2008 Honda Accord EX from North America - Comments

12:35 even if it were one replacement and even under warranty... Carfax would show up and yes diminished value. In spite of only 40,000 miles and maintained by dealer since new with middle age light footed driver. There's no other way to see the poor resale...poor. Car fax kills you at time of sale if the car has common issues such as the large qty of bad Honda/Acura TL transmissions.

I've had domestic musclecars while briefly parked that had notes placed under the wiper asking if I would sell for many times the original purchase price. Ever watch Barrett Jackson?

As far as strictly money, a nice truck or SUV can pay for themselves on applications or higher quality of life as well. A nice one may cost a lot but the riding comfort, each can tow, long trips with family. Being cheap and paying on a vehicle 4 years or so being beat to death in a cramped, overevved, uncomfortable small car with 3 or 4 passengers takes away a lot on what you really are saving.

It amazes me how cheap people can be at the sacrifice of better drivability, ride and they will take a lousy import warranty. The short immediate satisfaction at the gas pump can quickly be eaten away with major mechanical repairs. I'd rather work a little harder and then have a great car to own and drive. I drive a lot and actually have a passion for cars, ride, handling and am not a bean counter squeezing out pennies at the sacrifice of quality of life owning a truly miserable riding vehicle.

If I need a vehicle in my 100,000 mile warranty, I will take a new loaner car or the free shuttle into work. Sure beats driving to pick up a spouse with an out of warranty import with 51,000 miles on it that broke down again.

The comment says "ALL SUV's" drop in value. This includes imports as well. Toyota has halted production on its large SUV's, as has Nissan. Honda doesn't have a real SUV, just the Pilot, which is a hoked-up Accord with a square body.

"The comment says "ALL SUV's" drop in value. This includes imports as well."

This is a poorly phrased remark. All vehicles drop in value. Domestics value just drops faster than all others.

For those import owners who have had bad experiences, too bad. All myths are not true, especially the one that says imports will give you no problems. Well it is true to some extent, its true only if the vehicle is properly maintained and the service manual schedule of recommended maintenance is followed. Imports are only for those who actually take the time to follow a service schedule. Sometimes it means following it to a T. Domestics are for those who don't like thinking as much and who don't mind waiting until something is wrong and going to the service department. An import that has not been properly maintained will be a nightmare. I guess I've just had good luck to have never had a problem with my imports!

"The comment says "ALL SUV's" drop in value. This includes imports as well. Toyota has halted production on its large SUV's, as has Nissan. Honda doesn't have a real SUV, just the Pilot, which is a hoked-up Accord with a square body."

The Pilot isn't an SUV? It is 4x4 and can haul up to 4500lbs in towing capacity. Car & Driver November issue did a comparison of Mid-Sized Crossover vehicles (SUV's for you that don't believe it's an SUV). They compared Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, Ford Flex, Chevrolet Tranverse and Hynudai Veracruz. Guess who was the winner? Honda Pilot baby!! In fact it scored highest in offroad capability.

Since 2002 Honda's Pilot has bagged six of Car & Drivers 5 Best Trucks trophies, and they say with the newest generation Pilot it may well land in the SUV Hall o Fame.

It is built with a Uni-body construction meaning it's not a body on frame design like most domestic trucks. This style of frame is more rigid and more safe.

13:23 you can follow exact dealer recommended schedules, meticulously maintain a vehicle, drive conservative, we had all intervals always through the dealership (even got the free car wash and should with the prices charged) always garage kept and still had major issues with our newest Hondas.

I had Hondas that went back zero times during the short warranty, but that was pre 2000. We kept going back and buying more as after all it's a Honda right? We are now 100% domestics with the exception of our son driving a newer Civic. He's doing well in school and grew up around our Hondas, so we bought him what he liked. We are open minded to a point. It's hard accepting a change, but today we are not locked into any brand anymore. If they do not hold up we will buy new ones elsewhere and we do.

I consider us above average new customers, and expect outstanding service, which should come without bringing that factor up.

"The Pilot isn't an SUV? It is 4x4 and can haul up to 4500lbs in towing capacity. Car & Driver November issue did a comparison of Mid-Sized Crossover vehicles (SUV's for you that don't believe it's an SUV). They compared Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, Ford Flex, Chevrolet Tranverse and Hyundai Veracruz. Guess who was the winner? Honda Pilot baby!! In fact it scored highest in offroad capability."

No, none of these, including the Pilot, are an SUV. No 2-speed transfer case = not a real truck. AWD is not 4WD. These are just grocery getters, not for real use.

To say that a front-drive unibody vehicle based on an Accord sedan is an "SUV" is REALLY pushing definitions. In fact NONE of those "SUV's" listed in comment 17:04 is a real SUV. They are not even called SUV's anymore, but rather "crossovers" (a more consumer acceptable term than "station wagon"). The Highlander is a Camry with a boxy body, the Flex is a pure station wagon, and the Chevy Traverse is not a true SUV either. As noted before in the comments, Honda does not now make a true SUV.

"Car & Driver November issue did a comparison of Mid-Sized Crossover vehicles (SUV's for you that don't believe it's an SUV) ".

Just a minor point -- a crossover ISN'T an SUV. A crossover is a vehicle that is bridging the stylistic, size, and capability gap between cars and SUVs... thus the name "crossover". They run the range from being very car-like to being very SUV-like, but most, if not all, are based on a car platform. This is a minor point because the Honda Ridgeline is one of the more SUV-like models with SUV-like capabilities.

Having had a terrible experience with Honda in the early 90's we generally avoid even test driving Honda products now when looking at cars, especially with the huge number of transmission problems Honda products have.

I did check out a basic Accord with the 4-cylinder engine before buying our Ford Fusion. The Accord had nothing to impress us. That's why we bought the Fusion.

All other unnecessary comments aside, Honda still makes better vehicles than any of the U.S. Big Three. Unless I need a pickup truck, I will be hard pressed to spend my hard earned money on a domestic vehicle I will be replacing again in less than five years. I drove my last Nissan 21 years and will drive the one I have now that long and the one I buy next year that long as well if not longer.

"If you pay $5000 MORE for a vehicle and sell it for only $2000 more, you have LOST $3000. Do the math".

Very true, obviously. Some other factors are fuel costs and repair costs -- assuming the vehicle is owned past warranty. Still, it is generally true that depreciation is the single largest cost of automobile ownership.

12:29 so you also agree you would not buy a new Accord as well... correct? I think the Nissan SUV looks nice but is underpowered.

Who on Earth keeps ANY vehicle for TWENTY YEARS?? I'd be bored out of my skull with a Ferrari in that length of time. Most people trade around 100,000 miles or sooner if for no other reason than to have the latest style and technology. With domestics having 100,000 mile warranties, that pretty much ends any discussion about reliability issues.

"12:29 so you also agree you would not buy a new Accord as well... correct? I think the Nissan SUV looks nice but is underpowered."

Accord would not be my first choice. Only way I'd buy one is if I got a really good deal. I wouldn't buy the SUVs though, maybe the Rogue. The only car in their line-up I've ever really been interested in is the Maxima.