Have you looked at the Forester? They'll be newer for the money and your wife wanted a 4x4..
Accord 2.4 VTec type S
- Thread starter Chong Warrior
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![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
What lesson did you learn? The only lesson is that if you only drive 6 miles MPG becomes pretty much irrelevent! It's 5 miles to my office, no wonder I'm happy with a 3 litre car.
You're 25
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You're 25
Probably because you come across as a grumpy old man..?[TW]Fox;16681214 said:
Soldato
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[TW]Fox;16681214 said:What lesson did you learn? The only lesson is that if you only drive 6 miles MPG becomes pretty much irrelevent! It's 5 miles to my office, no wonder I'm happy with a 3 litre car.
I learned that I would rather have a small pokey hatch with decent power than a large thirsty car although you are quite right as you know with a small commute MPG doesnt really come into it but everyones different and thats just my preference. I'm currently trying to sell my car so I can get something a bit more interesting and the Type-S is one of the options for a test drive but it will be the only large engined saloon that i'll be looking at the other contenders will be two three door hatches and a two door coupe
Probably because you come across as a grumpy old man..?
Indeed, dont take offence though, I actually find your posts amusing
Probably because you come across as a grumpy old man..?
This is what fox looks like
True Story.
Soldato
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Wow, a perfect likeness of the image I had in my mind
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Ok after really looking into figures, insurance, etc, doing some more reading up and taking on board what has been said in here I've more or less decided on the ST220. Still haven't driven the Honda yet as there aren't any close by to me. Just tried to arrange for one at a dealer 40 miles away and they don't have enough staff to do test drives on Sundays... As long as I keep the age of car to 2005 the ST220 isn't much more expensive to run and it's also in the same tax bracket as the Type S.
A few things I've learned about the Type S which have put me off a bit. One is the engine doesn't seem to be what I assumed it be, which is a real performance VTEC. It needs nailing hard to get anything out of it. Considering nothing really happens until about 7k rpm, it seems very thirsty and barely better than the V6 in the ST220. Speaking of which is a thing of beauty and I could live with listening to that growl everyday
Another thing bugging me about the Accord is Honda seem to have got the models mixed up. Most of the Exec models look better and sportier than the sport models but have less equipment which seems backwards. Aren't Exec's supposed to be fully loaded and heavier than the better looking Sports? I think the Accord with the twin tail pipes, rear spoiler, skirts and dark 17" Pentax alloys is a very nice looking car. The spoiler really sets it off yet every model has this except the top of the range Type-S
Now I need to decide on budget. If want to try and stay around the £5k - £6k mark this seems to leave me with higher mileage if wanting a 2005/04. I'm looking at two which have covered between 100k - 130k but have full extensive history. Any tips on what to be looking out for on the servicing on these higher mileage cars? How long do the clutch and gearbox tend to last on these?
Or should I spend a bit more?
A few things I've learned about the Type S which have put me off a bit. One is the engine doesn't seem to be what I assumed it be, which is a real performance VTEC. It needs nailing hard to get anything out of it. Considering nothing really happens until about 7k rpm, it seems very thirsty and barely better than the V6 in the ST220. Speaking of which is a thing of beauty and I could live with listening to that growl everyday
Another thing bugging me about the Accord is Honda seem to have got the models mixed up. Most of the Exec models look better and sportier than the sport models but have less equipment which seems backwards. Aren't Exec's supposed to be fully loaded and heavier than the better looking Sports? I think the Accord with the twin tail pipes, rear spoiler, skirts and dark 17" Pentax alloys is a very nice looking car. The spoiler really sets it off yet every model has this except the top of the range Type-S
Now I need to decide on budget. If want to try and stay around the £5k - £6k mark this seems to leave me with higher mileage if wanting a 2005/04. I'm looking at two which have covered between 100k - 130k but have full extensive history. Any tips on what to be looking out for on the servicing on these higher mileage cars? How long do the clutch and gearbox tend to last on these?
Or should I spend a bit more?
You will get a very nice ST for that kind of money - I spent 5k on mine, but that came with a discount. The only thing I don't have is Xenon headlights, but that isn't a big deal to me.
See my thread, from when I bought mine.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18040822
See my thread, from when I bought mine.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18040822
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Very nice and bloody cheap!
I've seen a couple cheap ones with low miles going but no service history and I don't think they're worth the risk.
Being front heavy like they are how are you finding front tyre wear and brakes?
I've seen a couple cheap ones with low miles going but no service history and I don't think they're worth the risk.
Being front heavy like they are how are you finding front tyre wear and brakes?
Tyre wear is total down to the brand/compound/driving style, the eagle F1's I have in the front of mine where there when I bought it and they still have a lot of tread to go.
Brakes equally, are down to driving style. The car was serviced before I bought it and the pads were not changed, they are still fine now. Though I expect in July when I get the car serviced, they will be replaced.
The brakes are quite progressive in terms of pedal travel, which takes getting used to, but this means they are a little less binary in the sense they aren't just on or off. I quite like this, however when you first drive one you'll think the brakes aren't biting, but they certainly do if you need them to. This helps with wear.
Brakes equally, are down to driving style. The car was serviced before I bought it and the pads were not changed, they are still fine now. Though I expect in July when I get the car serviced, they will be replaced.
The brakes are quite progressive in terms of pedal travel, which takes getting used to, but this means they are a little less binary in the sense they aren't just on or off. I quite like this, however when you first drive one you'll think the brakes aren't biting, but they certainly do if you need them to. This helps with wear.
I looked at both the Accord type-s and the ST220 really seriously and i drove several of each but i really struggled with the fact that both just feel too solid, and too well built to be that exciting.
The type-s i was really quite disappointed in because i was really hoping it'd have that accord type-r feeling to it but in a new, more modern shell.
When i looked into it in depth..
* Both felt like 0-60 in 7 second type cars. Ie fast sports saloons, very drivable but neither even remotely as exciting as i guess deep down i was hoping compared to some other cars i have driven. I was amazed at the lack of sense of speed when compared to say, an Accord type-r or Vectra VXR for example. As said earlier, I just put it down in the end to the fact that both cars are very well built and you just lose that sense of speed in all the refinement.
* Similar tax costs
* Similar running costs
* Similar mpg (ie 30mpg on some runs)
Apart from practically which a hatchback mondeo st220 wins absolutely hands down, i guess theres not much in it in reality? I also remember looking at the prices of ST220's based on what some people got theirs for on here and thinking "how?!?!". All the ones i looked at seemed pretty expensive and even 02 plate pre-facelift with minimal spec and absolutely "minging" interior were £3500 or so?? whereas i noticed a growing trend of 03 plate type-s's with FSH (or near) which were around £3999 at garages with warranty.
The executive is much better spec'd than the sport one as you've noticed on accords and if anything, the sport spec is lower than the SE
The type-s i was really quite disappointed in because i was really hoping it'd have that accord type-r feeling to it but in a new, more modern shell.
When i looked into it in depth..
* Both felt like 0-60 in 7 second type cars. Ie fast sports saloons, very drivable but neither even remotely as exciting as i guess deep down i was hoping compared to some other cars i have driven. I was amazed at the lack of sense of speed when compared to say, an Accord type-r or Vectra VXR for example. As said earlier, I just put it down in the end to the fact that both cars are very well built and you just lose that sense of speed in all the refinement.
* Similar tax costs
* Similar running costs
* Similar mpg (ie 30mpg on some runs)
Apart from practically which a hatchback mondeo st220 wins absolutely hands down, i guess theres not much in it in reality? I also remember looking at the prices of ST220's based on what some people got theirs for on here and thinking "how?!?!". All the ones i looked at seemed pretty expensive and even 02 plate pre-facelift with minimal spec and absolutely "minging" interior were £3500 or so?? whereas i noticed a growing trend of 03 plate type-s's with FSH (or near) which were around £3999 at garages with warranty.
The executive is much better spec'd than the sport one as you've noticed on accords and if anything, the sport spec is lower than the SE
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ST220 has a glorious 6 cylinder engine, Honda has an irritating 4 cylinder engine. That seperates them enough for me I think.
This sort of car is never going to give you a sense of speed as they are quite refined and lack the turbo shove to make you think you are going fast, even though when you glance at the speedo, you are going fast.
This sort of car is never going to give you a sense of speed as they are quite refined and lack the turbo shove to make you think you are going fast, even though when you glance at the speedo, you are going fast.
Agreed with fox, the sense of speed only becomes apparent in 3rd in the ST, motorway or twistys. As mentioned already it is torque limited in 1st and 2nd.
I love mine so much the thought of switching to something else next year or just after...actually brings a tear to ones eye
I love mine so much the thought of switching to something else next year or just after...actually brings a tear to ones eye
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Soldato
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Had a look at an MG ZT or ZT-T?
Practicality, decent handling and lots of toys for not much cash. Plus they're pretty bombproof, on the forums I'm on someone has 200k on theirs.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1703963.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1672115.htm
Practicality, decent handling and lots of toys for not much cash. Plus they're pretty bombproof, on the forums I'm on someone has 200k on theirs.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1703963.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1672115.htm
You have to grab the engine by the neck and wring it hard, that's what VTEC is all about though in the Type-S I think it redlines at around 7.2k so there's not much wringing that can be done
The Type-S isn't the top of the range or I should say it wasn't when I got mine. The Sport is a badge lower then the Type-S. When I got mine the Type-S was essentially 1 level lower then the then top of the range.
No idea what or how the range line up is like now but I've heard rumours that the Sport/Type-S is now a diesel
The Type-S isn't the top of the range or I should say it wasn't when I got mine. The Sport is a badge lower then the Type-S. When I got mine the Type-S was essentially 1 level lower then the then top of the range.
No idea what or how the range line up is like now but I've heard rumours that the Sport/Type-S is now a diesel
Soldato
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Yup, the newer model Type-S badge is a diesel
You can still get the K24 engine though its just got a different name cant remember what, its slightly more powerful in the newer Accords too
I prefer the Import models Torneo models though, they look the same but have JDM K20A engines with 220BHP
You can still get the K24 engine though its just got a different name cant remember what, its slightly more powerful in the newer Accords too
I prefer the Import models Torneo models though, they look the same but have JDM K20A engines with 220BHP
the V6 in the ST220. Speaking of which is a thing of beauty and I could live with listening to that growl everyday
I agree with you completely. If I'd known about ST220s when I last changed cars I would've bought one instead of what I actually ended up buying (330ci...I like its smoothness & torque but its a costly thing).
The first time I really became aware of 220s was on a rolling road day when I saw one (unmodified) put out more power than my car!
Mate of mine now has one and I love it. Lovely steering, lovely sound... stay in the upper rev range and they come into their own and really shift, more so than mine.
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I've also been looking at the 330 BMW, very nice cars...
Going looking at a performance Blue ST220 on Saturday. Buying privately but it's got FFSH, under 60,000 and looks stunning on the photo's and very well looked after.
Going looking at a performance Blue ST220 on Saturday. Buying privately but it's got FFSH, under 60,000 and looks stunning on the photo's and very well looked after.
Yes 330s are very nice, and these days they don't have such a premium over ST220s, but it seems when I bought, I could have got an ST for much less - but I just didn't know about them. I've lost quite a bit on mine.
It's not even as if the BMW is the clear winner as a drivers car either. They each do certain things better.
Have you driven either of them yet?