A Story of two Accords

BlackPearl · 21st October 2008, 05:44

In July 2008 when I came to USA I was sure about two things - I am going to drive a manual car and it will not be a Honda. I have always been a great fan Japanese manufacturers and Honda was no exception. But one autobiography changed my views towards them. It was Valentino Rossi's autobiography and there he has mentioned that Honda is one of the best manufacturers and strive to excel in whatever they build but they tend to neglect the man behind the machine and are obsessed with the machines. From that day being an ardent fan of Rossi, I stopped liking Honda. Morover I always had the idea that Hondas are overhyped. But little did I know what life had in store for me...
after extensively searching for manual cars I could not find a decent deal and my friends and colleagues were dead against manual cars. They told me that I have not come here to stay and will be going back in a year or two and would face tremendous problem selling a manual car. So I succumbed to the pressure and I had to get a car fast as my office was 30 miles away from my home. I rented a Ford Focus for one week but the cost was becoming prohibitive. So I grabbed the deal when one of my colleagues was going back to India and was selling his 1997 Honda Accord LX Automatic. And from that day onwards my agony of using automatics started. I was not able to accept the fact that I was driving a Honda and that too an automatic. Then worst thing that started happening was that I started dozong off behind the wheels inspite of trying out every possible trciks to keep myself awake. Three moths passed by in this manner and each day was getting more and more unbearable... but it had changed my views towards Honda.. I had started to accept the fact that they are really one of the best manufacturers of reliable cars... and another realisation - Hondas are less boring than Toyotas .. lol ..

A week back an excellent oppotunity knocked at my door and I did not think twice of grabbing it. I had gone to look for a car for a colleague who had recently come to USA and lo what I see !! A stick-shift 99 Honda Accord in immaculate condition at a dealers place.. a first owner car with a clean history but an asking price more than the Kelly Blue Book value of an excellent car. My colleague would not drive a stick shift but he made an offer for my Accord. So I had to pay another 500 dollars from my pocket to get hold of this Honda... But there was no question of dilemma as I had to have the car after taking it for the test drive. So this Saturday I gifted my self this Accord as a present for my 28th Birthday

and said goodbye to the automatic.. Here are a few pics of the Blue Automatic and the Silver Manual -

Brosreview · 21st October 2008, 07:01

Hey there, a neat story, a nice car and a wise decision to switch to manual.

Definitely, Honda's are less, or not boring as a Toyota. Very true, it is very hard to find a market for manual cars in the West. Most prefer the lazy mode of driving. We call automatic shift enabled cars a toy car.

But, then there is where we are headed. All current and forthcoming cars may have a manual gear shift, but loads of money is being spent on making the auto-shift enabled gears more lively.

Well, enjoy your 6th generation Accord!!!

kuttapan · 21st October 2008, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

In July 2008 when I came to USA I was sure about two things - I am going to drive a manual car and it will not be a Honda.

I came with the same view too. Only, I was never much of a Japanese car fan to begin with.

However, I am yet to get a car and after doing a reality check, I may just have to go down the road you went

. I really hope I don't have to. Time will tell.

BlackPearl · 21st October 2008, 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuttapan

I came with the same view too. Only, I was never much of a Japanese car fan to begin with.

However, I am yet to get a car and after doing a reality check, I may just have to go down the road you went

. I really hope I don't have to. Time will tell.

dont give up yet and as Brosreview has mentioned, the future for manual cars may be bright in USA particularly because they are more fuel efficient

.

@Brosreview - thanks for supporting my point of view

v12 · 21st October 2008, 10:39

Thats a nice story BlackPearl and congrats on the manual Accord. Although its around 9 years old, the car seems to be in very good condition.

But tell us one thing, Did you really change ur views based on Rossi's autbiography? I mean there would be more to that..?

Anyways I hope you install some good security / anti-theft systems in ur car. The Honda Accord is a car which desperately needs it.

BlackPearl · 21st October 2008, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by v12

Thats a nice story BlackPearl and congrats on the manual Accord. Although its around 9 years old, the car seems to be in very good condition.

Thanks v12. Yes the car is in an excellent condition. After taking her for a wash she was gleaming like a new car. The previous owner had maintained
her meticulously. Hope I am up to the task too..

samirsarkar · 21st October 2008, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Thanks v12. Yes the car is in an excellent condition. After taking her for a wash she was gleaming like a new car. The previous owner had maintained
her meticulously. Hope I am up to the task too..

Whats the mileage both the cars have cracked up ?? Honda & Toyota engines can easily go on till a minimum of 250000 kms without requiring a major overhaul. Hence, it depends on what the mileage was at the time of purchase.

GTO · 21st October 2008, 15:59

Oh boy, I know how long it took me to find a stick-shift Accord in the States. You'd think Honda never made 'em! Congratulations on the 6th gen Accord. Though it is larger and overall a better car, I much prefer the shape of the 5th gen. In fact, the '94 - '95 series, with their smaller pizza-shaped rear lights (pics attached), is my favorite looking Accord of all time.

Quote:

. I had started to accept the fact that they are really one of the best manufacturers of reliable cars...

When you live with a HonYota, and see how it unfailingly performs each duty, over and over and over again, you can't help but develop respect for the brands. I love perfection, have a thing for hard-work, and respect Honda & Toyota as much as Mercedes & BMW.

BlackPearl · 21st October 2008, 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

In fact, the '94 - '95 series, with their smaller pizza-shaped rear lights (pics attached), is my favorite looking Accord of all time.

@GTO - your Honda Accord looks awesome, did you pimp it up yourself or bought it like that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by samirsarkar

Whats the mileage both the cars have cracked up ?? Honda & Toyota engines can easily go on till a minimum of 250000 kms without requiring a major overhaul. Hence, it depends on what the mileage was at the time of purchase.

The automatic had 1 lac 47 Thousand miles on it when I bought it and 1 lac 53 Thousand when sold. This manual accord has 1 lac 35 thousand miles on it.

abhinav.gupta88 · 21st October 2008, 19:27

Pretty nice pics you got there and congrats for the upgrade to M/T

Can we have some pics of the interiors as well

Saurabh M · 21st October 2008, 23:16

Congrats on the manual Accord. The car looks neat and very well maintained. Its always better to drive the manuals. I made it a point to buy a manual for me here and I thoroughly enjoy the 148 horses at my disposal. It gives great gas mileage as well, 28mpg in city and 36mpg on highways.

I may have a difficult time selling this manual, but I dont regret buying it.

Jomz · 21st October 2008, 23:52

@ saurabh When you leave US.. do let me know... by that time my accord will have exhausted its life...

I swear by the Accord... have a 1991 model with 289K miles on the odo.. Stickshift and it still does 110 mph (speedo). yeah and in upper michigan there are no cops on the tip of the keewenaw peninsula...

iraghava · 22nd October 2008, 00:01

So do I sense another Honda fanboy in the making??

Nice review! Looking forward to more of it!

razor4077 · 22nd October 2008, 00:22

Congrats! Somehow the automatic is never as much fun as the manual. I searched high and low till I found a stick shift Accord when I was there. Have some fond memories of it! You have fun with your silver beauty, and watch out for them cops

Btw, which engine does this one have?

BlackPearl · 22nd October 2008, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saurabh M

I may have a difficult time selling this manual, but I dont regret buying it.

Thanks Saurabh. Its true that the enjoyment a manual car provides is more than worth losing out on the resale value...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jomz

@ saurabh When you leave US.. do let me know... by that time my accord will have exhausted its life...

I swear by the Accord... have a 1991 model with 289K miles on the odo.. Stickshift and it still does 110 mph (speedo). yeah and in upper michigan there are no cops on the tip of the keewenaw peninsula...

Saurabh drives a stick shift mazda 3..

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

So do I sense another Honda fanboy in the making??

Nice review! Looking forward to more of it!

Thanks iraghava. will post some more pics as soon as possible and also write a more detailed review.. and I must say I am really enjoying driving a manual car after 3 and half months and I have again started to feel that I love driving. While driving the auto I seriously started to dislike driving and would give the keys to my wife at the slightest opportunity

Quote:

Originally Posted by razor4077

Btw, which engine does this one have?

Thanks Razor. It has a 2.2 Litre 135 Bhp inline four engine.

21st October 2008, 05:44	#1
BlackPearl Team-BHP Support Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Calcutta/London Posts: 3,629 Thanked: 17,119 Times View My Garage	A Story of two Accords In July 2008 when I came to USA I was sure about two things - I am going to drive a manual car and it will not be a Honda. I have always been a great fan Japanese manufacturers and Honda was no exception. But one autobiography changed my views towards them. It was Valentino Rossi's autobiography and there he has mentioned that Honda is one of the best manufacturers and strive to excel in whatever they build but they tend to neglect the man behind the machine and are obsessed with the machines. From that day being an ardent fan of Rossi, I stopped liking Honda. Morover I always had the idea that Hondas are overhyped. But little did I know what life had in store for me... after extensively searching for manual cars I could not find a decent deal and my friends and colleagues were dead against manual cars. They told me that I have not come here to stay and will be going back in a year or two and would face tremendous problem selling a manual car. So I succumbed to the pressure and I had to get a car fast as my office was 30 miles away from my home. I rented a Ford Focus for one week but the cost was becoming prohibitive. So I grabbed the deal when one of my colleagues was going back to India and was selling his 1997 Honda Accord LX Automatic. And from that day onwards my agony of using automatics started. I was not able to accept the fact that I was driving a Honda and that too an automatic. Then worst thing that started happening was that I started dozong off behind the wheels inspite of trying out every possible trciks to keep myself awake. Three moths passed by in this manner and each day was getting more and more unbearable... but it had changed my views towards Honda.. I had started to accept the fact that they are really one of the best manufacturers of reliable cars... and another realisation - Hondas are less boring than Toyotas .. lol .. A week back an excellent oppotunity knocked at my door and I did not think twice of grabbing it. I had gone to look for a car for a colleague who had recently come to USA and lo what I see !! A stick-shift 99 Honda Accord in immaculate condition at a dealers place.. a first owner car with a clean history but an asking price more than the Kelly Blue Book value of an excellent car. My colleague would not drive a stick shift but he made an offer for my Accord. So I had to pay another 500 dollars from my pocket to get hold of this Honda... But there was no question of dilemma as I had to have the car after taking it for the test drive. So this Saturday I gifted my self this Accord as a present for my 28th Birthday and said goodbye to the automatic.. Here are a few pics of the Blue Automatic and the Silver Manual - Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Rudra Sen : 21st October 2008 at 07:52. Reason: spelling
	(1) Thanks

21st October 2008, 07:01	#2
Brosreview BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Keep Travelling Posts: 129 Thanked: 4 Times	@BlackPearl Hey there, a neat story, a nice car and a wise decision to switch to manual. Definitely, Honda's are less, or not boring as a Toyota. Very true, it is very hard to find a market for manual cars in the West. Most prefer the lazy mode of driving. We call automatic shift enabled cars a toy car. But, then there is where we are headed. All current and forthcoming cars may have a manual gear shift, but loads of money is being spent on making the auto-shift enabled gears more lively. Well, enjoy your 6th generation Accord!!!
	() Thanks

21st October 2008, 10:39	#5
v12 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,754 Thanked: 7,449 Times View My Garage	Thats a nice story BlackPearl and congrats on the manual Accord. Although its around 9 years old, the car seems to be in very good condition. But tell us one thing, Did you really change ur views based on Rossi's autbiography? I mean there would be more to that..? Anyways I hope you install some good security / anti-theft systems in ur car. The Honda Accord is a car which desperately needs it.
	() Thanks

21st October 2008, 19:27	#10
abhinav.gupta88 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Delhi , India Posts: 4,092 Thanked: 340 Times View My Garage	Pretty nice pics you got there and congrats for the upgrade to M/T Can we have some pics of the interiors as well
	() Thanks

21st October 2008, 23:16	#11
Saurabh M BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CCU & Ontario Posts: 610 Thanked: 157 Times View My Garage	Congrats on the manual Accord. The car looks neat and very well maintained. Its always better to drive the manuals. I made it a point to buy a manual for me here and I thoroughly enjoy the 148 horses at my disposal. It gives great gas mileage as well, 28mpg in city and 36mpg on highways. I may have a difficult time selling this manual, but I dont regret buying it.
	() Thanks

21st October 2008, 23:52	#12
Jomz BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Detroit, MI,USA Posts: 834 Thanked: 335 Times	@ saurabh When you leave US.. do let me know... by that time my accord will have exhausted its life... I swear by the Accord... have a 1991 model with 289K miles on the odo.. Stickshift and it still does 110 mph (speedo). yeah and in upper michigan there are no cops on the tip of the keewenaw peninsula...
	() Thanks

22nd October 2008, 00:01	#13
iraghava Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bhaiyyaland Posts: 8,033 Thanked: 272 Times View My Garage	So do I sense another Honda fanboy in the making?? Nice review! Looking forward to more of it!
	() Thanks

22nd October 2008, 00:22	#14
razor4077 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,882 Thanked: 299 Times View My Garage	Congrats! Somehow the automatic is never as much fun as the manual. I searched high and low till I found a stick shift Accord when I was there. Have some fond memories of it! You have fun with your silver beauty, and watch out for them cops Btw, which engine does this one have?
	() Thanks