black accord sedan w/navi due in around 11/21. the original january production schedule was moved up because the navi systems were ready for installation before they expected.
Are the front seats in the coupe the same as in the sedan? I sat in a coupe EX today (sedan not available at the time), and they were great--BMW-sports car like. I test drove the sedan a few weeks ago and don't remember the seats being that distinctive.
I haven't looked through all the posts, but is there a good road test review of the coupe alone (without sedan)? I feel it is a very different car and want to see what they say about it specifically, without all the talk about the "best sedan in the world" stuff. I am also looking at the G35 coupe. It is beautiful from the outside, and seems to be a good performer, although I haven't tested it yet. It is true that the interior of the Accord seems much nicer than the G35. Also, I just checked on insurance rates and the G35 is pretty damned expensive. I think resale on the Honda, in addition to gas mileage and insurance, may make it quite the bargain (and of course the price is lower to begin with) . So please let me know what reviews are out there as well as your thoughts on the coupe. Thanks!
Yes the seat in the coupe has more bolster side support and the side or bolster is higher. Went back today and sat in it again ( see my 291 post on test drive ) This time I took my back pocket wallet out and the seat was much more comfortable. ( no money but plenty of cards!! ) I am 6 ft and 175 lbs and it fit much better this time. The show room coupe also had fog lites and the lower front, side, and back lower trim which looked good. It also had the side door hit molding plus the rear spoiler. All in all I was impressed--- especialy the front look of the car. Still waiting to hear about the nav system. The salesman didnot know of any Nov- Dec delivery. If anyone ever sees the nav please post. Am interestd in the voice commands and what / how many systems it commands. Thanks.
Thanks for the info on the coupe seats. They did feel different from the sedan's. Are the side door hit moldings dealer accessories? They go the full length of the door?
The lower side ,front, back molding and the rear spoiler are a dealer add-on. Also the fog lites and the door molding. Can't remember it's lenght but I am sure the door molding goes almost the full side of the car. Still waiting to hear about the nav.
there are 160 seperate voice commands for the navigation system itself... there are an additional 30 commands that function the audio and climate controls.
Too bad you can't program your man to acknowledge voice commands .. guess that's 1 point for the Accord 0 points for the opposite sex
Has anyone even been able to find a silver 5-speed coupe with leather? I haven't. That leads me to believe find a EX-L Coupe w/ Nav will be durn near impossible.
My dealer located One in the Western states. I was sold before I got to it.. .=o( sniff sniff... Later in production these are supposed to become more common, but right now, they are targetting the mainstream... get EX or higher, normally Auto. From what I've seen when I shopped around.
Why doesn't anyone compare the CL-s or the TL-s to the G35? those are more in the same class... Sheesh. Then again, those can be had for about 29-30k right now... maybe not exactly the same class, but much closer than the Accord.
If you compare a $27,000 Accord to a $29,000 G the Accord easily outclasses, if not outperforms, the G35. I also think that the CL-S is more of a competitor to the G in theory but since it is based off of the 98-02 Accord platform the 03 Accord probably has some advantages over it.
In the end, buy what you like. For my $27,000 I think the Accord is the better deal.
There was an exclusive review of the Accord coupe in one of the Friday editions of the Wall Street Journal in October. I can't remember if they tested both the I-4 and V-6, but the review was mostly positive. Hope this helps.
Just test drove an 03 EXV6 coupe last night. Was literally amazed. I had driven the four door EXV6 last month and it was nice, but too soft... Wasn't expecting such a different feeling from the coupe. Steering is tighter/heavier feeling; seats are sportier, more 'huggy'; steering wheel itself is nicer/3spoke; and it GOES! I couldn't believe how fast it felt. It was also very quiet and solid feeling. Now I really want one and LOL. The age old decision: color. Didn't really like the blue in person (better looking in person). Really liked the gold - which really surprises me as I normally don't like this color. Silver - nah. Black - too hard to keep clean. Red - haven't seen yet, but think I would like. White - I always get white cars... I think it looks classic. So, it's probably between white, gold, and red.... wish they had a red one to see. Also, I usually love spoilers on cars, but think it takes away from the rear deck lid crease lines on the new coupe. Lease offer: 0 down (just 1st month pymt) - 367/month - 3years/15k per year. Thoughts? Comments? People who have the 03 V6 Coupe... ???
we have already sold 3 exv6-nav sedans...AMAZING!!! the voice recognition is extremely accurate, and with 180 commands, you can do almost everything except keep your eyes off the display! lol. if you've seen the commercial, you'll understand what i mean.
the quality and appearance of the interior rivals ANY $40k+++ luxury car. for $28260 for the sedan, and $28360 for the coupe, this is by far the best bang-for-the-buck in the market today!
I picked up my 03 Accord Coupe EX-L Auto on Monday night. So far I am extremely happy with the car...except for a rubbing/rattle noise coming from the passenger side part of the dashboard. Near where the dashboard meets the windshield and pillar. Other than that, I love the car. The seats are extremely comfortable, it has plenty of power, and the interior is amazing. Have a great Thanksgiving!
It is amazing that that Honda Accords still have so many rattles more than other similar cars. demars581 is complaining about interior rattles on his brand-new 2003 Accord. Others complained about other rattles on their 2003's. I had driven both a 2000 Accord EXV6 sedan and a 1999 Sable sedan. The Sable had more miles, was in the dealership more often for warranty repairs and had sloppy handling, but amazingly, had no interior rattles whatsoever. The previous generation Accord was plagued with nuisance rattles like the moonroof shade from 1998 all the way to and including the 2002s. Honda can't fix that stupid sunshade rattle after 5 years of production?!! Not to mention plasticky creaks and rattles from door panels, seats, rear deck etc..
Talk about an unsubstantiated claim. Both of my Accords were rattle free with the exception of the moonroof "rattle" if that's what you want to call it.
Just curious as to what kind of "rattle-free" car you drive s852.
If you had that moonroof rattle, then they were not rattle free. I have another Accord and it has an annoying rattle on the dash as well as the same moonroof sunshade rattle my 2000 had. I thought that maybe the 2003s would not have rattles since the body is more structurally rigid, but several other peoples' posts here indicate that this did not solve the rattling problems. Rattles continue even in the new generation Accords. I think Honda should invest another $50 per car in felt lining and gasket grease as well as better quality plastic fasteners.
Anyone out there know anything about the nevigation? I am thinking if the nevigation screen can be modify to play dvd if I install a aftermarket DVD player.
By the way, I am a Salesperson in the bay area CA. If you guys are interested in the Honda, let me know, I will try to get u guys the best price I can. Don't email me for quote though, I am not posting this ad for business/commerical. But of course, I would love some refer too. =P
I never said that Accords could not possibly have a rattle. I am just saying that comparatively there will be no car in the Accord's class that is 100% rattle-free or offers a significant improvement in this area. For every Accord that rattles there is a Altima, Camry, Galant, Taurus, Impala etc. that also has a rattle.
I wouldn't characterize my moonroof noise as a rattle. If the sunroof was closed but the shade was open then yes it would make a light squeaking noise occasionally. My 99 did this and obviously it wasn't that bad because I bought another Accord and wouldn't hesitate to buy yet another one.
Fact is, there is no such thing as a perfect car in the midsize sedan/coupe class that can be purchased for a reasonable amount of money. Almost all cars have a fault .. it's just up to you to decide which one you want to live with.
Sunroof squeaking: I agree that it's no big deal at all. I have a lexus es 300 and when driving over uneven terain at slow speed, as the chasis bends and twists, it squeaks slightly. If you were really focusing on the noise it sounded louder than if you were paying attention to the road...
I encourage anyone who thinks a Taurus/Sable is a more solid car than the Accord to go buy one. It's always good to have broke down cars on the side of the road to laugh at.
aming: I agree with you. A moonroof squeak isn't that big of a deal unless you just bought a $130,000 S-Class or a $200,000 Bentley. For both the Accord's and the ES300's overall reliability I'll take a few squeaks or rattles.
I have a 2000 4 door SE,our first Honda. I have been a domestic buyer that has never had rattles. I was expecting the world from Honda and the dash squeaks after the heater has been on for a while. Also the coin holder rattles too. The driver door has a small squeak also. I have taken it back 3 times and they cannot resolve it. I finally gave up!
I do NOT really like the back end styling of the 4 door Accord, again personal preference. I also do not like the unbalanced look of the side profile with the trunk higher than the hood.. don't like that on any car by the way. I LOVE the 2 door Accord though. I think its more of a styled car than its predessor. I wish they had that body style out in 2000 I would have gladly purchased that instead of the 4 door.
honda never has had, and probably never will have, rebates. they had 3.99% through t-giving weekend, so you missed it.
dealer holdback is normally 2.5%-3% under invoice, but make a dealer dip into their holdback, and watch how fast they ignore you after the sale. leave them a little to work with, and you have a devoted dealer who will bend over backward for you. my deals on '03 accords have averaged $1146.08 over invoice. (13 cars)
some were more, and some were mini deals. my recommendation would be to offer $100 over invoice, and have a counter-offer target of around $500 over. you've then let the dealer have a fair profit, and they will be there for you in the future.
if you beat them out of all profit, see what happens when you ask for anything extra.
just a little insight into what the other side thinks. let me know what you do.
For the last half of model year 2002, Honda Canada had $1,000 - $1,200 dealer cashback on all Accords which works like rebates except the money is not rebated directly to the buyer.
these are dealer cash incentives...this doesn't go to the public, as its not a BUYING incentive. it's a SELLING incentive. with rebates, dealers are obligated to give them when asked for. dealers have NO obligation to give away "dealer cash" if they choose not to. having said that, a dealer is crazy NOT to offer it. 2002 accords have had $1500 dealer cash since august 1st, and the few that are left will continue to have it till they are gone. i, however, dont think its worth $1500 to buy a 2002 over a 2003.
Is it woth spending $2,000 for the navigation system? What else can it do beside give you driving directions. Do people use the navigation system alot or rarely?
The nav system is just another button for those who like buttons. For most of us it's not necessary but if you travel alot to different places I could see the benefits. Plus, it just looks cool and you get the voice activation system.
I didn't see the decklid spoiler for the coupe on the website. I'll have to check that out. All I've seen is the rear wing. You get to choose between the 2 on the sedan.
has 180 voice commands, controls the climate control, audio, and other things...if you are on a trip, you can locate the nearest hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, banks, ATMs, amusement parks, bars, and 20 or 30 other things. VERY handy for trips, not all that useful in day-to-day operation or on commutes, but VERY nice system.
It ultimately serves as an incentive to the BUYER, whether he gets the money directly from Honda or thru a lower selling price from the dealer. I don't there is any dealer who wouldn't deal on the "dealer cash".
Been looking at the 2003 coupes and thinking about
buying one. But the only V6 manual is the
EX V6 6 speed, which won't be out until next year,
and the dealer says they will only have 1, and price
will be in the $26-$27K range. There is a LX V6 auto, but no manual tranny. The 03 coupe has decent
styling and a nice interior, but after test driving
an I4 5 speed, I felt underwhelmed. I also test drove an Acura RSX (base), which is a different class, but still a Honda, which I would like to stay
with. The RSX has decent power for a compact hatchback, but the styling is rather bland. So,
if I want to stay with the Honda line and manual
transmission, I can get the 160 HP LX/EX or the
limited quantity EX V6 6 speed (If I can find one), or go with the compact RSX, which looks like a hopped up Civic. The dealer did say that there may be more V6 manuals in the 04 model year. Maybe I ought to
just hang on to my 97 Accord for another year. The Acura CL is not really an option for me at $30K. Honda seems to be slipping since dropping the Prelude, and redesigning the Integra/RSX. I may have to look at the Altima, even with 4 doors. At least it has power, even in the 2.5S model, and is available in manual tranny. Sorry to rant. I guess coupes and manual transmissions both seem to be going the way
of the dodo, and Honda has to make what will appeal to the largest
if you can spare the buckos, grab the exv6. some dealers get more than others, so shop around...we will get 2 per month for the '03 model year. honda has never before put a manny with a v6, and coupes are selling better than ever now, so what do you mean the way of the dodo?
all likelihood of getting to test drive a v6-6sp. is nil. most will be pre-sold, so get your deposit in ASAP if you want one.
Comments
Do you have super leggera O.Z. wheels on your car?
there are an additional 30 commands that function the audio and climate controls.
Has anyone even been able to find a silver 5-speed coupe with leather? I haven't. That leads me to believe find a EX-L Coupe w/ Nav will be durn near impossible.
Why doesn't anyone compare the CL-s or the TL-s to the G35? those are more in the same class... Sheesh. Then again, those can be had for about 29-30k right now... maybe not exactly the same class, but much closer than the Accord.
In the end, buy what you like. For my $27,000 I think the Accord is the better deal.
There was an exclusive review of the Accord coupe in one of the Friday editions of the Wall Street Journal in October. I can't remember if they tested both the I-4 and V-6, but the review was mostly positive. Hope this helps.
Honda Accord V-6 Coupe meets Mercedes-Benz CLK320"
It's a pretty good article.
The age old decision: color. Didn't really like the blue in person (better looking in person). Really liked the gold - which really surprises me as I normally don't like this color. Silver - nah. Black - too hard to keep clean. Red - haven't seen yet, but think I would like. White - I always get white cars... I think it looks classic. So, it's probably between white, gold, and red.... wish they had a red one to see.
Also, I usually love spoilers on cars, but think it takes away from the rear deck lid crease lines on the new coupe.
Lease offer: 0 down (just 1st month pymt) - 367/month - 3years/15k per year.
Thoughts? Comments?
People who have the 03 V6 Coupe... ???
Re: Price - That price sounds good to me, especially if its for $15,000 miles per year. But I have not done any pricing yet.
Re: Colors - Have you considered/seen the Graphite? - what do you think.
By the way, has anyone test driven the Nav system yet? I am somewhat interested in it.
the quality and appearance of the interior rivals ANY $40k+++ luxury car. for $28260 for the sedan, and $28360 for the coupe, this is by far the best bang-for-the-buck in the market today!
demars581 is complaining about interior rattles on his brand-new 2003 Accord. Others complained about other rattles on their 2003's.
I had driven both a 2000 Accord EXV6 sedan and a 1999 Sable sedan. The Sable had more miles, was in the dealership more often for warranty repairs and had sloppy handling, but amazingly, had no interior rattles whatsoever.
The previous generation Accord was plagued with nuisance rattles like the moonroof shade from 1998 all the way to and including the 2002s.
Honda can't fix that stupid sunshade rattle after 5 years of production?!! Not to mention plasticky creaks and rattles from door panels, seats, rear deck etc..
Just curious as to what kind of "rattle-free" car you drive s852.
I have another Accord and it has an annoying rattle on the dash as well as the same moonroof sunshade rattle my 2000 had.
I thought that maybe the 2003s would not have rattles since the body is more structurally rigid, but several other peoples' posts here indicate that this did not solve the rattling problems. Rattles continue even in the new generation Accords.
I think Honda should invest another $50 per car in felt lining and gasket grease as well as better quality plastic fasteners.
I am thinking if the nevigation screen can be modify to play dvd if I install a aftermarket DVD player.
By the way, I am a Salesperson in the bay area CA. If you guys are interested in the Honda, let me know, I will try to get u guys the best price I can. Don't email me for quote though, I am not posting this ad for business/commerical.
But of course, I would love some refer too. =P
I wouldn't characterize my moonroof noise as a rattle. If the sunroof was closed but the shade was open then yes it would make a light squeaking noise occasionally. My 99 did this and obviously it wasn't that bad because I bought another Accord and wouldn't hesitate to buy yet another one.
Fact is, there is no such thing as a perfect car in the midsize sedan/coupe class that can be purchased for a reasonable amount of money. Almost all cars have a fault .. it's just up to you to decide which one you want to live with.
aming: I agree with you. A moonroof squeak isn't that big of a deal unless you just bought a $130,000 S-Class or a $200,000 Bentley. For both the Accord's and the ES300's overall reliability I'll take a few squeaks or rattles.
dealer holdback is normally 2.5%-3% under invoice, but make a dealer dip into their holdback, and watch how fast they ignore you after the sale. leave them a little to work with, and you have a devoted dealer who will bend over backward for you. my deals on '03 accords have averaged $1146.08 over invoice. (13 cars)
some were more, and some were mini deals. my recommendation would be to offer $100 over invoice, and have a counter-offer target of around $500 over. you've then let the dealer have a fair profit, and they will be there for you in the future.
if you beat them out of all profit, see what happens when you ask for anything extra.
just a little insight into what the other side thinks. let me know what you do.
I found a pic where the decklid has been installed on the sedan. I'm pretty sure it's the same one.
http://www.grandprixgroup.com/gpi/maggrandprix/column/395november/1.9.jpg
buying one. But the only V6 manual is the
EX V6 6 speed, which won't be out until next year,
and the dealer says they will only have 1, and price
will be in the $26-$27K range. There is a LX V6 auto, but no manual tranny. The 03 coupe has decent
styling and a nice interior, but after test driving
an I4 5 speed, I felt underwhelmed. I also test drove an Acura RSX (base), which is a different class, but still a Honda, which I would like to stay
with. The RSX has decent power for a compact hatchback, but the styling is rather bland. So,
if I want to stay with the Honda line and manual
transmission, I can get the 160 HP LX/EX or the
limited quantity EX V6 6 speed (If I can find one), or go with the compact RSX, which looks like a hopped up Civic. The dealer did say that there may be more V6 manuals in the 04 model year. Maybe I ought to
just hang on to my 97 Accord for another year. The Acura CL is not really an option for me at $30K. Honda seems to be slipping since dropping the Prelude, and redesigning the Integra/RSX. I may have to look at the Altima, even with 4 doors. At least it has power, even in the 2.5S model, and is available in manual tranny. Sorry to rant. I guess coupes and manual transmissions both seem to be going the way
of the dodo, and Honda has to make what will appeal to the largest
audience, most who don't care about these things.
all likelihood of getting to test drive a v6-6sp. is nil. most will be pre-sold, so get your deposit in ASAP if you want one.