The Nano has completed two years. Barring a blower replacement in the first year and the fuel pump replacement at 40k, both under warranty, it's been trouble-free. The chilling AC, the fantastic AC and the fun to drive factor still make it a darling!
However, there are limitations. With a passenger and a need to ensure a smooth and safe ride, the Nano becomes severely limited. The jolts and shocks of the Indian roads are not something an expecting mother can handle. And so the search for something more comfy and quick for munching miles.
Obviously it couldn't be another hatch. It would only be marginally better than the Nano. An entry level sedan would be a better bet, but getting one new meant a lot of capital investment. And the lure of getting a vehicle from a few segments higher from the used car market was always there!
The obvious candidates were the Accords, the Camrys, the Civics, the Corollas and the Safari. Not a logical grouping, you might say. But there you are!
The hunt started with the online portals: the Team BHP classifieds, Carwale.com, OLX and whatnot.
The first choice was the Safari. Spacious enough to accommodate the Nano, it would be a decent cruiser on the highways, and the commanding view makes it a breeze to drive. So we narrowed in on a few sellers.
Checked the first car: individual seller, single owner, VX model with all electricals working, low mileage. The only hitch was the owner was in the middle of a filter change and the car could not be test-driven. The owner had to go on a few days' outstation trip with the Safari, so we decided to revisit the car after a month and returned home. This was the first car we checked out and even though it was towards the higher end of our budget, all things seemed good and it would be very high on our shortlist.
The bug refused to die. The month long wait was unbearable and I found a couple of other Safari listings nearby my office which I could check out quickly post office hours.
The first of these was with a branded used car dealer. But the car looked poorly maintained. While driving it I could feel the alignment was out and the car wobbled a lot. The sales guy assured me small tidbits would be sorted out before delivery once I made a token payment, but the car was not worth an offer.
The second was in a better condition than the first, but going over small undulations in the road surface, I could see it pitching and rolling like a boat, not something we had in mind. Even my wife commented it didn't see as comfortable moving.
After these two experiences I gave it a long and hard thought. Being an SUV it would not match the ride comfort of a sedan. There were obvious advantages: being a diesel I could use it in place of my Nano as a daily driver and still not empty the bank account trying to fill its huge tank. Also it had an almost go-anywhere capability in the urban environs and that was a great selling point. But somehow I couldn't make up my mind if it would be as comfortable.
The dealer where I checked the second Safari also had an Accord. Just as we left the lot, I showed my wife around and inside the Accord and she was mighty impressed with the space and the interior features. As I discounted the Safari, I started looking seriously at the sedan options.
Note that I had a very tight budget. Going for a used 3 year luxury sedan was not an option. As they say, beggars cannot be choosers! But it doesn't cost money to dream big, so I started dreaming of Accords and Camrys.
The Camry was ruled out soon. There weren't any up for sale even close to my budget. Without much choice, there would be no scope for bargaining and so this option fizzled out.
By the time I looked at Corollas, it was quite late. The H virus had bitten me. First lightly and then seriously we started discussing the Accord. I checked out a Civic too, at the same dealer. It was good, but was priced higher than the Accord. By the time I reverted it had been sold, and I wasn't keen on increasing my budget for it.
The Accord we had checked out at the dealer's at night was still beckoning. The salesman brought her around during daylight, and the age of the car was apparent. She still drove well, but a loose rubstrip at the rear bumper, the IRVM which had come off its fitting, the fascia which was discoloured, the cracks in the seat leather discouraged me. Plus the car was out of insurance.
I was sure if I held out long enough and bargained hard enough, I could fit her within my budget. But then something unexpected happened.
I came across an ad for an Accord at an unbelievable price tag. I fixed up a meeting, half expecting the deal to go through. It was just too sweet to resist, even too good to be true.
Finally on a Saturday I visited the dealer and checked the car. The ride was good, the controls seemed to work, everything looked alright. The price dropped a bit further upon some negotiations. Paid a token advance, got a receipt and finally sealed the deal yesterday.
Upon taking delivery I drove straight to the Honda service centre to get the shocker: They had no history of this car for the last three years. So the car was not serviced at Honda service centre. I was prepared for this.
The service advisor asked me to get the whole 40k service done - at an estimated cost of Rs. 16,000/- With this important piece of advice I drove the car back home.
Between yesterday and today the following work was done:
Engine oil and oil filter changed (fully synthetic) - to be replaced again after 2000kms: This is scheduled at every 5k kms or 6 months in the service manual
Air filter replaced - replacement frequency as per service manual is 20k kms or 12 months
Spark plugs replaced - recommended interval 40k kms
Coolant replaced - recommended interval 2,00,000 kms or 120 months and thereafter every 1,00,000kms or 60 months (yep, you read it right!)
Transmission fluid replaced - recommended interval 40k kms
Tomorrow the brake oil will be replaced and the brakes inspected - recommended interval 40k kms or 12 months whichever is earlier.
Also the AC filter will be replaced - recommended interval is 30k kms.
While the brakes are being checked, the tie rods, the various boots and socks will also be examined.
The entire work was about 50% cheaper than what the Honda service centre quoted me.
Next week I shall be using the Accord as my daily drive - to familiarize myself with the car and also to see the impact of the above changes.
The dealer had discarded the old tyres and replaced them with a Chinese brand 'Mirage'. So these tyres will now be making way for a better known brand. The four tyres are an upsize and the spare is the original size. All will now be upsized.
Oh, I have to post my driving experience too! Now how exactly do you compare the Nano with the Accord? Apples to oranges, did you say? Even that analogy is a misfit.
The Accord is a tank compared to the Nano. While the tiny Tata isn't shy on space, the huge Honda has much more of everything. The boot can take three bodies, if I may quote from "Analyse That"! The cabin too has oodles of space (Yeah, more than the Nano! ), and the engine bay, designed to take a V6, is probably as long as the Nano.
Ride is miles ahead of the Nano, but let's be fair! The Nano is a tenth of the Accord's price!
The long hood does take getting used to, specially after the Nano which has a snub nose. I now struggle to get into tight spaces and at traffic lights wish for the Nano.
Open roads are where the Accord truly shines (I was going to write that the Accord beats the Nano hollow, but that's just ridiculous! Nothing beats the Nano!). I have to wait till the effect of the recent work is felt. After all it's a decade old car and the ride won't be as good as a brand new one, but a suspension change and better tyres should bring her back into condition. So far I have only tried a couple of short and insane bursts to satisfy my craving.
Now to the features:
The wing mirrors fold and unfold electrically and are controlled electrically too. Only they seem to be concave. Objects appear much closer in the mirrors than they are (No, the mirrors don't have that warning). Am not sure if I shall get the convex glass. The present mirrors don't allow much vision. So here the Nano scores over the Accord by offering a better/wider field of vision.
Windows are powered. Even rear ones. Nano, unfortunately only has the front windows powered. Evident cost cutting.
Front seats are adjustable. Electrically. There's no lumbar support, so it's where the Nano is at par with the Accord.
Steering is adjustable. Manually. Again, the evident cost cutting in the Nano deprives it of this feature. Thankfully my knees don't scrape with the wheel in the Nano, while they do in the Accord.
Music system is from Clarion and takes songs by the dozen. I mean it only plays audio CDs and cassettes. Oh, and it also plays music streamed from a variety of sources like the Red FM, Radio city etc. Speaker output is much better than the Nano (I mean the Nano only has two front speakers. WTH?) There are no steering mounted controls for the music system. The only music you produce from the steering wheel is by drumming it with your fingers. Since it's soft, the Nano scores over the Accord in this area too. And the Nano's music system takes MP3 and USB apart from Aux. No guesses for the winner!
Lots of storage bins. Under the music system, in the centre console... Makes it much more difficult to find something when you need it. The Name scores over the Accord since I can store anything from one litre bottles to my SLR with a zoom to small change to toll receipts in the dashboard recess. Guess you can't have everything, eh?
Has no drum brakes. I mean how many people in the world have a car with all drums and another with all disks??
So there you are!
Here are some shots. I must say I love black for the Accord. This is one point where the Nano is no match for the Accord. I mean a black Nano??
The clean lines:
The cockpit (ah! the dials are just behind the steering!)
This is a 2003 registered 2.3 vtec MT, with around 48k kms on the clock. The car is intended for outstation trips, but for the first few days I shall be driving it daily to see the impact of work done and see if any other things need to be attended to.
Here is an itemized review:
Likes
Colour: Black, just as I like to see a premium car!
Stance: Means business.
What can I say, folks? It's a Honda and it's an Accord.
Dislikes
The large steering wheel doesn't really afford as much space as the Nano does. A smaller one would really help. Perhaps I could plonk in a Civic's steering wheel? Or maybe I shall just learn to live with it.
The ORVMs are concave instead of convex. They blow up the image of everything that's behind, as if they are magnifiers. It confuses the hell out of me when I look around in them. Cars appear bigger and there are severe blind spots created. Do other Accord owners feel the same way? Or do the later models have better wing mirrors?
Alternatives Considered
Well, you know, the Civic, the Camry, the Corolla and the Safari. Did you know the Safari has the same high beam/low beam switching mechanism as the Accord? Bet no one had noticed it till now!
Booking and Delivery Experience
Booking was done by paying a token amount, and delivery taken a week later. I must admit I didn't carry out all the due diligence I should have, but then I knew it was a gamble. The price was downright ridiculous, so there had to be a catch. I didn't find anything seriously wrong with the car in my test drive, so just went ahead and booked it. No regrets so far, as the car is looking good and I still have enough money to replace the suspension and paint the car over if needed. Not a bad gamble.
On-road price, discounts
Well, I did get about 16k off the asking price. If I had bargained better, I would probably have shaved another five or ten grand. But then I was already sold on the car - something to avoid if you want to negotiate successfully.
Engine Type and Variant
It's a 2.3 MT VTEC, about 155 bhp I guess. A generation older than the modern i-VTec.
Equipment Levels
It has ABS, Dual airbags (driver and passenger), climate control (not dual) Clarion double DIN music system that plays cassettes and audio CDs (13 songs each) and streams music from something called FM stations.
Odo Reading
Bought it with about 48k on the odo and have added about a 100 more so far. Looking to clock many more miles on this baby than the Nano. Incidentally even the Nano is close at the heels with 46k on the odo.
Usage Pattern
Intended use is definitely on the highways. It's a waste of the engine to run it on the dug up and narrow city streets. But I have yet to take it to an outstation trip.
Exterior Styling and Design
Pretty different from the Nano. In fact nothing common with the Nano. One is a tall boy, the other is a low slung sedan. One has a short snout, the other has a nose as long as Pinochio. One has a tiny boot and the other has a boot almost as long as the first car. One is a bubble, the other is an arrow (or projectile if you consider the mass).
Build Quality, Fit and Finish
It's a Honda. After 11 years, almost everything is still in its place. Doors are solid, heavy and close with a thunk. That last line, you must have read countless times, no?
Interior Design and Quality
It's a Honda. After 11 years, almost everything is still in its place. Quality is top notch of course. Did I repeat myself?
Interior Space and Comfort
Loads of space. The Nano has it too, the Accord just has it about two times more.
Same goes for comfort. Where the Nano has to slow down to ensure minimum jerks are passed onto the occupants, the Accord just brushes them aside with a dull thud.
Driver's seat has three-way adjustment, so of course it's the best seat to be in!
AC, Seats, Ergonomics etc
AC chills. But I am not sure it's actually better than the Nano. Not yet. It does have climate control and many more fan speeds with automatic modes. Tatas have definitely skimped on this by providing just a handful of fan speeds. Evident cost cutting, yes.
Performance and Driveability in City
Driveability in the city is good and the car pulls well at low RPMs. I have taken speed breakers in the second gear and larger ones in the third, and haven't found it a problem to gain momentum after that. Of course it won't be punchy, but you can get by without downshifting.
Performance and Driveability on Highway
Floor it. Am just waiting for the highway run to test it.
Additional Comments on the Engine
Super smooth and silent, especially after changing the oil and spark plugs. When I browsed through the reviews of the Accords and the Civics, I had come across a comment from a member who suggested rolling down the windows and letting the engine sing. Well, it's so difficult because the engine is so silent! And just in case you think the Nano is the loser here, she does sing on demand!
Overall Opinion on the Engine
A gem. Would have liked to have the 2.4 L one, but this one is good too. More on it after some good miles.
Shifting Gears
This was a bit notchy at first, changing the gear oil has smoothened it out. Earlier I tried to shift from second to first when coming out of speed breakers, but nowadays I don't bother shifting to first. Shifting is still a teeny weeny bit jerky, most likely I have yet to get used to it.
Fuel Efficiency: City and Highway
Honestly, I don't want to measure it. No, it's not that I don't care about it or I have bought the car not for the FE or anything. I am just plain scared!
Suspension and Ride Quality
Good so far. Muted thuds and a smoother ride on uneven roads. The ground clearance too is good. Have taken it on my daily office route with one, two and three occupants, and so far haven't scraped the underside. The tyres are an upsize so I think that's the cue.
Handling, On Road Behaviour and Grip Levels
Handling is good. I am taking corners on the Mumbra bypass at the same high speeds as the Nano (no, seriously, the Accord is as good as the Nano in fast corners!). Grip levels are ok I guess. The tyres are Chinese so I won't be doing too many enthusiastic runs on them. Will just wait till they wear off and replace them with a good brand.
Steering, Brakes, High Speed Stability
Steering is powered, so easy to turn lock to lock. It should have been a size smaller, actually. Brakes are discs all around and are pretty good. The disks have worn out but there are no squeals yet, so I shall go for another week or two till replacement. High speed stability so far is good upto 80kph. Haven't yet taken her beyond that.
Any Particular Likes
The whole car!
Any Particular Dislikes
The dealer experience wasn't so great. To rephrase what GTO said about dealers, there's nothing like a good dealer. I am wondering if I should take it to the other end and say there's nothing like a bad Honda.
Overall Practicality
Well, unless you own a petrol pump, the streets and the houses around them where you drive, its practicality is greatly reduced compared to the nimble and efficient Nano. Where it will shine though is when taking the family out on long tours.
Niggles, Problems, Parts Replaced
The AC filter was missing. Ha!
The oil was replaced with fully synthetic (Quartz), the coolant was replaced, the air filter was replaced, the spark plugs were replaced (ordinary NGK - no performance mods), the gear oil was replaced (with original Honda oil). Plan to change the disk pads around next week. Mech advised against changing the brake oil, so need to decide if it should still be done.
Quality of After Sales
Yeah, well, the dealer did promise to get the NOC done from the RTO where the car is currently registered. He did get the PUC done free of cost after I took delivery. And I ain't going back there soon, so let me just say it was good.
Cost of Upkeep and Maintenance
Honda A.S.S. quoted around 16k for the 40k service (which includes all the above items plus a few other checks and inspections) - I got it done at less than half that cost. Recommended oil change is at 5k or 6 months. With a fully synthetic oil it works out to around 4k each time. Add to that the other oil which the engine loves to sip (some guys call it petrol) and that's about it for the maintenance. Accountants may want to add the cost of washing (double the Nano as there's a lot of real estate to wash) and other tidbits such as seat covers, new cassettes and audio CDs etc.
Anything Else
Yep, waiting to finally get out of the assembly line :D
Good Choice.. With fuel prices dropping we will see lot of ownership reviews of cars like Accord. Please get rid of that steering cover ASAP. It has no place in a car like Accord.
What is the mileage figure you are expecting since you plan to use this as daily drive car? Such cars can be a big drain on your pocket even at the current petrol prices. on my recent trip to US I rented a 2014 Corolla and it gave a pathetic 350Km for near tankful.
Congrats on the Accord. It's one of my fav cars.I was thinking the spark plugs usually on the higher end cars on Honda are of the Iridium type and need changing every 10 years or 100k kms atleast so on the Civic. So do check this out as you have mentioned 40K change interval.
I will give one bit of advice. You can take it or leave it , it's up to but it comes from my experience.Take the car to HASS (Honda service station) only for general items like oil change, filter change and the HDS (Honda Diagnostics). Always at the service ask them (though they will do it themselves) to give the car a general checkup and ( i really hope u don't get any issues) if they come up with something problem get it sorted out at a good independant garage. This will save you tons of money. In general you can do most stuff at a garage at nearly half of what HASS would charge you.
Good Luck. All the best. Have fun driving and drive safe.
Congrats a ton Honeybee on the Accord! These big sedans are now going for true value for money in the market. Why shall not we satisfy the thirst of owning these :D
But come on, no front shots of the beauty? Please post more pictures of the car. Nice to see your report. Is the car registered outside your state or just other RTO in the same state?
It's registered at Mumbai, so awaiting NOC from there.
I haven't really done a photo-shoot but I shall try and post some more pics.
Congrats Honey bee on a cracker of a machine right there! I am also contemplating on picking up a used accord. (Same year) and installing CNG so I can use it on daily runs and not run bankrupt. I am worried for spares availability and the compatibility of the engine with CNG. What would be your say?
Congrats on the machine, now you can go for outstation long trips without too much trouble and in comfort. So how much was the final deal? How about the tyres?
The tyres are a Chinese brand called Mirage. They are an upsize while the spare is a worn out original. I don't think I would get a good price for them, though they have hardly run a couple of thousands kms at most. Am going to keep them on for now and change them as required.
The price was less than that of my Nano.
