I'm off to view the new Accord at my Honda dealer this evening. There will be refreshments and a string quartet.
Do you think that Honda robot will be conducting? I was a bit puzzled about the string quartet at first, then I recalled reading something about their robot conducting an orchestra somewhere. I don't think they'll get the Liverpool Phil inside their showroom.
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Do many people go to these things?
I was rung by my local MB dealer to see why I hadn't confirmed my attendance at the C Class launch. I just laughed, but they seemed astonished that I wouldn't be going. I asked if I'd be able to drive the cars and they said no (as I expected). What on earth is the point?
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The point is I'm going to buy the new Tourer in October, if I like it, and I've been a customer of Lookers and their predecessors for thirty years.
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According to PM tonight there is an UK first on Channel 4 at 20:10hrs a live advert for the car.
Maybe worth watching if only for Honda's usual quality adverts or the off-chance of something not going quite right !
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I knew there was a live advert on tonight, but not what it was for.
Having watched it, I wouldn't have known it was for Honda until the last second when the logo came up. Fair play to them for trying to do something different, but I was left trying to think of a company called Honoo for most of it.
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I was invited along to my local dealership for the launch of the new Accord too but didn't go because I would have felt uncomfortable and I wouldn't have known what to say to be honest.
What did you think of the new Accord? I saw a couple in the local garage's store yard on Monday. I was a little disappointed by the looks. I don't know why car makers can't make their cars look pleasing to the eye. Aston Martin and Ferrari certainly know what's required but then they cost a "little" more. The new Accord didn't look good to me. Maybe the wheel arch shape is too heavy and imposing - maybe it's just me... after all once you are driving a car you can't see how it looks.
The other issue I have with the new Accord even before taking a test drive is the price. It does seem on the high side given the competition.
I will be interested to see if the new tourer looks any better and how it fairs in the market.
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Not long returned from the preview.
I was disappointed with the musical offering because Assimo was not conducting.
It was all very civilised: I think Honda are taking their dealers upmarket. Wine and nice refreshments freely available.
I was impressed with the new Accord. I think it is good looking. Appears to be much wider than mine and seems to be a big car. I liked the interior layout and the new colour schemes. The front seats are very comfortable and a tad bigger than the old Accord. The leather seats are now perforated. Unfortunately, the Tourer was not on show.
It's almost certain that I'll change in September/October.
Edited by Robbie on 29/05/2008 at 22:21
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I understand that the new Accord is 10 cm wider than the previous version. That means its not on my list of possibles. My 2005 Accord fits into the garage so that both front doors can open to the first stop with, if I get it right, 2 cm of clearance on either side. 10 cm wider probably means it won't fit (unless the stop points are set for bean poles).
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I just laughed
Perhaps the objective was to measure the point in the decline in standards of courtesy at which people laugh at the thought of responding to a cordial invitation?
Edited by Ubi on 29/05/2008 at 22:14
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I would have laughed as well, probably at a pretentious bit of marketing.
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Invitation to do what? Sign up for a car on the spot? I suspect the feigned surprise at a punter not grasping the honour of an invitation is part of their training:) Car salesmen are not friends, and cannot be hurt. More like lizards. Cold blooded, swivel-eyed and elusive.
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>>Car salesmen are not friends and cannot be hurt.
It wasn't a salesman that called me - it was the person they probably employ to invite people to car launches.
Interesting earlier comments about the new Accord: "wider" - in an era of ever narrowing car parking spaces, that's surely bad.
"upmarket" - OK, they've put the price up £2K.
Cheeky swines! How come Honda lists Accord in the US for $20K - £12K if you add VAT.
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Cheeky swines! How come Honda lists Accord in the US for $20K - £12K if you add VAT.
Not sure you're comparing like with like. 'Our' (Europe's) Accord is marketed as an Accura in the States. (Which, I believe, is Honda's equivalent of Toyota's 'Lexus' brand). They do sell an 'Accord', but it is a different car.
This was certainly the case for the 2003-2008 Accord, but can't be sure same rule applies with the new model.
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Car salesmen are not friends and cannot be hurt. More like lizards. Cold blooded swivel-eyed and elusive.
I do hope that is TIC. I may not have been in the profession for a long time now but I find that personally offensive if it isn't TIC. I think what you meant was " a lot of car salesman are..." ?
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TIC:) Some salesmen and women are actually good at their job.
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I've only seen photographs, but the saloon looks to me much like the old one (OK, nothing special) but pictures of the new Tourer look like a great improvement over its stupendously ugly predecessor. Still too long for my needs - O for a Civic Tourer.
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I was invited to the presentation at my local dealers but did not go.
My 04 Accord Tourer is good for a few years yet.
I may change after the new model has been tried and tested and the glitches found by those people who are prepared to take the hit of depreciation on new.
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The new Tourer's supposedly a lot smaller than the old is it not? More of a 3-series Touring "lifestyle" estate than a genuinely practical load lugger.
It looks a very competent and refined car, but the ridiculous price inflation (the 2.0 base models are £2k more expensive than the old car), re-heated looks and boring engine range - no performance diesel, no V6 petrol - are enough to put me off.
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I went to the launch yesterday of the new Accord, as I am a current Accord Tourer driver. The new Accord is quite different in the metal, looking sharper and more upmarket. The interior reflects this and although the price has risen perhaps it should be compared with similiar cars with the same level of equipment, Honda include a great deal as standard.
The new model is less bland but still without losing the Honda look, and seems a logical move forwards.
My local Honda dealer offered the new Accord for a weekend trial at my convenience, and the 2 litre automatic with paddles could be interesting.
As for a boring engine range then I am sorry but my priorities in these days of high fuel costs have changed to comfort and reliability!
I cannot comment on the new Tourer as it is not released until October.
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>>> - O for a CivicTourer.
I echo your comments Avant and would be one of the first in the queue for such a vehicle.
The visibility on the Civic hatch is just not acceptable IMHO and Honda are missing out on considerable market share by not offering a Civic estate version.!!!!
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I don't suppose they've managed to get 5 NCAP stars for the new one, have they?
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I wonder if the new diesels will normally manage to get more than 42 mpg?
Actually, to be fair, after 66k miles, I can just about get 45 mpg on a long run at 70 without aircon. Still, when the figures suggest 50+ (and the occasional bod on here can get that) it rankles. It's an extra £15 a fill over what was expected when I bought it.
Still, at least they are reliable aren't they? Oh no, that's right, mine's been off the road for two months since I bought it new in Jan 06. Honda won't even return my calls to discuss this.
Beware, I'd wait to see if wrinkles are ironed out before committing. A friend who works for Jag recommends never buying a car built within the first three months of production. Apparently that's the industry standard time to get rid of gremlins.
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The problem for Honda is that they're touting this car as a genuine rival for a 3-series or A4, and trying to charge £25k for a weedy 4-cylinder petrol engine at the top end of the range! That's pushing it by any definition, and I reckon you'd have to be slightly disturbed to choose one over a BMW 325i.
That said, not everyone's interested in performance and more modestly specced 2.0s and diesels will be pleasant enough cars, I'm sure. Neither are particularly frugal by class standards though.
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Beware I'd wait to see if wrinkles are ironed out before committing. A friend who works for Jag recommends never buying a car built within the first three months of production. Apparently that's the industry standard time to get rid of gremlins.
Three months sounds too short to me. Given the complexity involved, the cost to change things on the production line and some of the stories I've heard about other models, I would wait at least a year and preferably after the factory annual holiday shutdown - assuming they have such a thing in Japan. If you really want a good car then I would wait until after the mid life update after maybe 3-4 years when they've had plenty of time to fix things...
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