1996 Honda Accord LX from North America - Comments

Replaced Master Cylinder at 100,000 miles.

New Tires at 100,000.

Leaky Valve Gasket (haven't taken care of yet) $$$

Crack in radiator (haven't taken care of yet) $$$

Growing up in a family where the Honda was considered the utlimate in reliability and economics, I decided to sell my Isuzu Rodeo and get a "car". As some may know Isuzu also made in partnership with Honda, the Rodeo and Passport, but the quality was just lacking and so was the gas mileage. Which is one thing that I love and hate about my Honda. Don't get me wrong it gets superb gas mileage, 25 around town and I have manageed to achieve a respectable 37 on a cool afternoon in California. Some things that I have noticed that will kill me in gas mileage is having more than two people in the car with me. Which I guess can be considered normal. When the air conditioning is on, then you really a just screwed to say it lightly.

Before I bought my Honda I did plenty of research and what not, just like any other person. What I expected was a noisy interior and a very loud little engine. I found mine on craigslist, original owner, small family, no pets, close by my area. I loved it, I also got it for a really good deal.

The next day Iafter I brought it home though I noticed that the roof was starting to oxidize. I hadn't notice this the day before because it was overcast. And now I am considering a paint job cause it is about to peal. My car also used to leak oil and now it doesn't, ever sense the first oil change it stop. Perhaps something was just loose?

When I first get into to my car in the mourning it takes a second for me to get used to it, considering I am 6'3". But once settled in I am pretty comfortable. The most that I love about my Honda is that it is very economical and practical. Everything is very easy to operate and nothing is out of reach. Mine is the LX so I don't have as many features as I could have wanted, such a moon-roof and leather. But I did get some nice things. The engine is very loud just as I anticipated, but it is only really noticeable past 3,000 rpms, otherwise it is rather quiet.

The only other complaint I would have is that the transmission that I have is an automatic and it shifts hard when going through the gears. I took it to a transmission specialist who drove it and said that I really can't complain. Maybe I am just going crazy.

All on all I really like my car, besides the recent discovery of cracked radiator and leaky valve gasket.

I would highly recommend it, just when you go to look at one make sure that you really know what to look for.

Honda's don't shift smoothly, that is normal. They are a little jerky, but nothing to be concerned about, they do that new.

I wrote this review, and today my Honda finally gave out. With 116,000 miles the alternator went out. Now I have to replace the alternator and the valve gasket. Hopefully I will be able to do the repairs myself.

23:49, Both those repairs are pretty easy. An alternator replacement should take about half an hour or so, unless it's in some really weird, hard to get to location on your car, but I don't think so. Every Honda I've ever looked at under the hood had the alternator placed right on top and easy to get to.

The gasket is a fairly quick change also. Just make sure all the surfaces are scraped completely clean before putting the new gasket into place.

By the way, if you're changing the alternator, make sure you also change the serpentine belt if it hasn't ever been changed.

I Just recently got rid of my 1996 Honda Accord.

255,000 miles and no major problems.

Replaced only tires, radiator, battery, exhaust, air bag needed to be replaced, and all other basic fluid changes.

Not too bad considering the mileage.

I will stay with Honda I also own a 2001 accord and a 2005 Odyssey.

I read this review, and also had to make a comment about the transmission shifting hard. I have had my 96 Accord LX since I was 16, and drove it 36 miles a day to high school and back in LA traffic, and it would always shift extremely hard. I always complained, but whenever my dad drove the car, he said he had no problems, so I feel your pain.

I also had other problems with the transmission though, such as the car stalling (it's an automatic) when shifting into reverse, and a mechanic could find no problems..