Originally Posted by Jenk
General car purposes...to get me to/ from work
Good reputation, good safety record, practically off-the-charts longevity
Three main drawbacks with the Accord:
1) the retail price is now higher than Camry
2) the warranty isn't as good
3) I've heard that Honda parts are more expensive to fix/ replace than those of the Camry.
I liked the Accord better in terms of the drive, the overall feel of the suspension
Why should anyone purchase a car with a lesser stellar warranty
Jenk
First - whatever you decide will be the right decision - for your purposes, these are the 2 best choices on the market.
Second - Decide I4 vs. V6 before you go any further. Can you afford the V6? Are you willing to sacrifice 10% in gas mileage?
Third - Decide manual vs. automatic - I am guessing since you are female and it is for work, you probably don't want to be bothered shifting.
Fourth - Decide your budget. If money is very tight, you are looking at Accord LX I4; if not, Accord EXV6 - big difference
Fifth - Are you leasing or buying? If buying, resale value should be a major consideration, and I believe research will show that the Accord is better in this area.
Now that you have narrowed down your choices to a specific model of each car (e.g. Camry SEV6 auto vs Accord EXV6 auto), now start to compare prices and see what the real difference is. Recognize that Accord's pricing structure is simplified - very few options, while Camry is a regular Chinese menu to put a car together for pricing purposes.
The standard warranties are the same. The drivetrain warranty on the Camry is 5/60 vs. 3/36 for the Accord. If it makes you feel any better, Honda has a very liberal "goodwill" policy to cover defects in the period after warranty expiration. E.g. if your trans blows up at 50k, they will usually foot the bill for the new trans, and maybe ask you to cover the $600 labor bill. Another option is to just buy the extended warranty for 5, 6, or 7 years for an additional $500 - $900. Of course, if you are leasing or plan to trade in or sell in < 3 or 4 years, the warranty really doesn't matter much.
Retail Price? Totally meaningless. Accords are currently selling for about $1k below dealer invoice, or roughly $4k below retail sticker.
Replacement parts? Buy them online at 20 - 30% discount off of the dealer prices and they are cheaper or at least comparable to Camry parts.
Specs? Accord V6 240hp vs. Camry V6 225 hp is a significant difference. Accord hiway EPA mileage is 30 vs. Camry 29 even with the added hp.
You have some decisions to make before you can make the best choice.
For me, it came down to the driving excitement quotient. Driving the V6 Accord was like brilliant living color when compared to the mundane, black-and-white styling and performance of the Camry.
Let your heart and your wallet make the final decision...
