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Comments
"... although we've adored the VQ-series V-6s for years, the one's beginning to sound a little raspy at so large a displacement."
In the same test, they describe the engine in the Acura TL Type S using these terms:
"... the best V-6 in the group: potent mid- and high-range punch, quick to rev, sewing machine smoothness from idle to redline, and an I-mean-business growl at wide-open whack. It doesn't summon the visceral clobber of the like-horsepower G35, but it sure surpasses it in refinement."
I find the 3.0 V-6 in my 2000 Accord to have similar characteristics, although obviously at a reduced scale. But that's why I like the engine so much.
Don't get me wrong... I'm not trying to say that the VQ isn't a great engine. It's just that, like maxamillion1, I feel that the Honda V-6 is every bit as great.
Most of my drives are 15-20 miles with at least 10 miles of highway driving.
Any thoughts?
thx
thx
1) don't over rev. Pay attention to tach, not speedometer. Keep revs under 3,000 first 500 miles, then slowly increase range (<3500, next 200 mile etc)
2) Don't travel at constant rev point for long stretches. Usually you will vary the rev in normal city driving, but on the freeway every 10 minutes either drive faster/slower or down shift to different gear to run at a different rev level
3) Don't brake hard in the first 800 mile or so unless absolutely necessary. Brakes take a while to wear in.
4) Make sure you change the oil early, not late. I change the oil/filter at the 3000 mile mark for the first change, then follow the manual after.
5) Also check the oil after every fill up until the car is at least broken-in. Its not unusual to add oil the first 3000 miles, but don't overfill.
This is very conservative, but has worked for the 12 new vehicles i've owned. Good luck.
Don't forget you're getting into manual versus auto territory. Accord V6 with manual is likely to get into 6-6.3s range as well.
This is not to say that Altima is slow, or slower, but the fact is, 'feel' can be deceiving. Driving Pontiac Grand AM or Civic 65 mph feels faster to me than driving my Accord at 80 mph because the Accord is more refined, planted on the road and inspires confidence even at that speed. This does not mean it lacks sportiness of a Grand AM or Civic.
Likewise, noise does not mean sportiness. I'm not saying that Altima is noisy or whatever, but you're trying to disassociate sportiness and refinement. If you have driven TL or CL Type-S, you will notice a different attitude from the engine.
Honda's website mentions tweaking of exhaust note for Accord V6 with 6-speed, that I believe could be very similar to Acura Type-S engines.
For the extra couple of thousand you pay for a v-6 you could pay for exotic materials (aluminm parts etc) that bring down the weight and give you equel acceleration, while actually improving handling, braking and fuel efficiency. Honda can make aluminum cars - look at the Insight.
Of course elegant solutions like that don't sell in the land of more is better. Why have your cake and eat it too, when you can have a v-6.
http://www.honda.co.uk/accord
I still think they should bring it in with a spirited I4 so I don't have to compromise my choices between the current Accord ('family' sedan) and Mazda 6 ('sport' sedan)...and believe me I know full definitions of those words. TSX should give me what I want: Honda's engine/quality/comfort with Mazda's suspension/looks/road manners...for some more money. Anyone else wants one?
When I had my Passat (B5 = 5th gen Passat) this site helped me so much,,, soup 2 nuts. It's DEDICATED to the B5 Passat.
Anyone aware of a similar site w/ the '03+ Accord (7th gen)?
George S
If you don't think it does well then get the v-6, but you might be pleasantly suprised by the 4.
Remember about 5 years ago the gargantuan Chevy Suburban only had 200 hp hauling around nearly 6,000 lbs. In comparison the 160 hp 3,100 lb Accord is like a race car.
INKY
prebmw (message #6910) indicated that his rattle was due to loose chrome trim around the outside of the driver's window. Has anyone else discovered this to be the problem as well or are there other reasons for this rattle? Thanks.
Yes, I think so. I think Subaru is really making a push towards the frontrunners.
And look for the Koreans to come on like gangbusters in the next 5 years.
Surprising that the new models from Toyota and Honda are slipping a bit though.
Now since Honda and Toyota were so far ahead of everyone else, they can only make smaller jumps in quality whereas everyone else had the room to make major jumps in quality. IE it's more difficult to distinguish a score of 97 going to 99 versus a 50 going to a 90 IMHO.
that being said, the rattle has become less frequent and has been pretty much been absent the past couple of weeks.
please keep us updated on what your dealer finds.
This required taking off several parts of the plastic "wood" covering and tightening some screws while replacing the plastic. [Not sure if I have explained this clearly--I didn't see it being done.]
When I came back a few hours later, the re-test drive was OK and I bought the car. Salesperson says he thinks the screws weren't tight enough. Although I have a "new" cover, he thinks it was the tightening of the screws, not the new cover, that stopped the rattle.
So far so good. Has anyone else had the same experience?
starting next fall, GM will start unloading newly design midsize and supposedly much higher quality cars to compete with the accords/camrys/passats of the world. it will be interesting to see how trouble free these cars will be. will they be able to close the engineering gap and keep up the reliability.
venus : New models like the VUE, Vibe, Yukon and Silverado are all on Consumer reports recommend list. I'm not a huge fan of the magazine or anything, but I'm sure the ratings are some indication of when GM quality is going. Noticed the Golf and Jetta have both fallen off the recommend list due to poor reliability. A lot of new cars coming now so yes, it will be interesting to see GM does. The ION is just being released now.
The story at www.auto.com today about the new Malibu was interesting. In the story they mention some charts Lutz used to illustrate the difference between perceived and actual quality. GM's actual quality is much higher than its perceved quality, whereas VWs is the reverse.
All I know is, our Honda may not be perfect, but it is the right balance of engineering, materials, and assembly available at the time we bought it. I wouldn't hesitate buying another.
I'm sure you all get this too, being the "car fanatic" within your family or office, but I always include a Honda or Toyota in a list of cars people should consider when buying just to cover my [non-permissible content removed]...
OTOH, notice the same on a GM car, it is not an issue, because it is generally considered 'acceptable'. Example: I noticed a Vue from the side at night, and I could look at the head lamps through the gap on the hood. If it were a Honda, it will bother a lot of people. Notice (almost every) Alero and how 'well' the trunk lid fits.
Its not always about the flaws, but about being proactive enough to avoid them in future. And that is something we get to know five years down the road, not in initial quality surveys.
As far as 'excitement' goes, IMO, Accord is about as exciting car as any other in its class. It is often maligned by some for no reason, and I agree with C&D on this one. OTOH, forget Chevy or even Ford (Taurus), a Pontiac is hardly 'exciting' although that is their tag line.