Are Hondas worth it?

[SVT666]

Most all engines are.

[sportyaccordy]

Don't feed the troll, you idiot

[SVT666]

Don't feed the troll, you idiot

Damnit.

[hotrodalex]

Most all engines are.

Then give an example.

[Northlands]

Hmm... I like Hondas, but for a little while now, I've been looking at a lot of used cars. I've come across some realy dandies. Hondas are reliable. Sure. Somewhat entertaining, depending on the model. Decent on fuel. But holy fucking shit, they have a massive market value perception used.

Examples:  ( and I'm trying to keep some averages here... not the highest or lowest. )

1. 2004 Honda Odyssey w/ only 100k kms ( I saw three in this range locally. )  - Between $9300 to $10700. - This is an eight year old van.

2. 2003 Honda Accord EX - V6 ( non leather ) sedan. - $9000 ( $122k kms).  2002 EX sedan 4 cyl. ( both were automatics ) - $8780.  (87k kms - not too bad though. )

3. There are people selling 2002 Civics, and mileage be damned averaging between $6500- $7500. Effectively an 11 year old car that started out life at $16k new. That's some crazy shit.

[Laconian]

Makes them a good new car buy.

[Northlands]

Makes them a good new car buy.

Sure does. I should have sold mine years ago. Probably would have got 11 for it maybe even 4 years ago. This is the longest I've owned a car. I had two other Hondas and sold one of them relatively quickly ( Acura Integra. )

[BENZ BOY15]

So, your argument is that someone who wants more room than a Mazda3 shouldn't buy a roomy compact car but should instead get all the excitement of a low-end midsize car for that money? Got it.

I like the Mazda3....my brother's friend has one and it's a pretty nice car.

[GoCougs]

Then give an example.

Think of an engine that isn't the LSx or Hemi, and you'll have one.

[VTEC_Inside]

IMO Hondas are still worth it for the intangibles.

However, pretty much everyone else has gotten so much better there that I dont know how much I would expect anyone to care.

I know I dont really care anymore. They've jumped with both feet into the appliance arena and as such they have become pretty boring.

Re: Drivetrain tech...
The media loves to blast them for 'falling behind' but the reality is that they are still competitive with the 'modern' offerings from everyone else. Ignore the BS EPA ratings and look at real world averages for a sec and you'll see that they typically outperform the competition even with the old tech.

Things will get interesting on that front with the new Accord. DI and CVT for the 4cyl and 6at for the revised 6cyl.

DI is coming for the 6cyl as well, but will debut on the new RL. The 6cyl will still be a SOHC unit in any case, but with seperate low/high profiles for both intake/exhaust (imagine the congestion in that valvetrain)...

[Colonel Cadillac]

I think Honda needs a management reboot. The company is going nowhere from somewhere fast. I cannot say the same about Toyota.

[Cookie Monster]

I think Honda needs a management reboot. The company is going nowhere from somewhere fast. I cannot say the same about Toyota.

I agree. Honda/Acura has become stagnant. Toyota, OTOH, has been putting out some great offerings and I love Lexus's new design language.

[hotrodalex]

Think of an engine that isn't the LSx or Hemi, and you'll have one.

That's terrible internetry. Back up your viewpoint with examples. If you can't, you lose.

[TurboDan]

I agree. Honda/Acura has become stagnant. Toyota, OTOH, has been putting out some great offerings and I love Lexus's new design language.

Eh, the Accord is still relatively competitive, and the coupe looks hot. The new CR-V looks pretty nice for the type of vehicle it is. I feel with a little effort and the addition of some kind of mainstream performance vehicle (BRZ competition, or perhaps a revival of a roadster) they could get the excitement level up.

But Acura is almost beyond repair at this point. Everything looks and performs far too mainstream to justify the extra price tag. The ILX isn't going to compete with any of the Germans, whatsoever, and it lags the G37, too. I expect it to be sufficiently whooped by the ATS as well.

[Northlands]

 Aside from the TSX and MDX, they could dump the rest of the line up and nobody would even notice.

[TurboDan]

Aside from the TSX and MDX, they could dump the rest of the line up and nobody would even notice.

Yeah, I always liked the TSX.

[Cookie Monster]

Aside from the TSX and MDX, they could dump the rest of the line up and nobody would even notice.

Pretty much. The TL is just far too ugly, the RL has been forgotten a long time ago, and the ILX doesn't really make sense.

[Laconian]

I wouldn't buy a TL over a G37.

[Raza]

I wouldn't buy a TL over a G37.

I wouldn't take a TL over a base model 5 speed MkV Rabbit.  Sure, it may be a fuckload faster, but then I have to be seen in it and broadcast to the world that I have no taste or style.

[VTEC_Inside]

Eh, the Accord is still relatively competitive, and the coupe looks hot. The new CR-V looks pretty nice for the type of vehicle it is. I feel with a little effort and the addition of some kind of mainstream performance vehicle (BRZ competition, or perhaps a revival of a roadster) they could get the excitement level up.

But Acura is almost beyond repair at this point. Everything looks and performs far too mainstream to justify the extra price tag. The ILX isn't going to compete with any of the Germans, whatsoever, and it lags the G37, too. I expect it to be sufficiently whooped by the ATS as well.

The Accord coupe should go away IMO.

Its so much different from the sedan that they should just take it a little further and call it the Prelude again.

[TurboDan]

The Accord coupe should go away IMO.

Its so much different from the sedan that they should just take it a little further and call it the Prelude again.

A new Prelude would be pretty cool. Aside from the S2K, that was the last Honda I actually would've considered buying.

[sportyaccordy]

Honda + Acura have been seeing record sales + profits, so they must be doing something right.

[hotrodalex]

Honda + Acura have been seeing record sales + profits, so they must be doing something right.

They've made themselves a good reputation. That's what sells products.

[Raza]

They've made themselves a good reputation. That's what sells products.

And the cars themselves are fine.  They're just ugly.  Ugly sells now, though.

[2o6]

And the cars themselves are fine.  They're just ugly.  Ugly sells now, though.

I wouldn't say "fine"....on paper, seemingly the rest of the competition offers a better product (see Civic).

[TurboDan]

I wouldn't say "fine"....on paper, seemingly the rest of the competition offers a better product (see Civic).

But the Civic is "fine." There's nothing wrong with it. It's a rather bland compact car that is reliable and good on gas. It's representative of most of Honda's and Acura's lineups – it does everything rather well, but nothing exceptional. And I'm not a Honda hater by any stretch. They're just so... boring... when they don't have to be. I'm not saying to go the Hyundai route of "phony sporty," but they should give their cars a freshening up.

As I mentioned before, though, I do like the current Accord coupe a lot, and I think they did a nice job with the CR-V. Always liked the TSX, though I'm not a fan of the ILX. We'll see what the next Pilot looks like, but if they differentiate themselves from the competition by freshening it without turning it into another feminized crossover I think they will continue to sell.

Honestly, my favorite Honda in the last decade is probably the RSX. It was a great, great looking car and it's styling has held up pretty well. The interior was always nice, too. If they still sold them new there's a good chance I would've bought one at some point.

[2o6]

But the Civic is "fine." There's nothing wrong with it. It's a rather bland compact car that is reliable and good on gas. It's representative of most of Honda's and Acura's lineups ? it does everything rather well, but nothing exceptional. And I'm not a Honda hater by any stretch. They're just so... boring... when they don't have to be. I'm not saying to go the Hyundai route of "phony sporty," but they should give their cars a freshening up.

Initial reviews state that it doesn't do anything particularlly "well". Chevy Cruze is also pretty boring to drive, but it's a pretty well done boring car. Elantra also is a pretty well done "boring" car. Civic isn't. Interior is cheap, powertrains are old, car feels worse than the model it replaces.

As I mentioned before, though, I do like the current Accord coupe a lot, and I think they did a nice job with the CR-V. Always liked the TSX, though I'm not a fan of the ILX. We'll see what the next Pilot looks like, but if they differentiate themselves from the competition by freshening it without turning it into another feminized crossover I think they will continue to sell.

Honestly, my favorite Honda in the last decade is probably the RSX. It was a great, great looking car and it's styling has held up pretty well. The interior was always nice, too. If they still sold them new there's a good chance I would've bought one at some point.

[sportyaccordy]

People really have trouble reconciling that everyone doesn't want what they want. Its incredible

The vast majority of Hondas have been pretty boring for at least the last 15 years. Why is this an issue now, especially considering all the new cars that have filled the void?

The RSX is dead. So what? For the same $$$ you can have an MS3, WRX, Genesis Coupe, BR-Z, Mustang GT, etc. etc. Not that the RSX was bad, but in 2002 the sport compact segment was much weaker. Its better now. Whats the problem?

[TurboDan]

Elantra also is a pretty well done "boring" car.

I'm assuming you haven't driven one. It's one of the worst cars I've ever driven.

[TurboDan]

The RSX is dead. So what? For the same $$$ you can have an MS3, WRX, Genesis Coupe, BR-Z, Mustang GT, etc. etc. Not that the RSX was bad, but in 2002 the sport compact segment was much weaker. Its better now. Whats the problem?

So what? It was a small, sporty car from a premium marque that mixed awesome driving with a pleasing interior and plenty of features (for the time). I'll give you the fact that the BRZ does accomplish this today, but Honda was stupid to think that young professional males who wanted a car like that would just buy a Civic Si instead. If they wanted Civics, they wouldn't have spent the extra dough on an Acura to begin with. Realistically, these people probably bought used 3ers, Gs, ISs and A4s. They sure as hell didn't buy Civics. And with that, Honda lost plenty of customers for life.

If Honda could create a new Integra/RSX type vehicle that competes with the BRZ but move it a tiny bit upmarket, they'd be smart. Instead, we got the milquetoast ILX that absolutely nobody wants.