In search of lost sportiness: whether to buy a Honda Accord VIII
Honda Accord in the seventh generation has earned the image of a stylish and interesting car, as well as a claim to dynamism. The eighth generation added the status of the model due to a noticeable increase in size, although in some cases it has lost. Our colleagues from Avito Avto suggest that, despite their age, the cheapest “eighth” Chords still ask for more than half a million, and the most expensive options on the market step over the indecent million mark. Well, decent cars cost about 750 thousand – it’s worth being guided by about this amount. What else should be considered when choosing, and what options to give preference?
As we already know, the eighth generation Accord has become significantly larger than the previous one, adding 6 centimeters in length and as much as 8 in width. The car really began to be perceived as more solid – but at the same time a little lost in the sportiness of the image. Yes, and the mass that had grown along with the dimensions also failed: the dynamics turned out to be quite far from what many had expected from a car of such appearance.
The New Honda AccordHonda Accord Type-S Sedan (CU) ‘2011–15
The choice of body type in Russia is practically reduced to zero – more precisely, to the unit in the face of a classic sedan: only it was sold officially with us. In Europe, there were diesel cars and station wagons, but we did not offer them, and nobody wanted to bring such exotic things for themselves. But the second-hand coupe we meet, although this model was offered only for the North American market. The local Accord was different from the European one, being larger and existing not only in the four-door, but also in the two-door version.
The first copies of this generation Accord already turned more than ten years: the model entered the market in 2007. The age, however, cannot be called advanced, and the class and price suggest that they will take care of the car, which allows most of the cars in the secondary market to have quite a decent appearance. True, the paintwork here is thin and very soft, so you should not be surprised at the repainted hood or “face”: otherwise, the front part of the idle car lost its appearance, being covered with slowly corrosive chips. In addition, typical problem areas in the face of the wheel arches, the thresholds behind the front wheels and the lower edges of the doors, taking into account the quality of color, may not be in the best condition. Therefore, when choosing a partially repainted car with no trace of an accident in this regard, perhaps no worse than a slightly rusted specimen in its own paint.
Honda Accord Type-S Sedan (CU) 2011–15 Honda Accord Type-S Sedan (CU) 2011–15
In addition, it is necessary to inspect the body and the bottom and top: on the roof in the risk zone are the edge of the windshield and sunroof. The opening of the hatch also corrodes, which is fraught with both skewed guides and leaks. Well, from the bottom it is worth paying attention to the general condition of the bottom: anticorrosive is a good sign, saying good care, and rusty stretchers, levers and other suspension elements are almost inevitable. Here it is worthwhile just to make sure that the corrosion is superficial and the subframe does not risk separating from the body.
In addition to the inevitable age-related damage to the body, it is worth remembering about the “optional” in the form of an accident. The image of the Accord is more aggressive than the same Camry, and therefore the probability of meeting a battered car in the past is higher. Fear is, of course, serious accidents: replaced bumper and headlights are not a problem, but traces of large-scale body analysis, putty on racks and a jammed spare wheel niche are a reason to look for a car with a brighter past. From this point of view, as well as in the light of a certain popularity among hijackers, it is useful to complete a check using an online service like Autotech: this way you can weed out cars with many owners, serious accidents and twisted runs.
Honda Accord Type-S Sedan (CU) 2011–15 Honda Accord Type-S Sedan (CU) 2011–15
Chassis Accord does not throw up special surprises: except that the front is not MacPherson, and dvuhrychazhka, well, behind, of course, an independent multi-link suspension. In general, there are no weak spots here – but it must be borne in mind that repairs in general are not as cheap as on budget cars, and those who bought Accord after second hand something more modest sometimes were not ready for spending. Therefore, it is imperative to check the condition of the suspension and the angles of the wheels on both axles: the volumes of your future investments depend on it. But overly expensive elements are not here – except that shock absorbers with variable stiffness hardly anyone changes to the original ones.
Before moving to the engines and transmissions, there are still some weak points that cause regular complaints. For example, sweating headlights are not a serious or unusual problem, but many people complain about leaking and cloudy optics. In the salon, leather armchairs often become one of the most “ugly” elements: as usual, in order to save perforated leather, only the middle is made here, and the sidewalls are made of leatherette. As a result, the tender middle lingers and breaks along the seams, and the sidewalls crack and rub off.
