Honda Accord Coupe

atlantabenny

Both Honda dealers (for our 03 EX-L and 03 EX-V6) recommend a 3.5k mile interval.

These cars have dramatically less oil degradation because of precise fuel injection, consistenly high electronic spark ignition, and an alert computer to manage those functions. For this reason, the manufacturer's recommendation of up to 10k (instead of the dealers' 3.5k) change interval seems better-founded.

The sub-5k interval was solid advice when cars before the 80s had carburettors, contact point & condenser and a computer that had to manage also work and personal issues (the driver).

Needless to say, all of this is moot because of freedom of choice. But for those who choose to adopt new, reasoned directions, they know what to do given the facts.

gregoryc1

Isn't it funny, how so called "theoretical facts" change with "real world experience"!---- Don't believe everything that is printed in an owners manual.---- It is just a "basic guide" for minimum acceptable service standards!

emale

gregory,

i'd like to know what "real world experience" you have with a new accord that suggests honda's maintenance schedule is hogwash...

gregoryc1

The statement in #988 is a "Generic Statement" dealing with any vehicle manufacturer, not specifically related and / or directed at "Honda"! ----Maintaining a vehicle is very similar to maintaining a human body. Some people take vitamins on a regular basis even though their Doctor may not see the need for such a practice. QUESTION: --- Are they wasting money, or are they smarter than the doctor?

gregoryc1

QUESTION: ----What is your experience with regards to servicing vehicles. I worked for new car dealerships and I taught Basic Auto Mechanics at the High School level. In addition, I make it a point to keep up with my reading on this subject. If this is not enough, I also attended many GM schools dealing with vehicle maintenance. I graduated from Lincoln Technical Institute and I hold two MA degrees, one of which is in "Technology"! I grew - up in the automotive business. In elementary school I could assemble and engine, perform a tune - up, brake job and other maintenance activities. Now tell me about yourself and your automotive experience!

gregoryc1

My Honda dealer just sent me some "Service Coupons". One coupon is for an oil and filter change.---(5 qts of oil, a Honda filter and lube for $18.99 + N.J. tax). With 6% sales tax in New Jersey, the total price would be $20.13 The service will be done in 29 minutes or less. The regular price for this service is $21.95 + N.J. tax or $23.27. At this coupon price, why would anyone take their Honda to an "after market" lube service?

emale

gregory,

i defer to your superior intellect/knowledge when it comes to cars and how they run and operate. here is wishing the automaker engineers were as smart as you too!! and no, i have never torn down an engine or ground some valves...however, i can change a spark plug! LOL!

btw, i'm surprised you would even let anyone besides yourself screw off the oil cap to put oil in your precious engine during an oil change.

also, i'd be willing to bet there are literally thousands of accords out there following honda's maintenance schedules...and they are lasting just as long as your car! can you definitively prove otherwise?

gregoryc1

Emale, I am not out to prove anything to anyone! I am simply trying to give the "best possible service advice" to some "good people" who read this board, and who what to protect their vehicle purchase, and their "hard earned" vehicle investment.---- If a vehicle is maintanined in an "outstanding fashion", it will retain its new feel longer and operate in an efficient manner. Once wear starts to take place in an engine, the process becomes a "downward spiral". The mechanical stress from component parts takes its toll on the entire engine. Isn't it better to slow down this process as much as possible? ------Have a great day. -----Greg

emale

greg,

if someone plans to drive their car till the wheels fall off...maybe folowing an extra strict maintenance schedule will net them a few thousand more miles. but, it's simply a waste of time, resources and money for someone planning to only drive a car for say 100k miles to adhere to a much stricter maintenance schedule vs what the maker suggests. in the end people do what makes them feel good. and in your case you are obviously anal to the nnnth degree about such things...so be it.

dust90

BULL

Mr_Shiftright

Can we stop arguing here please?

I'm sure there are other visitors to the board who have other things they'd like to talk about, and multi-post arguments tend to drive them away.

So, let's call a truce and drop this subject and move on. All points taken and noted!

thank you

Shifty the Host

aggie1995

I have 5870 miles on my 11 month old Accord EX-L.

I have only changed the oil once at 3750 miles.

What would the high quality maintenance gurus have recommended?

What would the "follow the manufacturer's recommendations" fans have me to do?

lelandhendrix

Do what you want. Weigh all factors, and choose what makes you feel more secure in your own vehicle.

cstiles

I was the dweeb who started this thread by suggesting that oil changes every 3K miles is way overkill. I still feel this way, but it certainly spawned an interesting exchange! Of course, changing the oil and filter every 3K (or 2K or 1K) will minimize wear. But the point is, is every 3K overkill and unnecessary? We will never prove this, and to each their own. I still suggest that if you change your oil ever 5K to 8K, your call will last just as long. Gregoy--you also referred to most warranties running 3/36. This is not true. Honda does stand by the 3/36, but just about every other manufacturer (with the exception of some domestics) go 5/60 or even longer as far as the powertrain warranty is concerned. The components impacted by frequency of oil changes would be subject to the powertrain coverage. I still suggest that the automotive service industry has a strong vested interest in keeping consumers brainwashed because it means hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. With revenue from car sales dropping to nothing, dealers have to prop up their service depts to stay alive. It's all about the topline money. BUT TO EACH THEIR OWN! Peace. At least we're not arguing pushrod vs. overhead cam!! Let's move on to other topics.

Mr_Shiftright

Okay, if everyone has now dueled and their honor is satisfied, let's move on! I gratefully accept your apologies, which are really not necessary, as I know we gearheads can get very enthusiastic.

gregoryc1

aggie1995, ----Do a "search" on this subject. You will find many opinions. Make up your own mind on this subject. Whatever you decide, use high quality name brand oil and a high quality filter!

snarks

I frequent another forum that really just about oil and only nuts right in, very technical. Unfortunately in the case of needing real help I can not post it as they will delete it.

However I will post what they surmized, the people on the site actually send samples of their oil to lab to be tested....!

Use the 5k oil change interval using a good regular oil (Make sure garage uses Pennzoil or Castrol, and another one that is rarer is Havoline or Chevron Supreme). Blends (part synthetic) also make it typically the 5k miles. If you want to go the full 10k miles and fit the conditions use a synthetic oil. Unfortunately there are many that are labeled this and not much better than regular oil. The common one and very good is Mobil 1. It can achieve the 10k oil change. There are others out there also but harder to find for quality synthetics, Amsoil, Royal Purple, Redline, Shaeffer's and last is German made Castrol Syntec. (don't use this oil unless the bottle says made in germany otherwise you pay a lot for oil that is no better than regular oil.)

A long post but I hope this helps. BTW you can have a synthetic oil change done at Walmart for $27 (Ask for Mobil 1 and SuperTech Oil Filter). Otherwise expect to pay $50-60 for Mobil 1 change.

Lastly, don't expect the dealer to have quality oil on hand. My dealer unfortunately used to have Castrol (quality) and changed over to another called Valvoline. Valvoline according to those nuts and testing they did barely makes it to 3000 miles as a quality oil. Personally now I use Walmart for $27 have Mobil 1 installed in the car and change the oil every 6 months/7500 miles (max listed in my owner's manual).

Sorry for long post, if I could post the url I would, they'd love to help you.

mv10s

car is on its first week of commuting, 35 miles each way (moreno valley to temecula, ca). is anyone using vinyl bra or clear paint protector? if so, would you recommend it, how much, and where to buy? thanks.

this was posted in accord. i didn't realize the separate forum for coupe. pardon the double posts

lmac

I have just puchased 2004 Accord LX Coupe. Would like to replace stock 15 inch steal wheels with 16 x 7 allow wheels. Does anybody know the proper offset for this size wheel?

snarks

Try www.tirerack.com the link is on the left of this navigation page. Decent prices of quality wheels and good knowledge.

atlantabenny

7th gen Accords (including 6th gen and the Acura 99-02 TL/TSX) have +55 mm (+ for positive; negative is for rear-wheel drive application) offset from factory 15" to 17" rims, with the latter on the 6-speed.

I can't say enough about how important offset is when choosing aftermarket rims, and how surprisingly uninformed (or unconcerned) tire/rim stores are about it.

A poor recommendation causes fender rubbing, brake caliper contact, and overall, accelerated wear of suspension components. Buying off-spec rims and shipping them back to the store won't be fun, even with a warranty.

So, you'd want to get it right the first time. The allowable offset range for the 7th gen Accord is +48 to +55 mm, based on my research of enthusiast forums and online tire stores. Myself got the Acura TSX set with +55 mm. Lastly, the lighter the rim the better. 19 lbs and lighter would be good.

Hope this helps.

lmacmil

Many years back, Consumer Reports did an oil change interval study using NYC taxi cabs (probably as severe a duty cycle as you can get.) One group of cabs had oil changed at the manufacturer recommended interval (was either 6000 or 7500) and another group every 3000 miles. At 60,000 miles, they tore down the engines and observed no differences in the wear components (bearings, crankshaft, pistons, etc.) They concluded that following the manufacturer recommended interval would provide satisfactory engine life.

I'm only reporting this as another data point. No need to respond if you don't agree with their results or methodology. If I misrepresented the article (due to my faulty memory), please provide corrections.

emale

if i remember right...that CR article was more about comparing oils...dyno and synthetic vs what you said about manufacturer suggested change intervals. their conclusion was the synthetics didn't appear to provide any extra wear protection in those taxicab engines...

lmacmil

I believe they did do the changes according to the manufacturers recommendation though. Thanks for the correction. Let's face it, this debate cannot be resolved. It's a matter of personal preference/conviction and few people are going to change their longstanding beliefs based on the opinions of others. I would venture to say that the 3000 mile interval folks would keep doing that regardless of evidence showing they were wasting their money.

Back on topic, anyone care to chime in on manual vs. automatic for the V6 coupe? I suppose it's a little more sporty and fun to drive with the manual but for most of us, daily commuting is much easier with an automatic. What made you decide one way vs. the other?

emale

my '03 has the automatic and i'm pretty happy with it. sometimes the shifts are a bit lurchy at light throttle, and it does take some getting used to that the tranny will agressively downshift if you are going downhill and hit the brakes pretty hard. full throttle upshifts are smooth...overall pretty decent tranny. plus resale values are a bit better for automatics...my penny's worth

lmac

Thanks for, this will help me in my selection.

cstiles

I've owned 12 Hondas in 21 years and each one has been a stick. I've had everything from Civics to CRXs to Preludes to 4 different models of Accords. I currently drive the 6spd coupe. Fortunately, I don't have to deal with heavy commuter traffic, so the stick allows me to really enjoy this car and get the most out of an incredibly smooth and flexible engine that packs a punch. Honda is first and foremost a premier engine company, and their cars are meant to be driven with a stick. Handling characteristics with the double wishbones, and the ease of use of a Honda clutch, pretty much speak for themselves.

The wife also drove sticks for years, but last year she bought her first automatic (Audi A4 3.0 Quattro). What's up with this lame "autostick" concept...it's a sad joke that reflects the dumbing down of the American driver. It's interesting how Americans and Europeans have such starkly different driving priorities and skill sets.

Long live the manual transmission!

blane

I went with the ATX for my 2004 V6 Coupe, even though I generally prefer MTX vehicles. I did so because it is an Accord. I learned my lesson back in the mid-90's when I tried to sell my 1990 Accord MTX Sedan and found that Accord buyers generally are ATX buyers (perhaps 95%). That results in a very limited market when the day comes to trade or sell your used vehicle. Trade-in offers were a joke.

ego29iste

Had my Accord coupe for about a few weeks now.

Just had a few concerns: The front passenger seat seems to squeak when there is an occupant.

There is rattle or some type of squeak coming from the driver's side head liner.

Is this a common problem?

Thanks,

-T

ktmbigdog17

Here's a little info on my gas mileage:

Currently 6800 miles total. Driving 75% hwy/25% city.

First tank: 26.25
Worst tank: 25.5
Best tank: 28.75

Average: 27.5 - 28.

I'm no light foot and one of the 28.75 tanks was at 80-85 the whole way.

My only complaint about this car is the ultra-light feel of the clutch. I'd like the clutch to be stiffer. I just can't feel it.

lmac

Purchased Kazera KZ-V 16 x 7 wheels with +50mm offset. Weight is 16 lbs, cost $119 each plus shipping. Purchased from Tire Rack. Also purchased Continential ContiPermierContact 205-60-16 Grand Touring tires. Ride is a little harsh but handling is great. I'am interested in how they will handle in rain. Thanks again for your help.

atlantabenny

Looks like you got an ideal aftermarket set; glad to have helped.

On the tires, did you get the road hazard coverage ? Reason I ask is that Continentals seem to bubble easily based on personal experience. You might be able to get the coverage post-sale if you don't have one. Also, at least on the CH95 set I got for a previous Accord, tire roar became an issue at about 12k miles.

gee35coupe

They suck. They ride fine one day and have vibration the next. I hate em.

lmac

These are a newer tire, not the CH95. I picked them based on the fact that I read 13 owners reviews and everyone was positive (other tires had plenty of negative reviews). But who knows, I may have the same experience as you did. As to the road hazard coverage, the Tire Rack didn't offer it. I thought it was because the manufacture offered a 1 year coverage of their own, but now you may have supplied the real reason why. Time will tell.

licrisisfe

OK...here's some really good, almost unbelievable (had to see it myself to believe it) gas mileage figures.

I have a 2004 Coupe EXV6MT. I recently took a 1800 mile round trip in it from Southeast KY to Minnesota and back. I made this trip right after changing my oil and filter (did the super easy oil change all by myself) at about 6800 miles.

I had to fuel up 4 times during the round trip. Each time I would TopOff the tank, getting it as full as I could, and then reset the trip B setting to zero.

Out of the 4 tanks that I used up I got 31+MPG, 32+MPG, 28+MPG, and 29+MPG respectively. The worst gas mileage, 28+, was encountered when I fell in with some heavy footed guys between Madison WI and Chicago, IL....let's just say, that's the fastest I've ever driven the car!

Anyway, I can TRULY say that I am 110% happy with fuel economy of this powerhouse!

licrisisfe

I have the Accord EXv6 coupe with manual transmission. I absolutely love it. However, although I've driven a lot of sticks in my lifetime, the Coupe's stick was, at first, a bit of a challenge. The problem I have is that the car engine is so quiet, it's hard to tell what RPM you're turning unless you look at the tach! If I'm not careful, and paying close attention, I'll do some major jackrabbit starts...and often find myself barking the tires when I hit second gear. Aside from this factor, I love the stick.

I also have to say that the guy who designed the exhaust for the V6 should get an award. The car is SUPER quiet under normal driving, but if your right foot gets heavy and puts the car into the upper RPM range, a nice deep Formula One racing sound comes from the exhaust.

Anyone else noticed this?

abromson

I have had my '04 6 spd Coupe 2 weeks and 600 miles. Love it. Two Questions:
     First, there is a clicking sound when the engine runs. You can barely hear it inside. You can hear it outside. Faster the engine runs,the faster the clicking. Is this normal?
     Second, how significant does the pulsation of the brakes have to get before it is not ABS pulsation and becomes attributable to warped rotors. I have felt this during firm braking since the first mile of my car's life. It is not getting worse. But it is not getting better.
     What a car, though. It may be my all time favorite and I have bought many over the 40 years of driving.

lmacmil

If you feel the pedal pulsing during normal stops, it has nothing to do with ABS. Pedal pulsation during an ABS stop (i.e., panic stop) is much more rapid than warped rotor pulsation.

dust90

I too love my 6spd coupe. It is quick, quiet, nimble and economical(on reg gas, too). I also love the exhaust note when the revs go beyond 4500. Same problem with the clutch - engine quiet at idle, especially with radio on and clutch is very smooth. I have learned to watch the tach on launch and I'm much smoother now than when I first picked it up. AND the brakes - absolutely fantastic - best I've had, and I've had 3 Porsche's and 4 BMW's!
 abromson: I have no ticking sound from my engine and there should be no brake pulsating unless the ABS is kicking in. You could probably pull a fuse and disable the ABS, then try some firm braking - without lockup and if it still pulsates, you got a problem. Question, How long had your car sat outside at the dealer before you purchased? I let a BMW sit in the garage for a month one winter, just after washing it. It took several hundred miles to get the surface rust off off the rotors, in fact I almost thought that I was going to have to have the rotors turned. It would pulsate just like warped rotors, but it was the surface rust that was everywhere except where the pads had been covering the rotors. Good luck!

abromson

Thanks for your responses. The pulsations occur at firm brake applications, way short of "panic stops." I'll check with the service department and have them road test. I'll also have the "ticking" noise checked out. That's an odd one...

skiatl

I had brake pulsation also. I would feel it after exiting an interstate ramp. I took it in around 2k miles, and they turned down the front rotors. I really didnt think that would fix the problem, but right now, with 7600 miles it stops very smoothly. I also had some grooves in the rotors at the time. The dealer said there were issues with 2003 Accord front brakes, but thought it was fixed on the '04s...evidently not.

abromson

Honda Service manager test drove my Accord. Right away, he acknowledged that the pulsations were way beyond ABS sensation and proposed repairing the rotors. I requested brand new ones, since my car has only 700 miles on it. He agreed to do it, and installed brand new front rotors while I waited.
     As to the ticking noise in the engine, the first tech said it was nothing---forget it. I "appealed" to the service manager. He concluded the valves were improperly "set" at the factory and he would to take care of that problem tomorrow.What's that all about?
     All this sort of takes some of the shine off the joy of getting a new car...

cstiles

It also took me a little while to get used to the clutch on my 6spd, and to get consistently smooth launches. This car is a different beast compared to my '99 Si coupe. And you can easily start this car in 2nd gear. I switched to summer tires and they have helped considerably with grip, handling, and less torque steer. No ticking issues with my coupe, and the brakes have been fine from day one. Glad Abromson got the dealer to quickly deal with his two issues. It's probably just my imagination, but this car feels stronger with premium gas in it. VTEC.net estimated that higher octane may give this engine an extra 5 or 10HP...is that possible? The engine is extremely flexible and strong---even when you hit the rev limiter, it feels like there is more available from this motor. And the exhaust note is very nice!

skiatl

It has been reported that using premium gas will give it a 10 hp boost to 250hp....it can sense the higher octane and adjust the timeing accordingly. I have not tried it myself tho.

c182skylane

It would be great if someone would put the car on a dyno to record the difference in power output using regular versus premium fuel.

my six speed sure has lots of rattles, creaks, buzzes, etc. from the cockpit. the radio seems to make something buzz near my left ear at certain frequencies. it's probably the wadded up airbag built into the door.

re: cstiles - I don't think tires make a difference in the torque steer. anyone else agree?

whitecloud1

I think cstiles is right. The lower profile tires on most front wheel drive cars seems to help with understeer.

lmacmil

I've read that cars designed for premium will run on regular with lowered output but I've never read about the converse being true. Has anyone seen this in print from a reliable source?

gee35coupe

They found that the V6 was putting out something over the rated HP when you account for driveline losses. It's hard to get an exact crank HP on the dyno since parasitic losses are a variable.

c182skylane

I may be wrong, but I thought that torque steer was due to the angular momentum caused by the lateral placement of the engine in FWD cars. When accelerating the engine/car, the car will lean to one side slightly pulling it in that direction.

whitecloud1

You may be right, but when I was into such things with my '86 Dodge Charger Turbo, with 205/50 tires and when fewer cars had low profile tires and fewer front wheel drive cars had such torque, one of the claims was that the tires helped to control that understeer (I mentioned) and the veering that you mentioned. I started seeing more low profile tires applied to front drive sporty cars. Keep in mind I'm not a mechanic or a racer, so just offering observations.