Faults:

Wind noise.

Paint chips.

Rattles.

Rough suspension.

General Comments:

Recently saw a ad in the local paper (Antelope Valley Press)... for a 2004 Honda Accord LX V6 model... for 11,888.00 (before tax and fees)... went in to test drive it... the model was a dark gray color with optional wheels and fog lamps... special rubber/hard plastic mat in the trunk.... 6 CD changer.. floor mats and other basic LX equipment... The salesmen took a picture of my license and we were off for a test drive... The pros and cons to the test drive were as follows:

Pros.

Smooth V6 engine

Smooth transmission

Nice solid feel to the vehicle

Good fit and finish

Nice material in car

Cons.

Terrible hard ride (not sure if it was the upgraded 16 inch tires and wheels)

Every tar patch was felt.. on freeway or road

A lot of wind noise around the outside mirrors and windows

Rattles coming from a area below the radio and climate control area

V6 doesn't respond unless you press it to the floor.

In conclusion, if you can deal with the hard ride and the wind noise... then this is a fun little car... it is well put together and you can't hear the engine at idle... but since I already have a 1999 Accord LX model with a 4 cyl... I see no benefit to move up to this newer model with a V6... the V6 is slow to respond unless you have a heavy foot... and the wind and hard suspension are far worse than my 99 with 207,000 miles on it... will try to follow up with a review (test drive) of a 4 cyl model with 15 inch tires on a 2003 and up model...

Faults:

Car drifts left even after 3 alignments. Turns out there was a recall that I never was informed of. Got it fixed free of charge.

Ball joints making a clicking sound when going over bumps.

Steering arm seems to be loose, also makes clicks.

Valves would make noises on certain occasions, but could never replicate for the dealer. Now out of warranty, I let it be.

Two days ago transmission failed (5500km). Slips going from second to third, and on occasion from third to fourth. Also delays going to reverse. Always complained about transmission engaging twice when put in D, but no one listened. Now the transmission has failed and is almost useless.

General Comments:

People buy Honda's because of their reputation and build quality, but don't be fooled, these cars have issues. I've talked to a lot of people and read many articles online, and everyone seems to be complaining about the lousy transmission Honda has put in these cars. For day one the car shifted like a concrete mixer, and seemed fragile, as if it's made out of play dough.

Faults:

This is my second Honda Accord. I've always been pleased with Honda's reputation for quality and found that to be true. Although my car is five years old, there's an expectation that it will continue to perform well as long as I do my part and make sure it is regularly serviced.

My problem has nothing to due with the vehicle performance. My problem is the clear coat paint on my red Honda Accord. I live in the Northeast, and the paint is fading fast on the roof. After careful inspection, it looks like the paint is also fading around the rear window and along the trunk. It looks terrible, and I can only imagine what it will cost to have the car re-painted! Of course, the dealer and the district manager have essentially told me "tough luck." I called American Honda Motor Company's customer service department today, and was again told that the warranty has expired and there's nothing that can be done. I'm going to write an appeal to the VP - Parts and Services Division, to see if I can be given some consideration. It would be nice if we could come to a "cost-sharing" agreement, but I suspect not. Honda's sales and net income are down this year, and I'm sure the company wants to manage its costs very closely. I really like my Honda, but if I have to pay several thousand dollars to have it re-painted it's not the great value I thought it was when I bought it. I am honestly surprised that there's a problem with the paint. Go figure.

General Comments:

I really like it. Very reliable, good looking inside and out (at least before the paint started to fade).