Looking to buy a sixth generation Accord (Honda)

[alfa147x]

I need a car by the summer, im looking to buy a sixth generation (1998+) Honda Accord
Budget of $3,500
I would like it to have a automatic transmission and a i4
most of the cars in my area that I can find have 150,000 - 200,000 miles on them

So my question is it possible to find one in my budget or should be looking at something else? and if I do find a car what should I look at before buying it? also is there something wrong with these model cars?

Thanks a lot,
Alfa147x

 

[Arkaign]

AAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

If you're going to do that, make sure the tranny isn't on the list of the failure-happy ones! Better off with a manual tranny Honda of that era (very late 90s to ~2003)

IMHO $3,500 is not well spent on a Honda. As you say, most of them in that price range will either be beat to shit or have 150k+ miles on them.

What else? Hmm. Try just putting in a $3k-$3,500 price filter into CL, and post possibilities here that have less than 100k miles on them. You may run into a Maxima, LeSabre, or some such other midsize car that has a pretty reliable drivetrain for less $$$.

 

[alfa147x]

is it a specific batch? Or is it a specific transmission? How can I identify which cars do have this bad transmission

 

[jpeyton]

most of the cars in my area that I can find have 150,000 - 200,000 miles on them

There's a reason for that.

1) Honda's reliably take 150,000+ miles with nothing but oil changes and the occasional tune-up.

2) Even if you buy it with 150,000 miles, it's good for at least another 100,000 miles (although I doubt you'll keep the car that long).

If you want less miles, look for a late 90s Civic.

 

[alfa147x]

There's a reason for that.

1) Honda's reliably take 150,000+ miles with nothing but oil changes and the occasional tune-up.

2) Even if you buy it with 150,000 miles, it's good for at least another 100,000 miles (although I doubt you'll keep the car that long).

If you want less miles, look for a late 90s Civic.

I was looking at older Civics, my last car was a 2004 Civic coupe and I had to sell it to my parents for money to pay for next semesters tuition... But yeah the older civics i can't handle the bad styling, its just not appealing to me at all! I did really like the BMW 318i but rather go with the Accord reliability wise

I also had a 1994 Nissan Altima

 

[Arkaign]

There's a reason for that.

1) Honda's reliably take 150,000+ miles with nothing but oil changes and the occasional tune-up.

2) Even if you buy it with 150,000 miles, it's good for at least another 100,000 miles (although I doubt you'll keep the car that long).

If you want less miles, look for a late 90s Civic.

jpeyton isn't too far off the mark here in consideration of general Honda reliability historically, but there are two really really important bits :

(1)- Honda had a tremendous amount of trouble with auto transmissions in the late 90's to early '00s. The Accords in question are in that problematic batch.

(2)- You can never tell who has done what to a car. I've seen plenty of Hondas on their 2nd motor or tranny well under 150k miles. Was the previous owner abusive? Who knows. But 150k is by no means a lock, and 250k miles is probably not going to happen with the decided reduction in quality compared to the mid '80s to mid '90s Hondas, which did so with amazing regularity.

 

[angry hampster]

I'd look for a Buick of that same vintage. It'll have half the miles.

 

[joutlaw]

I'd get an EX 4 cylinder model. They more than like had a variant of the F22 series of VTEC motors. You should net around 30MPG or greater on the highway and around 25 or so in town. These models will have a 4 speed automatic transmission. The V6 model's had the transmission problem.

I'd be sure that the timing belt has been changed recently. The F22 still uses a timing belt and the replacement is going to be at least $500.

 

[PricklyPete]

I would only go for one with a manual. Also, have you sat in the car? If you are tall you may not like it. I remember test driving one and being very unhappy with it because I didn't feel like I fit in the front seat. I had much better luck fitting in the front seat of a Maxima, Passat, or Millenia.

 

[joutlaw]

I would only go for one with a manual. Also, have you sat in the car? If you are tall you may not like it. I remember test driving one and being very unhappy with it because I didn't feel like I fit in the front seat. I had much better luck fitting in the front seat of a Maxima, Passat, or Millenia.

I don't know if the 6th Gen is smaller than the 5th gen, but I own a 5th Gen 94 Accord and a 2000 Millenia. The Millenia looks bigger on the outside, but smaller on the inside than the Accord. I'm 6'3" 230lbs and find the Accord better in head and leg room as well.

As far as reliability... my Millenia drives much worse with only 125K miles or versus my Accord that has somewhere around 270K miles. The suspension has loosened considerably on the Millenia and due to it's rarity the only place you can get the front struts are the dealer. I believe there are one company that produces the rear struts. The Millenia is expensive to maintain and parts are hard to come by. Mine has the knock sensor out. The Accord has no CEL's. It leaks some brake fluid from the ABS resevoir. It also has a pretty bad oil leak, but it runs solid and even better than 6 year newer Mazda with less than half the miles.

 

[PricklyPete]

I don't know if the 6th Gen is smaller than the 5th gen, but I own a 5th Gen 94 Accord and a 2000 Millenia. The Millenia looks bigger on the outside, but smaller on the inside than the Accord. I'm 6'3" 230lbs and find the Accord better in head and leg room as well.

As far as reliability... my Millenia drives much worse with only 125K miles or versus my Accord that has somewhere around 270K miles. The suspension has loosened considerably on the Millenia and due to it's rarity the only place you can get the front struts are the dealer. I believe there are one company that produces the rear struts. The Millenia is expensive to maintain and parts are hard to come by. Mine has the knock sensor out. The Accord has no CEL's. It leaks some brake fluid from the ABS resevoir. It also has a pretty bad oil leak, but it runs solid and even better than 6 year newer Mazda with less than half the miles.

Sorry...wasn't recommending a Millenia...was just stating that I felt like I was more comfortable in the drivers seat in a Millenia, Maxima, and Passat than I was in the 6th gen Accord. I don't know about the 5th gen Accord...but I would assume it would be no more roomy than the 6th...so don't know what the deal is. One thing that i've noticed is that it is not always how large the space is as much as where the hard points are...and the hard points may not have fit me well in the 6th gen accord vs. the other vehicles I mentioned. I'm 6'5" and 180lbs for reference.

 

[MetalMat]

Just buy an old 4th gen and save the money. The 4th gens are reliable as hell

 

[PhoKingGuy]

All of the 6th gen transmissions crap out, V6 and I4, my GF has a 2001 4 cyl and the 3rd gear crapped out on the freeway. IF it was replaced pre-2005 run away as they redesigned the tranny in 2005 to fix the faults rather than putting a bandaid over the broken ones. Even if it is though be extra extra extra careful. I change the fluid in my GFs ever 15k -20k miles and its pretty brown/black by then and she has one replaced in 2005, supposedly redesigned.

As always, buyer beware. If you want an ultra cheap beater that costs nothing to fix/insure get a used neon/something korean. A friend of mine put 200k+ on his neon before it was totaled, required nothing major in repairs.

 

[alfa147x]

Thanks but i REALLY want a Honda or a Nissan

 

[adlep]

All of the 6th gen transmissions crap out, V6 and I4, my GF has a 2001 4 cyl and the 3rd gear crapped out on the freeway. IF it was replaced pre-2005 run away as they redesigned the tranny in 2005 to fix the faults rather than putting a bandaid over the broken ones. Even if it is though be extra extra extra careful. I change the fluid in my GFs ever 15k -20k miles and its pretty brown/black by then and she has one replaced in 2005, supposedly redesigned.

As always, buyer beware. If you want an ultra cheap beater that costs nothing to fix/insure get a used neon/something korean. A friend of mine put 200k+ on his neon before it was totaled, required nothing major in repairs.

A Neon...
Why would you recommend a Neon to someone?
Also, if an OP wants to go with a high-mileage car, IMO it is better to go with a manual. You will save weight, your MPGs will be higher, and it is reasonably cheap to fix the man. transmission.

 

[Arkaign]

Thanks but i REALLY want a Honda or a Nissan

You'll get a lot more car for your $ with a Nissan Seriously.

 

[alfa147x]

A Neon...
Why would you recommend a Neon to someone?
Also, if an OP wants to go with a high-mileage car, IMO it is better to go with a manual. You will save weight, your MPGs will be higher, and it is reasonably cheap to fix the man. transmission.

I was dead set on getting a manual BUT I no longer want one because my girlfriend and I drive back and forth from school a lot 8 hours round trip
and we get stuck in trafic and she would prefer not learning (not that she's against it, a slight inconvenience) plus i drove my friends Saturn CL2 in trafic and wanted to kill my self...

You'll get a lot more car for your $ with a Nissan Seriously.

Maxima or Altima? I want something a little bigger than the civic I drove before

 

[PricklyPete]

Maxima or Altima? I want something a little bigger than the civic I drove before

Altima's were kinda bland circa 2000, but were decent to drive. I definitely would push for the Maxima...definitely plenty roomy and a GREAT engine. Don't know reliability and how it compares to the Honda...but it is definitely fun to drive.

 

[Arkaign]

Maxima is probably what you should go for, though the '02+ Altimas are about the same size, if not bigger than older Maximas. Altimas are expensive with the V6, whereas Maximas all come V6, along with generally better standard options and comfort.

Nissan V6 motors have been pretty damned solid as long as I can remember.

$3,500 should find a decent one, and of course you can keep in mind the Altimas as well.

Pre-'94 Maximas are good, but the styling is so dated and boxy that you might not want it from a purely subjective viewpoint
'95-'99 Maxima generation is very nice, good interior, great 3.0L V6
'00-'03 Maxima is a little more complicated, I think '02 and '03 were the good years out of these
'04+ is too $$ for your budget

 

[PricklyPete]

Maxima is probably what you should go for, though the '02+ Altimas are about the same size, if not bigger than older Maximas. Altimas are expensive with the V6, whereas Maximas all come V6, along with generally better standard options and comfort.

Nissan V6 motors have been pretty damned solid as long as I can remember.

$3,500 should find a decent one, and of course you can keep in mind the Altimas as well.

Pre-'94 Maximas are good, but the styling is so dated and boxy that you might not want it from a purely subjective viewpoint
'95-'99 Maxima generation is very nice, good interior, great 3.0L V6
'00-'03 Maxima is a little more complicated, I think '02 and '03 were the good years out of these
'04+ is too $$ for your budget

Don't tell Skoorb that...he'll swear his 2000 Maxima was developed in Sant'Agata and shares a part bin with the Miura.

 

[alfa147x]

Thanks for the help guys

After some research most of the Maximas from the late '90s have gas-milage around 22 - 25. I was looking for a i4 engine so I could get up and around 30ish MPG .

I think im going to start looking at Altimas I had a '94 and loved so ill look for a '00 one with a KA24 since I have experience working on one

 

[PricklyPete]

Thanks for the help guys

After some research most of the Maximas from the late '90s have gas-milage around 22 - 25. I was looking for a i4 engine so I could get up and around 30ish MPG .

You might want to try a ~2000 Altima. My friend has a 2001 manual one and it was plenty peppy enough and has been extremely reliable for him...he still has it after buying it new in 2000. I don't love the look of it...but it might be your ticket.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

He said he wanted cheap

If you can find a 1999ish maxima or I30 go for it. Mines got 100k with nothing but oil, brakes and an O2 sensor. If you were in socal id consider selling you mine, haha

BTW:

I learned to drive in this thing, its seen its fair share of burnouts, powerslides, drifts, etc. Tranny shifts fine, engine is strong and it gets about 20ish city if you baby it. Its worth it for being near bulletproof. Its relatively easy to work on as well.