Accord 2.4 VTec type S

Had an Accord Type S 2.4 03 plate since new. Well, I say new it was in fact an ex demo model. 7 years on and still got the old girl, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag of a car really…

Its got a lot of room inside, easily fits four adults in comfort, or two adults and three kids, nice interior, good driving position, spacious boot but poor loading and only a boot, not a hatchback so limited. Looks wise, with the body kit and the five spoke alloy it looks the business with front fogs, you can find some with optional rear wing, mine has one and it really sets if off…

Now, engine. Its not as economical as you might think. I really don’t have accurate figures, but I do know I spend nearly £60 brimming the tank, and it’ll do maybe 350 miles to this…. sometimes less depending on types of journey.

Performance wise its not a fast car. Its good, it feels good to drive, holds the road ok, but its nothing that’ll set you alight. And, you really need to RAG THE NUTS to get it to really sing.

Overall, decent motor, well built, spacious, good interior, decent ish MPG, poor performance for such a large engine saloon car. Ragging the nuts isn’t maybe everyone’s idea of performance. But this is about the only way it’ll move forward at any sorta of speed, and watch the fuel burn away with it..

Honda’s are good cars, but I’ve also driven the ST220 and that’s a much quicker feeling car IMO.

I swapped a 2.0 Zectec Mondeo for my Homda Accord, and the Honda never felt much more then the Mondeo truth told. The ST220 however, nah, much different IMO, nice motor….
 
Chong Warrior said:
Just an initial target, not set in stone. Why aim for above average miles?
Click to expand...

Didnt spot this before. At this budget, I'd be aiming exactly for above average miles because your budget is quite low. You can't afford a new low mileage example so you'll be looking at an older car if you want a low mileage one.

Personally, I wouldnt want to go for a 6 or 7 year old car just so the mileage is low. If I could find a one owner example with 100k or more on the clock thats just 3 or 4 years old, I would absolutely take that over any 6-7 year old low miler. I am a firm beleiver that getting the newest one owner car you can is the best way to buy a cheaper car of this type.

The only bad thing really about a high mileage 1 owner car of this type is that it isnt easy to sell on at a later date. But you are not spending enough for this to be of any concern. Buy it, run it for 3-4 years and budget simply throwing it into the bin. Then any money you get back - and you will get some - will be a bonus.

Mileage becomes a concern only really when spending large amounts of money where the depreciation risk is much higher.
 
[TW]Fox;16670259 said:
Assumption presumably, which is fine but its annoying when it gets in the way of a thread.
Click to expand...

Had a Mondeo as a company car it fell to bits, accords just keep on going and can take some thrashing in the high rev range

Whats annoying and gets in the way of threads FOX is people suggesting mondeos when he blatantly said he doesnt want one! His wife hates them! Talk to him about the accord thats what he asked not other other cars! :p
 
Last edited:
Accord interior is a mess of nasty plastics
Click to expand...

?

It's far from it Fox. Certainly well regarded when it was launched in 2003 (iirc?) as having moved away from the usual Jap interior design (and materials used).
 
It's definitely better than earlier Jap cars, but there are still bits that let it down and look/feel a bit flimsy
 
They certainly do feel flimsy, my dad has an 03 Accord "Sport" and the doors are too light, the trim panels all around the cabin feel hollow etc. Not something you'd want to drive around daily in with the loose rattly bits and outside noise invading the cabin etc.

Looks nice enough from the outside though...

I'd imagine the Mondeo to be better in this area!
 
iaind said:
It's definitely better than earlier Jap cars, but there are still bits that let it down and look/feel a bit flimsy
Click to expand...

Not that I'm a Jap fan or am in love with my Accord (well it does have 2 exhaust pipes so you can't really blame me :D) but the interior isn't that bad and to me it doesn't feel flimsy. When I got my Type-S, was an ex-demo back in 2004, I had a look at quite a few cars for some sick reason I quite liked the interior and still do.

To answer the OPs question(s) the economy is nothing to shout about, I get around 26-28mpg on average, servicing the car if done at a Honda dealer isn't particularly cheap (from what I've read here a 3 series is cheaper to service) and I've had no problems with my car. It does eat through tyres and brake pads but that's probably more related to the way I drive and if pushed hard does suffer from heavy under steer. If I was honest boot access isn't that great but it does have folding rear seats for those long squat moments.
 
Khaaan! said:
They certainly do feel flimsy, my dad has an 03 Accord "Sport" and the doors are too light, the trim panels all around the cabin feel hollow etc. Not something you'd want to drive around daily in with the loose rattly bits and outside noise invading the cabin etc.

Looks nice enough from the outside though...

I'd imagine the Mondeo to be better in this area!
Click to expand...

My car has padded door panels, the doors on my car don't feel light and close with a distinctive clunk and I did have a rattle in mine years ago but Honda sorted that out under warranty.
 
It's not necessarily the car as a whole, just small bits that let down an otherwise nice interior. The handbrake and steering wheel are quite thin and look cheap - on the Mondeo they are quite chunky. Makes sod all difference really, just more satisfying than thinner items
 
iaind said:
It's not necessarily the car as a whole, just small bits that let down an otherwise nice interior. The handbrake and steering wheel are quite thin and look cheap - on the Mondeo they are quite chunky. Makes sod all difference really, just more satisfying than thinner items
Click to expand...

I think we need pics :)

This is all very interesting as when I got the Accord I also had a look at the ST, a 3 series 325, a Scooby and Evo (believe it or not), an X-type 2.5 sport and for a laugh a Rover 75. Weird mix I know but I eventually settled for the Accord for what ever reason, that's not to say the Accord was the best out of the lot but at the time that's what I preferred.
 
This is at risk of derailing the thread and more iaind slating, but if you look at pictures of a mk3 Mondeo interior you can see how things like stalks, handbrake etc are all a bit chunkier - makes a difference to the appeal of an interior IMO
 
I never slate anybody, everybody has their own opinion at the end of the day, might actually do a google and have a look :)
 
Nah I didn't mean you, but there was a similar thread a while back and certain people slated me for having an opinion on it :)
 
iaind said:
This is at risk of derailing the thread and more iaind slating, but if you look at pictures of a mk3 Mondeo interior you can see how things like stalks, handbrake etc are all a bit chunkier - makes a difference to the appeal of an interior IMO
Click to expand...

its the bits you're touching all the time that Ford has obviously spent a bit of cash on, such as the seats, steering wheel, stalks etc that you mention, where you can tell they feel as though they would last forever, just the rest of the dash design is a bit shocking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom