I have an 08 Accord EX-L V6 with over 1000 miles on it. I am very happy with the performance of the V6, and the seamless operation of the VCM. I use the word "seamless" not because Honda used it in there advertising, but because that is my own observation. The only perceptible change when the VCM kicks in is the smoothness of the engine, but there is no jerky feeling at all. Obviously a V6 is slightly smoother than a 4, and a 4 is slightly smoother than a 3. But with these gas prices, do I want to run on 6 cylinders all the time and burn uneeded fuel? Hell no!! I'll take the VCM any day of the week. It allows you to have a nice blend of performance and economy. I would have to be concentrating hard (in a anal picky state of mind) with the radio off to even notice that the VCM is doing anything. And I'm very picky about any kind of noise or vibration in my vehicles. So if anyone is really having problems with their VCM, I would say that you have a malfunction in your system, and it is not an inherent problem with the design of the VCM. I believe the vast majority of owners with VCM have nothing but good things to say about VCM. But most of them are enjoying their car so much they have no reason to come into these forums in the first place. It seems to me that the 08 Accord haters (generally wishing to sell another brand or just sour grapes over owning a previous generation of Accord) are more vocal on these boards than the actual owners that love their cars. But the wise reviewer should be able to separate the truthful posts from the deceptive ones.
Thanks John, my true "buddy". My '05 Accord hybrid's VCM is 101% seamless. As a hi-tech guy, I am also picky about possible noises or vibrations in my cars. I expect similar VCM seamless (OR TRANSPARENCY) with the V6 '08. I am going to buy a '08 V6 EX-L like John soon to celebrate my Xmas just like I bought my Accord hybrid '05 before Xmas 04.
I trust you John, my super hi-tech buddy. I am suspecting there are some folks who work for Toyota or other competitors or who own 7th generation Honda who want to make their points in these rooms.
People who are vocal with problems are just as welcome to post here as those that aren't. It is more likely, however, for people unhappy with their purchase to carry on until they get the message out of "Hey, this isn't right." I don't talk about my car's reliability or quality much because, quite frankly, there's nothing to talk about. It's been rock solid reliable. If I had a problem with it, trust me, you'd hear about it.
'08 Civic & Accord look so nice & cute. Sales increase over 38%. Accord I4 & V6 look bigger and so beautiful. It's hard to resist buying one. The Coupe's bigger tires of 18" look awesome. Honda's getting beteter and better. Only one thing I need to buy & add in the V6 is the splash / mudd guard.
I was closely following this thread for quite some time as I have been driving a '08 Accord EX V-6 for about a month now. I wanted to understand what exactly was bugging the posters here and see first hand if I could replicate any of their observations. I have to differ from the ones who have had issues with VCM operation as mine does not have said problems. May be problems are isolated with certain cars and does not translate as an issue across the entire '08 V-6 product line. I have never driven a VCM equipped car before but VCM in my present car just works without any issues.
For those that are not bothered by the VCM operation that is great. However the VCM operation is neither "seamless", or "goes unnoticed by the driver". Perhaps the VCM issues are indeed with "some" vehicles ( i hope).
I have had many hondas in my lifetime and several accords. Dont get me wrong, the new V6 is a great car and is a step up from the last model with the exception of the VCM operation. I think the driver should have the choice. Personally weather I get 26 mpg or 29mpg I am indifferent. 3 miles per gallon wont phase me or most drivers that pay $30,000+ for a car. Accord V6 buyers aren't buying this car because it allows for more environmental participation. They are buying it because its a fast, slick Honda Accord, reliable, great resale and will run forever.
Its about choice and with this engine you dont have one other than not driving it which would be ludicrous. The slight vibration at highway speeds, road noise and VCM mode transfer is simply annoying to many new Accord owners and outweighs the benefit of the end result.
So we must agree to disagree which is the benefit of forums like these.
Just curious, have you asked the dealer if you could drive another V6 '08, to see if you experience the same issue with that car? That would go a long way to seeing if it's an issue with your specific car, or something that's common to all VCM equipped Accords.
It seems to me that the 08 Accord haters (generally wishing to sell another brand or just sour grapes over owning a previous generation of Accord) are more vocal on these boards than the actual owners that love their cars. But the wise reviewer should be able to separate the truthful posts from the deceptive ones
There are very few "accord haters" in this forum. I cant find one that is peddling another brand more than talking to comparisons in good spirited debate. Most are simply those trying to find like experiences, define a problem they are having and/or simply discuss issues and concerns towards resolution.....your statement is without merit.
Thats your opinion, and I have mine. I know what I've read on this and other Accord boards over the past 4 months regarding the 08 Accord. It's very obvious to me what some people are up to.
Oh no, most of them will say "I hate the looks of the Accord", because there is no way to dispute someone else's taste. What they really mean is, they hate Accords, and the people who drive them. There is some reading between the lines required in most instances. I make no secret of the fact that I love Accords, and think they are the best. That doesn't mean I hate other cars, only that I will not buy any of them.
Viet, I think you will be very happy with the V6 and VCM. I think I saw in a previous post that you said you would just buy the car, and didn't even need a test drive. I think you should definitely test drive the car you are going to buy before you buy it, and check out everything about the car, including the VCM operation. I would never just buy a car without driving it first. I test drove a total of 4 new accords (two 4 cylinder cars and 2 V6 cars) and they were all perfect. I'm looking forward to seeing some pics when you get your car. Good luck scoring a great deal.
I guess the '08 VCM is better than my '05 VCM. In mine, even I drive in cities I am able to get the ECO light on when the speed is about 40MPH and it is 100% transparent (seamless). Therefore, I am not convinced when the guy said the VCM in his '08 Accord is noticeable. One thing I am very sure Honda technology is so advanced and sophisticated because I have been owning so many Honda Accord & Civic & motorcycles for the last 40+ years. I do not care much if I have to pay a little bit extra to get the high quality products. In the long run, I'll be much better off and save lot of time and money with no headache. Thanks, John.
I fall in love with the way my '05 Accord hybrid handles sharp and narrow curves. I have experienced that nice feeling. I expect the '08 does it similarly or better. That the price we pay for Honda's so fine technology. Unluckily, my little college kid drives my '05 and I have to drive the oldie '02. And my wife drives the ugliest 13 year old Accord that runs with wind/ road noise like a little tank. But I know how to maintain all my Accord real good ("pampering" them as taking care of little babies) so they all runs very strong and smoothly. Now, I HAVE TO BUY the '08 to reward myself. Honestly, all my 4 Accord run like...Heaven.
The Accord V6 runs like butter and silk. One has to drive long trips to appreciate the Accord's full power. Honda/ Acura King Robertsmx will agree with my statement for sure.
They are the "Spoiled Kings" of the home. That's the "horrified reason". One kid drives the '03 V6 and the youngest drives the '05 V6. They are college kids. Wife does not know much about cars so let her drive the ugliest one. But all my 4 Accord are in top-notch conditions. I do not mind to spend extra to well maintain them. It may be my "crazy" and costly hobby.
Ya, really, I hope you go all out on the 08 accord, and keep it for yourself. I pay for my leased accord, and I am in college, my parents don't pay a cent to it, not even insurance. It makes it that much more special. Oh well.
Yep. Between (almost) full tank fill ups, the trip computer is accurate enough to not warrant a manual calculation. Although, I still take advantage of the calculator in the NAV to see the difference. On one occasion, I got a 0.2 mpg lower reading in trip computer, compared to my calculation.
If it wasn't noticeable to me and others then why talk about it? I dont work for Toyota for gosh sake. I could easily talk about the dash config or the navigation being good or bad. If i was not a true believer in honda then I wouldn't own 3 of them right now as I type this. The VCM is noticeable in mine and not seamless it surges alot on the highway like some of the other posters on here which seems odd as many people say they dont feel it. i do in mine and may go back to the dealership for futher help or Honda. I If you are not feeling these issues than that is a good thing for you ,but it doesnt make my experience or those of other honda owners etc to be bogus. Its a forum and meant to discuss and share experiences and to find others that may be experiencing the same issue to compare notes. If you dont have the issue then its a thread you dont need to post too I guess.
I suggest you bring your car back to the dealer. My brand new '05 Accord hybrid leaked a tiny oil on the garage after 15K miles. I brought it back 2 times and they fixed it by replacing some parts.
One thing for sure, with my '05 I got a super great feeling when my '05 handles sharp and narrow curves and it hust "glues" on the road while traveling at high speed. In some cheap cars or vans, when I turned the whole "stupid big box" in my rear leaning toward the curves with some stupid noises in rear that made me really fussed.
Thanks viet. I am working with them now. Looks like a few other posters are too. I will say that the dealer is aware of these issues and their working through it.... so I agree with the other posters that the issues are valid. Honda is a terrific company, and I am sure they will find a resolution. They have basically told me they will.
I drove the new Accord EX V6 today and the VCM was totally imperceptible at all speeds-highway and city driving (20 minutes).
I asked the salesman where the VCM light was and he couldn't tell me!! He had to call the dealership on his cell for help. They told him it was the "ECO" that came on and off. This told me the guy was probably pitching 4 cylinder Accords most of the time.
When I drove it, the "ECO" was off quite a bit, meaning I was using all 6 cylinders most of the time. When it came on, I hardly noticed it. Not at all distracting.
The vehicle had only 33 miles on it. When I looked at the trip computer which unfortunately was hidden by the steering wheel, I saw only "19 mpg." YIKES!! :surprise:
It was nice to know I got a practically new Accord to drive!
The AC(Tampa) was wonderful and the V6 had strong acceleration with good low-end torque. Plenty of power on the interstate. Was going 85 mph and was shocked when I looked at my speed.
I did feel the steering was a bit light and also the gearshift lever was not the easiest to move. I could have used a bit more legroom (6'2") but I have this problem with most vehicles.
be driving a vehicle that has idled a good bit. 33 miles isn't much driving for the car's history!
Yep. Especially the cars that are being used for test drives. Not only do they idle a lot, they also see a lot of short distance driving and "experimentation".
Once, I got a TL for loaner while my TL was in service. The car had about 73 miles, and the trip computer was showing 15.4 mpg. About 156 miles later in mixed driving (total 229 miles on the odometer), the trip computer was back at 21 mpg. I didn't get to calculate the mileage since I was not expected to return the car with full tank, but only for the miles that I drove (which I estimated to be about 6 gallons, and turned out to be fairly accurate).
"Rule of thumb": Honda gets best MPG in its class. I have owned many Honda and I believe so. At every fuel fill-up I get a "bad habit" of reading the computerized MPG and comparing it with my manual MPG calculation. It's just for fun and somebody may consider it as a frugal ugly habit. And the MPG is always fairly & accurately equal to the EPA/ sticker's MPG estimate until the engine dies. That's the best part of Honda I dearly love. It strongly demonstrates Honda technology and Honda engineers are very smart and engineeringly focused. Honda engines run smoothly until they die and/ or you retire it. I got a '92 Accord LX built from Japan. At 240K+ miles after I changed the timing belt and had it tuned up, the engine ran like SILK. It was purely amazing and my great enjoyment.
Therefore, I do not hesitate to buy a new Honda even if the price may be a little bit high compared to its competitors. I do not need to test drive it. All I did last time was checking out the car to make sure all accessories and features worked OK before I left the dealership. Because I had learned by heart all of its technical specifications. My Accord '02 V6 EX @ 61K miles now looks and runs like NEW. My kids have abused their Honda which I bought brand-new for them. But the car I drive has been "pampered" like a super baby. My sister-in-law told me I should "sleep" with my car because I get so crazy about them.
"Rule of thumb": Honda gets best MPG in its class.
Um, sorry, they don't. Nissan's Altima 4-cyl gets better FE than the Accord 4-cyl, and the Camry matches the Accord for fuel economy in V6s. The Corolla has better mileage than the Civic, the Yaris better than the Fit, the RAV4 4-cyl better than the CR-V, the Tacoma 4WD better than the Ridgeline (which is 4WD only), the Highlander better than the Pilot, the Prius better than the Civic Hybrid and the Sienna better than the Odyssey.
Honda, when matched vehicle for vehicle with competitors, does not have the best fuel economy in any vehicle.
May be the other MPGs are better than Honda's when those vehicles are still new. I have verified that Honda's MPG is constant until the vehicle is getting real old on condition that car is well maintained with proper tire inflation, etc.
May be the other MPGs are better than Honda's when those vehicles are still new. I have verified that Honda's MPG is constant until the vehicle is getting real old on condition that car is well maintained with proper tire inflation, etc.
I have too, but since that is unverifiable, its hard to compare like that. It's also unfair to say its competitors wouldnt do the same.
Don't you think they figure this by comparing "Like" vehicles?
No, they use coporate CAFE scores, which amounts to an average of all their vehicles fuel economy averaged together (check the fine print in those commercials). Honda just doesn't have vehicles like a Land Cruiser, a Tundra, and a Sequoia with 5.7L V8s averaging in to pull things WAY down like Toyota does.
If they did it by comparing like vehicles, as I pointed out earlier, Honda would lose every battle.
Nissan's Altima 4-cyl gets better FE than the Accord 4-cyl, and the Camry matches the Accord for fuel economy in V6s
EPA ratings... sure. But my driving experience suggests otherwise. I have logged over 2200 miles in 2007+ Altima 2.5 w/CVT. Never managed to exceed 25 mpg under the same driving conditions that even my 1998 does today (which is rated much lower under the new standards, old was 23/30).
Don't have much Camry V6 experience though, but the same V6 in RAV4 failed to meet current EPA estimate on one occasion I have experienced.
Even if it is misleading? Vehicles might sell on EPA ratings (and its not surprising that many end up disgruntled), but I prefer to go by my experience.
Just remember it can work both ways. In the minivan forum, lots of Odyssey owners complain about the MPG being well below EPA, while Sienna owners are generally happy, often exceeding posted figures.
No, they use corporate CAFE scores, which amounts to an average of all their vehicles fuel economy averaged together (check the fine print in those commercials).
So it seems to me Subaru would be on top, because they don't sell many large SUVs, do they? Are their cars gas guzzling 4 cylinders?
Why must we have an extremely narrowed down discussion in each thread? VCM is very much a part of fuel economy/ratings. If we discuss it, discussion around fuel economy is unavoidable. Isn't it?
Comments
Amen, bro. Could not say it better. Dig VCM concept (for your stated reason);kinda looks like us 6M folks need not apply)
best,ez,,,,
I trust you John, my super hi-tech buddy. I am suspecting there are some folks who work for Toyota or other competitors or who own 7th generation Honda who want to make their points in these rooms.
I have had many hondas in my lifetime and several accords. Dont get me wrong, the new V6 is a great car and is a step up from the last model with the exception of the VCM operation. I think the driver should have the choice. Personally weather I get 26 mpg or 29mpg I am indifferent. 3 miles per gallon wont phase me or most drivers that pay $30,000+ for a car. Accord V6 buyers aren't buying this car because it allows for more environmental participation. They are buying it because its a fast, slick Honda Accord, reliable, great resale and will run forever.
Its about choice and with this engine you dont have one other than not driving it which would be ludicrous. The slight vibration at highway speeds, road noise and VCM mode transfer is simply annoying to many new Accord owners and outweighs the benefit of the end result.
So we must agree to disagree which is the benefit of forums like these.
Its all good
There are very few "accord haters" in this forum. I cant find one that is peddling another brand more than talking to comparisons in good spirited debate. Most are simply those trying to find like experiences, define a problem they are having and/or simply discuss issues and concerns towards resolution.....your statement is without merit.
I suggest you bring your car back to the dealer. My brand new '05 Accord hybrid leaked a tiny oil on the garage after 15K miles. I brought it back 2 times and they fixed it by replacing some parts.
One thing for sure, with my '05 I got a super great feeling when my '05 handles sharp and narrow curves and it hust "glues" on the road while traveling at high speed. In some cheap cars or vans, when I turned the whole "stupid big box" in my rear leaning toward the curves with some stupid noises in rear that made me really fussed.
I asked the salesman where the VCM light was and he couldn't tell me!!
He had to call the dealership on his cell for help. They told him it was the "ECO" that came on and off. This told me the guy was probably pitching 4 cylinder Accords most of the time.
When I drove it, the "ECO" was off quite a bit, meaning I was using all 6 cylinders most of the time. When it came on, I hardly noticed it. Not at all distracting.
The vehicle had only 33 miles on it. When I looked at the trip computer which unfortunately was hidden by the steering wheel, I saw only "19 mpg." YIKES!! :surprise:
Been driving in town,
or
be driving a vehicle that has idled a good bit. 33 miles isn't much driving for the car's history!
The AC(Tampa) was wonderful and the V6 had strong acceleration with good low-end torque. Plenty of power on the interstate. Was going 85 mph and was shocked when I looked at my speed.
I did feel the steering was a bit light and also the gearshift lever was not the easiest to move. I could have used a bit more legroom (6'2") but I have this problem with most vehicles.
Very happy that the VCM was totally unnoticeable.
You did not get ECO light because you have a lead right foot.
My mileage in the new Accord would probably be on the low-end. Still it's good to know the new EX V6 has PLENTY of power when needed.
Yep. Especially the cars that are being used for test drives. Not only do they idle a lot, they also see a lot of short distance driving and "experimentation".
Once, I got a TL for loaner while my TL was in service. The car had about 73 miles, and the trip computer was showing 15.4 mpg. About 156 miles later in mixed driving (total 229 miles on the odometer), the trip computer was back at 21 mpg. I didn't get to calculate the mileage since I was not expected to return the car with full tank, but only for the miles that I drove (which I estimated to be about 6 gallons, and turned out to be fairly accurate).
Therefore, I do not hesitate to buy a new Honda even if the price may be a little bit high compared to its competitors. I do not need to test drive it. All I did last time was checking out the car to make sure all accessories and features worked OK before I left the dealership. Because I had learned by heart all of its technical specifications. My Accord '02 V6 EX @ 61K miles now looks and runs like NEW. My kids have abused their Honda which I bought brand-new for them. But the car I drive has been "pampered" like a super baby. My sister-in-law told me I should "sleep" with my car because I get so crazy about them.
Um, sorry, they don't. Nissan's Altima 4-cyl gets better FE than the Accord 4-cyl, and the Camry matches the Accord for fuel economy in V6s. The Corolla has better mileage than the Civic, the Yaris better than the Fit, the RAV4 4-cyl better than the CR-V, the Tacoma 4WD better than the Ridgeline (which is 4WD only), the Highlander better than the Pilot, the Prius better than the Civic Hybrid and the Sienna better than the Odyssey.
Honda, when matched vehicle for vehicle with competitors, does not have the best fuel economy in any vehicle.
I have too, but since that is unverifiable, its hard to compare like that. It's also unfair to say its competitors wouldnt do the same.
No, they use coporate CAFE scores, which amounts to an average of all their vehicles fuel economy averaged together (check the fine print in those commercials). Honda just doesn't have vehicles like a Land Cruiser, a Tundra, and a Sequoia with 5.7L V8s averaging in to pull things WAY down like Toyota does.
If they did it by comparing like vehicles, as I pointed out earlier, Honda would lose every battle.
EPA ratings... sure. But my driving experience suggests otherwise. I have logged over 2200 miles in 2007+ Altima 2.5 w/CVT. Never managed to exceed 25 mpg under the same driving conditions that even my 1998 does today (which is rated much lower under the new standards, old was 23/30).
Don't have much Camry V6 experience though, but the same V6 in RAV4 failed to meet current EPA estimate on one occasion I have experienced.
May I ask where the Altima came from, robertsmx?
So it seems to me Subaru would be on top, because they don't sell many large SUVs, do they? Are their cars gas guzzling 4 cylinders?