2004 Accord which to buy?, 4 cy or the V6

I am looking at purchasing an Accord for a second car for us to drive
around localy and some minor trips. I am overwhelmed with all the
information and specs on the cars. I wanted to get a response from
"Users" and their experinaces rather all the glossy sales brochures
and sales people.

I read where the 4 is a new i-vtech engine with a chain drive vs. a
timming belt? The replacement says not until the 105 K mile service?

I am deffently looking at the EX class with Leather, so my particular
car interest seem to be either the EX-L or the EX V6 and one neither
one would I want Navigation.

I live in Orange County, (Southern California)so the weather is not to
bad out here.

So if you folks out here that own the 4 cy 2004 or the V6 I'd
appreciate any comments, complaints or informaiton you may have to
pass on to me.

Also, I looked at the Acura TSX ? which is a 200 hop 4 cy, about 2
grand more than the V6 Honda Accord but its' really a refined interior
from what I saw..

Please email me your comments to and if you guys
have any pricing info I'd appreciate it...

Dave

 

I read where the 4 is a new i-vtech engine with a chain drive vs. a

Yes. If you're lucky, it'll never need to be replaced.

carsdirect.com



"If life were like a box of chocolates, everyone would be black and expire in 2
years."

 

You are really lucky - you CAN"T make a mistake - either way.

RR

 

I have a 2003 LX-G 4 banger with a 5-speed manual and I find it plenty
powerful with 160 HP. The V6 was upgraded to 240 HP which would definitely
give the car more oomph, but ask yourself, where in the hell are you gonna
use that power? If you're just looking to just drive around town and make a
few short trips like you said, then I think the 4-cyl should be fine. It's
not underpowered by any means.

I've also read in a few reviews that the Accord was primarily designed with
the 4-cyl in mind so it's suspension is balanced for it. The V6 was an
afterthought done to satisfy Americans' thirst for overpowered cars. With
this in mind, the V6 model is off balance with too much weight up front.
The cars handling suffers a bit because of this.

On the highway, the fuel economy difference between the 4 or 6 cyl is fairly
small, but in town, the V6 is a pig compared to the 4.

Ultimately though, it's your choice. Test drive both models and decided
which one you preffer. Each has it's ups and downs.

 

Accord EX V6 is much closer to a TL than TSX. If considering V6 Accord
sedan at all, you might want to compare it to TL.

 

I have an 03 Accord EX-L 4 cyl auto and I'm very pleased with the
power. It's a pretty quick car, IMHO. Of course the V6 would be
faster, but I'm not interested in drag racing around town. I've taken
trips in the Accord and it cruises smoothly at any speed I choose.

I did read somewhere -- perhaps consumer reports -- that they thought
the 4 handled a bit more crisply than the 6. Maybe that's the weight
distribution that someone else mentioned here.

 

Thus spake He Hate Retards on 1/18/2004 11:20 AM:

With an interference engine, don't trust luck. My wife's car smoked
it's chain Thursday and took the valves with it. It was due to go in
yesterday to get the chain looked at because it had *just* started
making noise with a/b 120,000 on it.

-moitz-

 

Which model car was that? The 105K mile change is what is recommended for
normal service of the belt driven late model Hondas, i.e. up to 2002. Does
the K-Series engine really have a recommended chain replacement of 105K
miles?... in which case it makes no sense to have gone to a chain drive in
the first place. It was my impression that, in general, chains were
supposed to last the life of the car.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

With an interference engine, don't trust luck. My wife's car smoked

Uh, which car is it? There's no way you have 120,000 miles on a '03 Accord.
Because that's the first year they started using chains.

You're probably confused and have a belt instead, which means 120,000 change is
WAY too late to change it.





"If life were like a box of chocolates, everyone would be black and expire in 2
years."

 

davidki said...

I have a 2003 EX V6 Coupe. I wouldn't give up the 240 hp V6 for
anything. It makes the Accord a really fun car to drive, IMHO.


Casey

 

Thanks for all the Info folks, it's been helpful, after trying to talk
to the Acura dealers they are pretty much stuck at MSLP with a 500
-1,000 discount which with the added cost of the car and the low
discount it puts the car 3,000 more than the Accord which in resale,
you would never get it back give the around town gas milage and the
need for Premium fuel which her is about 20 Cents per gallon more than
regular 87 it's hard to step up to the Acrua. I do agree, hit's one
heck of a car, but for a bop around town family car it sounds like the
4 banger Accord will more than meet my needs and for the price
difference, heck I could even consider the Nav system on board.

Again, thanks for the comments and emails I have received I really
appreciate all the info. Keep posting for sure if you have more and
updated information.

Dave

 

I never drove the new Accord but I have a 2002 CR-V with the same 2.4 I-Vtec
engine and manual transmission..
BTW Acura TSX has the same engine.
In the TSX, it is tuned for a higher power output (200 if my memory is
good).
In the CR-V it is tuned for better low end torque. The Accord must be
somewhere in the middle.
I am very satisfied with the flexibility of the engine. Nice torque at any
RPM and it goes all the way to the red line without loosing power on the
way.
I guess that you'll be looking at the auto transmission and I cannot comment
on that. But unless you're looking for kick ass performance, the accord
being lighter than CR-V, you should be satisfied with the 4 cyl.

 

Thus spake He Hate Retards on 1/19/2004 8:21 AM:

Sorry, should have been a bit more specific...I was tired when I posted
that. She had a Saturn (which has a chain and an interference engine),
however, unlike most Saturns it had regular oil changes, and all that
other good stuff that prolongs chain life. So it came as quite a
suprise to me. Point being, luck isn't always something you want to
trust to.

-moitz-

 

I have a V6 and it was a close call between the 4 and the 6. In the end I
went for the extra margin of the V6. It is nice to know that even with four
adults on board there need be no fear in making a reasonable highway
entrance or dealing with a passing situation. There is always more than
enough power on tap, which takes a lot of stress out of driving. I don't
drive like a boy racer (at 42 years of age I like to think I'm past all of
that ....), but I do appreciate the extra margin.

I almost went for the TSX and sometimes regret not doing so. As I have been
living with it, the relatively low quality of the Accord's interior is the
only thing I don't like about it. I came to the Accord from a Volvo, so I'm
used to higher end interior panels, fittings, etc. My Accord has some
really cheap feeling sharp edges on certain controls and the all plastic
auto shift handle feels cheap cheap cheap. The door panels are likewise
very cheap plastic all in one moldings and the factory stereo speakers are
extremely low end. The TSX is an amazing handling car with marginally
smaller back seat area than the Accord. The TSX is essentially the slightly
smaller Japan/Europe Accord with an Acura style interior.


John

 

Thanks again for the input, it is hard to decided, the Acura for
certian has a level of quality about the Accord, but alot of folks are
real happy with the Accord and pricing. One thing is the discounts on
the Honda is about $2500 off MSRP, and with a lower MSRP and the
discount of the Honda it makes the Acura real purchase price quite a
bit more, about the best price I have seen on the TSX is discounted
$800 from MSRP and the comment is supply demand issue, but saying
that, I read that they will go up to 30,000 cars in 2005 and that
discount just may change...

The last thing is the premium fuel, here in Southern Cal it is
anywhere betweeen 20 and 25 cents per gallon more for 91 octane.. I
think people like us looking at the resale market will find an Accord
easier to sell with the 4 or even V6 over the Accura.

If I could find an TSX at the same discount as the Accord I'd feel
pretty good about the decession, but to pay an addional $1500 - 2,000
because the lack of discount it make the TSX pretty expensive.. even
with the upgrades..

Dave

 

I have an 03 Accord LX-G Auto and the 4 cylinder is more than adequate for
me. My point of reference is primarily Taurus with the Vulcan V6 engine,
and in comparision, the 4 cylinder is more responsive and less mushy
overall.

I don't know very much about cars in general, but the Accord is more than
enough for my needs-I'm usually the only person in the car or at most I
have one more passenger.

Calum

 

Buy the 6! No question...

 

David, you're doing the same soul-searching that I've been doing. I
waited for the 2004 TL as a replacement for my '96 Infiniti I30t (same
suspension setup as a Maxima SE) and was extremely disappointed by
tires that will cost $800 to replace, a tiny trunk, rear seat that
puts your passengers' knees up against their chins, ugly-looking rear
and cheap-looking side. Only the front end of the TL looks good, and
the interior. And 270 h.p.

So, looking around I am considering the 2004 Accord.

V6, no question, unless you generally just tool around town. 240
h.p., regular gas, reasonably priced tires, fairly big trunk, comfy
leather seats, even a nav unit almost as nice as the Acura's. Too bad
it comes equipped with a rear end designed by Buick. And that it's
rounded shape makes it look like a compact. And that the lines the
car does have are best hidden by a dark paint color. And that Honda's
dealer service has a crap reputation compared to Acura's (fortunately
I like my wife's Honda dealer, so not a problem for me).

Interestingly enough, the V6 has dynamic timing: if you put premium
gas in it, the timing will advance and it will make even more h.p.
Supposedly it will beat a V6 Altima at that point.

I'd avoid the TSX like the plague. It is intended to be a low-volume
car, 12,000 units per year as I recall. But it wouldn't take much of
a drop in sales volume before they cancel production. That will take
a big bite out of resale value. People don't like to buy "orphan"
cars. Acura will certainly not hesitate to cancel a bad seller, it is
what killed the Acura CL -- and the CL's target was 15,000 units per
year. Seems to me that there is less leeway for failure when the
target is only 12,000 as in the TSX's case.

JM

 

Here is my update on my quest for the right car for me. Yesterday I
went down and looked at the TSx, it's very nice, the fit finish is
great, but is it worth 3,000 more for a 200 HP I-4 over the V-6... NO!
The problem I see is 3 years down the road no one cares it's hp, and
points to the 5 banger Accord and says ,see thats a 4 cy and it uses
regular.

Next, I drove a TL, Wow, wonderful car, loved it, but then I came
home, looked up the numbers and based on my purchase price of the
Honda Accord V-6 and what I think they would sell me a TL at (about
1,0000 over invoice) that after tax and licence it puts the TL at
about $8200 over the Honda and I just cant' see a 30% increase in
cost, matter of fact, from what I see the reviews, and depreciion over
the years on the Honda will be much better so I don't think the TL
will be in the running even after driving it..

One thing I did notice in a test drive this weekend though, both the 4
banger and V-6 accord did have a bit of a rougher (they call it
sportier) ride, which I am not sure that on a long drive would wear on
you? The power from the V-6 is great and I have ruled out the 4
banger only because I can afford to go to the V-6 and I do like the
extra edge of the V-6 (nothing wrong with the I4, it's peppey) but I
think the v-6 features of Limited slip will be good for us long term
in the snow on trips.

Any other comments and observations before I make the plundge?


Thanks again for all the input..

 

Group,
I too lusted for the Acura TL with navigation. Those TL units were snapped
up right off of the delivery trucks with a long waiting list. I settled for
the Honda Accord V6 with Navigation and XM radio. I added a deck lid
spoiler to help kill the plane jane look as well as mud guards. I put in
premium gas and am more than pleased with the performance. This is way more
than a family car. The XM radio and navi provide a lot of entertainment.
Check out the Feb. issue of Motor Trend. I'm pleased as punch. hedera