I have my EXV6 Sedan since December. no rice krispies in the car. Did have a dripping sound. Service said there wasn't enough anti-freeze in radiator. That's about it. Car runs great. Starts right up, no pulling to the right, no noises. My car was built in USA, early November. It's sad that this board only hears the complaints! Guess it's easier to complain than compliment! IMHO
When shopping for the Accord, I drove pretty much every car on the dealers' lots. I currently own a 2001 Audi A4 and a 2003 Accord (which is recovering from the accident....booooo!!!). As far as reliability goes, I chose the Accord because my chances of major repairs and downtime were much less than those automobiles from VW/Audi. Granted, the Audi/VW line has a nice turbo engine and a tricked out Audi will handle with the best of them, but I didn't need 2 cars constantly in the shop! As an Audi owner, I would estimate 2-3 days/month downtime for repairs. Stuff like gaskets, electrical components, sensors, belts, ignition coils, and RATTLES being fixed.
The driving experience is great in VW/Audi if you can turn your radio up loud enough to drown the rattles and grinds. The Accord feels a touch more solid on the inside, but can't keep pace with Germananic handling and braking.
As far as the mags go, who cares what they say. You're the one driving YOUR car to work, school, clubs, Costco....you choose what fits your needs/wants. I wanted a car that could take a corner at 85mph, had solid brakes, and was safe and fun. I got the Audi. I wanted a car that was affordable, reliable, and comfortable. I got the Accord. I could quote Edmunds or C&D or 0-60 all day, but when it came down to my money and my big butt sitting in the driver's seat, it all came down to my decision. Not someone else.
What Edmunds and others provide is a guideline and starting point. They also provide facts and opinions to help guide you. What we also get is a forum here to share knowledge and some of us saved a TON of money that way! (great selling price).
From a reliability standpoint, the publishings provide a general risk assessment for owners. As a whole and in total, the Accords will experience fewer problems in a lifetime than a Passat. Does that mean everyone should buy an Accord? no way. In other words, if you don't mind occasional repairs and dump a car before the warranty runs out, the Passat could be equally satisfying compared to the Accord. But if you plan to drive your Accord until 2020, the probability of your total costs of ownership (repairs and such) will be lower on average than for a Passat.
And let's face it...some of us might like the looks of one car and that is important to us! (no offense to you Aztec drivers)
I used to drive an Audi A6 2.7T which was plagued with problems. In less than two years of ownership (purchased new), it required a new steering rack, instrument panel, and multiple brake rotors due to warping. I would never purchase any VW/Audi product again. In addition, the A6 bumpers get hooked easily on parking barriers and pull off. (Audi is only now performing a recall, and this only in response to a class-action lawsuit). I'll take my Accord EX-V6 any day of the week. I've had no problems at all, now with around 3500 miles. I fully expect this to be a car requiring only routine maintenance plus wear/tear items, which all my prior Honda/Acura cars have been.
I am a 2003 Accord LX Auto owner and my experience with the car has been stellar. No rattles, no other problems. My cousin has a 2003 Passat that had an ignition coil fail, numerous check engine light ON problems, had his valves replaced already and is not very happy with the constant down time the car has had, though he does love its handling. He is seriously thinking of trading it in for a Mazda6/Accord/Camry.
Just goes on to show that it al depends on priorities, some people don't mind having the car in the garage a lot, so that ok with them.
For outrun, if I remember correctly, around a month or so, you too were fed up with teh way VW was handling the Passat's coil issue, so suddenly to quote the Edmunds review is kinda funny. In fact edmunds is the only review that has favored the passat over the Accord. I can quote numerous others where the Passat has been soundly thrashed by the Accord. CD, RT comparos, CD 10 Best List, Autoweek, etc. The reply to this from VW fans is "oh this is an old platform, just think how great the new Passat will be." Well, what are we supposed to do, sit and twiddle thumbs when till the new Passat comes out? C'mon, the buyer is buying the car now, not next year so we gotta look at what we have. Anyway, its not as if the current Passat has shown tremendous quality ( I don't mean perceived quality).
In fact, RT did say that these are strange times when a german car does not drive like one and a Japanese one drives like a German one. But I guess Passat owners would say "Oh, crap, Edmunds loves this car," so its the best. What really riles me is this, "Passat is THE best" thing, when in reality, its nothing but a nicely finished pseudo German car that is on its last legs. One Passat owner even suggested someone to buy a Passat over an Audi, citing more fun to drive. Eeks, height of optimism.
The fact remains that the accord is one of the best cars available for the money and offers great peace of mind for the typical driver/family oriented niche that is has been a best seller in. Oh, maybe the next Passat will be a Car of the year winner, right? Or a comparo winner, right?
One Passat fan regularly keeps suggesting "chipping" the Passat to get over 250HP, totally umnindful how this negates the warranty and makes this already unreliable vehicle downright ridiculous, keeping in mind this is a family car, not a sports car. Man, this is CRAZEEE
Have you ever driven a 2003 Accord, even with the 4 cyl? Please do so, you will understand who is "driving" and who is 'riding". The way you regularly refer to the Passat like a "driver's car" would have one believe its more BMW M3 than Passat. And believe me and other very happy Accord owners, the Accord is not softly sprung, but a really nice driver.
And if you are really so much of a "driver's car" person, take a long hard look at a Mazda 6, you will forget your Passat in a whiff.
Anyway, enjoy driving (to the garage) while hitching rides from us Accord owners.
Funny how when you do just about ANY research outside of Edmunds (Road and Track, Consumer Reports, Car and Driver, etc.), you'll find that the Accord ranks right up there with the Passat, or even beats it soundly, in the case of Road and Track. This has been true even with the last generation of Accord.
As I said earlier, Road and Track found the Accord to substantially outperform the Passat in most subjective measurements of things that contribute to "fun to drive", such as driving excitement, steering, handling and engine. So we're not talking 0-60 and skidpads, we're talking real driving.
Is Edmunds wrong? Is Road and Track right? Well, these are all opinions, so there's no right or wrong. But again, look at other sources of information about the Accord vs. the Passat before you diss the Accord by comparison. Clearly in the opinion of R&T, the Accord is the car that fulfills the goals of "being more involved, better road feel, tight and responsive chassis, etc." And it's not just R&T... the new Accord's chassis has been getting great reviews elsewhere as well.
Do you like your Passat? Obviously you do, so that's all that matters. I like my Accord a lot, and have absolutely no regrets about choosing it over a Passat.
I agree - it would be nice if those buttons could light up at night. I just got my Accord yesterday and I was driving around at night and since it was all new to me, I had trouble finding the right buttons. No problems today though - I guess I will get used to it by feel after I have it for a while.
Having never owned a VW, I can't say much about the VW vs Accord comparison. I have, however, owned a 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th generation Accord. After 7k / 4 month driving including a 3k trip with 5 adults, I rate the 2003 EX-L superior to my other Accords in every respect but 1, better tires could improve handling to the Mazda 6 level. No problems, great gas milage, great 2.4 engine that, when coupled with the 5 speed manual is both sporty and fun to drive. Granted, several posters here have had problems with their new 2003 Accords, and I feel their pain. Those problems, however, seem to be early production problems for a small fraction of the units produced. Remember Honda has pioneered new methods of assembly in addition to starting a new product. I would expect most of these early issues are already resolved, with the remainder being actively investigated. If Honda can be criticized for anything, it is the Customer Service department has not responded as well as it should have.
I wouldn't say that 2-3 days/month is the norm for VW/Audi, but in my case it is. What compounds Audi's problems is the lack of support from their service department. I had to personally file a formal complaint with AoA before they would even LOOK at my car. In this case, it would about 75% dealership since they're extremely lazy and have terrible customer service. Not what you'd expect from a premium dealer. I could bore the snot out of you with my 10 trips to the dealer and the horrible service, but that's not for this forum.
I would say the only issues I've had with my Accord are: rattle from headliner above driver (easy fix), engine buzz from 1600-2000 rpm (any ideas?), and i got in an accident (DOH!!! That's my fault...). But, the repair shop was telling me something along the lines that my rear bumper wasn't aligned right in production. Oh well.
Oh ya, I do get that horrible sulphur smell but that seems the norm with most [non-permissible content removed] cars nowadays.
The difference here is that the Accord's issues are minor and very nit-picky. When ignition coils go bad, steering racks malfunction, and sensors go awol that is a whole different ballgame!
FYI, I used to drive a 1989 Accord LX but I sold it to a friend. He's still driving it today with over 180,000 miles on it and it still purrs.
I haven't gone to the dealer for anything else besides normal maintenance (every 5k). While there, they've fixed (warranty) very minor issues (passenger seat heater not functioning and front edge of the manual shift knob is peeling). I have 16,000+ miles in about a year.
My wife's former '96 Accord EX had 70,000+ miles in about 6.5 years of service. The only issues were the A/C recall (caused potential engine fires), a new muffler (a hole the size of Texas), and a leaking oil pan. Which brings me to Honda service:
I brought the car in for the oil leak (about 5 years, 55,000 miles into ownership). They didn't know I had a 7/100 extended warranty. They looked at it while I was waiting, brought me into the garage, and said "Look, here's the leak. It's bad. You need a new oil pan." So I went back into the service area, and they said that it'd cost something like $500 for parts/labor.
At that time, I told them "Oh, I have the HondaCare 7/100 warranty, so you can take care of it." They agreed.
At the end of the day, they called and said it's all set. After getting there, I looked at the paperwork. All it said was "oil pan gasket". So I approached the service person, and told him I was supposed to get a new oil pan.
"Oh, HondaCare wouldn't cover a new oil pan for just a leak. All we could do is give you a gasket to stop it."
So, if I didn't have the warranty, I'd have to spend $500 on a new pan. Since I had the warranty, miraculously the problem wasn't so bad and a $5 gasket fixed it.
Japan versus US made isn't going to make a bit of difference. Quality control process is identical. I've a US made '98 Accord, with over 80K miles on it. The only problem I could report (and have done for over five years in this board) is some squeak that appeared in the moon roof during the first few months of ownership. I was told of a fix (lubricating the rubber seals on regular basis) which I take care of, and it works. Other than that, on cold mornings may bring some squeaks which also settles as the cabin temperatures gets to normal.
No, there is no data supporting any assertion that there are substantial quality differences between Honda plants making any of their products around the world.
Yes, all V6 Accords for our market are made in Ohio.
i hope you're not saying because your american made accord has been good to you that quality control is the same between the two. I've noticed better assembly quality with the Japan made accords at my local dealer. I know this does not necessary translate to better reliability though.
Not sure if it is attributable to being American made or not but can relate that my recently purchased EX-V6 sedan (built in Marysville) has terrible body panel fit, irregular gaps, poor alignment, and actual disfigurement in both hood and trunk lid. Car is currently at Dealer (over a week) is still not properly fixed. Battle lines being drawn (I want car replaced) will advise as things progress. This car fits together quite poorly. My Nissan Altima was far better! Ticked!
My husband has a 02 Accord Coupe V6 and it has a dark tint. At the very top of the back window, the tint does look a little different - almost a little smeary(?). Supposedly, all the coupes tinted turned out that way (for 02 model). I have the 03 Sedan and the tint is fine.
Those of you looking for a smarter tranny should try the 5-speed (manual). It is always in the exact gear you want it to be in exactly when you want it there. Better performance and fuel mileage as well as more fun are just gravy.
I can only speak from my experience. Only 15% of Accords are imported from Japan, but you won't find only 15% Accords with exceptional build quality. Out of 400K units sold, there are bound to be quite a few that will show some neglect. I doubt it would depend on Japanese versus American origin.
I can only speak of my experience. My first Japanese built vehicle was a 75 Civic, bought new. Zero defects, no rattles, exceptional quality. Next was a Toyota Celica in 82. Same. Next was a Nissan 300ZX in 86. Same. Next was a Toyota 4Runner in 89, a Nissan Maxima in 95, another 4Runner in 98, 2000 Tundra in 2000. Then a 03EXV6 Accord Coupe in late Nov 03. All with zero defects.
Last, 03 EXV6 Sedan in Feb 03. Just awful. Rattles in dash, center counsel, back bench, and a unfixable popping coming from the A-Pillar. Not at all like anything I've seen before. I can't explain why my other 03 Accord was so tightly built, and the other one was so poorly assembled. It was like it was made by a completely different manufacturer. I've been driving a Dodge Neon rental waiting for a replacement vehicle. The Neon is built better than the Accord Honda is replacing, with not a single rattle.
Maybe US manufacturers have improved, while the Japanese brands have declined. I don't know, but something tells me that there is no way a car so poorly built would have left the factory in Japan, much less put on a ship to the US. It should have never left the plant.
If Honda wants my business, I'm just outlining the things they need to enhance to get it. I *DON'T* think the Passat is "better" than the Accord. Over all, the Accord is going to be more reliable. But how much more? The Passat itself is remarkably reliable. Any survey done on VW reliability also includes the Mexican Jetta and Brazillian Beetle. All Passats are designed and built right in Germany.
I just feel, for me, it offers much more for the same money. Apparently you all don't think so because you bought an Accord. And I don't think you made a bad choice. I *DO* like the Accord (EX-L, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual, Navi would be my choice).
The product they just put onto the market (the '03 Accord), in my opinion, falls short, in key areas, of the product VW already had on the market.
I read a commentary in a local paper that Honda is under so much pressure to produce the cars quickly and cut costs that it may be hurting them in the quality department. Perhaps they are becoming a victim of their own success in North America.
A few comments regarding the Passat are OK, but this thread just goes on and on and on. Aren't we spending like WAY too much time talking about the Passat in a forum that is NOT called "Accord vs. Passat"?
If you feel compelled to continue this thread, please move it to an appropriate forum.
I purchased an Accord EX Sedan and the dealer told me that there is no alarm on this car but there is a security system. He could not elaborate as to what this security system does. I looked at the brochure and could not find any explanation of the security system.
I know that when I lock the car, there is a red light blinking in the dashboard. Exactly what does this security system do?
Thanks a lot. I've heard that the dot matrix causes a real problem on the coupes. I have a '03 sedan also and it doesn't seem to have the dot matrix as the coupes do.
I currently own a 96 Camry w/ 150k miles. Starting to have some worries about the Camry and thinking about purchasing a new car. Looking at the Accord LX 4 cyl, Altima and Passat.
Any major surprises with the new 03 Accord? Been readins some posts and nothing but rattles and general annoyances. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Krillin - I just read your reply to my message on the other board. I get what you're saying now. I just got mine tinted 3 days ago and so far it looks fine. I wasn't aware of these issues.
For those who have either driven or seen this model, what kind of wheels are equipped? I have this car with the 5 spoke alloy wheels. I noticed that the honda website, commericials, and its brochure feature the 7 spoke wheels (but i think those for the EX-V6).
Your salesperson does not know what he is talking about. Your EX has an alarm, or security system (whatever the salesman wants to call it). The flashing red light indicates the car is armed. If someone tries to open the doors/hood/trunk without the key, the horn will start blaring away. The car is also equipped with an immobilizer which means only the factory key can start the car. You can test it. Just lock the car with a window open. Then wait about 15 seconds, reach in and open the door manually.
BTW, perhaps I should tell you that if you set off the alarm as per above suggestion, you can silence it by pressing the unlock button (or maybe even any button) on the remote.
We've all seen that Accords are the most stolen. Any news on the new one, and other cars with the immobilizer, like the TL? Do they get pinched or are they then being left alone?
Accords are not always the most stolen and even then, it is only for certain model years. It is regional. In some regions, Accords are not even in the top 10 list of most stolen. Accords are not stolen that much in the midwest and in the south.
It's still the number 1 stolen car. Our office admin wanted to buy one and has held off because the insurance rate she was quoted was so high. Maybe those high rates will start to fall over time though.
Early 90s Camry has had the honor of being the most stolen vehicle in recent years. Accord is not too far behind. But with newer security systems (immobilizer has been standard in Accords since MY1998), it should not be much of a concern. That said, Accord is not among the most stolen vehicles in Dallas County, pickup trucks are.
As s852 pointed out, Honda theft is probably not as prevalent in the south - making insurance premium for the car quite reasonable. Our 2 Accords cost $1680 annually for comprehensive insurance, including a small $50 deductible for the can't-avoid windshield-cracking rock.
The Honda "bailiwick" markets like Cal. and NY are where premiums are highest - is my guess.
Full coverage from GEICO in California [metro Sacramento area] on our '01 EX V6 sedan ran about $900 a year. The same coverage on our '02 Mercedes C240 is about $1100 annually, after a big rate increase from GEICO last year [along with most of the rest of the insurance industry].
Nothing varies like car insurance - it's voodoo at its worst. We carry $300k liability with a $500 collision deductible and a $250 comprehensive deduct, and have no children. The big wild card is often who besides the two primary adults in on the policy - anyone under 25 tends to send the rate through the roof, regardless of where in the country you are.
Comments
It's sad that this board only hears the complaints! Guess it's easier to complain than compliment! IMHO
The driving experience is great in VW/Audi if you can turn your radio up loud enough to drown the rattles and grinds. The Accord feels a touch more solid on the inside, but can't keep pace with Germananic handling and braking.
As far as the mags go, who cares what they say. You're the one driving YOUR car to work, school, clubs, Costco....you choose what fits your needs/wants. I wanted a car that could take a corner at 85mph, had solid brakes, and was safe and fun. I got the Audi. I wanted a car that was affordable, reliable, and comfortable. I got the Accord. I could quote Edmunds or C&D or 0-60 all day, but when it came down to my money and my big butt sitting in the driver's seat, it all came down to my decision. Not someone else.
What Edmunds and others provide is a guideline and starting point. They also provide facts and opinions to help guide you. What we also get is a forum here to share knowledge and some of us saved a TON of money that way! (great selling price).
From a reliability standpoint, the publishings provide a general risk assessment for owners. As a whole and in total, the Accords will experience fewer problems in a lifetime than a Passat. Does that mean everyone should buy an Accord? no way. In other words, if you don't mind occasional repairs and dump a car before the warranty runs out, the Passat could be equally satisfying compared to the Accord. But if you plan to drive your Accord until 2020, the probability of your total costs of ownership (repairs and such) will be lower on average than for a Passat.
And let's face it...some of us might like the looks of one car and that is important to us! (no offense to you Aztec drivers)
-Craig
Just goes on to show that it al depends on priorities, some people don't mind having the car in the garage a lot, so that ok with them.
For outrun, if I remember correctly, around a month or so, you too were fed up with teh way VW was handling the Passat's coil issue, so suddenly to quote the Edmunds review is kinda funny. In fact edmunds is the only review that has favored the passat over the Accord. I can quote numerous others where the Passat has been soundly thrashed by the Accord. CD, RT comparos, CD 10 Best List, Autoweek, etc. The reply to this from VW fans is "oh this is an old platform, just think how great the new Passat will be." Well, what are we supposed to do, sit and twiddle thumbs when till the new Passat comes out? C'mon, the buyer is buying the car now, not next year so we gotta look at what we have. Anyway, its not as if the current Passat has shown tremendous quality ( I don't mean perceived quality).
In fact, RT did say that these are strange times when a german car does not drive like one and a Japanese one drives like a German one. But I guess Passat owners would say "Oh, crap, Edmunds loves this car," so its the best. What really riles me is this, "Passat is THE best" thing, when in reality, its nothing but a nicely finished pseudo German car that is on its last legs. One Passat owner even suggested someone to buy a Passat over an Audi, citing more fun to drive. Eeks, height of optimism.
The fact remains that the accord is one of the best cars available for the money and offers great peace of mind for the typical driver/family oriented niche that is has been a best seller in. Oh, maybe the next Passat will be a Car of the year winner, right? Or a comparo winner, right?
One Passat fan regularly keeps suggesting "chipping" the Passat to get over 250HP, totally umnindful how this negates the warranty and makes this already unreliable vehicle downright ridiculous, keeping in mind this is a family car, not a sports car. Man, this is CRAZEEE
And if you are really so much of a "driver's car" person, take a long hard look at a Mazda 6, you will forget your Passat in a whiff.
Anyway, enjoy driving (to the garage) while hitching rides from us Accord owners.
As I said earlier, Road and Track found the Accord to substantially outperform the Passat in most subjective measurements of things that contribute to "fun to drive", such as driving excitement, steering, handling and engine. So we're not talking 0-60 and skidpads, we're talking real driving.
Is Edmunds wrong? Is Road and Track right? Well, these are all opinions, so there's no right or wrong. But again, look at other sources of information about the Accord vs. the Passat before you diss the Accord by comparison. Clearly in the opinion of R&T, the Accord is the car that fulfills the goals of "being more involved, better road feel, tight and responsive chassis, etc." And it's not just R&T... the new Accord's chassis has been getting great reviews elsewhere as well.
Do you like your Passat? Obviously you do, so that's all that matters. I like my Accord a lot, and have absolutely no regrets about choosing it over a Passat.
Krillin
No problems, great gas milage, great 2.4 engine that, when coupled with the 5 speed manual is both sporty and fun to drive.
Granted, several posters here have had problems with their new 2003 Accords, and I feel their pain. Those problems, however, seem to be early production problems for a small fraction of the units produced. Remember Honda has pioneered new methods of assembly in addition to starting a new product. I would expect most of these early issues are already resolved, with the remainder being actively investigated. If Honda can be criticized for anything, it is the Customer Service department has not responded as well as it should have.
I would say the only issues I've had with my Accord are: rattle from headliner above driver (easy fix), engine buzz from 1600-2000 rpm (any ideas?), and i got in an accident (DOH!!! That's my fault...). But, the repair shop was telling me something along the lines that my rear bumper wasn't aligned right in production. Oh well.
Oh ya, I do get that horrible sulphur smell but that seems the norm with most [non-permissible content removed] cars nowadays.
The difference here is that the Accord's issues are minor and very nit-picky. When ignition coils go bad, steering racks malfunction, and sensors go awol that is a whole different ballgame!
FYI, I used to drive a 1989 Accord LX but I sold it to a friend. He's still driving it today with over 180,000 miles on it and it still purrs.
My wife's former '96 Accord EX had 70,000+ miles in about 6.5 years of service. The only issues were the A/C recall (caused potential engine fires), a new muffler (a hole the size of Texas), and a leaking oil pan. Which brings me to Honda service:
I brought the car in for the oil leak (about 5 years, 55,000 miles into ownership). They didn't know I had a 7/100 extended warranty. They looked at it while I was waiting, brought me into the garage, and said "Look, here's the leak. It's bad. You need a new oil pan." So I went back into the service area, and they said that it'd cost something like $500 for parts/labor.
At that time, I told them "Oh, I have the HondaCare 7/100 warranty, so you can take care of it." They agreed.
At the end of the day, they called and said it's all set. After getting there, I looked at the paperwork. All it said was "oil pan gasket". So I approached the service person, and told him I was supposed to get a new oil pan.
"Oh, HondaCare wouldn't cover a new oil pan for just a leak. All we could do is give you a gasket to stop it."
So, if I didn't have the warranty, I'd have to spend $500 on a new pan. Since I had the warranty, miraculously the problem wasn't so bad and a $5 gasket fixed it.
VW isn't the only one with bad service.
-Craig
dealers told me EX V6 all made by U.S????? IS Japan made more reliable?
How about the A-pillar issue??? Thanks
Japan versus US made isn't going to make a bit of difference. Quality control process is identical. I've a US made '98 Accord, with over 80K miles on it. The only problem I could report (and have done for over five years in this board) is some squeak that appeared in the moon roof during the first few months of ownership. I was told of a fix (lubricating the rubber seals on regular basis) which I take care of, and it works. Other than that, on cold mornings may bring some squeaks which also settles as the cabin temperatures gets to normal.
No, there is no data supporting any assertion that there are substantial quality differences between Honda plants making any of their products around the world.
Yes, all V6 Accords for our market are made in Ohio.
I can replicate it sometimes after I roll slowly from reverse to 1st, then stopping slowly.
It doesn't bother me because it sounds like it is coming from the brakes and I figure that it's because of the brakes sticking to the rotors.
There should be an electrochromic rearview mirror inside too at the V6 level.
the manual being smarter than the automatic would dependent upon the driver now wouldn't it...!
Last, 03 EXV6 Sedan in Feb 03. Just awful. Rattles in dash, center counsel, back bench, and a unfixable popping coming from the A-Pillar. Not at all like anything I've seen before. I can't explain why my other 03 Accord was so tightly built, and the other one was so poorly assembled. It was like it was made by a completely different manufacturer. I've been driving a Dodge Neon rental waiting for a replacement vehicle. The Neon is built better than the Accord Honda is replacing, with not a single rattle.
Maybe US manufacturers have improved, while the Japanese brands have declined. I don't know, but something tells me that there is no way a car so poorly built would have left the factory in Japan, much less put on a ship to the US. It should have never left the plant.
I just feel, for me, it offers much more for the same money. Apparently you all don't think so because you bought an Accord. And I don't think you made a bad choice. I *DO* like the Accord (EX-L, 4 cyl, 5 speed manual, Navi would be my choice).
The product they just put onto the market (the '03 Accord), in my opinion, falls short, in key areas, of the product VW already had on the market.
-Craig
If you feel compelled to continue this thread, please move it to an appropriate forum.
I know that when I lock the car, there is a red light blinking in the dashboard. Exactly what does this security system do?
Thanks again.
Any major surprises with the new 03 Accord? Been readins some posts and nothing but rattles and general annoyances. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks
Anyone who can shed light on this topic? Thanks.
We've all seen that Accords are the most stolen. Any news on the new one, and other cars with the immobilizer, like the TL? Do they get pinched or are they then being left alone?
It is regional. In some regions, Accords are not even in the top 10 list of most stolen.
Accords are not stolen that much in the midwest and in the south.
In fact the Accord is cheaper than a Protege we had a while back.
The older Accords are the ones stolen. Not so much for the new ones.
http://info.insure.com/auto/thefts/thefts301.html
i am 56, married with 1 kid and i pay $1900 for accord ex-l 4 cylinder auto. i live on long island ny.
The Honda "bailiwick" markets like Cal. and NY are where premiums are highest - is my guess.
Nothing varies like car insurance - it's voodoo at its worst. We carry $300k liability with a $500 collision deductible and a $250 comprehensive deduct, and have no children. The big wild card is often who besides the two primary adults in on the policy - anyone under 25 tends to send the rate through the roof, regardless of where in the country you are.