Honda Accord Coupe

cstiles

Notice that some automakers are coming out with automatics with up to 6 or 7 gears today. Plus, more cars in the future will offer continuously variable (automatic) transmissions. At one time, the gas mileage for a manual almost always exceeded that of an automatic. (It was one of the reasons why some people bought a stick over a slushbox.) However, today's technology can trump a human's ability to manually change gears at the most efficient shift points to best balance engine speed and output. In spite of this trend, it's encouraging to see carmakers offer manual transmissions on more models, recognizing that one's joy of driving can also be a function of shifting gears for yourself. It's sad that so many younger drivers today are dumbed down to the point they can't operate a clutch. Long live the Accord 6 speed....let's hope we see it in the sedan someday!

dust90

I second that on the manual trannies! Granted the autos are getting much more efficient, but there is still more hp loss with the autos-torque converters, hyd pumps, more heat and more weight. What I see as being more prevalent in the future is the manual tranny with the auto-clutch. Several manufacturers are offering them now or have them in developement. Not that I care, I still want a stick and a clutch!

cstiles

I couldn't agree more! I recently drove the Toyota MR2 Spyder with the clutchless stick, and although it was okay, it just wasn't the same. My wife has an Audi A4 3.0 Quattro with the autostick buttons on the steering wheel, and it is a very lame substitute for shifting gears for one's self. I'll always opt for a stick and clutch. It's sad that you can't even buy a 4Runner or most SUVs/trucks today since the U.S. market has decided it is too lazy or too busy juggling a sandwich or cell phone to operate a clutch. Interesting difference between Americans and Europeans... Honda is one of the few companies that continues to offer the greatest choices in transmissions, and I laud them for that philosophy.

bfutm2006

but after looking up in the computer, the dealer I went to told me there was only 1 stick shift ex coupe (4 cylinder)in 5 states nearby and it's not the color I want. WTF. Looks like a 4 cylinder stick shift + Side curtain airbage ex coupe will be impossible to find because once again, all the coupes with side curtain airbags are leather seats around my area.

dust90

Have your dealer order what you want!

redkey1

Has anyone attempted / thought of putting dual exhaust on the 4cyl coupe like on the v6? There is a cutout already in the underside of the bumper.

emale

redkey1,

it would be a waste of time since the v6 dual exhaust isn't really dual. the one pipe just splits into two just aft of the rear suspension. it is for looks only...unless that is what you are looking for?

redkey1

I like the looks of it....if it was easy / relatively cheap to do I think it greatly, yet subtly improves the rear view. Much like adding a nice set of rims.

Any idea what something like that would cost?

cstiles

Good article in the current Road & Track that features a comparison test between the Accord 6spd, Solara, and Sebring coupes. The latter two are slushboxes, so perhaps not a fair comparison, but the Accord won this contest hands down. The current Car & Driver also has a comparison test featuring manual versions of leading $35K sports sedans....TL, G35, 325, X-type, IS300, Saab 9-3, and A4 3.0Q. The G35 won over the BMW, thanks mostly to more HP at a better price point. The TL has too much torque steer. The article concluded that it needs to have rear drive to support that much power and to overcome handling limitations with front end weight bias. Might explain why the upcoming 2005 RL will have all wheel drive as an option.

midnight_stang

I haven't looked under my girlfriend's 4 cylinder, but if it's really just one pipe all the way back, then you might be able to buy a 6 cylinder muffler which has dual outlets. That may be all you need. Or the cheapest route would probably be your local muffler shop.

lukewarm

Hi all,

I just purchased a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe and I am finding it bothers my back because it's so low to the ground. I am 6'5" so don't have a lot of clearance. Any ideas on how I can modify it to make it more comfortable?

Luke

arod

I am the owner of a 2000 V6 EX coupe; in search for more gripper tires then stock. Any suggestions?

-thanks.

blane

arod:

There's lots of reading about tire recommendations at www.tirerack.com.

bottgers

I just saw an '04 Accord coupe at our local Honda dealership today. It was dark blue metallic and had chrome rims. All I can say is wow! This may be the nicest looking car I've ever seen!

brianl0202

04 EX V6 Coupe

i have about 3500 miles on my car right now. when should i be getting my first oil change? i have read anwhere from 3000-7500 miles? do i wait until 7500..it sounds like a lot of miles. a lot of my everyday driving is stop and go, waiting in traffic. maybe about 40% highway miles. also ive been getting about 23mpg...does that sound normal or is that low? just curious

lmacmil

You can't go wrong following the owner's manual recommendation. Has it got a "change oil" light? If so, when it comes on, it's time.

lelandhendrix

this has been beat to death, so do some searches if you want more info.

but at least know this: your car came from the factory with a special 'break-in oil' and it should NOT be changed until at least 5000 miles.

aggie1995

"came from the factory with a special 'break-in oil' and it should NOT be changed until at least 5000 miles. "

What if it takes 9 - 12 months to reach that 5000 mile barrier?

cstiles

I recently replaced the Michelin Pilot MXMs on my 6spd coupe with a set of Firestone Firehawks SZ50s unidirectional summer tires. The car handles, grips, and corners better. I thought with the stiffer sidewalls the ride would be harsher and there would be more noise, but it's barely noticeable compared to stock. This car has a lot of inherent front end weight bias due to the FWD, but I would definitely recommend these tires from Tire Rack. When the winter returns, I'll put the all-season Michelin's back on.

c182skylane

cstiles- did you also buy new rims with your new tires, or did you have the tires put on your 17" OEM rims? if you swapped out the tires on the OEM rims, did a mechanic re-balance everything? Also, when you ordered your tires from tirerack.com, did you have them shipped directly to your mechanic? thx...

cstiles

Yes, for now I've just mounted the new tires on the OEM wheels. A local tire shop mounted and balanced them (total cost about $36 for all four). I am shopping for new wheels, but for now I've just stored the original Michelin's in the garage.

cstiles

Regarding oil changes---we consumers have been brainwashed and duped by the auto service industry to change the oil religiously every 3000 miles. Think about it...this is a major source of revenue for auto service centers and somehow many of us feel we're damaging the engine if we've gone 5000 or 6000 miles. Every 3000 miles is complete overkill and a waste of natural resources, unless your car is subject to severe driving conditions. Here's a point to ponder...Volkswagen will tell you that you should change the oil every 3000 miles in your Passat. Yet my Audi dealer (who provides free maintenance for 40,000 miles on my 3.0 Quattro) only recommends changing the oil every 10,000 miles. The VW and Audi have very similar engines. Do the math! With today's precisioned engine tolerances, as long as you are changing your oil/filter every 4000 to 7000 miles, most cars will run 200,000 miles with careful driving.

cstiles

Forgot to answer part of your question...I had the tires shipped directly to my house and I took the tires to the shop. You can also have them directly shipped to the shop if you want. I have now bought 6 sets of tires from Tire Rack over the years, and they are the best. The prices are so much less than what you'd pay locally, the selection is very good, and they provide excellent advice.

lelandhendrix

This may be a dumb question, but why is 0-60 almost a half-second faster than 5-60?

lmacmil

Not a dumb question. For the 0-60 time, they rev up the engine and pop the clutch. For the 5-60, they are motoring along at 5 mph and mash the accelerator so the engine is way below it's torque peak.

lelandhendrix

Now I understand fully. They are using rigorous performance techniques to eek out that 0-60 time.

lmacmil

From a practical standpoint, the top gear acceleration figures (40-60, etc) that some mags publish are more meaningful to most drivers.

Btw, my name is Leland also.

nw1997

hac,

    Would you happen to have specs. on the 2004 Accord EX V6, 5 Speed Auto? Is the 5 Speed Auto top speed also 135 MPH?

Thanks

dust90

I read in one of the comparos that the sedan V6 auto did 0-60 in 6.5 seconds. I've seen different top speeds published(not that I realy care if it will do 135 or 145), but I ran my 6 speed coupe to redline in 4th gear and that was 128mph and I know it would have passed 135 in 5th, unless it is electonically limited.

hac

"the EX V-6 four-door needed 7.0 seconds to reach 60 mph and covered the quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds at 92 mph. The six-speed two-door hit 60 in 5.9 seconds and hustled through the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds at 98 mph. Although the coupe did weigh 140 pounds less than the sedan, that's still a pretty strong testimonial for the efficiencies of a standard transmission."

I also think the 135 mph top speed is due to limiter.

nw1997

hac,

   Is the 135MPH top speed limiter is that for all the Accords, manual and auto?

lmacmil

Automatic EX sedan: 0-60: 6.5, 1/4 mile: 14.9
The driver, the track, the car, the conditions can probably vary the times by several tenths. I'd guess that the car mags rev the automatics while holding the brakes on whereas Edmunds doesn't. The Edmunds numbers are almost always slower than MT or C&D.

As good as automatics are these days, I wouldn't expect to see more than .2 or .3 improvement from a manual trans.

lelandhendrix

I know this is off topic, but my 2.4L Auto Sedan is not limited to 135. I don' tknow if the difference is between the coupe/sedan, V6/I4, or the assembly point. Mine is Japanese origin.

cstiles

Top speed is often also a function of what the OEM tires can handle. Tire companies are finding today that they can't get liability insurance so many are self-insured. Off topic, U-Haul will no longer rent you a trailer if you are towing with a Ford Explorer! The lawyers have spoken.

nw1997

lelandhendrix,

    Now you got me curious. Have you noticed any difference between the Japanese built vs. the Ohio built Accords? Secondly, what are the limits for the MPH of your Accord?

Thanks

anonymousposts

I had a US built 2003 EX-L 5-speed coupe before buying my Japanese built 2004 EX-L automatic sedan and, at least in my case, I have not noticed a difference in quality. I had 16,500 miles when I traded the coupe and I now have 14,500 on my sedan.

gregoryc1

Frequent oil and filter changes are "cheap maintenance". If you want to treat your engine properly, change your oil and filter every 3,000 miles. Use a high quality oil and filter. ---- Don't try to bring the "maintenance war" in under budget!---- Take care of the engine, and it will give you years of high quality / efficient service. The oil is the "life blood" of the engine. Extended oil and filter changes are simply a "marketing tool" to sell vehicles. This concept has no place in the real world of vehicle maintenance.

midnightcowboy

Still promoted by many. Everything about engines and filters has improved and many cars have gone to various kinds of oil life monitors. Those with oil life monitors typicaly get 8-9,000 miles betweeen oil changes.

Changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste of your money and more importantly a waste of limited fossil fuel resources.

I am suprised that some apparently knowledgeable people keep touting a 3,000 mile change as "cheap maintenance".

When my billfold gets too heavy with ones , I usually burn a few to reduce the weight as a "cheap maintneace" to my body carrying too much extra weight.

gregoryc1

I like your "illogical - logic"! Comparing burning one dollar bills to "high quality engine maintenance"!---- Now that I have your attention, let's take a few minutes to explore some basic facts. 1.) Engine oil is being recycled, so as such, we are not using up our natural resources, nor are we wasting our resources.---- 2.) The temperature of engine oil in the crankcase is around 250 degrees F. When the oil circulates throughout the engine it will pick up another 50 degrees, so the oil is then somewhere around 300 degrees F.---- At this temperature, the oil is trying to lubricate, cushion, clean, seal and cool the engine component parts. To do this job, it needs to be "clean", free from "fuel" and "free flowing", (Blow-by gases from the combustion chamber). Blow-by gases carry combustion by-products into the crankcase and into the oil. Have you ever wondered why oil pumps fail?---- They are sitting in 5 quarts of oil, yet they wear out! ---- Why?--- The reason is simple. They are operating in "dirty oil"! This is why oil needs to be changed often. The oil on the dip stick of our two Honda vehicles is so clean,I can hardly read the level on the stick. I change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. The dealer recommends 3,750 miles. The 2003 Accord has 20,500 miles on the clock, and the 2004 Civic has 4,000 miles on the clock. As the owner of the vehicle you can change you oil at any time you want. That is your choice. But if a person reading this board is looking for "high quality maintenance", oil and filter changes should be done at 3,000 miles.

blane

For those who change their oil twice a often as their automobile manufacturers' specify, why not change it at 1,000 mile intervals? Perhaps every 100 miles? Surely if 3,000 is better than 5,000, then logic says that 1,000 is better than 3,000.

I advocate making those Saudi sheiks even richer at our expense. Haliburton doesn't have enough money. Let's consume more oil to help those poor guys out.

Let's continue the same oil change intervals recommended for the poor quality oil used fifty years ago in those antique engines. Why should we consider the advances in automotive technology and lubrication chemistry made in the past half-century?

I continue to marvel over the mystery of it all.

gregoryc1

Good idea!--- One problem, ----I thought this was a board dealing with Honda, not "political issues"? ---- Stay on the subject!!!!--- "High quality preventive maintenance" has nothing to do with where the materials for that "process" come from in the world.--- If you do not like regular "Dino" oil, use a synthetic lubricant like Amsoil.---With Amsoil Oil and their filter you could run the oil at 5,000 miles intervals without a problem, but you would be spending about $6.00 a quart for the oil.-- Manufacturers only recommend high interval service because they want to sell their vehicles, and they want to show the buying public that their product has a "low maintenance cost". Once the vehicle passes the 3 year / 36,000 mile mark, it is no longer a problem for the manufacturer or the dealer. Without an extended warranty, the owner is on their own. With and extended warranty, the owner had better be able to prove high quality preventive maintance if an issue arises. Remember, everything looks good on paper, until an issue arises. Frequent oil and filter changes keep the interior of the engine clean. This translates into less wear on the moving parts and as such, the engine will operate as designed. The moden engine is a "matched system". On one side you have the mechanical components, and on the other side you have the computer command control system. Any malfunction on the mechanical side, (worn valve guides, leaky valves, stuck piston rings, restricted oil passages, blow-by, low engine vacuum, lazy valves), will affect the performance of the computer command control system and as such, the performance of the engine and the vehicle. The purpose behind high quality preventive maintenance is to keep the mechanical components in a "like new condition" for the longest possible amount of time. A clean engine operates efficiently because it's "wear pattern" is under control! Questions: ---- What does the owner of the vehicle get out of extended oil and filter changes? ---- How much money does the individual actually save over the life of the vehicle by pushing the oil to it's limits? Clean oil does a better job of protecting the internal components of an engine than contaminated oil. It is a fact!

gee35coupe

At 10,000 miles, why not wait until at least 7500. It's a waste of money/time/resources to change it any sooner. Why buy a "premium" Japanese brand and no trust the maintenance suggestion put out by the MANUFACTURER of said vehicle? Just sounds a little counter-productive to me. While changing the oil might as well flush the brake system and change the tranny fluid too. I mean hey if an ounce of prevention goes far, a gallon will go REAL far.

gregoryc1

You should flush the brake system and change the trasmission fluid. That is also part of "preventive maintanance". In addition, you should also flush the power steering fluid. I would do all three at least once a year. You are correct! Thanks for the reminder!

gee35coupe

I mean do it every 3000 miles. I mean safety first... Might as well buy a Bimmer if you are gonna do all that "extra" maintenance. Oh wait... BMW only pays for "recommended" maintenance. Hmmmm.

blane

To satisfy the needs of the "High quality preventive maintenance" obsessed, I propose that Honda, as well as all other automotive manufacturers, revise their maintenance schedules to read as follows:

Engine Oil & Filter - Flush and replace at 1,000 mile intervals
Brake Fluid - Flush and replace every 3 months
Power Steering Fluid - Flush and replace monthly
A/T Fluid - Flush and replace every 6 months
M/T Fluid - Flush and replace annually
Tires - Deflate completely and refill with fresh air monthly
MMO - Add daily
Spark Plugs - Sand blast weekly, Replace semi-annually

atlantabenny

...look here, presumably, to form decisions based on facts and objective reasoning. That said, let's see how these these statements fare:

1) Carmakers don't use oil change interval as a selling point. We don't see ad lines to this effect in any public media. However, to a very narrow slice of the motoring public, those who read the maintenance part of the owner's manual, the 10k or 7.5k numbers may be a buying criterion. But to the rest ?

2) There's testimony in this forum from owners who followed the manufacturers' recommendation and actually achieved 100k plus repair-free miles.

3) There's also testimony from owners who follow the dealers' - not the manufacturers' - 3k recommendation, reporting repair-free ownership.

4) With manufacturers bearing full litigation and commercial risk for their recommendations, and with dealers knowing that short oil change recommendations drive customer traffic, whose advice is more consumer-oriented ?

gregoryc1

Since you brought up the subject of brake fluid, lets take a look at this fluid! Here are some important "facts" to consider in this area of maintenance. 1.) Dirt is a contaminant. You don't want dirt in the brake fluid. Dirt will act like an abrasive in the master cylinder and if can also plug up ports and valves in the system. Dirt enters through "sloppy service practices"! 2.) Brake fluid is the "lifeblood" of your brake system. 3.) The "health and longevity" of the brake system depends on the condition of the brake fluid. 4.) Most brake experts recommend replacing the brake fluid periodically as part of a preventive maintenance program, as this could significantly extend the life of the hydraulic and the ABS components in the modern brake system. 5.) Brake fluid absorbs moisture. When brake fluid is exposed to the air, it starts to absorbe moisture like a sponge soaks up water. Brake fluid is supposed to absorbe moisture to control corrosion. After a year of service, the brake fluid in the average vehicle contains about 2% water. After several years of service, it is not unusual to find brake fluid that contains as much as 7 to 8% water. 6.) Always use the type of brake fluid that is specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Use only fresh brake fluid from a sealed container. Don't leave brake fluid containers open. Yes, flushing brake fluid is important. Now, you are starting to understand what a high quality preventive maintenance program is all about!

gregoryc1

Your posting is well written.---- My dealer recommends 3,750 mile oil and filter changes.------ What does your Honda dealer recommend?----- Anyone is free to service their vehicle as they wish. If the owner wants to follow the manufacturer's recommendations that is "ok". I simply do not argree with the "logic" of an extended oil and filter change.----- After reviewing this issue, I just realized that if most of the vehicle owners followed the manufacturer's oil and filter change intervals, there would be more oil for those of us who wanted to change the fluid at 3,000 miles. --- On second thought, I think that everyone should follow extended oil and filter changes. It is also good for the engine remanufacturing business too! It will create new jobs!

gregoryc1

I am glad to see that you are considering using a upper cylinder lubricant, (MMO). I think "daily" is a little too much. But, you have come a long way! Most of your suggestions, (outside of oil & filter changes and MMO), could be done on a yealy basis, but if you want to perform them every 6 months that is "ok" too.

gregoryc1

It was "great" sparring with all of you on this subject. At this point in time, I have to run some errands, so I will be back later in the day. Yes, one of my errands will be to purchase gasoline for the Honda Accord. I will be purchasing Premium Fuel laced with MMO. I love the smell of premium fuel and MMO in the morning. "It smells like victory"! Have a GREAT day!