Faults:

Timing belt replaced at 90k miles as recommended. Did not replace again until 264,000 miles.

Carpeting is showing some wear, but after 25 years it's expected.

Brake power booster and master cylinder finally got replaced at 264k miles. But again, it's probably well-beyond its time.

General Comments:

We've driven this car now for 196,000 miles. It's 25 years old and perhaps one of the most RELIABLE and inexpensive cost of ownership vehicles we've ever owned! By the way, we've owned Lexus, Nissan, Toyota and Mazda vehicles over the past 20+ years. While most cars were great, this Honda beats them all. This is perhaps attributed to their solid manufacturing quality and routine maintenance.

Since ownership of this vehicle (20 years), we've spent approximately $4,200 over the life. On an annual basis, that’s about $210. This is absolutely amazing!

It’s still an awesome, extremely reliable, and well-maintained vehicle. We consistently receive accolades for its condition. We plan on keeping it for another year and hope to sell it for top $.

Faults:

No major problems with this car, that's a Honda for you if you maintain it.

Seats have started to wear due to sunlight.

Passenger side window is almost dead; will need to replace the motor soon..

158,000; Power steering hose (pump) started leaking power steering fluid onto the exhaust manifold. Very sketchy. $30 hose at O'Reilly. The thing was a pain to take out and to reinstall.

General Comments:

This car is going to last forever; it's very, very reliable.

It has decent acceleration, and I plan on installing a cold air intake soon to bump the hp to about 130 on good days.

Handles excellent, and is rather quick through turns when asked. Starts up like a champ with no problems whatsoever.

I plan on pushing the engine to around 300k, before buying the master rebuild kit for it.

Faults:

Tie rod, intake, alternator, headlight motor, valve cover gasket, very rough idle, now worn engine bearings.

General Comments:

WARNING: DO NOT KEEP DRIVING THIS CAR IF IT IS OVERHEATING!! GET IT FIXED IMMEDIATELY. This should be common sense.

A lil history: The 1987 Honda Accord is the first year they made the body style with the flip-out headlights. I've owned 3 Accords of this vintage. 2 '89 2 door coupes DX and now my '87 4door LX. All bone stock (Some people like to customize these, not me). The first '89 I owned was a 5-speed and very very responsive as far as performance and engine power, and had over 350,000 miles on it when I sold it. All it needed was a CV joint.

The second '89 Coupe I owned was an automatic, not nearly as responsive power-wise as the 5-speed, but decent, sold that one with over 210,000 miles on it, no problems at all except a rusted muffler. Amazing gas mileage on all of them.

NOW onto the car I am reviewing - my 1987 Accord 4door LX Automatic. This car is slow as a dog, not sure if it's the extra body weight as compared to the 2-dr's or if the '87 has less HP than the '89, but MAN it's SLOW. Scary on the freeway trying to merge.

I've had more problems with this one than the other 2. It began overheating shortly (5k miles) after purchase (auction car, buyers beware). My mom kept driving it anyway even with smoke pouring out of the hood; she just kept adding water. Finally talked her into fixing it, had to have a very expensive cooling-system fix, think it was the intake, for over $600. The car no longer runs hot.

But by now it's too late. The car ran fine (still does actually), but now its days are numbered. Since being driven so hot, the car has developed a main knock (not a rod knock, something else like the bearings). When it first starts cold, you hear a light "growly" knock and the engine now sounds growly when you give it a little gas or go uphill. The sound goes away at a steady speed. This never happened until it was driven while overheating, which I am sure is the cause of this problem. I'm honestly surprised it still runs at all.

So I am babying it, no long trips, trying to keep the RPMs low and coast in neutral whenever possible, and despite the terminal engine problem, it still runs great around town (except it idles very roughly at a stoplight, but I just throw it in neutral till the light turns green and it's fine). Any input on the rough idle would be appreciated, maybe a sensor? No idiot lights are on.

ANYWAY, point is I could have got 200,000 miles out of this car if it wasn't abused and driven hot, and now I'll be lucky if she runs another 15 or 20k. REAL lucky. Moral of the story - Take good care of your car and it will take care of you. Abuse it and you'll pay. I'd still recommend an Accord to anyone, but make sure the last owner took care of it, DON'T buy it at an auction, and DON'T drive it while it overheats.