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Comments
You think they would to compete with the Altima/Maxima & the Mazda 6.
It looks like Honda is not worried about competing with manual transmission V6 Madza6s and Maximas though, since V6 manuals had been available even in the previous generation models and they did not bother to respond then either.
It is only a small market for those cars and that is why Honda isn't even building many 6-speed coupes.
The Altima, Maxima and Mazda6 is there for those who want that drivetrain combo badly enough.
the leather package to upgrade from ex to exl is $1300. last year it was $1400. pretty great deal to me.
I believe the only engine available in the TSX at this point is the 2.4L 200hp I-VTEC I4. No V6 has been announced.
Since that is not available, I thought that the LX V6, with an aftermarket moonroof could work.
Has anyone had experience with a car with aftermarket moonroof? Is it as nice and leak-free as a factory moonroof and does it have a sliding sunshade? What are average prices for aftermarket moonroof installation?
As far as i4 versus V6 reliability, that's an interesting topic. A V6 does not have to work as hard to accelerate the car at the same rate as an i4. Yet, the angled nature of the V6's pistons means gravity will cause one side of the piston's seal to wear more than the other. Subaru uses completely horizontally-opposed "boxer" engines, and from the ones I've seen, they don't have nearly the longevity of other Japanese i4's. Could this be from the seals wearing unevenly?
Likewise, since variable valve timing makes an engine more efficient, it won't have to work as hard to accelerate the car, but it also adds more moving parts to the engine and encourages revving. The variable valve timing control of an engine isn't a high-wear item, so I would suspect it to have much of any impact on reliability.
If there's been any conclusive studies on this in the past, I'm all ears.
Thanks a lot!
I've heard someone says this probably is the amplifier problem. Will the noise gone if I change to another amplifier? Is this normal? Or this is a bad stereo so I need to have it fixed? Everything else seems perfectly fine. Does it worth to have dealer take down the dash board and risk the possible rattling problem later on?
Thanks for the suggestion!!
Chao
Whether or not that particular noise is normal, well... I'll leave that to the other Accord owners to answer. It sounds normal to me- irregularites usually form as hum, popping, or cutting-out.
I did test drive a Maxima GXE with an aftermarket roof a couple of years ago, and as I recall, it did have the sliding sunshade and seemed to work fine. That being said, I would not opt for an aftermarket sunroof. My option would be to take the EX-4 with cloth, or, if you are flexible, look at a Maxima, Camry, Passat, Altima or Mazda 6. All have factory sunroof/cloth options with a V6.
City: 21-23 mpg
Highway: 27-30 mpg ( Average speed 70-80mph)
Kevin
I disagree, stretchsje. ALL amplifiers, whether using efficient switching power supplies or conventional power supplies, are analog circuits. (They HAVE to be - they're driving analog devices: speakers.) Their gain is determined by the INPUT level of the analog line feed. That line feed level is taken off the head-unit's pre-amp chip which varies gain from the volume control, whether mechanical or electronic (does not have to be a digital volume control, though in the CD player section, its own output volume IS by necessity determined digitally - I believe that's the basis for your confusion). The AM/FM radio and cassette audio sections' signals are full-monty analog from the getgo.
I'm thinking of taking it in for warranty work, and though I'm expecting a "that's normal" diagnosis at this point, corporate Honda needs owner assertion of the problem to correct it for the 04s. When that happens, then we can claim warranty work/replacement.
ariesvirgo, all modern car audio amplification systems use a servo configuration to control the amplifier. The amplifier shuts off bias current to the power transistors in the absense of an input signal. (No sense "idling" them when unneeded...) stretchsje had that part of the equation absolutley right. If your high pitched whine is always at a constant volume when present, regardless of volume setting beyond "0", it's a post-amplification signal getting into the amplified leads going to one or more of the speakers. If it varies in pitch, too, it's could be radiated noise RF or a ground fault from the alternator. If it doesn't vary in pitch, it could be hash from the various computerized electronics in the car making its way into the speaker lead(s). If the volume varies, either at the same pitch, or varying according to engine speed, it could be unintended RF from those same electronics or the alternator finding its way into the head unit or the amp's input circuitry, itself. If your car is under warranty, and it's a Honda audio system, I'd let Honda worry about it. These noises can be a som-'a-gun to track down and eradicate, yourself. I know. I went through something similar with a church organ I built 20 years ago. Fortunately for me the company that made the kit had some heads-up "Jimmy-Electron" techies who helped me through the diagnosis and to a solution.
I used Meguiar's Scratch X -Fine Scratch & Swirl Remover on a light scratch on my bumper and a deeper scratch on the hood. It worked pretty well on the light scratch (can barely see it now) but didn't have much of an effect on the deeper scratch.
Thanks for the correction Talon...
What would be the easiest cheapest fix to get a little more depth to the sound?
Analog controls feature a rotary variable resistor dedicated to that circuit.
And, aside from an occassional "safety customer" we really don't hear much about the desire to have side bags.
And, to the shock of some, I suppose, I'm in that camp myself. Having grown up with old VW bugs and busses and MG's, I've learned to be a careful driver. Maybe I should drive my non-side airbag cars in fear but I don't.
Having said this, I'm sure my next new Honda will have side bags. It's just not a big deal to me, nor does it seem to be to the majority of my customers.
And, I'm not sure how much good they even do.
It wouldn't surprise me if five years from now the entire interior was wrapped in air bags. What's next? roof bags?
One of the factors of my not getting an EX-L (4
cyl) is it doesn't even offer curtain airbags.
Having two youngins at home makes me think more safety nowadays.
A few other issues is it doesn't have side mirror defroster or back-lighted buttons on the steering wheel.
-Craig
I am considering a 2003 Accord as a potential purchase. However, when I test-drove it, the steering wheel had a high level of vibration, especially when idling and even more so when the a/c or max a/c was turned on.
I raised this concern in an online discussion held by a consumer publication and was told by a staffer that their tested Accords did not have this issue, and I must have driven a defective car.
I am getting rid of an 87 civic, and it has the same problem--mucho vibration at idle.
Has anyone else experienced this in Hondas, especially the 2003 Accord?
My other concern is that the a/c in my Civic was absolutely terrible. I don't want to repeat either of these experiences.
thanks
Tuneful
1. the bigger and heavier vehicle
2. the vehicle with properly deployed airbags and seat belts used
3. vehicles with seat belts used
4. no airbags and no seat belts used(sheer luck)
In that order.
Now in some cases, nothing would have made a difference, but in most(even in the smaller vehicle), the severity of the injuries are a direct result of the presence or lack of the occupant safety systems of the vehicle.
I don't think your customers don't want SAB, they just don't want the EX or V6 that SAB comes standard and they don't appreciate their value enough to shell out more money for the bundled options they would have to get.
As far as the SAB...They are optional on the LX and I'd be willing to bet the number of them sold with SAB is pretty small.
I wouldn't turn hem down if they were standard but I wouldn't pay extra for them.
From this discussion, I've also learned a lot on amplifier and digital/analog knowledge. Thanks again stretchsje, ray_h71, and atlantabenny for your in-depth explanations.
Cars that failed miserably are now redesigend with great results. If safety didnt sell, manufacturers wouldnt care, and things wouldnt have changed. They have.Now, most cars do exceptionally well in that test, earning at least a "Good" if not "Good-Best Pick". So leave it to the IIHS not to rest on its laurels--from what I understand, they are going to introduce extenisve and incredibly demanding side impact crash tests in the near future. Insiders say the preliminary findings have not been encouraging.
Time will indeed tell if we have a repeat of the offset situation.
-alpha
I haven't heard a car dealer say that safety sells. GM pushed ABS on every car, and withdrew this after it didn't sell.
wow.
For the record, if Honda and Mazda both made "W-20 supercharged 6 speed AWD land missles"... oh nevermind.
If these people spent a Saturday night riding with you, they would no doubt feel differently.
They would also run redlights and speed in wet and icy conditions if they were 100% sure that they would not get caught.
These people could care less about side curtain airbags.
*My replacement car, a 2003 base level Hyundai Sonata has side air bags as standard equipment. But TC is only available on Hyundai's primo LX level in the Sonata line...
If you're talking about a V6, I can't help. If you're talking about vibration at higher speeds, it could be a wheel out of balance.
good luck
Hey, it's happens... :-/