15th May 2008, 19:44
Truth is, Honda makes an excellent car as do a number of its competitors. I didn't want to slam your car or come off as negative. Accords have a reason for their strong sales. They have been very reliable over time. I noticed more noise in them but perhaps I should have also said that in truth many of these cars are so similar in the way they feel, drive, and handle that all that's left is personal preference and nit-picking differences. I liked some of Accord's competitors more for sure but Honda's perennial reliability is certainly enough reason for many to take that option. Good luck with your new car.
18th May 2008, 19:30
Don't worry about it... I don't take people's opinions personal on here. Just stating my own opinion on the car and its performance and how great it is so far. I just hope after 23 years of not owning a Honda that this one still lives up to the name. Like I said previously, I have had most of the brands at one time or another and they ALL have issues here and there. My Saab was pretty near perfect though, although it was primarily a Subaru and the last Subaru I had was flawless as well. If it weren't for the poorer gas mileage and smaller size I might have bought another Subie. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Only about 800 miles or so now...
23rd Jun 2008, 14:38
So, my only complaint so far is the Honda accessories. I bought the cargo net from an online source that was way cheaper than the dealer, but guess what.. I can't install it without special tools, so I will probably have to get it installed by the dealer at $100 per hour. I will try to find a small shop to do i,t but how annoying is that? They can't put all the hooks and attachments in the car, so you can just put the net in?? I see that most of their accessories are like that. To add the fog lights you literally have to take the whole front of the car off. Get the car equipped how you want it before you buy it, and deal on any installation charges, otherwise you'll get killed after the sale. Car is great otherwise!!
28th Jun 2008, 07:49
What kind of mileage are you getting now? Hwy? City? Average?
One other thing... You may be able to get the special tools at an auto parts store. They may not be specific-to-Honda body tools. You will save a fortune if you are able to do it yourself. Good luck.
14th Jul 2008, 15:59
Hey, thanks for the advice on the tools. I never thought of that. I really would like to have the net I bought installed and not just sliding around the trunk... heh!!
I am getting about 28 mpg mixed so far. I checked it at around 1K miles and again at 2K to see if it is going up. I imagine the low 30's is pretty attainable on the highway. I drove it about 100 miles on the highway yesterday after a fresh tank and the gage was still on the "F" mark.
I am still loving it and I really am comfortable in it.
One thing that is strange is the oil change interval. The break in oil is still in the car, and according to one Honda forum you aren't supposed to change it until it reads 15% on the maintenance minder... I am at 70% oil life left with over 3K on the car. Some go to like 8K before changing the first time... I am continuing to research this to make sure it is okay and not detrimental to the engine on break-in. I am mostly doing highway cruising though, so I am not too worried about it. I will also switch to synthetic when it is changed.
25th Jul 2008, 21:53
Okay, one more complaint. I went to upgrade the rear speakers and you literally have to take out the back seat and the roof pillars to get to the speakers. That is ridiculous. I thought it would be a 20 minute swap as I used to do that years ago. I guess in all fairness it could be the same on most cars these days. I haven't had the need to upgrade things in awhile... not that the stereo is that bad, I just thought it would be nice to have it a little cleaner sounding for $100 or so. I am still researching it but it looks like another dealer job if I want to do it...or 4 hours in the garage.... This is quite the racket they got going on... Big surprise there... ha ha ha.
26th Jul 2008, 20:57
I would hesitate to change out the speakers anyway. I used to own a Civic that had sort of weak sound. I got some nice speakers installed and found that without adding an amp, the speakers were hobbled by the relatively low wattage put out by the stock deck. Friends have had similar outcomes. So if you're going to the trouble to change the speakers, consider adding an amp to make them sound good. Best of luck.
27th Feb 2009, 09:53
Okay, 15,500+ miles with virtually no problems. It has been a really nice car to drive and I do like it quality wise.
My only complaint is a whiny transmission that has been that way since new. I have researched it and it is a fairly common thing for Hondas and not really an issue. It shifts flawlessly and super smooth so I am not too worried about it. I may get the fluid changed and try a synthetic high grade fluid to see if it will quiet it down some. Not that it is THAT loud...just noticeable in first through third gear.
There are a few rattles and squeaks, but they come and go strangely enough and quite honestly the roads around here in SE NY are the worst I have ever driven on, so most cars are going to have some issue by this mileage interval.
I have done two oil changes, but am going to shorten the intervals to no more than 4 or 5K as the oil was black and totally wasted this time (at 30% oil life). It is a tough call. Honda says the cars are built so well they don't need as much maintenance, and the mechanics say oil is oil and is only good for 3K miles on the average no matter how good the engine is. I would rather be safe than sorry after the warranty is long gone. A few hundred bucks in oil changes is better than thousands for a new engine down the road.
13th May 2008, 21:04
Actually the Accord won't be dusted at a light even by the V6 Fusion. I drove both and the response of the V6 Fusion is terrible. The Accord is much more responsive as are most 4 cylinder cars these days. They seem to be gearing the smaller engine cars for quick acceleration off the line and the V6 vars for cruise-ability probably to save gas. The Accord is still a direct competitor of the Fusion as well. The barely into the large car categorization doesn't make that any different. It drives smaller than it is as it is very tight and smooth. Believe me, I was hopeful that the Fusion was a better car than it is but unfortunately it didn't justify the price or the decreased mileage of a lethargic V6 under the hood. Drive an Accord, you'll be surprised. Even Ford's own Focus is way faster than the Fusion V6 off the line as I rented one for a few days between cars. I'm talking to 30 or 40... I know any V6 will eventually "dust" me. I really didn't buy the Accord for drag racing though so I don't care too much about that... The only place the Fusion will really beat me over all is to the gas station. On top of everything else, I got the Accord for invoice with no haggling so yes they do deal on them (at the good dealers anyway).