1987 Honda Accord LX 4 Door from North America - Comments

COOLING SYSTEM - Whole thing, intake, water pump, radiator, you name it.

Alternator and battery - Wear-out parts anyway.

Auto tranny slips a little going around a corner.

Motor kinda "surges" when driving - kinda hard to explain.

Runs REAL rough in Drive at stoplights, have to throw it in neutral so it doesn't vibrate and shake. Sensor?

Motor knocks now a little (main, not rod) due to driving it while overheating.

Burns oil.

Interior windows fog up CONSTANTLY (later found out it had previously been in a flood and the carpet padding underneath front seats is SOAKED, so that must be why)

1987 was the first year with the flip-up headlights-style body.

WELL I've owned 2 similar Accords, both '89 model 2 doors (1 stick, 1 automatic). They were the most reliable cars I've owned. THIS one however...

Well I did get it cheap at an impound auction (as I did my other 2 previously) so I knew it probably had some issues, but this one turned out to be a little money pit! Had to replace the whole cooling system and now (probably as a result of my driving it while it overheated), the motor is headed south. Makes a growly knock when you first start it and when you hit the gas, so I try to baby it, keep the RPM's down, and hopefully get as many more miles out of it as I can... My other 2 Accords were 2-door models and much more responsive. This one here is a 4-door automatic and slow as a dog (even when the engine WAS running right). Can't get out of it's own way. Pretty scary merging onto a busy road and hoping I don't get rear-ended.

My first Accord had 211,000 miles, ran much better than this one. My second, 350,000 but it was a newer motor. Those 2 cars were the most reliable vehicles I owned. THIS one however is crapping out at 162,000 miles. Guess it's all about the owners and their maintenance.

Actually it was 1986 that was the beginning of the flip up headlights for the Honda Accords. That body style lasted from 1986-89, fortunately you still see plenty of the late 1980s Honda Accord's around.

I can't help but be curious. If this car had been a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge with all these problems, would the title of this review be "Typical American Junk!"? But since it's a Honda Accord, all of those problems must be due to some other excuse. I agree with the reviewer, though, that maintenance makes a world of difference to any car.