Anyone else dissapointed by Honda cars?

[gizzsdad]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor


Very true with Nissan. I will not buy any of their vehicles because of it.


Opposite for me. Had an EGR valve replaced 15 months out of warranty. Had several evap cannisters replaced out of warranty as well.

 

[BrianWC]

Well, honestly, I SHOULD have just replaced the o2 sensor first to see if that solved the problem. That was my mistake. Yes, I priced OEM cats. That's why I didn't buy an OEM cat. I got an aftermarket cat for around $200 I think...

Yes, it was out of warranty. While the engine DID consume a bit of oil for a while (which may have been the culprit), I kinda think it may have been an over ambitious combustion chamber cleaning I did that put it over the edge...

 

[Cardinal49]

I have been very happy with my Honda's. I grew up in the 70s/80s and my family had GMs (Chevys and Pontiacs) and Fords. After years of dealing with these poorly made pieces of garbage I bought my first Honda in 1990.

I have since owned 4. They have all been fantastic cars with exceptional relaibility and durability. They are not perfect and they have their own quirks. Many of my friends and family have had multiple Hondas and all have had great experiences (they keep buiyng new ones when they need cars).

In my opinion, Honda makes the best cars in their segment. Until recently, GM and Ford really had nothing that came close to the quality build and ride. The new Malibu and Fusion may be close however their long term reliability/durability is still TBD. Also, their resale value is not yet on par.

I also admire the Honda company. They make great cars with a focus on performance, relability, safety and fuel economy. They are also made in the US (not like the Mexico Ford).

I have had relatively good experiences with the dealers. The sales side is always a little shady (no matter what brand) however I have always been able to get my Hondas at invoice or below). The dealers have offered great service and have fixed a few items for free eventhough I was way out of warranty. Based on my experience and consumer protection legislation, the guy who posted how his engine died at 15k and Honda would not fix is full of it (or is not telling the true story).

I am not a Honda fanatic but I do think Honda makes cars as good as anyone and better then most. They are excellent values (initial cost and long term costs), have great resale value, and are fun to drive. I have no reason to move to other brands becasue now they make a car that they claim is just as good.

 

[MrCritical]

There is no such thing as warranty extension on catalytic converters as far as I know. Their 8/80 coverage is federally mandated, and in 31 years in this business, I've never heard of any manufacturer goodwilling one after that.

A converter that fails after that time is likely from a poor running engine or excessive oil consumption, neither of which is a fault of the converter.

 

[firemachine69]

Eight years / unlimited mileage on my Yaris.

Just sayin'.

 

[andrewg]

Loved all my Honda's....well, except a four-wheeler Rancher AT that kept having shifting issues (got rid of it and got a Suzuki).
I've had Civics, an Accord, a Ridgeline, two Aquatrax watercraft, at least four Honda motorcycles, but I've never had any lawn equipment as of yet. I think as far as cars go they make the very best engines in the business. Smooth and reliable.

 

[cousincletus]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
If they were paid like UAW employees at $30 an hour, would that improve the quality of their cars ?





Absolutely. They would keep good employees for a long time. American union workers take a lot of pride in their work.

 

[cousincletus]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I admit that I am pro Honda and very glad GM won't be around in 10 years.


Why would you be glad to see an American industry fail, or are you just trying to start sh!!te like usual?

 

[brianl703]

Perhaps he's a dual citizen with another country to run to when the [censored] hits the fan here?

 

[MrCritical]

If you were an American, and worked for an American auto assembly plant, you'd be paid what the pay scale was.

Which reminds me.

Sister in law's brother who works at Nissan plant in Mississippi (non union) makes $19 hr. Company asked them to take a voluntary 18% pay cut, which they voted on and did. Then came back and asked them for 23% more pay cut.

Those unions really suck don't they?

 

[BrianWC]

Just like any other private sector company?

 

[GMBoy]

Don't know about Honda cars, but I hate the Honda engine in my Husqvarna lawn mower.

 

[DaveL]

My 2004 Accord (first and only Honda) has been great. Reliable, fun to drive, easy to maintain (except for the oil filter location), and a very nice interior. It is not perfect, but a great balance of good attributes. Recent rentals on trips have included a Malibu, an 08 Fusion, and a G6. All were decent to nice cars, but none quite a match for the Accord overall. I wish it were the other way around (Honda chasing the domestics), and maybe it will be that way soon, but in my opinion we are not quite there yet.

 

[tonycarguy]

Hondas are reliable, that's their major selling point. They don't have "soul", they're not great at handling, they don't have a luxurious interior (but what $18k car does?). That's not what Honda buyers want. IF they want those things they buy BMW or whatever. I have a 9 year old Honda that has a grand total of 1 unscheduled repair item in 75k miles. And it was covered under warranty. The car has cost virtually nothing to operate: just fluids, brake pads and tires.

I'm planning to sell/trade this soon, and at the top of the list of replacement cars is another Honda

 

[DeeAgeaux]

Originally Posted By: Cardinal49


I also admire the Honda company. They are also made in the US (not like the Mexico Ford).








Honda Accords are also made in Mexico and imported into the United States. Some are also imported from Japan but most are made in Ohio.

Google 03 Accord Transmission failure or go to carcomplaints.com and look up the 2000-05 Accords and their respective transmission repair rates.

JD Powers named Buick LaCross most Dependable mid-size sedan sold in America.

JD Powers also ranked Chevy Malibu tops in intitial quality.


New "10 Lacross gets Direct Injection V6 and Malibu has a 6 speed Auto.

Accord has neither.

Honda is no longer adding to its reputation;it is living off of it.

 

[sneakboxer]

No. i have a 04 civic auto w/75k and i have had no issues. This car gets 35 to 40 mpg and the build quality is good for an entry level car. My parents have always had GM's and they all had major issues. My father is a diesel mechanic with over 35 years of experience and tried to keep his vehicles in top condition. Over the years we have suspension failures, CV joints, engine mount failure, a/c, electrical issues all within 100k. The straw that broke their GM record was two wheel bearings within 45k on a 06 pontiac. I just recently talked them in to getting a 06 Tocoma. My dad loves it, saying that he should have listened to me sooner. I hate to see a US company fail but after 50bil i will never even consider a GM or mopar. I hope Ford can weather the storm, i might consider them but i have a few thousand miles / 10 years before i'll be replacing the Honda.

 

[Loogie]

The only disappointment with my wife's CR-V is the cost of parts.
I replaced the pre-cat O2 sensor: the cost for the sensor (Denso)was $155. Most of the quotes for that part are well over $200 many are around $250.

I replaced the sensor in my Monte Carlo for $60 a few years ago.

The Honda air filters are pricey too--even the aftermarkets--compared to my car.

An interesting plus for the Honda is that it appears to be very easy on oil. The manual states 10k OCI is recommended for average driving, and I believe it based upon the condition of the oil at 6k.

 

[rjundi]

I owned a 95 civic for 9yrs/225k and reliability was decent. Not trouble free but tranny/engine never opened except for clutch(bearing plate blew apart) and one timing belt. I only had cooling system problems at 140k and then again 210k.

However the greatest disappointment was how absolutely average and boring the car was. It was not terrible at anything(seat comfort maybe) but really did not excel at a single aspect except for fuel economy.

I still am tainted by it and would likely never buy a Honda/Acura product.

I will say my previous vehicle was a 1988 VW Jetta GLI 16v(GTI with trunk) and currently Subaru WRX wagon. So maybe its the boredom factor of Honda.

 

[rationull]

I've got an 07 Civic 2 door, and while I can't say I'm disappointed in the car, I don't feel like it quite lives up to all the hype. I mean, it's been fine: it gets good gas mileage, hasn't had any real problems, easy to maintain, drives, shifts, and handles nicely for what it is. It's got a good level of features for its class (exterior temp, sunroof, nice stereo, etc). Has plenty of power for an economy car. Can't really complain.

On the flip side, I've had two squeaky struts replaced under warranty (dealership service has been good in my experience). It's got a fair number of squeaks and rattles, which wouldn't be a problem if I didn't like to drive without the stereo on. The windows shake in the doors if you close the doors while they're rolled down. It burns a bit of oil. The engine/accessory sound has a semi-annoying whine/buzz to it. The engine has more noticeable vibration at idle than, say, my GF's Mazda3 (which admittedly idles higher and has balance shafts while the Civic's engine does not). The throttle's response to quick pedal position changes does not match previous cars I've had (with cable throttles) or the DBW throttle on the Mazda3. It certainly doesn't have any stand-out traits that make me think, "wow, this engine is amazing" despite what you hear so often about Honda engines.

Time will tell whether the Honda reputation for reliability will pay any dividends. I'm especially curious to see how the car holds up compared to the Mazda long term. At this point, as a "normal" driver with a relatively efficient commuter car, I have 0 complaints about the vehicle. As a car enthusiast with typical BITOG OCD, though, I can't say I feel like the vehicle is anything really exceptional (not that it's supposed to be-- it's just a commuter) or necessarily worth any premium in price. FWIW I feel like if I had shopped around better when I bought it instead of being in such a rush, I may have ended up with a different vehicle and a couple extra grand in the bank.

This specific car aside, I've got to say I really respect Honda as a company. In general I like their "in-house" approach to engineering, and while I may not like all their models, I respect their strategy of sticking with a limited line and trying to make each vehicle offer something unique (although it's been getting less limited as the years go by).

 

[MrCritical]

Tell your dad to keep an eye on that Tacoma frame. They have been known to rust in two.