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also, i like the way the side mirrors look on the Accord. very old school 5 series BMW (the 5 series before this hideous version they have out now).
I am just a happy camper!
The word I think is bias?
anyone else notice the same?
I just get a chuckle sometimes when I read these posts where someone says if they had realized the new Accord didn't have a passenger door keyhole they would have bought something else.
I'm sorry, but...give me a break!
I go sit in new Accords and look for the "gaps" or "lack of fit and finish" and wonder what in the world people are talking about or what, exactly, do they expect and demand from a car in the Accord's price range?
I listen for rattles, thumps and groans and things that go bump in the night. Maybe I'm hard of hearing or something?
And, then I'll take in a 1991 Accord with 212,000 miles on it. IT starts, shifts and runs like a 40,000 mile car. The seats are firm and unworn, no rattles to be heard etc.
Those are the times I appreciate the quality of a Honda. Certainly not perfect, but overall, pretty hard to beat for the money.
i think the Accord has great interior materials and fitments, but VW does it (in my opinion) a little better, in cars that are much less expensive. but then again, you also get a VW if you buy a VW, so there ya go....
there are trade-offs. i am thinking about just buying new aftermarket front rotors and pads and writing Honda nasty letters a few times a week for being so rude.
Shouldn't the dealer replace the rotors and pads if they're not working right.
I believe t hey changed the pads. Has yours had the newer pad version that doesn't damage the rotors with heat buildup? Then the rotors should be replaced due to the damage.
Do a search for pads and updated in the Accord discussions.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
However, lane changes from one parallel lane to another can be covered by the mirrors, but only if you adjust them properly. Nothing wrong with twisting your neck under all conditions, however, as this gives you a much wider field of view.
I think we've beat this discussion to death, so go move on to other issues. How about the missing glove box light with switch, lack of dual sun visors, lack of lighted steering wheel controls, and lack of 60/40 split folding rear seats, all of which are either standard or available on current Taurus?
Just tweaking you guys, Accords are fine cars. (I am well aware you can develop a laundry list of Accord features not found on Taurus, so no rants please!) :-)
I'm sorry, but if you can't behave yourself, you'll just have to leave...
(Just kidding, of course!)
But seriously, I'm missing what you mean by the glove box light...
My 99 Accord V-6 coupe has it's original front pads at 54,000 miles. Had them checked recently and they still have 4MM left so I'll be good for probably another 15,000 or so.
On the other hand, our shop has replaced them on other 99 coupes at 25,000 miles.
Not saying it's all your fault, but your driving habits COULD be a factor in this.
Anyone who is ready to write the Accord off because they don't feel like adjusting their mirrors correctly or just because they can't use a key in the passenger door will probably never be happy in any car. I look forward to seeing those same people in other forums at a future date with different (but equally as frivolous) complaints about a different car.
not saying my Accord isn't nice, but thinking about how they are passing the buck on this is frustrating. the car isn't a year old, only has 11,000 miles on it. already went thru one set of pads (on the second) and two rotor resurfaces. and its MY fault?
don't think so.
Like I said before, WHY would I want to unlock my PASSENGER door with a key especially when I have a remote in my hand??
In my opinion, this is beyond a doubt, the most "trivial issue" I have ever heard of in these forums.
Also, ALL cars have blind spots! Any good driver will ALWAYS look quickly over their shoulder when changing lanes.
My father spent thirty years as a driver's license examiner...don't know how he had the nerve to do this, but, failing to look back when changing lanes was, I think, a four point deduction when taking your driver's test.
Hopefully they have solved your problem.
"I listen for rattles, thumps and groans and things that go bump in the night. Maybe I'm hard of hearing or something?"
>>I have my November 2002 issue of Car & Driver in front of me, which placed the Honda Civic 5th place out of ten in a compact-car comparison. Here's what they said about the car:
LOWS: Way too many rattles, way too many shades of metallic in the paint, harsh ride, numb path control on the interstate
THE VERDICT: Something new from Honda - a loser
"...Still, it takes more than careful engineering to create a great car. I takes quality control, which the test car, to our great surprise, lacked. It had some major rattles and the metallic paint had more shady spots than the Coconino National Forest. We though the panel gaps were rather wide, too, and certain details of the dash fit poorly...the ride has gotten harsh...Noisy, too. The engine, as well, is plenty loud in the high revs, and wind noise is apparent at speed. Moreover, path control on the freeway is nowhere near as sharp as Civics used to be...its people skills could use some work."
I only mention this because you act as if anybody who criticizes a Honda product must be either too demanding or imagining things. I realize the above article is in reference to the Civic, but I have a strong feeling that if people were complaining about these types of issues in the Civic forum your reaction would be the same. The article clearly stated that in some respects, the older Civics were better than the new ones, such as path control on the highway.
I'm not imagining what I saw when I looked at the Accord Coupe, specifically the poor fit of many of the interior pieces, the headliner not being secured, and the sunroof not retracting fully into the roof (it looked goofy and unfinished), and what I thought to be too much wind noise coming from the windshield area. Car and Driver didn't imagine what they say either.
Don't get me wrong - I liked the way the Accord Coupe drove and think it's a good car. But had I bought the car, I would have been irked to have to put up with the sub-par build quality I observed, and that's not something I'm willing to do.
You say people are too demanding of vehicles in this price range. Well, I say look at a Toyota Corolla. According to Toyota, it is built to the same quality control/gap tolerance standards as a Lexus. In fact, all the reviews basically say it's a mini-Lexus.
Had that Accord Coupe I test drove been built as well and tightly as a Corolla, I'd have bought it in a heartbeat.
Honda isn't infallible.
"Interior material quality was another category in which the Civic earned top scores. From the seat upholstery to the steering wheel to the sun visors, nearly every surface in the Civic has a high-quality look and feel to it. Build quality was equally impressive as every trim panel was firmly secured and perfectly aligned."
"Apart from just the raw numbers, the Civic consistently delivers a driving experience above and beyond what you would expect in this class. It's not the fastest, the biggest or the cheapest, but it always manages to make you feel like you're getting more than just an economy sedan."
"The Bottom Line: With its refined ride, high-quality interior materials and excellent build quality, this is one economy sedan that feels anything but cheap."
"Had that Accord Coupe I test drove been built as well and tightly as a Corolla, I'd have bought it in a heartbeat. Honda isn't infallible."
Neither is Toyota. The Camry has had it's share of rattles and build quality issues as evidenced by the 2002 Camry's rating of only average in Consumer Reports. Here is a comment from Edmunds follow-up test of the Camry done in October 2002:
"It was all put together solidly, though we did note rough edges on some plastics and a few slightly loose interior components. On the outside of the vehicle, panel gaps were tight, but the hood and rear bumper were both misaligned. Taking into account a buzz from the driver-door speaker, we're prepared to call build quality above average but not class-leading."
The Sequoia that Edmunds is doing a long-term test on has also had issues with rattles and interior build quality.
The Avalon wasn't immune either (from Edmunds review 1/1/99):
"However, we had a disturbing problem with our test car. An annoying and consistent squeak, much like a cricket's chirp, came from the center panel and drove our staff nuts. Regardless of the surface we traveled over, the chirp, chirp, chirp accompanied us, and it got worse when speeds increased. One determined staffer quieted the racket by holding the plastic trim surround where it meets the lower dash pad. But we were disconcerted. A car of this caliber should have no squeaks of this sort, and we were especially surprised since our last drive of an Avalon had no such build-quality issues. Perhaps this was a fluke with our test car, but we also found that when we took turns, the center console "shifted" easily and creaked. What's going on, Toyota? Is this the result of designing a "true American car"?"
That doesn't mean every Camry. Sequoia, and Avalon sold are bad just as not every Civic has the issues reported in that Car & Driver review. Nor does every Accord exhibit the problems you supposedly found.
I would be really disappointed if there was no lock cylinder on the passenger side, because then I would always have to go to the driver's side first, even when I am letting someone else in first, or putting a package in the passenger seat, etc.
The only time I see it being a problem in the Accord is if the DX Accord has no passenger side key cylinder. Since the DX does not have power locks it could then be an inconvenience. Does anyone know if the 03+ Accord DX has a key cylinder on the passenger side?
The point I'm trying to make is isellhondas is quite mistaken when he insists that anybody who criticizes a Honda is either imagining things or being too demanding. That's why I included C&D's comments on the the Honda Civic - to show that there are well-founded and legitimate criticisms for Hondas. According to isellhondas, Hondas are absolutely perfect in every way and anybody with a complaint is is obviously imagining things or just being too demanding or their driving style is to blame (brake problems). Tell that to C&D.
I guess I don't like the subtle suggestion that I'm being untruthful about what I said about the Accord Couple I looked at, or that I was imagining things, or that I'm being too demanding. In January, myself and another poster talked about how Gunn Honda in San Antonio was selling Accord EXL-V6s for $22,250. isellhondas said that was impossible, again, suggesting we were being untruthful.
Again, I was really looking forward to buying that Accord Coupe, but no matter what isellhondas may have to say, there were most certaily flaws with the car that made me think twice about buying it. It's a shame, too, because there isn't much to choose from in this market - sporty, two door coupes which offer a manual transmission and V6.
If you admit that the Accord you saw may not have been indicative of the Accord line as a whole why are you so quick to write the Accord off? I have had two of the latest generation Accords. A 2003 coupe and a 2004 sedan. I owned the coupe for 9 months/16,000 miles and never had a problem mechanically or with rattles. Same goes for the 2004 sedan I currently own (knock on wood.) It too has been flawless.
We had a 2002 Lexus ES300 as a loaner while our GS300 was being services. There were a few interior pieces that didn't line up properly and if I recall correctly that car also had a rattle. That doesn't mean I think every ES300 is bad nor would I write one off my list were I to become interested in one.
Or am I just imagining things and being too demanding?
It's not that - it's just that a white Accord Coupe V6 6MT is very hard to come by. This was the second one (first one was used) I've come across after 7 months. It's not like I can go and see another one on the lot if I didn't like the first one.
The reason I ask: What if it's raining and I don't want to roll my windows down but need to get my hot date out of the rain ASAP?
Those familiar with ISO 9000 and Quality Management Programs know that a successful business wisely seeks out its customers' complaints to improve itself (by, among others, sending out aforementioned survey to customers).
A case in point is Mitsubishi Motors, whose employees and management suppressed customer complaints. The problems kept recurring and eventually, their cars had to sell below market prices. It is now in serious financial trouble after D-C withdrew its support of the company, where it has a minority stake.
To defend and trivialize if not totally ignore a carmaker's shortcomings in these fora could actually do more harm than good.
If we really want Honda to succeed as a carmaker, I say - let it all hang out !
"You can please some of the the people some of the time but you can't please all the people all of the time."
I disagree... there are 2 sides to every story, and the opinions of those who disagree with or consider as trivial some of the complaints here are every bit as important for the carmaker to understand as the complaints themselves.
The debate helps to identify which complaints are primarily someone's "pet peeves" and which are more widespread and serious. Honda should evaluate all complaints and decide which are serious and important enough to merit their attention and action. After all, one or two people may complain about something that they consider a design deficiency, but if most others consider the complaint to be of little or no consequence, Honda may decide that it may not be worth pursuing.
As gee said, you can't please everybody. That's the one thing that these forums prove beyond any doubt.
that is the answer that i need to hear for me to keep thinking that they are a world-class automaker
in the ultra competitive automotive world out there, Honda should realize that little things mean a lot. they are still on top in my opinion, but they don't have quite the large edge that they had in the 90's. and customers will realize that....
If you don't think the Accord Coupes are up to your standards then you shouldn't buy one. I wasn't trying to say the "problems" you cited weren't real...for you...I just said I don't see what you are talking about. Of course, since it's a coupe, it's styling doesn't permit the moonroof to fully retract. Same applies to a lot of other cars as well.
I'm not sure what you mean by the headliner not being secured? It's possible a clip wasn't installed properly when it was built.
As far as Corollas? Great cars! I'm sure they aren't up to snuff either for some.
I'm just amazed sometimes over what is important to some people but not at all to the masses. That was my only point.
Those who disagree with Isell, or believe that he is using this forum to push an agenda, are welcome to their opinions, but I completely disagree. I have read his posts for a couple of years and they are universally informative.
Without professionals from all aspects of the auto industry participating, all we would have is a lot of uninformed opinions. That isn't going to help anyone make educated purchasing decisions.
I am sick and tired about the passenger door key, the split seat, and bashing Isell. Lets move on folks!!
As for the remote working, things fail after years or months of use. Batteries run down. Computers fail to unlock. Relays fail that switch the power motor for the lock. Therefore I'd rather have the lock on both sides. High defense mode that it's not needed doesn't cut it for me, but thanks.
As for mag writer not ranking Accord highest because they probably got a fleet car that had been in a wreck, LOLWROF.
In defense of Isell--he's supportive of the brand that he sells and that has been a high reliability vehicle from Honda. I would hope my GM brand salesman is as knowledgeable and supportive of the car he's selling as Isell is. I have to admit if Isell had been the salesman when I test drove the 03 Accord which had rattles and grabby brakes and ..., I might have been driving one.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The same would be true of checking to see if there's a switch for the glove box light or if it just comes on at night.
On a test drive most reasonable people wouldn't check for those things.
I wouldn't expect to on an upper line car. But then apparently anonymous would.
I agree to disagree.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Does anyone's transmission shift smoothly up and down.
Have you ever been told that you can not come on Saturdays to fix major problems?
Have a dealer tell you they can not fix rattles if its raining?
Does anyone else's seat move forward and then back again when braking hard? They told me that's normal.
One other interesting issue:
On the Honda website it states that the rear defroster has a timer.
Mine does not turn off until I turn it off or shut down the car.
Corp Honda guy said that my ACCORD EX V6 2004 does not have a timer on the rear defroster.
So do I or don't I?
Does anyone's defroster turn off after a certain amount of time? Please let me know because I think they are lying to me. I never herd of a car not having this.
Anyway Honda has horrible at costumer service. I don't know how they are considered great cars. And I will never ever buy another HONDA or Acura again.
Thanks for your responses!