May 2008
As the new Accord has been getting quite a lot of attention on here, I thought I would update on progress with mine at 66k miles and 29 months old.
Some numbers:
Average mpg: 43 recently (34 with 4 bikes on the roof ? ouch!)
Non-scheduled weeks off road in dealer: 8
Calls to AA because I've been left stranded at side of road: 6
Minor faults not remedied by dealers: 4
Calls returned by Honda UK: 0
Fuel lost during unnecessary filter change: 1/4 tank
Number of times the oil has been overfilled by more than a litre by dealers: 3
You might be able to tell that I've been less than thrilled with the overall ownership experience. Every time the car has been off the road for a long time, the fault has eventually turned out to be precisely what the original AA guy thought it was; an over-volting alternator and a faulty EGR valve were both correctly diagnosed within seconds by the AA, both kept the car off the road for a month while Honda faffed and messed me around.
Paint chips on the ungalvanised bonnet remain a problem, the front door trims rattle both with moderate bass on the stereo, but also with rough road surfaces. Sidelights are the devils own job to change and consequently mine?s been out for a month despite me having the spare bulb. The massively useful seat folding mechanism on the drivers (heavier) side needs adjustment. Some of the switch backlighting has started to blow.
Oily bits: third gear occasionally is a bit reluctant on an otherwise still silky box. There has developed noticeable drivechain shunt recently, and there is an element of ?shimmy? through the steering under full throttle if overtaking in 5th on the motorway ? reminiscent of worn driveshafts, only an order of magnitude less severe. Will have to get it checked.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. The mpg is gradually improving, although it still is very low compared to what it should be. The car is very comfy, remains quick, and is a nice place to be, making long journeys effortless. The suspension is compliant, and the car doesn?t tramline since switching to P6000 Powergy tyres. The rear brakes lasted 62k, but the discs needed doing as well when they were changed.
Overall, I?ll be keeping the car after the PCP expires in Dec, but I?ll be getting an aftermarket warranty and switching to an indie for servicing. Fingers crossed eh? Read more
I've had the 'pleasure' of one of these for a few days while the Migraine was having some work done under warranty, and have found little to like about it
The interior is very basic - do you wonder what happened to all the cheap 'silver' plastic when Tandy went out of business and stopped selling 'Realistic' brand hi-fi - well I can tell you
At 6 months old and 5600 miles,, the courtesy light switch has already failed, and it already has more creaks and groans than Methusaleh's grandad. I've lost count of the number of times I've checked the luggage space trying to find out where all the noise was coming from, without success. The sound like a tin can rolling on the floor did,
however, prove to be caused by a tin can rolling on the floor
The very thick A-pillars create significant blind spots, don't even bother to try and find the nearside kerb on tight corners, and the passenger door window runner near the quarterlight obscures the part of the door mirror.
Performance is non-existent, especially given that the Migraine 1.5 diesel is 20% more economical over the same journeys. An indicated 75 on the motorway is 3500 rpm in fifth, and becomes very tiring even on my 25 mile trip to work. I keep looking for another 2 gears to change up through
I've come to the conclusion that the only function of cars like this is for Renault dealers to use as courtesy cars, so when you get your own car back, it benefits by comparison !
Now....
it was supplied with the screenwash reservoir completely empty.
If I fill it up, and leave a half empty bottle of screenwash on the passenger seat, how much would it be fair to charge the dealer ;-)
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I have taken rental cars back. Sometimes becuase there was a fault and sometimes simply because the car was a pig to drive. Sometimes of course you get a cracker and want to hold it close to your heart after you drop the keys off, but very rarely! I can think of a large Chrysler in about 1979, but nothing else springs to mind.
Hi, does anyone have a problem with their Mini boot lid locking itself and refusing to be opened either by remote or by pressing the contact under the boot lid handle? Mine has adopted a random approach to opening and I am having to resort to the emergency cable. Then all of a sudden its all OK again for a week or a day and then it has a huff and wont open!!
I have tried lubricating it but to no avail. Read more
I was in a Tesco supermarket car park this morning which has a one-way system.
After shopping I am reversing out of my space into the one-way lane to leave . I look both ways over my shoulder, but then begin the maneouvre paying attention over my left shoulder, ie towards where cars should be coming from, given the one-way.
I don't see, but hit, a car coming the other way, ie against the one-way system.
My car is Ok but hers has a ding in the front wing between wheel and bumper.
We exchanged details civilly and my inclination is to leave insurance out of this.
However, thinking afterwards, surely her driving against the one-way system means she contributed to the accident so I'm inclined to limit what I pay.
thoughts? Read more
as an aside, I enjoyed HJ's reply to a DT reader today whose daughter is trying to sell 27k mile 51 reg Micra, which has been vandalised - every body panel covered with scratches, dents and dings. The car is mechanically very sound and has a FSH, but its appearance deters prospective buyers. HJ suggests doorstep selling "and include phrases such as 'pre-scratched for supermarket parking' in your advertisement."
Could catch on - ready dinged cars.
Don't laugh: we buy designer torn/stained denims!
An auctioneer calling a diesel VW Touran described it as 'no dmf'.
He clearly meant the absence of a dual mass flywheel as a benefit.
Are there any other examples of cars which are worth more if something is not fitted? Read more
Baked bean tin sized exhaust, make a car almost worthless.
Hey all,
something that really gets my goat this. Seeing a long line of single-commuter driven cars
this morning, a large proportion of them having one of these displayed on the rear window.
Clearly, the drivers are not aware of the origins of these displays. I wonder if those attending an accident where one of these is displayed even bother to look for a child these days.
Any views?
theterranaut Read more
Have you looked at your user name recently?
Or is it irony? ; - )
Had a test drive in a Honda S2000 on Wednesday which had me wondering just how often I would actually use the car's electrifying performance on busy UK roads, particularly in the wet.
So, how often do you use the full performance/handling/load carrying/4x4 etc etc potential of your car?
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He was being chased by boomslangs. If they had been spitting cobras he could have pushed an armoured personnel carrier at the same speed.
Of to Mallorca soon, has anybody had any experience of these people -
tinyurl.com/6pbsq4
{typo correction in header} Read more
"oilrag, what's this thing about handing over keys? I would never leave my car keys with someone else"
Sorry Legacy, Only just noticed this. There was one company operating near Manchester that took the car away to park, then presented it at the front of the office on your return, keeping the keys.
It may have been one like this that was found to be parking peoples cars on industrial estates and even in residential streets nearby.
It was on TV around 5 years ago.
A recent passenger pulled the rear centre seat belt too sudden to fasten and the inertia has jammed ,thus making it unuseable. I have fed strap back and pulled very slowly on strap but will not disengage.As the inertia movement wheel is located within the seat back out of site iam lost for ideas how to fix , any help please.
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I have had this on a '99/T Mondeo, I fixed it by just kneeling on the seat back and repeatedly wiggling the seatbelt in and out of the top of the seat until it freed I'm afraid.
At the worst you will only have to undo the bolt holding the belt end to the floor (size 10 star bit IIRC) which will allow the belt to retract far enough for the inertia reel to release.
A Sealey code scanner does not light up its backlit display when plugged into the C5. On other cars it does light up. It seems like not picking up the C5's battery voltage.
Does anyone know if this mean that there is a fault on the C5's OBD connector?
Thanks. Read more
Thanks, it was a dodgy pin 16, now sorted.
2 yr old (or maybe newer) Mercedes C Class C220CDi estate?
If buying on a PCP then maybe even a new one might be feasible once the latest model prices settle down a bit.
I got a 5mth old C270CDi estate 3yrs ago when I opted out of my company car. I had an Accord saloon on test for a few days but thought there were issues which would annoy me. I also really wanted an auto, although the Accord's then 5 spd box was the best of the manuals I drove.
I must admit I've done nothing like the mileage I expected - I work from home and rarely have to visit customers now, so it's only done 40K, and I tend to only use it for long steady motorway runs, using one of our other cars (mainly the Jazz) around town. On a relaxed (and it's easy to drive it that way) 200 mile motorway trip it'll do 50MPG, although slightly firmer driving with knock 3-4MPG off. Figures are off the trip computer (there are 2 :-) ) but brim to brim checks indicate that the trip is accurate. Servicing on mine is variable interval and will run to 18K or so between services (although it's fixed at 15,500/12mths on the new model). My local dealer will do A services for £199 and B services for £299.