Offset is somewhere around (positive) 45mm. So a "negative" offset would put the tires way WAY outside of the fenders.

 

OK. "...not enough positive offset." I remember back in the day the only time I'd replace VW RWBs was when someone put on rims with the wrong offset - the wheel centerline was too far outboard of hub - greatly increasing the force that the bearings had to carry. They bearings never failed with the stock rims. Just throwing that out there. The mechanic did say "hub", not "bearing", so it's probably not an issue.

 

No, that's exactly true, for almost any car. If the offset is very wrong then the bearings are loaded differently.

But the whole question of "rims destroy Accords" is just such a strange statement that we don't know what they really meant. There's all kinds of aftermarket rims that are just fine to use; with the proper offset, bolt-circle, centerbore, etc.