1987 Honda Accord LX 4 door from North America - Comments

Tie rod, intake, alternator, headlight motor, valve cover gasket, very rough idle, now worn engine bearings.

WARNING: DO NOT KEEP DRIVING THIS CAR IF IT IS OVERHEATING!! GET IT FIXED IMMEDIATELY. This should be common sense.

A lil history: The 1987 Honda Accord is the first year they made the body style with the flip-out headlights. I've owned 3 Accords of this vintage. 2 '89 2door coupes DX and now my '87 4door LX. All bone stock (Some people like to customize these, not me). The first '89 I owned was a 5-speed and very very responsive as far as performance and engine power and had over 350,000 miles on it when I sold it, all it needed was a CV joint.

The second '89 Coupe I owned was an automatic, not nearly as responsive power-wise as the 5-speed, but decent, sold that one with over 210,000 miles on it, no problems at all except a rusted muffler. Amazing gas mileage on all of them.

NOW onto the car I am reviewing - my 1987 Accord 4door LX Automatic. This car is slow as a dog, not sure if it's the extra body weight as compared to the 2-dr's or if the '87 has less HP then the '89 but MAN it's slowwww. Scary on the freeway trying to merge.

I've had more problems with this one than the other 2. It began overheating shortly (5k miles) after purchase (auction car, buyers beware). My mom kept driving it anyway even with smoke pouring out of the hood, she just kept adding water. Finally talked her into fixing it, had to have a very expensive cooling-system fix, think it was the intake, for over $600. Car no longer runs hot.

But by now it's too late. The car ran fine (still does actually) but now its days are numbered. Since being driven so hot the car has developed a main knock (not a rod knock, something else like the bearings). When first starts cold you hear a light "growly" knock and the engine now sounds growly when you give it a little gas or go uphill. Sound goes away at a steady speed. This never happened until it was driven while overheating, which I am sure is the cause of this problem. I'm honestly surprised it still runs at all.

So I am babying it, no long trips, trying to keep the RPM's low and coast in neutral whenever possible, and despite the terminal engine problem it still runs great around town. (Except it idles very roughly at a stoplight, but I just throw it in neutral till the light turns green and its fine). Any input on the rough idle would be appreciated, maybe a sensor? No idiot lights are on.

ANYWAY, point is I could have got 200,000 miles out of this car if it wasn't abused and driven hot and now I'll be lucky if she runs another 15 or 20k. REAL lucky. Moral of the story - Take good care of your car and it will take care of you. Abuse it and you'll pay. I'd still recommend an Accord to anyone, but make sure the last owner took care of it, DON'T buy it at an auction, and DON'T drive it while it overheats.

I'm the guy who wrote this review.. I also wanted to add that this car was EXCELLENT in the snow, drove it in blizzard conditions and on straight ice up here in WA and I was plowing right past new SUV's and 4x4's with snow tires and chains that couldn't make it on the same roads.. in an '87 Honda. Got a kick out of that. Never had to put on chains or snow tires or anything. If you were up here in winter '08/'09 you know how bad the weather was and the little Honda performed surprisingly well.

Also wanted to add a couple more minor issues the car has had that I didn't put on the original review. The trunk leaks in the rain which sucks since I live in Seattle.. this has happened with every other Accord I've owned. Also, the indicator light on the dash for rear brake/taillights is lit up, telling me there is a rear light out even tho there's not. Oddly enough this has also occurred on every '80's Accord I've owned. There is a squeaky noise coming from the rear passenger side suspension on every little bump, maybe just needs a chassis lube. Finally, the speedometer cable is about shot. Which means it makes a very annoying constant squeaky/groaning noise (don't know how else to describe it LOL) at any speed.. I just drown it out with music. But the speedometer still reads accurate.

I am on my second Accord. The last one was an 89 Exi, this one an 87 Exi. My first was written off when it was hit by a drunk (while parked at night). Wow, did they do me a favor! I got rid of my aged (prairies car) and got a much better shape 87 plus made $50! ICBC was more than generous to me. My car would have only been worth $500! Rust... Ran awesome!

I tell everyone they should drive a Honda, though I'm not big on the Civic. Sold mine a few months ago (2003). Nowhere near as good as my 89 Accord!

"I tell everyone they should drive a Honda, though I'm not big on the Civic. Sold mine a few months ago (2003). Nowhere near as good as my 89 Accord!"

I tell everyone "buy a FORD". Our '90 Civic was the WORST BUILT car I ever saw. It didn't even make 100,000 miles (it was sold to a junk dealer at around 99,000 miles). After that we've stuck with Fords. We have never had ANY problems with Ford, including one that was traded (for another Ford) at 325,000+ miles.