Any insight on new Honda reliability?

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Yep, 2002 CR-V EX and no real issues. The a/c compressor is VERY sensitive to overfilling and has caused a few people problems at around 50k miles, but otherwise... All I ever do is change the oil and filters and rotate the tires! As for the oil itself, I've mostly used M1 0W20 but have also used 5W30 with no issues. Inside the valve cover looks brand new.

Sheet metal does feel on the thinnish side, especially compared to my Saab. The CR-V, even though you can end up paying the same as a top of the line accord, certainly isn't as uplevel feeling as the accord on the inside, though.
 
...703 my point was that NOTHING is going to be 100% reliable. Doesn't matter whom makes them, that's just life.
 
IMHO I think Honda's "legendary" reliability is somewhat of a myth.

I maintain 3 hondas and I am not impressed. Engines are the best, everything else.. nothing special.
 
Owners of 2 accords.

1998 Accord 4cyl,auto. 125,000 miles still on orginal belts and just changed orginal brake pads last week lasted 125k. No other problems.Gas mileage on this car is not so great 28 mpg. I was expecting 32 or so.

2000 Accord V6 auto trans wifes car.83,000 miles still original brake pads, belts etc, 26mpg


Good cars no complaints except for the price of the honda parts. But Ive gotten similar results when I driven Chrysler Eagle Talon.
 
My wife has a 2004 Civic EX Coupe, Manual Transmission.

No Problems in 30,000 miles.

Have to sell the car, though... wife is sick of manual trans!

I wish I could use it but I need a larger car for taking customers to lunch or hauling things I need.

I will be sad to see it go...
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Enough rambling...
 
Perhaps, in some ways Honda reliability is not what it used to be. I think for the most part, though, there is actual data out there that one can look at, which is quite good when it comes to comparing between brands, models and model years.

I'm referring to things like Consumer Reports, JD Power, and that recent British car reliability survey posted on this site. While you may disagree with how any one of these organizations gets its results, the fact that they generally corroborate each other makes it tough to really argue with their results.

The bottom line is that Honda, Toyota, Subaru and their derivatives are generally the makers of the most reliable cars, with Hyundai either nipping at their heels or actually catching up in some cases, and Mazda also doing very well recently.

Well behind, but also catching up are the American manufacturers, all three I believe, who are now putting together very good quality products. In the rear, for the most part, are the European manufacturers, with BMW and Mercedes-Benz actually having gone downhill over the past several years, but still ahead of the second-tier Euro makers. CU concluded over a year ago that the Americans, which had been behind the Euros as long as I can remember, had improved enough to surpass them.

CU also reports that overall reliability is improving, despite increasing complexity and the use of lightweight materials like plastics where there used to be metals, etc. Actual number of problems per vehicle in all areas have gone down substantially in the past five years, ten years, or whatever timeframe you care to consider.

Of course there are always problems endemic to any one particular vehicle, chassis, engine, etc, and it remains true that auto trannies are among the most trouble-prone components in general. Fortunately the internet is here to alert us to particular problems a given car may have, and for my own part I just avoid auto trannies.

Finally, a last thing to consider is that some cars may tend to have minor troubles, but still have very durable drivetrains, whereas others may have few problems but still have less actual capacity for overall longevity.

Okay, one more thing. There is one manufacturer who's products seem to be substantially better than everybody else's in every reliability survey I've ever looked at. That is, no surprise, Toyota/Lexus. If I weren't a car guy and could be happy driving something like a Camry or ES300 or whatever, I'd own nothing but.

Dammit, one more thing I have to say. With many American cars being much better these days and in fact very good, but still suffering from a customer perception of low quality and undesirability, they are now so cheap in comparison to the admittedly-still-better Japanese offerings that they probably represent the best value for money for many people, and maybe even a little bit of a bargain.

Okay. You can go now.

- Glenn
 
Could one not find it rather ironic that the "big three" are advancing over the competition as far as quality, when each of the big three have taken some of the competition under their wing? GM has Saab. Ford has Volvo. I know there's more, anyone care to share?

Name plate - assumption of quality level (though one never sees the faces and leadership that bring such product to market. Yes, perhaps the CEO is still there from when you purchased your last wonderfully reliable vehicle from them, but will the "details" be the same next time around? Unlikely as even the car design has since changed...and so to has one's expectations. There's always that element of chance to contend with.

Interesting.
 
I have had:
92 Accord 4 Speed Auto. 195,000 and running strong. Replaced a fuel pump and the timing belt/water pump a few times.
97 Accord 5 speed Manual. Never a lick of trouble
04 Pilot and never any issues it is supposed to have a bad tranny....is does not.

My mother has a 03 Civic Hybrid and has has some CVT issues.
 
Honda and Toyota both are at the top. Toyota at #1. Cars are becomming increasingly complex but at the same time, reliability has remained very strong. All cars are good today for the most part and very close in quality.
 
It is really astonishing how good cars are, especially the best of 'em. Thousands of parts and many major mechanical and electrical systems; motors, linkages, hoses, fasteners, moving assemblies simple and complex - and you can count on every single part of it to work, every single time. High speeds, heavy traffic, desert heat, frigid cold, pouring rain, ice, snow: they just work.

I am just old enough to remember when it wasn't like that. There are times, like in the middle of Wyoming when it's colder than the inside of your freezer and the wind's trying to blow me back to Denver, when I get to be quite aware of how easily any of those parts could fail and how inconvenient it would be. They never do, and I just shake my head. It amazes me.

- Glenn
 
I'm disappointed that no one picked up the obvious pun in the title of this INSIGHTful thread.

This discussion of HONDA reliability has been quite an ODDYSSEY, but fortunately we've been able to safely PILOT our way through it. Here on BITOG we see it as our CIVIC duty to help others reach an ACCORD between their vehicle's maintenance needs and quality products.

Of course there will always be people who try to throw you a CuRVeball every now and then.
 
Well, my wife and I are betting heavily that Honda reliability comes through for us. We just bought a new 2005 CR-V with auto trans. At 2600 miles, so far so good.
I will say that Honda America is the absolute pits to get any information out of. Ask them about aftermarket ATF coolers or in-line filters and their response is always "...it's your warranty. Void it if you want to..."
They may be fine automobiles - I sure hope so - but their customer service dept. could learn a great deal from GM or Ford.
 
Titan - you got me on that one.

Getting slow, I might just be 'over the RIDGELINE'...

But on the topic...olefam I agree 100%. When I bought my Oddyssey van, the salesman made absolutely NO effort to keep tabs on when it was going to arrive etc. Then they try to bribe you into giving them 'all 5s' on their stupid phone survey (free oil change whoohoo)

Along that line, I bought a Civic recently and Honda HQ hasn't called yet, maybe they realize it's a joke.
 
As the owner of an '04 Accord I have only one complaint. The paint is quite thin and there are many many chips on the hood.....and this is a coveted J spec (built in Japan) car. Our '03 Corolla has considerably better paint.

Both have been mechanically faultless so far.
 
I've got an 01 Civic EX 5 speed that I've owned since new (Aug 01). The only problem I've had with the car other than the headlight switch recall was a faulty ABS wheel speed sensor. That was replaced in 15 minutes at a dealer with a minimum of fuss. Everything else that I've replaced on the car was because of something I did - like the tie rod end I destroyed while installing my new suspension, or the brakes that I totally fried while autocrossing. I drive gently during the week, but during the summer auto-x season I don't hold anything back, and the car just takes it. My next car will definitely be a Honda (hopefully a new Si!) so I can afford to keep my autocross habit
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I have a Ridgeline and it is the best vehicle I have ever owned in 40 years of driving. It is more than a truck, more than a SUV and more than a 5 seat sedan - it is all of these combined. And with innovations that are a Honda trademark. Is it perfect? No, but close. It made me a believer in Honda engineering, quality and innovation.
 
Matt wrote:
quote:

I'm disappointed that no one picked up the obvious pun in the title of this INSIGHTful thread.

ah...em.......read the whole thread. Big-O-Dave beat you to it......

As for the subject matter I really am crossing my fingers...looks like we will be getting an Odyssey EX. One thing about the newest Hondas: Less little crap to break off, not so many gimmicky doohickies as the Toyota, for example. But I don't kid myself, there is nothing magical about Honda.
 
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