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Hyundai Sonata vs Honda Accord
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Comments
btw, i drove an 08 exl v6 Thursday and this car exceeded my expectations. Come on ppl we all know the only car that can compare with the accord in its class is camry. Although this forum is good entertainment tho, Lol!
Hyundai Sonata SE
Nissan Altima 2.5S with Conv. Plus Pkg
Honda Accord EX
Toyota Camry SE
Ford Fusion SEL
Volkswagen Passat 2.0 Turbo
Hopefully I can find all of them with manual transmission (I'm doubtful I'll find a manual Camry)
I'm preparing a full report because lately with all these deals on the Sonata it's really got me thinking...plus I just love driving and testing them anyway :P
I'm in Chicago now so finding manual versions is A LOT easier than when I lived in S. Carolina.
I've seen several 07 Passat 2.0t manuals and few base 2.5S Altimas with manual tranny.
Maybe you'll have better luck in Chicago.
Also, where are you pulling $1,000 quotes for this change from?
Nobody should EVER pay more than $500 or $600 to have the timing belt AND water pump replaced. Heck, my dealer doesn't even charge $700!
$1000 for a timing belt change is a rip-off, although I've heard some V6s are more expensive to service than I4s because it's harder to get access to the V6s.
In the Honda manual (my 1996 Accord LX 4-cylinder anyways), it says if you regularly drive in conditions under -20F or over 110F, to get the belt changed at 60k.
Personally, I don't know anywhere in the US that has those conditions regularly except maybe Mt. Washington, or Death Valley.
My younger son live in Tempe, AZ. The temp is "regularly" over 110* for 4 months or so of the year. Does 4 months = "regularly?" It gets cold here in CT, sustained periods in the teens, thankfully not -20F. Maybe it's the rubber compounds, but it doesn't make that much difference to my body when it's that cold.
Again, maybe the rubber compound, but on Honda's pre-'94 it was crucial to change the timing belt at 60K, otherwise you'd ruin the engine (at least in this climate).
My '05 Sonata calls for timing belt replacement at 60K and I'll stick with that in order to protect the car and the warranty. What does your newer Accord call for, or does it have the timing chain?
It was a mechanic friend of mine, who retired at the end of '94 who told me that 60K miles was crucial. Otherwise the rods (is that the right term or item?) would be damaged, effectively making engine replacement about the same cost as repairing the damaged engine. But, that was 13 years ago???
Happily, I have an I4 06 Accord and don't have to worry about that anymore on the new car. My 1996 will be due for its 2nd replacement coming up soon at 178k miles (I have 175k now; the belt was last changed at 88k).
On that note, a friend of mine has 111K miles on her 2002 Jetta, and I asked her about timing belt... it hasn't been changed yet. That is happening next week.
Ok, well they aren't going to charge ME a thousand or more. I have gotten two quotes from places less than two miles from my home. One was $590, one was $490 (and for $525 they'd do all the belts on top of the water pump and timing belt).
Wow. I'm totally opposite. I've never bought the same make of car since I've been driving. I started with a Ford Focus, then Mazda 323, Acura Integra, Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Civic, Volkswagen GTI, Hyundai Elantra, and finally now a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. Each car has its strengths and weaknesses. I like to see how different manufacturers flesh out their idea of vehicle development.
To me, life is too short to buy the same thing over and over again. What's the saying...variety is the spice of life!
I have a Hyundai Elantra 2005 and I think it looks okay but not the most beautiful car out there. Wish I waited for the Sonata. Anyhow, it drives better than my 2003 Civic ever could wish for. And it had no problems where as my civic had multiple electrical failures.
I have to admit, the Elantra eats a little more gas than my civic did, but then again, my civic I drove mostly hwy miles so who knows.
So yeah, function and then style are at the top of my list. If i wanted to be flashy, I wouldn't even think about Hyundai or Honda. I just want to drive around in a decent looking car that will reliably will get me to where I want to go. Very simple really...
The Hyundai was the one I kept the longest. I test drove the Sonata thinking it would be my next car but didn't want something that big. The Lancer came out of nowhere, and I was impressed with its styling and features.
Let me ask you something. When you get ready to trade in your Accord, will you test drive other makes or go straight to the Honda dealership and say "Here's my old Accord, I want a new one." I guess I have trouble understanding that way of thinking. :confuse:
I typically jump around purchasing cars. Nissan is the only manufacturer to have three cars in a row purchased. While they were definitely okay, I would not get another Nissan or for that matter my first Infiniti.
But I completely understand the philosophy of "stick with a winner". There is a reason Accord owners "blindly" purchase a new Accord. While some at edmunds may not understand the "stick with a winner" philosophy or even assign it another "name", it seems Honda does the right thing for it's customers. Sales numbers don't lie.
If you test drive other makes and still come back to the Honda, that's all well and good. I have no problem with that. I just don't see the logic in ignoring other cars from the outset simply because they are not built by Honda (or Nissan, or Chevy, or Audi, or....you get the idea).
However, with my experience over the years, I’m leaning more towards the first category, where I may have found my comfort zone. So, my list is going to be much smaller than it was ten years ago. In fact, there may not be a list at all. I could find better use for my time.
And it is not a case of "simply (not) built by Honda". It is more about what other manufacturers have delivered in the past and in the present. This is where brand loyalty steps in, and for very good reasons.
I am glad I broke from my Japanese-car "comfort zone" several years ago and took a look at other options, including the Focus and Elantra, before making the automatic choice for a Civic. I didn't like some of the things I saw in the Focus, but I found to my surprise that I liked the Elantra more than the Civic, not considering the price differential. But with the price difference, it was a really easy decision. Did it take some of my time? Sure. Most of it was in research on forums like this, auto mags, etc. But I had to go out and drive the cars, so that took a few hours total. Time well spent, IMO, given that I drove that car for 5-1/2 years (and it's still in my family) and it led to my purchasing a 2nd Elantra a few years later, and that car will be in the family for at least 10 years.
If someone doesn't have the time or desire to check out the options, OK, that's their business. For me, buying a car is too big a purchase to not take some time to make the best choice possible for me, at that time, with my money.
I'm a "free spirit," with no brand loyalty. Because of this I've been able to experience a wide variety of different makes and models. I've done the American 4WD SUV thing, the German turbocharged pocket rocket thing, the Korean basic transportation thing, and the Japanese reliability thing.
Makes me wonder what I haven't done yet...
THe Japanese Reliability/Pocket Rocket Combo? (Civic Si, etc). The Hybrid thing. The AWD car thing (Subaru, etc). There's still others you haven't stated! Others are cross-cultural (Japanese AWD Sedan, etc).
It's not worth the amount of money my time would cost me to find something "better" for my needs. For example, I have my sights set on the 335, I have no intention of test driving the G37 to find out if it actually is "better" and cheaper, I just don't care enough.
I view it as weak competition, and since it's my dollars I get to vote with my dollars. Sales numbers of Accord vs Sonota don't lie. You are not going to get people who are extremely satisified with Accord to move elsewhere.
In a static world, if you are satisfied with what you have, why change? But it's not a static world, is it? For example, you have your sights set on a 335. Do you own a 335 now? I am guessing you don't. So why not stick with what you have? Do you or did you ever own an Accord? If so, why even consider changing to a different brand, e.g. BMW?
As far as hybrids, I actually test drove the Prius. It was, well, in a word, weird. I've always liked Subies...thought about the new Impreza but it doesn't come with a factory-installed power sunroof (a must for me).
Who knows what will draw my attention in 3 or 4 years when I'm ready to trade in my Lancer. A diesel-powered Honda Accord sounds mighty tempting. But then I'd have to break my tradition of never buying the same make twice.
"But it's not a static world, is it?"
Brand loyalty is a great thing, isn't it? I'm not trying to be pejorative, but it seems the people who bought Accord have already voted with their dollars. Whether you or I agree with their reasons, the sales are there to prove Honda is doing something right. Not to take anything away from Hyundai. It's not a car for me.
A 335 is better than an Accurd or Sonata in some ways, but not in others. The one thing for sure is that it is different. So you are a prime example of someone who is looking for something different than an Accurd for your next car.
I on the other hand am not brand-loyal either. Last time I checked, no automaker gives me anything for being brand loyal. Well, that's not really true... I can get a loyalty rebate sometimes. Otherwise I see no advantage buying in the same brand again and again without evaluating the alternatives. So, no, I don't see brand loyalty as a great thing, except for the salespeople from that brand.
If I used historical sales figures to tell me what to buy, I'd have to seriously consider the Camry, and even the Taurus. Both have been, or were, the top-selling cars in their class for many years. I don't care much for either of them.
One option you (and others) have, rather than just doing a short test-drive with a sales rep beside you, is to rent other cars for a day or more. Most mid-sized cars, including Sonata (but not Accord), can be rented pretty easily. I think that's a big help in evaluating cars.
So, here's a question for you: besides your '03 Accord turning into a "lemon" (and let's leave transmission recalls out of this), what if anything could get you to consider another car, specifically the Sonata, next time? What if, for example, the next-gen Sonata in 2010 or so is ranked by at least some of the automotive press as being superior to the Accord (let's forget about the Edmunds' comparo that did just that, for now). Would that be enough for you to give it a try? Or, what?
As far as the magazines, they will not make up my mind for me, I just like to hear other's opinions on the cars.
Let's not. The transmission recall has been done on my Accord. My transmission has not missed a beat at 50k miles, and I don't expect it to. From what I've seen on this and other forums there is no "high failure rate" for these transmissions since the recall. So the fix has obviously worked.
What if, for example, the next-gen Sonata in 2010 or so is ranked by at least some of the automotive press as being superior to the Accord (let's forget about the Edmunds' comparo that did just that, for now). Would that be enough for you to give it a try? Or, what?
There is no comparison against the V6 Accord, that the Sonata won. Let's get that clear.
I must have remembered incorrectly, I thought it was you who told us before that you had the recall done and also had later transmission trouble on the Accord, but I must be thinking of someone else.
Which is why we have this comparison of Accord vs. Sonata. And, when compared when comparably priced, the Sonata handlily (as in "no contest") bested the Accord in the last professional comparo done in that fashion. Those who think the Accord is, on equal dollars terms, heads and tails above the Sonata should take a good look at Edmunds.com's comparo of the like-priced Accord and Sonata. And also the C/D and Motor Trend long-term wrap-ups of the 2006 Sonata LX. I think they open some eyes... if minds are open also.