Older Honda Accords

will4271 · February 2002

I thought the opposite. Honda has the Alpine stero system. I think it's more clear compared to the Toyota ones in the Camry.

I like bass and Honda/Alpine has the most. I am not sure if they used Alpine speakers or another brand though.

isellhondas · February 2002

First of all, my post was meant to be tongue in cheek, but let me explain.

First of all I have NO PROBLEM with a customer carefully inspecting their new car in fact, I insist on it! I want them to be completely satisified with both their new car and my job as their salesperson. The fact that last year I had the second highest QDS scores in the store pretty much attest to the fact that I must do a pretty good job of keeping my customers happy.

I was thinking about something that happened the other night I guess, hence my comments.

I sold a couple a new Civic after much ado and a long grinding session...not a problem, happy to spend the required time.

When delivering the car, they spent a HALF HOUR examining the car. Again, not a problem although I was amused as the lady touched "scratches" that weren't even there. Finally she agreed that the scratches weren't there and that the car was perfect.

She examined the interior in microscopic detail, and pointed out a slight imperfection in one hidden corner of the trunk liner. No problem, I changed it. Finally, they left happy. Great!

Then I had the job of checking in and parking their trade in, a mid nineties Dodge Caravan.

The car was so filthy I couldn't tell what color it was. The ashtray was overfilled with cigeratte butts which had spilled all over the floor. The inside of the windshield was so caked with smoke scum I could hardly see. The Mc Donalds wrappers and drink cups were everywhere.

The seats were so filthy I didn't want to sit on them. Yes, the car was a ROACH!!

I just thoght it funny that someone so picky could have owned a car like that and have to wonde what the civic will look like a month from now.

So that's what happened. If this makes me a bad person, so be it!

raybear · February 2002

Had to change your clothes after parking that one, I assume!

prophet2 · February 2002

It's hard to imagine that such cars were once brand-new! In Isell's example, it's contradictory for such "anal personality" types to have traded in such a wreck while being so "picky." You have to wonder if they live in a sty or something.

So, was the van beyond redemption and wholesaled-out?

ickes · February 2002

Note info on 7th Generation Accord at mid-page...

http://www.detnews.com/2002/insiders/0202/04/insider-405787.htm

prophet2 · February 2002

It's just an opinion, mind you, but I happen to dislike the "edgy" styling of the current Toyota Avalon (the back is awful) more than its stodgy predecessor and I see that the Camry has followed suit. Also, I never cared for the last two versions of the Maxima!

BTW, picked up an '02 EXL-V6 Accord sedan on the weekend. $23,800 + TTL, which included an "Appearance Group" (door/wheel well mouldings, trunk tub, wheel locks) @$398, but what the hell, the dealer deserved a decent profit - price was below TMV. Lot of car for the money and a better deal than the Camry or new Altima. It even has a few features my '96 Acura RL lacks: Traction Control; 6 CD in-dash changer; sun visor extensions; built-in garage door opener. A very solid buy, even with its conservative styling.

The trade, a '93 Integra LS Special Edition, was not a "roach," but had 121K on the clock (big deduct) and had been in a few accidents (all repaired). There had also been some big repair bills the last year (ignition module, brake master cylinder, radiator, among others), and another one such as an AC compressor would not have been welcomed. Got $3000 trade-in (Edmund's range was $2600 (trade) - $3400 (private) - $4200 (retail).

Who knows if the dealer keeps it on the lot listed @$4995 ...... or more? Whatever they can make, they're welcome to it.

mbt1 · February 2002

Thank you for your explanation; it sounds as though you did your best to satisfy your customers. My apologies to you for the overly harsh remarks for what you say were comments made partly in jest. Having said that, you are probably an exception to the rule: that is, most car salespeople I've heard about and dealt were slick, unscrupulous characters whose main objective was not to satisfy the customers but to swindle them. These sales people still represent the majority. How else do you account for their eagerness to sell little marginal services such as rust protection, fabric protection, etc. for hundreds of dollars for work that the customers, if they were properly and honestly advised, could do themselves for tens of dollars. In many cases, such services are not even needed as the cars already come prepped with such protections. Most people are distrusting of carsales people for justifiable reasons, and it is to such people that I direct my comments.

canadiancl · February 2002

if my criticisms were unwarranted. I guess at times comments in print can be miscontrued since we can't convey things such as facial expressions and body language in print.

jrct9454 · February 2002

...via this medium is always a risk. A friend once lamented the lack of a "nuance key...

dmacneill · February 2002

I also just purchased a 2002 EX-V6 and I like the style just fine. My other car is a 1999 Toyota Avalon, which I think is much better looking than the current Avalon. I test drove the new Camry, including the LE 4 cylinder, SE V6, and the XLE V6, and while the SE and XLE are very nicely put together, they do not handle or ride as well as the Honda. Their styling is close to the that of the current Avalon, which to my eyes looks like a high, narrow wedge going down the road. But, this is only my opinion, of course.

alpha01 · February 2002

I believe if you go to NHTSA and dig, that you can find deaths attributable to the 3 point seatbelt.... no device is 100% without consequence. Aditionally, I believe I remember reading an column in Car and Driver magazine about Seatbelts, and Seatbelts and Airbags. I'm at school right now and don't have access to my back issues, for that I apologize.
~alpha

prophet2 · February 2002

Also got the Satin Silver with the dark interior (less likely to show dirt).

While the Camrys are indeed fine vehicles, even the XLE has less standard equipment than the Accord EXL. One similarly-equipped (as the dealer gets them with options galore) would have easily increased the price by $2-3K.

The Altima 3.5 SE's option list includes ABS, leather, moonroof, all of which are standard on the Accord EXL-V6. Add the fact that the Altima is currently a "hot" seller commanding a price nearer MSRP than invoice. That's not unfair, just supply and demand.

I always knew that there are others who exhibit good sense about value and have the financial savvy to know a good deal when they see it.

canadiancl · February 2002

I just think the current Accord was a homerun right from the get go and the competition is now just catching up.

A couple of months ago I too was seriously looking at the Camry SE. The more I looked at it, however, the more a couple of things really started to bother me. One was the styling. It just didn't look cohesive. It looks tall, narrow with a fat-bellied pig appearance. The result is that the tires/wheels look undersized. And secondly, and this might seem silly, but I just couldn't get over how low part of the exhaust pipe hangs. It looks like at the lowest point it's literally only 2 -3 inches off the ground. I kept envisioning driving over a bump or a rock and shearing the whole thing off. And of course on top of it all, I just couldn't reconcile and justify the cost compared to a similarly equipped Accord.

dmacneill · February 2002

That was also a factor in my not buying the Camry XLE or SE. Both were several thousand more than the "loaded" Accord EX V6, with the MSRP of the XLE around $30,000 (it did have the curtain side airbags). I felt the extra money was not worth it for a car that did not ride, handle, or look as good as the Accord.

sobers · February 2002

I also was surprised to see Camry's price esspecially with the V6, it costs atleast 2500 more than the comparable Accord. Ditto with the new Altima. Now, Camry Altima also depreciate more than Accord in the first 3 years anyway! So you have a new car costing 2500 more than Accord which is worth 1000-1500 less than Accord when used !!

canadiancl · February 2002

That's why the Accord remains a best-selling and Honda is so reluctant to change the formula, despite all the criticism about being conservative and bland.

achenator · February 2002

I have a 2001 EXL in Eternal Blue with lapis leather. Wife loved the color so much I couldn't get a V6 because it didn't come in blue. When it is freshly waxed it looks great. Dont see too many EX's in that color, especially with leather. Only one out of six dealers I called when looking for that car had one.

diploid · February 2002

I think Honda has no choice but to ride the wave of current designs. Even Toyota's Camry is now a radical design (at least compared to the old Camry).

If the Accord looks anything like the spy pics we've seen so far, it'll certainly be a best seller again.

robertsmx · February 2002

It gets amusing when certain automotive writers think about automotive designs. Well they forget that cars can be more about engineering than style.

This writer has been made to believe that Honda's strength was not engineering and quality rather than styling. If Honda is where it is today, Honda's CVCC engine may have played a huge role, not the styling of the car.

Honda has never gone for stand out styling, although there have been a few tries, CRX being one of them, and now Model X, but otherwise, Honda has always taken a play it safe route from styling point of view, something that seems to age well, in my eyes.

Or may be, he wanted emphasize that Chrysler and Oldsmobile have better designs than Honda. Or perhaps Detroit Lions are a better designed team than NE Patriots!

timadams · February 2002

Going back a bit... the 'click' near the shift lever when you apply the brake pedal IS normal. That is the release that lets you shift out of P.

timadams · February 2002

Design is always subjective. Some people must love the looks of the Pontiac Grand Prix and Grand Am, and perhaps even the Aztec.

I like the look of the new Avalon and Camry compared to the last generations. But even these are relatively safe evolutions, just like Honda usually does, rather than dramatic changes.

Going back a bit... the 'click' near the shift lever when you apply the brake pedal IS normal. That is the release that lets you shift out of P.

fxashun · February 2002

Why bring up something when you can't or won't substantiate it. Properly applied modern seatbelts don't kill people in low speed accidents, they don't kill kids in the front seat, and they don't have a warning label saying don't get too close to them.
I'm saying I question some things that have been developed in the name of "safety".

fritz1224 · February 2002

Thanks for confirming this information. I guess I never really paid attention to it before. Took it to dealer and they reiterated it's normal. I believe them.
One of the biggest benefits of these forums is information and experience of other owners and mechanics.

bigzheng17 · February 2002

does anyone know where i can find some infomation about the new 03 accord? please email me the info, jxz01001@cub.uca.edu thanks

jgp · February 2002

I am looking to buy a new car soon. I could possibly hang on to my current car until August when the new Accords are allegedly being introduced. Does anyone have any idea where I can get a picture of the 2003 Accords, either on the web or in print? If not, does anyone know when we might see some advance photos?

moses13 · February 2002

love reading the comparison shopping stories , ie, accord vs new camry , altima, & passat
i just went thru same situation and cannot stress enough that the accord ex v6 just gives you the absolute MOST bang for the buck. i live in connecticut and found toyota dealers to be very smug , aside from overpriced top of line camry, nissan dealers were too agressive, desperately pushing the "new" altima, also very expensive to load up w/ options that are standard at honda. vw just didn't inspire confidence(read: low repair bills) that honda did. we already have a '91 accord w/ 125 k on the meter
honda does it right and dealers are easy,easy easy to deal with , at least around here
i cannot imagine anyone going wrong when picking a honda and for a midsize family car the accord just blows the others away for the price, i walked out the door for $25,000.74, that included TTL and optional protection pkg and wind deflector on the moon roof WHAT A DEAL !!!!

had_enuff_ford · February 2002

Dissapointed! The EPA rating on the `02 V6 is 20/26, and I'm hoping that the gas mileage improves over time with this engine - the best tank I've had so far has been just a hair under 20MPG. Over the 1500 miles I've owned the car, my average is right at 19MPG. I keep a log of my stops for gas and put all the numbers in a spreadsheet (yeah I'm one of those types). You'd think that I'm flooring it at every stoplight and laying down rubber, but it's quite the opposite. My driving is a mix of city and highway in my commute.

At the economy I'm seeing, I should have bought the tuck I had my eye on - it wasn't that much worse, being rated at 17mpg city.

I've never owned a vehicle that I didn't get at least the city rating in.

Any V6 owners have good MPG data to share?

carguy62 · February 2002

I think you will find your mileage will improve as the engine breaks in.

Have you driven it on the highway exclusively? If not, it's a good excuse for a nice cruise. When I had my V6 Accord I found the in-town driving was pretty consistent around 20 (but quite often lower, 17 and 18) but on the highway I would get the 26 (or even better). I was also pretty careful about quick starts, etc.

I don't know what truck you were thinking about but my guess is the Accord will do better.

moses13 · February 2002

i just put in 2nd full tank and with almost exclusively around town driving i averaged just over 22mpg on my exv6. just over 600 miles on the car and i only use 87 octane gas

stevem327 · February 2002

Give your car at least 2,000 - 3,000 miles before you even start worrying about your mileage. My service manager told me that brand new engines never get good mileage. You have to break the engine in a little bit first.

My 4-cylinder Accord didn't do too great until I got about 2,500 miles on it, but I'm now getting about 3 miles per gallon ABOVE what the window sticker says and I currently have 3,200 miles on the odometer.

This was also true with a Crown Victoria that I drove two years ago. Brand new, I was getting 14-15 MPG (window sticker said 18 city/23 hwy) but after two months I was getting 19-20 MPG city and highway combined (and that was a V-8, 220 HP engine).

Just don't ask me how I went from a Crown Vic to an Accord...long story

jrct9454 · February 2002

Our '01 EX V6 has about 9000 miles on it; overall average is about 23mpg, with variances from 18 to nearly 30, depending on all of the usual variables. In mostly city driving, expect 18-20; in mixed suburban use, 20-23; for pure highway work, 24-28. So much depends on individual driving style, temps, wind, use of AC, passenger load, etc etc.

One thing is true, though: these engines [both 4 and 6] need time to break in and loosen up. In my experience [a 96 RL, a 98 Accord 4, an 01 Accord 6], you will get more power and lower fuel consumption right through the 5000 mile mark.

canadiancl · February 2002

There is a website (www.intellichoice.com) (I think) that determines the best automotive value based on a bunch of different factors. Apparently in this segment, it's not even close. The Accord blows everything away.

inkie · February 2002

Own 2000 V6 best I can report is 26 on open hiway. Live in jersey, we get average of 21, 22 and I am happy with that. Agree with post 3134, all of his data is right on the money

moses13 · February 2002

thanks for the heads up on intellichoice.com
i hadn't seen that but it just reinforced what actually shopping told me

timadams · February 2002

I get between 24 and 28 on my 1998 V6 Accord. I can't remember ever getting under 23. I do almost no city driving, but rather a mix of small town, rural and highway driving. On a highway trip, I'll often get 27 or 28, even driving 70 to 90 mph for long stretches.

I guess I would wait until you have several thousand miles on the car, but if it doesn't improve then, it sounds like something's wrong.

lawren2 · February 2002

We brought home our brand new Honda Accord EX V6 last night! I wanted to thank all you posters for sharing your insight and experiences with Honda.

I just read one message above about the "Toyota attitude" and we found that to be the same here in lower NY as well ( we traded in our 94 Camry V6XLE ).

Honda does it right the car comes with EVERYTHING and they don't nickel and dime you for options like Toyota.

Anyway we got the car for $400 below invoice and I'm sure we will be well served with our purchase.

Lawren

kvraman1 · February 2002

Hi!

Which maintenance schedule to follow?

I feel that my driving pattern is a normal condition pattern and hence I feel that I need to follow the normal maintenance schedule. However, the dealer that I bought the car from says that most of its customers follow the severe conditions schedule. I live in a suburban area. I wanted to find out what people usually follow.

Thanks
Venkat

jrct9454 · February 2002

Ignore the dealer. Read the manual and do what it says as it applies to your driving. They all want to make more money off you in the service dept - this is a universal law in the business. I am polite but firm in what I want them to do as it applies to service, and never get an argument.

auburn63 · February 2002

Mosy shop manuals for the newer cars define severe driving where the climate is consitantly below 32F or above 102F. Example given in the manual would be some areas of Canada. Most areas are in the normal area. As for alot of short trip driving you could still follow the normal driving just change the oil more frequently.

My schedule would be
Oil @ 3,000 miles
trans oil and cabin filters @ 30,000 miles
Coolant @ 45,000
Brake fluid flush @ 60,000
Tire rotations as well as general look overs @ every 7,500 miles

diploid · February 2002

I had a recommended 30,000 mile maintenance done on my Civic. I was told the price would be $380.

I bring it in, leave it there, and get a phone call about an hour later. They said I needed new brakes and wheel alignment. The problem? I had asked the weasel service people to change my brakes a few hundred miles back when I had an oil change schedule because I could feel that the brakes were already fading. They told me it still had "90% usage left." So I ended up paying $666.22 for what was supposed to be a $380 maintenance.

fxashun · February 2002

under normal service.

mikefm58 · February 2002

I would NEVER go back to that dealer for service.

bblacha · February 2002

Well well well, the wagon plot thickens. In America, the SUV craze is getting old, the minivan is stigmatized, and subcompact stylized wagons gaining steam (Protege5, Matrix.) Now Mazda decided it will bring 5-door hatch AND wagon after the 6 sedan debuts (according to AutoWeek.com) Are wagons becoming fashionable again?

I expect Honda to follow the new trend and bring the wagon a year after the new sedan.

--Bart (happy new owner of 2002 LX-V6, would be even happier with a wagon)

ghomaz · February 2002

It's funny but my owners' manual (2001) specifies service intervals (under Normal Conditions) of 7500 miles or 12 months, the Honda.com website (OwnerLink) specifies 7500 miles or 6 months while the dealer recommends 3000 miles or 6 months.

I have decided to follow the 7500 miles or 12 months interval as per the owners' manual, though I wonder why there should be a difference between recommendations in Honda's manual and website!

fxashun · February 2002

The website can be changed.
I heard the new Civic and RSX have a 10,000 mile interval.

pat · February 2002

A major newspaper is looking to interview folks who learned how to drive stick in their adulthood, and either fell in love or hated it. Also welcome is any input on why people love to drive stick, and any unusual anecdotes about how you learned etc.

Hope to hear from you before Feb 22 via the Talk to the Press discussion or at jfallon@edmunds.com with your thoughts and contact information.

Thanks as always,

Jeannine Fallon
PR Director, Edmunds.com

indian3 · February 2002

I have a 95 accord ex with an am/fm cassette factory stereo. I would like to have cd. I know that I can ad a single disk cd player in the slot below the radio(it has the cd controls on it). My question is what year models factory am/fm cd players will fit in the slot of my current stereo? Will I have to change mounting brackets? Will the wireing harneses that are in my car work with a different year model? There are plenty of used factory stereos on ebay for sale. I would rather get a factory stereo that will work. I have tried calling local honda dealers but they say they can not tell which if any will work.

dslacl · February 2002

I have been reading the posts regarding tranny problems with many 99 to early 00 models. I am noticing that most of the problems are occurring at low speeds with abrupt downshifting. I was wondering if any of you have experienced problems with 98' Accord Sedan V-6's changing gears abruptly from 3rd. to 4th. Our Accord only has 49K miles on it and changes gears flawlessly from 1-2-3rd. gears. We have taken the car in twice with questions about the harsh shifting only to be told that is how Honda trannies work. My question to the service techs. then is why in the hell does it shift smoothly in all other gears except 3-4. A tech. rode with me and said that the way the car changes gears seemed fine to him. I just don't buy his idea! Please let me know of any similar problems that any of you have experienced.

diploid · February 2002

I wish I could, but I've had my share of experiences with the Joe Schmoe service stations in my area. They're not exactly honest businessmen, to say the least.

will4271 · February 2002

I have the same car. You can only add the Honda cd player with your radio. You cannot control the cd player from another radio with the special connector. The cd player is made by Pioneer for Honda.

The cd player with the radio does not have the counter, random mode. But the bass is the best. You already know the radio is from Alpine.

The other alternative is replace the radio for a cd player w/ faceplate. You can find it at Circuit City or Goodguys with the wire harness stuff.

Older Honda Accords

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