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Agreed. There's a buyer for all kinds of cars. I drive a Sonata, and think it makes a great commuter appliance, but it's not for "drivers." It's a better-priced Camry; soft ride, lots of power (3.3L), plenty of room.
Beater trucks are nice to have - no need to worry abut scratching it up. Can't tell you how many people I know who buy these "rugged" trucks with leather etc and then never want to get them dirty. Saw a $65,000 Ford truck at the dealer the other day - unbelievable. :confuse:
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All those things you just did with your Frontier, should be able to be done with any car you choose to purchase, and a small utility trlr and not be restricted because a brand says it's not recommended. I think it's possible they use these clauses to potentially get out of wty claims if they are ignored by the consumer. Although it sounds a bit out there since some lesser vehicles within the brand have no such restriction..I dunno..and is why I don't get the inconsistency.
But owning a second vehicle (as expensive to run and insure as a truck of all vehicles) would cost more than renting to go to the dump on occasion etc.
But don't forget, we are not just talking about things that can be loaded in the back of a truck. A small 12 or 14' fishing boat with 15hp outbd, gas tank, assorted optional bits, and life jackets etc including the trlr itself, all comes in well under even a humble 1000 lbs. And you can't stuff that in your truck. Sure, I've seen aluminum boats stuffed in the box of an 8' p/u, but talk about difficult when actually getting to the lake and unloading and unhooking the motor each time etc etc. It's not practical, and to many not even possible. And what if they have a family of 3 or 4? They're not going to be jammed into a p/u truck.
That's why I say, all cars should be able to tow something..
Hell, I have a pic here somewhere of a guy who had a diesel Smart and towed his CBR600RR to the track every w/e..yes, I think that hitch was home-fabricated and "not recommended".. but appeared to have done a good job with it and its intended purpose..towing about 550lb.
And as a final send-the-point-home thought...what if the Regal was the perfect vehicle for a young couple in every way, except that their passion was to take their bicycles with them when the went for a drive to explore new towns..Well they'd have to choose a different vehicle cuz GM says you can't put a hitch on a Regal.
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
Toyota Camry 44,713 21.8 287,119 2.3
Honda Accord 38,559 10.6 256,926 17.5
Nissan Altima 30,976 19.6 228,297 8.9
Ford Fusion 24,653 13.7 206,321 13.4
That's for sure. Plus most people don't realize what the max tow rating means. Most max tow ratings only allow for the driver in the tow vehicle. Basically meaning the additional weight of extra people and cargo go against the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).
We have a 24'6' boat which weighs a bit over 6k lbs on the trailer. My Expedition with it's 9k lb tow rating gets all it can handle with people and gear. No way would I attempt to pull it with anything less and frankly I'd have a beefier tow vehicle if we towed it often. Since it stays on a lift at the lake, I only tow it a few times a year.
Plus the 9k rating is a bit misleading. The max tongue weight is 900lbs. Most trailers pushing that much weight have over 10-15% (boats are 5-10%).
But yeah, if you have a small boat or pop up camper and don't load a minivan up with 7 people and a weeks worth of gear it can be doable.
We towed our first boat with a minivan a 17' open bow i/o. It towed okay except steep slick boat ramps were a problem. Weight shifts off the front wheels and one time we had to have about 4 people help push us up the ramp. That was somewhat embarrassing.
Camry 44,713
Accord 38,559
Altima 30,976
Fusion 24,653
Sonata 16,917
Malibu 16,890
Optima 15,199
Passat 10,194
200 10,139
Avenger 6,351
Mazda6 4,249
Legacy 3,954
http://www.honda.ca/accord_sedan#/accord_sedan/sport_10233/specs
Any unfounded conspiracy theories?
As noted before, I've come to love my grey sport 6MT and the way the body and wheel colors coordinate. But more choices would be nice. I'd have probably gone blue or pearl if I had the choice, if only because my last car was the same color as my new one. Variety, ya know.
Upon further review, they can only get the LX in three colors (black, silver, white) and the red, champagne, and "hematite" are only available on the highest Touring V6 trim. And there is a Touring 4-cylnider trim level, which is nice for those who want all the gadgets with the smaller engine and a manual.
Interesting choices. I suppose they gravitate toward the higher trims and the smaller engines in general up there. Okay, that's the end of my whining for today.
The 3.6 at Chrysler is an analog to the VW/Audi 2.0T for example.
The 3.6 replaces or is in the process of replacing the following:
The old 3.5 liter, the Jeep 3.7 and 4.0 liter, and the (dreadful) 2.7 liter base engine that used to be in the Chrysler 300 and Charger base models.
The 3.5 liter and the 2.7 liter date from the old cab-forward Intrepid line. The 3.5 was in the ES, the old 300M, and the Concorde.
The 2.7 was in the base Intrepid and the Sebring Convertible.
I just read that the European Chrysler 3.0 liter V6 block is used for the new Maserati Ghibli, (just the block though thankfully).
There is no change for the 3.2 diesel as it carries over for 2014 models and beyond.
I have one of those 10 ft long green fishing boats with at 5 hp gas outboard. I think my dad bought it from Sears in 1982 or something. The boat, engine and gear plus the tiny trailer weigh less than 500 pounds, and the tongue weight is printed on the trailer. 30 lbs.
I would not hesitate to tow it with my Optima, and I am POSITIVE that it wont hurt any hybrid whatsoever, as long as it isn't packed to the gills on the inside and a trunk full of gold bars.
You can use the standard Cruze hitch on the Eco.
Here is an example of other weird vehicles to tow with: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/gallery/dis- - - - playimage.php%3Fimageid%3D3531&imgrefurl=http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/galler- - - - y/showimage.php?i%3D3531%26catid%3Dnewimages&h=667&w=1000&sz=105&tbnid=638NuwVyT- - - - PCuRM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=133&zoom=1&usg=__AnYW-viwpvD4E-P5NfC-Np17EUo=&docid=5zxGjvXT- - - - YJg1-M&sa=X&ei=HYQoUqHUK6HG2wXv7YHADQ&ved=0CDEQ9QEwAQ&dur=769
Also, do not do this: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af55/I_K_- - - O_N_I_K/575127_10150698850136699_186754246698_9572453_1338027637_n.jpg&imgrefurl- - - =http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/8823830/Saw_a_Smart_c- - - ar_pulling_a_boat&h=255&w=324&sz=11&tbnid=_nNTakpbPqXY5M:&tbnh=95&tbnw=121&zoom=- - - 1&usg=__bMtYZ7zOhw9jMBtrITfguqO_Zxw=&docid=wq9bfVmCI3XiJM&sa=X&ei=HYQoUqHUK6HG2w- - - Xv7YHADQ&ved=0CFEQ9QEwCw&dur=530
Ford, on the other hand, will let me order a manual Fusion with any color available on the palette (even though it pitched my fave Ford color, Ginger Ale, and still doesn't offer any hue close to champagne or light/medium blue - my preferred ext. color choices). I can also get a beige/black interior with the manual Ford (much better than solid, dark grey IMO).
Mazda does it best when it comes to color choices on manual equipped cars though: the new 6 is available in two stunning colors, Soul Red and Reflex Blue (in addition to the usual array of tint-free hues) regardless of whether or not you wish to row your own gears. Moreover, the beige/black interior option is absolutely beautiful, especially so with the pinstripe cloth - and it's even available with the medium blue exterior.
Right now Honda can get away with charging more to get that pretty blue color. When sales start to soften a little as the car "ages" (becomes more common), believe me- they will make more colors available on more models. Honda is known for making the Accord "Special Edition". This model will be no different.
I don't know about buying ANY white car in Canada. Kind of like driving a car anywhere else covered in blacktop and a yellow stripe down the middle. LOL.
as to colors, Acura is annoying too. I was looking at the ILX, and the base car is almost perfect (other than not having XM standard.)
but, they only have 5 exterior colors (well, 1 "color" and 4 "non-colors"). black, white, 2 tons of silver and dark blue.
we liked the blue. But you can only get it with a black interior. In fact, every color comes with the black interior. If you want parchment (tan), you have to step up to a premium package car. Also get 2 more color options (dark red and amber brownstone).
that would probably be enough to make me not get a base car. of course, Acura assumes you will spend $2,300 extra for the premium package (wildly overpriced already). In my case, it means I would probably get some other car!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I've always hated Honda's rigid exterior/interior/trim level combinations.
Oh, for the days when you could actually order interiors in color, not just coal-mine black! I'm told that black interiors are considered "cool" these days, but to me, they are worse than ugly.
I would disagree with your hypothesis about the Canadian market. For generations, we have gravitated towards the cheap, low-end models. This is because the standard of living and income levels here are generally lower than in the US, though that may be changing.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
With that in mind, I wasn't aware that the Accord had fewer options and color selections. I do know that Canadians are more likely to buy manual transmissions, and this was because it gives you more control in slippery conditions.
Lastly, I made a joke about white cars being like camouflage in Canada.....which I believe is why DRL's are mandatory there.
So, maybe the ILX could still be a contender. Also, because it is a Honda Civic underneath it promises to be very reliable and cheap to keep in repair even after the warranty expires.
Now (past few years) with the stronger dollar there are (or were) manufacturers that still had vehicles priced higher (10-15K) than the counterparts in the USA. I guess they figured why lower the price if this is what they've grown accustomed to paying...
From where my relatives are, there would be a number of people driving across the border to purchase vehicles. The manufacturers would tell these dealers not to sell to Canadians...something about adversely affecting their dealer networks in Canada. So being defiant, a few drove further south It was messy...
Of course there are other locations that have vehicles priced even higher. I came close to taking a position in Australia...a VW CC I priced (conservatively) was going for 65K+ ouch...
"I've always hated Honda's rigid exterior/interior/trim level combinations."
I agree that it is sometimes frustrating, but there's a logic behind Honda's way of doing things, which they've followed since the 1970s. In the 70s, as well as today, some manufacturers would have literally have thousands of different options and color combinations for a model of car. Choice may be good, but the complications can erode quality. Ford has had some glitched with the new Fusion, for instance. Honda has a simplified set up of trim levels. It limits choices at times, but also simplifies manufacturing a bit, lowers costs, improves quality, etc. And so if you can find what you want, or close enough, some people find that buying a Honda gives them a good value on a high quality car with very good engineering. Having thousands of choices would do away with that, and Honda won't do it. And so if you must have a particular combo and can't compromise, you should probably move on, because Honda has its own way of doing things. It works for Honda, and it works for most people, but for some it just doesn't fit.
When it comes to manuals, I agree it would be nice if they offered more combos. But as we all know, manuals are dying. About 4 years ago you could get a manual Camry, manual Optima, manual Sonata, manual Altima, etc. Those manual models are all gone. Dead. Fewer and fewer people are driving manuals. I applaud Honda for continuing to offer a manual when most of the others don't.
I would love to see the sales numbers this year on the new redesigned Accord Manual. There have been several people in the honda forum looking to buy one. i think the problem with the cars you mentioned they are geared more towards family sedan. How many woman with kids wants a manual.
My last manual was a 1989 ford T- bird turbo coupe. My friends son just got on the police dept and the car was 1 yr old when i bought it from him.. I had that ford for 2 yrs..... What a blast i had with it. I still think about that car.
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
the biggest gaffe (to me at least!) is the XM. Left off the base car, and included with the premium package. And $2,300 is a lot to pay for it (especially if you are not that interested in the HIDs or fog lights).
If the base car had the XM included, it would be perfect to me. everything I need/want/require, and really no "fluff".
The salesguy did say they could add in the XM. He spit balled $450 to do it, but no clue what the actual damage would be.
I would hate to get a brand new car and have to go with a portable unit, but if I did lease one, that would end up being the solution.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Bill G
2017 Accord Sport CVT Mod Steel Metallic
I would love to see the sales numbers this year on the new redesigned Accord Manual. There have been several people in the honda forum looking to buy one. i think the problem with the cars you mentioned they are geared more towards family sedan. How many woman with kids wants a manual."
Yep, agree. Honda will stop manual Accord production fairly soon, I predict. It costs a lot more to produce anything in small numbers - just adds complexity in manufacturing, which is a no-no for quality and cost reasons.
The new generation Corolla has a 6 speed manual, so smaller sedans will likely have them for a while. But for a family sedan, they will go away. "How many women with kids wants a manual?" Of the women I know, zero, and the men, a few, but still not enough. Yes, on forums like these, there seems to be quite a few manual lovers, but this forum really does not represent the true population.
Going by last months sales of 38k Accords that would be about 2,300 - 2,700 units a month. For comparison the Acura TL (their best selling car) sold 2,227 units last month. The TSX and ILX were both around 1,700 units. I suppose all of those vehicles should be dropped since they don't have the economy of scale.
Accord MT is actually available on more models this year than last and percentages have ticked up.
Well, SOME do! I have a friend who has kids. I recently bought a Mazda6i hatchback with AT. I would have loved to get a stick, but the car itself is quite rare, let alone with a manual. Then I saw her car, exactly the same model, year and color, and it has a stick! Boy was I jealous!
My wife. After I taught her on my Scirocco, she bought a new Integra (1990) with a manual (still have it). She drives our '13 Accord with the 6 spd manual more than I do.
If you teach them, they will drive.
My wife cant drive the auto version car/ suv.. she has been banging up her cars and tires for 45 yrs now.
I should teach her manual on a big mountain top.. I'll fix her...LOL
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
And yet it costs $800 less than the CVT. That's over 3%, which isn't insignificant.
I predict/hope that Honda will continue to offer manuals. Everyone knows they had the best manuals to begin with, and every competitor that drops their manual option is a potential conquest sale. 2% of the family sedan market is still 2% of the family sedan market. Just ask Mitsubishi if they'd be happy with that...
And yet it costs $800 less than the CVT. That's over 3%, which isn't insignificant.
...............
I think Honda falsely advertises or charges for their transmissions in this case. By advertising the CVT as an "option" implies that the manual is the "standard and not an option". When 95 percent of the accords have the CVT - THAT IS NOT an option, THAT IS the standard.
If having a moon roof deleted would save me $1,000+ I'd easily opt to live without it.
What I'm trying to point out is that MOST Honda accords come with an automatic (cvt or 6 speed) transmission - that is the "standard transmission" or "typically installed transmission" used in the accord. IF you don't want the one that is used most often (the most typically found - i.e. in about 95 percent of Honda accords) that should be the "optional" transmission - the manual. OR... if you don't want the transmission we put in most of our accords (an automatic) you do have an option of purchasing something else - a manual.
Some cars have the same cost for manual and automatic. In this case manual is a "no cost" option.
I swore I saw one months ago at a stoplight 2 miles from my house. The giveaway was the 18" alloys and the dual exhaust. After reporting the citing, I was immediately shot down by another member; citing that the model I saw did not exist. I was starting to feel like I saw Bigfoot; or a Yeti....(or whatever Luke Skywalker was captured by on Hoth).
The car pictured in M/T has California plates, and I have noticed that most of us are east of the Mississippi.... so maybe Honda is tailoring it's color pallet offerings for different market area's and what I saw locally WAS an EX-L V6. I did see the 18" rims on it. I swear I did!
So, can anyone here find any information on Honda's web site's that prove (or disprove) whether or not the Accord Sport is available in their attractive blue color, once and for all? :confuse:
It had an Eaton Supercharger bolted to Fords 3.8 liter V6 running 12 pounds of boost, and was Motor Trends 1989 Car of the Year!
I think the confusion lies with "Turbo Coupe" and "Super Coupe" being printed on both cars prominently.
The turbo coupe's was made from 83 to 88, with it's best years for 86 to 87.
I was a licensed teen-age driver in that era, and really loved the T/C's looks.