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It sure is. Kinda like cutting and pasting from a company's online sales brochure and passing it off as fact. :-P
Regardless, I'm not gonna get in a war of words over tires, especially when I agree that the X-One is, from what I've read, a pretty darned good tire. Looking at the Tire Rack's online survey and the sales guy's own account (remember, the X-Ones were more money; it stands to reason that if he were commisioned, which I'm not sure of, he'd make more of the more expensive tire) I went with the Bridgestones. I've never considered them to be an "off-brand" (If I wanted off-brand tires, I could have saved a LOT more money and gone to Pep Boys, but I'm not trusting my own or my family's safety to an inferior product) so I went with them. Again, it's a little early for a final judgement, but I can already tell you that wet traction is a vast improvement over the Michelin "Rain Force" (whatever the heck that means) MX4.
As far as your humor is concerned, it needs improving. Let me suggest that you watch Speedvision (Speed Channel) 24 hours a day to get those hormones running. But please, skip over the Bridgestone ads when watching.
all: Has anyone compared the X-Ones to the Dunlop Sport A2's?
Honda has far better quality contol than a Volvo. Even Peter Forsberg drives an Acura and not a Volvo. He knows better after playing in the USA for the past 10 years. I heard when he goes home to Sweden in the off season, he drives a Skoda.
A couple things. One, I don't recall anyone making that statement. I personally can't make it, because my Volvo is an '89 model (if you'd read the above posts, you'd know that.) For another thing, all the Volvo designs currently in production were finalized before the takeover.
Regardless, I'm very satisfied with both my Volvo and my Honda (both are sitting at around 120,000 trouble-free miles; this is my first Volvo, but my third Honda/Acura) and wouldn't hesitate to buy either brand again.
Is this a potential quality problem that needs to be addressed? Or, has Honda addressed this problem at the factory?
Seems like virtually every little switch/part is made for one companies cars-it will work on lots of their vehicles but no other manufacturer's.
Comments appreciated
For example, Toyota does not out source their parts outside of batteries and tires.
I believe that Honda is making a big mistake in outsourcing its parts with GM. Quality will suffer in the once stellar Accord with GM parts.
I then drove same roads with my 1999 EX V6--absolutely steady steering, no drifting right.
I assumed it was a defect of the specific car I drove (the dealer said the right tire inflation was low).
If it's a known defect I would expect to see many comments. Any feedback?
Don't you love the creative things car sales people can come up with.
A few posts state that this is a defect of the new Accords.
It could also be, as bburton1 suggests, that the steering on all the new EX V6s is sensitive and differs from what I am used to with my 1999 model--so a "crowned" road would affect the 2003 Accord more than my 1999 model.
If so I could get used to it, I think. I just want to make sure the drifting sensation is really a normal characteristic of the new model, not a defect of the specific car I may buy.
I posted the same remark on the "sedans" discussion board hoping to get as much feedback as possible.
SAAB, on the other hand, is more integrated into GM already. The current 9-3 and 9-5 are based on existing Opel/Vauxhaull platforms (as are the L-Series and Catera). The new 9-3 is one of the first GM products on the new Epsillon platform.
Last time I was at my dealer he drained some of the tranny fluid as it was high, which seemed to have helped but now...no luck...the problem still exists. I've checked the fluid level and it is fine. I have around 7000mi so I think I've broken the car in.
Has anyone else with an '02 EX V-6 noticed anything? Should I start the ball rolling for Honda to extend the tranny replacement to include '02's? Any other suggestions for me to have the dealer check? Is this just a "characteristic" of the Honda trans...coming from a Pontiac Grand Am there are already a lot of differences...all for the better! Thanks in advance for your assistance!!
Honda knows that it takes over 5 years for the rust to form in that area. Guess what--right after the rust throw warranty expires. Rock salt caught in that area of course is the biggest cause of rust and you can't wax that inside ledge.
I was considering an Accord now that the styling is starting to grown on me, but I'm going to stay away from it if there are quality control problems.
Every make and model of car ever built will have an ocassional problem. In these forums these problems tend to be amplified and often overblown.
There are a couple of Honda bashers here that enjoy stirring the pot as often as they can.
Before you choose another make of car, be sure to visit the forums that deal with those makes. You'll find similar tales of woe only more of them!
Good Luck!
Anyway, thanks again for your posts. At the very least I can remember what it was like when I first learned to drive stick every time I feel the hesitation when shifting from 1st to 2nd.
I tend to believe that all Generation 6 Accord transmissions were problematic due to a poor design by Honda engineers. Honda in so many words reinforced that statement by offering a 7 year warranty on its transmission. That is why all the changes were made on the Generation 7 Accord in the transmission housing.
By the way, this is what isellhondas said back in May, 2001 regarding the transmission problem:
"First I ever heard of this was right here, in Town Hall. I'll repeat, this was very much overblown."
How come everyone else heard about this problem except you?
"A supplier, unbeknownst to Honda decided to change specs on some part in the V-6 transmissions. This would cause a loud "clunk" while backing up. It did not cause total failure."
Where did you get this information from isellhondas?
"Honda was blindslided by this."
"And, few cars were affected. To this day, I have NEVER heard this clunk and I've backed up literally hundreds of them."
Isn't it strange that everyone else has heard this clunk but isellhondas?
"The problem cars were fixed under warranty, case closed."
That is why Honda had to extend the power train warranty right isellhondas?
As you can see, isellhondas comments sounded as if it was part of Honda's response to transmission issues at that time. This problem was critical enough that it made the newspapers nationally due to various consumer complaints. Honda's response AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS was to extend the power train warranty that covered the transmission defect.
Yes, Honda has quality control problems now that they did not used to suffer. They are still good cars for the money, but you better make sure it has nothing wrong with it before you roll off the lot.
Seriously though, FWIW, there appears to be an issue here and from what i can see, it's "only" (not trying to make light of this fact) the EX-V6.
i find this very bizarre [our EX-I4 is fine, thank god.]. one other EX-V6 poster had it fixed by swapping tires.
could it be the tires fault? ie, Michelin...boy, this could be Firestone/Ford all over again...
but, if it's a tire flaw, why does the problem only show up in the V-6 cars? is this a weight distribution issue where the higher weight up front will unveil this problem in the V-6's?
just thinking and speculating aloud...
Of course, we all know that the problem was more widespread than I knew.
And...it's true! The first I ever heard of it was right here, in these forums!
And you know what else? I STILL have yet to hear this "clunk" when backing up an Accord or an Odyssey.
Not that you would believe me...
As far as the pulling go's, I keep meaning to check on this the next time I drive one.
Once again, I've only heard of this here.
I can see people coming here, reading this and thinking..." Maybe I have this problem!"
Then going down the street, taking their hands off the wheel to see if the car pulls to the right.
If a car has a pull, it'll be noticed without having to do that little test.
Big difference between a "pull" and a gradual drift which all cars will do.
But...I'll check..is it the V-6's only that are supposted to do this?
In my case (post 1812, Nov. 2) I test drove two 2003 EXV6 cars on Halloween, came back the next day and drove them both again. One had a slight rattle/vibration both times and that's all I remember about it. The other seemed to want to "drift" to the right slightly, in a way that my current 1999 EXV6 doesn't. I did wonder if it was my imagination. Just enough of a worry that I decided not to continue the buying process that evening.
When I got to my computer I checked this forum. That's when I saw another mention of the same thing--#1809 from paulo3--and posted my own experience.
Especially interested in hearing from anyone who had this problem but was able to fix it.
The "safety feature" comment came not from a salesman, but from a service manager. Chew on that for a minute! Fact is, there are some people who would believe him. That's an example of taking advantage of the uninformed. Ethics? What's ethics?
The street in front of our dealership is on a hill and is heavilly crowned. Often people will immediately take their hands off the wheel while driving up the hill. When the car drifts to the right a bit they will tell me..." It pulls to the right!"
I'll have them drive to a flatter street and somehow the problem go's away.
Also, if a front tire is a couple of pounds low on air it'll cause a pull too.
Four of the earlier cars have suffered various degrees of rust - some severe and some prematurely. I'm hoping that the New Generation of cars have better paint jobs and steel with less impurities.
My friend is "Anti-Japanese Cars" and says that they use "cheap" steel. He says you won't find this problem with American Steel or European.
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Has the quality of Japanese exteriors improved and the incidence of Rust decreased?
Has the Accord or more generically Honda, a good track record?
An honest saleman (sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it-I sell for a living) who sold me my 97 accord told me to very carefully wash the area behind the rear wheels where the plastic bumper and the metal fender connect. This is the only area I have seen that has rusted on these vehicles. Just replaced the exhaust system and noted almost no rust on the under carriage with the exception of exposed steel nuts/bolts. Yeah the new ones are a lot better-oh I drive in salty WI/IL and in the winter regularly get it white with salt. Try to wash it at one of those DIY hand held wand things-lots of the drive thru places recycle their water and "filter" out the salt-if u believe that I got a bridge to sell u.
I don't see it often, but on occasion it'll crop up above the rear wheel arches, or at the bottom of the rear quarter panel just above where the plastic wraparound fascia connects.
Still, when you figure that's a car now 8-9 model years old, and they do salt the roads around here, that's not too shabby.
I think the main reason cars used to rust was that they had more places for salt, dirt, debris, and moisture to gather. I think chrome also has some kind of electrical property that will cause the sheetmetal it's attached to to rust prematurely. The fact that moisture and debris can get up under chrome trim didn't help much, either!
It's very rare that I see a rusty car anymore, unless it's more than 10-15 years old. I still see 'em in the junkyard all the time with blown motors, dead trannies, and other failures, but I think the days that a car will literally rust out around a still-reliable drivetrain are long over with.
I'm not sure, but I think Goop actually had some kind of electrical property that would encourage rusting, as well. I'm not sure if all caulks are like this, though.
Probably the best thing to do is see if you can reach this area with a high pressure water hose, and just blast it real good to make sure you get everything out.
I'm a week away from purchasing a new '02 Accord EX coupe and I'd like ideas on the best way (short of garaging it) to avoid theft.
When I say I haven't heard of a specific problem, that is because I haven't. This doesn't mean I don't believe the problems can happen to others.
Since I'm in the thick of things, If a problem is a big one I ought to get wind of it.