If the sole determinate of automotive greatness was the quality with which a car ages, this car would be in that category, easily. I've had no major issues in over ten years and 150k miles and the car does, truly, drive, “like new”. Any signs of aging from a driving perspective have been imperceptible. It seems a stretch to say a mass market family sedan can be, “great”, so perhaps better to say the Accord, “Has been great to me.”
Can't ask for much more from a daily driver-reliable, easy to maintain, comfortable, frugal at the pump, and peppy enough to be entertaining. The engine is a gem, as smooth a 4 cylinder as there ever was, whether revving toward the upper reaches of the tachometer or sedately cruising down the Interstate. When closing in on the red-line the 2.4 liter snarls like a coiled cat, but otherwise purrs along like a sated kitten. Instrumented tests of the 5-manual had it scooting 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. It seems Honda underrates their 4 cylinders. The official spec was 160 hp, 161 ft/lbs at the crank, but independent dynamometer tests on the stock K24 surmised it was making more like 170 hp, 175 ft/lbs. Either way, you won't come up short in this car, it has a steady stream of torque from just off idle to 5800 rpm. An added bonus, I've averaged 31.2 mpg in mixed driving over the past 80k as tracked by fuelly.
The manual transmission, like every other input on the car, is slick, effortless, accurate. The only quibble here is that the clutch does not have a clearly defined engagement point, but the gear box itself is spot-on. Stretch MTF changes too far, though, and the transmission starts to bind a bit with notch-y engagements. 30k-50k mile intervals seem to be the sweet spot.
The driver's chair has held up over the long haul, neither the firm foam padding nor the fabric has shown signs of wear. The steering wheel has a pleasingly thick rim that offers excellent tactile feedback and heft. Every detail of the interior is so well thought out that spending time in the cabin is a pleasure and not a pain. Although road noise is an oft repeated bane of this model, at least until the most recent Accord debuted, I've never found it intrusive or tiresome. Turn up the very good stock stereo and road noise becomes a non-issue. The taut suspension lends itself to better-than-most family sedan handling, though the firm ride, especially over broken pavement, might be a turn-off to some.
A few negatives:
1) the brakes warp rotors. To be fair I only noticed it when I swapped out the originals at 100k for Everlasts, but I have had to replace them (free under warranty) almost on a yearly basis. I'm planning on a complete brake system tune-up this Summer, and have Centric Premiums ready to go on all 4 corners with Wagner pads. Hope for improvement here.
2) Cold weather induces piston slap. The metal-on-metal discord leads to apprehension about engine health, which, fortunately, has proven to be unwarranted.
3) No split folding rear seat. The Accord has never had one. Not really a huge deal. There is a ski pass through.
4) Steering wheel controls not illuminated. This was rectified after the '04 model year.
5) Weak floor vents. Instead of blowing heat directly on the feet it seems to blow it everywhere else. I'm a fan of breathing cool air and having warm feet, not vice-verse.
That is pretty much it. I've stayed up to date on maintenance except for the valve adjustment, which I have never done. That, also, is planned for the Summer. Every major mechanical component is original (knock on wood) except for the Catalytic converter, which was replaced under warranty at 70k. I'd like to claim innocence on that one but have strong suspicions I am the one to blame for its rather rapid demise. Hint: stuffing a shop towel in the intake while cleaning out the air filter box, forgetting it's there, then driving=not a good idea. A massive fuel dump while the engine gasped for air most likely disintegrated the substrate.
Oh, and the radio pcb board was replaced 50-50 with Honda at about the same time. Radio screen going dark was a TSB issue, but I had exceeded the time limit.
Can't ask for much more from a daily driver-reliable, easy to maintain, comfortable, frugal at the pump, and peppy enough to be entertaining. The engine is a gem, as smooth a 4 cylinder as there ever was, whether revving toward the upper reaches of the tachometer or sedately cruising down the Interstate. When closing in on the red-line the 2.4 liter snarls like a coiled cat, but otherwise purrs along like a sated kitten. Instrumented tests of the 5-manual had it scooting 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. It seems Honda underrates their 4 cylinders. The official spec was 160 hp, 161 ft/lbs at the crank, but independent dynamometer tests on the stock K24 surmised it was making more like 170 hp, 175 ft/lbs. Either way, you won't come up short in this car, it has a steady stream of torque from just off idle to 5800 rpm. An added bonus, I've averaged 31.2 mpg in mixed driving over the past 80k as tracked by fuelly.
The manual transmission, like every other input on the car, is slick, effortless, accurate. The only quibble here is that the clutch does not have a clearly defined engagement point, but the gear box itself is spot-on. Stretch MTF changes too far, though, and the transmission starts to bind a bit with notch-y engagements. 30k-50k mile intervals seem to be the sweet spot.
The driver's chair has held up over the long haul, neither the firm foam padding nor the fabric has shown signs of wear. The steering wheel has a pleasingly thick rim that offers excellent tactile feedback and heft. Every detail of the interior is so well thought out that spending time in the cabin is a pleasure and not a pain. Although road noise is an oft repeated bane of this model, at least until the most recent Accord debuted, I've never found it intrusive or tiresome. Turn up the very good stock stereo and road noise becomes a non-issue. The taut suspension lends itself to better-than-most family sedan handling, though the firm ride, especially over broken pavement, might be a turn-off to some.
A few negatives:
1) the brakes warp rotors. To be fair I only noticed it when I swapped out the originals at 100k for Everlasts, but I have had to replace them (free under warranty) almost on a yearly basis. I'm planning on a complete brake system tune-up this Summer, and have Centric Premiums ready to go on all 4 corners with Wagner pads. Hope for improvement here.
2) Cold weather induces piston slap. The metal-on-metal discord leads to apprehension about engine health, which, fortunately, has proven to be unwarranted.
3) No split folding rear seat. The Accord has never had one. Not really a huge deal. There is a ski pass through.
4) Steering wheel controls not illuminated. This was rectified after the '04 model year.
5) Weak floor vents. Instead of blowing heat directly on the feet it seems to blow it everywhere else. I'm a fan of breathing cool air and having warm feet, not vice-verse.
That is pretty much it. I've stayed up to date on maintenance except for the valve adjustment, which I have never done. That, also, is planned for the Summer. Every major mechanical component is original (knock on wood) except for the Catalytic converter, which was replaced under warranty at 70k. I'd like to claim innocence on that one but have strong suspicions I am the one to blame for its rather rapid demise. Hint: stuffing a shop towel in the intake while cleaning out the air filter box, forgetting it's there, then driving=not a good idea. A massive fuel dump while the engine gasped for air most likely disintegrated the substrate.
Oh, and the radio pcb board was replaced 50-50 with Honda at about the same time. Radio screen going dark was a TSB issue, but I had exceeded the time limit.
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