2008 Honda Accord Coupe and Sedan

gwilson

Thanks for answering! Was hoping for better but will take any increase. :-)

Are you basing the 2-3 MPG increase on what the Pilot is seeing for an increase?

thegraduate

2 MPG is about the standard improvement for VCM-type systems from all makes. GM has cylinder deactivation in its 5.3L V8 (Tahoe, Silverado, Impala SS, etc...) and Chrysler has it in the "hemi" 5.7L V8. I think 2 MPG highway is what these vehicles have seen from system's like this.

alpha01

had issues with VCM equipped Odysseys? I don't requent those forums, but thought I remembered reading that...

~alpha

thegraduate

Early models had some reports of a little roughness out of the engine when switching from 6-to-3 cylinders and back, but there aren't too many complaints. I rode in an Odyssey with the feature (A 2005 EX-L model) and it the only way I knew it switched was by watching the ECO light.

slk70

It appears the exterior styling of the sedan is trying to take the momentum away from Hyundai and its Genesis launch. I wonder where the top of the line accord is going to be priced at.

elroy5

It appears the exterior styling of the sedan is trying to take the momentum away from Hyundai and its Genesis launch.

Yes, sure, that's exactly what the designers were trying to do. :confuse:

autoboy16

Close to what I had in mind. The Cr-v has no v6 and is far from the most powerful but it IMO is the most refined. 260hp isn't class leading but its a very refined engine on a great car! The accord gets it and can still blow away camry(on driving dynamics) and altima(on refinement and build quality though nissan is getting close :surprise: )

I'd be ok if honda kept the same engine but if hyundai and ford switch over to the more powerful engines, then honda will be left behind. But like the Cr-v, that doesn't mean anything!

BTW, the 3.2 doesn't have to use priemum. The 3.5 in the old MDX used premium and got 255hp. The pilot got 244 on regular. 11hp! Not bad for nose heavy FWD SUV/crossovers.

The accord weighs less so maybe 255hp from that v6 with regular should afford the accord 22city and 28highway under the new testing. Higher when 6ATS get involved!

-Cj Traditionally Untraditional!

blufz1

Guess the car buying public didn't get your memo. CRV is the best selling suv. CRV doesn't need a V6 it's getting a 250ft. pound diesel.

bvdj84

Who all here is actually going to fight the crowd and get the new accord in September? or wait til later on, like January, so it calms down a little. I would still like like to do it, because actually my dealer will want me out of my current lease, and get me into a new 08 model.

TIP: Which is totally advisable when wanting to get the best deal. Make a list of all close dealerships, that you would like to do business with, then have your Car, and Options ready, with a price in mind, Like Accord, w/sunroof, leather, 4cyl. Then call those dealerships on your list, and have them fax you quotes for that car. You will be amazed what you will find. Some will be close, and some will be way off, but you should have an average. This is Lease quotes, tell them to list how much down, for payment you want or $0 down and what terms you want. 36mth,12k yr. Doing this will tell you if you can even do the deal, and where to go for the best deal. ALSO: Start with the top end car models, and work your way down, that way, you'll get the best bang for the buck, rather than starting with base, then up. You'll end up with much more options. Try it. I did. This is exactly what I am doing for the 08 accord.

goodegg

Then call those dealerships on your list, and have them fax you quotes for that car. You will be amazed what you will find.

I think you'll be amazed that many of these dealers will not respond AT ALL. You'll have better luck emailing the dealer asking for price quote. Every dealer has an internet sales guy now. They'll want to use email and the phone. Faxing is a dad end to them. No dialogue.

bvdj84

I think you will find, that all the dealerships that I did call, They all replied back with a fax and full quote and break down of the deal. Now fax is an option I took, and you are right, you may use email as well. I did not have a problem getting a response back. Actually a couple times, I did email and they told me to call them to get quote. So I had no problem with fax, It was all down on paper, and written by the salesmen.

All the quotes that we got were all within $10 of each other, and one had 1 car quote had 1 more option on it than the others for the same price a month, which was a 1-2k option. Now, these quotes arw without credit check, but with reasonable credit, it should not be too far off of what you should be paying. Also, you might be able adjust listing price to get your payment a little bit lower, the quotes given are with a satisfied amount of commission. But the 08 accords will have little room to work with. I am going to try to do a deal in september, but I'll be willing to walk away and wait for awhile too, I will cal and get quotes from all over.

jet10000

One thing I'll be doing is to have the deal wrapped up before the cars are delivered to the lot. Once the cars are there and they've got buyers competing for them, they are far less flexible. I start getting quotes before they arrive, tell them exactly what color and options I'm looking for, get them locked in on the price, give them a deposit, and have them call me when the truck unloads my car.

bvdj84

Hey, that is a good idea, though, I hope they display the photos of what it even looks like, sure we got the spy photos, but they got a couple months to get everything just the way they want them, I would not want to get a deal on a car, and then when its there, your like, hmm, bad idea, I don't like. More than likely I'll like it, but who knows. Also, will they have all that available so soon though, like colors, trims, models? How soon in advance do they let you pre-order, Also is it really going to help you doing the pre-order, than to wait for them to arrive? Financially? I would be sure to have it all set in stone before in arrives.

car_guy1

...can be seen on CarConnection.com

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Spy_Shots_and_Future_Cars/2008_Honda- _Accord_Sedan_Spied.S178.A12332.html

Personally, I like the appearance, which reminds me of a European sedan. I, also, would like HID to be available, but we'll have to wait and see.

:shades:

bvdj84

I just looked at the new 08 impreza photos, and the rear looks very similar to the accord, and has that bmw 3 series look to it. All the cars these days are looking like this. Do I see it wrong, or am I right, does the back and the body style not just look a little like the accord sedan, I see alot similarity. I actually think they look alot alike. the impreza looks pretty hot too.

Look at the 2008 silver honda sedan, then look at the impreza, especially the rear. Wow!

jet10000

All of the actual marketing photos and specifications should be available before the cars hit the lots. So you'll be able to check them out in advance. You'll also find the dealer's invoice prices on edmunds as well as the features each trim level contains. Once you've reviewed all of that information, you can start making calls to dealers.

Some dealers are much more agreeable to doing deals over the phone/internet than others. I intend to find a dealer who will lock up the car for me, so all I have to do is arrive on delivery day and sign and drive away. When I've ordered in advance before, I've gotten the VIN number so there is no way they can try to flip my car to someone willing to pay more.

The reason it helps you financially is that when you're placing an order in advance, that's a quick easy sale for an internet manager, so he's more likely to push through your deal with his boss. The idea is to hit the boss at a weak moment, before he fully considers how many people will be flooding his lot, fighting for these Accords once they arrive.

jimbres

Sounds good, but don't you want a test drive before you commit? A car might look great on paper, but when you drive it, you discover that you just can't find a comfortable driving position. Your right leg rubs against the console, or when you've got everything set the way you like it, the top of the steering wheel blocks most of the speedometer.

I'd rather make these unpleasant discoveries before I actually own the car.

accordguy1

Here's a thought on getting the '08 Accord cheap.

A few months ago when my girlfriend was buying the '07 Accord at invoice, I made an offer on a '08 Accord at $500 over invoice. They just made me put down a "refundable" $500 deposit. If you know someone buying a Honda you can always leverage

bvdj84

Wow,

So you had already put down a deposit? Now, they say now, that they will keep it at $500 invoice, but won't they realize that they will not want to do that, and change the terms later on you. Is it written down that you will pay no more than $500 over invoice. How did you get them to do this anyway? This dealer did reply back to me yesterday and told me to put money down, and they'll get me what I want. I told them that before I go further, I would like to have the deal worked out, like the lease deal, and payment set before the car arrives.

Wow so $500 over invoice is what you agreed on?? Awesome.

03accordman

Maybe my experience will help.

I was waiting for the 03 Accord in late 2002 and as soon as it reached showrooms, I started email interaction with 3-4 local dealers here in NJ. I got prices around 6-700 over invoice but saw that they were willing to go further. Finally I bought an 03 Accold LX on Nov 1 2002 AT invoice (18,452 if I remember correctly). My point is, the Accord is a high volume car; I have no doubt that you will be able to pick up up near invoice in a couple of months after it bows.

PS: I loved every bit of that car; drove it around 87k miles in 3 1/2 years and sold it off. Now I am planning to get an 08, but a loaded EXL this time (maybe in 09, when my current car's lease expires)

jet10000

Sounds good, but don't you want a test drive before you commit?

Well test driving isn't really important to me. I drive rental cars of all different styles when I travel, and I don't have problems with seats and steering wheel adjustments. If someone has that concern, then yes, it would make sense to wait for a test drive.

I'm more concerned about a getting a good deal, so I'm willing to do without the test drive in order to get a lower price by buying before the car's arrival.

In my view, with a brand like Honda, there is little risk because they're not likely to put out junk.

accordguy1

Here's a few reasons I was able to get $500 over invoice:
(yes I did get in writting)

1. My GF was getting the '07 Accord was the salesman would be getting 2 sales.

2. I had to commit to a Nav which probably means I'll be getting an EX-L, haven't decided on v4 or v6 but either way it will still be $26-$28K so they won't be hurting.

3. Dealers figure to make money on the assumption that you'll bring it on for maintenance so they don't have to be too greedy on the initial sale. plus I'm sure they get "kickbacks" from Honda for selling higher volumes.

bvdj84

Wow,

Great job! Do you have the Lease deal in mind as well, what if when it gets closer, and the payments are insane, and the deal starts going sour? Do you have a payment in mind for that EX-L? Although you are paying $500 over invoice and with them wanting you to get the NAV, you probably already know what your payments will be.

I have an 06 SE accord, and I will trade for the 08, but like you, I want the EX-L with maybe the NAV, but more than likely the 4cyl. I have equity in my 06 already, but if I jump from a 22k car, to a 26-28k car, my payments are going to go up, but, I hope not too much. I am not putting money down on the 08, I'll hope they'll use my 06 equity. Which honda said they would.

I have 1 dealer right now, and they want me to put money down on it.

stevecar

Does anyone know if stability control will be included in the 2008's 4 cylinder models. Up until now, you had to get the 6 in order to get that.

accordguy1

Can I ask why you're trading such a new car in?

My previous car was a SE '97 Accord that 160K miles on it before I totaled it a few months ago, but I was able to save up for the last 10 years so I can buy this '08 with cash. My thing is to buy new and drive it to the ground so you don't get whacked with the depreciation as much, although driving the same car for 10 years is a pain. The '06 Accord is way too new to trade in, wait a couple more years, then the '08 will become more reliable since new models tend to have more gremlins in it, then you can save some bucks during the meantime.

Anyways just my 2 cents, good luck...

texases

I don't know for a fact, but given the coming mandate and Honda's desire to shine in that area, I'd think so.

blaze07

I also am hoping to buy a new Accord when they come out. I am hoping that the price will not go up to much so that I can pay in cash as well. My Accord that I drive now is starting to age. I know that I will not be able to get much of anything for it at the dealership, but oh well. I wonder if they will be surprised when some guy in a 1988 Honda Accord LX-i shows up and pays for a new one in cash?

elroy5

Have you considered trying to sell the 88 yourself? I got $1000 over kelly blue book for my old 92 Accord. The dealer probably would not have given me close to that on a trade-in. I probably made from $1500 to $2000 more selling it myself. The amazing part was the car sold within an hour of putting the sign on it. The first person to stop bought it. There are plenty of people looking for inexpensive/fuel efficient used cars.

jaxs1

The MSRP will not likely go up by much, but the selling prices will be much higher because discounting will be much smaller.

You are also going to have to deal with first year bugs, lack of spare parts and waits for back ordered parts as well as techs without experience with the new model who will have no choice but to use trial and error on new issues until a database of common problems and fixes is built.

It will be anything from a potential inconvenience to a nightmare depending on how serious the first year problems turn out to be.

jimbres

I second elroy5's advice to sell your old car privately instead of trading it in. It took me all of 2 hours to sell my 12-year-old Accord to a guy who pulled a wad of Franklins out of the pocket of his baggy jeans. (And my car looked its age, although it ran like a top.)

Older Hondas bring stupid money.

blaze07

It probably would make more sense to. Since it gets good gas mileage, and with gas prices being so high, people probably would be more willing to pay. I will miss the car though.

blufz1

Sniff the bills and see if you get a buzz.

andres3

Older Hondas bring stupid money.

Not so stupid if you look at Honda and Toyota's track record of bullet proof long lasting durable reliability.

Several years ago I purchased a 92 Civic DX Hatchback with 166K miles on it for $3,500 + tax & fees at a used car dealer. We drove it around for almost 2-1/2 years and got it to 200K miles. Sold it for $2,700. Put about $600 into it for new brakes, pads, rotars, hoses, CV joint.

That is about a cost of 1400/2.5 = $560/year! That is cheap! And that Honda probably and most likely got the new owner to 300K miles with no more further issues other than regular maintenance.

elroy5

You are also going to have to deal with first year bugs

I have an 03 Accord (first year model), and have had no problems with it. Luck of the draw has as much to do with having problems as anything else. There are people with 07 Accords who have more problems than 03 owners have. Of course Accords with major problems are rare, in any model year.

jaxs1

It's possible to get a lemon 2007 and a 100% flawless 2008 purchased in the first week the new model goes on sale. Anything is "possible." What is more likely is that an '08 will have more problems and will be more likely to not be fixed on the first try and more likely to have a wait for back ordered parts in the first few months after the new model goes on sale.

elroy5

What is more likely is that an '08 will have more problems

Any problems that the 08 model has, the 09, 10, and 11 will likely have also. What changed between 03 and 07, to make the 07 more of a sure thing? You are just as likely to get a 2011 model with problems, as an 08. I would rather have a car that will not look like "the old model" for another 4 years, than one that will look dated next year. I guess we have a different point of view. To each his own.

jaxs1

Glitches are fixed over the years. Look at the 2007 Camry and the TSBs (transmission shifting problems etc.) that have come out between the release date last year and today. The cars manufactured after a certain date had all those fixes and changes done during manufacture. Sometimes they don't even bother fixing the issues until the following model year cars are produced if they don't consider them a big enough problem. In that case, first year buyers would just be stuck.
People who bought in the first few months had to go back to the dealer to try to get these problems fixed. Many issues are not noticed until thousands of buyers have road tested the cars. There is only so much that can be done with preproduction testing.
A common issue is parts availability for replacement parts needed for warranty repairs until the cars have been on sale for several months.
Lots of little problems are fixed with refinements over the years even when the cars all "look" the same from year to year.
Even if you want to buy a 2008 model year Accord, what is the rush to buy one in the first week or even in the first 6 months?

blufz1

That's just wrong,man.

elroy5

I have an 03, and would have no problem buying an 08. I don't consider it taking that big a chance.

jimbres

About 2 years ago, the Wall St. Journal ran an article on this subject. Among those interviewed was Honda's chief engineer, who agreed that the 1st year of a new model cycle was more prone to problems than subsequent years.

Given that we're talking about Honda, I doubt if any problems that you're likely to encounter will be serious show-stoppers. At worst, they'll be nuisances that will mean a couple of extra trips back to the dealer to set things right. That wouldn't put me off. I don't mind being a beta tester, as long as I'm getting a discount to compensate me for my time & trouble.

The trouble is that the early buyers not only won't get a discount, they'll probably pay more for the privilege of being beta testers. When a new model hits the showrooms, there are few (if any) deals to be had. Dealers take advantage of the supply/demand imbalance to get the highest possible prices before the excitement dies down. (Nothing wrong with that. I'd do the same thing if I were a dealer.)

I speak from sad experience. My wife bought a new 2007 Lexus ES 350 last summer, just a few months after this car was introduced. (The '07 is the 1st year of a new generation of this model.) The dealer wasn't at all hungry for a sale & offered only a small discount. (My wife's previous Lexus, a '99, was the 3rd year of its generation, & she negotiated a much more favorable deal.)

Although some new ES 350 owners report transmission problems, her car has been trouble-free. Nonetheless, I will never again buy a 1st-year model. From a risk/reward perspective, it's not a smart move. Hold off & bank your payments.

synpthesis

Totally logical. Yet some part of the car ownership experience is emotional. If we all waited for ver 3.0 who will support the product in its infancy?
Wife's 01 Accord is due for a change. Problem with previous Corolla XRS means that Camry's NOT on the radar (Toyota: the next GM). The 03-07 Accords seems to be an off design so I hope Honda will nail this one. Really do

texases

One of the Consumer Reports car editions also supported the first year problem idea with statistics showing dropping problems with time for any given redesign. I think the Honda Odessey was one of the vehicles they used as an example.

blufz1

Thanks for the back up,guys.

andres3

would be insignificant compared to most manufacturers. For example, a 1st model year redesigned Honda will still be far more reliable and dependable with few problems than any domestic make and model (even if it's a 4th year model). So your 2003 Accords certainly had less problems than say a Ford Focus thats been around how long?

austinman7

"When a new model hits the showrooms, there are few (if any) deals to be had."

I think it's generally true that deals get better as time goes by, but what usually helps to make some decent deals possible on an Accord even at the very beginning is the point someone made a few days back, which is that the Accord is a mass market car. From what I've read in the automotive press, Honda would like to sell at least 400,000 of these babies every year, lots more if possible. Given that goal, they hate to lose a customer -- any customer.

I suppose people can cite cases of paying sticker for a new Accord when they first come out, but my own experience at buying a 1998 when they first hit my local dealership was paying about halfway between sticker and invoice. That's not a great deal in comparison with later deals closer to (or at?) invoice, but it is a "deal" nonetheless, though it did reflect the newness of the model change and low inventory at my dealership at that point.

I just think it's a good bargaining position as a buyer to keep in mind how many of these cars Honda hopes to sell. They have to keep them movin' off the lot.

It will be interesting this fall. I'm going to look at trading my 04 4 cylinder for an 08 V6.

blackexv6

I have an 03, and would have no problem buying an 08. I don't consider it taking that big a chance.

I found my old '03 Accord EXV6 to be filled with bugs. The car had several problems including a failed transmission at 40k miles. The tranny failure was not specific to the Accord though.

Also, the car had numerous creaks & rattles around the A-pillar related to the new side curtain air bags introduced for '03.

The front tie rod ends & rear struts were blown around 45k.

Interesting enough the 4-cylinder models had no issues except for the rear brake pad/rotors which were replaced for free.

I personally will stay away from first year cars & possibly second year. Our '06 Odyssey had the same bugs as the '05 which were finally ironed out in '07.

elroy5

I found my old '03 Accord EXV6 to be filled with bugs.

I have the same car (a black EXV6, no nav) and have no bugs to speak of. It's the luck of the draw, more than which model year. You could have had the same issues with an 04,or 05 model.

I bought my Accord in September of 03, just before the 04 Accords hit the lots. So I got a pretty good deal ($25k with accessories). I don't think I would have got the car for that price in 02 when the dealer had only 3 or 4 03 Accords on the lot.

eldaino

i second the notion. My 06 civic had defective sun visors and while i didn't experience the lug bug problem or any of the other 1st year glitches, i know 2007 civic owners who have had no trouble at all with the (very few) 'problems' i had.

same goes for the rabbit i own now, no problems, yet many 06 owners have experienced several things at very early mileage that i have yet to see after almost 20k.(mines an 07)

I think that this accord will probably have a few bugs too, but nothing major, and certainly be A LOT more reliable than many domestics in the process

eldaino

this may be true, but for example, my window visor deal: honda simply stopped making them the way that they did on my year, and made them sturdier without an easily broken brace on the spine.

So, no, you wont see that problem again. Its not to say that you CANT have a problem free first year car, but as a general rule, you are more likey to have bugs on the first model year than on others. (and again its not to say that you wont have bugs on later model years.)

dolfan1

It seems there's a desire to beat up on the domestics. While what's been said may be generally true, look no further than the aforementioned Camry with its tranny problems. For those affected, this has been far more than a "nuisance".

I bought new 99 Town & Country, only vehicle I've driven since. Other than a problem with the serpentine belt, it has largely been trouble free. I want a new Accord, but the van will stay in my driveway.