2009 Honda Accord LX 2.4 4 cylinder
Summary:
Great, smooth, classy sedan made average by high kms and a few annoying issues
Faults:
O2 sensor - twice.
Possible cat converter issue.
Brakes locking up twice, just after startup, both on cold days in winter.
Radio/CD player would work intermittently.
Only came with one key and one fob. Had to get another made. Neither key would fit in the driver's door. Had to unlock the car using the fob.
General Comments:
Yes, I know it has high kms.
But what initially sold me on the car was the condition it was in and how well it ran and drove for the kms.
It was supposedly a 1 owner car before I got it. The guy lived in a small town (Steinbach) about an hour from the capital city which I am in (Winnipeg).
I figure he drove it from Steinbach to Wpg (primarily highway mileage) twice a day, 5 days a week, to rack up that kind of mileage. The car also came with a whole lot of maintenance history. The Carfax was a good 4 or 6 pages long. Engine was rebuilt at approx 365k kms.
Body was in very good shape for the kms. Little to no rust. A few stone chips (including one or two on the windshield) from gravel roads. Interior was in great shape, back seat looked like it was almost never sat in. Trunk was quite large, and the rear seats fold down.
It had a 'whine' from the transmission at low speeds around the city (i.e. in a parking lot), but engine was VERY quiet on the highway. 2.4 4 cyl had good get-up-and-go to it. Was a base model, but had everything I needed (AC, cruise, heated mirrors, etc) and nothing I didn't. Suspension was quite firm, almost sports-sedan like. Not great blind spot driver side B panel (where seatbelt comes out of, between the front and rear seats).
Reasons why I sold it after about 3,000 kms was:
- The check engine light was on about 99% of the time I had it. (I had an OBD2 reader, the car had constant O2 sensor issues, even after having it fixed once. Perhaps it also had cat converter issues too, I'm not sure. I've heard that the 2.4 engine burns oil, which can foul the O2 sensor, and mess up the cat. I don't think I had any oil problems. Only took it for an oil change once, no issues to report. Plus the engine was rebuilt about 50,000 kms before I got it, so there *shouldn't* be any oil issues.).
- High mileage = unpredictability.
- After driving it a while, it proved to be too big of a sedan for me for city driving (navigating parking lots, backing in and out of spots, etc.). I was used to smaller sedans (Toyota Echo), or hatchback (99 Civic) or mid size SUV (05 Escape) - those I liked because I could see exactly where the car ended. With sedans I have a hard time, and hate guessing. I could never really find a comfy driving position, though neither is the car's fault, really.
P.S. Good on Honda for making a car that can last over 400,000 kms.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 18th December, 2021
28th Oct 2022, 19:49
Excellent honest review, the Honda Accord is pretty much on par with the Toyota Camry for reliability and longevity.