Hi everyone. I'm buying my first car soon, and I learned to drive in a 2009 Honda Accord I4. I have never driven a V6 car of any type. So, here's the background: I'm about to be a junior in college, I'm on a tight budget, and I need a car so that I can pick up and commute to my summer job and then, later, an internship. I have been dreaming of buying my own Accord (I only like the model years 2006 through 2012), and my local dealership has a 2009 Accord EX-L V6 with 61.6k miles on it. One owner, no accidents, pretty well maintained. I did test drive a 2013 Honda Fit today, it is a lot more fuel efficient than I expect the V6 Accord to be, but looks matter to me, and I don't like the styling of the Fit, or its safety ratings. I do have a little tendency to speed maybe just 5 or 10 miles over the limit, but it happens often by accident, so my mom doesn't want to risk it with a V6, but fact of the matter is that it is MY money that buys the car.
So, do you guys think an Accord V6 would make a good first car for me? Or should I wait for an I4? Or should I just buy the Fit? Also, is the cost for both fuel and maintenance on a 2009 V6 manageable?

 

For those years, I would consider 62k mi. to be on the light side. When I was looking for my Accord (that I bought in August of last year), my main concern was finding one with great service records. "Pretty well maintained" might be good, might not be. Hard to tell. I would point out that you should be weary of accord transmissions - not that it's any worse than a lot of cars out there, but I've seen a number of cases where transmissions have died at 75k. Don't let that scare you, but you should keep it in mind. If you go with the v6, make sure you do a 3x drain and fill for the transmission, and would be wise to replace all fluids (something I was told when I purchased mine). I don't think you're going to find any definitive answer on maintenance costs. I haven't seen anything that shows the 4cyl has any more/less problems. It may lead you to drive less spirited, which could benefit you in the required maintenance department.

Only you can decide whether the v6 or I4 is best for you - think long and hard about what your values are. There's a lot of "sexiness" that comes with the I4 - lower monthly payments, better gas mileage, while still getting more-than-adequate performance. I respect responsible people. You seem to already be weighing those things, which is a good start. But seeing that you may have a decent perspective on things, and seem to be focused on school and your career, it might be a fine time to get the car you want. If you really want a '06-'12 v6, and it's something you want to keep for a while and maintain, then go for it. After all, you're going to have to be it in every day. Personally, I find value in things like that. I enjoy a car that can be entertaining. And I have enjoyed taking care of my vehicle, with hopes it'll last me a long time. If you think going with the v6 will have that affect on you, and make you happier, then go for it. But if it is going to impact you financially, and impact other aspects of your life, then be smart and go with the vehicle that will get you from point A to point B. It won't be the last car you buy.

1. What is the gas mileage in your current car?
2. Why is the '06-'12 the one you want? Just looks-wise?

 

These are all good points, I just think that if I wait for a 4 then I might be waiting a realllllly long time. I have been searching local listings for months and I have only found one other that looks this good, that one was also a 6 cylinder. My mom will help me pay the insurance on the car only if she approves of it, and she says 80k miles maximum, one owner, and no accidents reported, so I'm sure you see why I'd jump on a car like this.
To answer your questions...
1. This would be my first car, but I know my mom's I4 takes about $50 to fill all the way full from empty. I don't really plan to do like "joy rides" in my car though, just use it as a commuting car.
2. I want to avoid the past automatic transmission issues that plagued the old Hondas, including my dad's 2005, and the 2013 and newer is way out of my budget. I am not a big fan of its styling either. (:

 

The 8th gens hold ~ 18 gallons according to sources online. You can do the math on what a full tank costs. My 9th gen can't take much more than $35-40 to fill up. I'd wait until you find the car you really want. Stay on the internet, search all the sites. Never jump on a car because you're worried about not finding another. Unless, of course, you need the car in the week. I almost bought a non-honda, when my wife was getting her new vehicle. Had the salesman not been a doofus, he could've sold the car that day. The very next day I saw the car I'd been looking for - desired trim, mileage, service records.. Point is, waiting has never hurt anyone.

Another thing, consider paying your own insurance if you can. If that gives you freedom to choose your vehicle, isn't a huge expense, and will get you used to paying your own bills and having full responsibility of your car. Just my 2 cents there - none of my business really. But you can expand your options for a car. You might find you can get a cheaper car that you like more, and then the insurance money won't even be a factor.

 

08-12 is that model.....I love the 2.4l 4 banger..those v-6 trans suck..i know..had to replace one..

 

All very good points. I wouldn't be in a hurry to buy a car that wasn't what I wanted. In my case, I bought a 97 Accord 5 speed, but wasn't 100% happy with it (it was nice, and everything worked). I ended up later (6 months later) buying a 99 Accord that needed some work, but was everything I wanted (right body style, 5 speed trans, 4 doors, 4 cylinder engine). Sure it needed some repairs, but I got it cheap enough, and after I did the repairs, it's been a great car. It took me almost a year and a half to sell the 97 (at a loss), but I'm glad I found the car I really wanted. Sometimes the wait is worth it. And getting the wrong car WILL make you miserable.

 

Oh yeah, I know all about the V6 trans problems. I've been obsessed with cars since I was 5 and I've done years of research about the Accords (for fun). I had heard on another forum that it was fixed by 2007, is it still an issue in the 2009?

The thing is that my mom is getting really fed up with me over still needing rides to work, she's now saying I need to start calling a taxi and stop wasting her time and gas. I guess a test drive will determine whether or not it's the right car for me, as I was looking for an I4 rather than a V6, everything else about the car is perfect. It was supposed to be out of the shop and ready to test drive 2 days ago, but it's still being held up in the shop for some reason. Obviously if the test drive goes poorly I will not be buying the car.

Can you guys tell me anything about VCM? I've heard mixed reviews and someone said the bad reviews of it are trolls, but who even knows who posts what online anymore. It sounds like a good idea if it saves fuel.

 

Why is it being held up in the shop? Or why it is in the shop in the first place? That would be a red flag for me, personally. Look into that more.

If it were me, I'd go for the v6. I like the power, and I like the VCM mode. It allows me to get good gas mileage in the city, and the v6 when I need the power. I've heard of complaints for both the 8th gen and 9th gen VCM. Some people experience "issues" with hesitation, acceleration, spark plugs going quicker than usual. But others have said theirs have been fine. You can always disable the VCM for ~$100.00 from what I've seen. At first I could tell when the VCM was engaging/disengaging, but you learn how to drive it and get used to it. Someone who has the 8th gen v6 AT can comment further, since it doesn't have an actual "eco button" like the 9th does. I think you can put it into S drive and it will disengage VCM. I wouldn't let the VCM deter you. It's a technology that's been in use for a while now.

 

Well, it's the repair shop at the dealership. All their used cars have to have some pre sale repairs and current maintenance done before they can be taken out for test drives, it's normal practice there. I'm just not sure why it's been in there for 11 days. I have seen some cars take longer. But I will definitely be asking why it's been held up for so long. The salesman is going to text me as soon as it's ready.

 

It's been long enough. Call them today and do the following:

1. Say, "Hey [so-and-so], what's taking so long? It's been 11 days...okay well what work needs to be done that's taking this long?". You sound like a nice kid, don't be quite so friendly. Don't be rude, but it's just a car, and you don't have time to be waiting 2 weeks for them to do basic maintenance. They should feel the same way. That's how sales go out the window for a dealer.
2. Tell them you have another car you are getting ready to buy, but that you were wanting to test drive this one before buying the "other car".
3. Test drive. Don't pay too much attention to the salesman when he rides with you. Be more interested in listening to the car, and paying attention to the way it drives and the sounds it make. Make sure there aren't any weird vibrations, any sounds that don't sound normal (i.e. "whine" that people have noticed), and that you feel comfortable driving in it. If you like it a lot, keep it to yourself. The moment they know you love a car, your negotiation leverage diminishes.
4. If you like the car, then you talk prices and negotiate the deal that YOU want.

Notes on negotiating with salesman:

- You don't have to be their best friend - it won't get you a better deal on the car. They play the same game- being friendly and making you think you're their long time bud - but remember that they are to make money. It's all a game of hardball to some extent. They play, and you need to learn to as well.
- Never act desperate. It is a car, and in the end - you don't need to buy this particular one. This isn't a facade you have to put on, it's the truth of buying a car. There's a million cars out there, and more pop up every day. You might find that the very next day, an i4 pops up for sale.
- Go into price negotiations knowing what you want to pay. Know the market, and know the value of similar cars to this one. Be able to point out what is wrong with the car, if there are any legitimate problems. If the asking price is $9,000 and you would like to spend $8,500 on it, make an initial offer of $8,000. I don't know what this car is going for, but of course, be reasonable. Don't talk in terms of monthly payments, have the total end price in mind - do the monthly payment calculations yourself beforehand. Tell them you have x-amount you can spend, and don't go more than the price you have in mind. A valuable bartering tactic is to tell them that you are willing to purchase today, if they can come down to your price. At the very least, this will help them budge a little bit more. Now, dealers usually have less wiggle room with their used inventory. But keep in mind that they do want to get a sale, and they'll sacrifice a few hundred dollars to not have a car sit on their lot.
- Don't be afraid to walk out if they don't accept your offer, or don't come close. You've already told them you are about to purchase a different vehicle. If they aren't willing to meet you at a place that you're comfortable with, then say you'll pass and be on your way. 9 times out of 10 (if you're being reasonable), they'll call you 10 minutes after you leave and give you a better offer. At this point, reiterate what your last offer was and tell them that is the number they need to get to. When they get within your acceptable range, then you accept.

Negotiating is not bad, and it's not petty. This is something you should do for a lot of things later in life. Buying cars, houses, etc.. And it's a learned skill. You might do a ****-poor job of negotiating this time, and in all probability you will. But who cares? You'll learn something, and what's the worst that can happen? Let's say you do all the above things, and still don't get the price you want - all you have to do is call back and say you've decided you want to buy it. But if you were my adult child, I'd say go for it and learn a life lesson. You have nothing to lose, and I repeat - you don't need this Accord.