. Your guns were blazing. It's also very hard to read a lengthly post that is crammed into one paragraph.

As others have said, what you consider to be a "defect" is not a problem for the masses. Most people find Accord seats to be firm and supportive. No different than mattress preferences. I like a very firm mattress and you probably do not.

I have had ***ONE*** complaint in ten years about seat comfort from a very nice lady I sold an Accord to a couple of years ago. About six months later, I ran into her in service and she let me know seat comfort was no longer an issue.

I don't know if she simply got used to the difference between her old and new cars, or what happened. She's happy now and I hope you have similar results.

joe122

"If you're currently shopping for a Honda, I'd recommend you drive around for AT LEAST 2 hours to be sure the seats are okay in your car..."

This statement is nonsensical. Has anyone in this forum heard of a dealer, or anyone else for that matter, who will allow you to test drive their car for 2 hours?

gee35coupe

take a car home over night. My local GM dealer offered to let me borrow an Equinox overnight.

isellhondas

Yes, they HAD that program for a short time.

I'm sure the dealers cringed when it was announced. As expected, I heard it sold few cars but attracted a ton of joyriders and (I'll be nice)...non serious shoppers.

whitecloud1

About the 2 hour test drive.. As a matter of fact, yes I have received that kind of treatment. It was some years ago, but a VW salesperson let me have a new GTI for 3 hours. When I got back his only response was; "why didn't you keep it longer?" This was after hearing me say that I'm just lookin'.

gee35coupe

There is discussion in the Lexus room about dealerships that do this. I know I have personally gotten to drive cars for extended periods. It all depends on the relationship with the dealership really. It's not unheard of to get extended test drives. Especially if you show you are serious about the car.

pat

Agreed - I've been offered "take it home until tomorrow" on some cars also. It seems to me to depend on the dealership which is another reason to shop around. Especially on a vehicle like the Accord where there are few places that don't have multiple stores.

joe122

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but I'm yet another person who has a problem with the Accord seats. When I test drove my 2005 Accord LX, the seats seemed ok. I sat in both front seats. Also, the salesman was kind enough to drive my old car, following me to my home and I drove him back to the dealership in the Accord. Still, I did not notice a problem. After the third day, however, I began to notice that the driver seat was really uncomfortable. The seat causes pain in the left buttocks where it meets the upper leg. My physical description is important to mention, as I am not overweight or painfully thin. I'm 5'11", 195lbs and a workout type. This is not a case of The Princess and the Pea.

http://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Princess_and_the_Pea.html

In my case, I don't think I'll wake up one morning to find the problem miraculously solved. The happy scenario for the "nice lady" as described by the car salesman is unlikely. It is easy to state that "the masses" are delighted, but I'm not so sure; many people simply don't speak up after a costly mistake. This is a serious business for me as I'm not rich and $19,000 is a large purchase. Interestingly, I recently read a Canadian review written by a professional. He stated that he found the seats "irritatingly stiff". This convinces me that I'm not the only one on planet earth who has this problem.

My salesman seems interested in helping me and he says that he wants me to be happy with my purchase. He further stated that this problem "will have to be addressed". I hope he is right.

imidazol97

This all sounds like the problem with one size in a minimal seat fits all.

I think of the restaurant seat designs which I've heard discussed that are made to feel comfortable for a period of time but not for long sitting time periods. That means that after a while for diners who linger taking up seating space the seat becomes uncomfortable. Customer moves on leaving seat open for new diners and income for the restaurant and server.

Some people may react differently to certain design shapes. So we shouldn't criticize those who have discomfort after longer times in the seat but don't notice the deficiency at first.

mitchflorida

There is not a seat made on any automobile that isn't uncomfortable to somebody. The trick is to spend more attention to seat comfort during your test drive . .

stacey_burke

I KNOW that if you buy a 20,000 car you dont want to do this but on long drives how about tossing in a cushion to sit on......

lastwraith

Not the greatest solution for people who are going to complain about having to spend the almighty $, but if you are "stuck" with a car with seats that just aren't for you, dump 'em. People get new seats all the time, go get some comfortable Recaros and enjoy the rest of the Accord.

pat

we're far beyond exhausting the seat issue.

Anyone have any other Accord-related subject to discuss?

jrct9454

I agree completely.

uncommonman

radio. ;-)

mi_sat

New member here. Wondering...Some have said the Accord will have a major refreshening in 2007. Is this the 2007 MY (appearing in Fall 2006)? Any clarification would be helpful.

Also, does anyone know when the Camry is due for a major refreshening (I think the current one came out as either a 2002 or 2003 MY car).?

Thanks in advance.

anonymousposts

The next Accord redesign will be for the 2008 model year. It will have a minor update in 2006.

The Camry just had it's minor update and will be redesigned for the 2007 model year.

mi_sat

Thanks for the reply. I would assume then that the new Camry would be available in Fall of 2006.

Though it is probably a personal choice, any thoughts on whether it makes sense to buy a vehicle if it will be completely redesigned within a year or two (I'm looking to buy a car in Fall of 2005)?

Thanks.

cmr530i

I posted in the probs/solutions forum, but thought someone here might have had the same experience so here goes.
I have a '04 EX Accord auto that has about a 1/4 inch lag between when I step on the accelerator and when the engine revs. Anyone else experience this? How was it resolved?
Also, the driver's seat squeaks when the car is in a turn. Anyone had this prob and solved it? How?
Thanks for any input.

midnightcowboy

The 7th generation accord is drive by wire, a 1/4 inch lag is not normal. I would have it check ed out. (1/4 second lag between check and ed

Good Luck,

MidCow

anonymousposts

If you buy the car now you could drive it for 2 years before the new body style would be out and then you could give the new design a year or two to make sure all the kinks are out of it and the prices go down. Good think about the Accord and the Camry is that their mostly conservative designs age well.

if you don't drive that many miles you could also do a three year lease and by the time the lease is over you can get the new one.

anonymousposts

Only the v6 uses drive-by-wire ... cmr530 said he had a EX auto but didn't say whether it was 4 cylinder or V6. Depending on the engine RPM at the time he accelerates it could just be the tranny waiting to downshift. Knowing whether this is a V6 or 4 cylinder would help.

maxamillion1

I was reading some info on the new SE and VE models that Honda is releasing, according to the article released by Honda, these cars were supposed to be at dealers by the 22nd of March, I haven't seen any yet.

Has anybody seen these models yet?

mastro

I picked up my Graphite Pearl EX V6 with navi on Thursday. The car is beautiful and runs great. I noticed yesterday that, on the passenger side front dash airbag cover, you can see the outline of where the seams are for the airbag. Has anyone noticed this? I'll take notice next time I'm at the dealership or see an Accord in a parking lot. You can notice it better looking over from the driver's seat or looking in from the outside on the passenger side. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

It's a good sign that this is the only thing that has caught my eye or ear at this point. This is my first Honda and the fit, finish and quality are better than I expected. This car is replacing my Volvo S60 T4 and I am not at all disappointed.

Regards,
Tony

vnmaster

I went to the dealer today looking to buy either honda civic ex or Honda Accord LX and I was thoroughly disappointed to see that none of the Honda models had a cassette player. Does anybody know why?
Thanks

richards38

Sure, cassette tapes and players are obsolete--just like what happened to 8 track players that were in cars of the late '60s and early 70's. Most people buy or burn CDs and wouldn't use a tape player now.

Of course, it's a cost saving for Honda and other manufacturers, but many car owners wouldn't use a cassette player these days and they don't miss the cassette player at all--I'm glad I don't have a cassette slot to clutter the dashboard when there's a 6 disc CD changer in there.

If you have a library of favorite tapes, there are ways to transfer content to CDs.........Richard

atlantabenny

Cassette player is still available for $184 from online retailer below

http://www.handaaccessories.com/accelect03.html

vnmaster

Thanks. Do you know if the dealership will install it or do I have to take it outside for installation. Also how much they will charge?
Thanks and Regards

fredvh

According to the Honda site the dealer will sell and install the cassette player for you. I believe the cost for it is approx. $184 PLUS installation. I would get the dealer to install it as part of my sale price.

fredvh

How does one burn a CD from a cassette tape? Thanks

vnmaster

Thanks Fred

atlantabenny

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7965518859&category=386- 39

It's a unit specifically for the gen 7 Accord. You should be able to get a local car audio shop to install it for about $60.

mastro

I picked up my Graphite Pearl EX V6 with navi on Thursday. The car is beautiful and runs great. I noticed yesterday that, on the passenger side front dash airbag cover, you can see the outline of where the seams are for the airbag. Has anyone noticed this? I'll take notice next time I'm at the dealership or see an Accord in a parking lot. You can notice it better looking over from the driver's seat or looking in from the outside on the passenger side. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

It's a good sign that this is the only thing that has caught my eye or ear at this point. This is my first Honda and the fit, finish and quality are better than I expected. This car is replacing my Volvo S60 T4 and I am not at all disappointed.

cmr530i

My EX auto is a 4 cylinder. I don't think I stated the problem correctly. Here goes again: With the car in park with the engine turn on, if one presses on the accelerator pedal the engine doesn't rev right away. In fact it seems that one has to press down on the pedal a 1/4 inch or more before the engine revs. In other words, there is too much "play" between pressing and getting a response in the form of a rev.
Does anyone else with an auto have too much "play" with the accelerator pedal?

richards38

"How does one burn a CD from a cassette tape?"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I've never done it, so I really don't know; however, there's some info at the site below:

http://zisman.ca/Recording/printer_Mac.html

Also, Google "CD from cassette" and all kinds of info will come up. It might be best to have your favorite tapes burned professionally onto CDs--they'd be more durable than the tapes and you wouldn't need to buy any hardware and software that would likely be useless after the job is done......Richard

mastro

I've got a V6 and there is no play in the pedal.

soniaq

I believe I have. Yesterday I bought a Graphite Pearl EX 4 cyl. but while I was browsing the other models, there was a total of ONE of the value edition models on the lot. It was an LX and had everything the normal LX does with the exception of the cruise control and I believe the AC was an add on but included in the MSRP. Other than that, I didn't see any much of a difference. The price was great too. I don't remember exactly but it was a value over the standard LX. If I wasn't able to afford an LX, but still wanted an Accord, I would have done the value edition.

mastro

I bought an EX V6 with navi this week. The dealer was pushing hard to close the deal in March and gave me a $450 credit to accesorize the car or to service the car over the years to come. What would you do? I've got a bunch of accessories already; lid deck spoiler, splash guards, wheel trim, auto rear view mirror, trunk lining, pin striping...

blane

mastro:

You might want to save that $450 credit for a year or two until your 30,000 mile service visit arrives. It's expensive :mad: . Ask your dealership's Service Manager about the cost.

richards38

For those of us with 2004 or newer EX-L or EX V6 Accords with built-in XM Satellite Radio and are current subscribers, we can now receive free XM radio via the internet.

Go to the XM Radio website--you must create your internet radio account and submit your XM radio ID number--it can be seen on the radio's LCD or you can find the ID# on any XM correspondence that was mailed to you. Signing up takes just a couple of minutes.

As I type this message, I'm listening to XM now. Try it if you're a subscriber......Richard

blane

richard38:

Yes, I signed up for XM Radio Online over the weekend. It makes up somewhat for the extra $3 per month they will now be charging those folks who don't sign up for a multi-year plan. It is pretty handy though. I just miss some of the higher-numbered channels that I listen to while driving.

Just be aware that they claim that if you are logged on with one computer you cannot log on at a second one. That precludes both my wife and myself listening at the same time in our respective workplaces (separate cities).

richards38

Barry,
Yes, only one computer can be logged onto XM at one time.
XM says to be sure to log off before trying to access XM radio from a different computer.........Richard

isellhondas

Well, yeah...cassette tapes have gone the way of the 8 track tapes. Slowly they have disappeared from the stores that used to sell them.

Honda does make an accessory cassette player that can be added for the few people who want one. CRVS come with both CD and cassette players which is a good thing for people like myself who still have massive quanities of cassettes from the old days.

I would expect this to end pretty soon. VHS tapes are about gone too.

anonymousposts

As I come up on almost a year of owning my 3rd Accord from this generation there is still nothing on the road that I want to drive more. At least not in this price range. My Accord is quiet, reliable, quick, gets great gas mileage, and has all of the comforts necessary to make my commute more bearable. As much of a chronic car buyer as I am I have yet to find the car that made trading my Accord seem worth it. And that says A LOT for this car.

fredvh

Do you have an I4 or the 6? If the I4, how is your mpg?
Have you heard what the April incentives on the Accord are, if any?
Have you had any trouble with the Accord?