Older Honda Accords

tcpip1

That's an excellent price, more than $750 below invoice according to Edmunds.

Any trade-in or dealer installed options (e.g., paint protection, extended warranty, etc.)?

threehounds

We're in the market for a 2002 Accord LX-V6, and I've just discovered this message board, which is extremely helpful. (I've scrolled all the way back through this month).

This is not an experienced car-buying family (we have a '99 Ford Ranger and an 89 Toyota Corolla dogmobile) so forgive what may be a really stupid question. Does anyone know if Edmund's TMV price reflects the price you should walk out the door with after paying tax, tags, etc. I assume that it wouldn't, but I couldn't find any disclaimer to that effect on the site. Before they calculate the TMV, they ask for your zip code, so I wonder if that means the TMV IS inclusive of the estimated tax you'd be expected to pay. This question comes up as I read some seemingly unbelievable advertised prices which exclude tax, tags, and (as you've all pointed out) dealer-installed options. Thanks for any advice--and for all of your good information on the message board.

Also, if anyone is still interested in wish lists for the 2003 Accord, how about AWD?

diploid

How about an Accord hatchback? Mazda 6 is going to have one...

whitesoxfan

No dealer installed options and no trade. The sticker was $25300 w/a full tank of fuel at "no charge".
What also made it nice was we arrived a 5PM on a Sunday (1 hr before close) and drove away in the new car at 6:35.
At the dealership we stopped at prior to this one-no salesmen even approached us....

gatt

I just want to thank everyone who responded to my questions concerning my alignment problem. It's now been 1 week since the car got re-aligned, and so far it's still straight.

Thanks again,

Johnny

canadiancl

TMV does not include taxes, tags, and dealers' options. But I'm not sure why they ask for your zip code. Perhaps our host can best answer this one.

pat

It is my understanding that one of the factors in the TMV calculation is the supply and demand in your area.

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

jwankel

I've had my '01 Accord EX V6 for a year and 22,500 miles now and thought I'd give a quick review.

Quality has been very good overall. Two minor issues that the dealer quickly resolved including a squeaky driver's seat mount. The engine is fantastic. A couple of times I've been passing on the highway and look down and I'm into triple digits. The 6 disc in-dash changer and steering wheel controls are addictive. They have become a requirement on all of our future cars.

Road and wind noise has been a little louder than I'd like. It seems like the mirrors and tires are part of the problem. But it's nothing that I can't live with and for only $23k I can't expect a Mercedes or Lexus. The leather on the seats seems to be a little slick and when cornering a little aggresively, I slide in the seat. And I'm still trying to figure out the logic of putting a sunroof control in a hard to see spot on the bottom left of the dash and why it's not one-touch.

But overall, it's been a great car for $23k and I'd recommend it to anyone shopping in this class of cars.

dan715

I found a black 98 EX-V6 coupe that i want to buy but I have a few questions...

Do the 98 EX-V6's have climate control for the air conditioning?

And when your doors are locked and you pick up on the outside handle, does it feel like you could just rip the handle right off, like they are really flimsy?

diploid

No. I've locked myself out of the 98 Accord LX a couple of times, so I've tugged on it with false hope quite a bit. Never felt like it was going to break off. The plastic is pretty durable.

But mine is a sedan and an LX model, not an EX coupe, so maybe your experience may differ.

robertsmx

- '98 EXV6 has auto climate control.
- And no, never felt the door handles to be flimsy.

canadiancl

I think the Accord's door handles are lighter than in past models although I haven't heard of anyone breaking them off. They do feel light though.

carguy62

You mentioned you bought on a Sunday. Are you a transplanted white sox fan? Dealers in IL aren't open on Sundays. Just curious as to where you are from?

theodakis

Appreciate comments from experienced Honda drivers regarding 2002 LX-V6 vs. 2002 EX ...
which gives better value. Is the V6 a
notably quieter car? That is important to me.
Also, is the V6 notably more expensive to repair?

ebd135

Has anyone ever heard of this problem? My wife and I awoke to a dead battery in our 2001 EX. My wife had driven it the night before, parked it in the driveway, and in the morning it was dead. After I got it started, I looked for the obvious culprits ( interior lights left on etc.), but the nothing was on. Then I remembered that the interior fan would sometimes run after the car had been turned off. I just usually would turn the fan off, but my wife obviously didn't notice the fan running.
I brought the car to my dealer, and he said that they had never heard of that problem before. We were able to simulate the problem only when we started the car with the car starter. The fix? The dealer disengaged the remote trunk release and that solved the problem with the running fan.
Does anyone have clue what would cause the car starter to keep the interior fan running after the engines been turned off?
Thanks.

robr2

Lemme get this straight. The HVAC fan runs on its own with the car turned off and can run down the battery. You duplicated this by using the remote car starter. The dealer disconnected the remote truck release and that eliminated the HVAC fan running.

Sounds to me like the remote starter is affecting something in the electrical system. Does using the remote starter turn the HVAC fan on even if the knob is in the off position? I would go back to whoever installed the remote starter and have them check it out.

smithmd

Don,
I just reread his original story. I agree with you on the possible fuel delivery problem.

I didn't realize that he was going back to a high altitude, not just visiting.

canoe2

I have to make decision for my next car soon. I have narrowed to two cars: 2002 Camry LEV6 and 2002 Accord EXV6.
I have tried out test drive both cars and my comments are:

Camry LEV6: Very quiet and smooth on rough road, acceleration is good, interior design is fair (but XLE version is excellent),
Accord EXV6: Engine is little noisy, the shock absorbers are little too hard on rough road, acceleration is excellent, interior design is good (only I do not like LCD for the clock instead of LED).
I am more like Accord than Camry because of the same value money you pay, but there are lot more extra features on Accord (and style is sport).
The only my concern is the reliability of Honda vs. Toyota. I am currently having 89Toyota Corolla with 220K (Km). It's running great with original CV joint, radiator, without any tune up in last 7 years. My uncle and my friend have 93 Accord (EX), they have changed CV at least once (at 130K), needs to fill 1 litter of engine oil every 800Km (something is wrong with this car) ??
Would you think that I would run into the same reliability problems with Accord 2002 ? Should I wait for 2003 model ?
Thanks

diploid

Temple of VTEC has yet another drawing of what the 03 Accord might look like. I'm hoping that they keep it in Japan because it doesn't look nearly as nice as the Accord wagon picture that we've seen.

maxamillion1

It seems that you liked the Accord somewhat better due to price? Am I right? Well, I would say wait if you can hold out until possibly the sunmmer of 2002. Rumor has it that Honda will introduce the new Accord in the summer now instead of in September. If you have to have one right now, my vote goes to the Accord, why? Well, it's cheaper, has a lot more equipment- power front seats, heated seats(Canada), automatic climate control, TRAC, CD6 with radio controls on the steering wheel, leather interior, and a better styled interior design IMO. Styling is a VERY subjective thing, but I say even the Accord wins in exterior styling compared to the Camry, but only by a slim margin. The Camry looks unbalanced, it's round and sporty looking up front, then it gets tall and blockish in the rear. The Accord at least looks plain, the only Camry I consider to look good is the SE and SEV6. The wheels look like 13 inchers on all models except the SE and SEV6. The looker of this class is the new Altima, but that's not the point, at this point I'd suggest you hold on to your car for a bit longer, and wait until you can at least see the new Accord before you buy either, but if you absolutely have to have a car right now, my vote goes to the 2002 or better yet, a leftover (we still have a few) 2001 Accord EXV6. BTW, what colors are you considering, I like the new Camrys in Startosphere Blue and the Accord in Nobel Green.

FWIW, we own a series of Hondas in my family, my mom had a 1980 Civic, 1984 Accord DX and now drives a 1992 Accord DX, I have a 1985 Accord LX, My Grandmother drives a 1991 Accord EX. My aunt had a 1989 Accord LXi, 1990 Accord DX, and she now drives a 1998 Accord LX. All of them have been relaible, neither has left us stranded, the '84 Accord and '80 Civic were totaled in car wrecks. The only minor problems we have had with all the Accords are broken door handles, after a while the interior door handles tended to break, we are talking about cars as old as 16 years. Hondas are about as reliable as Toyotas. Either car will probably be trouble free and not give you any major problems.
Good luck with your purchase.

maxamillion1

That has to be the European Accord model, remember, there are three Accord models available worldwide, the European, Japanese, and American model. That car looks too short to be the next Accord in the United States. Honda will at least want to keep the Accord about the same size as a comparable Camry. They messed up in 1994 with the 5 generation, they knew with the 6 generation that the car had to be larger. I expect it to grow midway between the new Altima and new Camry is size. I think it's going to look more like the Civic, just larger and better balanced. I hope that isn't our next Accord, I truly doubt that it is.

Also, notice the listed trim levels and engines, Euro 240, it's got to be a European Accord. The comment made about following the predeccor, what is that about, the CR-V does look like a mere facelift and so does the Civic, but the Oddysey was a completely different model when it was introduced in 1999, it looked nothing like the tall skinny station wagon they once had. I hope the Accord has new styling and doesn't look like the current one anymore, it's getting more and more bland by the second.

diploid

I would like the 03 Accord to look like that.

brown33

I test drove a 1998 and a 1999 certified used accord LX last night. At the end of the second test drive (about 1/2 hour in each ) I noticed a slight lower back ache. Has anyone else noticed this about the accord? I've had a 1988 accord for 7 years, and have never had a back ache. Has honda cheapened their seats or was I just imagining things?

Thanks.

fxashun

All the different people a values has to be infuriating. A guy says that he hasn't tuned his car in 7 years complains about a CV axle and oil consumption in a friends car. I wonder how his car feels with such minimal care.
Then a 30 minute test drive and the seats are cheap. It makes ya wonder how anyone sells any cars.

corsica

Hello all,
I've had my Honda Accord LX (V4 engine)
for several months and need to move and
had a "newbie" question.

I was wondering if this car has enough
horsepower to drag a small trailer with
some furniture (2 twin beds, 2 full sizes),
and a few chairs/tables. I'm talking about
the small U-Haul trailers that people attach
to the back of their cars.

Can I attach a small trailer and drive
on an interstate highway at say 65 MPH
with no problems?

Thanks!

claywaterfill

Have you looked in the owner's manual?

larryk5

I have a 01 LX V6 with 30k miles. Had the master cylinder replaced 2k miles ago when car started pulling hard left all of a sudden when braking. Car ran fine for few weeks and now when I brake it pulls slightly left and then corrects after a split second. Never had this type of brake pull experence before where it actually straightens out after initial pull.

Going to take it back to dealer again but was wondering if anyone else has had master cylinder or caliper problems.

Have also had the Traction Control checked out twice as it does not seem to work at all at low speeds on wet roads and dealer says it is fine and no error codes. Not sure what it should do but I know it should not smoke the tires from a dead stop on wet roads. Any suggestions?

Larry

alpha01

Disclaimer: This is just an expression of my opinion and I am in no way trying to instigate negative commentary on the Accord, however, I would like constructive reactions.

So I read the new issue of Car and Driver today.... and the Camry nor the Altima made the Ten Best 2002 list, while the coveted Accord did.
I sucked it up and dealt with Car and Driver's choosing the LX V6 Accord over the Camry SE V6 and Altima SE V6 in their December comparo- After all, I tried to reason with myself, it was a family sedan comparo, and value is paramount to many families, so it made sense that the Accord LX eeked out a victory by the narrowest of margins. BUT that was a comparison of V6 models at a specific price point, and Ten Best covers the whole range of the model line.
I can't see how the 20k Altima 2.5S w/ auto, or the Camry LE would be chosen AFTER the older, smaller, blandly styled, lower power Accord. For all intensive purposes, the 4cylinders are more representative of these models, since they sell in such higher quantities... I want a comparo FROM ANY MAGAZINE on the bread and butter models. Enough about the V6... not all of us can afford those!!! Not to belabour the point, but I'd much rather have a 4cly Altima or Camry over the Accord. (and Car and Driver cited a 10% savings on the Accord versus its main competitors... UM, not for the 4cylinder models.)
~alpha

canadiancl

I don't have an Accord but I have a CL-S with traction control. If the road is wet, even moderate throttle from a standing start will break the tire loose. The traction control indicator light on the dash will flicker on so I assume the system is working. I'm not sure what you meant by smoking the tires. I've never tried stomping on it to test the effectiveness of the traction control.

robertsmx

alpha01:
If Accord indeed received its 15th ten best ranking, I wouldn't be surprised. I find all 92+ Camrys too slushy, and Altima's four banger is nothing to boast about, other than it having more horsepower. Accord offers a good mix of everything in a very proportionate way.

larryk5:
To me it sounds like TCS problem.

brown33:
I've '98 Accord (w/leather trim), and I have not spent much time in pre-98 Accords, so I can't compare them, but the seats feel pretty good to me, especially around lower back (but my car also has lumbar support, just in case the cars you test drove didn't). It does lack some thigh support though.

maxamillion1/diploid:
A rumor on next Accord was that Honda would use two variants (JDM/Euro and North American) of Accords instead of three. The sketch posted at vtec.net is just a guess based on evolutionary design on JDM/Euro Accord, plus probably some inputs from here and there. However the trim level sounds like that of a JDM Accord, not European. But what is interesting is mention of 17" wheels (on "L" version as Type-R and Euro-R had 'em), 5-speed automatic transmission, variable gear steering (VGS) and Side curtain airbag system.

ickes

I like the front view of the '03 Accord posted on TOV. The Mag-X site also has a rear 3/4 view, which looks too much like the '86 Taurus of all things.

As for which version goes where, remember that all three Accords (USA, Japan and Euro spec) are based off of the gobal midsize platform, as is the Acura TL. The drawings have enough similarity to the design of the current USA Accord to suggest that our version could be similar.

diploid

Yikes! It does look like a Taurus (and very bland, too). I like the current taillights and hope they remain similar in the 03.

Here's a link (I hope it works) for the 3/4 view:

http://www.mag-x.com/scoop/accord0111/01.jpg

I like the round butt on our Accord. Look what Europe gets:

http://www.mag-x.com/scoop/accord0111/04.jpg

canadiancl

European version is bland. The butt looks like the product of a mating between the current Accord and the last generation Camry.

robr2

Mag-X 3/4 picture you posted link for reminds me of current MB E-Class.

http://www.mag-x.com/scoop/accord0111/01.jpg

claywaterfill

I saw a little M-B in the American version myself. The 3/4 view of the Eurpean version looked a little Toyota-ish in the front and last generation Civic-ish in the tailights.

talon95

I hope the 3/4 view isn't accurate... the roofline and rear door contours remind me of a Saturn S series. Ugh.

diploid

The people at Mag X put it together based on the rumors they have heard.

Mercedes, Saturn...whatever, it doesn't look as good as the current car, anyway. In my personal opinion, I don't find the current Accord to be bland at all.

ickes

I personally like the 5.5 generation the best of all of the Accords, but the current one isn't bad. Just so they don't put those stupid aftermarket-style taillights on it (aka Lexus IS and RX, Nissan Altima and upcoming Mazda 6) I'm sure the new design will be fine. Not great, not bad, just fine...

BTW, who already got their January Car and Driver? Mine seems to be arriving later and later each month. My December edition didn't turn up until Novebmer 15th when it was already on the newsstands!

robertsmx

That is not European Accord, it is JDM Torneo (a smaller version of Japanese Accord). Click here to see the European Accord which evolved from the previous generation Accord unlike the North American version that was completely different.

canadiancl

Looks like a morphing of the previous generation Accord and the current TL.

sandman46

My december Car and Driver also came around that time. I'm a letter carrier so I know that when my customers get theirs, mine should be due within a day or two. I called the company but got nowhere with them.

canadiancl

There's a joke in there somewhere!

diploid

Thanks for the clarification. Mag X's editors need to be more observant (I got the info from from).

robertsmx

The problem with rumored sketches is that they can be way off, and solely the editor's version. I'm not sure if it was Mag-X, but the first pitcures of the 'next Integra' was not even close to what we see today.

BTW, to me the rear in Mag-X sketch looks like they started with MB E-class but used the tail lamp from previous generation Integra.

The side profile is very(JDM/Euro) Honda but may not be close to what we will see.

briken9

It's getting cold. Is there any way to turn on the heat WITHOUT first having the A/C compressor kick on (i.e. the AUTO capability)? Manual wasn't much help. I just want heat and do not need the dehumidifying effects and also do not want to keep on kicking on/off the A/C.

ickes

Don't direct the vents to either the floor/defroster or defroster settings. If you use the dash, dash/floor, or floor settings the A/C shouldn't come on.

lmc4

The drivers side window on my 1995 Accord 2dr 4cyc fell out of the run channel and would not close. The car only has 62,000 miles on it and my wife drives it. The dealer put the window back in and replaced the window regulator. Cost me $329.59. When the dealer told me he had the parts on hand, I began to suspect that Honda knew about the defect. Upon checking the webb I found a Honda technical service bulletin with a summary description of the problem. I asked for some good will consideration(out of warrenty free repair) and the service manager is going to review with the Honda factory rep and get back to me. I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem and what they did about it. If I had wanted a car the the window fell out of, I would have purchased a Chrysler.

bolivar

No, if you wanted a car with regulators that fail, you should have bought the new Lincoln LS.

Go read their SEDANS message area. Many of these cars have a plastic part in the window fail, and the window crashes down.

carguy62

At that mileage you would be on your (at minimum) third head gasket and second transmission in a Chrysler. I think it's pretty well known that Chrysler kept manufacturing cars with a known defect because the cost to retool was more than paying for repairs. A bad window regulator on a six year old car with 60K+ miles doesn't seem that earthshaking to me.

Once you buy that Chrysler feel free to tell us how it is performing.

briken9

Thanks for your reply. I can't seem to get the heater to turn on without first having the AC kick in. I set the vents mode as you indicated. Defrost, re-circulate are off. I then hit AUTO. Blower then kicks on. Doesn't matter where teh blower dial is set. I should mention that the 'A/C ON' indicator does not light up but I can tell its on because 1) I can hear the compressor 2) I can feel the'lurch' in the engine. 3) When I then hit the A/C button 'A/C Off' lights up in the indicator window and I feel the engine lurch again- (indicating to me that it was on).
Can you tell me what buttons you are hitting?