Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

Hi,

I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
Does anyone have any experience with this set up?

Please advise
Thanks, George

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

In article <42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net>
harley_davidson@mailcity.com (George) writes:

>I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
>Does anyone have any experience with this set up?

Great car.

However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
learning someday".

To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.

Good choice of cars.
Bad choice of transmission.
I'd strongly recommend the automatic.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

In article <42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net>
harley_davidson@mailcity.com (George) writes:

>I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
>Does anyone have any experience with this set up?

Great car.

However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
learning someday".

To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.

Good choice of cars.
Bad choice of transmission.
I'd strongly recommend the automatic.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 08:20:21 -0500, Bubba <wdg@[204.52.135.1]> wrote:

>In article <42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net>
>harley_davidson@mailcity.com (George) writes:
>
>>I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
>>Does anyone have any experience with this set up?
>
>Great car.
>
>However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
>lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
>to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
>barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
>the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
>learning someday".
>
>To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
>Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
>deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
>and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.
>
>Good choice of cars.
>Bad choice of transmission.
>I'd strongly recommend the automatic.

Thanks for the intelligent response.
However, I've always said 'my next car' will be a stick.
I insist on the stick for 2 reasons:

1) The certain fun factor of a stick (though realizing it eventually
'wears off' ).

and

2) I have definite plans for upgrading the bottom-end performance,
and would appreciate advice on how to best bring up the bottom end
without sacrificing the mid-range, and top-end performance.

With money being a factor, I intend to make all mods gradually, and
permanently. Every mod I make must complement the one made before.
Then, when I see how 'good it can get', that's it.

Please advise,
Thanks, George

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 08:20:21 -0500, Bubba <wdg@[204.52.135.1]> wrote:

>In article <42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net>
>harley_davidson@mailcity.com (George) writes:
>
>>I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
>>Does anyone have any experience with this set up?
>
>Great car.
>
>However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
>lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
>to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
>barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
>the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
>learning someday".
>
>To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
>Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
>deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
>and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.
>
>Good choice of cars.
>Bad choice of transmission.
>I'd strongly recommend the automatic.

Thanks for the intelligent response.
However, I've always said 'my next car' will be a stick.
I insist on the stick for 2 reasons:

1) The certain fun factor of a stick (though realizing it eventually
'wears off' ).

and

2) I have definite plans for upgrading the bottom-end performance,
and would appreciate advice on how to best bring up the bottom end
without sacrificing the mid-range, and top-end performance.

With money being a factor, I intend to make all mods gradually, and
permanently. Every mod I make must complement the one made before.
Then, when I see how 'good it can get', that's it.

Please advise,
Thanks, George

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

Owned a 91 Accord with 4 cyl, 5 spd for 10 years, now drive a 2001 Accord
with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy. Yes it
will be harder to sell so you will be better off keeping it a long time.

"George" <harley_davidson@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net...
> Hi,
>
> I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
> Does anyone have any experience with this set up?
>
> Please advise
> Thanks, George

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

Owned a 91 Accord with 4 cyl, 5 spd for 10 years, now drive a 2001 Accord
with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy. Yes it
will be harder to sell so you will be better off keeping it a long time.

"George" <harley_davidson@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:42e325cc.4196173@news.east.earthlink.net...
> Hi,
>
> I think I'm going for a 2005 Accord LX, 4 cyl, 5 spd.
> Does anyone have any experience with this set up?
>
> Please advise
> Thanks, George

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

In article <asOEe.137$d02.33050@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> now drive a 2001 Accord
> with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy.

I drove a 2000 Accord similarly outfitted. Loved it. Plenty of power,
and everything right where it needs to be--and incredible gas mileage to
boot. In the mountains in summer, with the AC on, I got 35mpg.
Incredible.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

In article <asOEe.137$d02.33050@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:

> now drive a 2001 Accord
> with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy.

I drove a 2000 Accord similarly outfitted. Loved it. Plenty of power,
and everything right where it needs to be--and incredible gas mileage to
boot. In the mountains in summer, with the AC on, I got 35mpg.
Incredible.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

I own a 1995 Honda Accord EX with the 4cyl Vtec and a 5spd - best car
Ive ever owned. Im averaging 30Mpg in mixed city/highway driving.
Decent power and a real nice ride. I plan on driving it until the
doors fall off. And when they do, welding them back on and driving it
some more:)

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <asOEe.137$d02.33050@news20.bellglobal.com>,
> "Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > now drive a 2001 Accord
> > with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy.
>
> I drove a 2000 Accord similarly outfitted. Loved it. Plenty of power,
> and everything right where it needs to be--and incredible gas mileage to
> boot. In the mountains in summer, with the AC on, I got 35mpg.
> Incredible.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

I own a 1995 Honda Accord EX with the 4cyl Vtec and a 5spd - best car
Ive ever owned. Im averaging 30Mpg in mixed city/highway driving.
Decent power and a real nice ride. I plan on driving it until the
doors fall off. And when they do, welding them back on and driving it
some more:)

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
> In article <asOEe.137$d02.33050@news20.bellglobal.com>,
> "Grahame" <grahame.joyce@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> > now drive a 2001 Accord
> > with 4 cyl, 5 spd, this is the best engine/manual trans you can buy.
>
> I drove a 2000 Accord similarly outfitted. Loved it. Plenty of power,
> and everything right where it needs to be--and incredible gas mileage to
> boot. In the mountains in summer, with the AC on, I got 35mpg.
> Incredible.

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

> I insist on the stick for 2 reasons:
>
> 1) The certain fun factor of a stick (though realizing it eventually
> 'wears off' ).

A great reason to pick the manual. Make things fun when ever you can.

> 2) I have definite plans for upgrading the bottom-end performance,
> and would appreciate advice on how to best bring up the bottom end
> without sacrificing the mid-range, and top-end performance.
>
> With money being a factor, I intend to make all mods gradually, and
> permanently. Every mod I make must complement the one made before.
> Then, when I see how 'good it can get', that's it.

I'm curious why you don't consider the V6 from the get go. It is 20% /
$3000 more but if you are financing the car it should be less "out of
pocket" money (and probably less total money) than "do-it-yourself".

Oh yes, and do look at carsdirect.com for pricing before you talk to a
dealer. Dealers do deal, but only if you've done your homework. I got
them to match the web price at about $3K less than MSRP (nearly $6K less
than one dealer quoted). ;-)

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

> I insist on the stick for 2 reasons:
>
> 1) The certain fun factor of a stick (though realizing it eventually
> 'wears off' ).

A great reason to pick the manual. Make things fun when ever you can.

> 2) I have definite plans for upgrading the bottom-end performance,
> and would appreciate advice on how to best bring up the bottom end
> without sacrificing the mid-range, and top-end performance.
>
> With money being a factor, I intend to make all mods gradually, and
> permanently. Every mod I make must complement the one made before.
> Then, when I see how 'good it can get', that's it.

I'm curious why you don't consider the V6 from the get go. It is 20% /
$3000 more but if you are financing the car it should be less "out of
pocket" money (and probably less total money) than "do-it-yourself".

Oh yes, and do look at carsdirect.com for pricing before you talk to a
dealer. Dealers do deal, but only if you've done your homework. I got
them to match the web price at about $3K less than MSRP (nearly $6K less
than one dealer quoted). ;-)

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

Bubba wrote:

> However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
> lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
> to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
> barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
> the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
> learning someday".

Certainly the pleasures of driving a manual transmission vehicle are
lost on the majority of the US population, but so what? It is true that
the conventional market resale value of manual transmission cars is low,
but whether or not that matters depends upon the intentions of the new
car buyer. If you are a buy-it-new, the run it forever person this is
not a consideration at all. Also, ebay is a great way to sell a manual
transmission car as it is a way to reach the passionate minority which
likes to shift for itself.


>
> To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
> Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
> deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
> and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.

I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on manual and automatic
transmission cars, and personally prefer to shift for myself anytime.

There is also the fact that modern Honda automatic transmissions are
trouble prone. The odds of getting 200,000 or more miles out of a
stick shift are much higher than are the odds of doing so with an automatic.

Fuel economy and performance are also superior with manual transmission.


>
> Good choice of cars.
> Bad choice of transmission.

I disagree.


> I'd strongly recommend the automatic.
>

I guess that makes you one of the crowd.

John

Re: Q. I'm considering a 2005 Accord. What is your experience?
 

Bubba wrote:

> However, stick-shift may, in time, become an annoying burden if you do a
> lot of in-town driving. Stick-shift will also make the car very difficult
> to sell (for you or a dealer) come trade-in time. In a recent survey
> barely 10% of the driving public claimed to know how to drive a stick. Of
> the 90% who didn't, only 3% expressed they "might be interested in
> learning someday".

Certainly the pleasures of driving a manual transmission vehicle are
lost on the majority of the US population, but so what? It is true that
the conventional market resale value of manual transmission cars is low,
but whether or not that matters depends upon the intentions of the new
car buyer. If you are a buy-it-new, the run it forever person this is
not a consideration at all. Also, ebay is a great way to sell a manual
transmission car as it is a way to reach the passionate minority which
likes to shift for itself.


>
> To & from school and to & from work or the supermarket is one thing.
> Earning your living behind the wheel (sales calls, service calls,
> deliveries, investigative work, etc.,) or an unusually active lifestyle
> and you may someday start to dread driving the thing.

I have put hundreds of thousands of miles on manual and automatic
transmission cars, and personally prefer to shift for myself anytime.

There is also the fact that modern Honda automatic transmissions are
trouble prone. The odds of getting 200,000 or more miles out of a
stick shift are much higher than are the odds of doing so with an automatic.

Fuel economy and performance are also superior with manual transmission.


>
> Good choice of cars.
> Bad choice of transmission.

I disagree.


> I'd strongly recommend the automatic.
>

I guess that makes you one of the crowd.

John