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Honda Accord (2008-2012) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • g69walterg69walter Member Posts: 1
    Our 2009 Honda has such high edges along the windshield that it can be a hazzard in the rain, especially on the driver side. With the edge, the build up of water is such that on the down stroke of the wiper blade almost half of the driver's view is obstructed with water. While the use of Rainex did not solve the problem entirely, it certainly helped get the water away so there is less buildup. Something to be aware of.
  • player98player98 Member Posts: 54
    Just last week while washing my car I noticed that between the front bumper and the front fender near the headlight paint seemed to be chipping off (in between the gap of fender and bumper). I checked the other side and the same thing was happening. Also in the fender near the hood a little bit of paint is coming off as well and that worries me more since that part is metal and it can become rusted (the area is small in both sides but you can see the metal part). I got the car one month ago and I took it to the dealer today and talked to service manager. He said the need to take off the bumper and repaint the whole thing. And told me too keep and eye on the fender issue but I told him that why wait and he said the only thing they can do there is sand it and do touch up paint there.

    I have to wait until they get a loaner car in later this week.

    Is anyone else having issues with paint chipping off in any area. I heard other complaint in other forums with similar issues other even say that this is happening a lot in the hood of the car and in the same general area of the back taillight.
    It would be a good idea for you guys to check your cars for similar issues.

    I do have one question that hopefully someone can answer. Since the whole bumper is going to get repainted will that affect the value of my car as I am pretty sure that will come up in carfax reports. The service manager said that it was not due to an accident so that the value would not be affected but I do not know if that is true.
    I really dont want it to lose value specially when the issue is not my fault.
  • accordguy0325accordguy0325 Member Posts: 169
    My 2008 Accord which I purchased new (EX coupe 4cyl) had a paint chipping problem on the bottom edges of the tail-lights after me having it for a year or so. I took it to a presidents award winning dealer and requested that Honda repaint the area at Honda's expense.

    I had to wait about 3 weeks for the dpsm (district personnel service manager) to give approval - which he did and Honda paid about $ 700.00 to have it repainted.

    The only area that had the problem was the rear tail-lights, so they couldn't say it was from road rash or stone chips like they could if it was in the front of the car, hence partly why I think Honda paid for it.

    The car won't lose value from having it repainted due to this issue- but I'd try another dealer, and request that the service manager contact the dpsm to receive authorization from Honda to cover the repaint.

    What year / model accord do you have ?
  • player98player98 Member Posts: 54
    i have an 09 accord coupe EX 4cyl.
    Well i am not going to be charged for anything as they know i only had it for a month. well at least for the bumper i am not since the chipping is inside gap on the bumper part between the bumper and fender. so they did agree is was not normal wear. but the hood he said it was due to road debris and they could not do anything for that.
    i still called honda so that they could put the problem down as a complaint but they told me to go to the dealer.
    also accordguy0325 if they agree to pay for it should the dpsm still be contact?
  • accordguy0325accordguy0325 Member Posts: 169
    They may have went through the dpsm already- and did not inform you of that, i suppose you could ask the service manager if that is indeed what they did. I can't fathom this happening within only a month's time.

    I traded my 08 for an 09 V6 a couple months ago, and now Im going to be watching for this like a hawk ;)

    Good luck
  • jmillerjmillerjmillerjmiller Member Posts: 113
    I see the same thing in heavy rain. It actually looks like the wiper blade when it is at full upstroke creates something like a venturi effect between the raised molding on the side of the windshield and itself, so that on the start of the downstroke it pulls the water some inches back onto the glass. Need to lean a little to the right in the drivers seat in heavy rain. :)
  • player98player98 Member Posts: 54
    why can't honda send out a new bumper with original factory paint?
    i have been reading other forums and on other hondas being repainted by the dealers shops and most say that their paint does not match. that is going to suck if my paint doesn't match as i only got the car a month ago. i been looking at my car all day at different angles and in different light conditions and i can assure you that right now the bumper paint perfectly matches the metal paint.
    any comments or suggestions
  • accordguy0325accordguy0325 Member Posts: 169
    I am not sure, but if I had to guess it's probably because sending a new bumper would be more expensive then a repaint, and, there is nothing wrong with the bumper but rather the paint application.

    As for the paint matching, you couldn't tell mine was repainted what so ever, it matched perfectly and came out better than I expected.

    Question- is your coupe tafetta white ?
  • player98player98 Member Posts: 54
    i have the san marino red.
    also i been talking to other people and everyone says that the value of the car will go down since the bumper will no longer have original factory paint. the manager said i would not but they always lie. no i dont know what to do
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I had the rear bumper on my 03 Accord replaced. I can easily tell the bumper was painted sperate from the rest of the car. I doubt anyone else notices, unless I tell them. My car is Black, and I think Black and white are the least noticeable. I had a Red Toyota repainted after a wreck too, and it was easier to tell with the bright Red color. Good luck, but in my experience you will be able to tell the difference.

    On a good note, I don't think it will lessen the value of the car, unless it's a really bad paint job on the bumper. Ask around, and find the best painter you can.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If the cause of the chipping paint is eliminated, and the chips are not too obvious, I would consider a touch up, just on the chipped portion, and leave the rest alone. It could end up a lot less obvious.
  • accordguy0325accordguy0325 Member Posts: 169
    My 08 coupe was San Marino red as well...
  • mazda6dudemazda6dude Member Posts: 283
    I have a 2008 Honda Accord LX automatic. Just hit 36K and I am hearing this metal ringing sound coming from the rear. Sometimes I hear it and sometimes I don't. Is this a worn out pad? From reading your post, its seems like it. I can't believe it! Honda must be using some garbage metal. I have never had rear brakes go out on any of my cars. So is the metal ringing sound mean that my rear brakes are worn out? Thanks.
  • joednajoedna Member Posts: 5
    I would defininately check my brakes!!! I was at the dealer on Saturday and overheard another customer complaining to the service rep. how angry he was and dissapointed that his rear brakes have gone out at 15,000 miles. Again hearing same explanation I got and many others...new brake design from Honda were the braking system rely's on the rear brakes to do a majority of braking.
    They really screwed up on this!!!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The rear brakes have been wearing faster than the front on Accords for a while now. My rear pads (03 Accord) needed changing at 47k miles, and the front pads lasted until 60k miles. The pads only cost $50, and I can change them myself easily, so I'm not complaining. The rotors are still good, and I have never heard so much as a small squeal from them. I'll take pads that wear quickly, over pads that squeal any day.
  • mazda6dudemazda6dude Member Posts: 283
    Is Brake Masters a good place to get my Accord rear brakes replaced? They quoted my $129 for good brakes and $179 for thier top of the line brake pads. Does it matter if its ceramic or semi-metallic? Please help, any advice would be great! Thanks.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I wouldn't know about aftermarket pads. I have always used Honda's pads. They might wear a little quicker, but they are not noisy. I can't handle squeaky brakes. Some Honda people say harder pads will wear out the soft Honda rotors. $179 doesn't sound bad, if that's for the front and rear. I have never paid for a brake job though, so I might not be the guy to ask about prices.
  • gasmizrgasmizr Member Posts: 40
    Based on experience with non OEM brakes/rotors/drums I will never use non Honda parts. I used non Honda brake parts from multiple manufactures and had issues with vibration. I took it to my independent garage and was told only to use Honda parts. Took back non OEM and replaced with Honda parts and vibration issues were gone.

    I always do brakes myself. It is easy and you can do the set in less then an hour. Most of the time is prep in getting the car jacked up and wheels off. Changing the pads takes all of 5 minutes. If you have to do the rotors too add 10-15 minutes to each side.

    I buy all my Honda parts at Majestic Honda and have them shipped to me. It is always way cheaper then the local dealer even with the shipping and handling charges. ymmv
  • mazda6dudemazda6dude Member Posts: 283
    I bought my Pads from a Honda Dealer in town and had my friend replace them. There was a very uneven wear on both brake pads (left and right). Any reason why this happened? Also, after having my pads replaced, my brake pedal has to be depressed a lot more to stop the car. Why is this? What could be the problem? There are no squeaks or anything of that sort so the brakes are good. Any feedback and help would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Bleeding the brakes should help. Flushing out the old fluid is probably a good idea too. I doubt the master cylinder is going out, but anything is possible. If the pedal sinks with steady pressure, the master cylinder is going, or you have a leak. The inside pad will always wear quicker than the outer pad. The calliper piston pushes directly on the inside pad, and the outside pad has to be pulled toward the rotor by the reaction. If there is a big difference, the slide pins may be bent, need lubrication, or corrosion around the calliper is preventing the calliper from adjusting properly.
  • jhu1972jhu1972 Member Posts: 4
    My local Firestone dealer (oil change) gave me a copy of the recommended 2008 V8 Accord maintenance schedule that said replace timing belt at 30K miles. I find that hard to believe.
    I've owned Honda's for 30 years and my 2008 is the first one that didn't have a maintenance schedule in the owner's manual. The automatic maintenance reminders on the dashboard don't get it done for me.
    Comments.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    First of all, he doesn't have a 2008 Accord maintenance schedule; the maintenance minder gives you the codes for what it needs, and the manual has what those codes mean.

    Second, I assume you meant Accord V6? If its a 4-cyl by chance, it has no timing belt. If it IS a V6, the schedule likely doesn't call for a belt before 60k miles. My grandmother's 2002 I4 Accord calls for a timing belt at 105k, my 1996 I4 Accord needs them every 90k. 30k is just ridiculous, and shows he wants to make money. I'd not go back there.
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    The manual states under severe conditions change the timing belt @ 60,000 miles. The maintenance minder under normal conditions will indicate around 100,000 miles that the timing belt is due to be changed. Various forums have shown that the MM indicates it's time to replace the belt between 100,000 & 110,000 miles. Hope this helps.
  • stripe1stripe1 Member Posts: 72
    My 09 Accord Sdn EX V-6 is apprx four+ months old with 3000 miles. After I purchase the vehicle I check the oil which show full. At 2500 miles I check again, and I notice that it had used a half quart of oil. The car was in the garage for two days on level ground. I called dealer service, and a tech stated that I must have read it wrong, and to bring it in, and they would check. That's an answer I didn't want to hear. I've check the oil for the next two weeks, and the marking on the stick was just about the same. In the past week, I drove 300 miles, and checked it again today, and the stick shows that it's now a little more the a half quart used.

    For me, this is unacceptable. I had a 99 Accord V6 with 120,000 miles that I traded last year, and I drove at times 4000 to 5000 miles before oil change, and the stick would always show full. I own another 06 Accord V6 with 33,000 miles, and the stick never shows any oil consumption. I change the oil at 4000+ miles.

    My only hope is that the break in oil is the reason for the consumption, and when I change the oil for the first time the oil usuage will stop. However, from what I've read on this site about others having the same problem I don't know if having the oil change for the first time will solve the problem.

    I enjoy the car, the color (green), and the V6 power that it puts out. I don't know if Honda of America considers oil consumption a problem, but for the money that we as consumers pay for car's today, yes, I consider it a major problem.
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    My 08 EX-L V6 has gone thru about 1 quart every 6,000 miles. It's got 22,000 miles on it and it is going in for it's third oil change. This time around at a little more then 7,000 miles on the oil, and it is down just a half a quart. I can live with this but admit that no consumption would be better and seems to be something Honda engines of non VCM design have been able to achieve.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    Paid $58 for oil change and tire rotation at the dealer. They check the brakes at each oil change and no mention of premature rear brake wear as others have stated.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I can't recall what source I read this "fact" from, but it stated that not having to add additional oil between changes does not mean an engine is not burning any oil. It's actually a mixture of oil, contaminants, and other non-oil fluids that bypass the rings, valve seals, etc. I wonder if this is true? If it is, then maybe some slight oil "comsumption" is not really a bad thing?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Wouldn't that mean the engines that do show a drop on the dipstick are consuming that much more oil, than those that don't show a drop. That would not be reassuring to me. If your valves and rings are leaking that bad, your car would be smoking. You actually put over 8,400 miles on the engine between oil changes? :surprise: Can you say sludge?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    That price is similar to my dealer, which is ridiculously high. At my local Big Ten Tires I get a $26 O/C and the tire rotation is free. Is there a reason you use the dealer for oil changes?
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    Wouldn't that mean the engines that do show a drop on the dipstick are consuming that much more oil, than those that don't show a drop. That would not be reassuring to me. If your valves and rings are leaking that bad, your car would be smoking. You actually put over 8,400 miles on the engine between oil changes? Can you say sludge?

    My point was that a drop in oil could possibly mean you are getting less bypass of other fluids coming into the oil from the rings and seals. Consuming a quart every 6 - 8k mile is far from excessive oil consumption. I change my oil when the maintenance minder reaches 15% oil life. I did the same in my previous 06 EXL V6, although the it would only go about 7k mile before reaching 15%. You don't have to worry about sludge these days if you use a name brand high quality oil. My 07 Chev Avalanche goes more than 10k miles between oil changes. As long as you change the oil prior to reaching 0% oil life, you're covered under warranty. There is a caveat; if you don't drive that much, you need to change out the oil every 12 months.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    That price is similar to my dealer, which is ridiculously high. At my local Big Ten Tires I get a $26 O/C and the tire rotation is free. Is there a reason you use the dealer for oil changes?

    I don't think the price is high. I think I'm getting my money's worth in other ways.

    I use the dealer for peace of mind and because it's convenient for me, and I'm assured they will replace the little gasket at the oil drain plug. The gasket needs to be replaced and not reused as once it's compressed from the first use you can't reuse it and you won't get good seal. Reputable auto repair centers should be aware of this, but if you get an inexperienced technician who doesn't know, you can either have a oil leak or they will over-torque the oil drain plug to insure a good seal with the old gasket, but could strip the threads in the oil pan. The dealer uses a torque wrench when reinstalling the drain plug - does your Big Tire place do so? I also know the dealer will check other things like brakes, etc, and they don't try to sell me on other unneeded stuff like a new air filter, transmission flushes, etc., until they are really needed. My previous Accord never saw any maintenance other than oil changes/tire rotations during the 42k miles I owned it. I do change the air filters myself at 25k miles.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I also know the dealer will check other things like brakes, etc, and they don't try to sell me on other unneeded stuff like a new air filter, transmission flushes, etc., until they are really needed.

    Wish I could say the same. My dealer always comes up with a $400 repair whenever I take my '96 Accord in for service. I take it to my local mechanic who tells me the truth. I'm three grand away from 200k in that car, and have saved about $1,000 in the last 18 months by not doing what my dealer told me was "necessary" to prolong the life of the car. I do maintenance (4,000 miles OCIs, 30k mile air filters, trans service at every 60k, timing belt at every 90k, etc), and repairs when something breaks. The dealer wanted $850 to do the timing belt and water pump; my mechanic (not Big Ten, but a collision and repair shop I've used for 5 years) charged $478 out the door.

    I have inspections of the brakes done when I ask them to be done - no charge at Big Ten. The dealer wants the "Gold Package" oil change to inspect brakes, among other things. That's a $79 o/c and tire rotation, and I then have to hope the dealer is telling me the truth (which I've found is the case about half the time). They're supposed to top off all fluids, etc. Last time I raised a stink over my washer fluid still being empty when I got in to leave the dealer. If they leave out something so cheap, what more costly items are they saving their money on by skipping, but charging me for?

    Yes, there are other dealers, but none within a half-hour drive of my home, except this one, ten minutes away. My mechanic is a 3 minute drive; Big Ten, 5 minutes.

    Anyway, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. It appears we just have very different service departments. :) I didn't intend to get on a rant; my dealer just ticks me off sometimes!
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    Fortunately, even though my dealer is the only game in town for Hondas, they seem very reputable. They also know I am a repeat customer and will probably purchase my next car through them. It doesn't take much to dampen a consumer relationship to consider going to another dealer or brand for the next car. I wish more dealers would recognize that.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The dealer uses a torque wrench when reinstalling the drain plug - does your Big Tire place do so? I also know the dealer will check other things like brakes, etc, and they don't try to sell me on other unneeded stuff like a new air filter, transmission flushes, etc., until they are really needed. My previous Accord never saw any maintenance other than oil changes/tire rotations during the 42k miles I owned it.

    I don't believe they actually use a torque wrench to install the drain plug. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even look at the brakes. How would you know? Any car will go to 42k miles, with very little maintenance. It's when you get to 142k miles that the lack of maintenance early on will show up.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I don't believe they actually use a torque wrench to install the drain plug. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't even look at the brakes. How would you know?

    Well, you can believe what you want. All I know it's stated on my final work order the torque amount used to tighten the drain plug. You're right, I dont' know if they actually check the brakes - but that's what I pay them for. I don't stand over their shoulder watching their every move and I have to trust them to do what they say the will do. They also always call me the following day to make sure everything was done to my satisfaction.

    My main reason for posting was not about the oil change, but about the pre-mature rear brake wear issue some have been having. Again, the brake check they perform is on the short list of items for their oil change service, and I have to believe they do actually check them. It's very easy to do since they have the wheels off during rotation.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    My dealer uses a form to document what they find when servicing a car. It includes a checklist and places for other data. When they check the brakes and tires, they write down the measurements of pad and tread wear in the spaces provided. I suppose they could just make up numbers but that seems unlikely.

    I guess my doctor could pretend to check my cholesterol level. How would I know?? ;)
  • dpmeersmandpmeersman Member Posts: 275
    My dealer uses the same type of form. Had my 08 EX-L V6 in for it's 3rd oil change and tire rotation (MM A1) last week @ 22,000 miles. Even though the tires are wearing evenly my dealer mentioned that they recommend a 4 wheel alignment @ 20,000 miles. Their charge for this seemed fair enough @ $79.00 but with no noticeable tire wear and steering feedback at the speeds I travel to be consistent with when it was new I passed. I've always felt that it's best not to mess with the factory set on the alignment unless tire wear or steering feel noticeably changes.
    My front pads are @ 7mm with the rears @ 5mm. Considering I usually get 7,000 to 7,500 miles between oil changes and that will put me close to the 30,000 mile maintenance point which will probably include auto transmission fluid and filter change, brake fluid and rear brakes and the standard oil & tire rotation, I'll be looking @ around $300-400 bill come that time. To date and making the assumption that between now and the end of September nothing goes wrong, my maintenance costs have been about $250.00 for 2 years. I can live with that and could have kept it lower doing some of the maintenance myself, but like others I'll leave this up to the dealer.
    I'm currently experimenting with 93 octane in my VCM V6. I decided to try it and settled on running 4 tanks thru to get a good feel for what this brings to the driving experience. On my 3rd tank and will report back soon with my impressions after running all 4 tanks thru. Until then happy motoring to all!
  • rkirchoffrkirchoff Member Posts: 65
    I've been changing my oil every 8500-9500 miles in my 2008 ex-l v6. I put on new rear brake pads at 33000 miles and was told my front pads should last till I've got around 60,000 miles. Less than a month ago, I put on 4 new tires and decided not to put on the OEM tires but did stay with Michelin. I opted for Michelin's Pilot Sport AS Plus which set me back about $250/tire with Road Hazard. Wow, they're outperformed the original tires and have alot less road noise, more dry and wet traction, and a much higher speed rating which is great since I have a heavy foot. I too experimented with different octane levels on my v6 and found the 89 octane provided the best overall mileage and performance in the midwestern states such as Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky. My best gas mileage with 89 octane was 22.7mpg @ 90% highway. I just returned from a trip to Montana and found that my car got better fuel mileage the faster it went. I know...doesn't make sense but that is what happened. I set the cruise at 85-90mph in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana and got over 28.5mpg using their 87 octane. I rechecked my figures and they're correct. I've now got 40, 800 miles on my 2008 Accord EX-L V6 and the main problems I've had are with the driver's seat...it is very uncomfortable even with all the power controls offered.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    If you own a 2006 – 2010 Honda Accord and live in the Los Angeles area, please contact ctalati@edmunds.com by August 12 if you’re interested in being contacted for more information on your vehicle ownership experience.
  • yen_s_liuyen_s_liu Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I am reaching out to all the owners of Honda Accord 08, who have been experiencing paint issues. I have a serious paint issue only a month after I bought my brandnew 08 Accord. Please email me, and my email id is yen_s_liu@yahoo.com.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    You needed a higher rating than the standard 149 MPH V-rated tires? Also, $1,000 for a set of tires just seems dreadfully high for a family car, to me. May I ask what type of store did the service?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi there. You had a number of responses when you posted about your issues back in May. Did you see everyone's replies there? Let's keep the discussion here on the boards where you will get more input and where more members will benefit.

    Here's the link to your previous post. The replies follow.

    yen_s_liu, "Honda Accord (2008-) Maintenance and Repair" #935, 20 May 2009 6:55 pm.
  • jmkellyjmkelly Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody have any experience with the Accord with Navigation rear camera installed?

    My dealer (Boardwalk Honda) gives me a free loaner--this time it is an Acura with the rear camera. It was fantastic--it shows if you will fit into a space with lines one the navigation screen. The price of getting the bumper cover fixed once will pay for it.

    Looking for installation, service, price, good or bad experiences.
  • jmillerjmillerjmillerjmiller Member Posts: 113
    2008 Accord EX-L Navi

    Had mine installed pre-delivery, the list price is obscene, as they charge you for both the camera, camera mount, and installation. I am sure I still paid too much, even though I it for $450 installed. Full price is something like $700+.

    Note that this is one accessory for which the car is not prewired. They have to run a cable all the way from the trunk lid, under the right side door thresholds to the dash area. I think it is a nicer finished product that having the little bibs on the bumper for the other backup sensors (which involves removing the bumper cover for installation). All you can see is a little black bump directly centered above the license plate in its recess on the trunk lid.

    I like it, but it does give you a wide angle view, so like a convex mirror, it takes a little caution until you get used to how the distances look. Once in a great while a droplet or two of water makes the picture look odd, but generally does not obscure it enough to matter. Surprising the backup lights do provide enough illumination for it during the nighttime. Still need to watch the other mirrors, those pedestrians are everywhere.

    I find myself waiting for the nav to boot so I can press ok to the agreement before putting it in reverse. Otherwise, sometimes you take it out of reverse and the screen goes dark until you hit the button to wake up the agreement page again.
  • bigbutrbigbutr Member Posts: 111
    Have owned my 2008 LX-P for almost 19 months now after driving a 96 Beretta for the previous eight years. About three months ago with a little under 13,000 miles I started hearing a wierd sound from the front end. My initial fear was confirmed as a bad wheel bearing, which was replaced under warranty. What was scary was the tech telling me mine was the fifth Accord in the last month to come in with wheel bearing issues.
    So: Headlight flickering issue, faulty wheel bearing and, though I have so far not been affected, reading about serious premature brake wear certainly gives me pause about vaunted Honda quality.
    I certainly like my Accord. It's big enough for what I need, gets pretty good gas mileage (22 city, 34 highway) and is fairly inexpensive to insure. I plan on keeping it a while (as evidenced by my previous vehicle), but I wonder what else is going to creep up. :confuse:
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I think when a lot of people buy their first Honda, they think they will never have a problem. That's just not the case, with any brand. My 92 Accord was not perfect, and had a few problems over the years. In 12 years, and 140k miles the repairs were few and far between. I never had to change the alternator, starter, A/C compressor, or power steering pump. The interior held up much better than any car I had before. The seats didn't have one tear in them, the carpeted floor mats were very durable, and no knobs or panels ever came loose. The car still had all of the original radiator and vacume hoses when I sold it. The brake pads seam to wear quicker than they used to, but the brake pads are the only things that have been changed on my 03 (other than oil and filter changes) with 67k miles so far. Honda's reliability is as good as anyone's, but their appeal goes deeper than that. They have great engines, and suspensions, and are actually fun to drive.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Remember, you're reading a repair forum. You're not going to see posts that simply say "yep, everything's fine; nothing to say."

    The bearing issue is something I haven't heard about, but I have heard about premature rear brake wear since I bought my 2006 model. Well, I'm 51k miles into my brakes; haven't checked the fronts, but the rear have well over 10mm left on them. I'd say they'll go a good 60-70k miles before replacement. I average 30 MPG in this car (4-cyl auto), which shows that while I do have some highway driving, but not more than 50% of my driving.

    There is some great information here, but remember to take everything (including what I say - I speak the truth, but experiences vary!) you read with a grain of salt.

    Enjoy your car; worrying never did anybody any good!
  • markludmarklud Member Posts: 41
    Just started looking for new tires for my Accord, for the near future. My question is, though, more on size. Does anyone have thoughts on whether I should go with 215-55-17 ? They will fit the wheel width, and be less than 1/2 in taller. I know that it will be a higher profile, but my wife is not an aggresive driver. I'm one of those that thinks family cars do not need high performace, low-profile (read expensive$$) tires. By the way, I'm thinking Firestone FR710 , I found for $90/ tire + mounting/balancing.
  • rkirchoffrkirchoff Member Posts: 65
    go to http://www.tirerack.com and let it tell you what tires are made for your car. I would never reduce the width of my tire since it also helps in the smooth ride of your car. I am on my 2nd set of tires for my 08 accord v6 and decided against the original tires as replacement. Instead, I stayed with Michelin but got the Pilot Series called AS Plus. They're a higher performance tire but they provide more grip on dry, wet, and snow than all other tires reviewed for my car. I also got directional tires as well and am extremely satisfied with my choice. I also had the tire company put Nitrogen in my tires instead of the normal air. I've noticed an increase of 3mpg since I got these better tires.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I would get the correct size for the car. A wider section width, and narrow tread width may affect handling and tracking, not to mention they would probably look strange on the wheel. I would not take a chance, not knowing if you would regret it for miles and miles to come. Kumho (Solus) and Yokohama (Avid V4) make pretty good tires, at reasonable prices. They may not be as cheap as the Firestones, but at least you can get them in the correct size. Accord's tend to pull to one side or the other easily, so a tire that doesn't track well can make keeping the car going straight a challenge. If the tire place would let you test drive the tires, before buying, you could basically try anything, but I don't think many places will do that, without charging you an arm or leg for the extra mounting.
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