Honda Accord Coupe

dtorbik1

I have the same dilemma.

I definately like the look of the G35 coupe much better. But the accord holds its own and for $8K LESS it might be worth it.

I am a sales rep and am in my car all day most days....putting 25k miles per year...is it more practical to get the accord?

I drive an Integra now, and I'm tired of the road noise....I love the car, but 5spd all day is wearing on me too.

maxhonda99

If you're looking for performance, I would definately rather have the G35. The Accord is not even with 6-speed and 17" wheels going to be as sporty as the G35 coupe. Basically due to the RWD of the G35. I'm sure you get more with the G35 because of the higher price, mainly added refinement and quality.

bowke

we have an infiniti dealer just across the street from our honda dealer, and as far as refinement and quality, its still not close...the accord is a luxury car in every day disguise, IMO. $7000-$9000 more wouldnt even come close to turning me from the accord. i think 2-3k would be reasonable, but not much more.

anonymousposts

My boyfriend is also interested in the G35 but is waiting to see how the interior looks in person before deciding between it and the Accord Coupe 6-speed.

On the limited numbers, maybe Honda is wary of how the 6-speed will actually sell considering most Accords sold are 4 cylinders to start out with then they have to consider the people who SAY they want one but really don't want one or just can't afford one.

maxhonda99

I think the 6-speed will be wanted by consumers in bigger numbers than Honda expects. I know from my reading on enthusiast Accord websites, alot of people have been waiting for a manual Accord V6.

midnightcowboy

I think that just because a car is FWD you cannot call it a sports car or a "sporty" car.

Some of the FWD versus RWD cars that I have recently owned or own.

1990 Ford Taurus SHO (5-speed) FWD - 220 hp with equal moment arms it was a pretty sporty car for the first 2 1/2 years until it turned into a Ford.

1995 Acura Integra GSR (5-spped) FWD with Apex exhaust and , AEM cold air intake. Very sporty feeling and very stable even driven moderately hard in the rain (just moved to Houston from Tulsa and believe me Houston has lots of rain).
Still have this car, one of the best , most fun cars I have ever owned.

1998 BMW M3 4-door (5-speed) RWD. Great performance in dry weather. Very stiff ride, good for short trips. Outstanding mileage rated 20/28 actually got 20 in sporty in town driving. In wet weather, snow or ever after a soapy car wash the rear end would break loose too easily in first of second gear by merely WOT. No longer have this car

2002 Lexus IS 300 (5-speed) RWD. Good in dry weather, maybe better in wet weather when I replace the tires. It does not feel as sporty as the Acura GSR. Lexus is good , but it is so quiet and the driver isolation so great it doesn't feel sporty. Had one chance to drive in freezing rain/snow and even with snow mode and traction control the car was worthless; I hobbled home for 5 miles and it took almost 2 hours.

In conclusion, if you are going to encounter rain, snow or ice FWD is much better even better than Blizzaks all around.

In FWD with high horsepower, you need to consider how much thought the car manufacturer has taken in torque moment arm ( i.e distance of each wheel from center of mass). The Taurus SHO was a great car(that is why Ford got rid of it, reverse marketing). The Acurac GSR, A Acura CL 6-speed I tested and I hope the Honda Accord Coupe 6-speed will have is equal momnet torque arms, i.e. no torque steer under heavy acceleration.

Having had several Hondas (5 to be exact) I think there shifting is one of the smoothest and best. BMW is very good and so is the Lexus IS300 (also 1993 Lexus ES300 5-speed my son has) I have only had on Nissan 1983 280 ZX turbo 2+2 so my Nissan long term experience is limited, but I think you will find their shifting to be inferior to Honda.

The Honda Accord 6-speed is a much better value than the Nissan/Infiniti G35. Go back and do some research on the resale and residual value of the Q45s. Compare that percentage with any Honda/Acura product.

Thanks,

MidnightCowboy

own4h

I too looked seriuosly at the G35c and the 350z vs the Accord coupe. I went with the Accord V6 manual 6 @ MSRP for the following reasons.
1) Price - Its not just the $9k price difference, the g35c gets poor gas milage on premium gas so 30% more, interest higher, maintenence higher etc
2) Room - 350z was cramped, G35c has more room ( 2+2) but trunk tiny (7.8 cu ft) and rear seats small with limited headroom.
3) Winter - Sure the FWD accord can't handle as well in the summer, but the RWD G35c becomes a real problem in the winter if you have snow. The G35 sedan has problems enough, but the manual G35c standard tires are summer performance 245/45/r18 backs and 225/45/r18 rears. Summer tires lose grip for temp less than 40f and cannot handle snow at all. There are few choices for a/s or snow tires that size so you'll need to buy snow tires and rims immediately if your car is delivered winter months ($1k to $2k)
4) Quality - Comparing the G35 sedan and the Ex V6 coupe, the Accord as nicer interior and slightly better fit and finish. The Accord has shown better durablity and reliability than the Maxima and resale value for Infiniti and Nissan has been low.

Pluses for the Ininiti, better ranked service, longer warranty, rarer, better handling in summer, fresh styling.

If price was not an issue and I lived in a warmer climate, I would still consider the G35c at the risk of new model problems and lower resale(subject to viewing and test drive).
However, after seeing and driving the Accord coupe, I ordered one immediately to get the first EX V6 M6. I know I can pretty much keep up to most auto 350z and g35c off the line, and with some superior tires, will be close enough handling wise to satisfy me( I drive 8/10 maz anyways). Unless Ininiti improves its resales, in 4 years the 2 cars will be worth about the same anyways.

joeandcarol2

Midnight cowboy is correct. Honda/Acura make superior manual transmissions. You shift ALL the time with a six speed. A lousy tranny gets old real quick. Most Nissans i have driven are very poor substitutes in that regard. The G35 may be better. I'm trying to keep an open mind.
One thing that may be important is the HLSD on the CL. Ive driven it and its impressive for a FWD vehicle. I wish the Accord offered it. I may be a CL just for that reason.

bodydouble

Just like own4h, I thought I was going to get the G35 FOR SURE when I saw the first photos. Then I thought about the cramped interior, tiny trunk, and the wet-weather restrictions of RWD, and I then could not justify spending over $50K CDN incl taxes for a car that basically would only be used for my personal commutes when the roads are dry. But the styling of the G35 sure is SWEET. Looked at the photos in the current Road and Track and almost started drooling. Made me wish I was single and living in California!

Personally I don't think the 6-speed Accord coupe will last the entire 5-year cycle. I'm afraid Honda will can it after a couple of years due to low demand. Just my opinon and prediction. There are a couple of market trends working against it. The mid-size coupe market is dying. The Accord coupe is really technically a 2-door sedan. And sedan buyers overwhelmingly prefer 4 doors. Honda can make it as sporty as they want. But it will not attract the S2000 buyer, nor the M3 buyer, nor the WRX buyer, etc, etc. I think the CL-S is currently suffering the same plight. Just look at the sales numbers of the CL-S v. the TL-S. Secondly, the demand for manual tranny in a family-class car has been slowly dwindling over the years. Automatics and manumatics have become more and more sophisticated. The performace gap between manuals and autos has really narrowed. Serious manual junkies get their fixes in (the aforementioned) sportier, smaller cars. And you'd be really limited in the resale market if you own a manual Accord (or Camry, or Maxima, or Altima or any of that ilk).

philly2002

I enjoyed reading some of the Canadian posts thus far. Speaking of wet weather, the G35 coupe is offered with a positraction rear, so therefore the rain and light snow shouldn't pose too much a of a natural threat. I do agree that the summer tires can be a problem in the long term especially for those who live in the cold tundra of the mid atlantic.

I just really want a RWD car right now with a manual tranny. I've never owned a manual tranny before; its time to party! I drive a 4 runner which is my 3rd SUV in a row. I think I'm ready for some raw power, smooth looks and some decent gas mileage, besides if a RWD system is so "bad"
then why in the world do MB, BMW, Audi and Porsche make it a point to use it on all of their cars--even the C 230K!!

I know Honda has an excellent resale reputation to say the least. I think most Hondas hold at around 55% of their original value, which is probab;y higher than Infiniti. I do agree that the Honda coupe V-6/6M may lose its ground in resale in a couple of years. Most Honda Accord owners prefer a 4 door with auto transmission. Oh yeah and a sunroof too.

I will have to make a big decision bewteen the MB 230K, G35 Coupe and the Honda Accord Coupe in the next month or so. I will know a lot more by next week, espcially after I test drive the Infiniti in upstate PA.

tblazer503

It was an LX 5spd Coupe. Very impressive. Drove a sedan Auto also, but I think with the auto, I would need the v6, with the 5spd, very happy w/ a 4cyl engine. That car will get up and move w/ the 4cyl.... gotta see if they have an EX-L 4cyl and see what they want for it...

anonymousposts

The EX-L's interior can't be beat. Unfortunately a EX-L 5-speed can't be found. At least not where I'm at.

My boyfriend wants a G35 but I think he can do better. Especially for $36,000. Maybe a CL-S would be a good middle ground for him.

bodydouble

Just curious, but what can he get @ $36K to "do better"? (I'm not going to touch the diamond ring thing again! ) Did you mean the CL-S is a better value than the G35? You gotta admit though, styling-wise the G35's got the CL-S soundly beat. IMO the G35 "almost" makes the Bimmer 3 series coupes look a little dated. And I've always considered the 3-series the best-looking compact coupe, bar none.

Another thing about the G35 is that, at 182 or so inches in length, I think it's the perfect size for this genre of vehicles.

diploid

The G35 coupe is definitely one of the best looking luxury coupes out there. I'd say it's even better than the 3-Series' looks.

But the G35 sedan is a whole 'nother story...

bodydouble

but I'm finding 2-doors are a pain if you have kids, even if you're not the primary chauffeur. And with RWD, I don't think I would want to put up with the expense AND hassle of buying, storing and the twice-annual swapping of 4 sets of dedicated snows on alloys.

martylaw

I think the 2003 Accord EX Coupe is really close to the near luxury market now. It may not be the sports car that a 350Z is, or the G35 Coupe, but it has a nice luxury feel to it, with lots of amenities and features. It was very smooth and quick, and the steering was very tight and sporty. The cockpit is really nice. I think the styling, especially from the rear, and rear quarter view is outstanding. I am not sure about the front end, but I am working on it. The optional fog lights add a little needed sparkle to the otherwise understated front view. I have seen pictures of the G35 Coupe, but not the actual car. It seems to me it may have some awkward aspects to the styling, and I don't think the interior looks as nice as the Accord Coupe. We currently have a 2000 EX Coupe, which is fun to drive; the 2003 is better, though. My Lexus ES 300 is coming off lease soon, and I am really considering the Accord Coupe as a replacement, as a somewhat sportier, and almost as luxurious car.

tblazer503

Getting a '03 Accord 4cyl 5spd EX... maybe EX-L depends on if I can afford it.. =o)

cost is 750 over Invoice...
=oD hehehe... Is this a good deal? I'm looking around and can't see a better price...

sphinx99

I was in Chicago the past several days and finally saw the coupes, and drove an EX V6 auto. Like martylaw, I thought this was a very luxurious vehicle. It actually felt more elegantly luxurious than an Acura CL. I couldn't stretch it, but it had plenty of grunt, seemingly as much as the CL-S. Must be the lower weight. I also agree that foglamps do a good job of dressing up the front end.

In appearances, I like the overall shape of the new coupe better, but I wish they had preserved the old coupe's tail design.

And the driver's seat was probably the most comfortable leather luxury seat I've ever sat in!

anonymousposts

$36,000 is alot to spend for a car with a $25,000 car interior. The G35 may surprise me but I don't hold high expectations for the interior.

sphinx99

Stopped by the dealership to order some parts and chatted with the saleswoman I bought my cars from... she mentioned (like others here) that they are only getting one V6 manual. Because of the low availability they are not even taking deposits but will simply sell it to the first person who shows up with a check when it arrives.

We were discussing this odd situation and both speculated that Honda's trying to avoid gutting the CL-S 6-speed that's not selling at all. Troy Acura, right across the street, has five 6-speed CL-Ss sitting on the lot, all at invoice. I took a walk over there and the guy I talked to was willing to give me one at invoice seconds after I asked if they had any. It's that bad...

diploid

Guess that's one more nail in the CL's coffin.

robertsmx

That also tells the truth about demand of manual transmissions.

sphinx99

It's odd because the CL-S isn't a bad car at all. It's balanced, doesn't experience much torque steer, it's luxurious, solid and high quality, fast, precise, reasonably pretty, and so on. In the grand scheme of things, it's a very, very good vehicle at an outstanding price.

Hence it's something of a mystery why the G35c and 3-series coupe continue to command the attention that they do, despite what appears to be significantly higher sticker prices. Could it be FWD vs RWD? Could be. Maybe it's the styling that's inoffensive but not gorgeous. Or all that black leather and black plastic in the interior. Who knows. But, if the G35c takes off, I expect some poor CL-S project managers over at Honda to commit suicide because of frustration.

That's too bad, because they did a good job.

bowke

the cl-s is so uncommonly bland that its killing itself. there are no chances taken with the design, and people who buy a luxury nameplate generally want edgier styling. why buy a bland car for $35k or so and nobody notice you???

maxhonda99

Bland styling and FWD are killing the CL & CL-S.
The 3-series has timeless styling-it will still look good even after 2 new generations of 3-series cars have come and gone. The G35 is very aggressive looking. Meanwhile, the CL basically looks like a 2-door 3.2TL.

Coupes have to have "style". The CL doesn't have it. And the 3-series crowd basically demands RWD. Again, another failure on the part of Honda with the CL.

s852

The previous genration of CL had daring rear tail lights and people complained.

bodydouble

What's killing the CL is the soft mid-size, mid-price range 2-door sedan market, plus the soft demand for manual. Acura should have made the CL smaller with more of a sporting dimensions ala 3-series and G35 coupe. I mean, for Chrisake, the CL first came out with a foot-operated parking brake. The says a bunch about Acura's confusion about the target market for the car.

FWD doesn't help, but I don't think it's the main reason that's killing the CL, saleswise.

bodydouble

I didn't think they were any more "daring" then the current ones. In fact, they look pretty much the same, IMO.

anonymousposts

Invoice for a 6-speed CL? Umm ... I gotta go. I'll be back in a few hours.

robertsmx

I agree it is the size, and to some extent, styling that hurts CL. Acura chose to market it along the lines of a largish personal luxury coupe, not a smallish performance oriented coupe.

I do think the first generation was more daring than the new one, but still not as daring (or shall I call it different) as it should have been. This is how the CL-X concept was showcased and this is how it arrived.

Speaking of G35s and Bimmers, I'm curious to find out the number (%) of buyers who actually get these cars with manual transmission, especially in the $30K range.

diploid

The CL's size doesn't bother me. The bland design is its Achilles' heel.

On the other hand, Lexus's redesigned ES300 is a mega hit. I sincerely hope Honda never takes that route with any of its cars, though.

bodydouble

The CL is a heavy car -- you can feel it when cornering or weaving thru traffic. I still think it is larger than it has to be for a vehicle that seats only 4. And why such a large trunk? It's not going to be a family vacation vehicle.

anonymousposts

The CL is kind of a specialty car. And with most cars of limited production most people are going to find something they don't like about it but a limited number of people will find it just right. We went and looked at one again last night and found after seeing the 03 Accord Coupe the overall presentation of the CL's interior doesn't compare. Now the seats of the CL are a different story. Maybe the 6-speed Accord seats will be more like the CL seats.

We saw a blue G35 sitting outside at the Infiniti dealer and from the outside you couldn't resist it. But I still don't like the interior. But it's not going to be my car so I don't have much input.

diploid

I agree that the CL is a specialty car - problem is it doesn't look like a specialty car!

Hypothetically, it costs more than an Accord coupe if you just compare MSRP to MSRP and negate all the real world factors such as discounts and resale value, etc. That should mean that it should offer more in every department than an Accord coupe; which I think it does, except for the design.

I was behind an Accord coupe the other day, and those taillights were amazing. Yes, they're reminiscent of a Mercedes, but the taillights are "angled," at the corners...it's only slightly noticeable in real life at certain views and completely hidden in pictures on the internet.

robertsmx

The Accord Coupe tail lamps appears to follow a theme of flowing design from front to rear. It also has a shoulder line that sinks just inside the sides at the tail end like in S2000. I think the rear end of Accord Coupe was more passionately styled than the Sedan.

anonymousposts

The CL does, and should for the price, offer more than the Accord Coupe. The price is what evens them out IMO. Accord EX V6 $26,800 vs. CL-S $32,000. I could be a little off on the pricing but the CL-S is probably about $5,000 more than the Coupe give or take a few hundred either way.

demars581

In the next couple of weeks I am going to purchase a 03 Coupe EX-L. I am considering the spoiler, but I have yet to see a coupe on the road with one. What are people's opinion regarding the spoiler on the coupe?

anonymousposts

get the spoiler.

robertsmx

I have not seen Coupe with Spoiler, but I wouldn't get one.

diploid

I think the rear decklid add-on is a better aesthetic choice than a spoiler. I know it's available for the sedan, but if it was also available for the coupe, I'd choose that.

brassrox

Diploid, I agree--the rear decklid add on that is available on the sedan would look fantastic on the coupe. The trunk profile of the coupe is reminiscent of the orginial Lexus SC coupes and they looked great with those little decklid wings. I wish Honda was smart enough to offer one and also offer 17 wheels from the factory on the automatic V6 coupes. Those two things (esp. the wheels) are making me hesitate to buy the car.

martylaw

We have a 2000 Accord Ex Coupe with a spoiler, which integrates beautifully with the NSX style design of the taillights, and also provides an excellent LED display on the spoiler.

However, I have seen the spoiler on a 2003 EX Coupe. While it is OK, I don't think it really adds anything to the already exceptional look of the rear end of the car.

I am not sure what is meant by the "deck lid" references on the previous posts.

On the other hand, I do think that the fog lights add a lot to the appearance of the front end of the car. A dealer near me has a coupe on display with the fog lights, spoiler, and air dam package and side skirts. I would go with the fog lights.

I also agree that the 17 inch wheels offered on the six speed would be nice on the automatic, but there might be a ride penalty.

diploid

http://www.hondacars.com/images/2003/accord_sedan/customize/ACRD403258_mid.jpg

But it's only available for the sedan, according to the Honda site.

maxamillion1

One with the spoiler, and two with out. The two without looked better IMO. Spoilers just "spoil" the lines of a car IMO. I have two Accords, the 1992 has a spoiler, the 1991 doesn't the 1991 model looks better IMO. I don't like spoilers at all. Just my opinion.

sphinx99

Agreed. In contrast to the outgoing model, I personally think the new Accord looks nicer without a rear spoiler.

That said, I'd really like to see some side texture to it. It looks very "featureless" looking down along its length from any of the corners.

1932caddy

Drove the EX coupe with the spoiler and like it and as a previous post stated it helps with higher brake lights. You need all the help you can get on being seen with the way drivers are today.

own4h

When I bought my 98 Accord Coupe EX V6, I found the car rear looked better with a spoiler than without, but the factory spoiler was too tame. So I bought a 3 piece Wings West mid wing that looks distinctive from all angles, especially through the rear view mirror.
My 2003 will likely have another 3 piece, so I e-mailed Wings West and they are looking at the mods needed for the new coupe. If your interested, check out their web site and contact them directly to request date for 2003 Accord Coupe. The more people who call, the more chance they will speed up the conversion project.

martylaw

martylaw

Was standing on a sidewalk in town today and saw a silver G35 coupe round the corner. It was really very sharp; looks like a large 350Z, but much cleaner lines. Have not yet seen the interior, and would like to drive the car soon.

Not sure how it compares to the Accord Coupe in looks yet, or in size. I would like to see them in close proximity.

diploid

OK, found this on wieck:

http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_045162

The new coupe does look better sans spoiler, but I still think the deck lid would give it some flair.