Comments: 1-15, 16-25
Power antenna failure
Power door lock actuator failure
ABS problems
Alternator failure 3 times with in 10 years
Hot starting issues (Main EFI relay)
Fuel pump
Squeaky suspension
Noisy interior
Intermittent rough idling problem
Oil pickup clogs
Master cylinder out at 60,000
Sunroof stuck in open
Ignition switch failure
Driver’s side door lock seized up
Radio display went black
Engine coolant temp sensor out at 55,000
Oxygen sensor replaced 2 times under warranty
ECU replaced once under warranty.
Basically an accord with a odd ball 5 cylinder engine crammed under the hood (and I do mean crammed). This has to be one of the most dreadful cars I have ever had the displeasure of working on myself. And unfortunately many things seem to fail frequently and are expensive to replace (see below). I am the second owner (first owner was my grandmother who stopped driving 3 yrs ago). The car has maintenance records an inch thick from when it was still under warranty. Currently has 65K original miles on it of which I have put 15K of those miles and I keep up on maintenance.
Honestly there is nothing that appealing or extraordinary about the vigor to warrant such good reviews. It gets relatively poor gas mileage (16 city 25 high way). Really not that fast (8 sec 0-60), uncomfortable (non height adjustable seats), rough riding.
It is EXPENSIVE to fix (not a car for the do-it-yourselfer as the engine compartment is overly crowded). Example, to change the oil cooler gaskets (common leak point) and a 1 hr job in a regular car takes 6 hours on the Vigor. As unbelievable as it sounds you must remove the battery to change the distributor cap and rotor! Apparently the engineering team designing this car hadn’t considered that someone would actually need to repair it someday!
Problems that are the most uncommon on other cars seem to plague the Vigor. From electrical issues that are intermittent (main relay, a/c system, security system, etc.) and odd mechanical issues (oil cooler gaskets leaking at 60K?, master cyl at 65K) this car takes the cake in my book as one of the WORST cars I have ever owned.
It’s not much of a wonder why this car was only made for 3 years. And to those who had such great things to say about the car I wonder if they are up to date on repairs or have ever attempted to fix the car themselves. (It is a 14 year old car and I would assume most of the current owners will be tackling most repairs).
There are FAR better used cars you can buy for the money, so if you still insist on purchasing one think twice, actually talk to some mechanics about repair cost, and consider other options.
There's your example of a car Honda did wrong. I'm not sure why Acura decided to go with the 5-cylinder. Oddball, indeed. Wasn't '92 the first model year for this sedan?
The TL is just a successor of the Vigor.. the Vigor didn't die out completely.. in fact, a Vigor is just an Accord with leather and wood trim, and a better engine with better styling and handling.. you must've got a mistreated Vigor cuz I've been driving mine for years and its given me no major problems.. and I don't understand why people say the parts are expensive... the cost to fix this car is about the same as any other car.. you guys must be going to a mechanic that is ripping you off, or going to a dealer to maintain your cars..
I had a Camry before this Vigor, and this Vigor is hands down better than the Camry.
Wow!
My vigor has been nearly trouble free for the last 15 YEARS! I had an ABS light come on and a bit of rust on the trunk fixed, that's it. You either had bad maintenance or got a lemon (extremely rare in the Honda world).
This is not a perfect car by any means, but it is relatively bullet proof, especially the engine, but it MUST be maintained (like any other engine). My car has over 160,000km on it and a friend of mine with the exact same one has over 440,000 km on his with little trouble. Again I would not hesitate to buy another one and have no intension of selling this one, even when I get a new car.
Sorry about your luck, but it is in NO way representative of all the other reviews I've seen of this awesome car.
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Power antenna failure.
Power door lock actuator failure
*it's actually not the actuator, but corrosion at the connectors, any DIYer would know this.*
ABS problems
*more like ABS Rear Wheel sensor, that goes bad after... 10 years of use?*
Alternator failure 3 times with in 10 years
*I would guess that you're running a lot of electrical assessories, ALL the time. 200k miles, and on first alternator*
Hot starting issues (Main EFI relay)
*the main relay is a HONDA KNOWN ISSUE, not Vigor related*
Fuel pump
*never seen one go, and I've seen plenty of Vigors and know plenty of Vigor owners*
Squeaky suspension
*I guess if you never had to replace anything in there for 15 years, it would probably squeel once in a while, but is that a bad thing that you never have to replace anything in there for 15 years?*
Noisy interior
*the Vigor is a bit picky on the shoes it wears, try the Yokohama Avid db tires, works great on sound*
Intermittent rough idling problem
*cleaning the throttle once in a while would fix this, another DIY kinda thing*
Oil pickup clogs
*I guess if you never changed the oil, then yeh..*
Master cylinder out at 60,000
*master cylinder does go on Honda's pretty often, but again, not a Vigor specific issue*
Sunroof stuck in open
*wow, just wow*
Ignition switch failure
*ignition switch gets its share of use, and the contacts get's gummed up. A simple scrape from a screwdriver, or a proper dremmel job makes it as good as new. Slap some di-electric grease on there, and you're golden, another DIYer*
Driver’s side door lock seized up
*another.. wow*
Radio display went black
*the display for the DSP GS trim has a tendency to blank out, but not go "black". It's due to poor contacts after years of vibrations in the unit. Panasonic has released that they are aware of the problem, and can tell you the points to re-sodder to fix the issue.*
Engine coolant temp sensor out at 55,000
*never had mine go out, original at 200k*
Oxygen sensor replaced 2 times under warranty
*if you get bosche, then yeh... try an NGK*
ECU replaced once under warranty.
*tripple wow...*
General comments?
Basically an accord with a odd ball 5 cylinder engine crammed under the hood (and I do mean crammed). This has to be one of the most dreadful cars I have ever had the displeasure of working on myself. And unfortunately many things seem to fail frequently and are expensive to replace (see below). I am the second owner (first owner was my grandmother who stopped driving 3 yrs ago). The car has maintenance records an inch thick from when it was still under warranty. Currently has 65K original miles on it of which I have put 15K of those miles and I keep up on maintenance.
*maybe she should have changed the oil in those 3 years huh? I find it fun and satisfying working on my Vig.*
Honestly there is nothing that appealing or extraordinary about the vigor to warranty such good reviews. It gets relatively poor gas mileage (16 city 25 high way). Really not that fast (8 sec 0-60), uncomfortable (non height adjustable seats), rough riding.
*You mean, besides that it looks awesome, and one of the very few vehicles that still has that distinct style and class to it, even after 15 years? But yeh, nothing that extraordinary at all. I get 20-25 with my 4spd, and 22-30 on a 5spd.*
It is EXPENSIVE to fix (not a car for the do-it-yourselfer as the engine compartment is overly crowded). Example, to change the oil cooler gaskets (common leak point) and a 1 hr job in a regular car takes 6 hours on the Vigor. As unbelievable as it sounds you must remove the battery to change the distributor cap and rotor! Apparently the engineering team designing this car hadn’t considered that someone would actually need to repair it someday!
*The oil-cooler was a.6 hr job, as quoted by Acura, and.8 when I did it myself. If you have the right tools, the battery can remain intact for the dizzy change. Ever done a timing belt job on a V6 accord? You would appreciate the inline design, REAL FAST! BTW, the cap and rotor doesn't get repaired, it gets replaced.*
Problems that are the most uncommon on other cars seem to plague the Vigor. From electrical issues that are intermittent (main relay, a/c system, security system, etc.) and odd mechanical issues (oil cooler gaskets leaking at 60K?, master cyl at 65K) this car takes the cake in my book as one of the WORST cars I have ever owned.
*Well, it is afterall, a unique automobile. I've never had trouble with the above listed items, cept for the master cylinder at 180k, and the oil cooler at 190k. your book must be not too big.*
It’s not much of a wonder why this car was only made for 3 years. And to those who had such great things to say about the car I wonder if they are up to date on repairs or have ever attempted to fix the car themselves. (It is a 14 year old car and I would assume most of the current owners will be tackling most repairs).
*We tackle them day-by-day, and once it's done, owners don't usually ever have to worry about them again, cept for the regular fluid changes of course. Take a look over at the acuravigorclub.com, you would wish you had when you owned the car. I'm proud to own a car that was in production for only 3 years, designed by the same guys to bring us the NSX, and for the price I got it for, it'll make you want one too.*
There are FAR better used cars you can buy for the money, so if you still insist on purchasing one think twice, actually talk to some mechanics about repair cost, and consider other options.
*Which is why I owned 3 at one point, and this is my 4th one. This car is truely part of Acura's golden years. It's an automobile wonder in my oppinion, along with the Legend. It's unfortunate that not many people know the potential that this car has, but it's also fortunate that they don't. How else can I purchase a 34k car, for only under 2k. I could have gotten an Accord, or a Civic, for 6k instead, but then I would be paying much more, for less car.*
*FINAL NOTE: I hope those that have read this, to strongly consider looking at the whole picture of this vehicle. It's not a car to modify, and "supe" up. You won't find aftermarket parts readily available for this car, and you will find that it's going to be the way it is, stock. If you want to own a piece of the Honda/Acura history, when it was at it's greatest, or if you simply want an awesome car, at an awesome price, get this car. If you want a car that everyone else has, get yourself an Accord.*
Www.acuravigorclub.com - THE place on the Internet for Acura Vigor enthusiasts.
Obviously your vehicle has been mistreated - too bad.
This car is a classic. I have a 1993 Vigor and, like all the others I have read about, this car is fantastic. Read the reviews again and understand that you have had one that someone drove into the ground. My '93 in the one with the secret weapon R intake, the kumhos, the Ractive exhaust, and the magnecore wires. This vehicle has gotten smiles from everyone who sees it. I treat this vehicle like a new born baby and now only drive it during the summer.
I met a person who had bought a Vigor new for himself in 1992. He has given it to his wife to now drive. The car has 700,000 km. on it and beyond routine maintainence, is going strong.
Thanks.
Jim.
On the whole site you are the only person to give the Vigor a bad review. I own a 1992 Vigor and the thing can fly. It does 0-60 in around 6 seconds.
I've seen you mention about your radio having no display, What are the points that need to be fixed? Has anybody else had the same problem and actually fixed it?
I need a hood for my 93 vigor (which by the way runs like a million dollars, regardless of the persons review above)
If anyone could point me in the right direction for getting a hood, let me know.
Chris
707-310-3541.
I have a 1993 Vigor and I like most others love their Vigor. It has 260,000 km. on it and although I've had problems nothing major. I keep it very well maintained.
About 8 weeks ago I ran into an ABS problem. The light would go off and on or just stay on. I took it to the dealer, where I get all my work done (Acura dealer) and to this day, I am still baffled. I get it back and take it in a few days later. They said it needed a new master cylinder, then they said it needed a modulator. This didn't work. I was having a noise in the right rear wheel, as well. Well, $1200. later and just yesterday I got a call saying again, my car was ready to pick up.
Has anyone had problems with their ABS and if so, what did you do. Love the car and don't want to trade it in, but I don't know what to do and where to turn.
Thanks.
Acura Vigors are amazing cars. It says under the manuals and paper work that this car has 176 hp, but everyone knows this isn't true and really has about 200 hp since Acura purposley said it had only 176 hp so the Legend would look better at 205 hp. Overall this car is fast and is truly a beauty.
I own two '94 Acura Vigor's. One is a parts car and the other is an onyx beauty. I do not have any complaints about the Vigor, and do not know why anybody would. She has 135,000 miles, and the only thing that ever needed replaced was the clutch. Besides routine maintenance, that is. With minor upgrades like exhaust, lowering, and intake revealed the perfect stance and a very hot car.
If anyone is interested in some parts, or even purchasing both cars, give me a call at – (412) 414-5822. I am from Pa. and my name is Devon.
I have a 15 year old with 200,000km. aquired it with 150,000km. Previous owner looked after it well. I fixed brake master cylinder (150k km) and radiator (190k km) and engine idle at 700rpm smoothly. Auto tran shift smoothly, like a new one - low & high rpm.
What 1992 resonably priced medium size Japanese car is not noisy? The starting problem on hot days can be easily solved by resoldering the main relay as the bad factory solder cracks.
What other 2.5L car performs as well as this and had so much hp? 1999 BMW 328i has same horsepower and it's 2.8L.
The Acura Vigor is a relabeled Honda Accord. Maintenance is actually less expensive on my Legend than on my Vigor. Its not a bad car just a car that needs to be kept up on. Comfy seats (I don't care about height adjustment!), decent looks, pretty quick, cheap to insure. The gas mileage isn't too good, yeah, but overall its better than an Honda Accord and right now not much more money than one of the same year.
I had the ABS light come on. After replacing the rear brake pads the light went out. Must be a sensor in there somewhere. Hope that helps.
'92 Vigor owner.