General Comments:
Bought it for $13,995 in 1993 because it was a demo for the dealer. I immediately fell in love with it.
I totalled my Buick Century days before I bought the Honda. I was 48 at the time and wanted something with more features than my old Buick. I bought the Honda because of its features and because I loved the Rosewood color.
As an aged woman, I felt I stood out by driving an Accord. It felt so much more refined than the Buick.
I begin to let people borrow my car in 1994, and it was with family members more than it was with me. My daughter especially.
In 1997 it hit 100,000 miles. No problems thus far.
The timing belt and CV joints were replaced very late at 115,000 miles. Still no problems.
In 1999 the car was wore out severely. But was still relied on as the sole transportation of my daughter and her children, who took their toll on the interior.
In 2000 the engine began to leak oil severely. The Low Oil Pressure light stayed on constantly. It had to have new oil everyday. Still, it was sole transportation and money was tight.
In early 2001 the car hit 190,000 miles and finally threw a rod. Even with the thrown-rod and severe engine problem it ran strong for a few more weeks.
February - $3600 engine job. The car was again like new. I was certain it would last me the rest of my life. I had no idea these were its final months.
My daughter began driving it 60 miles a day again in March and it was holding up very well. Up until June it got her all 60 miles a day and back just fine.
June 22, 2001 - My daughter left work early at about 4:10PM. She was driving home on a 4 lane highway at about 70MPH when the right front tire blew-out. She never hit the brakes. It pushed the car into the median where it hit a concrete culvert at around 65MPH causing the airbag to deploy. Then the faithful Accord flipped end over end six times then rolled 1 and a half. It came to rest on the driver's side. My daughter woke me from a nap when she called and said she had an accident. I had no idea how severe it was. My daughter had one bruise on her knee, and that was it. Seeing the car made me violently ill. You could not tell what it was. The policeman had to ask what kind of car it used to be. I loved the car with all my heart, but it can be replaced, my daughter could not have been.
My family is very lucky my Accord was built as safe as it was. It was very solid. We all miss that car, but know it was demolished because of the impact it absorbed and my daughter did not. I loved it, and I'll probably buy another 1993 soon, probably an SE.
Accords are very safe, and all my kids are now buying Accords. We're Honda people for life.
21st Sep 2009, 16:55
Soichiro Honda isn't someone a lot of folks have heard of, but we hear his last name or see a car bearing it every day. Thanks to his devotion to making safe, reliable and fuel efficient cars, Honda's legacy will endure long after Henry Ford's has faded into history. My grandmother owns a 2006 Accord, having bought it for those very three virtues. An excellent review of a truly outstanding car- thank you for telling us the story of its demise. Sad though it is to lose such a fine automobile, your assessment was correct - cars are replaceable; our loved ones are not.