Hi everyone! Thought I'd drop in since I might be joining the Accord family in the very near future. I've been driving Volvos for years (first one handed down from my parents) and I'm finally fed-up with the maintenance. I can turn a wrench pretty well but I just don't have the time for it anymore. The last month has been brutal so I finally made the decision: dumping the gremlin-ridden beast and buying something better.

After not too much looking I think I've found precisely what I wanted: Black 2002 EX Coupe with a 4-banger and a 5-spd. At 25K, I can't find a single mechanical flaw and the interior is nearly perfect except for some easily repairable blemishes to the black leather. The only thing holding me back is that the PO was careless and allowed a fair bit of pine sap to dry on the hood and trunk lid. I'm trying to negotiate with the dealer to have it repaired properly (basically sanding it down, re-painting, re-clearing). It's a sad defect to an otherwise really nice car. Can anybody see anything wrong with my proposed course of action with the dealer?

I really hope that this deal goes through the way I want it to. If so, I see this car as being a whole lot better than what I'm used to! For me, it's the perfect blend of practicality and sportiness.

CN: Volvo bad, Honda good, paint not great, still want to buy, dried pine sap sucks.

Tim