Honda Accord Owners: Meet the Members

thegraduate

In my family, we have 6 Hondas (and have had more than 20).

Currently we have...

2006 EX Accord (me)
2005 EX Accord (dad)
1996 LX Accord (me and mom share this one)
2002 LX Accord (mom's mom)
2005 EX Odyssey (mom's aunt)
1997 LX Civic (Dad's mom)

and a recent loss...
1987 Civic Wagon 260k miles (Dad's dad recently sold for $1,000)

I just had my first oil change on my new baby!

sonolady

I recently purchased a Honda Accord EX V6 and when I left the dealership, I noticed the stirring wheel jarred slightly, like I was driving on a bumpy road, so I thought it was either the road or just because it was new and had been sitting. After driving the car a few days, it became noticeably worse, especially when i first got into the car in the morning. The steering wheel also pulls hard to the right. I have taken it back 4 times for a total of 8oo miles to have this thing figured out. It is always somewhat better when I leave, or ,maybe I just want it to be, only to get worse with time. They are telling me it is due to the tires. They have put two complete sets of tires on it and aligned the backend. I went yesterday and tried two more V6 Accords and one of them was even worse than the other two! They told me to try the V4. I did and finally, the Honda ride I was accustomed to. They have the "fat" tires and the ride is smoother. Now they are ordering me one with the same trim except with a V4. I now have 7000 miles on the car, almost 1000 due to bringing it back and forth (I travel for a living) I paid 26000.00 for the V6 fully loaded except for DVD and GPS. What should I expect to pay for the V4 and has anybody else had this problem? They will be adjusting the price and also will they try to adjust it according to the miles accrued? I called about this 3 days after I bought it and this has just been an ongoing issue.
Thanks

thegraduate

Just for future reference, the 4-cylinder is an "inline-four" not a "vee-four". A V-6 Has two cylinder banks, three on each side, that make a V-shape to the engine. Most modern 4-cylinders are have all pistons in a row, hence the "inline four" noted otherwise as "I-4". GOod luck on your 4-cylinder purchase...I love my I-4!

bristol2

Hello all,
Currently in final countdown to new car decision- Ford Fusion I4 w/stick @$20k then rebates or Accord EX-L V6 6-sp @$25k.
Not looking for comparo here, just vindication that the Accord IS the way to go (figured you guys would know).
Also, how user friendly is the nav system? Generally do around 30k miles per year so I need a nav system that will be easy while eating/ talking/ phone-calling (hand free)/staring out of window.

All advice welcome.

thegraduate

Man, you can not go wrong buying an Accord. I have a 2006 EX cloth, and a 1996 LX I-4 with 160,000 miles on it. I drive the old car as much as I do the new one because it STILL drives great. Splurge on the Honda...it's worth it to me!

delia_camillia

I've been reading the posts here and there's a lot of useful information...especially for me, I just bought my very first honda yesterday...2006 Accord SE. I'm in total awe of it right now... but once the glow dims a bit and I float back to earth, I hope to find everything I need to know about my new car from you nice folks...

tallman1

I agree that you'll be very happy with the Accord. I have the Navi and I think it is superb. The voice commands take a little getting used to but it is easy to use. If it is really important, take some time at the dealer to play with it. You won't discover all that it can do but you'll at least be able to examine the major features.

I don't regret paying for the Navi system... it has been well worth it for me.

bristol2

Thanks for the info.
I did end up posting this as a sedan - sedan comparison question also. It is hard to get real world information on the Fusion.
I am test driving both on Thursday to make a decision. I was hoping to have both sales reps meet me on a neutral spot but they did not seem interested.

Have you all found repair costs to be low for the Accord? I currently drive a 98 Infiniti QX4 and, while very reliable, when something does happen it always seems to cost over $700.

tallman1

Well, I've only had my 06 Accord for a month or so but my 95 Accord has been pretty reasonable on the rare occasions that I've had to take it in.

thegraduate

Well, I just doubled the total repair cost on my 1996 Accord LX. It was previously $300 for my main cooling fan motor, and now, I've had repair number two...replacing my leaking Brake Master Cylinder at $313. Not bad at all considering 160,000 miiles and 10.5 years. The other things have been maintenance (timing belt at 90,000 miles, etc...). Very reliable, and the new ones will likely be similar, which is why I got a 2006 EX I-4 Accord last Nov.

sonolady

thanks for the correct terminology........... called the dealer today and was told they would give me the difference of 700.00, going from a V6 to a I-4! They said now it is a "used car"!! BUT they will not change the tires to a different tire! The service guy road with me and agrees and knows that everything I am saying is true, the Honda dealer is just saying, "shut up and be happy" whether it pulls and bumps, they couldn't care less. Honda headquarters case worker said it is closed because someone from the Honda dealership rode in the car and says it meets the road tire pressure specification. I owned a '99 Honda with 206,000 miles on it and it drove better than this. I wish I had it back!!!!

thegraduate

Sounds like your dealer is quite a trip...are there others in your area that you can deal with or ask for help?

sonolady

I suppose so, but at this point, I have missed so much work and am so worn down by it, he may win.

tallman1

And the great thing about the 06... no timing belt to replace!!

thegraduate

Woo hoo

sonolady

What does that have to do with the car driving like a rattle trap?

thegraduate

He was responding to my post in which I mentioned my paying for a timing belt at 90,000 miles as regular maintenance.

sonolady

OH, SORRY

thegraduate

Its okay! No need to apologize! We're friends here!

bristol2

This is a follow-up to the 'Soon to Join' string...

Now the proud owner of a EX-L V6 6m. Didn't even bother going to the Ford dealership (Fusion was an option) after test driving.

Serious wolf in sheep's clothing car .

Surely one should not be this excited about a sensible family sedan?

delia_camillia

Hi...I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction on keeping my 06 Accord cloth upholstery clean (it's tan). I've protected the outside with Zaino, but I'm clueless on what's best for the inside...any advice? :shades:

tallman1

Are you asking about protectant or cleaner? Other than Scotch-Guard (do they still make that?), I'm not sure what's out there for cloth protectants. I bought some cleaner recently to try on my older Accord but I haven't used it yet so I'm not much help. :confuse:

delia_camillia

I guess I should have clarified that...I'm looking for a good cleaner, instead of a protectant...after you try the new stuff you bought, would you mind letting me know if it was good? :shades:

tallman1

Sure... I'm going to try it on my old Accord. I'll let you know.

greenice

I just leased an Accord EX V6 6MT from Stephen Vincel in West St. Louis (see "Prices paid..." forum for details).

I had a 1998 Mazda 626 ES V6 manual before. I really liked the Mazda, and it gave me reliable service and loads of fun over many years. Nonetheless, the new Accord is SO much better in almost every respect. I will be back with a more detailed review once I have put a few miles on the car.

I am so glad Honda finally made the manual transmission available in the V6 Sedan. Otherwise, I would not have considered the Accord.

seniorjose

Honda seems to be handling you with kid gloves and has done EVERYTHING to make you happy...if you are still despondent the dealer is correct, he has done evrtthing to make you happy. I guess you are one of those customers that is very hard to satisfy...I hope everything works out for you. I have an I4 and they do NOT pull or bump and service has been very good to you.

tallman1

"I'm looking for a good cleaner, instead of a protectant...after you try the new stuff you bought, would you mind letting me know if it was good?"

There's probably a better place for this but you asked the question here so I'll post my reply here.

First of all, I'm not affiliated with Griot's Garage in any way. I read a thread somewhere on Edmunds about leather seat care and that started me looking into other areas of exterior and interior car care. It was actually my secretary, who is a bit of a car nut, who told me about Griot's Garage. I read through their website and ended up ordering several items. A few weeks later I discovered that their headquarters (and a store) are right in my neck of the woods. And I paid for shipping on my first order!! Argh.

Anyway, I just tried the Interior Cleaner and had to run in to respond to your original message. This stuff is great! I have the tan cloth interior in my 95 Accord. One of the reasons that I got black on my 06 was because the tan is hard to keep clean.

I tried the stuff on the seats, seat backs, console, carpet, plastic rocker panels, emergency brake handle, and doors. I followed the directions and used the brush I got in a kit (they sell an interior cleaning kit with a brush and some towels along with the cleaner... but the cleaner is available separately). Every stain came out. It took some scrubbing on the rocker panels (dark soled shoes scrape across there all the time) but it looks great now.

There were some stains on the carpet in the back that the kids added a few years ago. I never thought they would come out. Now there isn't a mark.

So I'm impressed. There may be other products that do the trick and I'm sure someone will pass along that info but I'm sold on this stuff. If it is inappropriate to post Griot's website, someone can remove it but here it is if you want to take a look: Griot's Garage

Good luck!

gdgroves

Just bought a 2006 Honda Accord EX-V6 4-door sedan last week. It is a great car so far, but I have a small problem:

The power accessory sockets are only live when the ignition is on. I use them to power a Coleman electric cooler while doing shopping and running errands. Anyone know how to change it so it is live all of the time?

94accord_lover

I am the proud owner of a "new" 1994 Honda Accord LX coupe. As you can tell by my name, I love my car! I have had it for a little more than a year now, and very few problems, just one so far. I got it last July after my great uncle decided to get a newer vehicle. He hardly drove it, as he bought it brand new in June 94 and it only had 71.5K miles on it! It had regular maintainance done by the dealer faithfully, nothing ever wrong with it. I have only put an additional 5k on it. It is Sage Green, but it really looks light blue. VERY clean, immaculate condition for a 12 yr old, a few scratches on the bumper, nothing major. I have only replaced the thermostat, and that was b/c of something i read on here. Thats my story.

schreiner007

Hi Everyone, I am new to this group and new to Honda as well. I just purchased a 2007 Accord Coupe EXL-V6, Cool Blue Metallic. Coming from a 1999 Toyota Solara SE-V6 so far the Accord is great, it has everything that I want in a car. I am currently having the dealer install fog lights and the wing and am also going to put on vent visors for the windows and a wind deflector for the sunroof. I am interested in getting a bra for it, but am not sure if it would be worth it or what it would look like. Future plans would be to get it tinted due to the black leather.

thegraduate

Congrats on the beautiful new ride! If it were me, I'd skip everything but the wing, foglights, and window tint. The sunroof deflector ruins the line (styling) of the car. Try the sunroof without the deflector... it doesn't blow hardly at all unless the windows are down (in my 2006 EX Sedan anyways)... No need for a deflector. You'll also notice a little black deflector that pops up when the roof is opened. May I ask why you want vent visors on windows? You can roll down the windows walking to the car (via remote), far outweighing the advantage of leaving windows "cracked" for the heat.

schreiner007

Thanks. I just had the dealer install the fog lights and the wing and I have an appointment in Nov. to get my windows tinted. So far the car looks SWEET!!! As far as the sunroof deflector and the window visors go, I have already received them (didn't order them from the dealer though, I saved money by going through my local custom shop). Mostly for me they are just for looks, I had them both on the Solara and I loved them. I know that the windows automatically roll down from the remote key. But if I'm driving along and it's raining outside on a nice day the window visors and sunroof deflector allow me to open my windows somewhat and allow the cool air in without getting rain in.

sonolady

I just got back on the forum tonight and saw where you stated "I guess you are one of those customers that is very hard to satisfy". Unless you know all of the story, then it would be very hard for YOU to decide if I was hard to satisfy or not. If you had read all of the post, you would have noticed I had a Honda with 205,000 miles that I truly loved. My kids decided I needed a new one because of so many miles on it. The tires were different and the ride was smoother. The sales rep told me another lady had just brought hers back and she also said the ride was rough. They told me it was the tires, but to charge to a different tire would void the warranty. I have 20,000 miles on it now, just as rough as before, but I just live with it. I noticed recently the tires looked low, so i had them checked and the pressure was in the 20's for all four. The book stated 35-?, so the guy aired them up. I am sure the car is fine, the tires are not, but until they have a blow out, I am not saying another word!! Is that satisfied enough?

thegraduate

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but changing to a different tire shouldn't void the warranty, right?

w9cw

The tire warranty and vehicle warranty are mutually exclusive items. When you took delivery of your new vehicle, you should have received separate tire company-specific documentation describing your tire warranty. Tires, and the tire warranty, are separate from the vehicle's warranty, so your salesman or service advisor is incorrect.

In summation, changing to a different tire will not void the manufacturer's vehicle warranty. Changing wheels, however, may create a warranty problem, especially if the aftermarket wheels have a different offset or size from the OEM wheels.

elroy5

But if I'm driving along and it's raining outside on a nice day the window visors and sunroof deflector allow me to open my windows somewhat and allow the cool air in without getting rain in.

I have found that the moonroof deflector holds the water underneath it, even after the rain has stopped, and will not keep the water out when you come to a stop. And it really doesn't stop wind noise much. The window visors however are a must, if you want to leave a crack in the windows while driving. Any little crack without them will let rain and water come in easily. The nose mask can be a hassle to put on and remove, especially if it rains a lot. But it will save the front of the car from chips and bug stains, so it's your choice. I have been driving Accords with moonroofs for 15 years, and this is my opinion.

elroy5

Unless the aftermarket item installed on a car causes the need for a warranty repair, it will not void the warranty (from what I have heard). It would be hard for tires to adversely affect anything on the car, if they are the correct size. Larger heavier wheels may be a different story, because they can make things harder on the transmission, and or suspension.

Many people put aftermarket items on their cars, such as air intake systems and cat-back exhaust systems (not myself). From what Honda Technicians say, if the aftermarket item does not cause the need for a warranty repair, it will not void the warranty.

pat

I miss 1) wing windows and 2) rain gutters. There didn't used to be a need for window visors.

Who here is old enough to know what I'm talking about? :P

elroy5

I am old enough to know. My father still has a 71 Chevy Impala with rain gutters. Unfortunately that is one of the areas where rust has started.

w9cw

Let's see: 1). Yes, I'm old, and I can certainly remember cars that used vent wings and rain gutters, and 2). I still have three vehicles with rain gutters - 1970 Volvo 144S, 1985 SAAB 900, and 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan ES - plus, one that has vent wings - the Volvo.

Still prefer both to the current designs, but elroy5 is correct, rust can form in the gutter area.

tallman1

Of course, the wings went away mostly because they were so easy for thieves to pop and then reach in to unlock the car. Remember when door locks were flared at the ends? That ole coat hanger made unlocking the door pretty easy.

Sure glad we have those features so that cars don't get stolen any more.

schreiner007

I tilt the sunroof up so that it doesn't let in water. But like I had said in my previous post, the window visors and sunroof deflector are there more for looks. They just add a little extra to the car and if it prevents a little rain from coming in all the more better. I am still debating on whether or not to get the bra. First I don't know if it would look good (as you may have already noticed, owning and driving a car to me is about looks, I'm not going to spend that much money on something that doesn't look good!) and secondly I know that it would stop some rocks and bugs from hitting the front of the car but other than that I know nothing about them.

thegraduate

I tilt the sunroof up so that it doesn't let in water.

Huh? Water can still come in the backside of the tilt.

But like I had said in my previous post, the window visors and sunroof deflector are there more for looks. They just add a little extra to the car and if it prevents a little rain from coming in all the more better.

I guess we differ here; I wouldn't add the visors because I feel they take away from the looks of the car; interrupting the design lines, especially the roofline.

mookie14

Well i love my Accord and for the 1st time i think i will like it in 3 yrs when i give it back to honda so other than that hey guys im here Japan rules American yeahhhhhhhhh!!!

elroy5

The moonroof visors are a complete waste, IMO. It does not quiet the wind noise much at all (only up to about 60mph). It doesn't help the looks, and makes it harder to clean that area. It will only stop rain from getting in if you open the roof just a little, and if you never hit the brakes. After water gets under the visor, wind cannot blow the water off, so you have to wait until the water dries up on it's own before you can open the roof without water coming in on you. I made the mistake of buying a visor for my old car, but I didn't make the same mistake twice.

tallman1

No one has written in here for a year so this seems like a good place for my 1000th post! :shades:

parviz

Only if you had waited until July 28. The policy is 12 months or 1000th post, whichever comes first

pat

LOL!! :-D

tallman1

Darn.... I KNEW I shoulda kept my mouth shut... er, fingers quiet.

Now I suppose all my posts will cost me out of pocket.

xgdriver

New Alabaster Silver Accord EX V-6 member here. As reflected by my username, I formerly drove an 07 VW GTI but decided to turn it in for something a little more practical and maybe a little more economical and definitely roomier! I do a lot of cycling and with the bike and the rest of my gear in that G, it got mighty mighty cramped sometime. Plus, I didn't feel the Gs were all they were cracked up to be so hopefully I bought a car that'll live up to its reputation of longevity and reliability. I just picked the car up Friday (7.11) and thankfully the VCM hasn't been as noticeable as I'd feared - actually it's not bad at all. I trust it won't become anymore so though I haven't gone up any mountains here in Western PA yet.

I should say I have a dry sense of humor (once described as the Sahara Desert) so keep that in mind in my future posts. Hope these emoticon thingeys work well at conveying the true sentiment.

Look forward to your words of experience.