Faults:

The front brake discs were replaced at the 63k service (due to simple wear and tear)

The rear brake discs were replaced at the 72k service (again, simple wear and tear)

One of the air conditioning system pipes in the engine bay was found to be split and leaking at the 72k service and was replaced. I had not noticed any deterioration in the performance of the a/c and this is the only fault / failure I have experienced with this car.

The only other items I have had replaced are the cambelt and tensioners, but this was a routine replacement in accordance with the service schedule.

General Comments:

Let me get the few small moans out the way first as the good points far outweigh them!

The steering lacks feel.

The rev-limiter cuts in too early and way too harshly (I know from experience Honda can do this much better)

Rear legroom could be better.

Now for the good!

The car drives really well; good ride/handling balance with great grip and stability.

Great engine (the 10/10 for performance above is in relation to other cars in its class - not Porsche or anything!!). Good mid-range and it really flies when the VTEC kicks in at 4,500 rpm. Makes a great sound too and returns reasonable fuel economy for 2.0 petrol.

Big boot and plenty of room in the front. Really comfortable seats and superb spec; full leather really gives the interior a classy lift and it is showing not the slightest sign of wear even at 85k. Cracking sound system as well (the Bose upgrade with rear sub-woofer).

I personally like the looks although the standard wheels look too small; I have added 17" rims and they look perfect on the car.

Mine is black and while it looks really good, I have found that it marks very easily and the bodywork seems prone to picking up small dings quite easily - this has been my main concern with the car.

Overall this is one of my favourite cars I have ever owned, a real all rounder. Sporty, refined, comfortable, luxurious.

This is my 6th Honda (never owned a new one) and I keep coming back because they are just so reliable and really satisfying cars to own.

Faults:

Nothing major at all.

General Comments:

I should open by saying this car is one I love and would not part with easily.

It has a real feeling of class with the leather interior, climate control, electric seats etc. and solid controls.

Reliability is almost too good for words and the couple of times I called the RAC out about a flat battery, both times the engineer joked he had to check twice it was a Honda the call was about as they are so rarely breakdown.

The drive is a tad too firm, but never uncomfortable and the road noise is impressively quiet.

My only main gripes are an annoying lag between gear changes using the semi-auto transmission, which actually feels like a power loss especially if the a/c is on.

Also the fact that the power seems to only be there when you rev hard through all the gears. Now I know this one of the VTEC engine features i.e. to better fuel economy, but I have always found an alarming lag between my city mpg (avg. 20) and highway (avg. 38-40) no matter how conservatively I try to drive.

Faults:

One minor leak through the oil pan drain bolt. Fixed by putting a new washer on the bolt.

The "original Honda" oil filter is different from the after-market ones.This caused some confusion. But the aftermarkets work as good.

The driver's seat is a bit too high for my taste.

My car suffers from the mysterious pop-up inner door panel when windows are being closed completely. It doesn't bother at all, but gets you wondering...

Clock light is burned out.

General Comments:

I got this car not very long ago to replace my work-horse Mazda 626. I was really looking for a 00-01 Audi A4, but after some research found out that parts are expensive and hard to get and they are not simple to fix, beside tons of electrical problems and poor reliability. Finally I decided for this Honda, which had really low miles and looked like brand new (metallic maroon), save a scratch. Inside everything is flawless and works perfect. The materials are what you expect for the price. This car drives really good on the highway. The suspension is one of the most sophisticated in the segment (Upper A arms in the front) and it handles great for a sedan of this size. It is pretty quiet and precise. Brakes are good (4 discs + ABS). The power from the engine is good, specially the low-end torque, and fuel economy is excellent.

In the engine bay everything is accesible and easy to fix, parts are cheap and easy to get.

Overall I am happy with this car.

In a few years, when this accord becomes a second-car, I will definitely go for the more classy A4.