2008 Honda Accord EX from North America - Comments

"You must live a sheltered life. I have driven many domestics, high mileage, same engine and transmission. Our second car, a Honda, had multiple transmissions and was junk. e.g you can't move a car, it's useless; first trans went at under 30000 miles."

This guy probably had all domestic vehicles that he bought second hand from somebody smart enough to get rid of them, and then he probably bought a Honda with a manual transmission and didn't have a clue how to drive it. You can't blame the car when you can't drive.

19:28 has convoluted logic comparing another imports longer warranty against the domestic models. Then why can't Honda and Toyota do the same? I couldn't even make 50000 miles in mine without major issues.

I wonder how many people go to car dealers at 100000 miles plus. I found at 100000 miles our Hondas had big bills for front end work, heater cores, timing belts, air conditioning issues were some common issues for us.

We are finding our new GM models to be better than our latest Honda models with issue related repair woes. I refused to keep our newest ones. Maybe would have kept our ones 10 plus years ago with lower production as we had few issues.

Personally I feel the "Cash for Clunkers" should have been only for the purchase of a new domestic car. There's plenty to choose from. If Japan wants to do that and spare our government (my taxes) that's totally up to them. They are likely ecstatic over the whole opportunity.

I am currently spending a lot of time setting up my employers overseas plants with cheaper assembly with my job. My company had 3 shifts and are currently down to just one. It's not an automotive related job. Another cost cutting move affected by the poor economy. There's far less environmental impact, less regulated by the government, little OSHA concerns, no real benefits vs. here so that's the train of thought. Build it cheaper.

I am now actively looking for another job as all this bothers me a great deal. I have a high paying job and am torn. Personal interest or my values. There's just less great jobs to "evacuate" to.

I am fed up with imports quite frankly. I just saw a video of an overseas company making manhole covers with workers in bare feet, no safety glasses in a foundry. I am not in that industry, but end users tend to buy cheap irregardless of worker safety when there are bids. Some major cities actually bought them in the USA. Does this bother anyone?

I'll drive a new domestic, superior warranty and shop from my local merchants. It bothers me to see my relatives and friends laid off... they are not all auto workers. I am not forcing any patriotic musts on anyone. It's clear to my family i'ts time to stop being disgusted and not send new car profits back to Japan. I would rather the money be reinvested in technology, designs in America than enrich the execs homes in Japan.

I am very impressed with the latest domestics and it may be a bit late, but I am still breathing. I want to make a difference today with new cars bought in our family. So new Honda-Toyota even if there are less paying positions replacing those lost in the USA. I'd like to see more buying domestics and reopen the plant down the street from me. A car worker making less than $20 hr cannot afford to buy the homes in my community. I guess they could rent though.

Just my opinions and I feel you can buy cheap today and pay for it tomorrow...... as there is no free ride anymore. One person can make a difference vs, only caring about what they own in their own driveway. I care about all my family, neighbors and friends in our community.... would not even venture to say ban ones business as they have an opinion they feel positively affects other. If you love your new Toyota, I'll disagree, but buy from your local company irregardless.

"This guy probably had all domestic vehicles that he bought second hand from somebody smart enough to get rid of them, and then he probably bought a Honda with a manual transmission and didn't have a clue how to drive it. You can't blame the car when you can't drive."

The Honda transmission issues (as well as those of Acura) have all been with AUTOMATIC transmissions, not manual. Many Acura owners especially are having their resale values destroyed by the numerous transmission replacements that end up on their CarFax reports. Our one Honda had a manual transmission and it never had a problem. However everything BUT the transmission started falling apart as soon as the puny 36,000 mile warranty ran out. We have since driven only GM and Ford cars. None of these has ever had a single repair in over 100,000 miles of service.

I don't get this argument that the Ford Fusion is a reliable vehicle. There's a woman on here who purchased a 2006 Fusion brand new, and it started having serious transmission problems at 10,000 miles. She said she would worry every time she drove it, praying she would be able to get home because she had her new born baby in the car. This is not reliable to me, not by a long shot. Nobody should have to worry that their car isn't going to get them home.

This doesn't seem uncommon either. I've read nearly all the Fusion reviews, and most of them have said that they have serious transmission problems very early on. I read another one in which somebody had purchased a brand new '07 Fusion, only to have the entire transmission blow at just over 200 miles on the odometer. How is this reliable? Read the Fusion reviews on this website and you will see what I mean. These reviews are by real people, driving their cars in the real world. Not Consumer Reports testing a car for a few hundred miles. I wouldn't trust any of those review magazines for ANY CAR, let alone a domestic.

"Domestics are built to be disposable, cheap transportation. And I hate to break it to ya domestic lovers, but the best warranty still belongs to Hyundai, with their 10 year, 100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty."

I just bought another Chrysler vehicle that came with a Lifetime Powertrain Warranty. Granted Hyundai does offer the bumper-to-bumper warranty, Chrysler still covers really all of the major stuff, forever. The Chrysler dealer that I deal with is fantastic, and will likely keep buying from them. Honestly, I'm really not brand loyal, and have owned tons on vehicles in the last 30 years. I've been pretty fond of Chryslers, but have also owned GM's, Fords and imports as well. The only car I've ever had constant trouble with, was, go figure, a 1999 Toyota Camry. Ah yes, another fantastic, bulletproof import...

"19:28 has convoluted logic comparing another imports longer warranty against the domestic models. Then why can't Honda and Toyota do the same? I couldn't even make 50000 miles in mine without major issues."

I totally agree. Our Honda never made 50,000 miles without very major issues. It was sold to a junk dealer as scrap at less than 100,000 miles. Not one of our domestics ever had ANY problems before 100,000 miles. Our current GM vehicle is older than our Honda even lasted and has had ZERO problems. Our 2006 Fusion is flawless. We not only get better cars, we help American companies as well.

To "15:26"

With a manual transmission, it doesn't matter. A manual transmission can break just from having somebody who doesn't know how to drive it. The comment you were replying to wasn't saying that the manual transmissions had a problem, he was saying that this guys transmission probably died because he didn't know how to drive it.

"I've read nearly all the Fusion reviews, and most of them have said that they have serious transmission problems very early on."

I make it a point to check out questionable claims such as this and set the record straight. I scanned through EVERY Fusion review from 2006 through 2010. Out of that sizeable number, I read comments by the reviewers such as "silky smooth transmission" time after time. Out of ALL the reviews only TWO mentioned ANY type of transmission issues, and they both dealt with what the reviewer regarded as improper feel during shifting (HARDLY "serious problems"!!).

It's sad that import fans have to resort to fabrications to support their claims.

Another commenter boasted that "95 percent of Toyota and Honda reviewers are happy with their cars". That too is a bogus claim. Checking the 2003 and 2006 reviews for Accord and Camry, less than HALF say they'd buy another. In 2006, ZERO Camry owners said they'd buy another. If you don't believe me CHECK THE REVIEWS. For Ford and GM cars (Taurus and Pontiac Grand Prix) for the same years the figures were respectively: 2003 Taurus: 81%, 2003 Pontiac: 70%, 2006 Taurus: 60%, 2006 Pontiac 80%. These are the figures and they DON'T look good for imports.

Of a few cars we have owned:

1987 Nissan Maxima, 360K+ miles, trouble-free

1991 Chevy Silverado, 202K miles, constant engine, transmission issues

1996 GMC Sonoma, 225K miles, constantly repairing to keep on the road. Became more a liability and safety issue to continue driving.

2004 Nissan Sentra, 150K, no problems to date except battery post acid wear.

2004 Honda Accord, 53K (currently owns), no problems to date.

1995 Chevy Silverado, 203K (currently owns), constantly leaking, overheating, radiatior, heater coils, costly repairs.

"It's clear to my family it's time to stop being disgusted and not send new car profits back to Japan. I would rather the money be reinvested in technology, designs in America than enrich the execs homes in Japan"

It's clear you are anti-Japan, but what about all of the German, Italian, Swedish, British and Korean cars out there?

Also, what about all of the countries that support Ford and GM overseas as there are many foreign cars built by our companies over there. Should they stop supporting our companies too? How do you think that would affect GM and Ford?

We need a free trade system for all to survive, and to be anti-anything, product wise, in today's world is kind of ridiculous. You better throw away all of your Japanese electronics (including the ones in place in your domestic car that keep it running properly!) And how many things around your house are built in China? To pick one item such as a car to discriminate against doesn't make much sense when virtually everything we use and own is made in some far away land that capitalizes on the US for cash flow.

You should be thankful that free trade exists to allow all of those Japanese cars into the US. Without the elevated quality level of those brands over the past four decades, the domestic cars would still be the piles of junk that they were in the 70's instead of the now high quality automobiles we have the right to choose or not choose today!

Competition is a healthy thing. Too bad the big 3 sat on the sidelines for so long and let foreign brands capitalize their own marketplace and gain legions of loyal supporters looking for the best car they could buy for the money.

"It's sad that import fans have to resort to fabrications to support their claims."

It's sad that this site is being hijacked by a Ford "owner/enthusiast", and it's a shame that this person has to resort to anti-Japanese rhetoric.

To comment 23rd Aug 2009, 18:54.

I don't deny you having some problematic vehicles, but if they really WERE that much trouble, you would not keep them for 200+ thousand miles and keep sticking money into them.

"For Ford and GM cars (Taurus and Pontiac Grand Prix) for the same years the figures were respectively: 2003 Taurus: 81%, 2003 Pontiac: 70%, 2006 Taurus: 60%, 2006 Pontiac 80%. These are the figures and they DON'T look good for imports."

Taurus nor Grand Prix has sold as many Camries and Corollas as Toyota has, or as many Accords and Civics as Honda. Someone must be satisfied, and not every car owner gives a review on the website.

18:54 the Nissan has had nothing in 360,000 miles? What's your secret to never needing timing belts, starters, heater cores, shocks, ball joints universals, A/C issues at even half that mileage? My Nissan was not as perfect.