Checked out 03 V6 6 Speed
04-07-2003, 02:40 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Checked out 03 V6 6 Speed
Went to my Honda dealer in Fairfax, Va Saturday for some service on my Prelude. Checked into the showroom and there was a cooupe sitting there. I did not notice at first but it was a 6 speed. The salesperson showed me all the features. I didn't drive it, because I don't intend to buy now, but checking it out in the showroom was enough to convince me that it solves all the comfort problems I have with the Prelude.
My problems with the 'Lude:
My legs won't fit under the steering wheel enough to get a straight line shot at the clutch or the brake. I have to angle my legs at the knee to do the clutch or brake. The A v6 6 speed gives me that straight line to both, even without adjusting the tilt/telescope wheel.
Even though I'm 5' 10", my head rubs the roof of the 'Lude unless I partially recline the seat. Although there's not an abundance of headroom in the Accord, it is sufficient for me.
The back seat of the 'Lude can be utilized to carry ONE person and only for a short ride if the front seat person is willing to sacrifice some room. The Accord can actually seat 4 people wihtout undue complaint.
The seats are very comfortabe and it looks like there is pleanty of insulation under the hood and trunk. The 'Lude is a little noisey.
Had to leave, back again to finish:
The 'Lude has a little too much road noise, and you can definately hear the engine. The engine noise I don't mind, but I noticed my Dad's Ford Escort is actually quieter than the Prelude!
More about the Accord, it was silver, and it looked OK, but personally silver does nothing for me. When I decide to buy, I'd take any color EXCEPT siver or white. I think graphite gray whould be nice, but it's not available on the 6 speed coupe.
One downside, the visibility to front of car (edges of fenders, front of hood) and to the rear (end of trunk) are a little indefinite. The car had the rear spoiler, and that helped define the rear of the car a little beter. Other than that, overall visibility was better than I expected.
The car had a tag on it indicating that it was a special sale that day. The tag said "Was $34,500, Now $27,500!!" i thought, OK, it had the spoiler, fog lights and mud flaps already installed, so I guess that price (27.5K) was about right.
My overall impression of the car is very favorable. I appreciate the threads that describe the driving expeience. Sounds like the car for me. Hope Honda is still making the 6 speed next year when I'm ready to buy!
My problems with the 'Lude:
My legs won't fit under the steering wheel enough to get a straight line shot at the clutch or the brake. I have to angle my legs at the knee to do the clutch or brake. The A v6 6 speed gives me that straight line to both, even without adjusting the tilt/telescope wheel.
Even though I'm 5' 10", my head rubs the roof of the 'Lude unless I partially recline the seat. Although there's not an abundance of headroom in the Accord, it is sufficient for me.
The back seat of the 'Lude can be utilized to carry ONE person and only for a short ride if the front seat person is willing to sacrifice some room. The Accord can actually seat 4 people wihtout undue complaint.
The seats are very comfortabe and it looks like there is pleanty of insulation under the hood and trunk. The 'Lude is a little noisey.
Had to leave, back again to finish:
The 'Lude has a little too much road noise, and you can definately hear the engine. The engine noise I don't mind, but I noticed my Dad's Ford Escort is actually quieter than the Prelude!
More about the Accord, it was silver, and it looked OK, but personally silver does nothing for me. When I decide to buy, I'd take any color EXCEPT siver or white. I think graphite gray whould be nice, but it's not available on the 6 speed coupe.
One downside, the visibility to front of car (edges of fenders, front of hood) and to the rear (end of trunk) are a little indefinite. The car had the rear spoiler, and that helped define the rear of the car a little beter. Other than that, overall visibility was better than I expected.
The car had a tag on it indicating that it was a special sale that day. The tag said "Was $34,500, Now $27,500!!" i thought, OK, it had the spoiler, fog lights and mud flaps already installed, so I guess that price (27.5K) was about right.
My overall impression of the car is very favorable. I appreciate the threads that describe the driving expeience. Sounds like the car for me. Hope Honda is still making the 6 speed next year when I'm ready to buy!
04-07-2003, 04:59 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thats not a bad price for all of those options installed. I am actually wondering why sales of the 6 speed have not taken off yet, I thought it was gonna be a best seller, but I guess with people who have already bought the CL and the economy the way it is people may be content right now until something changes.
04-10-2003, 01:36 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cooliojones,
I believe there is not a very big market for manual trans cars out there anymore. Most Americans are lazy and would prefer not to shift so they can have a free hand to talk on cell phone, drink coffee, fiddle with radio buttons, or whatever else people do when in the car when THEY SHOULD BE DRIVING.
Unless the car is a dedicated sports/performance car or a bare bones econobox, manual trannies are just about extinct! And even in these two areas of the market, automatics probably now make up about half the sales.
Honda makes just about the easiest shifting manual and easiest to use clutch in the world. Honda has perfected this, but the world in general doesn't care (SAD, SAD for people like us).
I believe there is not a very big market for manual trans cars out there anymore. Most Americans are lazy and would prefer not to shift so they can have a free hand to talk on cell phone, drink coffee, fiddle with radio buttons, or whatever else people do when in the car when THEY SHOULD BE DRIVING.
Unless the car is a dedicated sports/performance car or a bare bones econobox, manual trannies are just about extinct! And even in these two areas of the market, automatics probably now make up about half the sales.
Honda makes just about the easiest shifting manual and easiest to use clutch in the world. Honda has perfected this, but the world in general doesn't care (SAD, SAD for people like us).
04-10-2003, 06:08 AM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its just like the CL-S. theyre having a terribly hard time selling the 6sp CL-S because its a lot of money for a kid to buy and adults want an automatic
and 2000Prelude - how do you have a hard time fitting in your Lude when youre 5'10". i am 6'3" and drive my friends Lude from time to time and i have no trouble fitting in it
and 2000Prelude - how do you have a hard time fitting in your Lude when youre 5'10". i am 6'3" and drive my friends Lude from time to time and i have no trouble fitting in it
04-10-2003, 07:47 AM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I really don't know how someone very tall will fit in the 'Lude! I'm 5' 10" and most of that is in my legs. For me, the legroom IS abundant, but it's fitting my legs under the steering wheel to properly push the clutch and brake pedals, that's my problem. You shouldn't have to angle your legs at the knee to depress the clutch. Fortunately, the clutch takes very little effort to depress, so it's not a BIG deal, just not IDEAL.
Now, the headroom is a different story. I fit OK, but barely so. If my head were ever thrown forward in an accident, I'd either hit the edge of the moonroof opening, or I'd hit the sunvisor. My brother is about the same height as I am, but most of his height is in the torso. He cann't fit in the 'Lude at all! His head is up into the sunroof opening.
With all that said, those are really about my only complaints with the 'Lude. Other than that it's great and has been a reliable and inexpensive car to operate.
Now, the headroom is a different story. I fit OK, but barely so. If my head were ever thrown forward in an accident, I'd either hit the edge of the moonroof opening, or I'd hit the sunvisor. My brother is about the same height as I am, but most of his height is in the torso. He cann't fit in the 'Lude at all! His head is up into the sunroof opening.
With all that said, those are really about my only complaints with the 'Lude. Other than that it's great and has been a reliable and inexpensive car to operate.
04-10-2003, 08:58 AM
#6
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by 2000Prelude
I really don't know how someone very tall will fit in the 'Lude! I'm 5' 10" and most of that is in my legs. For me, the legroom IS abundant, but it's fitting my legs under the steering wheel to properly push the clutch and brake pedals, that's my problem. You shouldn't have to angle your legs at the knee to depress the clutch. Fortunately, the clutch takes very little effort to depress, so it's not a BIG deal, just not IDEAL.
Now, the headroom is a different story. I fit OK, but barely so. If my head were ever thrown forward in an accident, I'd either hit the edge of the moonroof opening, or I'd hit the sunvisor. My brother is about the same height as I am, but most of his height is in the torso. He cann't fit in the 'Lude at all! His head is up into the sunroof opening.
With all that said, those are really about my only complaints with the 'Lude. Other than that it's great and has been a reliable and inexpensive car to operate.
I really don't know how someone very tall will fit in the 'Lude! I'm 5' 10" and most of that is in my legs. For me, the legroom IS abundant, but it's fitting my legs under the steering wheel to properly push the clutch and brake pedals, that's my problem. You shouldn't have to angle your legs at the knee to depress the clutch. Fortunately, the clutch takes very little effort to depress, so it's not a BIG deal, just not IDEAL.
Now, the headroom is a different story. I fit OK, but barely so. If my head were ever thrown forward in an accident, I'd either hit the edge of the moonroof opening, or I'd hit the sunvisor. My brother is about the same height as I am, but most of his height is in the torso. He cann't fit in the 'Lude at all! His head is up into the sunroof opening.
With all that said, those are really about my only complaints with the 'Lude. Other than that it's great and has been a reliable and inexpensive car to operate.
04-10-2003, 09:21 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
About the airbag issue, is it not destined to hit your chest? In the owner's manual it says its intentions are to deploy (for the majority) towards your chest. I could be wrong but it says in my owner's manual.
04-10-2003, 04:58 PM
#9
Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Upstate SC.
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gotta agree on the visability, I've had my 6MT for a month and I still can't find the corners. After I get out, I'll look back and see that I've got another 4-5 ft to go.
Get one, you won't be dissappionted - but wait a few months and save some $$$ off MSRP.
Get one, you won't be dissappionted - but wait a few months and save some $$$ off MSRP.
04-10-2003, 06:59 PM
#10
A little chin music
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cleveland, Ohio - Rock 'n Roll capitol of the World
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm in the same boat you are, 2000Prelude. I own a y2k Lude five speed, but I've pretty much adopted to it's dimentional shortcommings since I love the car so much. I've driven the Accord six speed as well. Twice. I think it will be my next car, just not now (price inflation and I'm buying a house). I'm dissapointed that the CL-S is out, but at the same time, the new Accord fits perfectly where the CL-S six speed left off. Just as much if not more luxury and performance is on par. I was particularly impressed with the Accord's ability to pull at 70 mph in sixth gear. I hit 85 with ease and no down shifting. The engine is near silent except when you hit VTEC. Only 2 little things buged me: the brakes were a little touchy and I could not get used to the rather small tachometer. Small stuff I'll get over easily if I get the car.
