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I went to a local Honda dealer today to check on some parts prices for the Civic. Air filters, cabin filters, new MT fluid. Odds and ends. I really do believe in supporting the local market before I go to the net. Needless to say they were about 30% more than any other dealer in my area.

When I came in ,, I did so thru the service entrance. Decided to go out the show room. Almost a mistake. They had a Civic Si sedan. I just wanted to kick the tires. :) With my work boots on I knew I could make the car move a tad. :yes: Well as soon as I walked up and stabbed with a good kick. A salesman walked up. I declined his chit chat. He kept on so I kicked another tire again... LMAO. He commented on my Civic he saw me drive up in. I informed him it was junk yada yada yada. Of course he acted all surprised. I pointed to his service area. Its full of the junk cars.... Stuffed!!! there all lined up out the side of the building.

Then I turned around. Front and center was a light blue Accord Coupe. One tail pipe its a 4 banger. Looking closer,, Its a 5MT EX,,,, Hummm. I look at the vin... Its American. YUCK!!! The salesman starts his we can sell you that car right. I looked at the rear end for a few mins. Asked if they had a LX se 5mt on the lot... No dice,,, RATS... I walk over to the salesman... Looked around and told him I might be interested in the car at 1k under invoice. Thats where the bargaining would start. And no I will not trade the Civic. Will sell it private party. My credits good. And it will be zero down out the door 4 year note at 2.9% interest. Now I want to drive this car and you start the paper.

They got the car out of the show room and I took off. I got no more than 100'. Still on the dealers lot and it was a rattle trap. It had to of been Thoots car. The passengers door and trunk lid sounded like they were not closed. Just some cracks in the concrete and speed bump. I was amazed. I backed it up and told them no deal! Explained the reason and left. I could not believe how bad this car rattled. How it was even allowed to leave the factory was insane.

The paint on the car was almost OK. The panel seams and alignments were very good and even. Im sure I would have heard the rattles as they got the car out if I hadn't been around the corner downloading and printing my credit info from my server for them to get the contract going. I dont fill out credit apps anymore,, I just give them the info and review before I sign. :)

Anyway... it was a bummer.

psy

Haven't you learned? You don't like your wifes accord, you don't like the civic. I would have slapped you if I was there and saw you even looking at it.

You must have dozens of posts complaining about both the civic and accord and yet you almost bought one?

I'm glad you backed out. I don't think I could take another dozen posts about how your new accord is flawed ;)

Dealers are doing everything they can now to get those 07 accords out the door. I'm glad you gave it back.

Tom

Im glad it showed it problems real fast. My gut told me American vin,,, ignore. As far as the wifes Accord goes. As a car I like it other than the 5AT. I love the K24. Hers has fitment issues and some dash issues. But drives great! And this car had better paint and panel alignment than hers. To bad it rattled...

Psy,

I think you owe it to yourself to go drive one of the New 2007 Toyota Camary's. They run really very well and get very good FE.

Go drive one and see what you think.

I bet you will be very surprised if you take the time to try one out.

tiger Ive driven the new Camry. The only one I would own is the hybrid. But its not worth the money IMO. I actually love the Avalon. I just don't want to spend that kinda coin on a work car,,, if you will.

I really like Yaris. But I cant stand Yotas center pod dash concept. I get in a Yaris or PII and just want to get right back out. Ive driven both cars. The Yaris is fun and spunky. Like a new festiva until I look at the dash and want to hurl. I like the room in PII and respect the hybrid it is. But again the center pod is to puke for. And the wheels look like thread spools. The wheels and tires look so small on the PII.

I think Im stuck in auto hell untill the next gen Accord comes out. Maybe a 2nd or better yet a third year car of the new design....

psy

Odd... it took me all of 20 seconds to get used to the center pod in my Yaris, and the only time I've ever even thought about it since then is when folks get in my car for the first time and freak out on it.

by the time you wait for next gen accrod it could be paired up with diesel ;)

haha oh car impulse buy... hey i guess that's how I ended up with a NWH20 prius over a NWH11 with no money down !!! clean trade~~

by the time you wait for next gen accrod it could be paired up with diesel ;)

haha oh car impulse buy... hey i guess that's how I ended up with a NWH20 prius over a NWH11 with no money down !!! clean trade~~

phil the diesel could very well be reality. Maybe a hybrid diesel. Maybe a hybrid with a 5mt and rear disc brakes. Maybe Maybe Maybe. :p

psy

tiger Ive driven the new Camry. The only one I would own is the hybrid. But its not worth the money IMO. I actually love the Avalon. I just don't want to spend that kinda coin on a work car,,, if you will.

I really like Yaris. But I cant stand Yotas center pod dash concept. I get in a Yaris or PII and just want to get right back out. Ive driven both cars. The Yaris is fun and spunky. Like a new festiva until I look at the dash and want to hurl. I like the room in PII and respect the hybrid it is. But again the center pod is to puke for. And the wheels look like thread spools. The wheels and tires look so small on the PII.

I think Im stuck in auto hell untill the next gen Accord comes out. Maybe a 2nd or better yet a third year car of the new design....

psy

Hey,

:flag: Go look at the Toyota Prius "Touring" Model.

It looks Great, Handles, 16" Wheels and Tires.





http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2006/112_news060823_06z+2007_toyota_prius_touring_edition+front_view.jpg (http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2006/112_news060823_06z+2007_toyota_prius_touring_edition+front_view.jpg)
2007 Toyota Prius

http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2006/112_news060823_03z+2007_toyota_prius_touring_edition+rear_view.jpg (http://images.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2006/112_news060823_03z+2007_toyota_prius_touring_edition+rear_view.jpg)
2007 Toyota Prius Touring Edition Rear View




Go see it for yourself.

Terry (tiger)

I have to admit that I don't like the Prius dash layout quite as much as I like the Civic's, but I got over that. At least the digital speedo and all of the idiot lights & indicators are in front of you rather than in the center pod like the Yaris. The MFD is just the "extra" stuff like the audio, climate, energy display...basically the stuff that should be in the middle.

The rear drums haven't been a problem so far. Regen braking on top of the front discs gives you plenty of stopping power. To tell you the truth I find that I only ever use those discs a) when somebody does something dumb in front of me and I stomp on it, or b) I get below 8mph where they kick in no matter what. The Integritys aren't what I would call "sticky" and do impair handling, but that should be fixed when I go back to MXV4s like I had on the Volvo. Still not a sport tire but much better, especially if you go +1 size to a 195 width. (It will probably drop my FE by 0.005% but I'm planninng to do it anyway.)

The only part I think you really wouldn't like is that it won't respond to a sound throttle flogging like the R18 in your Civic probably does. She winds up and gets out of her own way just fine, mind you, but it doesn't inspire that kind of spirited driving. Granted, that's kinda the point. ;) I've only taken that little engine past 4K RPMs four or five times in the ~4 months I've owned it. Zero RPM is more my cup of tea.

I don't know. Maybe you would get more out of hanging on to your Civic now that it's more or less "repaired" and build up a little project car instead. Experience tells me that if you want a good relationship with a car, you have to have something that you want to pour some blood and sweat into. That doesn't usually happen with any daily driver because they're just supposed to keep quiet and keep going.

Ever driven a MX-5?

My impression of the Classic prius was that it was under-tired.
Of course I was still in the "truck" mindset back then. The
PII seemed a bit better fit, and my thinking had changed a bit
by then, and after pulling the playskool rings and adding the
BT stiffening plate underneath I've got no complaints whatsoever
on handling. I rarely lay into it, of course, but the few times
I've wanted agility it's there. The Hydroedges help too, of
course.
.
_H*