Older Honda Accords

subzero206

zaino!

is300tm7

I know this varies by driving habits, but how long should brake pads last? its for 2001 honda accord lx (rear drum)? Mine has about 13,000 miles but brake does not feel great. Any input?

bodydouble

It shouldn't be worn out at 13,000 unless you like to ride your brakes or you have a habit of not releasing the parking brake, or somehow the brakes are not releasing properly.

salong

Hi, I had a question about pricing of the accord. On Carsdirect, the price of the 4dr EX is less than the invoice price. Should I then expect to be able to get a dealer to sell me this car for less than invoice? Also, does this mean that there is some dealer incentive that edmunds is not aware of, or is this just a fleet purchase discout? Thanks

diploid

I don't think Honda sells to fleet. I know that in my area, there are a LOT of good deals for new Civics and Accords. No idea why, since new Accord won't be out for several more months (so they're obviously not trying to push the "old" models) and Civics are still selling fast.

larryk5

New job and need to purchase my own car for sales. Will put 40k per year on it and am looking to keep it for 160-200k depending upon reliability. Currently have 01 Accord LX/V6 with 50k and have had some problems with breaks and console rattles but now that the bugs are worked out it has been running fine. Get 23-27 mpg in mixed city/hwy driving.

Have narrowed down choice of new car to 02 Accord EX/V6 or 02 Camry SE/V6. Live in Houston and have found new Accord for $22,300 but have not gotten anything solid on Camry yet but expect it to be closer to $23k. Also would like to through the Passat GLS into the mix but higher $ and concerned about longevity.

My current Accord was my first endeavor with non Big 3 US made cars and quite frankly it has not been bullet proof so far as I had hoped. Have only driven 02 Camry once in Hertz rental but it was LE 4-cyl so couldn’t really compare. Liked the quieter ride and think the interior is slightly larger. A little concerned about the Camry being new and would think that the Accord would hold an edge on reliability as this platform has been around and is it its last year.

The Edmunds site says the Accord cost $0.41 per mile and the Camry $0.46 so this is a big plus for the mileage I am going to put on it. I have also driven the Accord for up to 7 hrs at a time and have not been uncomfortable.

Any input would be welcomed and if any of you have recently owned both models I would really like to hear from you.

Thanks,
Larry

bodydouble

I don't think the Camry would be any more bullet-proof than the Accord. Plus Toyota still has not resolved the oil sludge issue so, if it was me, that would be a major concern. Your current car is only 2 years old with 50,000 miles. Why do you need another one so soon? Perhaps you can/should at least wait a few months for the '03 Accord to come out.

maxamillion1

In my area, the Camry Accord and the new Altima are going for invoice prices. The Camry will probably cost you more than the Accord, plus you get more standard features with the Accord. Leather is standard on the EXV6, automatic climate control, power passenger's seat, Traction Control (Stability control is optional on the Camry SEV6) and steering wheel audio controls.

But IMO, the Camry SEV6 looks slightly better than the Accord. Plus it's slightly sportier, and I like the interior of the SEV6 a little more than the Accord EXV6. What I wonder is, why aren't you looking at the Camry XLE, it's very similar to the Accord EXV6, it's a much closer comparison than the SEV6.

letsrock

Just my opinion but I think the XLE looks way conservative. The SEV6 is conservative, but at least it has a hint of sportiness. Plus, and albeit this is a personal thing, I hate the foot-operated parking brake in the XLE. I just find those things clumsy and not intuitive to operate. Why Toyota didn't use a hand brake across the board I'd never know.

BTW, have you decided on your car yet? You've been considering Accord/Maxima/Altima, right? You must have included the G35 sedan and coupe into that mix now, haven't you? The quality is an unknown, but I think the G35 offers almost a perfect combination of value, luxury, power, size and style.

larryk5

Not looking @ XLE because I want the sport suspension in the SE and I like the front end alot more with the fog lights. Have been looking in todays paper and have found some 01 Avalons and 00 TL 3.2's that might not be much more than the EX. At this time I am leaning towards the Honda because I know the seats are comfortable and I am a bit concerned about the Camry based upon comments here and lack of time behind the wheel.

diploid

Temple of vtec reports that the Accord will get a 6-speed.

maxamillion1

as a matter of fact, the first allocation of Accords is supposed to being this coming Friday, May 24. My mom and I will be looking to order a new Oddy minivan this weekend, I'll try to scoop up any info I can about the new Accord. Collegehillshonda.com even as the 2003 Accord Coupe and Sedan color combinations. If you liked Firepepper Red or Naples Gold, kiss them good-bye. They are replaced with Redondo Red and Desert Mist. The Navigation system will be available for the Accord EX-L and EXV6 sedan AND coupe. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, there is not a sporty-type sedan model to compete with the Camry SE and SEV6....the Accord willprobably handle better than the Camry SE anyway.

jfunk

No there will be no "sporty-type" sedan, but there will be a sporty coupe, with a six speed.

But you are correct, the standard '03 Accord sedan will indubitably handle better than the Camry.

diploid

Someone at the vtec forum said that the May 20 issue of Automotive News has 2 pictures of the Accord coupe. He said it made the pictures of the drawings from Motor Trend very believable.

alpha01

Hey, dont knock the Camry SEs handling, at least not until you have tried it yourself ... its pretty sure footed, with little roll, and excellent accuracy, and has been receievd well in the automotive press. I think its a bit arrogant to assume the bread and butter Accord will out handle the Camry SE, especially in the context of how Honda softened the redesigned Civic.
~alpha

ickes_mobile

at www.automotivenews.com, but just barely. You can save the pic and then zoom with a viewer. The car looks more rounded off - could just be distortion from enlarging the pic - but it does resemble the MT sketches.

I would think that they will appear on other sites such as www.thecarconnection.com, www.auto.com, or www.detroitnews.com soon.

ickes_mobile

http://beta.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=11455

Where's that order form for the Mazda6? Really, I'm surprised how rounded off the car looks. It looks very clean but almost like a Cougar from the rear 3/4 quarter view. THe taillights are very Mercedes SL.

filod

thanks ickes, it looks believable. I like what I see so far. I wish they can post some pictures for the sedan too, although our wait will not be that long. I expect that as the date of intro comes near, more pictures will be coming out for us to talk about, and enjoy...

ickes_mobile

I would say these pics have 100% credibility. The citation is for Christa Lehman of Hidden Image (must be Hans' daughter/wife?), which is one of the primary sources for these types of photos along with Jim Dunne of Popular Mechanics and Brenda Piddy and Co.

I'm not sold on the design. I looks bloated and the wheels look small.

letsrock

Taillights look good, but otherwise car looks too tall and bloated, wheels/tires too small, front end too much Taurus/Chysler, headlights follow the current "tall lights" trend but don't look well integrated. The Camry headlights look better in comparison. My concern is if coupe looks tall and bloated, what will the sedan look like?

salong

Anybody know what the 2003 4 cylinder engine specs are supposed to be? Curious to see what kind of improvements there will be. Thanks

jrct9454

...and in any case, the way the car looks is important for maybe 60 days after launch, if that long. The most important question is how it drives, and whether Honda has chosen to address some of its historic shortcomings vs the competition [example: road noise].

Anyway, the car looks quite handsome to me, and the derivations may be interesting to some, but academic to me. Truly original designs in this class come along maybe once every 15 years, and as I mentioned in a previous post, they are almost by definition NOT going to come from Honda or Toyota. For these two, the important thing is not to create something the market just can't stand to look at...like the previous redo of the Taurus that had to be band-aided three years later.

wolverine_x

I thought the design is at least different and fresh from what Honda has been offering in the past. This is a good sign of better things to come, I hope.

diploid

Looks like a large Civic coupe, IMO.

wayde

I think the new honda design philosophy is the bloated look. I was shocked when I saw and drove the new civic coupe - yuck (having owned a 96 EX coupe I knew what an older honda felt and looked like). I don't like the looks of this coupe - bloated, small tires, contrived design. But hey, this is the mid-size market - as long as it's safe, reliable, and quiet I guess. Not for me though. Geesh, it's hard to believe the 86 Accord started my love affair w/ Honda's - it's been eroding over the last couple of years though. MAZDA - the answer :-) Look at the new 6 and Protege and P5 - sporty cars - like honda's used to be.

maxamillion1

and for that reason I am satisfied. I thinks the new Civic coupe is one of the best designs Honda has made in recent years, to me the Civic Ex looks better than the RSX.....I can't wait to see the sedan!

subzero206

suppose to be around 170-180 hp with torque equal to hp. iVTEC of course.

sgreen4

Need some help picking tires for my '94 EX sedan.
Have only gotten about 30K on the Pirellis I have now. Michelins seem over priced. Will be doing alot of highway driving this coming year. Noise and all weather traction are important. Am considering the new Firestone LH30s rated for 70K miles. Thoughts?

ambull

I had Affinity tires on a Saab 9000T for 12,000 miles or so. They wore pretty good but weren't great in rain or snow. Personally I would at least look at the SH30 model, which is higher performance. Rates pretty good at TireRack, but they say it is a little noisy. Link is below:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testResultsModel.jsp?tireModel=SP+Sport+A2&tireMake=Dunlop

Regarding 170-180 hp & torque: you're dreamin, especially on torque.

pkradd

Well, the angle and perspective of the photo emphasize that . Until there's a side view don't make up your mind as photos can be deceiving. Like most cars one needs to see it in person.

Late flash, found this site with a side view of the sedan:

http://thehollywoodextra.com/accord/accord.html

tiger8

Our hopes for a revolutionary new Accord have been dashed. Pretty bland (as we expected). They're not going to fool with success nor upstage the Acura TL.

There's hope yet, however. Will the new Accord have Xenons? Will it have a full trip computer? Will it have a more powerful V6? Will it have a NAV (yes). Will it have a 5-speed auto? Face Marysville, Ohio, and pray 6 times a day.

diploid

Bland? I thought that gray colored sedan drawing from MT was gorgeous. But that's probably the Acura or a Euro Accord.

I'm beginning to think that that pic of the coupe is photoshopped by a pro, probably from Honda to throw us off.

ickes_mobile

credited to Hidden Image and published in Automotive News. While this does not guarantee 100% accuracy, these two organizatons have a lot of credibility, so I doubt the original was a photoshop manipulation. However, I do think that the pics at Hollywood Extra are photoshops of the Hidden Image photo. They appear to have been mirrored and altered slightly. Note that the reflections on the car body are the same as the ones from the gas station. Also, the image of the person in the car is the same.

diploid

Is also a credible source of information, but I remember that even MT published an article with a "redesigned" NSX, which was later proven to be a fake.

I am really hoping that the coupe pic is fake. Leave the tall and bloated look to the Civics, the Accord lineup should remain sleek.

bodydouble

diploid: That would indicate the current Accord is sleek. Even though we own one, I would say "sleek" may be stretching it. However, I do think the current Accord has a good timeless proportion to it. It's a design that would probably still be pleasing to look at 10 years from now. It won't make you salivate, but it also wouldn't make your eyes water.

ickes_mobile

well put..

diploid

Well yes, it's not sleek in the sense of, say, an NSX, but look at all the other midsize sedans out there. They're all bloating up, and I guess Honda is just going to follow the trend.

IMO, the current Accord is just the right size, both internally and externally.

letsrock

I wonder if there will now be a rush to buy the remaining '02 Accords now that some semi-credible spy shots of the '03 are out and it does not appear to be the slam-dunk (style-wise) that people have been hoping for. In fact, judging from initial reaction on this site, positive/negative reaction seem to be 50/50.

civicw

Slightly longer, wider, taller, more powerful engine with lower emissions, dull color selection, bland styling and plenty of road noise. YAWNNN...This is supposed to motivate long time Honda owners to buy another Accord or Civic or...

My Accord wish list: Distinctive but not outlandish('96 Taurus) styling, 5 door hatch, noise suppression to Toyota standards, compact but roomy(like Passat), new colors to replace the Honda Boring Collection, and the usual Honda attributes.

Looks like I'm going to be disappointed with the '03 Accord, based on the info out there. I'm definitely going to look at the Mazda 6 hatch.

diploid

I still have hope for the new Accord.

subzero206

how am i dreaming? read all the rumors. if theyre using the CRVs 2.4 it would be easy for them to boost the hp from 160 just put in an intake that breathes easier and change the exhaust etc... torque may or may not be equal its 162 in CRV.

alpha01

I also doubt that you will see hp and torque in the 17-180 hp or lb-ft range, for the simple fact that many blurbs I have read have basically stated that the V6 will be a carryover, with few modifications. Making significantly more than the CRVs 2.4 160hp/162lb ft would get a bit close to the current V6s numbers, which I doubt Honda would want to do. However, if those reports about the V6 or wrong, then I think your argument is valid... but at this point, I just dont think it is.
~alpha

jrct9454

...this car on the basis of one photo should, of course, make sure you buy something else. The rest of us, who admire Honda for many qualities outside this realm of exterior styling, will presumably wait to try the car on the road.

If you absolutely MUST obsess on styling, then try comparing this car to either the Camry or Altima or yes, even the new Mazda 6. Of these, the Mazda and Altima give good first impressions from the parking lot, but none of these are show cars or designed to be big on the "wow factor".

I keep repeating: looking for style breakthroughs in this class of car is a complete waste of time, and if you really want the virtues that Honda brings to the table, you'll take the car as offered. If you don't, by all means take your money someplace else.

It would be one thing if the car were a real eyesore - instead it looks handsome and well thought out, and probably at launch more organic [front and rear making sense together] than the current gen car. For the half of the audience here for whom this is not good enough, well, march your checkbook over to the competition.

You're going to get a more powerful 4, probably a 5spd automatic for the V6, the option of the nav system for those who can't read maps, and the promise of even more room inside. Beyond the hope of some extra road refinement, I'm satisfied they've done what they needed to do, without jacking up the price to the point that no one wants to pay. If some of you had even higher expectations in some form, well, that's why there is competition...

ickes_mobile

As much as you are able to offer opinions in favor of the supposed '03 Accord Coupe, others may offer critisim. Its what makes these "discussion" boards interesting.

So, rather than getting all huffy about it - why not just say that you like it based on its looks and the other factors that make Honda's appealing. Ultimately, your right, if some here find that they don't like the looks or the overall character of the car, they can shop elsewhere.

diploid

ickes_mobile- LOL, some people just don't get the concept.

ickes_mobile

don't bother to comment on such posts - but it seemed out of line with the comments about the '03 Accord photo and with the character of this discussion in general...

diploid

Yeah, but I just loved how it's suggested that we take our money elsewhere if we didn't value Hondas for what they are as a whole. Hellooo...majority of the posters in here are current Honda owners.

filod

I used not to like other people joining a group and just telling how bad a vehicle is and obviously they are trying to justify what they have or want to buy

But some of them really do offer good suggestions and point out the differences between cars that I find helpful and interesting information. Some of us maybe interested in the topic about colors, horsepower, crash test, resale values and so on and other cars can be good over the other

Eventually it is us who will decide what to buy. I had two generations of the accord before I switch to another brand. While I do not see anything bad with what I have right now (except few dealer irritations!), I am again considering Accord as my next car. Styling? Every time Accord comes out, the magazines always call it a bland styling yet many people buys it and they love the style….reason I did not buy the current generation is the style but now I like it

bodydouble

So would you consider buying one of the remaining '02, or wait for the '03?

strager

I think these so-called mid sized "family" cars are just becoming too huge and bloated. Obesity is supposed to be a growing problem in the US, but that doesn't mean family sedans have to become huge. I'd like to see Honda do some surgery on the Accord sedan and restore its original trim, sensible, athletic look.