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2013 Honda Accord

5K views 50 replies 18 participants last post by  01Byte 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok guys, who has been looking at the new 2013 Accord. Nice to see it's getting smaller and lighter. Tired of these cars always being bigger and heavier than than predessor. I'm waiting for the Honda Fit to weigh more than a F150 in a few years. Anyway... From what I've seen and read looks like it's finally, overdue, Honda has a decent Accord again. I traded my 2007 Accord EX-L 4cyl 5spd manual in on my 6spd manual E90 335i back in 2011? Loved the car but had some real issues that drove me nuts; 1- road noise 2-brakes were weak 3- engine was very under powered. But I miss that Honda steering and crispness sometimes. :cry: Not to mention the cheapness of owning one. I remember when I got my 335i I thought it was junk. Noise on shutdown, heavy this, heavy pedals lol... uh I love german cars now but have some nights that I am kept up with the laundry list of maintenance and "fixes" and the cost that comes with two german girls (E90 for weekend E39 DD). And I remember when I only owned my Accord I had time and money to burn like I thought I was rich. I had a life, went the gym, bought apple products etc LOL. But the only mainstream car that ever gets my attention is the Accord. Not sure why... I hate to even look at my neighbors camry or my moms alitma. Compact cars like the civic and Corolla give me a headache and make my old E39 look like a dream even with maintenace. :tsk: Love my 335i love my daily driver 530i. But this new Accord has me smittin for a daily driver. Especially the sport 6spd manual 4cyl sedan. :bigpimp:


Let's see what you guys think. Anyone test drive these new 13's yet?


Edit: Mods, please move to General Auto section. Sorry.... I missed it.
 
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#2 ·
Nope, haven't looked at the new generation yet. But the 2003 5MT 4 banger of mine that I gave to my daughter is still running well at 160K miles. It is, indeed, a good appliance of a car, and drives better than the competition.

But it is a class removed from a BMW.
 
#3 · (Edited)
^ Agreed. But my 530i is my daily driver. 335i for weekend use; see signature it's quite fun. I love my 530i but damn it's a lot of up keep and burns expensive fuel! Another good DD option for me... Acura TSX. Would yield more free time = more time for the 335i :) Scratch the Acuras. Yes they make more power than Hondas but they burn premium. I'm either going to swap out to a Accord of some sort or finish fixing up my 530i and stick through it. And yes, enjoy my 530i while i'm with it. to be honest it's one of my favorite cars I've ever owened. I love the size, low belt line, comfort/sport mixture.... I swear it's the German Accord. I like my old E39 more than my wife's like new 36k mile C300! Just wish we didn't have a lundry list of "issues"... Wander/float, cooling systems, oil leaks, seat twist, headlight adjusters, Oh where do I stop LOL. No way would I put up with so much BS if the E39 wasn't as rewarding of a driving machine as it is. Back on track... 2013 Accord! Anyone test drive or know something cool about them?
 
#4 · (Edited)
I'm a huge Honda hater because they clearly have no idea what they're doing and Acura is a complete mess right now, but one car they have gotten right is the new Accord.

It looks fantastic in sports trim and you can't argue with Honda's value. Reliability, quality, resale. All top notch. Plus if you get a loaded Touring model, you get LED headlights, where are damn cool. If this was 6 months ago, I would have been all over the Kia Optima or Passat TDI, but now? Honda Accord all the way.

I've driven it and it deserves every once of praise it has gotten. That being said, this whole "normal" mid-size segment doesn't have ONE bad car. They are all top notch. Altima, Optima, Camry, Legacy, Accord.

Let's not forget the new Ford Fusion (which looks fantastic) or the upcoming Mazda6 (which will be sold in diesel form next year!). All awesome
 
#5 ·
^ so it drives good. nice to know. Yes the "family" car segment is cut throat. Back in the 90's this stuff we're talking about today was not even a dream. This segment has made huge gains vs the overall market.
 
#8 ·
Honda should make a RWD V6 "sport edition" Accord in Stick or Auto. You want to see popular... ^ That's funny. my E90 has no dip stick. Drives me NUTS.
 
#9 ·
... ^ That's funny. my E90 has no dip stick. Drives me NUTS.
No dude!! There IS a DIPSTICK in you E90...

He is the one who's driving the car...:p
 
#10 ·
^ Well that's a different dip stick. It's missing a oil dip stick. :)
 
#11 · (Edited)
I told myself not to get another Honda after having a 92 Honda Civic as my first car, bought it used in 1998.

Don't get me wrong, it never ran into any problem, in fact it stood well after direct impact with a deer while I was travelling 60mph on interstate! Thank goodness I'm still alive and the deer just "flew" to the side after the impact instead of heading towards the windshield! I managed to drive another 60 miles and arrived home safely that night and the car didn't leak any fluid.

What I don't like about Honda is that cabin isn't quite insulated from the engine noise... whether it's Civic, Accord, and even the Pilot.

But then I'm driving a 09 Honda Fit today... which has very pronounced road and engine noise... but that car is so low maintenance and so much fun to drive despite the little engine.
 
#12 ·
I drove both accord cvt and the v6 auto. I hated the cvt but the v6 is nice. One big thing I like about the 2013 is that they clean up the interior with less buttons than the last generation
 
#13 ·
Seems like a lot of people do NOT like the CVT. I've never driven a CVT car before. My mom has a '10 4cyl Auto CVT Altima. I've only backed it out of the driveway. I need to drive that car.
 
#15 ·
I would think a CVT would be better for performance. No shift points, can variably tune the RPM vs Load.... I guess maybe they have not come up with a "performance CVT Tune".
 
#21 ·
The problem is perceived performance. An engine that sits at one rpm seems slow than one that changes gears. There is one manufacturer with a CVT (don't remember which), where the programing simulates gears by fluctuating the rpm during acceleration (I'm not talking about have "gears" that can be shifted manually for engine braking or whatever, as most CVTs do that.)
 
#17 · (Edited)
Honda will never have the premium brand appeal, and Accords are in my book cars that you respect more than you love. Nonetheless, it seems to be a real achiever.

What impresses me are the current lease rates at Honda Canada. For the 2013 EX-L automatic, they are within a few bucks the same I had signed for my last one... in November 1998, a 1999 EX-L auto! MSRP increased very little over 14 years (from 27500$ to 29090$) and lower interest rates take care of the rest. They still have that great residual of 52% after 60000 miles / 48 months - I would be surprised if any other competitor matches this.
 
#18 · (Edited)
^ exactly. I just read something this week about Honda being the #1 residual value brand of all cars makers in America. 52%. Average for all makes was 46%. We just picked up a 2013 CRV EX-L today. Traded in the misses '08 C300. Have to admit, Honda did a heck of a job on this redesign. Steering is actualy better than on the C300 IMO. YMMV. Trans shifting is good. Not like some econo cars where it's always bogging down and you have to floor it to kick it down a gear just to keep up. Seats are nice. Road noise is I'd say equal to the C300. Interior room is HUGE, guessing that's b/c we just came from a C300. Folding seats with one lever is a plus. If I was on the design team my improving points would be 1- Add a 6th gear like the Acura RDX now has. and 2- Let's do Direct Injection for more power and economy. that's basically it. CRV fits the bill nicely as is though or I would not have bought one. Love the leather seats:)
 
#24 ·
Manufacturer inflated residuals mean jack **** in the real world. Plus no one leases a Camry or an Accord. You'd have to be an idiot to do that.

Try getting a dealer to offer you to lease buyout price on BMW. Not happening. Toyota is being much more realistic in their lease residuals.
 
#22 · (Edited)
^ Toyota used to be my favorite brand. I had a few MK2 Supras, Turbo '91 Supra. '94 4runner I turned into a rock crawler with a straight axle... then we got my wife a 2001 4runner limited 2wd V6. Downhill from there. I had a new special ordered 2009 TRD Crew cab 4x4 Tacoma. What a joke. C channel frame that had so much twist in it off-road the bed would hit the cab. the doors wouldn't open when articulated. Interior was cheap as Fug. and the seating arrangement and brakes in the Tacoma were terrible. Toyotas hay day sailed. the only thing that has me even reading about toyota is the new RWD Stick shift FRS. Maybe they can turn that microwave company around. B/c the only thing they are selling are crack box corollas. those things are everywhere.

I like the new Accord. Looked at one while buying the CRV. But I have 1 complaint. It's a about 10% too big. Needs scaled down. Or at least match the current year 5 series dimensions. I'll stick to stick shift BMW's for me and Hondas for the wife. Good mix of practical and fun. She can take the new CRV to the dealer for a oil change for like $28. Where as if she took the Benz it was $100+ + +. Rags, tax, fees. $125 OTD. BMW wants lke $160 for a oil change. So I can save real money doing it myself. and enjoy it and know it's done right. Where as on her car... what I am I saving? $5 and have to drive to the parts store to dump the oil. Doesn't make sense.
 
#26 ·
Toyotas hay day sailed. the only thing that has me even reading about toyota is the new RWD Stick shift FRS. Maybe they can turn that microwave company around. B/c the only thing they are selling are crack box corollas. those things are everywhere.
I don't agree with this at all. Toyota and Lexus (as a company) are only getting better while Honda/Acura are ****ing around and have no direction at all. Look at the new Avalon, class leading. Lexus GS? Also fantastic car. BRZ/FRS? amazing.

As far as I'm concerned, Honda/Acura have 3 good products, that's it. Accord, CRV, and MDX. Everything else, just plain, blows. ILX? What a joke. They come out with a new Civic (2012) and refresh it a year later (MY13) because it turned out to be a pile of crap.

I like the new Accord. Looked at one while buying the CRV. But I have 1 complaint. It's a about 10% too big. Needs scaled down. Or at least match the current year 5 series dimensions.
What's interesting is that the new Accord actually slimmed down a good amount from the last one. The last-gen was actually a full-size.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Lexus is a whole different animal. I know it's toyota. but i'm talking just about Honda VS toyota. not bringing Acura and Lexus into it. Lexus kills Acura. My dad bought one of the new '12 civics that is also known as a pile of crap. We had a '09 EX coupe civic. I think it got better in some aspects, worse in others. granted he got a bottom model; LX auto. But the car gets way way way above the EPA MPG's state on the sticker. I like the new dash. But I hate how the backseat has jack for headroom. I'm 5'-11" and when I sit in the back seat my head hits the headliner. The trunk lid has no liner at all. Hopefully thats a LX thing. It has road noise. and the interior plastics could have been better. But the bottom line is it's a sporty toaster car that gets phenominal gas mileage and has Honda build quality. My brother have a 2006 Corolla sport, fully loaded for it's hay day and it's been a great car. But it's cheaper than the Hondas. more head room, but more uncomfortable seating and more engine noise. and the interior is even worse than the civic IMO. Not sure what a '12 corolla interior looks like. everything has pros and cons.
 
#32 ·
My dad bought one of the new '12 civics that is also known as a pile of crap.
We have a '12 Civic for our children. I got it after because it won the war of numbers, certainly not my favourite in the category. While it has some explainable fit& finish details, it doesn't qualify as pile of crap by any stretch of the imagination. According to EPA, it even costs less in fuel annually than a VW Tdi (1550$ vs 1750$).
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=31187&id=31578

BTW, for last December, the best selling car in USA and in Canada is the Honda Civic '12.

 
#35 ·
According to EPA, it even costs less in fuel annually than a VW Tdi (1550$ vs 1750$).

BTW, for last December, the best selling car in USA and in Canada is the Honda Civic '12.

No one is comparing it to the VW TDI. No matter how you spin it, the TDI is a more premium car.

The Civic being the best selling car is a big deal, but how many of those were left-over 2012 models that Honda was desperately fire-saleing? They even issued a statement to all the dealers to sell their 2012 stock ASAP because the better 2013 models were incoming.
 
#38 · (Edited by Moderator)
Let me tell you about VW quality. We bought a new 2010 TDI Jetta wagon. Loaded. Loved the compact wagon, 48mpg on diesel. interior was pretty nice. 22k miles rolls around. my 7 month pregnent wife is on the side of the road in rush hour, in the FL summer heat with a 14 month old new car. 1hr later VW road side sent someone to come get it. Took the dealer 5 days to fix the car. I learned all about the VW disaster going on with the HPFP. When the HPFP goes, they have to replace everything. Injectors, lines, tank filters etc. When I went to pick it up, there was about 10 pages to the repair ticket for just parts. Turns out VW HPFP's like to go out and cost around $7-$10k to repair!!!! The warranty picked this one up, but I thought it was a powertrain item... wrong again. 3yrs/36k on this POS even though Safecar.Gov has a open file on this issue. VW forum basically has a dedicated thread for TDI HPFP failures. Can happen anywhere from 2k miles to never. And just b/c it happens once, it can happen again. VW does not have a improved HPFP like BMW did on my 335i. So you think I was going to hang on to a car that has a ticking time bomb of a HPFP? You can't even trust the car for a vacation trip. It gives no warning. just goes. And I work out of town, so that car was dumped the weekend we picked it up. VW has terrible reliability. The SA @ VW actually gave me the iggy to dump it and get a Subaru forester/wagon if we wanted something like the wagon. Tons of people are in the middle of law suites also over this.. they buy a used car 2 yrs old, pump goes. dealer fixes it they go to pick up their $14k used car and the SA asks for $8k. My wife also had a new 2003 Bug gas motor 2.0. That ws the biggest problematic POS also. Fuel pump relays, fuel pumps, CD players. Car was gone by 25k. I F'n hate VW. No VW/Audio products in my house. So Honda may have issues, but VW doesn't even come close to Honda reliability. I think the new redeisgned Honda (CRV, Accords) are back on track and safeter, etc.... I'm glad we got the new 2013 CRV. I even bought it from a local dealer with lifetime unlimited miles powertrain warranty as long as we own the car through them. So CV joint goes in 7yrs... $100 deductible. Overall the jap cars are top notch for reliability and overall cost of ownership. I mean even an ugly Camry is efficient, safe, reliable and will run 10yrs with little to no problems. No VW ever made can even think of saying that. What irks me with some of the Japanese cars are the noise, tiny box feel, cheapness etc. Hence why we never bought a CRV until they brought it up to date. That CRV was overdue for a remake. So I'll enjoy my 2 BMW's and she has a spanky new, updated Honda. it's a good spread. And when we pack up the family to go 15hrs on vacation I won't be on pins and needles about a HPFP going out. And the chances of a new Honda leaving you on the side of the road vs a VW or her '08 C300? I'm sure the Honda has the statistic advantage by a few hundred miles. GM and Ford are catching up quick. GM makes some nice updated products, offer 10yr/100k warrnties and really don't have a lot of issues. I just don't care for the bulk/bloatedness they generally carry.
 
#39 ·
Let me tell you about VW quality. We bought a new 2010 TDI Jetta wagon. Loaded. Loved the compact wagon, 48mpg on diesel. interior was pretty nice. 22k miles rolls around. I F'n hate VW. No VW/Audio products in my house. So Honda may have issues, but VW doesn't even come close to Honda reliability. I think the new redeisgned Honda (CRV, Accords) are back on track and safeter, etc.... I'm glad we got the new 2013 CRV. I even bought it from a local dealer with lifetime unlimited miles powertrain warranty as long as we own the car through them. So CV joint goes in 7yrs... $100 deductible.
I've owned that exact car (Jetta TDI Sportwagen). Waited 18 months on the local waiting list to get it. Traded it in on the X5d. Also had an Audi Q7. Both were flawless. Owned countless other VWs in the last couple years, so I guess I would call myself experienced in VAG cars.

Most, if not, all the diesel HPFP issues stem from poor quality diesel fuel or owners forgetting that their car runs on diesel. Yes, I frequent TDIClub.com also. Have been there for years. There are plenty of 100k+ mile TDIs out there, so I really can't take your anecdote into account.

VW has been warrantying the HPFP stuff for years now, even if you are out of warranty. It's not a big deal at all.

Just an fyi, BMW's quality is on the decline, not Audi. Recent Consumer Reports/JDPower put them much above BMW for the last couple years.

No one in their right mind would argue that VW reliability matches Honda. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that recent Hondas (except Accord, CRV, Fit, MDX) are just lackluster cars that sell because of its badge, that's it. The Jetta feels like a more premium car than a Civic.
 
#40 · (Edited)
^ I can agree with you on that. But on the HPFP the dealer told me flat out, to my face if this happens after 3yrs/36k it will not be covered. I even raised hell and had some territory manager call me and explain to me why the HPFP was only warrantied for 3y/36k miles. And while our jetta was in for repair... it was not alone. There was 3 including ours that week for the same issue. SA even was bashing how often they get towed in for this. I don't buy the poor diesel. We never had a oops moment either with gas. I owned a 6.0 F250 for a few years with no issues or mishaps. VW can shove that TDI pump where the sun doesn't shine. And the delayed gas pedal with it. While I was waiting for our car, some old guy was in there for a oil change or something on his VW and was telling another SA about how he hates the delayed gas pedal and almost got hit b/c of it... I found it funny. if VW just listened and didn't do stupid crap like that, they would get better. Obviously my BMW's are old(er). I don't know anything about new BMW's. but both my cars are great. And for a non-luxury car Honda/Toyota/Nissan/Subaru are no brainer can't lose options.
 
#41 ·
^ I can agree with you on that. But on the HPFP the dealer told me flat out, to my face if this happens after 3yrs/36k it will not be covered. I even raised hell and had some territory manager call me and explain to me why the HPFP was only warrantied for 3y/36k miles. And while our jetta was in for repair... it was not alone. There was 3 including ours that week for the same issue. SA even was bashing how often they get towed in for this. I don't buy the poor diesel. We never had a oops moment either with gas. I owned a 6.0 F250 for a few years with no issues or mishaps. VW can shove that TDI pump where the sun doesn't shine. And the delayed gas pedal with it. While I was waiting for our car, some old guy was in there for a oil change or something on his VW and was telling another SA about how he hates the delayed gas pedal and almost got hit b/c of it... I found it funny. if VW just listened and didn't do stupid crap like that, they would get better.
what delayed gas pedal?

We aren't talking about the ZF 8SPD throttle lag that most new BMWs are experiencing
 
#42 ·
I've been looking at the EX-L Navi V6 Accord coupe. I really like the look inside and out!

The only shortcoming I find is the lack of HID/Active headlights.Interesting the the priority was placed on LED DRL's - not real headlights.

dont get me started on VAG products....
 
#44 ·
My wife has a 2003 CRV with 120K miles, and absolutely no problems. I want her to get a new one, but she says the only car she would replace it with is another CRV, and she sees no point in spending 25-30K for a new car that is just like this only a bit newer, when her car runs fine.

What can ya do? :dunno:
 
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