1997 Honda Accord VTI 2.2 VTEC from Australia and New Zealand

Summary:

Excellent family car very economical and reliable

Faults:

Battery that's all!!

General Comments:

First Automatic car we have owned so is very nice.

Economical specially on long trips (with V-TEC engine) and improvement over the allready excellent 1997 Civic we had and still has Hondas wishbone suspension design which is brilliant for cornering.

Huge boot

Great family car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th December, 2004

1st Jan 2006, 23:54

I can only agree fully with this review. I had a 1993 (used Japanese import) auto with VTEC and it gave faultless performance for over 2 years. I only sold it as we went overseas and still miss it. Went really well, loads of room and returned 31 – 34 mpg. Even now these are still look very handsome and you can pick 'em up for little money.

Why are there so few reviews of these excellent cars here??!!

17th Jan 2009, 18:41

Agree with the above comments - just sold a 1996 Accord VTi-S that I owned for a couple of years - and bought the next model Accord!

Handling and performance are at least above average for mid 90's medium size automatics (eg. Telstar, Corona, Camry, 626, Bluebird).

Mine did 600+ km for a full tank!

Never broke down or gave any real trouble - although maintenance costs are admittedly a bit on the high side, and brakes wore out fairly quickly.

Would reccomend the Accord for anyone looking for a cheap, reliable and practical car.

27th Nov 2013, 16:50

Still going strong. Now in my 10th year of ownership, and I have worked out I have only spent $2,700 on repairs and routine maintenance, plus the cost of regular oil and filter changes over the last 10 years. Mileage was 136,000 km when bought in 2003; it's now up to 225,400 km.

1997 Honda Accord LX from North America

Summary:

Will never buy a Honda again!

Faults:

It took me all of one week to begin hating this car. It started when I bought a small chair when I was home for the holidays. I could not fit it in my trunk, in the back, or in the front seat. I was disgusted to have to give it away. Living on the coast, I tried to evacuate before a hurricane, only to find my canary's cage would not fit anywhere in the car, either. This is not a manufacturer's defect, but it is a waste of space and makes me miss my hatchback.

Within the first month, I noticed suspension problems in the front of the car.

Gradually, my key would not quite work in the ignition. You have to turn the wheel and hold it to get the key to turn.

Then, after having it for almost 2 months, I replaced the starter. $350.

Summer came and I wondered why the air wasn't working. There was no compressor in the car. Not a good thing when you live in the South. $800.

After 6 months, I replaced the clutch. $550.

A few days short of a year, I replaced the transmission. $1,500.

The power locks are broken, to where you can only lock them if you hold the handle from the inside while pushing the button. Now, the doors lock, but you cannot unlock the passenger door unless you do so from inside the car.

The power windows get stuck most days, so I am sure both motors are about to go out (2 door car).

Passenger seatbelt strangles anyone who sits in the seat.

Glove compartment light is on the entire time the lights are on.

The back break light in the window is impossible to replace, even for the 4 mechanics I have taken it to. Even then, it is an odd bulb that is too big for the hole it is to be inserted in.

The stereo has to be reset by a Honda mechanic every time the battery is disconnected. This cannot be done by just anyone.

The engine light has been on for a year now. I have had 4 diagnostic tests ($50-85 each) and still it is on, yet no one can tell me why. I would think this rather odd, if my sister's 2001 Accord did not have the same exact problem.

What frustrates me most is that though the salesman sold me on the idea that 120,000 miles was "nothing" for a Honda, the dealership flat out refused to even look at my car when I was stranded 200 miles from home because at that point, it was near 150,000. Apparently, the salesmen and mechanics do not agree on what is too high of mileage for this car.

General Comments:

I was ripped off on this car. I would chalk it up to a really bad experience with a run-down car, but as I said earlier, my sister has had some of the same problems I have had, and she has put a great deal less mileage on hers since getting it.

The car is decent inside and because of this car, I have fallen in love with sunroofs, but that is probably as much as I can say positive about this car. The stereo controls are a little more than arm's length away, so you cannot change channels comfortably if you have long legs. Not only that, but the speedometer needle blocks your mileage gage. You cannot watch that so well once you hit 50-60mph.

I have been stranded with this car more times than I can count. I have taken good care of it, babied it, even, because I was putting so much mileage on it, but all-in-all, it is a piece of junk.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 7th December, 2004

5th Feb 2005, 23:43

I think you really got gypped... whoever you’re getting these Hondas from you need to report them... everything screams American made except the window relay and maybe the trunk space.

6th Mar 2005, 21:40

I own a 1996 Honda Accord EX, and it has been (by far) the most reliable and trouble free car I have ever owned. I bought the car three years ago with just 45,000 miles. It now sits with just over 150,000! I have driven the car across country several times, and my daily commute is over 100 miles per day! I have NEVER been left stranded in this car, nor do I fear it will ever stop on me when going down the highway. I will not say this car is perfect (This generation of Accords were not without their little problems) but no car is... and the Accord's are especially minor when compared too many other makes/models. My rear door locks don't work, my driver's side window is slow and often gets stuck and my original radiator (plastic) developed a leak at around 120,000 miles. Other than that, however, it's been nothing, but routine maintenance! After 9 years and 150k miles, the car still looks and runs like a much newer car... and has yet to ever break down on me or have any major problems. I credit Denso quality components, Honda's dedicated factory workers (In Ohio) and their proven, time tested four cylinder engines. I also own and drive a 1981 Honda Civic 1500 station wagon, that is still running strong to this day with the original engine and transmission.