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Comments
But I agree with you on the C class buyers.
of course, this is not to say that the previous generation Accord was just a drag...compared to my 97 Stratus (2.5liter V6) it was much more powerful...
...just wanted to add my couple of cents ;-)...hope someone actually comes to read my post now!
2003 Taffeta White & Ivory AV6 EX Sedan w/Navi
3M Clear Protection Bra on all sides
17" Honda Rims / Michellin Pilots / Locking Lugs
Catz Rising White 4300k HID's
OEM Rear Wing
Shaved Emblems but with Gold H's
Door Visors, Moonroof Visor and Mud Gaurds
More here: http://www.pbase.com/pdqgp/accord
Did you apply the 3M protector yourself? or was it dealer installed.
Second question- are you sure your Accord is a V6, I only see one tail-pipe, usually the accord V6's has two tail-pipes.
Or maybe it isnt a V6, loooks like he debadged his car too..
2. My ride is a V6. Contrast of the photo is hiding the other pipe. Besides, the 4cyl exhaust is on the other side from the one you can see in the above pics....as normally the pipe is opposite the gas filler on single exhaust cars.
See my images here for more details: All three of these vehicles have it on there. Prices will very depending on the vehicle and how much you have done. Expect $300-$600 per car though. I usually do the door edges, rear bumpers, entire front, 18" of hood, etc...
http://www.pbase.com/pdqgp/tamies_mpv
http://www.pbase.com/pdqgp/accord
http://www.pbase.com/pdqgp/ltz_photos
26,500 + 5% MD tax $1,325 + $146 for Tags=$27,971 (out the door). This included wheel locks.
I couldn't afford an Acura, was thinking of the TSX but it's too small, I like something with lots of room inside. I think the Accord looks nice and sporty, it's good for the money, and it's reliable. Everything beyond that is gravy; I have hte EX 4-cyl and I'm almost glad I didn't get the 6-cyl; I read reviews and drove it around, and just read about the extra curb weight and relative lack of handling compared to the 4-cyl and compared to other V6 engines. one European E-zine went so far as to call the V6 handling "mushy", and actually recommended the 4-cyl over it even considering the lack of power/acceleration compared to the V6. Me, I don't need that acceleartion and I think the 2003 is nice becuase it's a new engine built for this car; the 2002 engine was built for the 96 which was much lighter. Also, the 2003 EX 4-cyl included heated front seats, power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and auto climate control - what I don't get is that if you go to the Honda home page and check out the Specifications page for the 2004 Accord sedan, you'll see that hte 4-cyl EX doesn't include these things (or at least according to this site, it doesn't). I found that disappointing but I was glad I got mine when I did; I think if these features really aren't standard on the 2004 Accord, Honda must be trying to push it's V6 a lot to take these out.
Which is a better deal? To upgrade to the premium model that is a leftover or get a current model a few months earlier? Both depreciate about the same. According to Edmunds, the Acura is more expensive to operate.
Any thoughts?
The TSX is a great car, but the ride was harsh, and the 4 cyl. engine just seemed to have to work too hard. I think it would be fun to drive hard, but day to day, I didn't think I would be happy. It's a nice looking car inside and out.
The Accord was also very nice. It's a lot of car for the price, but it just didn't have the level of luxury that the Acuras offered. The instrument panel is excellent, but the leather didn't feel very nice, and some of the trim pieces seemed a little on the cheap side. And the shifter just looks sooo generic.
The TL-S might not handle as well as the TSX, but it was better than the Accord without being too harsh. It is firm, but after a week of driving it, I don't consider it to be harsh. Every time I drive it, I can appreciate it's precision. It's certainly not the sportiest looking car, but it has a simple classy look to it. My biggest gripe is the stereo. Calling the Bose sound system "premium" is an insult to anyone who has ever listened to a good sound system. The Bose system in my GMC Envoy sounds so much better.
The base TL might be adequate for some people, but the Type-S is just a joy to drive. I paid $27K for my Type-S, which is a $2K premium over the base model or the Accord, but I felt it was worth it. There isn't any other car available for that price which offers the same level of quality, performance and features.
Contrary to what some sites may say, I don't know of anyone that has ever lost their way in any service dept ... all that for a lousy $26ish, you can buy more braggin' rights and spend more money, but it's hard to buy more vehicle ...
Terry.
2003 Acura 3.2 TL
Eternal Blue Pearl with Parchment Interior
MSRP: $29,480.00
Special: $25,995.00 plus tax, tag, documentation fee.
2003 Acura 3.2 TL with Navigation
Satin Silver Metallic with Ebony Interior
MSRP: $31,630.00
Special: $28,195.00 plus tax, tag, documentation fee.
2003 Acura 3.2 TL Type-S
Satin Silver Metallic with Ebony Interior
Nighthawk Black Pearl with Ebony Interior
Anthracite Metallic with Ebony Interior
MSRP: $31,830.00
Special: $27,995.00 plus tax, tag, documentation fee.
2003 Acura 3.2 TL Type-S with Navigation
Nighthawk Black Pearl with Ebony Interior
MSRP: $33,990.00
Special: $30,195.00 plus tax, tag, documentation fee.
Good luck! Feel free to drop me an email if I can help you find your way around.
and had no power whatsoever. I traded it in for a Nissan Maxima which I loved. Before the Accord i had a 92 camry which was ok was very smooth with good transmission but boring to drive
That is why I didn't want an auto in my 2003, but after I drove it I was amazed. You rarely even notice it shifts. Especially when mated to the V6 (drive by wire) it feels almost like cvt.
I have a 04 EX v6 coupe w/ leather and I like it a lot. Had an 03 the same but got rearended and
it was totalled. Very safe car. The XM radio standard in the 04 is nice and I think they improved the suspension in the 04 but it may just be in my head.
The Accord had enough luxuary features for me
with the 6 disc changer, side and curtian air
bags, heated seats, driver's power seat.
I do wish I had the sport shifter you can get
with the Acura.
if I had $ to burn I would get the Acura.
can't really go wrong either way. I have no
regrets for buying the Accord.
I paid $24,530 for my 04 but I had bought 1 5
months before from the same place.
I've never had a problem with any of my Hondas and wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. The dealership/repairshop is within walking distance of where I live, and I'm totally spoiled by this convenience. I'm considering the '04 Accord EX-V6 w/navi. The Coupe is awesome, but looks like it would be a pain if you want to use the back seats for packages so I'd probably end up being practical and going for the Sedan.
I've also been researching the '04 Acura TL (haven't driven one yet). Someone on a forum complained this car has poor outward visibility from the driver's seat (not a good selling point IMHO!). The nearest Acura dealership is about a half-hour away by car and hard to access by public transportation.
Has anyone made comparisons between these two models? What made you choose the Accord over the TL? Did you find the visibility in the TL a problem? Do you think the quality of the TL is worth the additional cost over the Accord?
Also, I have never seen any references to poor outward visibility in the new TL. That's not the case. You may have seen a complaint about reduced visibility through the rear-view mirror. I've seen several reports of this, but it's just something that may take a week to get used to and you'd never have a problem with it. Very many cars, especially the sporty ones have a somewhat limited visibility through rear-view mirrors.
Actually the complaint regarding the poor outward visibility was referring to the fact that you couldn't see the front of the car from the driver's seat. This doesn't make sense to me because the car isn't that long in front, and you should be able to compensate by raising the seat a bit. Guess I have to do a test ride and see for myself.
That comment was probably made by someone used to old american cars. Most of the modern cars from both American and foreign manufacturers employ the "cab-forward" design, which typically means that you don't have the front of the car obstructing road in front of you. That's a much preferred way for safety's sake and improves visibility.
The real buying public is closly looking at the two cars.
The TSX received a Ten Best award, and the TL didnt...
~alpha
As far as your question about comparing it to the Accord Coupe, I must insist that you are comparing apples and oranges. With 2004, the TL moved up WAY upmarket from Accord. It is better than Accord in pretty much every category:
* power,
* suspension,
* comfort,
* quality of ALL interior materials: better leather, plastics, real aluminum, real carbon-fiber, great-looking fake wood, etc.
* safety: stability system, Xenon lights on both low and high beams;
* technology: drive-by-wire, much better stereo, trip computer, bluetooth, extra features on navigation system such as 3D sun position sensor, etc.
* standard equipment: memory seats and mirrors, power lumbar adjustment, side mirrors that tilt when reversing, tinted side mirrors to reduce glare, standard cargo nets, auto-dimming rearview mirror, etc.
* interior and exterior design,
* warranty,
* dealer experience, and so on, and so on.
And where do you get the $9K price difference??? You can't compare invoice to MSRP! The 2004 TL is now selling for as much as $2,000 under MSRP and, given how quickly the dealers started deep discounting, you can expect it to sell for $1,000 over invoice 3-6 months from now. Assuming that Accord sells for $500 over invoice, the price difference with the best deal you can make on TL is $6,500 ($33,195 minus $26,660).
Who knows- maybe by then the DVD Navigation system will play DVD movies when the Tranny is in park.:)
Also, the Accord V-6 IS drive-by-wire throttle.
Plus let's not forget that these cars are built on a shared platform. Doesn't mean they are paternal twins, just that there are quite enough similarities to consider comparing the two.