Accord Versus VW GTi

I know this is the wrong news group to talk about VW's, but I have already
had a 99' accord and a 02 Civic EX. I am considering the new VW GTi, I like
the safety features and standard as well as optional extras, and when you
can get one nearly loaded for 21,500. that's not bad. I was wondering since
the price is close to an Accord LX, what is the reliability/drivability like
if anyone has had a GTi???

Thanks,

 

VW in general: if you're used to a Honda, you'll be sorely disappointed
after the first 30K miles or so.

They're a freaking blast to drive, when they're on the road. It's the
entire ownership thing that's hard to take, after you've had a Honda.

I had a fling with a Jetta VR6. I went from my flawless 125K mile Civic
Si to this Jetta. Man oh man, on the road it was incredible. But...the
little things were wrong, and it just had too many things going wrong
with it. And the overall design of subsystems and parts was just
*wrong* in many cases.

The Germans love their cars, and expect to be involved with their cars.
They make design decisions that make sense to them, but are just plain
weird to someone who just wants a car to drive. Their thing is being
involved with the car at all levels; they made the design decisions
based on that mentality. Why *wouldn't* a driver want it they way
they've done it? is what they're thinking.

After my short (9 month) fling with the Jetta, I went back--to a 2000
Accord. Man oh man, I now know why the car magazines flat out love
Hondas. Everything is just *right*--from the height of the center
armrest to the design of the dash to every other detail about the car,
even the invisible details that make the thing feel like your favorite
pair of shoes.

The VW is your mistress. The Honda is the wife you come home to, head
bowed, asking for forgiveness. The Honda isn't flashy like the VW, and
it's not the same roadgoing experience--which is fine. It's still a
great roadgoing experience, and you're happy to have it do what it does
when you consider that in context with the rest of the package.

 

I have to agree with everything shag says. But the '03/'04 Accords are even
better than previous year Accords if you like the characteristics of vdubs;
not interested in any vw bigot flames about how Hondas are appliances for
the soulless masses - but the Accords now have a more european car feel to
them. While I don't like the pedal feel and steering input as much as vw,
they're getting close. Seats are firmer, steering wheel is thicker, and the
stock suspension is pretty stiff these days. I also like the dead pedal and
telescopic steering column. The shock/spring/tire setups were downright
lousy on vw for a long time and you had to upgrade them if you preferred a
tighter and stiffer ride. It must be aging, but I was diehard vw gti for
years but now drive an 03 Accord - overall I just like it better than what
vw has now (was looking at a Jetta). Forgot to add, you should be able to
get an LX for a lot less than 21.5 - I just got an 04 for 17,982.

 

Yeah but what does a GTi have to do with an Accord. The Accord IS a
boring car but it has nothing to do with a GTi. I mean if you are
looking at a GTi you should look at an RSX which competes with it. The
Accord is a big slow boring sedan. Obviously it will be much more
functional than a GTI or RSX but the Accord is one boring car to drive
(I find the newer one as boring as my Odyssey and more boring than my
2001 Acc EX V6). But boring is the point with the Accord, its a
mid-range family car that is reliable and still somewhat fun to drive
(compared to its competitors: i.e., the Camry, Taurus, etc.).

 

It gets to look at its tailights in a drag race, for one thing...

The Accord IS a

Slow?
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=7011
Accord V-6 Coupe 0-60 7.0 sec

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=2022
GTI V-6 0-60 7.7sec.

 

Go to the discussion forum at www.edmunds.com for VW models - the cars are
loaded with gadgets... which break and break and break. Some of the basics
also seem prone to break - ongoing problems with gearboxes, electricals
like locks, windows etc. When I drove a 1.8T a while back I nearly got
sucked in - maybe would have if the dealer had not tried to steal my old
Camry - it was such a blast to drive. Fortunately the Honda dealer was
easier to haggle with and our Accord has been good so far - like all
previous Hondas I've owned, never even been seen by the dealer since it
left their lot. All maintenance DIY and no warranty visits required.

Rgds, George Macdonald

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

 

Oh yeah--I forgot to mention the German electrics. They're worse than
anything Lucas ever put out.

Pay attention to German cars with burned-out brake and tail lights, for
example. Then pay attention to Hondas with the same.

VW had what I'm sure someone thought of as a great idea: let's put an
amplified antenna on the roof of the car, mounted in the rear. Oh,
yeah--and then let's put the amplifier electronics OUTSIDE the car, in
the base of the antenna. Guess what happens when that antenna gasket
breaks, as they all do? That's right--the amplifier dies, and you get
no reception. Now we're into a new $100 antenna. And that's just the
part; now we have to pull the headliner just to get to it.

And while we're there, let's sand and scrape the corrosion away from the
mounting nut so that there's a good ground, which is necessary for the
whole thing to work.

Compare that to the 98-02 Accord antenna in the rear glass. Whatever
they've done, it just flat works--and there's nothing exposed to the
weather.

This is just one example of an important electrical detail that VW got
monstrously wrong, which Honda got right.

 

The point - that you missed - is that this was a comparison of some
characteristics of two cars that are not of the same type. But thanks for
pointing out the obvious.

 

As a Mechanic at a Lexus delership I will tell you this. Germans do NOT
design their car with any semblance of making sense. They SUCK ASS to work
on!! Japs know how to build cars, that are easy to use by the consumer and
easy for the technician to repair. They design things in a manner that
dosent require the customer to pay outrageous labor charges to install
either. heres an Example: Brake Job on a Lexus 325.00 per axle for sedans
thats Resurfacing rotors New pads, Hardware and caliper bolts, and
rebuilding the caliper assmblies. On many german cars the rotors cant be
resurfaced with out extensice machining because their pads chew monster
sized grooves in the rotor. So apply that laborrate taht I quoted with
approx. 160-200 per axle for new rotors as well.

 

=============

Having owned a GTI, I just have to throw in my $0.02... They have some
great features, and the GTI (or any VW) is a great vehicle for driving
around with the windows down.

If you hang around at the VW newsgroups, you'll know EXACTLY what I'm
talking about. They seem to do it at the most inconvenient times too.
Never buy a VW if you live more than 45 minute drive from dealer. :-(

'Curly'

===============

 

Try replacing a water pump on a Honda and do the same on a VW and then let
us know which one is easier.

 

LOL. That was the exact analogy I was thinking of as I read your
description of your time with the VW.

 

Reliability: Honda great. VW seriouly sucks. Truly.

JM

 

Try replacing a water pump on a Honda and do the same on a VW and then let
us know which one is easier.[/QUOTE]

Which Honda? Which VW?

 

Accord. Golf/Jetta. The Golf is easier.

 

Accord. Golf/Jetta. The Golf is easier.[/QUOTE]

I can pick data points, you can pick data points. What does the big
picture say?

The Germans have one philosophy on building cars, Honda has another.
Honda's overall philosophy is better.

 

I know it's hard, but try to keep up. An asinine generalization was made -
Japanese cars are easier to work on than German. This is not true
especially when you compare a Honda to a VW. If you can read and comprehend
my comments in this thread you will note that I think the Honda is an
excellent car. But it is not easier to work on than a VW; the VW is easier.
This is based on my direct experience. YMMV. Initially you made some very
good points which I agreed with, but go ahead and dilute what I said with
another stupid shyt generalization like "Honda's overall philosophy is
better" (whatever that is supposed to mean) if you are compelled to do so.

 

Well thanks for all the responses. I think I am probably going to consider a
Honda Accord now. I had 2 Hondas anyway, just wanted something a little more
racy after sitting in a GTi at the North East Auto Show. I wasn't aware that
VW's had so many mechanical problems nor repair costs and breakages. I know
that my accord was very reliabil as is my civic.

 

There is one VW Golf and one Honda Civic in the family. Both over 10
years old and both with more than 100k miles on the odometer. That VW is
very easy to work on. The Civic I simply don't know. It never required
any work beyond changing oil and brake pads.

 

And there you have it.