With 3000 miles on the Michelins, I too changed them out to the Turanza LS-V's for my V-6. Add me to the list of those who will report on the snow capabilities of this tire. We have had no snow to speak of yet in eastern OH so the reporting will have to wait a bit longer.
JUST FYI: The folks who manufacture VALVOLINE oil have informed me that they will be marketing a 5W-20 weight fully synthetic oil after the first of the year. I will continue to use Mobil 1 until Valvoline comes out with the specific weight desig- nated for the Accord. (By the way.....my HONDA dealer has been doing my oil changes with the Mobil 1 which I furnish.)
The stock Michelins on the EX 4CYLC Sedan is perfect for the snow.My wife went through 40 miles of it on her commute from work last Friday-not a problem.
what are you guys(owners of 2003/2004 Accord) using as a motor oil???....the manual and the oil filler cap say 5w-20....any good 5w-20's out there you would recommend??
I won't worry to much about the snow on my stock tires. Thanks billyperks and talon95 for you help. Wow, your wife must have been pretty impressed how her EX4cyl handled the snow. I had no idea that the gauges where always lit, especially during the day. I am sure I will come across other things that I am not used to being my first import, that's why I love this board. Thanks again
i know that manual says that the oil shouldn't be changed until 7500 or half that is you drive in severe conditions, but my Honda dealers says they DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY NEW ACCORD until 7500. period. i brought up that i fit severe driving (as does everyone in DC), he said DO NOT BRING CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE UNTIL 7500.
still confuses me as to why he things that the longer the original oil is left in, the better. my oil is fairly dirty looking now at 4900 miles...
Justin--Who's your dealer? I agree with you about the severe conditions--I'm on I270 and the beltway everyday. I'd like to switch to synth as soon as the wear-in period is complete. At this point I'm sticking with 3750 or thereabouts.
Thanks to everyone for your advice on the synth oil--the Valvoline product sounds good, but I'd trust the Mobil 1 as well. How much do your dealers charge to do the oil change if you provide the oil? And does that price include a filter and lube? Thanks.
i go to Leesburg Honda (i live off the toll road in loudoun county). i have asked a few different people there, including the actual service manager. i said flat out, "if i want to pay you to change it at 3750" why won't you? he said that if i tell him to, he has to, but he basically pleaded with me not to. he says they have found that the longer the break in oil is used, the longer the engines are seeming to last. based on his experiences with 98-02 V6 models.....
I do not know of any dealership that would turn away a money generating service opportunity. If your dealer actually refused your car then it seems something else is going on. I also do not think that you can simply look at oil and determine its effectiveness.
All oil darkens in its process of removing heat, lubricating, and cleaning. If you take a small amount between your fingers and feel particles then it is definitely time to change it. I have never changed the oil in my cars or truck (1991, 1998 Accords and 1998 Ford Ranger) before 7500 miles between services and have never had an issue. I now have a 2004 Accord EX V6 and will continue the same practice.
I had the same question. Go at 3750 or 7500. The dealer I went to said it should be done at 3750. Wish there was some consistency from the dealers about this. But all indications from Honda is that it is at 3750.
Here in the frozen North, my wife & I both use winter tires on OEM steel wheels. The difference in traction is huge. The double or triple sips plus the softer rubber compound account for this.I change them myself in my driveway. This keeps the aluminum nice. The 2 most popular winter tires are the Michelin Arctic Alpin and Bridgestone Blizzak. Anyone who has their wife driving to work early in the morning should definitely use winter tires. With respect to oil, I would follow what Honda recommends. I use ONLY Honda oil filters & good quality 5W-30 oil (presently Castrol GTX). I change myself, every 3000 miles (sometimes 4000 if mostly highway miles in summer). I'm about to do oil change #47. I have 157,000 miles on my Honda.
I bought my 04 EX-L in September and am already coming up on my first oil change. I currently have 6700 trouble-free miles. I do know that Honda says in the owners manual that you should NOT change the oil until the recommended interval. It was a little hard to wait that long with our first Accord because we normally changed it for the first time at 1500 miles and then again at 7500 miles. But I trust that Honda knows more than me when it comes to this.
I agree..just seems to be some confusion on changing it for the first time at 7500 no matter what..or go with whichever recommendation you fall in..normal or severe.
If during the break-in period (under 7500 for 4 cyl '04 Accord) if the car is low a quart, what kind of oil should be added to the break-in oil? Anything special other than whatever 5-20 oil is available at all gas stations (Shell, Exxon, Chevron, etc.)?.......Richard
Having just added the auto dimming rear view mirror to my 04 EXV6 accord. Which is working out to be a great addition. Im now curious if anyone has ideas of what can be done to the side view mirrors to reduce glare from cars/trucks driving behing you. Some high end cars come with auto dimming side mirrors..that may not be necessary. But does anyone know of a product to put on top of the glass or to replace it with? This isnt a problem with the accord..just that lights from alot of trucks annoy me. I guess my eyes are sensitive to the bright light. Ive adjusted the mirrors and has helped out a little.
Of course it's all a matter of preference, but if your mirrors are *properly* adjusted, you will NOT see the headlights of cars directly behind you in your side-view mirrors.
Yeah..true. Ive been playing around with those settings. Glare situation has improved but I always liked seeing the edge of my car in the mirror as a reference. Ill keep playing around with it. Appreciate your input.
I'd just add a 5-20 weight from a quality brand. The orig oil had a higher molybdenum content, probably to help with some problem with the design for breakin. Some oils used to contain higher molybdenum, but I haven't noticed any mentioning it on the containers for other cars.
I was checking the carpoint.msn.com. website to find something about the 04 Accord. The consumer ratings and reviews section gave the 04 Accord an almost 10. Wow, is this car really that great? Or one biased Accord lover posting over and over again.
Follow the "severe" schedule only if you drive in one or more of these conditions most of the time: Trips of less than 5 miles (less than 10 in freezing weather) Extremely hot weather (over 90 degrees F) Extensive idling or stop-and-go driving Trailer towing, driving with a car-top carrier, or driving in the mountains Muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads
Re supplying your own oil to dealer for oil changes.
My dealer charges me for the cost of the Honda oem filter and the actual time it takes to change the oil. This charge usually amounts to about $15.00 total. I think this is fair.
When I go check the long term test of the 2003 Accord on Edmunds, it connects me somewhere other than the test. Is this a minor error, or has the Accord been removed from the test fleet? Thank you!
Is there any reason why the Accord passenger heated seat does not heat the back portion? (I think all Hondas and Acuras are like this) I know that it's related to a side airbag sensor issue, but few other manufacturers seem to have this problem.
It's minor, but instead of advertising it as heated front seats, Honda should say 1.5 heated seats instead.
The passenger seat back is used to monitor when the passenger is sitting correctly for the side impact air back. If the passenger is not sitting correctly, a light on the dashboard will indicate that the side airbag will not deploy when needed. It's in the manual.
Justin I think they only update long term tests every three months now. That kind of feedback should be directed to the editors -- use the Help link at the top (or very bottom) of this page.
Edit: Hmm, the blue Help tab that used to be at the top of the page seems to have run away -- just use the link at the very bottom of the page for now.
The engine gave a burnt smell after I recently changed the engine oil in jeffy lube. They used 5w-20 penzoil (not synthetic). Everytime i stop at a traffic light, the smell becomes stronger. and I can smell it when I get out of the car. I talked to the jeffy lube manager of the problem. They redid the service to make sure there is no leakage. Things has not improved, instead, it became more severe. The smell resides in the vehicle. When I opened door in the morning, the smell make be feel nausiated...
Have driven new car about a week and am highly impressed. Previous two rides were 2000 Infiniti I-30 and 2002 Infiniti I-35. The navi system is awesome along with the voice recognition. The manual does allude to a "PC card slot for expanding functions in the future". Neither my dealer nor Honda customer service could answer my question as to what types of functions these may be. Does anyone have any ideas? Just curious.
I also have the Navi. The key word is "future". I think it is there so they can add someting in the future when they think of it but don't have a use for it now. They may be using it to connect diagnosis to the system but I don't know that for a fact.
If I let my imagination run, I can see a digital radio connected to overlay traffic and weather on the road display. But that is just my vision. Maybe some day far far into the future.
. If your oil and heat dash readings are okay in all probability used oil spilled onto the exhaust system or catalytic converter. It will eventually burn off. If you are concerned take it back to Jiffy Lube and let them check for oil spillage. Some could be on the frame which if not found could be dripping onto the exhaust system. If you use the quick change oil centers always tell them before hand to watch oil spillage.
the smell seems to come out under the hood, when I get out to take a look. sometimes, it could become quite strong while driving at 30m/p and makes me nauseated...
Could it be a leakage in other areas of the engine?
If you have less than 36,000 miles on your car you are covered under warranty, so go to the dealer and have them look your car over. You may have a leak somewhere else that just happened to coincide with your jiffy lube trip. If they spilled a little oil it should have burned off within a 20 mile drive or so. Since you took your car back to them for the smell, I'm sure they wiped down the area again, so I doubt that is your problem. You could have a plastic bag melting on your exhaust or an oil leak. Regardless have someone check it out before it gets any worse and costs you some repair money.
Has anyone notice any type of defect in the paint finish of these vehicles. We picked up our vehicle a few days ago and noticed a small bump or it appears to be something is caught under the paint or clear coat when the vehicle was being painted at the factory. Its not extremely noticeable, but I noticed it. It's about the size of 1/16" or about the size of a finishing nail head. Any input would be great.
>Any thoughts on how well the EX V6's audio system?
I have a 2004 EX V6 with Nav and XM. I love my car as well as the audio system. The sound is crisp and can go quite loud. At any reasonable listening volume it sounds very good. Great bass as well as high frequency response. There were times when I thought I heard something outside of the vehicle but it was actually on the radio.
This is a "dirty secret" of Honda. It happened with the '03 as well.
Bascially, they have defective paint "shoots" at the factory. They ship the cars out anyway.
(This is the "dirty secret" about their American facotry in Ohio - poor quality control. Cars from Japan do not show these problems.)
This can affect the hood, body panels, etc.
If you buy an Accord, and see the issue, and complain, they offer to repaint. However, everyone knows it's not as good as the original factory bake. Very poor solution when you are paying a premuim for a car.
If I were you, immediately go to dealer and demand a new replacement vehicle. They should have caught in on the inspection. Offering to repaint is not a good solution.
I have a Ohio built Accord and in Satin Silver Mettalic and have not found any paint problems except overspray underneath the car onto the gas tank.
You Said "Very poor solution when you are paying a premuim for a car."
What premium? Over and above MSRP? Extra $ to repaint?
You also said "If I were you, immediately go to dealer and demand a new replacement vehicle."
He should get a new car on the basis that there is a finishing nail head size bubble in the paint?
You said "They should have caught in on the inspection."
Doesn't the buyer also have a duty to inspect/test drive/examine his car before taking final delivery? If he didn't inspect the vehicle he was spending $22K+ on, isn't that negligent? During my final delivery I noticed that I had a door panel misaligned and a crack on the plastic shield in front of the speedometer. I refused to sign the finance paperwork until the fixes were made.
I agree that the car should not have paint problems and that repaint is not a good fix, but a whole new car is absurd.
I am a extremly picky person due to the field that I am in. The vehicle was picked up at around 8pm, so I did not see every single detail. I had the vehicle for only two days and that is all I have noticed so far. The salesmen did follow-up today just to ensure that everything went well, I have not yet returned his call. I want to first look over the vehicle much closer during the daylight and make notes of anything I noticed that needs their attention. Returning the vehicle is way overboard, NO VEHICLE IS PERFECT. We took delievery of our RX300 in 2000, (it was a lease) and the guys that prepared the vehicle caused a scratch on the truck/hatch door. They tried to buff it off, but never really came off. If thats all we see as a defect, the vehicle is worth keeping.
In my case, Honda set a very high bar with the 3 defect-free (cosmetic and mechanical) vehicles we purchased and leased since 1997.
Our two 03 Accords, after a year's ownership, have had still-unfixed (after 2 dealer attempts) brake problems, dash creaks and other interior noises.
Do we still enjoy the cars ? Yes. But the scorecard is clearly showing a quality decline. The next carmaker offering a well conceived, no-defect car as Honda did back in the 90s will get serious consideration.
The front bumper on my satin silver '03 Accord was recently repainted due to peeling paint in a couple places. A chip started out the size of a pencil eraser and continued to bubble and peel until it was larger than a quarter. I had the dealer's service manager look at it when I was in for service and he took pictures and sent them to a Honda rep for authorization to repaint. It was fixed without any hassle.
If the paint issue were the only problem I had, I would be happy. But this car is not built nearly as well as the 1989 Accord it replaced. My '89 had ZERO rattles until it was broken into at 170k miles. The new one started a couple weeks after I got it. The weatherstripping rattles. The radio makes a 'popping' noise. There are numerous noises heard when going over even minor bumps in the pavement--dashboard, A-pillar trim, glove box, radio, and the sunroof (which was looked at by 3 dealers and never fixed). The brakes are under-designed and there is a bad vibration at idle. Quality control has definitely taken a turn for the worse at Honda.
How fast are you guys going? I thought I chugged right along in the 90-100 mph range whenever I can and I have no problem with my brakes or the horrible MXV4's. I have them on 3 of my cars and I don't see what the problem people have with those tires.
This is our 2nd perfect EX-L of this Accord. I just don't see the underdesigned brakes or terrible tire syndrome.
By the way....XM rocks....In case I haven't said it in a while.
Not that we haven't had a Honda with a bad paintjob. But they worked with us and helped us into a better situation. Heck people thay build a LOT of these cars. Like I said before, I bet HUMAN BEINGS aren't created with the low defect ratio of these things. Would you return you new baby for a couple skin blemishes? It's sure gonna cost you more then $22k.
Anyone know what the MSRP for 98, 99 EX V6 MSRP are? We are trying to determine if we should lease an 04 EX V6 for 3 years (the residual from Honda Financial is 58%) or buy the car and keep it for 5 years. In our area (Northern California), both 98 and 99 EX V6 are advertised for $11K to $12k (can a car suffer no depreciation for a whole year or people just crazy about accord? lol). I am trying to see if I can get a guage on what kind of depreciation those 2 car model suffer and hopefully can project what we can sell the car for in 2008 or so if we choose to buy it instead.
Comments
to the list of those who will report on the snow
capabilities of this tire. We have had no snow to
speak of yet in eastern OH so the reporting will
have to wait a bit longer.
JUST FYI: The folks who manufacture VALVOLINE oil
have informed me that they will be marketing a
5W-20 weight fully synthetic oil after the first
of the year. I will continue to use Mobil 1 until
Valvoline comes out with the specific weight desig-
nated for the Accord. (By the way.....my HONDA
dealer has been doing my oil changes with the Mobil
1 which I furnish.)
berbel
I am talking about a foot of snow.
Chevron/Havoline 5W20
Pennzoil 5W20
Castrol GTX 5W20
Motorcraft 5W20
If Synthetic try
Mobil 1 0W20
still confuses me as to why he things that the longer the original oil is left in, the better. my oil is fairly dirty looking now at 4900 miles...
Thanks to everyone for your advice on the synth oil--the Valvoline product sounds good, but I'd trust the Mobil 1 as well. How much do your dealers charge to do the oil change if you provide the oil? And does that price include a filter and lube? Thanks.
Barry S.
I do not know of any dealership that would turn away a money generating service opportunity. If your dealer actually refused your car then it seems something else is going on. I also do not think that you can simply look at oil and determine its effectiveness.
All oil darkens in its process of removing heat, lubricating, and cleaning. If you take a small amount between your fingers and feel particles then it is definitely time to change it. I have never changed the oil in my cars or truck (1991, 1998 Accords and 1998 Ford Ranger) before 7500 miles between services and have never had an issue. I now have a 2004 Accord EX V6 and will continue the same practice.
The orig oil had a higher molybdenum content, probably to help with some problem with the design for breakin. Some oils used to contain higher molybdenum, but I haven't noticed any mentioning it on the containers for other cars.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Even the people here that have had mild initial problems (squeaks, whatnot) will usually say it's a great car, and the best you can get for the money.
Follow the "severe" schedule only if you drive in one or more of these conditions most of the time:
Trips of less than 5 miles (less than 10 in freezing weather)
Extremely hot weather (over 90 degrees F)
Extensive idling or stop-and-go driving
Trailer towing, driving with a car-top carrier, or driving in the mountains
Muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads
My dealer charges me for the cost of the Honda oem
filter and the actual time it takes to change the
oil. This charge usually amounts to about $15.00
total. I think this is fair.
berbel
It's minor, but instead of advertising it as heated front seats, Honda should say 1.5 heated seats instead.
Justin I think they only update long term tests every three months now. That kind of feedback should be directed to the editors -- use the Help link at the top (or very bottom) of this page.
Edit: Hmm, the blue Help tab that used to be at the top of the page seems to have run away -- just use the link at the very bottom of the page for now.
The engine gave a burnt smell after I recently changed the engine oil in jeffy lube. They used 5w-20 penzoil (not synthetic). Everytime i stop at a traffic light, the smell becomes stronger. and I can smell it when I get out of the car. I talked to the jeffy lube manager of the problem. They redid the service to make sure there is no leakage. Things has not improved, instead, it became more severe. The smell resides in the vehicle. When I opened door in the morning, the smell make be feel nausiated...
Any hints shall be appreciated.
altheaU
If I let my imagination run, I can see a digital radio connected to overlay traffic and weather on the road display. But that is just my vision. Maybe some day far far into the future.
How long is "eventually" to your opinion?
the smell seems to come out under the hood, when I get out to take a look. sometimes, it could become quite strong while driving at 30m/p and makes me nauseated...
Could it be a leakage in other areas of the engine?
Thanks,altheaU
>Any thoughts on how well the EX V6's audio system?
I have a 2004 EX V6 with Nav and XM. I love my car as well as the audio system. The sound is crisp and can go quite loud. At any reasonable listening volume it sounds very good. Great bass as well as high frequency response. There were times when I thought I heard something outside of the vehicle but it was actually on the radio.
Vopc1
It happened with the '03 as well.
Bascially, they have defective paint "shoots" at the factory. They ship the cars out anyway.
(This is the "dirty secret" about their American facotry in Ohio - poor quality control. Cars from Japan do not show these problems.)
This can affect the hood, body panels, etc.
If you buy an Accord, and see the issue, and complain, they offer to repaint. However, everyone knows it's not as good as the original factory bake. Very poor solution when you are paying a premuim for a car.
If I were you, immediately go to dealer and demand a new replacement vehicle. They should have caught in on the inspection. Offering to repaint is not a good solution.
You Said
"Very poor solution when you are paying a premuim for a car."
What premium? Over and above MSRP? Extra $ to repaint?
You also said
"If I were you, immediately go to dealer and demand a new replacement vehicle."
He should get a new car on the basis that there is a finishing nail head size bubble in the paint?
You said
"They should have caught in on the inspection."
Doesn't the buyer also have a duty to inspect/test drive/examine his car before taking final delivery? If he didn't inspect the vehicle he was spending $22K+ on, isn't that negligent? During my final delivery I noticed that I had a door panel misaligned and a crack on the plastic shield in front of the speedometer. I refused to sign the finance paperwork until the fixes were made.
I agree that the car should not have paint problems and that repaint is not a good fix, but a whole new car is absurd.
I am a extremly picky person due to the field that I am in. The vehicle was picked up at around 8pm, so I did not see every single detail. I had the vehicle for only two days and that is all I have noticed so far. The salesmen did follow-up today just to ensure that everything went well, I have not yet returned his call. I want to first look over the vehicle much closer during the daylight and make notes of anything I noticed that needs their attention. Returning the vehicle is way overboard, NO VEHICLE IS PERFECT. We took delievery of our RX300 in 2000, (it was a lease) and the guys that prepared the vehicle caused a scratch on the truck/hatch door. They tried to buff it off, but never really came off. If thats all we see as a defect, the vehicle is worth keeping.
Our two 03 Accords, after a year's ownership, have had still-unfixed (after 2 dealer attempts) brake problems, dash creaks and other interior noises.
Do we still enjoy the cars ? Yes. But the scorecard is clearly showing a quality decline. The next carmaker offering a well conceived, no-defect car as Honda did back in the 90s will get serious consideration.
If the paint issue were the only problem I had, I would be happy. But this car is not built nearly as well as the 1989 Accord it replaced. My '89 had ZERO rattles until it was broken into at 170k miles. The new one started a couple weeks after I got it. The weatherstripping rattles. The radio makes a 'popping' noise. There are numerous noises heard when going over even minor bumps in the pavement--dashboard, A-pillar trim, glove box, radio, and the sunroof (which was looked at by 3 dealers and never fixed). The brakes are under-designed and there is a bad vibration at idle. Quality control has definitely taken a turn for the worse at Honda.
This is our 2nd perfect EX-L of this Accord. I just don't see the underdesigned brakes or terrible tire syndrome.
By the way....XM rocks....In case I haven't said it in a while.
Not that we haven't had a Honda with a bad paintjob. But they worked with us and helped us into a better situation. Heck people thay build a LOT of these cars. Like I said before, I bet HUMAN BEINGS aren't created with the low defect ratio of these things. Would you return you new baby for a couple skin blemishes? It's sure gonna cost you more then $22k.