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I have to admit, I find the message boards like "Honda Accord (2003) vs. Mazda6" tiring too. I'm not even talking about picking sides or anything, but people just get too into it. I quit reading the "Return of GMs Might" board long ago for the same reasion.
Honda Begins Production of the All-New 2003 Accord
Marysville, Ohio 08/16/2002 -- Production of the all-new 2003 Honda Accord began today at the Marysville Auto Plant.
In a rolling model change, the first '03 Accord, a Metallic Silver sedan, was driven off the production line at 12:17p.m. Eastern time on the heels of its popular predecessor model.
The completely redesigned Accord sedan goes on sale Sept. 9, followed by the new sporty coupe Sept.18.
"The Accord is the flagship product in our model lineup," Tom Shoupe, plant manager of the Marysville Auto Plant, told associates today. "You have the strength, experience and commitment to provide customers with world-class quality and reliability."
The 7th generation Accord boasts dynamic new styling in both the sedan and coupe models to capture the attention of younger consumers, while providing the performance and quality that Accord customers expect.
The Accord was the best-selling car in America in 2001. Exterior styling for the sedan and coupe is more distinctive, and the two models will share only their headlights for '03. A host of additional standard equipment has been added on all models, including anti-lock brakes, tilt and telescopic steering and 5-speed automatic transmissions.
The Accord has been manufactured for nearly 20 years at the Marysville Auto Plant. In addition to the Accord, the Acura TL sedan and Acura CL coupe are produced at the Marysville Auto Plant. The Marysville plant assembled 456,348 cars last year, more than any other plant in North America.
The V-6 and four-cylinder engines for the Accord are produced at Honda's engine plant in Anna, Ohio. The Anna Engine Plant produces more than one million engines per year for Honda auto plants throughout North America.
American Honda Motor Company
...get her one of the beeping back up devices. But then again if someone can't hear her honking, the backup device ain't gonna help.
My DW has a habit of driving too far over to the right. She claims she doesn't like being close to the center line - "...you have like 8' over there and meanwhile the branches are whipping the passenger A pillar!!!" I hate being a passenger with her.
Thanks
Also, do I need to worry about condensation underneath the mask during rain or after a carwash? Any effects on paint quality due to mask? I plan to install myself.
FROM www.handa-accessories.com
Quality vinyl protects front paint from insects and minor road debris. Felt-lined backnig ensures a smooth, wrinkle-free, protective fit that is slip-resistant and mildew-resistant. Accord Logo
I then ordered the full nose mask from www.hondaparts4you.com. (They don't charge for shipping) The top part is easy to put on, the bottom is much harder, at least until it gets stretched out a bit. It's been 2 years, haven't had a chip since. Haven't had any paint problems; I take the top part off for every other car wash. The bottom I remove less often.
What you are referring to as a "nose mask" is universally referred to as a "bra". Yes they can protect the paint from minor dings when pebbles are kicked up off the road by other vehicles, but:
Unless you are scrupulously careful about cleaning your paint and your bra regularly, the point where the bra meets the paint will be subjected to wear by microscopic dust particles being rubbed into the paint. You will end up with a finely-scratched line right across your hood. The effect is like sandpapering the paint, but to a very slight degree. It won't look pretty after a year.
A bra protects whatever is under it from the sun. The only problem is, that when you remove the bra after a year, you will have two-tone paint on your hood due to the natural aging effects of the sun on the uncovered areas.
Some people may think bras look "cool". You may find that they aren't such a great idea though.
http://www.armourfendusa.com/
http://www.stoneguard.com/
Anyway, I was reading a review of the new Saab 9-3 in CAR last night. The reviewer noted that Saab 9-3 owners are younger (by almost 10 years), more educated, and have higher incomes than BMW 3-Series owners. Of course, Saab only sells 140,000 9-3s each year. Has BMW reached its mid-life crisis too?
Though interior detailing could a bit better than Accord, it is not as sporty as Accord & has rear suspension geometry not specifically tuned for sporty ride. You can check passat bouncing on road irregularities when accord settles immediately with a single up down suspension movement. Before buying my 2000 Accord I did an extensive research. I did not test drive a Camry that time. I checked Maxima & Passat. (Ended up with Accord due to best value & the best combination/comprimises of all that I want in a midsize car)
Passat is also smaller than Accord & rear seats aren't as roomy. Read carefully: Honda has younger buyers for Accord than VW has for Passat!! I do see younger guys in Jetta but not much is Passat.
You can't have it all, but in Accord you get VERY close. New egenration would again underscore that!
we bought a Honda EX V6. No comparision. Smaller
than the Honda, and the interior design is rather dated. What is worse, when we stopped at a red light and the car vibrated!!! (Hope this was not a common case) The Passat may has more metal and is heavier and may be more safe, but we chose Honda for the ride quality and the price.
I would rather have 4 door RS-X (Similar styling & Handling with better displacement 2.2O)
VW, Audi interior was benchmarked in the development. It's a shame that Nissan doesn't hold its suppliers to this type of interior quality and feel. They can do much better than the cuurent Altima for what it costs.
I predict an already refined product will set the standard in the class with its new engines, 6spd, interior materials, braking, safety features and legendary realiability and longevity. Look out Toyota and VW..
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/new/03accord/03acccpe/03acccpe8.jpg
The latest Edmund's luxo-crossover comparo is quite interesting.
As for the SUV test, it would have been interesting if they had waited for the new Volvo XC90, because Forbes called it the best Luxury SUV/Crossover available. They will have a diesel XC90, which I would love to see on an MDX, which my wife wants for her next car.
As for interiors - even though I think that the RSX shouldn't be an Acura, its interior is quite nice, and I don't think it shares any parts with the Civic. So if Honda is indeed sprucing up their Acura cars to differentiate them from their lesser Honda siblings, the next TL will thus move further up in luxury, at least on the interior anyway. Let's hope they don't increase the price too much.
Mackabee
"Don’t even bother asking for a sedan version of what Honda is calling “the ultimate Accord.” Honda has no plans to offer a sedan version of the performance-oriented 2003 Accord coupe fitted with a 240-hp, 3.0-liter V6 engine and six-speed manual transmission. While Accord engineer Charlie Baker says Honda doesn’t rule out any possibility, the vast majority of Accord sedan buyers tend toward the economy and practicality of a four-cylinder/automatic transmission car, while coupe buyers lean toward more power and stick shifters"
Is there hope?
"Stepped" CVTs [like Audi] and paddle-shifted electronic clutched semi-manuals make a lot more sense to me, and are the way everyone will be going in the performance end of the business over the next 10 years. Having owned plenty of both manuals and automatics over the past 40 years, I have no nostalgia at all for a left pedal. For those who absolutely have to have one in a 6 cyl Accord, my bet is that you will have to get the Coupe or fuhgeddaboutit...
What is a "well driven automatic" - you just push the go pedal (OK maybe you load the torque converter a little first).
I do agree that the manumatic is the best of both worlds -almost. I would still prefer a standard manual shift because I don't have to shift sequentially.
Anyway the problem does not affect me because I prefer the 4-cylinder (which with a manual will probably be almost as fast as the automatic v-6)
I'm guessing that only Consumer Reports does _not_ do it that way, since their 0-60 times are always significantly slower than the car mags. I guess their times are more "real world" than the car mags.
Remember the introduction of the 1986 Acura Legend? They initially offered 5-speed sticks, but after a few years, buyers resisted them, even in the coupes, until ATs became the only choice.
I bought an '86 sedan with the stick and went on the list for the '87 coupe, waiting in vain for two months before "caving in" and taking an automaticin July '87. The dealership's FIRST stick coupe didn't show up until EIGHT months later in March '88. Stick shift sedans wallowed on the lot for months as "AGED" units, over a year in some cases.
I also recall when one of the "selling" points for the BMW 7 series was that a stick was offered whereas the comparable Mercedes only had AT. The problem was that it didn't "sell" in sufficient numbers to justify its continuation.
as for a manumatic...
remember, folks, we're dealing with a honda accord, and not a ferarri maranello...lol.
to keep the accord in-line with competitive pricing, thats just not a feasible option.
you want a manual gearbox or some sort of manumatic in your accord v6 sedan? save your pennies and go to an auto customizing shop...just wait till your new car warranty is up though...lol.
So I don't think something is less exotic just because a brand like Hyundai offers it, especially if Hyundai's version doesn't work too well.
And manumatics ARE NOT the same.
http://www.geocities.com/ilr418/ix9rj1pf.ram
Charlie Baker looks like Frankenstien standing next to that coupe in the video. Can you imagine him in Japan?
You have to cut and paste the link and then the realone player just starts up.
the only '02's that haven't arrived are silver LX 4-door autos from mexico...thats all they produce there.
jump on 1 as fast as you can if you want one...also, the longer you wait, the less there will be available, and the less a dealer that has a 1-of-a-kind SE will be willing to deal.
there are 3 honda dealers in my area, and the other 2 have a total of 3 accords...all 5-speed EX's. i have already seen management in my store hold a little bit more for each accord(since the buyer can not shop the same car), so jump now, my friend...pull the trigger, grab it, or whatever phrase catches your attention...lol.
there is only 2 1/2 weeks left with '02 accords, so the time is now.
Now that Toyota has the coupe version of the Camry (Solara) going with both a hardtop and convertable. Honda should try to do the same because I think the Accord would make a really cool convertable.
is that a good $$$ please reply with notes.
paint sealant
stripes
scotch guard
side molding
you know the regular crap.
plus they would give me a $200 gas credit card
free wash/carpets
Greeting from sunny Miami