Older Honda Accords

qgu · November 2003

Tirerack.com listed 03 Accord LX 4cyl rim size as 15x6.5 in their winter tire/wheel package. Carsdirect.com's spec listed as 15x6.0. I am concerned because I have no idea what the size difference means and I do not know which number is correct. Please help.

Thanks

aggie1995 · November 2003

Does that mean you would/will not buy a Honda? Just wondering.

kyleki · November 2003

When I refuel my car, I always reset the "Trip A" odometer under my speedometer on the dashboard. I also have the "Auto Reset" feature turned on in my "Trip Computer" on the navigation system. When I pull away from the gas station, both have a reading of zero (0). After driving around for about half a tank of gas, I notice that the odometer reading for "Trip A" is different from the reading in the "Trip Computer".

When I called Honda about it, they said the Trip Computer shows total mileage "as the crow flies" rather than actual rotations of the wheels. If this is true, how in the world can the MPG calculations be accurate?

Is anyone else seeing this behavior in their Honda? BTW, I have a 2003 Honda Accord sedan.

ehawkins · November 2003

I have an 04. I was doing the same as you were, noticed a difference also. Never realized it was as the crow flys though. Just come off of a 4000 mile trip, and the Nav system was right on the money with the mile markers on the interstate. I'm not so sure the computer operates off the GPS.
The computer works without the Nav system being activated. Took a trip to the west coast and back. Avg. 29mpg going out (head wind) and 36mpg coming back (tail wind). The car was fully loaded both ways. Had about a thousand miles on the odometer before the trip. Averaged 32.5 mpg for the trip. Figures based on the computer readings.

dindak · November 2003

Waxing should be fine. If there is no warning in the owners manual, you can always bring the car to the dealer if something happens.

;-)

tlauro · November 2003

you're fine. there's no need to wait. enjoy the weather and waxing

try clay bar before waxing too. you'll be amazed at the difference.

rueshan · November 2003

It's explained in the owners manual, if it is important to you. There is no defect in either system, if that is your concern. It just uses two different methods to calculate distance. Take a look in your owners manual for the answer.

gee35coupe · November 2003

"t's obvious the image is
more important than the reality to honda... "

Image is very important. That's why we now have Lexus, Infiniti, Acura. And we don't see the Benz A-class, small 1-series BMW's, or 1.6L 3 series here. It's all about image.

imidazol97 · November 2003

"That's why we now have Lexus, Infiniti, Acura. And we don't see the Benz
A-class, small 1-series BMW's, or 1.6L 3 series here."

This has nothing to do with Honda's hiding access
to TSBs, etc., from buyers and owners of hondas (and acuras).
Are you saying BMW, Mercedes (Chrysler), and others restrict
access to information about their cars on Alldata?

talon95 · November 2003

Since summary listings for TSBs, recalls, etc. for all manufacturers are available on the NHTSA site. They're just not making details available on the Alldata site.

If I see one that I feel is relevant, I ask the service manager at my dealership and he shows it to me.

Perhaps not as convenient as Alldata, but certainly not hidden.

talon95 · November 2003

By the way, here's a link to the actual Honda TSB for wiper streaking and smearing, which I accessed off of the NHTSA site.

http://152.122.48.13/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/TSBs/2003/SB-100- - 01302-9980.pdf

You need Acrobat to view it.

jebinc1 · November 2003

Thanks, talon, but I don't think that is my problem. More likely an adjustment is needed to correct the wiper angle. What is odd is that both wipers haave problems which makes me wonder if the glass is a problem.

Has anyone had a glass finish problem in this regard? If so, what did you do about it?

talon95 · November 2003

I haven't actually had any problems with my wipers, but I recently had a finish put on my windshield called Aqua-Pel. It's like a much improved version of RainX. I got it at a oil change place. It's made by PPG (the glass people) and it lasts for 6 months.

And the wipers just glide over it... I've never seen wipers operate so smoothly.

Don't know if this might help, but I thought I'd at least mention it.

brucee_ca · November 2003

Like the first door ding... the first stone chip hurts the most

I picked up one of the touch-up paint pens today from the dealership. Does anyone have any tips for usage? Since it's starting to get cool outside these days, I'm wondering if there is a 'minimum' recommended temp. to apply it. Also, paint code is "Light Gold Prl YR538M" which I hope is the '03 Desert Mist code (The Honda Service dude picked it out of the handbook).

tblazer503 · November 2003

I think its something like 50-90F although the bottom end may be higher. If it is a fairly small rock chip, I will usually wipe the brush as much as possible, then sort of "blot" it in, layer by layer(let it dry for like an hour between). When it is pretty close, usually go over it with a fine buffing compound and repolish. Takes a while... like a couple of days to do it, or a couple of hours if you are patient. Just what works for me..

bburton3 · November 2003

Any rust started-if so do your best to scrape it out. On really deep gouges I use a dab of rustoleum on the bottom layer to fill up the hole and to hopefully stop any rust. Tried several different colors of rustoleum and the only one that works well is the aluminum color-others are too thick-works well for my heather mist color. When applying the honda touch up paint-get the brush very clear of paint-only the tinest little bit on the end and touch it to the hole an pull away-don't brush after applying-if you do it right-hard to see.

Live in snow country and some of the sand they use is more like boulders.

accord7 · November 2003

After reading about all the rattles in the Accord, I have to wonder if Honda's solutions are real fixes or just temporary band-aid solutions. Anyone care to report if their rattles have been truly eliminated? The posts about rattles just keep going and going and going and .....

emale · November 2003

my rattles come and go. one day it'll be annoying as hell hearing all the chirping/clicking. then the next day nothing! btw, i haven't bothered bugging the dealer about it yet...someday on a whim i may just get tired enuf of it and head over there. meanwhile on the nasty days i just turn up the stereo!

jebinc1 · November 2003

irish14... "Replace the windshield"... Why? Because of the4 scratches or the chirping. What could be wrong with the glass?

briansbluetoy · November 2003

I have 11k mi, in 9 months. I am with Emale on this. My rattles are insignificant, the most noticiable one is the center console lid.

Awesome car.

ivan_99 · November 2003

Rattles...got em.

Driver's door...fixed once by dealer and re-appeared after 2 months.

Rear passenger side rattles; goes away but comes back sometimes.

Dash rattles sometimes...not always

I usually only notice when the family is in the car; that's when the stereo or engine isin't blaring

dindak · November 2003

Tried different blades?

berbel · November 2003

As noted earlier, go ahead and wax. That caveat
about waiting for the paint to cure really doesn't
apply any more.

You have a brand new car, right? Stay away from
clay bars. You have no reason to use one as you
have a brand new paint job. If you care for your
paint correctly, you'll never need a clay bar.
A cleaner/wax, maybe, (in lieu of polish) but not
clay. Clay is appropriate under certain conditions
but certainly not needed with new paint.

berbel

billyperks · November 2003

So why do most people say it works.

I am just about to order several Zaino products and the Clay Bar is one of them.

pat · November 2003

Some folks believe that claying a new car is necessary to remove any rail dust that may have become embedded during transport. Then again, there are two different kinds of clay - one is abrasive and used in extreme situations. That might be the one berbel is referencing. It's the non-abrasive one that folks use on new cars and to make sure the surface is as clean and free of debris as possible prior to applying a protectant of some sort.

Here's a place to pursue this: Paint and Body Maintenance & Repair. And in case you haven't found it, there is a very active Zaino discussion that might also be of interest.

Good luck!

kendrid · November 2003

I polished and waxed it this past Saturday. After driving through the rain on Sunday it still looked clean.

Today's snow has been a different story, but it still looks pretty good.

I didn't buy a clay bar. I figure I will wait until spring and try a non-abrasive one.

maxpower02 · November 2003

I picked up my 03'EXV6 Sedan last December. Used Zaino products as soon as I got it home. The claybar will pick up any raildust or imperfections in the paint itself. After using Zaino for a 11 months, my Accord looks better than when I drove it out of the showroom.
Use the Zaino claybar with a lot of lubricant, with front to back, up and down motions. You will be surprised what is on your brand new paint.

berbel · November 2003

Differing opinions make the world go around but...
I'll stick with my original advice.

Claybars used by inexperienced detailers can cause
more problems than they solve and can actually be
abrasive to your clearcoat if not used properly.

Use a high sudsing auto wash like Meguiars Gold
and a high quality carnauba like P21S. After your
car has been exposed to the elements for six months
consider using clay but follow the application
instructions to the letter.

I'm not a professional detailer but I'm anal about
my car's condition and I READ A LOT.

good luck/berbel

berbel · November 2003

I'm not saying they (clay bars) don't work. I'm
simply saying that there's a time to use them and
a time NOT to use them.

berbel

torregata · November 2003

The dealers insist that the Navi system can not be added to an Accord which didn't originally come with it. Has anyone heard of someone adding the Honda Navigation system to their Accord? There were no cars in the area with both v6 and navi in an acceptable color at the time I bought mine and now I wish I would have just waited for a while.

hbund216 · November 2003

Has anybody installed a cold air intake on their 98-02 Accord. Which make? Notice any difference?

Thanks.

cazme · November 2003

The Navi is an integrated system. The navigator functions, XM radio, and CD changer, Climate control, temp control, etc ALL work through the same unit. My wife and I just bought a 2004EX V6 Nav and it is absolutely amazing. My wife didn't see the value of it in the brochures, but when we got the car home, she played with it for hours.Really a very nice option and well worth the money.I can relate to your colors dilemna , too. My wife wanted the car in Sage green, but the only ones available were Silver, Red, and Graphite. We went with the Graphite . I love the color and my wife is warming up to it too.

msf2 · November 2003

mikeysoft · November 2003

The same thing happened to me. She first felt it was a geek toy and not worth the money but now she loves it and tells everyone they should have one.

I also had the problem with the color. I wanted a 4 cylinder with manual transmission. The dealer said they had one coming in 2 to 3 weeks (it really took 6 weeks). When my wife tried to change the color the day after I ordered it, they said that is the only one coming in but we could cancel or wait until a different color came in but he said that would take a very long time. We did not cancel and glad we got the car. I was able to get it below carsdirect's price with no trade-in and not surprises and delivery.

It only had 1 mile on the odometer and 1.9 on the trip meters when I got it!!

bburton3 · November 2003

Assume this is to get more air into the engine-be aware of potential "hydro lock" issues if very small quantities of water get into the engine. Some Bimmer owners made changes in their intake systems and hydro lock destroyed their engines. IIRC it only takes a table spoon or so to wreck an engine. Being a pioneer has it's risks but on occasion rewards.

berbel · November 2003

Re the last sentence of post 12816....... .

Very well stated !

berbel

atlantabenny · November 2003

My bro-in-law put one in (not a Honda) and the car ran fine in city driving. Took it for a long trip via interstate one time and about 3 hours into the drive, engine began misfiring and finally stopped, irreparably damaged.

Apparently the car's computer didn't compensate enough for the new air/fuel ratio, which made the engine run "lean" (and presumably detonate poorly) all the time. Sustained highway speed compounded the faulty combustion condition, which eventually caused engine failure. Engine replacement was only solution.

You might want to bring this up with the store you're buying from, and get their inputs/warranties.

gee35coupe · November 2003

So the engine computer will have to "relearn" the engine parameters. I thought that was part of the install.

bribaby · November 2003

After having a 2003 EX-L standard shift for a little over a year I'm thinking of moving on.

The most annoying thing is the rattles, I've spent a lot of time in the last year getting rid of most of them although I still have one or two. In comparison my wife's year old Tribute has none.

The second most annoying thing is the very stiff ride with little or no payback in handling ability. The ride is about on par with the Tribute but I actually think The Mazda handles a bit better.

There are a lot of things to like about the car but these two things just ruin it for me and after driving it daily for a full year I don't think I'm jumping the gun with my decision.

aming · November 2003

Maybe it was suposed to be like the 7th gen accord and it was supposed to auto learn. (I've heard that the 7th Gen auto learns and changes accordingly. But it does take a bit longer to "Auto Learn" then if you were to pull the ECU fuse - which forces it to start it's changes right away).

cheers...

isellhondas · November 2003

Total waste of money and as others pointed out there can be nasty side effects.

Makes for a noisy engine too.

hydra2 · November 2003

Wife and I started looking for an ex v6 navi in desert mist near the end of september with the intention of pulling the trigger on one before the end of October so she could have a month or so before the slow fies here in Chicago to get used to driving it. Silver, Black and dark gray were the most common colors available. We saw lots of desert mists, but they were either v6 non navi or 4 bangers (rejected due to lack of traction control). We finally found one and drove it off the lot October 25th. As posted before, wife loves the navi and xm. She also loves the color and the matching weatherguard rubber mats (added later). Anyone else find that they had to hold out for desert mist v6 navi models? Will not buy another car without navi and xm radio.

justin · November 2003

in the DC area, when i was looking for desert mist, i had to search to find a V6 Desert Mist WITHOUT Navi. most common colors were the silver and gray.

46jimbo · November 2003

It's been 1 week since I took delivery of my Desert Mist 2004 Accord EX 4cyl 5spd manual. I must say that so far it's living up to all of my expectations.

I'd been driving a '99 Acura TL so this was actually a step down. I'm now retired and I couldn't afford to continue at the near luxury level, but believe me, I'm not suffering a bit with the Accord.

I had to wait about 1 month for delivery because 80% of the buyers opt for automatic. I must admit that my years with the automatic TL were rather boring, and I'm rediscovering the joys of manual stick-shift.

This 4 cylinder engine is very peppy, the car feels tighter and almost sporty. Hitting the gas in 2nd and feeling it surge up over 40 mph is great fun around town. The torque is down low where it's most useful. I had test-driven an Acura TSX and find this car almost as fun with the advantage of using regualar gas.

No rattles or squeaks. No pulling to one side. No grabby brakes. (I'm referring to frequently mentioned problems on this board).

Engine and road noise are really quite low... not as low as the TL, but look at the price difference. I have driven a Mazda6 and it's definitely much quieter in the cabin.

My advice... Go for it!

richards38 · November 2003

Drive your new Accord in good health. I bought the 4 cyl EX-L Accord and it's great--would like a manual trans but in San Francisco? I'd go nuts trying to start on hills!

With respect to the Mazda 6i, it should also be very sporty with a manual but the 4 cyl Mazda with the automatic was a BIG disappointment when I drove it. The Mazda 6i engine and 4 speed auto trans are not well matched--the Accord engine and 5 speed automatic are far better in my opinion.

I'm sure the Accord V6 is very quick and satisfying to drive but car shoppers should definitely test the 4 cyl Accord because it will surprise people who have preconceived ideas about slow and noisy 4s--the Accord 4 is very different and very quick, too.......Richard

beatlefred · November 2003

Hello to all readers. Well, I've had my '87 Accord DX (tan,4 dr auto) for over eight years and it has 208,000 miles on it.(I didnt put all those miles on it, I had found out shortly after I bought the car privately in '95 that the odometer was rolled back a substantial amount, and I wasnt aware of Carfax at that time to check the previous ownership history via the Vin #, "live & learn" as the saying goes).

I do like the 86-89 style Accords very much but I have noticed there arent as many of them out on the road as there used to be. Since I live in the NY city area, I take public transportation to Work and so I dont put alot of miles on my Honda. From September '95 to now, Ive only logged a little over 25K miles on it. Lately, Ive been having some problems with the carburator - the car has been idling rough and more seriously, it goes into fast idle mode and when that happens I have to pull the car over and turn it off otherwise I can hardly keep my foot on the brake to keep the car from moving forward- obviously not safe and certainly not good for the engine when its racing at 4000rpm. I did bring the car to a garage and also to another place to have the problem checked out and if there is anything that Ive learned its that most places really dont want to get too involved in trying to figure out carburator problems

After spending quite a bit of $$, the car runs a little better now (it doesnt go into the unstable fast idle mode but the idle still isnt smooth and it does rev a bit high at times- the one place I had taken it to said they found a crack in the plunger of the carb and replaced it.

Anyway...., I have been considering whether it might be time for me to get a new Accord. Since I dont put alot of miles on the car, I'd probably get the best value by buying an Accord of the '98-'02 generation but I am intrigued by the new style '03/'04's. Can anyone offer any advice/opinions on some questions I have?

- Does the 03/04 Accord offer any significant improvements over the 98-02 generation? I have read some things Online about brake and alignment problems on the new models that I'm concerned about. Does it look like the latest generation Accords are really built to last (like the 86-89's are) or are they already plagued with Service Bulletin problems early on, or is the quality such that they will be ok for a few years and then fall apart when they start to acquire some age?

- Are leather seats worth spending the extra $$ for to buy the EX model to get them?

-Are side airbags really worth it to spend the extra $$ for to get an LX over the DX? Worth it- meaning, they really do offer increased safety?

I was thinking I just might try and get a new Accord DX (4dr auto) where its likely the lower $ price will be appealing (though I'm sure the dealer would try and talk me into buying a fancier Accord). I am not sure what the latest situation is regarding auto-theft, but perhaps getting a DX would be better in that those damn thieves would not be as inclined to steal them as they would the more desireable EX models and the extra airbags they have- yes/no??

- Does anyone have any recommendations for which Honda dealer I should visit in the NY city/Long Island area? I would like to go to a place where there is NO high pressure sales, NO gimmicks- which means not getting suckered into paying any unnecessary dealer fees and so forth.

At first I was thinking that I would rather pay for the car in cash rather than the lease option. But then the thought came to mind - what if the car has some problems such as in the service bulletins- I'd then be puttng myself in a potentially bad situation whereby the dealer has all my money already that I gave them when I bought the car and I'm at their mercy to hope that they will tend to my car in a prompt manner and fix the problem(s) correctly. My credit score is over 800 and as I mentioned before, I would not be putting alot of miles onthe car (though I have heard it said that its not good for a car to sit too long either, and better for it to get some hiway driving, which I would do if I bought a new car) - so can anyone recommend a Honda dealer in my area that can go along with my expectations- expectations meaning, I want to pay the absolute lowest price- NO Unnessary fees! and I want any service bulletin issues to have been checked on my car beforehand and have it put in writing that if any problems develop and the dealer cannot fix them promptly and correctly, that I can give the car back to them and be rid of it without penalty in any way, shape and form as secretly hidden in any fine print. In other words, I'd like to buy and own the car but pay for it monthly as in lease form so that I can have the security to make sure the dealer stands behind their product. If everything is ok for the first 36 months, I would then feel assured that the car is 100% and I'd pay the balance in full. And with my over 800 credit score, I prefer to pay as close to 0% interest charges on the montly payment as possible. Am I expecting too much or can any dealer in the NY area go along with it?

beatlefred · November 2003

I also wanted to ask: is the paint finish quality on the new 03/04's better than the '98-'02's? It seems like it doesnt take much for some pebbles and so forth to scratch-up the bumper and other areas on the 98-02's.

atlantabenny · November 2003

Re the financing with car return option, it's too much to expect in light of a rigid business practice that separates payment obligations from ownership experience. Because there are lemon laws, manufacturer's warranties, BBB, etc., a simple car-return provision doesn't exist - even in leases, I believe.

For a low-use/long-ownership vehicle, a current Accord is a good choice imo. It's a fundamentally sound vehicle whose inital defects shouldn't worsen over time. Also, it'll likely be 5 or more years before it becomes a high-theft risk, since car theft mostly feeds replacement parts for old vehicles.

While getting a pre-owned 2003 might seem like a wise option, today's low APR (e.g., 1.9% for 36 mos) for new Accords mostly negates that. Used car APRs are at least 3% points higher, and over 3 years this amounts to approximately $1,500 in interest savings - virtually deleting the advantage of a pre-owned's depreciated price.

I'd get the LX over the DX; for the price premium, one enjoys a properly installed HVAC system, remote entry, etc. and an easier resale if needed. And since I've owned a 98 vintage Accord, I can say that our 03 Accords (EX coupe and 4-dr) feel like a step up from a Civic.

communipaw · November 2003

--------------------------------------------------
I have a 2003 LX V6 which I've been driving since March. Standard sound is fine but not remarkable. Since day 1, however, I've had static on the FM band on local FM stations that were static-free in my 1993 Civic. After several visits dealer has declared it "normal"so that is a dead end.

Anyone else had the FM static/interference problem on 2003 Accords? Solved it? Anyone substituted an outside aerial for the antenna embedded in the rear window?

------------------------------
#12754 of 12906 AUDIO IN NEW ACCORD by bartalk2 Nov 18, 2003 (1:08 pm)
Owners of '03 and '04 Accords, how's the audio quality--radio and CD? Pretty standard car radio stuff or good quality audio? I have a Bose system in my Maxima which is great, and the audio in the new Acura TL is supposed to be the best in the business.

carguy58 · November 2003

If you like the 03 and 04 Accords you should go buy one. We only live once so you mine as well buy what you like but than again you live in New York so you have to take that factor into account. About the DX models of Accord's those aren't very exclusive so as the LX and EX trim levels so the DX trim might depreciate faster than the LX and EX trim model's. On a sidenote like I post on every other board it seems all cars lose 50% of their value in a 5 year period.

When you are thinking about which trim level to buy ask yourself do I really really need power windows/locks or even leather seats etc, etc. You should buy which trim level of Accord is actually useful for you. Sure the dealer will try to get you in a fancier model Accord but either they can make sale or they can't. Don't let the salesguy talk you into something you don't want.

The only con about buying a brand new Accord is where you live in my opinion.

Lastly, as far as the buying experience is concerned try to find a Honda dealer that is cloest to your house and see if you can make a good deal on a new Accord. If dealer number 1 can't make a good deal than go to another dealer that will.

Finally, If you have to the car in for warranty work you might want the dealer that you buy the car from to be close to your house.

Older Honda Accords

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