Uneventful noo shite collectin

[Barry Cade]

After a half hearted and lazy last minute bid on Thursday evening I found I was high bidder on a 99 Accord, after talking myself into believing the Seicento was the cause of my recent knee pain flare up again. Plans sprung into action, incredibly detailed and thought through, on how this epic road trip was going to unfold. This is a lie- I looked up the train times from Ladybank to Newcastle, and stuck the old Suzuki on Gumtree, which made my phone go mental until the wee sma hours, then begin again upon sunrise.. 54 calls in total and sold to the first viewer for asking price, which was £50 more than I paid for it 3 months ago, and have never spent a penny on it. Bonus

 

Cash in pocket, i took the Aberdeen-Penzance train to Newcastle, having to stand breathing in all the way to Edinburgh.. Once in Newcastle I walked a hundred yards or so to the Metro, then off at North Shields for the 2 minute walk to the Subaru dealership where the Honda had been traded in. Signed my name, shook hands then drove home up the A1.

 

Anyway, the Accord. Perfect. 100% perfect. Everything works, even down to the Air Con, CD changer for the Bose stereo, heated seats, cruise control, the lot. Matching Michelins all round and 5 months rent in the window, all for a good night out less than a monkey...

 

I may now be a Honda convert. Sorry for the interruption- Most boring road trip/shite collection story evah. I'll try harder next time.

[Spottedlaurel]

We have a slightly later one for family duties, nice car with lots of toys though ultimately I still prefer my Camry for smoothness/quietness.

 

Assuming it's a manual, what's the clutch like? Ours is heavy, I wonder if there's an issue with it.

 

RWelfare's the man for hints and tips on running them, ours just gets driven and cleaned every so often.

[retrogeezer]

jeez, what a bargain! Bloody nice cars for sure.

[Lord Sterling]

A mate of mine was selling one of these a couple of years ago, very similar to your new one, same colour too. I test drove it around some local streets and it was pretty Ok.

[autofive]

 

is that carter bar?

 

wheres the big rock and car park gone?

[dollywobbler]

Super. I really like these. Some Accords work, some look dreadful. this is one they got right - a lovely sharpness to the lines.

[trigger]

I like these, Have you checked that it came with a locking wheel nut?.

[ashmicro]

[M'coli]

 

is that carter bar?

 

wheres the big rock and car park gone?

That looks like the A1.

[hairnet]

the rock is on the a68......

[CreepingJesus]

^That's the border on the A1 alright. Snack van just out of shot!

Nothing wrong with an uneventful collection Tiff, make it easy on yourself.

[Barry Cade]

I like these, Have you checked that it came with a locking wheel nut?.

 

Sadly I've not come across it, but there is a smaller socket in the glovebox.

 

 

Its the A1- no rock.

 

And yes, I do find the clutch heavy- I was going to investigate,but got used to it- must be the way they are.

[Guest Len H]

Super. I really like these. Some Accords work, some look dreadful. this is one they got right - a lovely sharpness to the lines.

 

Which ones look dreadful? There have been bland ones right enough.

 

According to a man in the know Roy Axe had a hand in the design of this Accord.

[dollywobbler]

I think the predecessor to this one was a poor effort. Just looked like a bloated Civic. The late 1980s one was a good effort though. Thinking about it, maybe it's just the bloated Civic that I don't like...

[Cavcraft]

Nice looking car in it's own right. Quite subtle and sort of whispers you have a bit of money but don't like to shout about it. Top work.

[r.welfare]

Good motors these and excellent value now if you can find one at the £500 level that's been well-maintained.

 

They don't seem to rust around the rear arch/bumper interface the way that earlier 80s/90s Hondas do, and you can't deny the reliability - mine's about to roll over 168,000 and has done 150k in the family needing nothing other than scheduled maintenance and an exhaust downpipe. Like Tiff's, everything on mine still works (other than a couple of dashboard bulbs). Never tried a manual (both of mine have been autos) so can't comment on the weight of the clutch.

 

About the only bugbears for me are the crappy fuel economy for the engine size (particularly on mine where the autobox isn't a great match for the high-torque-peak VTEC motor), tight rear legroom (much worse than the MPV-style Civic) and limited suspension travel (GR8 steering though).

 

I also agree they look nice; I always felt the previous version (93-98) had odd proportions - the Rover 600 (off the same platform) was a much better-looking car. Never knew The Axe was involved with the design of this one though. I'd possibly replace mine (eventually, when something major goes wrong like the autobox explodes) with the later model (03-08) but I think the styling of the latest version stinks, it's too wide and stodgy, so that's out as Autoshite 2020 for me.

[Spottedlaurel]

We paid £2k for ours earlier this year, with good history and lots of tax and test. Bit pricy maybe, but we plan to keep it for some time. Barring the Type-R, it’s a top-spec car and the 2.3 feels plenty torquey enough (it’s not really a revver like most Honda engines). It has cream dials and some token bits of plastic wood inside to liven things up and cream leather seats which have stood the test of time and over 100k miles well. Bose stereo and subwoofer, but no sat-nav which some had.

 

Another month, another new car – 2002 Honda Accord 2.3 Type-V 5dr by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I don’t think we get much more than 30mpg out of it, I don’t fill it up often enough to check.

 

I wonder if it’s a cable clutch that suffers the problems I’ve heard of for the previous 600-based car? When it was getting serviced by the main dealer by a previous owner there’s mention of the clutch being heavy and needing replacement, but no record of it having been done (the dealer kindly sent me copies of the paperwork). Probably because they quoted £700...

 

Styling’s OK, but not as much presence as the next-gen Accord. I think it looks a bit narrow, and it has elements of A4, Omega and other stuff of the time. It has Type-V badges in an amusingly cheesy font which are even carried over to model-specific sill plates.

 

Ride is not ideal for the country roads round my way, the OE 16’s it wears probably don’t help though (I remember the dramatic improvement when I went from 17†to 15†on the Camry Sport).

 

In an ideal world, at the time we’d have got an estate version of the next model but they were twice the price for a tidy example, and we thought it wiser to get better value with a very good, top-of-the-range example of the older one. Now I’ve got a Camry estate we might go for a Civic next time.

 

Couple of articles from the time:

 

Honda Accord Type-V 'Car' magazine article 04/2001 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Honda Accord Type-V Autocar article 10/01/2001 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Interesting comments about the airy feel of the interior in the car one, I’d definitely agree with that.

[Barry Cade]

That's a nice one, although I do prefer the styling of the saloon- mine also has the Bose system and some fake wood, but no cream dials- done 133k and still as tight as a drum. 15" wheels with 195/60's so the ride isn't bad at all. It was a Dial contracts company car in its early days and was specced up with the bodykit and parking sensors..which just give out a constant tone.. the first thing I've found that don't work...didn't quite have to hit something to find out but it was close Also noticed the speedo sticks until the cabin warms up, which may or may not mean I have 3 points in the post....Grrr

 

The clutch is hydaulic, so shouldn't be as heavy as it is, although maybe Honda engineered in some weight as its very progressive and not as easy to stall as some other Jap cars with really light clutches. I don't notice it now so will assume its design rather than broken.

 

Thanks for posting up the articles!

[Barry Cade]

Currently in negotiations to buy my next piece of automotive shite (another Alfa, GTV flava this time), so the Accord is for sale.. anyone making a trouser tent for it here will have first dibs before it goes out to the great unwashed.... will come with a fresh ticket, still haz a couple of months rent and 525 notes will guarantee a handshake to a fellow shiteist.

 

 

 

[ProgRocker]

If you are looking at GTVs then this 2.0 TS is up for sale for £850.

I think it went on sale just after Xmas at £995, so the asking price has come down a bit. Located right near Norwich City Football Ground on Carrow Road.

[CortinaDave]

Drool... I'd love to set the cruise control in that and waft up and down to Aberdeen.. Sadly I think its the fuel economy that would kil it for me... Aren't these fairly heavy on the juice?

 

It's a bloomin' liberty that in this day and age a 2.0 Litre car has to be looked on as a thirsty bugger.. It's not like it's an SD1 V8!

 

Bloody lovely for the money.

[Barry Cade]

I run from Auchtermuchty to Dundee city centre every day and get 36-37 mpg. coming back from Newcastle it did nearly 40. If you stay below 4500 OMG VTEC its pretty economical. The deal has been done on the GTV, which will have a MASSIVE 2 days MOT on it when I collect it on Friday, so spannerz at the ready this weekend

 

 

The SE version of the Accord, which mine is haz:

 

Deep breath..

 

Leather seats

Heated seats

electric drivers seat

cruise control

Bose tape/cd multichanger with subwoofer

4 leccy windows

leccy sunroof

digital climate control

air con

front fogs

electric aerial

optional Honda bodykit

wood trim

outside temp gauge

ABS

drivers and passengers airbags

side airbags

remote locking with remote boot release

heated electric mirrors

headlamp washers

 

I've just fitted new front pads, both front anti roll bar links and given it an oil change with fully synth oil Will have a new MOT this week when I get it in.

 

Problems?

 

Its not Italian.

drivers heated seat base not getting hot- backrest does

when listening to CD's, sometimes it will go to the left speakers only- must be a loose plug somewhere at the multichanger

will need a couple of tyres in the next 2-3000 miles, Michelins all round

couple of minor blemishes, worst is a small dent just above the bumper on the nearside

Its not Italian... too reliable and boring for me!!

[Barry Cade]

Well, The Honda is gone, replaced by a 99 Alfa GTV Twin Spark in Proteo red, and a 99 Alfa GTV Twin Spark in Velo blue... Twin twinnies... I don't do things by half's. 2 shonky old Alfa purchases in a couple of days...

 

By the way, would you believe the Alfa is a whole 87 pence a year cheaper to insure than the Honda??!!

 

Here's a pic of the red one which is mine, the blue on will be a project for the lads at work.

 

[CortinaDave]

D'oh ! I was just logging in to message you to come for a look at it.. Thats what I get for dithering . Probably just as well given I've no need for it at all !

[Barry Cade]

Sorry! just all came about at the last minute, dropped it in for a test on the way to p/xing it..

[CortinaDave]

Was the Alfa a garage purchase then ? I could always go see what they want for the Honda..

[Barry Cade]

It was off Gumtree, a trader from Perth. Think he had someone for it as he seemed quite keen and gave a decent price.

[CortinaDave]

Just had a look on gumtree and it looks like he sold it a few days ago At 895! Fair play to him

[Barry Cade]

Blody hell- No wonder I'm not a car dealer.... mind you, I get to run interesting shite with only running costs to pay, no deprieciation. No profit either. Never mind.