Accord still same ole' Maxima wannabe

[Pick]

Recently(last weekend), I had the chance to test drive the new 2003 Accord Coupe V-6. It was automatic. To say the least, this is no sports coupe and is still a lacking Nissan wannabe. In fact, its claimed 240 Hp, 217 TQ is very questionable in my mind. No way this car can even compete with the Maxima or Altima in any way, shape, or form as far as performance. In automatic form, this car is comparative in speed to my dad's 1998 Infiniti I-30 automatic. I expect the 6-speed to be a hair faster, but not significantly: the 6-speed couldn't hang with my '96 SE 5-speed. Honda claims a 6.7 second 0-60 from the 6-speed. That is not very quick for a car pushing 50 more hp than a car that can take it to the cleaners- any 4th gen 5-speed Max. The car is fat, it gives a brawny feeling. It sounds quick and responsive, which is exactly my point. It is a wannabe. The only high point I found was the high-end torque it provided, thanks to Honda's version of a variable intake.

I expected more from this car simply by hearing Honda's claims on it. Honda's V-6's simply can't hold a candle to the VQ series I am spoiled by. Their V-6's are cheap, in my opinion, and still need refining. Until then, leave your sports coupe and 4-door-sports-car claims at your research department and let Nissan do the talking. Cause an 8-year-old 4-door can lay the smack on your brand new sports coupe. It has a real V-6!

As for amenities, I likes some and didn't like some. I just did a performance summary.

[carabuser]

Nissan > *
That's a fact.

[thrasher]

i'm sorry, but this thread sucks. i guarantee that an Accord 6 speed will outrun any pre 2k2 Maxima if both of the drivers are of equal skill. and it will do it with better quality, reliability, and refinement. i'm not a honda hater, there is no reason to be. and just to set the record straight, C&D got a 6 speed to 60 in 6.2 seconds, which is only .2 slower than a 3.5 max. honda makes EXCELLENT motors

[deadmaninc]

I read that Accord used to get that time was a base accord with nothing on it and half a tank of gas. I dunno if that true or not but the Accord coupe is nice, but Honda kinda has an idendity crisis.

[Pick]

Originally Posted by thrasher

i'm sorry, but this thread sucks. i guarantee that an Accord 6 speed will outrun any pre 2k2 Maxima if both of the drivers are of equal skill. and it will do it with better quality, reliability, and refinement. i'm not a honda hater, there is no reason to be. and just to set the record straight, C&D got a 6 speed to 60 in 6.2 seconds, which is only .2 slower than a 3.5 max. honda makes EXCELLENT motors

And I guarantee it won't.

I don't hate Honda's at all, my family has three of them. But Honda's V-6's are lacking to say the least, and not just compared to the VQ family. They do make EXCELLENT 4-bangers, but I don't like this little sports sedan/coupe campaign they are launching. Its not Honda's style or specialty.

[Pick]

In response to Thrasher's comments on the 0-60 time, I was wrong. The 0-60 time is like 6.1 with the base 6-speed model. The auto comes in much slower at 7.1 seconds. Its interesting the difference the tranny makes. I just don't think that even with the times posted, this Accord Coupe could walk a 4th-gen Maxima, especially from a stop. I can see the VQ hanging with it in that race. A highway race would be a different story. I need to get the sedan's times......

[carabuser]

Originally Posted by thrasher

i'm sorry, but this thread sucks. i guarantee that an Accord 6 speed will outrun any pre 2k2 Maxima if both of the drivers are of equal skill. and it will do it with better quality, reliability, and refinement. i'm not a honda hater, there is no reason to be. and just to set the record straight, C&D got a 6 speed to 60 in 6.2 seconds, which is only .2 slower than a 3.5 max. honda makes EXCELLENT motors

It will/should outrun a pre 2k2 Max, you're right. But you think it will do it with better quality/reliabityl/allthose then a legendary VQ engine??? I doubt it. Honda does make good motors, but Nissan makes BETTER ones (we're still talking V6 here). More torque, more low-end power, hence better and smother everyday around city ride. High way, yeah, that's where they're pretty cool, but once again, not as cool as VQ's anyway.

[thrasher]

i don't deny that nissan makes a sweet v6, i think the VQ is one of the best ever. as a counterpoint, though, Honda's 3.5 liter makes as much power as the VQ35. not as much in the low end, but honda motors are about as reliable as they get. i am just sick of people on this board ripping apart anything that isn't nissan...there are things better than nissan's out there, i don't like the direction they are going nowadays. infiniti, that is a whole different story. G35 coupe, mmmmmmmmm!

[carabuser]

well, it is really hard to find many things better then Nissan in terms of money/reliability/power/looks. Customer service - Nissan sucks big time, so no question there. Infinity - well, it really looks like Nissan is trying to bring REAL Nissans to the US, that's all, plus I don't think that Nissan ever went the right direction. Overall, there is nothing better then a used Nissan anyway on the market

[BP2K2Max]

Originally Posted by thrasher

i don't deny that nissan makes a sweet v6, i think the VQ is one of the best ever. as a counterpoint, though, Honda's 3.5 liter makes as much power as the VQ35. not as much in the low end, but honda motors are about as reliable as they get. i am just sick of people on this board ripping apart anything that isn't nissan...there are things better than nissan's out there, i don't like the direction they are going nowadays. infiniti, that is a whole different story. G35 coupe, mmmmmmmmm!

and their 3.0 liter accord engine makes as much power as the 3.5L altima engine. but yeah low torque as usual.

[chrisr67]

I'm not a big Honda fan myself, but they DO make a good engine. PLUS if you were to take a Maxima and Accord and mod them both out performance wise, you'd be able to do a hell of a lot more with a lot less money with the Honda, then you would the Nissan.
The only thing I really hate about Honda's are the people who drive them. They'll take a 140 hp Civic, put a huge 3inch exhaust on it and think they've got a sweet ride! Gimmie a break! Sounds like an oversized lawnmower going down the highway!

[JavaKitti]

All I got to say is that my 1996 SE has left alot of cars in the dust!!! My baby will go!!!

[bk2kmax]

Originally Posted by carabuser

well, it is really hard to find many things better then Nissan in terms of money/reliability/power/looks. Customer service - Nissan sucks big time, so no question there. Infinity - well, it really looks like Nissan is trying to bring REAL Nissans to the US, that's all, plus I don't think that Nissan ever went the right direction. Overall, there is nothing better then a used Nissan anyway on the market

FOR THE LAST TIME IT IS SPELLED



I-N-F-I-N-I-T-I

NOT INFINITY<THIS MEANS NO END TO TIME, ETERNITY.

Yes Honda does make nice cars too, I almost bought an Accord before I bought my first Nissan (Altima). At the time the Altima in 4 cylinder comparisons had more Torque and HP than the Accord 4 cylinder so I went with the Altima (93) plus it was a newer fresher design.

I wouldn't mind owning an Accord coupe, I think people here just get it twisted because we equate some of those Ricerz who own the Civic with bad manufacturing because of the way the pose their cars as opposed to your average Accord or Civic owner who just enjoy their cars because they are reliable and well made great cars.

[skids929]

I have a 2003 (12k miles) Accord EX V6 and a 98 Nissan Maxima (28k miles), so I will speak for both vehicles. I have to completely disagree with the original post, Honda in no way is trying to compete with the Maxima, they let their Acuras do that instead. The Maxima has always been a lost sedan without much direct competition, so to compare these two is not completely fair. But I have personally put my accord against my Maxima and the Accord blows it away every single time without question. The accord is smoother, quieter and I think the motor is a better v6 than the maxima (and that includes the brand new ones). Honda is a motor company before being a car company so I think we can safely assume they build a damn good v6. The Accord is also more reliable than the Maxima. I have never had an Accord give me trouble with Fuel injectors, knock sensors, o2 sensors, etc. I will take an Accord over any Nissan product any day of the week for many reasons (reliability, customer service, expense to fix, fit and finish gas mileage), but for sheer driving and torque and raw power the Nissan will win because it is a beefier motor. Overall the Accord is a better car than my 98 Maxima, and it is MUCH Faster.

[carabuser]

Originally Posted by skids929

I have a 2003 (12k miles) Accord EX V6 and a 98 Nissan Maxima (28k miles), so I will speak for both vehicles. I have to completely disagree with the original post, Honda in no way is trying to compete with the Maxima, they let their Acuras do that instead. The Maxima has always been a lost sedan without much direct competition, so to compare these two is not completely fair. But I have personally put my accord against my Maxima and the Accord blows it away every single time without question. The accord is smoother, quieter and I think the motor is a better v6 than the maxima (and that includes the brand new ones). Honda is a motor company before being a car company so I think we can safely assume they build a damn good v6. The Accord is also more reliable than the Maxima. I have never had an Accord give me trouble with Fuel injectors, knock sensors, o2 sensors, etc. I will take an Accord over any Nissan product any day of the week for many reasons (reliability, customer service, expense to fix, fit and finish gas mileage), but for sheer driving and torque and raw power the Nissan will win because it is a beefier motor. Overall the Accord is a better car than my 98 Maxima, and it is MUCH Faster.

240hp vs 190, very "fair" comparison. The rest probably true, except for personal tastes. I'd never go honda.