2008 Honda Accord EX-L from North America - Comments

Nothing yet.

While I can't say anything has gone wrong with the car I can't help but think that it's a highly overrated vehicle.

1. there is a lot of vibration in the steering wheel between 60-70 mph.

2. the car idles roughly with the a/c on.

3. dashboard creaks and rattles.

4. various other rattles that come and go throughout the car.

5. jerky transmission upshifts.

6.flickering headlamps.

7. heated seats very weak (not a big deal but I paid for them)

I don't expect the car to drive like a Lexus but for 26k I was expecting better than this. Amazingly none of these symptoms reared their ugly head during the test drive. Overall not a terrible car but you can do a lot better for your money in my opinion.

I test-drove an 08 Accord EX in December and was surprised that I didn't like it more. I owned an 04 Civic and was looking to trade up. The first thing I noticed before I got into the car was how loud the engine sounded. Next I was surprised that it didn't feel stronger. Then I noticed that engine and road noise were more pronounced than some competitors which seemed incongruous in a car of this size. Otherwise the car felt like a bloated Civic (which really isn't a bad thing) It handled well and the steering feel was great. Ultimately, though, I chose a Nissan Altima 2.5SL which is faster, smoother, quieter, and more economical. Honorable mention goes to the 08 Chev Malibu. Excellent car. No Chevy dealers in our area had the trim and color we wanted (most of them only have one car--forget about a selection).

It's a real shame the past several years we noted this first hand as well. We were extremely loyal import buyers for years. We bought many new Accords and then new (Honda) Acuras every few years or even less but the mechanical quality declined.

I did however just recently buy a nice very low mile older 1999 Honda Civic coupe for my son however. It's a fun car to drive with the 5 speed, moonroof etc. and so were our earlier Accords. More fun to drive with the stickshift. We then went with the 3.2 VTEC automatics that had tremendous power and handling but had issues.

I prefer to always buy new, but from experience lately looked for a nice older one. So we have now have another Honda but not new this time... we now have new GM's (since 2006) which have proven to be as reliable as our Hondas once were. I am certain the new car dealership near our home misses us now. We treated them well.

It's very sad but I noticed this too.

I was looking for a new Honda Accord Euro, which looked fine, (Acura TSX with a bit different styling) But when I got in, there was none of the old padded soft touch feel of my dad's old 92 Civic; it was hard, chintzy and impossible to see out the back of. What's with that?

The car was a good price, but I'd rather lose a few of those "features" like EBD and Brake assist for decent interior trim components.

So you'd rather lose the good braking system as long as your head hits a nice soft padded dash on impact eh? Honda's interiors are better than most like Nissan and even Toyota. Most manufacturers use similar type of plastics, though, and all are harder and cheaper looking nowadays. I think the honda interior is pretty tight and very nicely laid out. It is a quiet rattle free design too which adds to its feel of high quality.

To the above comment, EBD and Brake Assist are highly overrated. Brake Assist becomes more annoying when you suddenly brake but don't need to emergency brake, it just slams the brakes on for you assuming that's what you need.

The car should not take control over the driver.

How can EBD actually improve over anti-lock braking, because the wheels already in anti-locking mode can't have any more pressure put to them, regardless of what EBD is trying to do.

I think you'll find the switch to harder materials seems to have more people complaining of rattles, or is that simply because NVH has improved, although there seem to be a few complaints about road noise.

It seems that most of the road noise complaints are on the EX model with the larger wheels and tires. I am thinking that may have something to do with it. My LX-P is really quiet at all speeds with it's little (and cheaper to replace) 16" tires. I have had three cars in a row now that didn't squeak with their hard plastics inside... It is more about how well put together the car is than the materials. Nissan and Mitsu squeak like there is no tomorrow. I've had one of each in the past and hated them both for that reason.

I just can't fathom paying 26 grand for a poorly equipped and less than reliable car like the Accord. I paid $20,340 in August of 2007 for a fully loaded Mustang Pony Edition with leather, satellite radio, upgraded 17" wheels and 55-series tires. It has every power option available. It also comes with a much better warranty.

The worst experience I ever had was with a Honda Civic. It didn't make it to 100,000 miles. One of our family's Fords was traded at 325,000 miles and had had a couple of hoses, a starter, and a muffler in the 17 years it was driven. I'll stick with Ford. Ad hype has painted too rosy a picture of imports.

Who paid $26K for an Accord? Mine was $20K (invoice) at 2.9% interest for 60 months. Yeah, it isn't loaded but who needs the extra expense? I got everything that I really need to have in a car. Your Mustang costs so much less because the value will drop like a stone in water. The Honda will be a cheaper investment overall as it will hold so much more of its original value and it will also be better on gas even with the V-6. Plus, comparing a Mustang to an Accord is kind of pointless. They are designed for completely different demographics of customers. There is always a "great deal" to be had out there but you should think about the long term overall costs of ownership when evaluating such a deal and not just the upfront costs. Almost every time the more expensive, better resale car will cost you less in a five year average ownership than a heavily depreciating car that cost even thousands less when new. Just think about the poor saps that rushed to their Ford dealer in 2005 to have the first newly designed retro Mustang and paid about $8K to $10K over sticker for them. That was a good idea!!

I am the original poster. I should have clarified better. I did not pay 26k for the car, but the MSRP is or was 26k.

I took the car back to the dealer, and not surprisingly the dealer cannot find anything wrong with the car, saying that everything I have brought up to him is "normal". I don't give him grief because I really think he's being honest with me. I think it's just an over hyped car that is living off its 90's reputation.

Now my window creaks when I crack it to let some fresh air in. Plus the blower is making an awful noise, that of course comes and goes. Really disgusted, but I 100% blame myself for taking the hook.

My friend purchased a Ford Fusion that is tight as a drum... no squeaks or rattles, quieter, buttery smooth idle, much smoother ride...

I drove 3 Fusions before buying my last car, and they were some of the most solid, well-built sedans I've ever driven. Even with the 4 there was plenty of power, and the 6 was a rocket. I can see why they are the highest rated car Consumer Reports has ever reported on. My only complaint is that they only come in a 4-door and I wanted something with a bit more sporting appeal.

I like the new Accord coupe, but due to very bad experience with Honda in the past and a price difference of nearly 6 grand, I opted for a fully loaded Mustang V-6 Pony coupe. It is nowhere near as smooth as the Fusion, but being a sports car I wouldn't expect it to be.