Older Honda Accords

paulo3 · August 2001

Why is it when Honda comes out with a new model, there is always a shortage. Dealer then charges accordingly --likely a couple of hundred dollars less than sticker.

Honda seems to use supply and demand as an excuse because six months later, their lots are filled with the once scarce model. What is their reasoning behind all of this? It just makes customers that bought the model early mad!

kalabaw222 · August 2001

Hi all,
I am extremely enjoying the 99 EX-L 5-speed that I purchased last week. I would like to know what car wax people have found to work the best with their car, especially on dark paint(Emerald or black). Also, what about conditioner for your leather seats? Any info would be appreciated....

scorpio007 · August 2001

Hello all ......

Around June I was considering purchasing an Accord 5 speed EX 4 c/w leather.

As I was price shopping, EVERYONE within this group was MOST helpful.. especially "Canadiancl".

The price I was quoted was $24,909.78 Canadian plus freight (around $800.00)/ taxe(s).

I was advised by all it was an EXCELLENT price.
Agreed it was.

June 22..... drove away in a brand new Black Accord Sedan with "Gold Package" for an "Out The Door / On The Road" price of $29,850.00

Once again, thank you for ALL the advice !

Here are a few observations... @ 2,700 KM's:

- Great ride

- Good gas mileage (average 32 MPG combined city/Hwy)

- Good handling

- Good workmanship

- Road noise ....... better than most

- No noticeable Sun Roof squeaks yet

- Minor thump upon shut-off

- minor rattling from the rear left seat

- average power (yes even though it's a manual)

- sluggish performance from 1st to 2nd / rear gear (am trying mid-grade gas and have noticed some improvement)..... what is the brand recommended within this group?

- AC adds a HEAVY load on the 2.3 (as expected for a 4 cyl ....)

- Average AC performance etc..

Am thinking some of the performance issues may solve on their own as this is still the break-in phase.

Any similar stories?

Comments are more than welcome.

Over-all .... pleased !!

Robert.
P.S. Very hard to wash and maintain this Black Beauty (Dry spots.... spots, spots, etc)..... any suggestions?

bobcatbob · August 2001

Well, whatever you want to argue about, then by all means shout to the rooftops. I was jsut reading the press release and repeated it here. I think you can get the Accord up to almost 30K is you wanted to as well, either way ti is a moot argument.

bimmer4me · August 2001

I don't have leather in my Accord, but I use Lexol on my Pathfinder . The leather aborbs it easely and according to others who have leather in other Edmund forums, recommend this brand. I'm sure there are other brands...but this is the one I'm happy with.

20llbean · August 2001

This is general inquire into what is a good brand for this tire size. My 95 V6 accord will need tire replacement soon. I have gotten 42K out of the Bridgestone Potenza's currently on the car and have been generally satisfied with them as they are a good price substitute for the original equipment Michelin's. I brought the car used and got only 27K out of the Michelin's as the previous owner probably didn't care to rotate the tires. What else is out there that is good? Thanks.

dmacl · August 2001

Just purchased the 2001 Accord EX - VL in the dark green. Very nice so far...

One SMALL complaint...

The 6 CD player doesn't "random" the tracks between CD's only on the current CD. And when you advance it from one CD to the next, it loses the fact that random is set.

Am I being too anal about this or have others felt this way...?

ral2167 · August 2001

go to best buy-- get a cd writer/recorder for your computer (I can recommend one)-- then record favorite tunes by different artists onto each cd-- and wala-- you can do random and not the same artist is being played twice in a row usually

har1bush · August 2001

yeah, but I guess you won't be able to complain about all that if you didn't have the CD changer at all (like most competitors).

godeacs · August 2001

Looked at several new Accords tonight and really like the EX V-6. 2002 MSRP is $25,740 and can get for $25,250. Only $490 under MSRP but it's a "no haggle" dealer and the shopping experience is very pleasant, dealer is close to home and service dept has a good rep - seems like the total package. The remaining 2001 they had is only $750 cheaper so figure with depreciation factor it's worth going for the 2002. Can't see any changes in the new model to speak of.....any input would be appreciated.....FWIW, I've been driving a Volvo for almost 19 yrs!

ral2167 · August 2001

if the 2001 accord is only $1250 under MSRP, i say that no haggle dealer is raking in the big bucks-- if you want the 2002, great--but don't get it just because the 2001 is "only" $750 cheaper-- that's only because they've priced the 2001 too high. the 2002 is probably priced too high, too, but then again, if you want the first new toy on the block, i reckon you'll be paying more than you would be in a few months. am i nuts?

har1bush · August 2001

If you are getting a '02 Accord for over 25K, I don't care how great the dealer is because they better be damn great if they make about 3 grand on an Accord! Do yourself and others a favor and either go for a '01 Maxima GLE loaded for less than that or deal for a '01 Accord EX V6 for about 22.5K

jrct9454 · August 2001

That price is absurdly too high, for either the '01 or '02. Where do you live? Try accessing CarsDirect.com, put in your zip code, and see what you get. Then, since I think you live in Texas, try an Oklahoma zip code...there is a dealer in OK [which name escapes me at the moment] who discounts Hondas heavily and sells a lot to TX residents. Do an online search for Honda dealers within a 500 mile radius. Do something, because that price is too high by $1500.

godeacs · August 2001

Appreciate the input, guys! Yes, I know I'd pay more at this dealer but there are other factors I have to consider. Not strictly about $$$$ like so many on the internet seem to think. Also have a trade-in that complicates the issue so any internet dealing is not a consideration. Will check out 2 other Honda dealers in the area to see how low they will go. If all else fails, I'll reconsider my 1st 3 choices: 2001 Audi A4, 2001 Saab 9-5 or 2001 Volvo S60. Only considered Honda because I can save some $$S and get reliable transportation (no "sport" factor like the above 3).

Time to go shopping!

black01coupev6 · August 2001

bobcatbob...An Accord EX V6 (climate control, side air bags, power seats, leather, 6-disc in-dash changer, traction control, moonroof, steering wheel mounted audio controls, etc) tops out at an MSRP of $25,500-$25-700 depending on whether it's a 2001 or 2002 model. Kinda far from the $30,000 that you seem to think the Accord tops out at.

scorpio: I had a 99 EX 5-speed and found the 2.3 to be more than adequate even with the AC on and 4 adults in the car. Maybe, as you said, the engine will make more power as it breaks in.

godeacs · August 2001

you're right...MSRP on the 2001 EX V6 is $25,540 (with dest chg) and the 2002 is $25,740 - only $200 difference!

Well, my "no haggle" dealer who was charging high prices on the 2001 and 2002 just came back with the lowest of "lowballs" on my trade-in!! After going on about what great shape it was in, how nice it looked, etc....btw, a dealer maintained '97 S90 Volvo...$11,000!!! Have already beeen offered $14.5K by an Audi dealer and $14K by Saab. Hell, even Car Max offered $13K a month ago...

Went to the other 2 local Honda dealers and verified how high their prices were. One offered a 2001 EX V6 for around $23,000 (probably can get them to go a bit lower) + tax/license. Hopefully, their trade-in offer will be better!

bolivar · August 2001

...I thought you said 'it isn't all about the money'????

Guess when you found how your 'no haggle' Honda dealer was going gouge you, both on the new car and your trade-in, money started to matter more.

Local dealer advertizes 2002 EX V6 Honda Sedan at $23,554 including destination. Same thing in a 2001 was $23,123 (he doesn't have any of these). He's got good prices, but I'm still hacked they have an apparent invoice increase of $431 for the exact same car as 2001.

This is northern Oklahoma. If anyone is interested, I'll post the web site and a salesman name.

marshal1 · August 2001

I was quoted $650 over invoice on both a 2002 Accord SE and EX coupe. The car is for my aunt and she will only buy a black one. Of course, the dealer doesn't have one in stock so this price is for a 4-6 week order. Does this sound like a good deal?

ral2167 · August 2001

tell aunt to get the naples gold color-- she gets a black one she'll be washing it every other day and she's too old for that..naples gold you don't wash--

people and their black cars-- they're nuts.

brightonsq · August 2001

I saw the new green "Noble Green Pearl" on the 02 Accord EX V-6 today at a San Jose dealer. Looked very nice. It is a little lighter than the Emerald Green and looks like it is a little more on the teal side of green.

godeacs · August 2001

..yeah, I learned a valuable lesson! Wouldn't necessarily go for the lowest price but that was a significant chunk of change! What teed me off was the ridiculous trade in offer...and I let them know it. Could tell the salesman was rather embarrassed to even pass on the figure from his boss! Wondering what the other dealer will offer for my trade in if he wants to sell the Accord for the $23K he mentioned. Am prepared for the worse - salesman told me tonight that I "probably wouldn't like their offer"...uh, oh!

Np problemo! Gonna see my Audi guy Mon to see what we can work on the A4 1.8T....he offered $14.5K a month ago but admitted it was a tad high at the time but he would stand by the figure - I should have jumped on it!...oh well.....

marshal1 · August 2001

I agree with you that black is the worst color to upkeep. In fact, Aunties 1989 Accord with 200K is black and the paint is faded, worn and peeling. The car still runs great though. Anyway, even with the experience of having the black paint on the 1989 go bad, she still refuses to get a different color. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

s852 · August 2001

I test drove a 2001 EXV6 coupe tonight. It was surprisingly refined for such an old design. It must have really been nice by 1998 standards when it first came out. It drove better than a 2001 Lexus ES300.
I think it looks much better than the sedan both front and rear. Even though the front looks "similar" to the sedan, there IS a difference in the grill/front bumper and the coupe looks better.
I noticed the passenger seat is manual on the coupe and power on the sedan. I also noticed that the coupe has titanium interior trim and the sedan has woodgrain. I didn't really care for the titanium look, but if you get the silver exterior paint, it matches somewhat and does not look too bad.
The coupe has a lower roof line that looks sexier than the sedan, but it means I could not raise the power drivers seat all the way up without my head touching the ceiling. The rear seats are also set lower to the floor than the sedan to allow for adequate rear head room, but it was liveable for 6-footers if you are not going to be back there for hours on end.
I am a little more interested in the CL and TL, but I would get the Accord before I would get a TL without navigation.
One advantage the Accord has over the TL or CL, besides price, is the fact that is is MUCH easier to upgrade the speakers and add an aftermarket amplifier for the Honda than dealing with trying to improve the sound quality of the proprietary Bose systems in the Acuras.
I went to a Toyota dealer and glanced at a 2002 Camry SE V6 with navigation. It was $35,500 because the dealer had added a $5000 set of chrome wheels to the car. Even without the wheels, it would have been $30,500 with navigation, moonroof and leather and that does not even include automatic climate control!
I am going to wait another 3 or 4 weeks to see the new 2002 Altima, then decide.
I am aware that in 13 months the totally-new and more powerful 2003 Accord with be here, but I may consider a 2 year lease on a 2002 EXV6, then look at the the new Accord, Altima and Camry again when the dust settles and all of those would be out for 1-2 years and probably selling for around invoice by then.

s852 · August 2001

I went to the Honda web site and noticed that they do not list fog lights as available as an accessory for the coupe, only sedans.
Have fog lights been discontinued for coupes?

kiboko · August 2001

I was just looking for input on a reasonable price for the 2002 Accord LX 4-cylinder automatic. Edmunds does not currently list a TMV. What is a fair price for this vehicle?

scorpio007 · August 2001

Did you experience "growing pains" with your 99
5 speed 2.3? I know you mentioned NOT having power shortage, but, any other quirks?

Would you say the "Break-In" period was a little longer than usual?

What grade of gasoline have you had most succes with?

By the way ...... any advice on washing this "Black Beauty" ?? Best way to get rid of water stains?
I make a habit of hand drying after the wash, however, the last wash produced VERY bad results.... didn't do anything different.
Believe it or not, have been advised to use "DIAPERS" to avoid scratches, but have noticed they do NOT help with drying !

R.

black01coupev6 · August 2001

scorpio: I had my 99 EX sedan (heather mist over ivory interior) for almost 2 years and 38,000 miles. In that time frame it gave me ZERO problems. Not one creak, groan, hesitation, or quirk. The original Michelin MXV4's had plenty of tread left on them (rotated and balanced them every 5,000 miles)and the brakes were still holding up well. It always started and the engine was always ready and willing to go right up to the rev limiter.

As far as the break-in period. I took it very easy for the first 1,000 miles and to me the engine just seemed to get smoother with age. At 30,000 miles I gave it the 30,000 mile service and some Bosch Platinum +4 plugs. The spark plugs seemed to make the engine even smoother. But since 2000 and up Accords have 100,000 mile tune-up intervals I'm not sure if you want to replace the plugs before then.

95% of the time I used Plus (91 octane I think) gas. I didn't notice a difference though if I used Regular octane.

Although the sedan was gold..I traded it for a Black 01 Coupe. I bought the Coupe in October of 2000 and had it waxed after about 3 months. Believe it or not I didn't do anything special with the paint and didn't experience any swirl marks or scratches as a result of washes. My advice would be to just be careful with what you use to dry it with. I used regular towels but I made sure that they were clean and I would get it waxed by a reputable place about every 6 months or so.

bolivar · August 2001

My nephew is a pretty smart cookie. He makes a ton of money trading electricity.

And he bought an Audi A4. If he thinks it's a good car, it's probably a good car. And if they are giving a better trade-in amount....

I live in a small town and want to buy locally, which limits me a lot. No Acura, Audi, Nissan in town and don't want to drive an hour for service/warranty work.

mmorosky · August 2001

I was quoted $21,200 on a 2001 EX-L, which is invoice (MSRP is $23,790). The same place quoted me $22,250 on a 2002 EX-L, which is $700 over invoice. Which is the better deal? I also have not seen any noticeable difference from the 2001 to 2002 model year. I plan to keep the car for 4 years, and get another new one. I put close to 20k miles a year on the car. Any suggestions?

twistinmelon · August 2001

I'm considering replacing my 92 LX Coupe 5-speed with a 4 door LX 5-speed around April of next year. In doing some early checking, I found these prices for a 2002 LX 4dr 5sp:

Invoice: $17,005.20
MSRP: $18,890
plus $440 destination/handling

source: www.collegehillshonda.com

I note that this reflects an increase of nearly $300 in the invoice price over 2001, but only $100 in the MSRP.

I wonder if maybe isell or some of you other folks have some ideas as to why there is this disparity. Is Honda building a larger cushion for incentives into the invoice price? If I can't get a good deal next Spring, I may have to move down to a Protege or Civic (either of which is a nice backup plan to be sure, but I've had such a good experience w/ my Accord I have to consider it my first choice).

Oh, and if you're in the mood, anybody care to give a guess as to a trade-in value for my 92 LX 5spd Coupe? Minor body damage, small perforated rust at the usual Honda location (front edge of rear wheel well), runs perfectly, 64,000 miles. Only options are mats and flaps. Chicago area.

Thanks!

twist

mmorosky · August 2001

I was quoted $21,200 on a 2001 EX-L, which is invoice (MSRP is $23,790). The same place quoted me $22,250 on a 2002 EX-L, which is $700 over invoice. Which is the better deal? I also have not seen any noticeable difference from the 2001 to 2002 model year. I plan to keep the car for 4 years, and get another new one. I put close to 20k miles a year on the car. Any suggestions?

bryhogan · August 2001

I have a 2001 Accord and am getting a slight "scratching" noise that's coming from the drivers door where it meets the roof/headliner. The dealer refers to this as a chaffing sound which eminates from the door seal and considers it normal. (I hear the noise when going over bumps or when the wind gusts.) Thus, they aren't doing anything about it.

Is this truly normal or can something be done about it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ral2167 · August 2001

i'd go with the 2002 if only for resale value-- since hte prices aren't that far apart

hbund216 · August 2001

Never use diapers to dry a car. Diapers are very smooth and will cause tiny particles (dirt) to get trapped between the diaper and paint and will scratch your paint. Use 100% terry cloth towels. The nap on terry cloths allows the tiny particles to be trapped within the nap. Make sure to remove the labels off the towels since they may scratch the paint. Black is a hard color to take care of. You might try using a good wax and wiping down the car quickly when you wash it.

corsica · August 2001

Hi,
I'm (FL) in the market for the 2001 Accord
LX automatic(V4). The weird thing is that after the 2002 models arrived, some dealers
here are upping the price on the 2001s, are they crazy or what?

Anyways, what is a good rock bottom deal?
I had seen ads in the paper for about $17K
for the LX model. I guess I don't know what
strategy to employ to get that price at this
time.

Let me know what a good bargain is for this
car!
BTW, how long will the 2001s be in the market
now that the 2002s arrived? I'm interested
in brand new ones, only.

raybear · August 2001

$17K would be a real good price. Good luck getting to the car first.

maxamillion1 · August 2001

My mother just put her 92 Honda Accord DX in the shop, being the great Honda Dealership they are, Dick Brooks in Greer South Carolina gave her a 2002 Accord SE to drive around for the next two days. I must say, the SE is nothing more than a down-graded EX model. It has the alloy wheels, AM/FM/Cass/CD, wood trim, height adjustable driver's seat and a sunroof. The color is Satin Silver. The alloy wheels are ugly, I don't like them at all, but it is a nice car, and certainly better than the current Camry(IMO.) The shifts in the new Accord are light years ahead of the 1992 we have.

vinney · August 2001

I have a 2000 model accord lx and have never experienced this but if the dealer told you it was related to the door seal then I would buy a tube of shin itsu silicone grease used for all types of rubber seals to protect and prolong the life of the seals. This is sold only at the Honda dealer.Do you know if it's the actual door causing this or the window inside the channel? I would apply this silicone grease to all door seals including the trunk and some under the hood. good luck

jrct9454 · August 2001

Vinney beat me to it, but yes, a silicone lubricant will do the job. You can also use any of the widely available silicone sprays [easily avail from any auto supply place]; spray some on a paper towel, then go over all of the rubber on the doors with it. This fixed a similar problem in our Mercedes C220, and has worked on other cars at other times.

gagirl · August 2001

Maxamillion indicated that the wheels on the 02 SE were ugly. Does anyone know if the wheels on the 02 EX are the same as the 01?

sobers · August 2001

topgun7 · August 2001

Does anyone know where can I find the invoice price for 2002? I tried kbb (has the retail price but N/A on invoice), msn carpoint and vehix and none of them seem to have the number. thanks.

fxashun · August 2001

17 inch that fit five lug V6 Accords. With tires for $600. E-mail me for pics. They look great on Black V6 coupes.

mmorosky · August 2001

All MSRP & Invoice can be found at www.collegehillshonda.com

jarednoah · August 2001

Has anyone installed a polished aluminum grill on a 2000 Accord. My friend just did and it improved the looks a lot. IMO it look more upscale. Much Better than the all plastic grill.

tisteve · August 2001

Here on Edmunds, under the regional rebates, incentives and lease info., they have a lease deal for a 2001 LX auto w/side air bags for $1460 down, and only $239 a month. The local dealer says they do not know of any special lease deals going on, except the usual rates. Has anyone else seen this? Is it correct, or is this just old info? Said good through 9/4/01. Thanks

godeacs · August 2001

...anyone tell me why several Honda dealers refused to give me even close to a fair trade value on my '97 Volvo, after knowing I was very interested in the 2001 Accord EX V6? First dealer, a "no haggle" dealer tried to gouge on the price of the Accord ($1K under MSRP) AND then insulted me with their trade in offer. This after saying how nice my car was, what great shape, etc.... The 2nd dealer verbally said they would sell the Accord to me for $23K or so. Never asked if a trade in was part of the deal. Pressured me a bit....came back a few hours later and when I mentioned the world "trade in", they basically clammed up. Asked them to call back on Monday with a trade offer and they never did!

Are all Honda dealers this rude or unprofessional? Bear in mind, I have been dealing with Volvo, Saab and Audi folks - they have all been very professional, up front and offered considerably more than Honda....

Guess as a Volvo owner for the past 19 yrs I've been spoiled.....

isellhondas · August 2001

1000.00 under MRSP is "gouging"??

Why not make an offer and see what happens?

P.S.

Your Volvo is worth whatever they can get at the auction and they have been pretty soft for whatever reason.

topgun7 · August 2001

In the sf bay area (price change base on you zip code), 01 Accord is selling around invoice. I am shopping for an accord also but decided to wait for 02. My bet is that 02 Accord will be selling around invoice once all the initial rush of getting 02 is done. The competition is very stiff this year with new camry, altima etc. The economy does not help either. So hopefully this will help us, the consumer, more than the dealer.

jrct9454 · August 2001

I haven't found any special attitude problem at Honda dealer vs anyone else when it comes to trades - a used car is worth what the market says it is worth, period. What these guys are telling you is that they aren't interested in your car - that's completely fair, since the bulk of the cars they want to keep for their own lots are going to be Hondas and Toyotas.

To keep the emotion out of this sort of deal, I NEVER tie the value of the car I am selling to the car I am buying. Each has its own market value, and yes, Isell, that price for a new Honda is NOT the market price in most urban markets, and I believe you know that as well as the rest of us. But this is not a matter for emotion and getting upset, or for that matter, suddenly deciding to buy another brand. Here's what you do:

New: shop all of the local dealers for the lowest price on the car you are interested in buying. Then go online and look at the various online alternative sellers. In most urban markets, an Accord sedan is a car that sells for $300-$700 over nominal invoice, leaving holdback out of it. I have never had trouble finding a car in a 100 mile radius of my house at the price I wanted to pay.

Trade: Treat the sale of your old car as a completely separate transaction. I always give the dealer who is selling me the new car a chance to bid on the trade, but often wind up selling it to someone else. I shop all of the dealers in the area who sell the brand I am trying to unload [in your case, the Volvo], and give each of them a chance to bid on the car. I also might visit some of the used car giants [we have a couple in our town] who specialize in resales, and have no new-car business. After 4-6 bids, you now know without any doubt what your car is worth, and you sell to the highest bidder. [This assumes you are not willing to sell it yourself through the paper to a retail buyer.]

All of the used car guides [Kelley, Edmunds, Black book, Wards, etc ad nauseum] are barely useful in this exercise. It helps to know going in what they say, but THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BUY YOUR CAR. ONLY THE PEOPLE WITH REAL MONEY ARE GOING TO BUY YOUR CAR, so their bids are the only ones that count.

In sum, it is not " arrogance" that you're dealing with, but an unspoken reluctance on the part of the Honda dealers in your town to take your car in trade - rather than say that, it is common in this business to simply lowball the bid. I never get discouraged by this process, because I refuse to get emotional about what my car is actually worth.

Now, if you actually WANT an Audi or Saab or Volvo to be your next new car, then of course go to it...but don't let the trade-in issue get in your way of buying a new Honda [or Toyota or Hogwart, or whatever]. One way to test the eagerness of these other guys to buy your used Volvo is to let them bid on the car independent of a new car transaction...then you will know what the car is really worth in the real world.

Older Honda Accords

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