1989 Honda Accord LX-i review from North America
"The most reliable broken car ever"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I had to replace the clutch shortly after I got it. No big deal. $700 or so for that.
The fifth gear synchro has failed, so fifth gear is unavailable. The cost to rebuild the transmission is around $700, too. I just drive in fourth gear now.
The air conditioning is out, but I think it just needs to be recharged.
A lot of plastic parts have broken. The glove box hinges, the driver's door handle trim, and the headlight switch have all broken. I think they are all ABS plastic, because the only glue I can use to repair any of them is two-part epoxy.
The valve cover seal leaks oil down the front of the engine into the exhaust manifold heat shield. There, the oil heats up and burns off. I can see smoke from the edges of the hood when my car's not moving fast enough to vent it all away.
General comments?
The handling is great for an economy sedan.
I'm 6'1", and I fit comfortably in the driver's seat.
Even without fifth gear, I still get approx. 28 mpg.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L EFI Manual |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 116000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 182000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 27th October, 2001 |

