Condition Normal: Honda Accord Long-Term Test Update

September 10,2001

I’d honestly wish I had something extraordinary to tell you in the 30,000 kilometer update of the Honda Accord VTi-L. Generally, however, the car has fared very well and needs as much attention as your bread toaster. That’s right, the famed Honda reliability is at work here and except for regular trips to the service bay for oil, the Accord has remained free from any mechanical bugs.

Probably there are two things that happened with the car since the first update 10,000 kilometers ago, and this is the fact that the car was defaced by a group of cretins who vandalized the rear door, smashed the driver’s side mirror and the front passenger door. A quick trip to Honda Cars Quezon Avenue revealed that the damage could all be repaired and shouldered by insurance.

A week later, the car comes out perfect with all the dents and dings now gone and the paint work miraculously matched with the rest of the car. Now, it looks as if the car is brand new, not having gone through any brush with the evils of our metropolitan society. There were slight problems however with how Honda Cars painted the car in the first place. Outside, the car was good as new, but inside was a different question. Some paint splattered on the dash and the seats and some of the screw covers went missing.

Surprisingly, Honda Cars Quezon City called us two weeks later and asked how we found their service. We were honest and we notified them of the paint and screw problems. They promptly apologized and offered to clean up their mess for free next time we check in with them. Good customer service…when was the last time we’ve heard this from Toyota Otis or any Nissan service bay?

The engine still sounds good as ever, although now comparing it to the likes of the VQ engine of the Nissan Cefiro and the newer VVTi engines of Toyota, it is obvious that the VTEC unit of Honda may be smooth and accurate, but it’s still too darn buzzy. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t much of a hindrance to normal everyday driving, but the differentiating characteristics of the SOHC VTEC engine is very noticeable after driving this back-to-back with the all-new Toyota RAV4 long-term test car we have. Nonetheless, performance is still bliss for this 2.3-liter unit. In fact, the engine revs happily towards its 6,500-rpm redline without any degree of unevenness or hesitation. You just have to love the VTEC units when it changes its cam profile—truly excellent.

Our VTi-L’s 5-speed manual transmission has been the best we’ve held so far in recent years. In fact, to say the least, the tick-tock precision of this manual is even better than that of the new Honda Civic, which manages to still feel a bit soggy. The Accord’s on the other hand is slick and efficient, enabling the driving to engage the gear he or she wants without having to work really hard to push the gear lever in the proper slot.

Unfortunately, the slickness of the 5-speed manual is offset by the heavy clutch pedal problem that the Accord has had since the start of its life. Although Honda has said that this is normal for all big engined sedans, why isn’t it the same for the V6 Nissan Cefiro? Don’t get me wrong, the Accord’s clutch pedal is easy to modulate and control, but a huge foot force is required to correctly press the pedal all the way down on the floor. It may be good for short distance driving, but you’ll swear you’re starting to develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome on your foot!

Inside, the 2-DIN Alpine in-dash CD changer of the VTi-L developed some problems and we had to repair it. The problem it seems is that the plastic gear mechanism inside the CD changer unit jammed and needed to be replaced. A normal procedure according to one audio shop, since the 2-DIN Alpines found primarily in Honda Accord VTi-L all have the same problem. The culprit they say? Pirated CDs and CD-Rs. The reason for this, they say, is that these types of CDs have inconsistent bit rates that ultimately confuses the loading mechanism and jams it. A second opinion, which we think could be the real reason, is that the heat of the Philippine weather turns the malleable plastic into some brittle that easily snaps when a slight error occurs inside the CD changer.

Beyond that the interior is ageing quite well with no signs of creaks and noises. The panels are still as solid as ever, while the leather is holding up against the Manila heat.

The Honda Accord remains to be one of the most reliable among our long-term test fleet. Although it may not be the most exciting of choices for a short afternoon drive, the VTi-L remains to be one of the most logical when it comes to ownership.

By Ulysses Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang
Originally Published September 2001 Issue

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