1990 Honda Civic EXR Coupe review from North America
"The Accord is a great value in a used car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
This was a gem of a used car. A fussy original owner did everything in the book, on time, with the dealer. And, he had it oiled just about every year. So, it was almost like new after 11 Canadian winters.
Rocker cover oil seals at the plugs were gone and replaced by dealer at time of sale. 189km.
Front rotors and pads replace by dealer at time of sale. 189K km.
Transmission began making a whine because of a low oil level at 200K Km. Worst of the noise was put right with a fluid flush, but the noise never went away altogether.
Failed smog test at 210K km. It was put right with a new catalytic converter - $600 CAD.
Air conditioner condenser and dryer went at 220K km - $740 CAD.
A host of interior parts failed all at once including: both door handles that cracked and failed to function; rear-view mirror became loose; heater control cable. Dealer charged $45 CAD for each plastic handle, wanted $100 CAD for a new mirror, and were not interested in fixing the heater.
The plastic interior parts were stamped "made in USA". Honda has always got this stuff right before. Now they are just like all the rest- crappy.
CV joints on both sides are on the way out at 239K km.
The windshield has about 5 chips in it - way more than anything else I've ever driven. It's a rock magnet.
General comments?
The Accord is one of the best cars around. Its sporty, comfortable, and handles very well.
If the maintenance is done there is never a doubt about getting where you want to go. And, the car holds up very well.
It has adequate everything. There are only three things I don’t like.
It shifts roughly. The auto-box on Hondas has always been a weak point.
It slips around badly in winter.
And, the alloy wheels leak air and there is no fix for this - just keep pumping.
I got 530K km out of an ‘87 Civic with no major overhauls. This one will go farther than that in way more style. Not bad for $5K CAD.
Not getting a car oil-sprayed is "car abuse" if you live in snow country. With it - a 13 year old car can be at its half-life point.
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  | Trouble-free, economical little car |
| The Accord is a great value in a used car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.2 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 189600 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 239200 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 19th October, 2003 |