I have just bought an 04 Accord, 2.4, 5 speed. This is my 5th Honda and this is the most amazing car I have ever driven. My 01 2.3 VTEC didn't quite have the jam that I was hoping for, it was a little sluggish on the hiway unless pushed very hard. As soon as I drove the new 2.4 I was amazed at not only the high end power but the low end torque as well. After driving Hondas for 20 years I could hardly believe that I was sitting in an Accord. I plan on keeping this car for 10 years at least...are there any problems with this car that I should keep an eye out for? The motor feels solid but I guess it is still unproven in the long run. Has Honda solved the problem with rust in the rear fenders? InCanada, we all know that Hondas rust just below the fuel cap...they have had that problem since at least 92....has that been resolved? My new car is the beautiful thing I have ever seen and drives like a magic carpet...I would appreciate any advice on items that I need to be aware of in terms of trouble spots or recalls...thanks guys. BTW my car has 100,000 kms on.

Regards,
Mark

 

Our '03 is also the 4-cyl 5-spd. It's got very grabby brakes, which I despise. But my daughter drives that car & she likes that 'feature'. Whatever...

I've heard people complaining about the car being hard on brake rotors. Little more than 50k miles on ours & the brakes are still grabby. I mean still OK.

While ours was still under warranty, the AC condenser began losing it's fins to corrosion. And out of warranty I've already replaced a noisy pulley on the serpentine belt tensioner. I really don't know if either one of those is a common problem.

 

My brakes are a little grabby...I think I can live with it as it won't take long to get used to.

Mark

 

Hah, yeah my boys '05 4-cyl does the same thing. It's hard to get used to. It's like soft braking..soft braking..then WHOA, hard braking! Maybe a little dramatic there, but yeah it's annoying.

 

Mark:

How many horses is the 2004 2.4L rated at?

I have the 2001 2.3 VTEC 5 spd, rated at 150 hp. It is good to hear that I could trade up to a model that willwind it up quicker.

Also, does your '04 have antilock brakes?

 

2003 LX 4-cyl 5-spd:

power:160 BHP (SAE net) @ 5500 rpm
torque:161 lbf-ft @ 4500 rpm

We used to have a '98 (F23A1). It's automatic tranny made a direct comparison tough, but the new one feels better than a 10hp improvement.