I can't believe what I am reading. New purchasers are reporting steering wheels being off centre, drifting and wobbling when going over 50 mph yet they continue to describe the car as fabulous and great. laz3 notes, with pride, that his car, which has a whole 110 miles on it, is great when driven under 50 mph. I should hope so.It is a new car for crying out loud.It is not supposed to wobble, below 50mph or above 50 mph. That is not an accomplisment. It is to be expected and is certainly not worthy of the "great" label when it does it. Fabulous and great cars don't have those problems. The new car smell must have caused you to take leave of your senses. Take off the Honda blinders and look at the problems people are reporting on these fabulous, great new cars.
I realize that most people don't care about having a manual transmission, let alone in a sedan, but i am interested in it. I've talked with 4 different dealers in the L.A. Area and get a different answer each time.
Does anyone know for sure if the new Accord Sedans will be available with a manual v-6? And if so, do you know when that might happen? I've been told it will be here in late november.
Geez, a few new Accords need their alignment adjusted and some people are ready to relegate them to the junkyard.
It doesn't take "Honda blinders" to be able to deal with a minor correctable problem without going off the deep end. Just a bit of reasonable expectations.
I think you're being a little too rough on others and myself on our evaluation of our Accords. You come in here to bash not just the car, but it's owners before getting the facts, which seems to me very immature and irrisponsible. Maybe you should ask me or others why we think this way before making asinien statements about our character and judgement. I think you're the one that being clouded by your own anti-Honda rhetoric.
Yes, these cars might have some problems, but how many new body style models don't the first year. Just because a new car has a slight problem that will problably be fixed under warrently, does not mean that the car is junk. I've owned Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Volkswagen and Honda and I've found something wrong (big & small) with most of them and have taken them in to get them fixed under warrenty (I actully had one buy back from Ford and got a brand new one).
As far as the problem with my car (slight wobble in the steering)it's not all the time, or on all roads. Plus, it's very slight and almost unnoticeable, and could even be just me, since I seem to be very meticulous with my cars, and sometimes try too hard to find things wrong with them. In fact today when I drove it, I had a hard time noticing it (I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow anyway).
And no, the new car smell has not gotten to my head. This is a great car and drives as smooth and as quite as any car I've owned or been in. I did a lot of research and test drove it before I made my decision, and I'm still very happy with the choice I made.
bottom line. I sold my 02 3.2 TL and do no miss it. the Accord gets better mpg, uses regular unleaded, has better leather and has those neat gauges, new traction control, more airbags, and more HP. What is to miss--yes the autodimming mirror was nice having. I do miss it.
Problems like alignment, tires out of balance, steering wheel centering, etc. are common with all new cars, and I'm sure they all can be attributed to the transportation process from factory to dealer. I've had exact this problem with a new Ford and Nissan in the past decade.
I got clocked with laser at 80 MPH in a 65 MPH zone. The car is deceptively fast, much more so than my old 2000 EX-v6. It does not take much pressure on the accelerator to zoom from 65 MPH to 85 MPH. Since it makes so little noise, you can't really tell you are going faster. That excuse did not work on the state trooper, unfortunately. Anyone know of a good fuzz buster?
Just took a representative sample of prices on Carsdirect for the 03 Accord in several regions. Some interesting numbers for the EX-V6
Chicago area (Zip 60605) $24,374 Atlanta Area (Zip 30301) $23,974
Pretty aggressive prices if you ask me. I would have expected these kind of prices a couple of months down.
Also checked the DC Area; still MSRP. Even though the DC area is a hyper-competitive area for car sales, Cardsirect's prices have always been way high, so this should be an outlier.
I see that there is a delay in the release of the Nav system until after the first of the year. Anyone happen to know what the problem is with the voice software? Thanks. Tom
I saw the NEW Accord up close and personal on Tuesday and man was I disappointed.
First off the exterior styling was bland, an immediate turnoff. Then upon opening the door I couldn't believe my eyes. I was was expecting some interior refinement but what I saw was a Chevy (or some GM derivative) cloaked with a Honda badge.
The car I saw was an EX-V6, dressed with a spoiler, pinstripes, alloy wheels, sunroof deflector and sans navigation system. The leather was hard and the stitches were extremely rough. The immitation wood trim was awful (too plastic). I turned on the stereo system and again the sound was weak, distorted and painful to the ears.
Compared to the new Civic hybrid whose interior is so refined and sophisticated and the sound system in the Odessy or Pilot the Accord is a disappointment. Sorry folks but for the $28,988 sticker (includes spoiler, alloys, pinstripes) you should be looking at a Passat or even an infiniti G35. The NEW Accord is a bloated overpriced and staid sedan designed for the over 55 crowd.
Don't look at sticker price. You have to consider what you can actually get the car for. A EX V6 with no accessories is only $23,900 according to carsdirect. Only a few thousand dollars more than a Hybrid. Unless I ONLY use my car to commute around the city in the Accord is an obvious pick. Even more obvious if you look at the Accord I4.
Temp gage in my EX V-6 reads about 5 degrees too high. RRRR. why have it? As I drive by 2-3 temp clocks on way to and from work--I have the odd ball reading every time. I imagine wait a few months for service bulletin on how for dealers to adjust it. It is minor but again what is point if useless. INKY
Not sure what folks expected but reason for many cars is many tastes. I paid $23,911 and am very happy for EX V-6. for $32,000 I would by Infiniti G35 but I did not and performance and quality are fine to me.
I have added exhaust finishers, trunk net, trunk mat, gold pin stripe (thin double my work), splash guards tomorrow, moonroof visor from my 02 TL (did not like 03 looks and price), wheel locks and heat rejecting 3m window tint.
I like it. Others may not. also Honda forgot "accord logo" on tail of my car. Ordered but I may never put it on since Honda was not too interested at the factory. May beg for Gold package for my trouble.
"You're missing the point. People buy Hondas because they're Hondas."
Typical Honda basher rhetoric.
There are many reasons for buying an Accord besides "blind product loyalty". How about these reasons?
- if you do any research whatsoever, car magazines, consumer magazines, whatever, the Accord has been at or near the top of just about all comparison tests, and always comes out as highly recommended. - the research might get you in the showroom, but the driving experience convinces many people that the magazines are right. - and the quality and refinement experienced during ownership keep you coming back.
That was exactly my experience... I'm driving my first Accord, a 2000 EX V-6, and it's been a pleasure to own and drive. I had no "Hondaphile" tendencies prior to owning my Accord, so the car and Honda earned a level of loyalty from me because of the quality and design excellence of the product. This is not blind loyalty by any stretch of the imagination.
"I was was expecting some interior refinement but what I saw was a Chevy (or some GM derivative) cloaked with a Honda badge."
Well, I couldn't disagree more. You obviously aren't up on the current state of the interiors in GM cars in the Accord's class or you'd know how ludricrous your comparison is. Take the Impala (please!) for example. That car's interior looks like it was assembled from a scrap bin, particularly the hideous collection of mismatched and ill-fitting pieces that they call a dashboard. And there's no comparison whatsover to the Accord's interior.
For another viewpoint, from people with experience with lots of cars, here's a quote from Car and Driver about the new Accord interior:
"The interior, although assembled of superb materials to exacting standards, is no more adventurous."
Their point was that the new Accord isn't very adventurous inside or out. However, in their opinion, the high quality materials and quality of assembly are still there. And I agree with them completely.
I have been offered a price of $22,160 for 2003 Accord EXL. I was planning to get a Toyota Camry XLE with moon roof .But honda guy slapped me with one.Is this a good one?
Anyone know what companies maps the Honda Nav systems use? I drove with someone today that has a Garmin Nav and was impressed by the accuracy maps. I have heard that the Magellan maps are a joke, although I haven't witnessed it first hand.
jeffrey15 - not sure which maps the Honda Navi uses, but you can always call their 800# and they will direct you to the Navi department (I have done this before). Anyway, if they are like the one's in the MDX, they are detailed and accurate. But of course, I would wait to see and use one in person.
Talon95 this just proves my point. The car has been out for just about a month and it is already being heavily discounted.
You don't have to accept my comment that the interior lacks refinement. But you can see for yourself by checking out the Civic Hybrid (especially at night). Now that's a nice interior. It appeals to men as well as women as well as to the old and to the young. The initial Hybrid price is steep but with a $2,000+ tax credit and lower fuel bills it appears to be reasonably price.
It won't be long before you guys realize that the " Emperor has no clothes"... The NEW Accord is just one big disappointment.
OK, so if somebody doesn't agree with you they're just a "Honda basher". OK fine, I'll accept that title. Sure, I bash Honda. Why? Because I know that they could a truly sporty sedan, but they continue to build only uninspiring cars for the masses. But, "that's what sells" you'll say. You're right, that's what sells and that's what keeps the Accord always at, or near, the top of the sales charts. But, I know they could still do that AND build a sporty sedan that would satisfy the small percentage of people (like me) that think the Accord is rather boring.
deluxcar: Honda sold 33,000 Accords last month and that's with the new 03 being in light supply but even at that rate they would sell 396,000 Accords. Not too shabby for what you classify as "one big disappointment". Selling for invoice or a few hundred dollars above is not "heavily discounting". Heavily discounting is when you see ads for $10,000 off a Tahoe or $4,000 off a Sunfire and 0.0% interest. It's a competitive market right now and NO manufacturer can afford to overprice their cars unless it's a limited production VERY special car.
Honda has to sell a bread and butter model to make way for cars like the Hybrid, S2000, the new Pilot, and the Element. And if you think Honda can build a more exciting Accord, you are right, it's called the Acura TSX ... expect it to be here early next year.
Took two new Accords out for a test drive today. I currently drive a 1993 Accord EX 5-Speed
First was the EX V-6 and then the EX 4 Cylinder – 5 Speed
The V6 was very powerful, almost too much on the slightly wet roads. The car was very quite. The leather seats were extremely comfortable and the new instrument clusters are well thought out
At first the 4-Cylnder seemed like a dog at first especially after the V-6 but by the end of the test drive it felt fine. The Stick has a wonderful solid feel with wonderful short throws
As others have commented, I did feel that the dash was quite high and the windows seems smaller then the earlier generations. I also felt I had less head room then my current 93
I will definitely get the Leather Interior but still not decided on which engine. I really love a manual transmission and the price difference is a steep $3000 from the EX-L 4 with Manual vs the EX V-6. I think the 4 is fine for local driving but the 6 really shines on the highway
Just as a side note, there was a Black one in the Show Room with a rear full spoiler. WOW did the car look great. The rear spoiler really added a lot for the car. But the color I am going to go for is the graphite .. it is just a fabulous color.
I only label you as a Honda basher because you insist on saying things like "You're missing the point. People buy Hondas because they're Hondas."
That kind of misguided and arrogant blanket statement brands you as a Honda basher. You say you think Honda should build a "truly" sporty sedan. Fine, that's your right. Other people have different opinions regarding what Honda should or shouldn't do, and that shouldn't make them a target of your cynical remarks whenever they say something positive about Honda. But so often, there you are.
Ironically, I agree with you that it would be desireable for Honda to market a Honda-branded "truly" sporty sedan in the US. And as nice as I think the new Accord is, it isn't that car. But just because Honda decided to target the Accord at its traditional market doesn't make it a bad car... maybe not the car for you, but that in itself doesn't make it bad.
I notice you went on the defensive about the "Honda bashing" title and totally ignored the rest of my post. Once again, typical. Never willing to discuss anything of substance, but always quick with the empty banal remarks.
I don't call everyone who disagrees with me about Hondas a "Honda basher". But you prove with every post that you definitely deserve the title.
One further comment on the 4-Cyylinder. It was MUCH louder then the V-6. Even louder then my 1993. It seems to Rev Higher and has a more tinny noise. Maybe this is the sound of the I-Vtech?
I'll admit to being a little arrogant, cynical at times, but never misguided! OK, so not ALL people buy Hondas "because they're Hondas", but a good percentage of them do. These people feel confortable with Honda, because they feel like they are very predictable, reliable and safe. All of these things are true to some degree, though probably exagerated to some degree as well. Some of them even think they're fun to drive, and can I agree with that opinion somewhat. Also, most of the Honda buyers that I know aren't really "car people", and don't really know a whole lot about the technical details of their cars. Having said all that, I also know that there are also lots of people (like you) who buy them for more substantial reasons. Incidently, the Acura TSX could be my next car, in which case I guess I'll have to give up my "Honda basher" title.
I understand your position much better now, and I see that your statements about Honda aren't the knee-jerk reactions that I thought them to be. Very interesting insights... I withdraw the Honda basher comment.
I'm going back to the dealer one of this days to have them adjust it. With cold weather coming and outside temp handy, it a good safety indicator when the ice is forming on the road.
for the mid-size sedan market will be fully borne out when the TSX arrives.
Mazda6 is partially right that people buy Hondas because they're Honda. Accord has one of the highest owner loyalties of any car - people just buy another without looking around. This phenomenon is obviously based on positive experiences.
And, Honda isn't immune from the occational mis-step. The current Civic appears to be a dud. Witness the fifth place finish in the November Car and Driver behind the Protege, Elantra(!), Corolla (!!), and Focus (!!!-!!!). The test car was critized for bad paint, bad panel gaps, road and engine noise, and bad seats. Ouch.
I have been a Honda loyalist for the last 15 years. However, now I am beginning to get worried. I remember, in my childhood days (1960s), almost every house had an Impala in its driveway and these were good reliable cars back then. Now nobody even looks at Impalas. Is Honda headed the same way? The new Civic is referred to as "something new from Honda - a loser" by Car & Driver, the quality of the previous generation Accord's transmission is now recognized to be a real issue, etc. Like the tech market, is the Honda bubble also about to burst? Is the Honda bull-run coming to an end?
Oh noooo, I lost my Honda-basher title already! What's the world coming to? Seriously though, thanks for the feedback. I'm a firm believer that reasonable people can always reach some middle ground. Now I guess we should get back on topic before the Host comes after us.
Well, I'm glad to say that I haven't lost my "Honda basher" title yet. I was out shopping the other day and saw a 03 Accord parked. I pulled my 2 sisters over to show them the car (I should point out that one owns a 01 Jetta and the other owns an 01 Accord). Both gave me a resounding "Yuck". And I thought I was the only one calling the new Accord "UGLY".
I agree with "Mazda6". Slap a Honda badge on anything and people will buy it. Honda does a good job of manipulating consumers.
As for those who think the TSX is the "sporty Accord", resist the hype ! Honda is trying to pull another fast one here folks. I can just imagine what the salespeople at Honda are saying to themselves....."So you don't think the 03 Accord is good looking and sporty enuf ? Well, no problem. We'll bring our European Accord over, slap an Acura badge on it, give it a buzz-bomb engine (aka 4 cyl. VTEC), raise the price by a few grands, and voila....bring on the Bimmers !!" Sheesh, who is Honda trying to fool ?
Honda doesn't expect 250,000,000 people to find the Accord to be the right car for them .. just 400,000 ... so there are bound to be people who don't approve of it's looks. They could've done like Nissan and spent all of the $$$$ on exterior design while leaving the interior to the dogs. The Accord is a very well-balanced sedan and I happen to think it's gorgeous. Can't wait till that coupe comes out.
How does Honda manipulate consumers any more than any other car make? That is an absurd statement. People CHOOSE to buy Hondas. It's not like Reader's Digest sweepstakes where they prey on elderly people. You can walk into a dealer, test drive the car, and if you don't like it you can walk out without spending a dime.
As for the TSX .. it is a replacement for the Integra sedan not a BMW fighter. The TSX will probably top out at around $25,000. What kind of new BMW can you buy for $25,000? It will more than likely have the RSX's 200HP 4 cylinder engine which is far from buzz-bomb. Any review of the RSX-S praises it's engine.
pda97 I agree with "Mazda6". Slap a Honda badge on anything and people will buy it. Honda does a good job of manipulating consumers. Why am I not surprised that you would agree with mazda6s? "Honda blinders" have been a little harsh on you? As far as your comment goes, which company that you know of, does or does not manipulate consumers. FYI, Honda has had its share of failures, and that blatantly disapproves your theory. So, not badge but the product is what consumers respect. Honda happens to deliver something that people want! Why spend life belittling a company for what it does?
As for those who think the TSX is the "sporty Accord", resist the hype ! Honda is trying to pull another fast one here folks! Yes Ms. Cleo.
anonymousposts As for the TSX .. it is a replacement for the Integra sedan not a BMW fighter. TSX could be a great sport sedan if it derives its basics from the current Accord Type-R/Euro-R, and that could be end up being a competitor to BMW 330 like the ATR is (forget 325). OTOH, if Acura markets it with sport sedan with "value" as the priority (brake pads that will last 100K miles, tires for 50K miles and so on), then people will be disappointed, looking at the test results. Either way, if Protégé can be a BMW fighter, Escape can have the zoom zoom of Miata, there is little doubt that anything is possible.
A good way to find out what's on dealer lots, for all brands, is www.getauto.com. They list inventories (with actual photos!) for a bunch of different dealers around the country. I waste a lot of time punching in "2003 (whatever)" to see if various cars have hit the lots yet :-)
Comments
Does anyone know for sure if the new Accord Sedans will be available with a manual v-6? And if so, do you know when that might happen?
I've been told it will be here in late november.
Thanks!
Mark.
It doesn't take "Honda blinders" to be able to deal with a minor correctable problem without going off the deep end. Just a bit of reasonable expectations.
I think you're being a little too rough on others and myself on our evaluation of our Accords. You come in here to bash not just the car, but it's owners before getting the facts, which seems to me very immature and irrisponsible. Maybe you should ask me or others why we think this way before making asinien statements about our character and judgement. I think you're the one that being clouded by your own anti-Honda rhetoric.
Yes, these cars might have some problems, but how many new body style models don't the first year. Just because a new car has a slight problem that will problably be fixed under warrently, does not mean that the car is junk. I've owned Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Volkswagen and Honda and I've found something wrong (big & small) with most of them and have taken them in to get them fixed under warrenty (I actully had one buy back from Ford and got a brand new one).
As far as the problem with my car (slight wobble in the steering)it's not all the time, or on all roads. Plus, it's very slight and almost unnoticeable, and could even be just me, since I seem to be very meticulous with my cars, and sometimes try too hard to find things wrong with them. In fact today when I drove it, I had a hard time noticing it (I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow anyway).
And no, the new car smell has not gotten to my head. This is a great car and drives as smooth and as quite as any car I've owned or been in. I did a lot of research and test drove it before I made my decision, and I'm still very happy with the choice I made.
Laz
INKY
Chicago area (Zip 60605) $24,374
Atlanta Area (Zip 30301) $23,974
Pretty aggressive prices if you ask me. I would have expected these kind of prices a couple of months down.
Also checked the DC Area; still MSRP. Even though the DC area is a hyper-competitive area for car sales, Cardsirect's prices have always been way high, so this should be an outlier.
Tom
First off the exterior styling was bland, an immediate turnoff. Then upon opening the door I couldn't believe my eyes. I was was expecting some interior refinement but what I saw was a Chevy (or some GM derivative) cloaked with a Honda badge.
The car I saw was an EX-V6, dressed with a spoiler, pinstripes, alloy wheels, sunroof deflector and sans navigation system. The leather was hard and the stitches were extremely rough. The immitation wood trim was awful (too plastic). I turned on the stereo system and again the sound was weak, distorted and painful to the ears.
Compared to the new Civic hybrid whose interior is so refined and sophisticated and the sound system in the Odessy or Pilot the Accord is a disappointment. Sorry folks but for the $28,988 sticker (includes spoiler, alloys, pinstripes) you should be looking at a Passat or even an infiniti G35. The NEW Accord is a bloated overpriced and staid sedan designed for the over 55 crowd.
INKY
I have added exhaust finishers, trunk net, trunk mat, gold pin stripe (thin double my work), splash guards tomorrow, moonroof visor from my 02 TL (did not like 03 looks and price), wheel locks and heat rejecting 3m window tint.
I like it. Others may not. also Honda forgot "accord logo" on tail of my car. Ordered but I may never put it on since Honda was not too interested at the factory. May beg for Gold package for my trouble.
INKY
Typical Honda basher rhetoric.
There are many reasons for buying an Accord besides "blind product loyalty". How about these reasons?
- if you do any research whatsoever, car magazines, consumer magazines, whatever, the Accord has been at or near the top of just about all comparison tests, and always comes out as highly recommended.
- the research might get you in the showroom, but the driving experience convinces many people that the magazines are right.
- and the quality and refinement experienced during ownership keep you coming back.
That was exactly my experience... I'm driving my first Accord, a 2000 EX V-6, and it's been a pleasure to own and drive. I had no "Hondaphile" tendencies prior to owning my Accord, so the car and Honda earned a level of loyalty from me because of the quality and design excellence of the product. This is not blind loyalty by any stretch of the imagination.
Well, I couldn't disagree more. You obviously aren't up on the current state of the interiors in GM cars in the Accord's class or you'd know how ludricrous your comparison is. Take the Impala (please!) for example. That car's interior looks like it was assembled from a scrap bin, particularly the hideous collection of mismatched and ill-fitting pieces that they call a dashboard. And there's no comparison whatsover to the Accord's interior.
For another viewpoint, from people with experience with lots of cars, here's a quote from Car and Driver about the new Accord interior:
"The interior, although assembled of superb materials to exacting standards, is no more adventurous."
Their point was that the new Accord isn't very adventurous inside or out. However, in their opinion, the high quality materials and quality of assembly are still there. And I agree with them completely.
I have been offered a price of $22,160 for 2003 Accord EXL. I was planning to get a Toyota Camry XLE with moon roof .But honda guy slapped me with one.Is this a good one?
Suggestions plz
Jeff
Talon95 this just proves my point. The car has been out for just about a month and it is already being heavily discounted.
You don't have to accept my comment that the interior lacks refinement. But you can see for yourself by checking out the Civic Hybrid (especially at night). Now that's a nice interior. It appeals to men as well as women as well as to the old and to the young. The initial Hybrid price is steep but with a $2,000+ tax credit and lower fuel bills it appears to be reasonably price.
It won't be long before you guys realize that the " Emperor has no clothes"... The NEW Accord is just one big disappointment.
OK, so if somebody doesn't agree with you they're just a "Honda basher". OK fine, I'll accept that title. Sure, I bash Honda. Why? Because I know that they could a truly sporty sedan, but they continue to build only uninspiring cars for the masses. But, "that's what sells" you'll say. You're right, that's what sells and that's what keeps the Accord always at, or near, the top of the sales charts. But, I know they could still do that AND build a sporty sedan that would satisfy the small percentage of people (like me) that think the Accord is rather boring.
Honda has to sell a bread and butter model to make way for cars like the Hybrid, S2000, the new Pilot, and the Element. And if you think Honda can build a more exciting Accord, you are right, it's called the Acura TSX ... expect it to be here early next year.
First was the EX V-6 and then the EX 4 Cylinder – 5 Speed
The V6 was very powerful, almost too much on the slightly wet roads. The car was very quite. The leather seats were extremely comfortable and the new instrument clusters are well thought out
At first the 4-Cylnder seemed like a dog at first especially after the V-6 but by the end of the test drive it felt fine. The Stick has a wonderful solid feel with wonderful short throws
As others have commented, I did feel that the dash was quite high and the windows seems smaller then the earlier generations. I also felt I had less head room then my current 93
I will definitely get the Leather Interior but still not decided on which engine. I really love a manual transmission and the price difference is a steep $3000 from the EX-L 4 with Manual vs the EX V-6. I think the 4 is fine for local driving but the 6 really shines on the highway
Just as a side note, there was a Black one in the Show Room with a rear full spoiler. WOW did the car look great. The rear spoiler really added a lot for the car. But the color I am going to go for is the graphite .. it is just a fabulous color.
That kind of misguided and arrogant blanket statement brands you as a Honda basher. You say you think Honda should build a "truly" sporty sedan. Fine, that's your right. Other people have different opinions regarding what Honda should or shouldn't do, and that shouldn't make them a target of your cynical remarks whenever they say something positive about Honda. But so often, there you are.
Ironically, I agree with you that it would be desireable for Honda to market a Honda-branded "truly" sporty sedan in the US. And as nice as I think the new Accord is, it isn't that car. But just because Honda decided to target the Accord at its traditional market doesn't make it a bad car... maybe not the car for you, but that in itself doesn't make it bad.
I notice you went on the defensive about the "Honda bashing" title and totally ignored the rest of my post. Once again, typical. Never willing to discuss anything of substance, but always quick with the empty banal remarks.
I don't call everyone who disagrees with me about Hondas a "Honda basher". But you prove with every post that you definitely deserve the title.
Incidently, the Acura TSX could be my next car, in which case I guess I'll have to give up my "Honda basher" title.
Mazda6 is partially right that people buy Hondas because they're Honda. Accord has one of the highest owner loyalties of any car - people just buy another without looking around. This phenomenon is obviously based on positive experiences.
And, Honda isn't immune from the occational mis-step. The current Civic appears to be a dud. Witness the fifth place finish in the November Car and Driver behind the Protege, Elantra(!), Corolla (!!), and Focus (!!!-!!!). The test car was critized for bad paint, bad panel gaps, road and engine noise, and bad seats. Ouch.
I agree with "Mazda6". Slap a Honda badge on anything and people will buy it. Honda does a good job of manipulating consumers.
As for those who think the TSX is the "sporty Accord", resist the hype ! Honda is trying to pull another fast one here folks. I can just imagine what the salespeople at Honda are saying to themselves....."So you don't think the 03 Accord is good looking and sporty enuf ? Well, no problem. We'll bring our European Accord over, slap an Acura badge on it, give it a buzz-bomb engine (aka 4 cyl. VTEC), raise the price by a few grands, and voila....bring on the Bimmers !!"
Sheesh, who is Honda trying to fool ?
How does Honda manipulate consumers any more than any other car make? That is an absurd statement. People CHOOSE to buy Hondas. It's not like Reader's Digest sweepstakes where they prey on elderly people. You can walk into a dealer, test drive the car, and if you don't like it you can walk out without spending a dime.
As for the TSX .. it is a replacement for the Integra sedan not a BMW fighter. The TSX will probably top out at around $25,000. What kind of new BMW can you buy for $25,000? It will more than likely have the RSX's 200HP 4 cylinder engine which is far from buzz-bomb. Any review of the RSX-S praises it's engine.
I agree with "Mazda6". Slap a Honda badge on anything and people will buy it. Honda does a good job of manipulating consumers.
Why am I not surprised that you would agree with mazda6s? "Honda blinders" have been a little harsh on you? As far as your comment goes, which company that you know of, does or does not manipulate consumers. FYI, Honda has had its share of failures, and that blatantly disapproves your theory. So, not badge but the product is what consumers respect. Honda happens to deliver something that people want! Why spend life belittling a company for what it does?
As for those who think the TSX is the "sporty Accord", resist the hype ! Honda is trying to pull another fast one here folks!
Yes Ms. Cleo.
anonymousposts
As for the TSX .. it is a replacement for the Integra sedan not a BMW fighter.
TSX could be a great sport sedan if it derives its basics from the current Accord Type-R/Euro-R, and that could be end up being a competitor to BMW 330 like the ATR is (forget 325). OTOH, if Acura markets it with sport sedan with "value" as the priority (brake pads that will last 100K miles, tires for 50K miles and so on), then people will be disappointed, looking at the test results. Either way, if Protégé can be a BMW fighter, Escape can have the zoom zoom of Miata, there is little doubt that anything is possible.
-Andrew L