Ah, finally, somebody on this forum is actually making sense ! Thanx for using that stuff between your ears, cding
I agree, Toyota has no clue on how to attract young buyers. If you look at the sales figure of the Celica, it's going down and down.
Honda is better but it's also running scared. Eversince the Civic redesign, the average age of Civic owners has gone up from 37 to 42. That's what Honda gets for doing away with the double wishbone suspension and raising the roofline. Now, it's desperately trying to attract younger buyers with the redesigned Accord. Lots of luck !
"I'm new to looking at cars and have a question about alloy wheels. Do they just look cool, or is there something more to them? "
Alloy wheels reduce unsprung weight and reduce the overall mass of the drivetrain, which is a good thing for performance though probably not noticeable on the average street car. And, they look cool ...
"I agree, Toyota has no clue on how to attract young buyers. If you look at the sales figure of the Celica, it's going down and down."
Historically, this is very common among performance-oriented sporty coupes (Eclipse, Talon, Celica, Prelude, Probe, 240SX, MX-6, probably others). They are image vehicles, and people in that market tend to want the latest and greatest. So these products usually have a couple of good years and then sales drop off significantly. By then they're yesterday's news and the market has moved on to something else.
That's part of the reason that so many sporty coupes have gone by the wayside... many of the manufacturers have decided it's not worth the costs involved with keep up with such a volatile market segment, one that's typically relatively low volume anyway and has buyers who are notoriously fickle.
Thought you guys might like this link, it's the new 2003 euro accord, oh why oh why cant honda just give us this instead of slapping an acura symbol on it and jacking the price up and 4k..... http://web.madritel.es/personales2/j1234/accord.mov
If you buy from there dealer is in Bartlesville OK and salesman to talk to is John Page. They have an 800 number on the Web site--tell him INKY sent you!
My 03 Noble green EX V-6 has finally reached shipped status which makes me happy since I need a car now. Although the $9.99 rental on weekends from enterprise is quite a hoot for $32.00 total with tax and 450 miles.
Does anyone know invoice on exl with V6? I found a dealer in MA who will sell for $24,000 plus $200 for doc & title. I know there is a 3% holdback, so dealer make about $800 if they sell at invoice. Also, the cloth interior does not feel to comfortable. Does anyone agree?
As nice a visual as the euro-Accord provides, it would not have been suitable for the role that the US Accord provides. Biggest problem... rear seat is too small. If you don't think that's a problem, look at Ford and the Mondeo/Contour. That ended up being a media darling in its time, tripped up by its euro-sized rear seat.
As a replacement for the Integra 4-door, the rear seat room issue isn't a problem. It doesn't have to compete in the US mainstream mid-sized market.
I bought one pre-children. Now, with a little one, even our '01 Accord EX is on the small side of "just right". You can't believe how much stuff you have to cart around with a child. We try and minimize, or buy "small" stuff like a Peg-Pergo stroller (forget those Travel Systems!), but the trunk is always full up. Its these same factors that probably will mean a new Accord, and not the TSX, for my next car...
3 weeks into the sales of the 2003 accord and it looks like MSRP is not holding up, it looks like bowkes criticism of dealers selling for less than MSRP was unfounded. Hopefully the sales commission windfall he was counting on can be be made up by adding useless mandatory options to the cars that his dealership sell...
I aggree by mid OCT, buyers will get easy 1k from sticker on all four bangers. V-6 will vary from state to state. I imagine $500-$750 discounts on west coast. The super V-6 deals posted on here are not the norm and are outliers. However in 6 months--name your price for these mass produced cars. Sat I stopped by an out of town dealer who said sticker sticker. He thought I was lying about $316 over invoice for a V-6. I had buyers order to shut him up. Maybe some dealers are getting sticker.
I still see a mix of Japan and Ohio built cars althought Ohio cars are gaining. All V-6 are from Ohio.
AFAIK, transportation rates are negotiated between the manufacturer and the independent carriers. It's much easier for the manufacturer to have one set price per vehicle than to figure out how much it is to ship to each dealer in the country and add that to the window sticker.
Shipping from Ohio to Michigan - money may be made whereas shipment from Ohio to Keywest - money may be lost.
alinda, i dont know what kind of volume your dealership does, but we are allocated 4-5 per month. allocation is done by month, not by year, so you may be getting 1 PER MONTH, but 1 for the whole year just isnt done. if honda did 1 per dealer per year, then they would be only making 1200-1300 of them total. VERY unrealistic. the goal for the 6-speed is 20k-25k per year.
I've been an avid "reader" of comments on the TL/G35 boards for months, however, for one reason or another I couldn't bring myself to sign on the dotted line for either vehicle. Last week I drove the 2003 V6 Honda and was hooked- I was impressed with the fit and finish/ample room/horsepower/regular fuel/vehicle price. It seems to take me months of research before I purchase a vehicle- I started with the possible purchase of a G35 in Canada. Last Saturday I ordered the EX over the phone from Autofair Honda in Manchester NH and today went down with a $200 deposit. I was told the vehicle would be delivered to the dealership this Wednesday. Although I have purchased two Hondas in the past three years for my daughters from this dealership...the price was non-negotiable. The total MSRP was $26,260 less Autofair discount of $2085= $24,175. They also added $94.00 admin fee and $27.00 title doc & fees for a total of $24,296. I quess I can substantiate some of the fees with a full tank of gas/inspection sticker and 20 day plates. I purchased each of my last three vehicles from Ron Wilson- no BS from this guy. If you hook up with Ron please tell him he was highly recommended by Allan...maybe he'll throw in some winter mats with my next purchase. Each of the vehicles in the lot had tags on the rear view...total MSRP less Autofair discount..no hassels. I was even able to qualify for a dealer percentage rate of 4.49% through Chase. I plan on purchasing accessories from CollegeHillsHonda.com. Thats it I'm done.... I've enjoyed everyones comments on various vehicles over the past year or so..I learned more from the forums than any of the automobile magazines I subscribe to...thank you!!!!! P.S. I have no ties to any dealership... I'm just a poor slob trying to purchase what I believe to be the best vehicle that fits my budget.
I picked up my 2003 EX-L V-6 in Noble Green tonight. Total delivered price was $23,991 ($316 over invoice) Dealer Mark Roberts Honda in Bartlesville OK This price was available until 9 Sep but dealer then went market pricing. $1000 discount on 4 bangers and V-6 is close to sticker but I think they sold quite a few for $316 over invoice prior to 9 sept (from allocations) Mine was the second V-6 delivered. I ordered it on 22 July and it was built week of 4 Sep and finally arrived noon today. Keep in mind I sold my 2002 Acura 3.2 TL privately for this Honda. I find the Honda superior in many regards to the 3.2 (more power 240 vs 225) Better quality interior materials and leather is much better than the stuff people called pleather on the last gen Accord. Quiet and smooth. The seat is super comfy (dealer was 50 miles away so nice long return trip) I really like the color and was a little worried. My accessories are due in a few days and on the morrow I get the mandatory OK window tinting. My sunroof wind visor fit from my TL so will I put it on—that 2003 style is way too “bat man” for me. Ordered splash guards, exhaust finishers and touch up paint.
The engine is fast and smooth. Amazed I can use 87 Octance. Insurance quote was less than my 02 Acura 3.2 so I am one happy camper. INKY
Hey just grabbed this out of an article, very interesting indeed, wonder if people will still buy it even though it has 40 less hp, tsx probably will weigh alot less thought than the 03 NA accord.
The all-new Acura TSX is the answer to the question frequently asked of the European/Japanese Accord: Why dont they bring that one over here? It follows in the footsteps of such earlier Acura entries as the Vigor, which originated as a Japan-only Accord derivative.
The 2004 TSX will be formally introduced in January at the Los Angeles and Detroit shows and will go on sale in the spring, priced from about $26,000. Imported from Japan and powered by a 200-bhp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the TSX is slightly smaller than the re designed U.S. Accord that is just going on sale. The TSX will be slotted between the RSX and the TL in size and price and will be aimed at such near-luxury European sedans as the Audi A4, the Saab 9-3, and the Volvo S60, as well as premium Japanese models such as the Infiniti G35.
I am gutted to find out from the Canadian website and the brochure that the Canadian EX V6 does NOT have the side curtain airbags which is avaiable in the U.S. models. I consider this as a major attraction (feature) to keep me from deserting to the Altima/Mazda 6 which both has them.
If this is a cost cutting measure, then Honda has shot themselves in the foot! With lease rates as high as 8.3%, I expect the full monty.
Can anyone confirm this with a dealer? Haven't had time to go to one yet!!!!
I'm personally considering the TSX when it's released here in the U.S. I don't like the big size of the recent accord generations, so I like something slightly smaller, more agile, lighter weight, better handling. But I would like to go with the latest Honda midsize platform that probably offers better safety and rigidness. I doubt the TSX engine develops maximum HP at redline. It probably will have a higher redline than accord engines, but it's also i-vtec, which means it probably has a pretty flat torque curve that begins around 3k rpm. We'll have to wait and see.
I think that's right. If the article cited by yugoboy is correct, that TSX will be priced too high. That's simply way too close to TL pricing, especially for a four banger.
Well I just got back from test driving an EXL 4cy. I must say I was quite impressed. I still may drive the 6cyl but it may not be necessary. I am more interested in the 6ycl due the curtain airbags and homelink.
To those who have picked up their 2003. Did you get a valet key? The salesman I talked to today said that only two came with the car and you couldn't add another. Seems like you should be able to add an additional 1 or 2.
regarding the manual V6 coupe...most of the smaller dealerships will only get ONE for the entire year. This comes from Honda and isn't just pulled out of thin air.
We do about 200 cars per month and I am only expecting a handful for the entire year. Delivery should start in Spring...this was changed from January.
Yes, I did get a third key with my 03 V-6. It is light grey in color and does not have the locking, unlocking feature on it. Good luck with choosing a car. I have had my car over a week and I am still getting used to an extra 100 horsepower from my previous Accord.
jeffrey15...i think yourm salesman lost the valet key, and didnt feel like taking $125 out of his gross profit to get you one. it should be there, but has no keyless entry buttons, and is grey in color. that being said, no...you cant get a third REGULAR key with 2 operating keys. if you program a new one, then one of your original 2 will cancel out. you can get a third key, but you will have to wait to program it when and if you lose one of the others.
silverk21...no coupes yet, honda tells us they have delayed delivery till october 1st, or thereabouts.
jud95accord...thats weird...what part of the country are you in? we do around 350-375 new per month, and we're slated to have 35 for the remainder of the 2003 model year. this may be regional, im not sure. im in louisville, ky, and even an 80 car store is getting 2 per month here.
i havent heard anything about spring...as far as i know, we're still on the jan/feb schedule.
Four cylinders on a big Accord is slow. 160 hp is barely adequate to keep up with traffic. Suppose you are climbing a hill loaded down with 4 passengers and with the A/C on and you need to quickly pass an 18-wheeler? 160 hp 4 cylinders is ridiculous others are driving 245HP Altimas. 4 cylinders are noisy and harsh. The vibration and noise will make a daily commute a living hell. You also need power to get onto a freeway onramp before oncoming cars rear end you. The 160 HP 4 cylinder runs at higher RPM than the V6. Common sense says the more RPMs per mile, the more engine wear. Engine wear will = engine failure at some point in the future. The V6 has higher resale value. There are no reasons to buy a 4 cylinder Accord.
We do about 200 new Hondas per month. Sadly, we're not a single point dealership. So we'll probably only get a handful of 6 speeds, too, though Honda warned everyone they'd probably only get one. The market I live in is smaller than ya'lls.
There are plenty of reasons to buy a 4 cylinder Accord, that's why over 80% sold are 4 cylinders. They get better gas mileage than a 6, they are lighter so the handling is a little more nimble feeling, and it's cheaper. 160HP is more than adequate to get you around town and on the highway. I owned a 5 speed 4 cylinder and it never lacked for power. It would cruise at 100MPH all day with the AC on and 4 people in the car while still getting 30MPG and having more than enough power to keep up with traffic. No, you won't be able to chase down any Corvettes or V6 Altimas but you will be able to keep up with traffic and merge on the highway without many problems I'm sure.
Not sure where you live, but I have seen only one Altima 3.5SE on the road to date, and tons of 2.5S/SL. And yes, that Nissan 2.5/I-4 looks bad if you compare it to Toyota or Honda 2.4/I-4 in terms of smoothness.
Does anyone know which sections of the seats and interior are real leather and which are imitation? Also, is there a single product on the market that can be used on both for cleaning/conditioning? How often should this be done?
You are wayoff base on any Honda 4 banger. Honda makes great 4 bangers and I have owned two. They have plenty of power and are quite adequate. Now the junk 4 bangers from GM and Ford are another matter. The 160 HP 5 speed 4 from Honda is only 10 HP shy of the old 95 Accord V-6. I totally disaggree with you assessment. I bought the V-6 for pure performance but it was by no means needed. I enjoyed my test drive in an EX-4. have you driven one of these horrid four banger hondas. I notice many older gentlemen have Camry V-6 and Accord V-6 etc. I know many people think 4 bangers are useless. Not so in the Honda Accord. INKY
...nobody "needs" 240 hp to be safe and comfortable on the road with this car. It has lots of entertainment value, but to argue that you HAVE to get the V6 because the 4 cyl is inadequate is silly in the extreme.
That's one of the nice things about the 5 spd automatic - it's geared low enough in the intermediate gears to give snap, but nice and long in 5th, and for me, this argues for the 4 cyl if economics are at all important.
I drove both EXs, and the difference is acceleration. The I4 is very smooth and strong with the new engine and 5spd. I noticed no difference in ride, comfort, & quiet from the V6 EX. Reviews have touted the I4 as the better handling due to less weight up front; but I can't say.
Time was when the Honda V6s only put out 170 hp (original Acura Legend as I recall, then later in the first Accord V6..94??). The I4 is arguably the more sophisticated (and prettier ?) engine.
The 5spd auto and the I4 are a super combination. Good performance and great gas mileage. And BTW, I'm the one speculating that the MW review of 03 Accord 0-60 time of 8.0 sec is the I4 !!!
This translates to the I4/5spd auto combo providing nearly the performance of the 02 V6!!!!!!
Four cylinder Honda engines are not comparable to domestic engineered 4cylinders, especially now with the i-Vtec engines, where it has a pretty flat peak torque curve. The new honda ivtec 4cylinder engine also has countershaft balances that reduce vibrations. Most of the hwy cruising in the accord is geared so that the engine turns at fairly low around 2k rpm anyway, so you're not really wearing the engine faster than V6. The V6 cost more to maintain due to its higher oil capacity, more spark plugs...etc.
Keeping up with traffic is about driving skill as it is much about driving a performance car. Sure it's easy to just smash the gas to the bottom whenever you feel like passing. But most of the time, to pass safely, you'll have extra room on the hwy (even going uphill with a loaded accord I4 & AC on) to safely get by.
What percentage of altimas are sold with the V6's? And what percentage of accords are sold with V6's compared to the I4s sold? What's the point of getting an accord V6 just so you can say "I'm keeping up with the 245HP altimas out there"
Merging onto a hwy also can be easier if you know HOW to merge into traffic. And if you have a V6 with no skills, it may just mean that you accelerate too fast into bumper-to-bumper traffic and then have to slam on your brakes to actually merge into traffic. Countless times I've seen cars on the hwy slow down trying to let others merge in, without 2 considerations 1) by slowing down on the main hwy, you're causing safety hazards to cars behind you, and 2) people are more likely to subconsciously slow down and merge into the other CAR rather than leave space in front or behind for them to merge into the HIGHWAY.
And of course the usual reasons for buying I4 over V6 such as lower cost, lighter weight, better handling, less polution due to higher mileage.
I drove both 4cyc and V6 03 Acoords. I ended up with the 4cyc because I feel after driving it for half a day test driving its more than adequate. V6 is sure way more than enough and good at the stop lights if you want to offend BMWs and MBs. On engine refinement, I didn't feel the diff. 4cyc is very smooth considering its Hondas try into chain-driven engine. And it doesn't run on higher rpm than v6. At 65mph both engines run at a notch above 2k rpm. But its final ration is 4.43/4.44. So the diff is very nil. That equals to fuel economy on 4cyc.
I think it depends where you live and work and the driving conditions. We live in SE CT near I-95 and the short entrances/exit lanes are some of the most poorly designed I've seen. They were designed 40 yrs ago to handle one third of the traffic that goes by here. We own a 4cycl subaru outback and a V-6 accord which I wanted. So maybe you should drive each of the accords in the kind of driving you will be doing most of the time and decide which one fits what you need. My husband thinks the 4cyl is fine...he very occas. drives to Boston and takes that car....I like the 6 but may not have spent the extra $ on it if I were looking at the 03's. You can still find some 02 6's if you look.
And like someone else mentioned, the gas mileage isn't as good w the 6.
The paint is much better on the 03 Accords. Check it out. Car is flawless except for two things. 1) Honda left Accord off the rear butt. Kind of like leaving the groom off the cake. I hope I have all 24 Valves. I may not put it on when given 2) As reported by others there is a noticable drift and pull to the right regardless of road crown. this is minor but annoying because you go to dealer he will say blah blah roads have crowns and this is..
Will get my "Accord" ordered and alignment checked out. Any other 03 owners have drift and was is corrected please advise so I have recommendation for dealer. I think the 03 Accord is more mainstream but of high quality and style. The V-6 is sweet and all should try the 93 Octane for one tank. good for 10hp and 10 ft-lb.
Comments
I agree, Toyota has no clue on how to attract young buyers. If you look at the sales figure of the Celica, it's going down and down.
Honda is better but it's also running scared. Eversince the Civic redesign, the average age of Civic owners has gone up from 37 to 42. That's what Honda gets for doing away with the double wishbone suspension and raising the roofline. Now, it's desperately trying to attract younger buyers with the redesigned Accord. Lots of luck !
Or Mazda.
Alloy wheels reduce unsprung weight and reduce the overall mass of the drivetrain, which is a good thing for performance though probably not noticeable on the average street car. And, they look cool ...
Historically, this is very common among performance-oriented sporty coupes (Eclipse, Talon, Celica, Prelude, Probe, 240SX, MX-6, probably others). They are image vehicles, and people in that market tend to want the latest and greatest. So these products usually have a couple of good years and then sales drop off significantly. By then they're yesterday's news and the market has moved on to something else.
That's part of the reason that so many sporty coupes have gone by the wayside... many of the manufacturers have decided it's not worth the costs involved with keep up with such a volatile market segment, one that's typically relatively low volume anyway and has buyers who are notoriously fickle.
Inventory is on their web site and prices are clearly shown. http://www.markroberts.com/
If you buy from there dealer is in Bartlesville OK and salesman to talk to is John Page. They have an 800 number on the Web site--tell him INKY sent you!
My 03 Noble green EX V-6 has finally reached shipped status which makes me happy since I need a car now. Although the $9.99 rental on weekends from enterprise is quite a hoot for $32.00 total with tax and 450 miles.
INKY
What dealer in MA will seel EX-V6 for 24K? I am in Metro-West
As a replacement for the Integra 4-door, the rear seat room issue isn't a problem. It doesn't have to compete in the US mainstream mid-sized market.
Sat I stopped by an out of town dealer who said sticker sticker. He thought I was lying about $316 over invoice for a V-6. I had buyers order to shut him up. Maybe some dealers are getting sticker.
I still see a mix of Japan and Ohio built cars althought Ohio cars are gaining. All V-6 are from Ohio.
INKY
INKY
Shipping from Ohio to Michigan - money may be made whereas shipment from Ohio to Keywest - money may be lost.
I've enjoyed everyones comments on various vehicles over the past year or so..I learned more from the forums than any of the automobile magazines I subscribe to...thank you!!!!!
P.S. I have no ties to any dealership... I'm just a poor slob trying to purchase what I believe to be the best vehicle that fits my budget.
INKY
Total delivered price was $23,991 ($316 over invoice)
Dealer Mark Roberts Honda in Bartlesville OK
This price was available until 9 Sep but dealer then went market pricing.
$1000 discount on 4 bangers and V-6 is close to sticker but I think they sold quite a few for $316 over invoice prior to 9 sept (from allocations)
Mine was the second V-6 delivered. I ordered it on 22 July and it was built week of 4 Sep and finally arrived noon today.
Keep in mind I sold my 2002 Acura 3.2 TL privately for this Honda.
I find the Honda superior in many regards to the 3.2 (more power 240 vs 225)
Better quality interior materials and leather is much better than the stuff people called pleather on the last gen Accord.
Quiet and smooth. The seat is super comfy (dealer was 50 miles away so nice long return trip) I really like the color and was a little worried. My accessories are due in a few days and on the morrow I get the mandatory OK window tinting.
My sunroof wind visor fit from my TL so will I put it on—that 2003 style is way too “bat man” for me. Ordered splash guards, exhaust finishers and touch up paint.
The engine is fast and smooth. Amazed I can use 87 Octance. Insurance quote was less than my 02 Acura 3.2 so I am one happy camper.
INKY
The all-new Acura TSX is the answer to the question frequently asked of the European/Japanese Accord: Why dont they bring that one over here? It follows in the footsteps of such earlier Acura entries as the Vigor, which originated as a Japan-only Accord derivative.
The 2004 TSX will be formally introduced in January at the Los Angeles and Detroit shows and will go on sale in the spring, priced from about $26,000. Imported from Japan and powered by a 200-bhp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the TSX is slightly smaller than the re designed U.S. Accord that is just going on sale. The TSX will be slotted between the RSX and the TL in size and price and will be aimed at such near-luxury European sedans as the Audi A4, the Saab 9-3, and the Volvo S60, as well as premium Japanese models such as the Infiniti G35.
If this is a cost cutting measure, then Honda has shot themselves in the foot! With lease rates as high as 8.3%, I expect the full monty.
Can anyone confirm this with a dealer? Haven't had time to go to one yet!!!!
INKY
Jeff
We do about 200 cars per month and I am only expecting a handful for the entire year. Delivery should start in Spring...this was changed from January.
Jerry
silverk21...no coupes yet, honda tells us they have delayed delivery till october 1st, or thereabouts.
jud95accord...thats weird...what part of the country are you in? we do around 350-375 new per month, and we're slated to have 35 for the remainder of the 2003 model year. this may be regional, im not sure. im in louisville, ky, and even an 80 car store is getting 2 per month here.
i havent heard anything about spring...as far as i know, we're still on the jan/feb schedule.
I haven't test drive either of these yet but would like to hear some opinions first.
Simply put, is 2003 V6 substantially better than 2003 4cly?
160 hp 4 cylinders is ridiculous others are driving 245HP Altimas.
4 cylinders are noisy and harsh. The vibration and noise will make a daily commute a living hell.
You also need power to get onto a freeway onramp before oncoming cars rear end you.
The 160 HP 4 cylinder runs at higher RPM than the V6. Common sense says the more RPMs per mile, the more engine wear. Engine wear will = engine failure at some point in the future.
The V6 has higher resale value.
There are no reasons to buy a 4 cylinder Accord.
There's enough reason right there
have you driven one of these horrid four banger hondas. I notice many older gentlemen have Camry V-6 and Accord V-6 etc. I know many people think 4 bangers are useless. Not so in the Honda Accord.
INKY
That's one of the nice things about the 5 spd automatic - it's geared low enough in the intermediate gears to give snap, but nice and long in 5th, and for me, this argues for the 4 cyl if economics are at all important.
I drove both EXs, and the difference is acceleration. The I4 is very smooth and strong with the new engine and 5spd. I noticed no difference in ride, comfort, & quiet from the V6 EX. Reviews have touted the I4 as the better handling due to less weight up front; but I can't say.
Time was when the Honda V6s only put out 170 hp (original Acura Legend as I recall, then later in the first Accord V6..94??). The I4 is arguably the more sophisticated (and prettier ?) engine.
The 5spd auto and the I4 are a super combination. Good performance and great gas mileage. And BTW, I'm the one speculating that the MW review of 03 Accord 0-60 time of 8.0 sec is the I4 !!!
This translates to the I4/5spd auto combo providing nearly the performance of the 02 V6!!!!!!
Keeping up with traffic is about driving skill as it is much about driving a performance car. Sure it's easy to just smash the gas to the bottom whenever you feel like passing. But most of the time, to pass safely, you'll have extra room on the hwy (even going uphill with a loaded accord I4 & AC on) to safely get by.
What percentage of altimas are sold with the V6's? And what percentage of accords are sold with V6's compared to the I4s sold? What's the point of getting an accord V6 just so you can say "I'm keeping up with the 245HP altimas out there"
Merging onto a hwy also can be easier if you know HOW to merge into traffic. And if you have a V6 with no skills, it may just mean that you accelerate too fast into bumper-to-bumper traffic and then have to slam on your brakes to actually merge into traffic. Countless times I've seen cars on the hwy slow down trying to let others merge in, without 2 considerations 1) by slowing down on the main hwy, you're causing safety hazards to cars behind you, and 2) people are more likely to subconsciously slow down and merge into the other CAR rather than leave space in front or behind for them to merge into the HIGHWAY.
And of course the usual reasons for buying I4 over V6 such as lower cost, lighter weight, better handling, less polution due to higher mileage.
INKY
I ended up with the 4cyc because I feel after driving it for half a day test driving its more than adequate. V6 is sure way more than enough and good at the stop lights if you want to offend BMWs and MBs.
On engine refinement, I didn't feel the diff. 4cyc is very smooth considering its Hondas try into chain-driven engine.
And it doesn't run on higher rpm than v6.
At 65mph both engines run at a notch above 2k rpm. But its final ration is 4.43/4.44. So the diff is very nil.
That equals to fuel economy on 4cyc.
As I recall, all the 2003 4 cyls were discounted $1085 off MSRP. Each of the 6 cyls were discounted $2085 off MSRP.
And like someone else mentioned, the gas mileage isn't as good w the 6.
INKY
1) Honda left Accord off the rear butt. Kind of like leaving the groom off the cake. I hope I have all 24 Valves. I may not put it on when given
2) As reported by others there is a noticable drift and pull to the right regardless of road crown. this is minor but annoying because you go to dealer he will say blah blah roads have crowns and this is..
Will get my "Accord" ordered and alignment checked out. Any other 03 owners have drift and was is corrected please advise so I have recommendation for dealer.
I think the 03 Accord is more mainstream but of high quality and style. The V-6 is sweet and all should try the 93 Octane for one tank. good for 10hp and 10 ft-lb.
INKY