[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye269

So I guess my question is, should I pick it up for a lakh? I do not necessarily need a second car, but at this price I could keep it in the garage and alternate between the two. Or would the costs of maintenance, insurance and fuel make me rue the purchase of the Accord?

Other Team BHP-ians: I'd welcome your views as well. Thanks!!

Having seen what a friends V6 is capable off with a few mods - it would not be a bad idea to pick it up and invest in a few basic mods. That V6 with a good intake sounds heavenly and with a good suspension corners on rails.

If it's well maintained - at that price it is a steal!

Throw in a few mods, and it would be a good second car for the places you would not necessarily want to take your Octy too.

In terms of reliability - if it is well maintained it shouldn't give you much trouble (friend's V6 is of 2007 vintage and is quite reliable), but yes you need to have patience to solve small teething issues that are commonplace in such an old car.

[Hawkeye269]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Having seen what a friends V6 is capable off with a few mods - it would not be a bad idea to pick it up and invest in a few basic mods. That V6 with a good intake sounds heavenly and with a good suspension corners on rails.

If it's well maintained - at that price it is a steal!

Throw in a few mods, and it would be a good second car for the places you would not necessarily want to take your Octy too.

In terms of reliability - if it is well maintained it shouldn't give you much trouble (friend's V6 is of 2007 vintage and is quite reliable), but yes you need to have patience to solve small teething issues that are commonplace in such an old car.

Thanks for the quick revert, Lambo! One thought I had was for me to drive the 2015 Octavia 1.8tsi exclusively, and to use the 2005 Accord V6 as a daily drive with a driver.

Currently the Octy does the following route daily:
(in the morning) Home -> My office -> Home -> Wife's office -> Home (17.1 km)
(in the evening) Home -> My office -> Home -> Wife's office -> Home (17.1 km)
All told, that's 35km a day in more or less rush-hour Mumbai traffic. Instead of the Octy, the Accord could do this run, which I assume would result in an increase of around 50% in the monthly fuel bill...

The other alternative is for both cars to be used daily:
(Accord, driven by chauffeur) Home -> Wife's office -> Home (4 km; but need to figure out the parking situation at wife's office. Worst case scenario, the car will come back home and return in the evening to pick up my wife, resulting in a daily run of 8 km)
(Octavia, driven by me) Home -> My office -> Home (13.5 km)
This arrangement would mean I get to drive daily (a plus) as well as lower fuel bills (even if the Accord has to go back and forth). Having said that, I'd need to factor in an additional Rs.1,500 for parking at my office...

Still thinking this through, would appreciate further views and suggestions!!

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye269

So I guess my question is, should I pick it up for a lakh?

I'd avoid buying one - too old. Parts would be an issue and the efficiency too!

It wasn't a corner carver either to be a collectible.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye269

Thanks for the quick revert, Lambo! One thought I had was for me to drive the 2015 Octavia 1.8tsi exclusively, and to use the 2005 Accord V6 as a daily drive with a driver.

Honestly this makes sense, especially because the Accord being a NA V6 with an old school gearbox and soft suspension is perfect for being chauffeur driven.

The TSi can be your daily drive, or a nights and weekends car as you see fit.

Just fair warning though:
- make sure the car is well maintained
- the gearbox was meant to be an issue in some models so have that checked out - especially the service history
- be aware of small niggles that will crop up in such an old car
- FE in city will be 3-4 kmpl

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

I'd avoid buying one - too old. Parts would be an issue and the efficiency too!

It wasn't a corner carver either to be a collectible.

True - it's not a FUN car, but if he wants a comfortable barge at a bargain - this is it!
Also, there are some nice mods that can be done, and the engine is still quite powerful by today's standards (enough to give the TSi company perhaps).
Akshay1234's ex-Accord V6 (but it's of 07 vintage) is being used by another close friend, and the car is running brilliantly!
With the after-market suspension it corners brilliantly - I've seen it giving a few RWD cars a chase en-route Aamby Valley, and low end torque is amazing compared to the DSG TSi.
Heck my friend picked it up as an interim car, but the way it's running - it seems to be a keeper for another couple of years at the least.

Worst case scenario, even if it doesn't work out, I would assume he should still be able to sell it for a similar price as what he picked it up.

The only risk in terms of parts will be with regards to the engine as the V6 is a relatively rare species; other than that Honda is quite helpful with sorting the parts out from what I recall.

[ACM]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye269

So I guess my question is, should I pick it up for a lakh? I already own a Skoda Octavia 1.8tsi Elegance Zeal Edition (AT) which I'm ecstatic with (and which GTO has seen at last year's Blind Man Car Rally). I do not necessarily need a second car, but at this price I could keep it in the garage and alternate between the two. Or would the costs of maintenance, insurance and fuel make me rue the purchase of the Accord?

If you have 1L to throw away sure go ahead and pick it up.

You may face maintenance issues. Be prepared to sell it as scrap then.

You may face an increase in Fuel Bills if you use it often. If you can afford the increase in fuel bill for some fun, why not.

I believe the Octavia 1.8TSI DSG is much more fun to drive, but is cramped in the rear compared to the 2005 Accord, so if being driven by a driver why not?

Essentially if you look for logic to justify the purchase the answer would be NO.

If you logic is that you only live once or that you want to own a Petrol V6 before it becomes a rare breed. They why not. If you are being driven around then how it goes around corners doesn't matter. But then if you are being driven around then 2.4ltr version too is good enough.

If you are looking at keeping the vehicle for many years though then then next gen post 2009 version which retained the same look till 2016 is the one to go for. This generation 2.4ltr 4 cylinder version is as fast as the previous 3.0 V6. If you can get your hands on the rarer V6 then even better. But yes that would not be anywhere close to 1L.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

I wouldn't want to be driven around by someone in a powerful car that handles like a sofa on wheels.

[pgsagar]

Hawkeye, I would say, close your eyes and pick it up. I say this from my experience. My cousin picked up his friend's 2005 V6 in 2014 with 42,000 KMs on odo. Excellent car. He has added 7,000 kms to odo in 3 years; he has a diesel daily drive car. He didn't need this car. Bought just for the heck of owning a V6. And he paid much more than 1 lakh.

You will be the owner of world's fastest 1 lakh rupee car. Jokes apart, it's one heck of a car and didn't go in for any repairs in last 3 years. Old Hondas are mighty reliable. And the acceleration is verrry intoxicating. I will post some pics here of his ride but I need to check with him first. Skoda 1.8 is ok, too but it won't come for 1 lakh and certainly is not as reliable. And 1 lakh is ridiculously low price for this car. He might as well just gift you. If this is the Accord price trend, then I'm sure to get one for free by 2020, haha....

[hardoop]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Having seen what a friends V6 is capable off with a few mods - it would not be a bad idea to pick it up and invest in a few basic mods. That V6 with a good intake sounds heavenly and with a good suspension corners on rails.

If it's well maintained - at that price it is a steal!

Throw in a few mods, and it would be a good second car for the places you would not necessarily want to take your Octy too.

In terms of reliability - if it is well maintained it shouldn't give you much trouble (friend's V6 is of 2007 vintage and is quite reliable), but yes you need to have patience to solve small teething issues that are commonplace in such an old car.

Originally Posted by pgsagar

Hawkeye, I would say, close your eyes and pick it up. I say this from my experience. My cousin picked up his friend's 2005 V6 in 2014 with 42,000 KMs on odo. Excellent car. He has added 7,000 kms to odo in 3 years; he has a diesel daily drive car. He didn't need this car. Bought just for the heck of owning a V6. And he paid much more than 1 lakh.

You will be the owner of world's fastest 1 lakh rupee car. Jokes apart, it's one heck of a car and didn't go in for any repairs in last 3 years. Old Hondas are mighty reliable. And the acceleration is verrry intoxicating. I will post some pics here of his ride but I need to check with him first. Skoda 1.8 is ok, too but it won't come for 1 lakh and certainly is not as reliable. And 1 lakh is ridiculously low price for this car. He might as well just gift you. If this is the Accord price trend, then I'm sure to get one for free by 2020, haha....

You guys are tempting me to pick up a 2006 August made 3L V6 that I saw at a local Ford Assured store.

Went in to test drive Ecosport and the Figo twins and the V6 stole my eyes.

It is 60k on odo and the dealer is asking 4L. From the conversation I had with the person in charge, it looks like its been sitting there for over 3 months now(I was told it is not finding a buyer due to its low fuel efficiency). The battery has thus drained, one tyre is flat. A quick check on the Kerala MVD site says it has had 4 owners during its lifetime.

My current car is a 2011 Figo D with 134k on odo. It has recently developed a 2nd gear issue (grrr sound) due to which I am thinking for finding a new ride. I also have a 15+ year old 800 STD at home which is rarely used. I am really tempted to blindly go for the V6 just for the heck of owning one and spend some bucks on the ever reliable 800 and make it suitable for city run-abouts(I am talking about adding an AC and putting on some new seat covers etc, otherwise it too is well maintained). For office commute I normally use an activa or my Figo whose role will have to be taken over by 800 if I go for the V6.

Another immediate benefit I see on the V6 is it will cause a only smaller hole in my pocket if I trade in my Figo with the dealer. They are offering 1.5L for my 134k run Figo. If I go for a new car, it will cost much much more. Said that, I know I need to expect higher running expenses if I use the V6 like my Figo

[rocksterraghu]

I understand your Figo has run 134k, but why would you want to trade it for a 11 year Accord and pay 2 and 1/2 lakh on top of it, when you will have to commute everyday in a non-AC Maruti 800? Being the 5th owner only tells you how vividly the car has been treated over the years.

Why not consider something reliable and good to drive at 4L? Like a used Classic Fiesta, perhaps?

The V6 is just overrated, in my opinion. The gearbox and suspension do not do any justice to the 200+ horses it boasts of. I would rather buy a used Fiesta Classic (understanding you like that brand) or a used Civic (if you would like to change to Jap) for that money and use it both as daily driver and fun car.

Cheers.

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by hardoop

If I go for a new car, it will cost much much more. Said that, I know I need to expect higher running expenses if I use the V6 like my Figo

The V6 if it needs parts will burn a bigger hole in your wallet not to mentione FE of 5-6 KMPL. In these days petrol cars churning such dismal returns on fuel is a strict no no. If you are really hell bent on a Accord then kindly look around for max 1 owner owned as chances are it will be better cared. Having 4 owners means probably the previous owners must have sold it off probably due to high cost of parts etc. Best at 4 lac worth of shopping power you can scout for plenty of good options in the market preferably single owned used cars.

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by rocksterraghu

The V6 is just overrated, in my opinion.

Accord V6, overrated? Really? Where? Show me please. I have not seen one thread or post of anyone raving about this car. On the contrary, it's a dark horse. And, as for overrated, I can say that about lot of other cars. Many comment without actually driving one or driving a bad example. I have even seen previous gen, 2001 Accords in US still in use. They are mighty reliable. It's much better to buy this and spend money only on petrol than buy some other "built-like-tank" (mostly diesel) cars and spend thousands, if not lakhs, on frequent repairs/breakdowns.

[rocksterraghu]

When I say the V6, I mean the car as such. I am not debating Honda's reliability or work of art, but in general, considering the car as an overall package, it is overrated. Though, the Accord V6 that my friend owned, had a failed alternator the night we were supposed to drive to Goa. And the alternator costs a whopping 60k. So, there is no real proven formula about what can fail in what car. In general, if it's a 12-13 year old car, it doesn't require a scientist to tell us that the car will have more failing parts than a relatively newer car (Honda or otherwise).

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by rocksterraghu

When I say the V6, I mean the car as such. I am not debating Honda's reliability or work of art, but in general, considering the car as an overall package, it is overrated. Though, the Accord V6 that my friend owned, had a failed alternator the night we were supposed to drive to Goa. And the alternator costs a whopping 60k. So, there is no real proven formula about what can fail in what car. In general, if it's a 12-13 year old car, it doesn't require a scientist to tell us that the car will have more failing parts than a relatively newer car (Honda or otherwise).

I'm still not quite clear how the car is over-rated. Your just saying again and again doesn't make it over-rated. An over-rated car is one which is very popular, sells in large numbers or has a fan following even if it does not sell in large number, example Fiat cars. Accord neither sold well nor are there any fan following, even a single person. Heck, outsider teambhp, people do not even know there was a car called Accord. 2004-05 was the best year for Accord and the 2nd gen Accord sold its heighest in those two years. But again only in Mumbai/Delhi. A 60K for alternator is not whopping, as it was imported CKD or SKD. I'm sure a C-segment car alternator cost will be nearly as much.

[rocksterraghu]

Hi pgsagar

Without getting into a debate mode, let me explain why I think that car is overrated:

- The stock car does not do justice to the engine. It needs a good set of 17/18" wheels, with a good suspension before you do anything on it
- Yes, there are tastefully modded ones that have headers, free flow and they do perform well. But you cannot do these without doing the first as safety is quintessential before you tap more power out of the V6

Now is the actual crux of the matter - if you are doing this and more, paying for the parts of a 12 year old car, why not put it in a Civic and turbo charge it or a Laura TSI? You will end with a good power:weight ratio car, with a manual gearbox, newer - hence more reliable and easier availability of parts.

If you are buying the car for chauffeur driven comfort, there are many more options. In fact, SUVs would do just fine. But if performance is the key, why buy a bulky niche car, when there are so many mod friendly manuals?

[keroo1099]

Originally Posted by pgsagar

An over-rated car is one which is very popular, sells in large numbers or has a fan following even if it does not sell in large number, example Fiat cars.

I think you need to rethink your definition of over-rated, because if you go by it almost every car in India would end up being over-rated for either selling too much or not selling enough and having a fan following, or both.

You could argue that some of the top selling cars are over-rated, but the bottom line is they sell because they have attributes that people like/want, and by no stretch of the imagination could you call a Porsche or a Ferrari over-rated for selling only a handful a month.

" overrate : have a higher opinion of (someone or something) than is deserved "

Cheers.