Faults:

Replaced fuel pump at 240,000 miles, turn signal colum(used at a junkyard.) Lower exhaust system at 250,000 miles. Half shaft replaced (driver side) at about 265,000.

Rear brake wheel cylinder at around 300,000 miles. water pump at 310,000 miles. Routine maintenance items.

General Comments:

The most reliable car I have owned to date. I purchased this car for eight hundred dollars at an auction and and was my most reliable car ever!

Faults:

This car was purchased brand new from a Honda Dealership in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. My father was the original owner and passed the car to me in 1997. From purchase until 1997 the car was well taken care of and garaged daily.

The car is in excellent condition overall. Two years ago I had the front left and right fenders replaced (factory issues) and the total car repainted to original silver. The rear bumper supports had to be replaced as they had pretty well rusted out. Other than the usual ding here and there and some rust on the floor pan that had to be repaired it was a basic job. The car is a head turner and I am asked weekly by many people if I would like to sell it.

The interior carpets are starting to show age, but to replace them is very expensive so with the floor mats in place it looks fine. The engine purrs like a kitten and after 5000 km on an oil change the dipstick oil is just as gold as when it was put in! I have had no unusual repairs with it thus far. The timing belt has been done twice and I had to replace the starter. The radiator will be replaced next year.

The only item that does not function is the fuel quantity gauge. One day it worked and then the next day it did not. Now we have to fill and zero the trip-meter to determine fuel quantity. Usually can get 500km before going to the gas station again.

I usually change the primary fuel filter at every oil change as it seems to help the car run better.

General Comments:

This is an amazing vehicle. The 1985/85 Accords were fine examples of Japanese perfection. I wish I had another one just like it!

Faults:

Oil Pump failed at 165,000. ($800 US to replace oil pump, water pump and timing belt) The water pump was replaced as a preventative measure because the cost of pulling and replacing the engine was the most expensive part of the repair.

Replaced third A/C compressor at 200,000 miles and converted A/C system to freon R-134. (Required installing a new drier, expansion valve, and replacing all of the O-rings) Total cost to do it myself: $600.00 US.

Engine will hesitate in cool damp weather. Suspect that carberator icing is the problem. I have "solved" the problem by restricting the cold air intake on cool days.

General Comments:

Average fuel economy 28-30 mpg Local/Highway.

During recent tune-up, engine compression was still in 170-180 psi range per cylinder.

Faults:

Normal wear, battery, clutch and brakes, annoying fuel filler leak.

Door locks look bad thanks to a break-in.

Rust affecting the structure.

General Comments:

This is Honda doing the Austin Mini up seriously. This Accord is basically a top-of-the-line Honda Civic, and the difference is mainly in build quality. It's a functional urban go-fer, perfect for zipping over to the store, commuting to work, or running a kid to a sports practice. I've taken it on freeway outings and it seems steady up to speeds as fast as I care to travel (say 120 to 140 km/h), with maybe some power yet to use. You can still seat 4 real-size people and get excellent fuel economy. Well-built and well-engineered car.

Unluckily, I got one that had been thrashed out by the previous owners, including some (undeclared) previous body work that turned into patchwork body paint after a couple of years.

Ugly as heck, this is cubism that only a Picasso could love.

BUT it is a great technical combination of sportiness, economy and functional features. We have hauled everything from firewood logs to sheep manure in ours (sometimes there are benefits to having a car that is beyond caring about... you get to treat it like a pick-up truck). My wife's used it to cross-town commute and shop daily, and she finds it a pleasure to drive and park. It's really regretable that hatchbacks are going out of vogue over here.

I notice from other examples around that if cared-for meticulously, the bodies stay sound. If not, by now the mid-80s Hondas are looking pretty bad... poor steel in Japan just then, or what?

If I'd obtained a good clean example, I'd probably keep it, despite its chumpy looks. As I didn't, I'm fulfilling my mid-life crisis with a Golf GTI.

Prospective purchasers, watch for rust. If the bodywork is really clean, you can probably deal with the mechanical problems affordably enough. But if the metal's going, give it a pass.